A company has been fined after a worker suffered serious injuries when a drum he was cutting up exploded.

Highway Care Limited, of Detling Hill, Maidstone, Kent, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. It was fined £660,000 with over £33,368 in costs.

Maidstone Crown Court heard how Andrew Foster, 41, an employee of Highway Care, had been using a plasma cutter to cut up a drum that previously contained a flammable substance on 6 August, 2012.


During the work, the drum exploded in Mr Foster's face and caused complex head and brain injuries. He has permanently lost vision in his right eye and now has very limited vision in his left eye.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found the company failed to ensure the health and safety of their employees.

HSE Inspector Caroline Fullman said: "Andrew Foster has been left with devastating injuries that will impact on the rest of his and his family's lives. This incident could have resulted in a fatality.

"If a welding torch or plasma cutter is used on a tank or drum that has contained or contains a flammable substance, it can explode. It only takes a small amount of residue to create a potentially flammable atmosphere.

"Mr Foster wants others to learn of the risk of hot work on drums and tanks – he was previously unaware of the risk."

(LM)