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9:11, 22/1/2025
Timbercraft Windows & Doors Limited, based in Essex, has received three visits from the health and Safety Executive (HSE) over the course of a twelve year period.
The visits documented large accumulations of wood dust at their premises in Colchester, as well as other breaches of health and safety regulations. One such breach was a failure to provide adequate respiratory protective equipment (RPE) to employees.
An investigation found that the firm had failed to satisfactorily control and prevent exposure to wood dust for employees in a number of ways:
These are classified as breaches of regulation due to their commonly known presence within the industry, as well as having the knowledge of solutions to such problems:
After a 2022 inspection, the company was issued three notices in relation to its controls on wood dust. One further notice was issued regarding monitoring, guarding and protection devices for machinery.
improvement notices were issued each time over the past twelve years, but in spite of this the company failed to act in response – including the failure to proved adequate RPE to employees.
Timbercraft Windows & Doors Limited pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 9(2), 11(1) and 7(1) of Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002. The firm received a £4,000 fine, with an order to pay costs of £2,792 at a hearing on the 16th of January 2025.
HSE inspector Tom McQuade said:
“Just seeing the piles of wood dust lying around gave us an indication of how much workers would have been exposed.
“The risks from exposure to wood dust are well known and exposure can cause irreparable harm.
“The fine imposed should highlight to employers in the woodworking industry that the courts and HSE, take failure to control exposure to harmful substances, such as wood dust, extremely seriously.
“Appropriate controls are well documented, and guidance is provided free of charge on the HSE website.
“Businesses need to protect their employee’s respiratory health. And if they don’t, we will not hesitate to take appropriate action.”
If you believe you have been exposed to wood dust at work and it has led to you suffering from harm, you may be entitled to claim compensation.
To run the majority of personal injury claims, you have to have started the claim within three years of the injury. However, with industrial disease claims it may be that the injury started over a period of time and was only diagnosed within the last three years. We will be able to clarify this for you.
Your employer has a legal obligation to ensure your place of work is safe, and the correct systems and protective equipment are available to protect you from harm.
Contact our expert team of legal professionals in complete confidence if you require any further information.
Respiratory diseases – Oakwood Solicitors
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Meet the author
Asimah Ali is currently a Solicitor in the Industrial Disease Department. Asimah started working at Oakwood Solicitors in October 2016, shortly after completing the Legal Practice Course in July 20…
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