This accident illustrates the breadth of hazards which a competent health and safety professional must consider. Skin exposure to solvents, the potential for flammable atmospheres, the possible narcotic effects of inhalation of solvent vapours (perhaps leading to a serious road traffic accident), the potential for fire and explosion, the knowledge and approach of a competent worker who is unaware of the potential hazrds from a substance which has been used commonly in the business, perhaps for years without incident.
Health and safety assessment isn’t easy, and when it comes to chemicals and COSHH, there are sometimes issues which can only be fully assessed by someone with a very specific skill set. If you need help and support, join the hundreds of safety professionals who call on our support for key risks by joining our Safety~net Competent Person Support Scheme. Please contact us or request a call back to speak directly to one of our friendly and helpful advisors.
A Hertfordshire maintenance company has been ordered to pay £400,000 after a worker died from inhalation of toxic glue vapour while carrying out flooring work, highlighting the critical importance of hazardous substance control and ventilation in confined spaces.
On 9 December 2020, 38-year-old Darren Nevill was installing a vinyl bathroom floor at a domestic property in Hoddesdon when he was exposed to lethal levels of dichloromethane (DCM) vapours, a highly volatile solvent present in the adhesive supplied by his employer, Connect Property Services Limited, a maintenance subsidiary of Peabody.
What Happened?
DCM-based adhesives emit colourless, low-odour vapours that can rapidly accumulate in enclosed or poorly ventilated areas. During the task, a pressurised glue canister hose became damaged, releasing a significant volume of adhesive into the bathroom.
Mr Nevill inhaled a concentration of DCM estimated to be 84.5 times the legal workplace exposure limit, with post-mortem analysis showing levels more than three times the fatal concentration. He lost consciousness and died at the scene. Emergency services were forced to break into the property to recover his body.
HSE Investigation and Findings
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation found that the company had failed to adequately control exposure to hazardous substances, despite safer alternatives being reasonably practicable.
The investigation concluded that the risks associated with DCM were not properly mitigated, particularly given the confined nature of the bathroom and the absence of sufficient ventilation. HSE guidance is clear that products containing dichloromethane should be avoided wherever possible, and where use cannot be eliminated, strict controls must be in place to prevent vapour build-up.
Court Proceedings and Penalty
At Stevenage Magistrates’ Court on 26 January 2026, Connect Property Services pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.
The company was fined £400,000, ordered to pay £9,676.81 in costs, and a £190 victim surcharge.
HSE Inspector Rauf Ahmed stated that the statutory 15-minute exposure limit for DCM would have been exceeded in seconds, adding that the incident was entirely preventable with appropriate controls in place.
What This Means for Your Business
This case serves as a stark reminder of employers’ duties under COSHH and the Health and Safety at Work Act. Organisations involved in maintenance, refurbishment, flooring or similar activities should review their arrangements urgently.
Key actions for duty holders include:
- Eliminate or substitute hazardous substances
Where reasonably practicable, replace products containing high-risk solvents such as dichloromethane with safer alternatives. - Review COSHH risk assessments
Ensure assessments are task-specific and consider worst-case scenarios, including confined spaces, equipment failure and cumulative exposure. - Assess ventilation realistically
Natural ventilation is often insufficient in bathrooms, cupboards and small rooms. Where adequate ventilation cannot be guaranteed, the task should not proceed. - Check exposure limits and usage times
Volatile substances can exceed Workplace Exposure Limits (WELs) in seconds. Controls must reflect this reality, not theoretical averages. - Provide competent supervision and training
Employees must understand the hazards, symptoms of exposure, and the steps to take if something goes wrong. - Audit products and equipment
Pressurised systems, hoses and applicators should be subject to inspection and maintenance regimes to prevent leaks and failures.
Beyond the significant financial penalties, this case demonstrates the human cost of inadequate chemical risk management. Employers must ensure that health and safety decisions are driven by prevention, not convenience or cost.
If you need help and support on this or other matters from experts in health and safety please contact us or request a call back. We offer tailored support packages through our Safety~net Competent Person Support Scheme for hundreds of clients across the UK.
