The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has announced its intention to prosecute Drax Power for failing to properly control the exposure of its workers to wood dust from the biomass pellets used as fuel at its power station Selby.
The regulator said the prosecution follows an investigation that was initiated after it was officially notified of five Drax employees being exposed to the wood dust, with the first notification being received in October 2015.
Drax Power will face charges under Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and Regulation 6(1) of the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002. HSE said its case will be limited occupational exposure and will not allege any causation of adverse health effects suffered by individuals.
The defendant is due to appear before Leeds Magistrates’ Court on 30 November 2021.
A spokesperson for Drax said: “We can confirm that we have received notice of legal action from the Health and Safety Executive in relation to wood dust at Drax Power Station but as this is an ongoing legal issue, we cannot provide any further information at this time. The health, safety and wellbeing of our colleagues is a priority for Drax.”