A workplace accident that occurred in November 2005 has prompted Tim Roache of Britain’s general union GMB to caution employers regarding the plight of workers engaged in the production and manufacture of dangerous chemicals.

In the accident, a 59-year-old worker suffered severe eye damage when Sodium Hydroxide dripped from a leaking pipe of a chemical manufacturing unit and fell on his face. The chemical entered his right eye and caused permanent corneal damage. The accident occurred at the manufacturing unit of Ciba Speciality Chemicals Ltd in Low Moor.

The accident was so severe that the worker’s eyelid turned inwards. The worker now suffers from reduced vision and has excessive dryness in his right eye. A timely surgery prevented him from going totally blind. The surgery was a critical one in which hair follicles had to be carefully removed from his eye.

The victim already had an eye defect since birth. He had no vision in his left eye, and now with his right eye being damaged, his movements and his ability to work have been severely restricted. He can no longer drive at night and has taken premature retirement from work. He admitted during a recent interview that his accident has broken his confidence and he can no longer perform certain tasks with the same confidence with which he used to do them before.

Following the accident, the worker contacted GMB, which appointed Thompsons Solicitors to file a lawsuit and demand accident compensation on behalf of the victim. However, Ciba Speciality Chemicals admitted its guilt and settled the claim out of court. The victim received £100,000 as compensation from the company.

About the accident, Tim Roache further said that the accident was caused because the company did not conduct proper risk assessment. The pipes were not well-maintained and leaks were not mended in due time. In this respect, he advised all chemical manufacturing companies to ensure that health and safety of workers are prioritized above everything else.

The Health and Safety Policy is a key factor of any organisations health and safety management system; Workplace Laws health and safety policy documentation can assist organisations in implementing their own policies to comply with relevant legislation and to help define key health and safety roles and responsibilities of staff in the workplace.