THE Health and Safety Executive has prosecuted a fridge recycling firm after nitrogen gas, used to stop explosions, made a worker pass out.
Halesowen Magistrates Court heard that it was usual for workers at Overton Recycling to climb into the chute of a fridge recycling machine at the company's site in Lye.
Stephen Barnes, 47, from Birmingham, was working on the machine used to recycle fridges. A chute fed the fridges – the majority of which now include isobutane refrigerant – inside the machine to be broken up, but as they have the potential to explode, the machine contained nitrogen gas to help reduce the risk of a blast.

Sometimes the fridges would twist and get stuck and it was usual for workers to climb in to clear the blockages. When Mr Barnes did this on the day of the incident, the nitrogen inside the chute made him pass out so he had to be rescued by a colleague.

He was taken to hospital and was off work for three days.

The company was fined £13,000 and ordered to pay £6,107 costs.