Princes fined £13k over chemical burns
Mark McLean, 41, was sprayed with a corrosive liquid when a hose split at the company’s soft drinks production plant in Bradford in July 2013.
Princes was sentenced at Bradford Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday (December 1) after pleading guilty to failing in its duty to keep employees safe.
Legal costs
Princes responds to sentence
“We very much regret the circumstances of the case, which has been settled.”
- Spokesman, Princes
The company, based in Weaverthorpe Road, Bradford, was ordered to pay legal costs of £1,323, in addition to the fine.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that the firm failed to take measures that would have prevented McLean’s injury.
HSE inspector Kate Dixon said: “The company failed to identify and eliminate the risk through good design, instruct employees correctly and instigate an inspection regime of the hoses and maintain the hoses in good working order.
‘Would not have happened’
“Had they done so, this accident would not have happened.”
Employees are duty-bound to ensure the health, safety and welfare of their employees, as far as reasonably practicable, under the Health and Safety at Work Act (1974).
Last year Princes completed a £40M redevelopment project at the Bradford plant, which is one of the UK’s leading soft drinks production sites.
The investment included a new syrup manufacturing facility which blends ingredients for squashes and fizzy drinks, an effluent treatment plant and a warehouse for storage.
A Princes spokesman said: “We very much regret the circumstances of the case, which has been settled. Our focus remains the safety and training of all our employees, which is of paramount importance to us.
“Our Bradford factory adheres to very high standards and has a very good health and safety record.”
