Investigation Launched Following Exposure To Fumes

An investigation has been launched after eleven people were hospitalised following an incident at a landfill site involving a container of nitric acid.

Nine workers and two paramedics were taken to Queen Margaret Hospital in Dunfermline after they were exposed to fumes following the chemical spill at the Lochhead site yesterday afternoon (October 18th).

Council officials have confirmed that no members of the public were injured in the incident, while the facility involved in the incident remains closed while decontamination work is undertaken.

Specialists at Irwin Mitchell represent people who have suffered illness or injury at work through no fault of their own, including those hurt in incidents related to chemical spills or hazardous materials.

David Bell, an expert in workplace injuries at the law firm’s Glasgow office, said: “We look forward to hearing the outcome of this investigation, as there is clear need for authorities to get to the bottom of how and why this chemical incident came to occur.

“In our experience, exposure to hazardous materials can often leave people with long-term health problems from which they never fully recover.

“Health and safety at work needs to be a priority for all employers, particularly those who ask their staff to work closely with dangerous materials, and we hope that lessons can be learned from this case which will reduce the chance of similar problems from ever happening again.”