Space firm fined £27,000 for safety issues
GoogleA company which makes products for surgery and satellites has been fined £27,200 for endangering workers.
Inspectors from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) said they found staff at Tracel Ltd were at risk of lung diseases due to poor control of metalworking fluids on cutting machinery at its site in Great Gransden, Cambridgeshire.
The firm, which trades under the name The Engineering Quest and has another base in Milton Keynes, was also ordered to pay £30,000 in costs at Luton Magistrates' Court, according to the HSE.
The firm has been approached for comment by the BBC.
In July 2022, the HSE said its inspectors identified concerns with how the firm used the metal working fluids.
Despite being issued with formal improvement notices, a follow-up inspection found the company had not reduced the risk of inhaling fluid mist and prosecution began in January 2024.
The government agency said workers were at risk of illnesses, including dermatitis, asthma and other respiratory conditions.
The company had admitted breaching Regulation 6 of the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations and two charges of breaching Section 21 of the Health and Safety at Work etc., Act 1974.
HSE inspector Stephen Manley said: "We are committed to maintaining Great Britain's record as one of the safest countries to work in, and our inspection activity is central to delivering this.
"This case was entirely avoidable had the company taken appropriate action following our inspection, and I hope it encourages others to review their arrangements."
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