A COMPANY and an employer have been fined a total of more than £30,000 after two workmen were overcome by fumes while cleaning a storage tank at a Chesham factory.

Amersham Magistrates Court fined H B Fuller UK Ltd, of Cheshire, £18,000, and employer Raymond Doyle, of Ashridge Park, Berkhamsted, £13,000, last Thursday.

H B Fuller UK Ltd pleaded guilty to Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 as it was deemed to have failed to ensure the men's health and safety by proper control and monitoring of the work.

Mr Doyle pleaded guilty under Section 3(2) of the same act.

He was charged with putting the two workmen at risk by allowing a dangerous substance to be used for the cleaning of tanks without proper procedures.

The case followed an investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) into an incident at the Fuller's factory, Moor Road, Chesham, last June.

The two workmen, employed by Mr Doyle, had to be rescued by firefighters after they were overcome by the fumes.

Clive Dennis, HSE inspector who took the case, said: "Work in confined spaces is always dangerous, especially when any kind of solvent is used.

"In the workplace, proper risk assessments have to be made and safe systems of work devised. People should be given relevant training and their work supervised and monitored."

H B Fuller UK Ltd was also ordered to pay costs of £1,627. Mr Doyle was ordered to pay costs of £2,034.