Worker left with severe burns following molten glass spill

At no cost actual time breaking information alerts despatched straight to your inbox signal as much as our breaking information emails

Signal as much as our free breaking information emails

Signal as much as our free breaking information emails

A worldwide bottle producer has been fined £600,000 after a employee at its Alloa plant sustained extreme burns from molten glass and sizzling water.

The accident befell on the O-I Glass facility in Alloa whereas the employee was working a loading car in February 2024.

The Well being and Security Government (HSE) mentioned the 32-year-old worker suffered 8 per cent burns to his physique however went on to make a full restoration.

HSE mentioned the “avoidable ordeal” needn’t have occurred if a protecting door had been fitted to the car.

The positioning employs round 500 folks and is used for smelting glass into bottles.

As a part of this course of, rejected molten glass is poured into skips within the basement together with sizzling water.

On the day of the accident, the employee was working a shovel loader, clearing the waste molten glass and sizzling water from the basement ground.

open picture in gallery

Nonetheless, there was no protecting door on the cab of the car, so among the materiel spilled on the employee, who has not been named.

The corporate was fined £600,000 at Stirling Sheriff Court docket on 23 September, after admitting breaching well being and security laws.

HSE inspector Kathy Gostick mentioned: “This was an avoidable ordeal for a younger employee. It’s sheer luck he has been in a position to recuperate from his critical accidents.

“This firm’s staff labored on this setting with a safety-critical a part of the loader lacking for a interval of virtually two years.

“Though the protecting entrance door had been eliminated and reported to the on-site engineer, drivers had continued to work and function the loader with it lacking.

“Some operatives even described being struck or having footwear burnt by molten glass falling into the cab consequently.”

open picture in gallery

She continued: “When work tools is being chosen, its suitability for the setting it will be utilized in have to be danger assessed.

“On this case the protecting door was not appropriate to guard in opposition to impacts from sizzling and molten glass and due to this fact was typically damaged and ultimately by no means changed. Had an acceptable door been chosen and maintained in place this accident wouldn’t have occurred.”

A spokesman for the corporate mentioned: “O-I Glass Restricted appeared at Stirling Sheriff Court docket in relation to a well being and security matter at its Alloa facility.

“The corporate accepted accountability and co-operated absolutely and brazenly with the investigating authorities and the courtroom. Authorized proceedings have now concluded.

“O-I acted swiftly in implementing enhanced measures and is dedicated to sustaining the very best security requirements always throughout its operations.”