Global brewing company fined after flouting health and safety regs
The incidents, which both occurred within a six-week period in 2008 at the Burton-on Trent plant, saw three men seriously burned by a hazardous chemical, while the leg of a fourth worker was crushed by a forklift truck.
The company told FoodProductionDaily.com it had made significant investments at its facilities since the accidents, upgraded its processes and overseen a cultural change in safety attitudes among its workers. The safety review had cut days lost to injuries in 2010 by more than half, it said.
Caustic soda jet
Molson Coors Brewing Co was fined £14,000 and ordered to pay £43,674 in legal costs after a jet of caustic soda spilled from a container and drenched three men during maintenance work at the factory in Station Street.
Cannock Magistrates' Court heard that up to 6,000 litres of the chemical spewed from a faulty valve running from a detergent tank in June 2008, causing serious burns to the three contractors.
One man was temporarily blinded, while another suffered 25 per cent burns which have scarred his body and left it sensitive to heat. The third worker was less seriously burnt.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found the men had not been given adequate instructions or appropriate protective equipment.
“Although they were given visors, the overalls provided by the company were made from cloth, and the caustic fluid soaked through these,” said the UK safety body.
The brewing giant pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.
The HSE was critical of the company, saying the accidents should have been avoided and said the firm had failed to carry out proper risk assessments.
"This was a preventable incident, which caused unpleasant injuries to three men," said inspector Lyn Spooner. “It is fortunate that the caustic soda was dilute, otherwise they would have been much more seriously hurt.”
“Inadequate risk assessments, poor management”
Molson was also fined £31,000 and ordered to pay £33,042 in legal costs after a driver was hit by a forklift truck at the site on 20 May, 2008.
The 64-year-old was at the factory to unload a trailer of empty cans and was struck by the vehicle as he walked along the canning line to find a space to deliver his cargo. His leg was trapped under the truck, fracturing both his foot and ankle.
The HSE said its probe revealed “the firm had failed to follow previous advice” from the body over the need to introduce a safe workplace transport system after an inspection in December 2007.
"This incident occurred because of inadequate risk assessments, poor management and monitoring of contractors, and managers failing to understand their responsibilities for health and safety", said Spooner
She added: "Not only had poor workplace transport arrangements persisted over many years, but Molson Coors also failed to follow previous advice from HSE. It is particularly disappointing to see such failings at a large company, which has the resources to deliver much better standards."
Root and branch changes
The company said the accidents were “a matter of great regret” and that it had since taken “a series of steps, which have helped ensure that health and safety is the priority it should always be, from shop floor to the board”
More than £1m has been invested at its UK sites over the last two years to improve safety, it added.
Changing the management process that “contributed to the accidents” and creating a cultural shift that meant “health and safety issues are taken seriously and potential problems reported as soon as they arise” have also been prioritised, said Molson.
The company said its measures had already “had a dramatic impact" at its sites, with the number of days lost to injuries in 2010 reduced by 60 per cent compared to 2009.
