A housing association maintenance company has been fined £4 lakh after a 38-year-old worker died from inhaling toxic chemical vapours while laying a bathroom floor at a residential property in the UK.
Darren Nevill collapsed after losing consciousness while carrying out flooring work using an adhesive containing Dichloromethane (DCM), a highly volatile solvent. He was pronounced dead shortly after the incident.
Court finds serious safety failures
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that the adhesive was released in large quantities after a pressurised glue canister became damaged. Scientific analysis revealed that the legal exposure limit for DCM could be exceeded within seconds in such conditions.
Prosecutors told the court that the concentration of vapour inside the bathroom at the time of the incident was more than 80 times the permitted exposure limit, with fatal levels found in Mr Nevill’s system.
Company admits breach of safety law
The maintenance firm pleaded guilty to breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act, 1974, and was fined £400,000 by Stevenage Magistrates Court. The company was also ordered to pay additional costs and a statutory surcharge.
Following the incident, the firm permanently banned the use of DCM-based spray adhesives and introduced stricter safety procedures and training for staff and contractors.
Lessons from a tragic workplace death
HSE officials said the tragedy highlighted the dangers of using chemical solvents in poorly ventilated areas and stressed that no worker should lose their life while simply doing their job.
The company, part of the Peabody Group, expressed condolences to the family and said it had fully cooperated with the investigation. Officials added that the incident continues to guide improvements in workplace safety.
HSE guidance warns that DCM-based products must only be used in well-ventilated spaces to prevent the rapid build-up of toxic vapours.