Recent prosecutions: Gate manufacturer fined £80,000 for multiple safety offences

A gate manufacturing company that repeatedly failed to adhere to health and safety regulations has received a string of financial penalties, including £80,000 in fines, £7,495 in costs, and a £2,000 victim surcharge.

An initial HSE visit found several serious safety breaches, including unsafe equipment, inadequate control of welding fume, and poor structural integrity in workplace areas. Despite five follow-up inspections, three additional Improvement Notices, and a Prohibition Notice, the company's poor safety practices continued.

Managing welding fumes

The HSE accepts two forms of controls: respiratory protective equipment (RPE) and local exhaust ventilation (LEV). Both require regular inspection – RPE should be checked monthly (records kept 5 years), LEV every 14 months.

Protecting your team with RPE

• Direct air-fed models are usually the most comfortable for the wearer.
• Fitted full or half masks need to be face-fit tested.
• Change filter cartridges according to the manufacturer's recommendations.

Maximising LEV safety

• Use smoke matches and Draeger Tubes to detect hazardous substances.
• Dust lamps at angles of up to 120° can identify rogue fumes.
• When using an overhead hood, mark out the extraction area with a clear line.

Going the extra mile with health surveillance

All employees should have lung function testing and complete an annual health surveillance questionnaire. Staff who regularly weld with metals containing respiratory sensitisers should undergo asthma checks.