A gas supplier in Surrey has been fined £175,000 with costs of £85,000 after pleading guilty to an explosion at one of its manufacturing plants in Bristol which left a worker with life changing injuries.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecuted BOC Ltd after a plant explosion and fire caused Alan Garton, 57, from Bristol, to suffer serious burns and injuries. Two other employees, Craig Knight and Dale Roberts were also injured in the incident.

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Bristol Crown Court heard how on 7th January 2010 Mr Garton, at that time an employee at BOC Ltd's Dissolved Acetylene Filling Plant at Whitby Road in Brislington, was filling an acetylene cylinder as part of a routine operation when the incident happened. The acetylene solution within the cylinder became unstable and the cylinder exploded, starting a fire which was allowed to burn for eight days, until, after careful consideration, it was extinguished by Avon Fire & Rescue Service.

Mr Garton suffered multiple lacerations and significant burns to his left thigh, left arm and head.

An investigation by HSE found that BOC had failed to ensure the health, safety and welfare of its employees and did not take necessary measures to prevent a major accident.

(CD/MH)