Two firms and manager heavily fined after worker dies

Mark Wright, 37, died in April 2005 after being told to crush highly flammable canisters, while working for Deeside Metal Company of Saltney, Chester. The firm had received the canisters from Jeyes UK of Bromfield Industrial Estate, Mold- who had failed to clearly label and segregate them from less hazardous waste, Caernarfon Crown Court heard. This meant employees had assumed the canisters were empty when in fact they contained flammable substances. Robert Roberts, the manager of Deeside Metal Company had instructed Wright to crush the aerosols in a metal baler, the court was told. When Wright activated the baler he was engulfed in flames. Jane Lessey, HSE head of operations in Wales, said: "Both companies contributed to the death of Mr Wright by allowing this highly dangerous situation to arise. Jeyes UK had a clear responsibility to ensure the canisters were labelled correctly and separated from non-hazardous waste, and to have procedures to prevent such dangerous waste being inadvertently removed from their site. By failing to do this, they put workers in danger." Lessey added: "Deeside Metal Co lacked proper procedures for handling hazardous materials and operating dangerous machinery. They assumed the canisters were empty, but this proved to be a fatal error of judgement." Deeside Metal Company Ltd pleaded guilty to charges under Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and Regulation 3(1) of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. The company was fined £100,000 and ordered to pay costs of £10,000. Jeyes UK Ltd pleaded guilty to a charge under Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and was fined £330,000 with £50,000 costs. Robert Roberts pleaded guilty to a charge under Section 7(a) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and was fined £10,000.