A Victorian maker of fireproof clothing has been fined $135,000 after two of its workers suffered chemical burns.
Flame Safe Fabric Specialists, which has now gone into liquidation, was fined in a Shepparton Magistrates Court this week for failing to provide its staff with safety equipment while handling corrosive liquids.
Two staff suffered serious facial burns in 2007. The first incident, resulting in a worker losing sight in one eye, was not reported to the state's regulator, WorkSafe Victoria.
The second injured worker suffered burns to the face while handling chemicals at the business.
WorkSafe's investigations also revealed that the company failed to provide adequate first aid facilities.
“It’s ironic that the company was in the business of protecting others, yet failed to offer adequate protection to its own workers,” WorkSafe’s acting executive director, Stan Krpan, said in a statement.
