Tyre recycler found guilty of health and safety breaches

The State's only tyre recycling firm was yesterday found guilty of breaching health and safety legislation during aexplosion at its Louth premises.

Crumb Rubber Ireland Ltd, Mooretown, Dromiskin, faced three charges at Dundalk District Court relating to breaches of the Safety Health and Welfare at Work Act. The charges came about following an explosion on its premises on May 28th, 2005, in which seven people were injured.

The court found the company failed to provide for the evacuation of employees, failed to arrange the necessary contacts with the appropriate emergency services and failed to take actions and give instructions to employees to leave and go to a safe place in the event of a serious, imminent and unavoidable danger.

Judge Flann Brennan rejected claims by the defence's main witness, fire expert John Hayes, that the company had "done everything right" in relation to the evacuation of employees.

Mr Hayes, who compiled a detailed report for the company's insurance underwriters in London, said a small fire that had broken out in the rubber factory was under control when firefighters arrived.

The court had earlier heard that an initial fire in a "grizzler" - a machine that grinds down or crumbs the rubber - had been practically extinguished by director Padraig Hand and an employee Peter McKeown.

Mr Hayes claimed that the explosion, which left the firm's directors and firemen with serious burns, was caused when a seal on an airtight dust silo was removed - it was claimed by fire fighters. Oxygen rapidly ignited the dust, which exploded within seconds, injuring company directors and firemen.

Mr Hayes said there was no reason for the fire brigade to be there as it was not an emergency.

Three inspectors from the HSA each gave evidence that in their opinion, the incident was an emergency and more should have been done by the company to get employees off the site.

Judge Brennan fined Crumb Rubber €500 in each case and ordered it to pay costs and expenses of €2,800. The company was granted leave to appeal on its own bond of €500.