Darren Nevill, 38, was working for Connect Property Services Limited laying a vinyl bathroom floor at a domestic property in Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire on 9th December 2020.
His employer purchased an adhesive containing Dichloromethane (DCM), a highly volatile solvent. Small volumes will give off large amounts of colourless, low odour vapour, even at room temperature. He used this regularly during his employment.
On the day of his death, the hose to the pressurised glue canister became damaged, releasing a large amount of adhesive into the poorly ventilated bathroom. Mr Nevill lost consciousness and collapsed. Emergency services had to force entry to the bathroom to reach him.
An investigation by the HSE found that Connect Property Services Limited, of Ealing Gateway, 26-30 Uxbridge Road, London, had failed to take appropriate precautions to ensure substances hazardous to health are not used when safer alternatives are available.
HSE guidance on Dichloromethane (DCM) states to avoid the use of DCM-based products whenever reasonably practicable, by using suitable and safer alternative products or methods. DCM-based products should only be used in well-ventilated areas, to prevent the build-up of vapour. Examples of poorly ventilated areas can include bathrooms, cellars, stairwells and sheeted enclosures.
The company pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. Connect Property Services Limited was fined £400,000 and ordered to pay costs of £9676.81 with a surcharge of £190.
Prosecutor Jon Mack told the court, “HSE scientists calculated that the statutory 15-minute exposure limit for DCM would have been reached within 2-13 seconds, and the final concentration in the bathroom at the time of Mr Nevill’s death would have been 84.5 times the exposure limit. Mr Nevill was found to have three times the fatal concentration of DCM.”
Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Rauf Ahmed said, “Our thoughts today are with the family of Mr Nevill, who was just setting out on his career in construction. He should have returned home safely to his family at the end of his working day but, because of the failings of Connect Property Services Limited, he did not.”
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