Wood workshop fined after HSE inspection

A Lincolnshire-based workshop has been fined after his employees were exposed to a hazardous substance.

Inspectors found a significant build-up of wood dust and that Local Exhaust Ventilation systems, provided to capture wood dust and protect employees, had not been thoroughly examined and tested. The HSE prosecuted Chris Buckley, trading as The Furniture Chest of Station Road, Heckington, Lincolnshire, on the 7th April 2022.

A subsequent HSE investigation found Chris Buckley had failed to prevent or adequately control employees’ exposure to wood dust and had failed to ensure that Local Exhaust Ventilation systems had been thoroughly examined and tested. Improvement Notices had been served in relation to the control of wood dust at previous inspections.

Regularly reviewing machinery and equipment as part of a preventative maintenance and safety regime will help spot hazards and ensure equipment is maintained in safe working order. Inspections ensure that engineers can take action before faults cause minor injury, serious harm or death.

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The web platform also hosts a maintenance log which allows you to easily monitor the time taken to resolve issues, keep track of who is responsible and even keep a record of replacement parts ordered. Registering an account takes a minute, plus you'll have access to the system for 30 days completely free (no credit card details required).

Our customers have used the TakeAIM for completing all manner of obscure equipment inspections (from snow mobiles to wacker plates) as a result of how easy it is to create their own checklists. At the time of writing we have not had anyone created a checklist for a ventilation system but based on several HSE press releases regarding faulty or un-inspected ventilation systems, maybe it is about time companies considered adding our TakeAIM app to their management tools.

Read the HSE press story