Toxic gas leak puts three into hospital

Press, 12 March 1985, Page 9

Toxic gas leak puts three into hospital

Three workers at the U.E.B. Industries spinning plant in Bromley were taken to The Princess Margaret Hospital last Thursday for observation after an accident involving a leak of two toxic chemicals in the dye house. One woman and one man were kept overnight; a second man was kept for two nights. Two of the workers were back at work yesterday.

A sub-branch secretary for the Canterbury branch of the Woollen Workers’ Union, Mr Merv Beckwith, said that the two chemicals together formed a gas which gave the workers sore eyes and dizzy spells.

Mr Beckwith said that although the accident was not too serious it had reinforced for the other workers how dangerous working with such chemicals could be, and how much care should be taken. He said that the union was checking the safety

procedures with the industrial nurse. The branch manager of the U.E.B. plant, Mr Clive Edwards, said that the chemicals involved were commonly used in the textile industry. He said that an investigation was being held into the accident.