Charity poisons workers
From Risks, TUC's weekly email health and safety newsletter:
A horse sanctuary in East Anglia has been hit with fines and costs topping £45,000 after its 'cavalier attitude' to lethal chemicals led to three of its workers being poisoned and suffering physical and mental injuries that could affect them for life. Redwings Horse Sanctuary - a charity with a yearly income of £6m - could be dealt a further serious financial blow as the victims prepare to launch civil actions against it for what could be six-figure compensation sums. Norwich Magistrates' Court heard this week that the three workers suffered severe symptoms after inhaling fumes from rat poison tablets when they went into a barn to stack hay. No one had told them the poison had been used in the area. They were also left to make their own way to hospital immediately after the incident. All three workers are now on anti-depressants and have faced dire personal as well as health consequences. One was fired without reason, another is having marriage problems because of his violent mood swings and the third faces a repossession order on his home. Along with two of its managers, Redwings was prosecuted in a case brought by the Health and Safety Executive for contravening health and safety regulations on the use of the poison Phostoxin. Sentencing the charity, Deputy District Judge Frazer Morrison criticised its 'slapdash approach' and said 'the company took no steps to safeguard the safety of employees and visitors to the premises. Proper practices could have prevented the consequences.'