DIAGEO has been fined half a million pounds after an employee sustained burns to more than thirty per cent of his body while at work.
The mechanical engineer was repairing a defective pump at Diageo’s Glenlossie Distillery Complex in Elgin, North Scotland, in March 2021 when he was burned by pot ale.
The liquid, which had a temperature of 104 degrees Celsius, came out suddenly and unexpectedly from a pipe, leaving the worker with burns to his arms, hands, shoulders, back, chest, lower legs and ankles.
He spent two weeks in intensive care where he was placed in an induced coma.
The incident took place at Diageo’s Glenlossie Distillery ComplexA Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation found Diageo “failed to do all that was reasonably practicable to ensure maintenance operations could be carried out without a worker being put at risk of injury”.
The international drinks manufacturer is a major distributor of Scotch whisky.
Headquartered in London, but with sites across the world, it also owns a range of popular drink brands including Guinness and Baileys liqueur.
Following the incident, Diageo Scotland Limited pleaded guilty to breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.
This week Diageo Scotland Limited pleaded guilty to breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 at Inverness Sheriff Court and was fined £500,000.
“This incident could so easily have been avoided by ensuring that procedures were in place to ensure that changes to work equipment installed in the plant were safe,” HSE inspector Isabelle Martin said.
“However, more importantly Diageo should have had procedures in place to ensure that plant could be isolated safely and prevent the release of hazardous and dangerous substances.”
She added: “Companies should be aware that HSE will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action against those that fall below the required standards.”