Boots prosecuted over staff drug accident

High Street chemist Boots is being prosecuted after three employees allegedly became ill after mixing an anti-malaria drug.

The men were working at the firm's giant manufacturing plant in Beeston, Nottinghamshire, when it is alleged they were exposed to the drug.

It is claimed they were effected because a ventilation system was not maintained properly.

The company faces five charges of failing to properly ventilate the work area and maintain respiratory protection equipment.

The three laboratory technicians were mixing a "hazardous" substance called mepacrine hydrochloride at the Boots manufacturing plant in Thane Road.

Employees Michael Burke, Neil Hudson and David Wilson became ill in August last year after allegedly inhaling an amount of the drug.

A spokesman for the Health and Safety Executive, which is bringing the prosecution, said, if proved, it would be a serious breach of the regulations.

"This is a serious matter and could have resulted in much more serious consequences. We are happy to say the three men have since all fully recovered," the spokesman said.

Boots will appear before Nottingham magistrates on November 26 charged with breaching regulations on the control of substances hazardous to health, part of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.

If the company is found guilty it could be fined up to £5,000 for each offence by magistrates. If the matter goes to crown court, there is no limit as to the size of fine that could be imposed.

The five charges are that Boots carried on work that was liable to expose employees to a substance which was hazardous; the substance was not adequately controlled; ventilation equipment had not been thoroughly examined in the last 14 months; respiratory protective equipment had not been thoroughly examined at suitable intervals and exposure levels to a hazardous material had not been monitored.

All the offences are said to have taken place between August 19 and 23 of last year.

A spokesman for Boots said the company was unable to comment until the court proceedings had been completed.