Chemical burn victim receives $12,000 reparation

Thursday 10 June 2004

Chemical burn victim receives $12,000 reparation

Ecolab Ltd was sentenced to pay $17,000 in the Tauranga District Court yesterday after being prosecuted by the Occupational Safety Health Service.

An Ecolab employee suffered a chemical burn to the left eye resulting in total epithelial loss. There have been on-going complications, which will require further surgery.

Reparation of $12,000 was ordered to be paid to the victim.

Western Bay of Plenty OSH Service Manager Faye Frelan said the prosecution is the highest for her region under the changes to the Health & Safety in Employment Act 1992, which came into force on 5 May 2003, “and this is reflected in the increased level of the fine”.

The accident happened when the employee was decanting a heavy duty chlorinated caustic detergent known as “Enforce” into 250ml bottles, when the hose tail fitting burst causing the pressurised chemical to spray into his eye and left nostril.

The employee was wearing protective clothing consisting of safety glasses, overalls, plastic apron and gloves. “Corrosive chemicals are a recognised hazard in the chemical industry and have a very real potential for serious harm injuries on contact” said Mrs Frelan.

"The company, whose core business is the manufacture, processing and handling of a vast range of chemicals for industrial use, should have undertaken a thorough hazard assessment of such a dangerous process and implemented a higher level of control. It was not sufficient to rely on protective equipment to control the hazard.

"Everyone has the right to go to work and be safe. Companies must ensure that workplace hazards are identified and controlled correctly, and that their safety systems protect employees”.