£16,000 fine for Shropshire-registered firm after identical safety failings found two years apart
A furniture company registered in Shropshire must pay out more than £19,000 after it repeatedly failed to protect employees from wood dust exposure.
Pineland Furniture Ltd, which is registered at the Cleobury Trading Estate in Cleobury Mortimer, was sentenced last week for failings at its other base at Witton Street in Northwich, Cheshire. The firm designs and makes 'bespoke high-quality kitchen furniture' as well as 'freestanding and built'in furniture' for other rooms.
The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) said identical breaches were found when inspections were carried out in December 2019 and November 2021.
Nathan Cook, HSE senior enforcement lawyer, told the court that six improvement notices were served after the first visit which found 'significant breaches of the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH)'. Improvements required included undertaking statutory examinations of its wood dust extraction systems and to undertake face fit testing for those employees required to wear tight fitting face masks.
