Surrey Crown Court was told that a huge explosion which injured eight staff at a Surrey industrial site, five seriously, occurred because of a failure to carry out a fire risk assessment.
The blast was at the Lingfield premises of Ereco EMEA Corporation, where the company recycled printer toner cartridges.
An investigation by the HSE and Surrey Fire and Rescue Service found that Ereco failed to ensure there was a safe system of work in place to reduce the risk from dangerous substances.
Ereco pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. The company also pleaded guilty to an offence under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 of failing to take general fire precautions.
At Portsmouth Crown Court the company was fined £30,000 plus costs of £30,000.
Original source Health and Safety Executive
