City of Bristol College prosecuted after tutor suffered chemical burns

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has issued a warning to companies using chemicals and equipment after a tutor received burns in a laboratory at City of Bristol College.

The college has been fined £14,000 and ordered to pay costs of £18,000 after welding tutor, Gary Baird, suffered burns when a bottle of concentrated nitric acid exploded on his desk.

He had been mixing concentrated nitric acid and 96 per cent ethanol regularly over a period of three years to make nital acid etching solution but had not received any proper training when it came to the handling and storage.

Susan Chivers, HSE inspector, said: "In this particular case, the City of Bristol College did not ensure that one of its tutors was adequately trained and supervised so that he could carry out his work safely."

According to the HSE, working with chemicals is dangerous and anyone doing so needs to have the necessary knowledge, skills and equipment to keep themselves safe.

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