A Gateshead chemicals company has described its 'deep regret' after after a worker suffered life-changing injuries in an explosion at their factory.
In August 2020, an employee of International Paint Limited (IPL) spent eight days in intensive care on life support and has was left with all-over body scarring, partial blindness to one eye, hearing damage, and damage to a knee and shoulder.
The employee, who was 49 at the time and from South Shields, was making paint in a large mixing vessel, which involved the use of flammable liquids. In total, the man was off work for 16 months as a result of the incident.
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The explosion happened as he was emptying resin pellets from a large bulk bag into the vessel an electrostatic spark was generated, igniting flammable vapour within the vessel, causing a large blast.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) subsequently identified that the company failed to put sufficient measures in place to control the risk.
