A chemical company has been prosecuted after three workers suffered acid burns when pipework at its plant near Southampton ruptured, sending a jet of sulphuric acid 20 metres into the air.
The three men were hit by a spray of the corrosive chemical without warning when 50 year-old pipes that had been allowed to corrode finally gave way.
The men were all employed by an on-site contractor at the Polimeri Europa UK Ltd chemical plant in Hythe, Southampton, when the incident occurred on 13 December 2011.
An HSE investigation into the incident found serious safety failings which led to Polimeri’s prosecution at Southampton Crown Court on 29 November.
The court was told the three men had all sustained acid burns to their faces but prompt showering on site and first aid treatment by a fellow worker helped prevent more serious injury. All three were subsequently able to return to work.
The incident involved pipework, used to carry 96 per cent sulphuric acid, which had split close to where the three men were working on an unrelated task in the roadway in between areas of plant. The pressure in the pipe turned the corrosive liquid into a jet spray as it was forced through the small perforation.
The HSE’s investigation identified that Polimeri — part of one of Europe’s largest chemical companies, Versalis (formerly eni) — did have a plan to inspect their pipework systems in 2008, but initial target dates had been missed. Priority was being given to pipework carrying other hazardous substances, which were considered a greater risk to people on and off site.
The court heard that the company had failed to make sure its pipework — the company has around 9,250 metres of it — was in a safe condition and corrosion had been allowed to take hold of the section that carried the acid.
Polimeri Europa UK Ltd, of Cadland Road, Hythe, Southampton, was fined a total of £120,000 and ordered to pay £18,023 in full costs after admitting a breach of both Section 2(1) and Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.
Following the hearing, HSE Inspector Sally Morgan said: “These workers received acid burns in an incident that could have been prevented. Polimeri Europa UK Ltd should have ensured that their pipework, much of it over 50 years old, was subject to a thorough and timely inspection regime.
“Polimeri is part of an international chemical company and would be well aware of the legal requirement to ensure ongoing integrity of the sulphuric acid pipework, but they failed to do this for many years. The result was a system that gradually and invisibly became more and more dangerous.
“High hazard sites must ensure that there are rigorous monitoring procedures in place for such systems.”
Speaking to SHP, she added: “A lack of attention for 30 years, meant that when the company began to attempt measures to correct problems, the task was so huge that they simply couldn’t put enough resources into it.”
The company, who were said to have co-operated fully with the investigation, released a statement in early November saying that the site at which the incident occurred would be closing: “Polimeri Europa UK Ltd, a subsidiary of Versalis (Eni) in the UK, announced to its employees a proposal to cease operations at its Hythe site during the first quarter of 2014.
“We will start the consultation process with the trade union and employee representatives within the next two weeks.
The statement continued: “Following a review of the future of the global market for these products and the economic effect on the production operation at Hythe, the company announced its proposal to cease operations.
“The Hythe site has been successful in making significant improvements to its performance over the last few years however, unfortunately, without a sustainable market for its products it is unable to benefit from the progress made.”
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without a sustainable market for its products it is unable to benefit from the progress made?
I fail to see how this removes a duty under section 2 or setion 3 of the HSWA 1974
If they manufacture dangerous chemicals they have a duty to do so, as safely as possible, regardless of wether they have an immediate end user or not, or am I missing the point?
It is always reassuring to hear that although a potentially ‘very serious’ accident has happened that Emergency Safety Showers have saved the day once again!