Personal injury compensation sought by man following fireball incident

Posted 15/11/2010

A welder is seeking personal injury compensation after sustaining serious burns while working at a chemical plant two years ago.

David Lightfoot, aged 58, was welding an acid silo when it exploded as he worked at Workington-based Indorama Polymers Ltd as a sub-contractor in 2008.

He has been unable to return to work since the blast, which left him with permanent scarring and he is now awaiting confirmation on how much he will receive by way of compensation.

The firm has accepted liability for the incident and was forced to pay £20,000 by the Health and Safety Executive, as well as more than £14,000 in costs, the Cumbrian Times and Star reports.

Mr Lightfoot’s representative Carol Jackson said: “David’s accident was entirely preventable. The work he was asked to do should have been planned in advance by Indorama and the dangers identified.”

Government regulations surrounding dangerous substances in the workplace state that it is the employer’s responsibility to conduct thorough risk assessments for sub-contractors under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.