A Cornwall-based timber company and its director have been fined £20,000 for failing to comply with enforcement notices issued by health and safety inspectors.
Health and Safety Executive (HSE) inspectors issued Truro Sawmills Ltd and its managing director, Alistair Wright, with Improvement Notices after finding the company failed to protect workers from health risks such as wood dust and safety risks from lift trucks. The notices were ignored, leading to a prosecution by the HSE.
Truro Sawmills Limited supplies timber and makes gates, fencing panels and garden furniture at its sawmill in Penhallow, Truro. The company received improvement notices after HSE inspectors found that employees were not protected from the health risks of wood dust or the safety risks of using rider-operated lift trucks. Uncontrolled wood dust can cause asthma, respiratory conditions and cancer.
The HSE investigation found that employees had not been properly trained to use rider-operated lift trucks. Staff had also not been face fit tested for respiratory protective equipment (RPE) to protect against wood dust, and were not
Sawmill Company and Director Fined £20,000 for Safety Breaches