Toxic Sonae was fined £35,000 plus costs today, 19th May 2003, in Knowsley Magistrates Court in Huyton. The fine came after a worker was almost killed in an accident in March 2001. That makes it 3 very dangerous life threatening accidents to its own workforce, plus the daily poisoning of the people of Kirkby, Northwood in particular. Sonae were only recently fined for their negligent working practices which almost killed Ian Fairclough, another one of the workers at the Toxic Plant also caught up in machinery which crushed him..

Michael Mc Namara worked at Sonae and part of his job was to make sure a conveyor belt continued to run. Unbelievably, if this conveyor belt became stuck, as it often did, the workers used their legs to clear the blockage! Michael Mc Namara did just that one day in March 2001 and was almost dragged into a machine which would have sliced him into chipboard. No union so far operates in the Plant and it seems workers there are putting themselves at risk by relying on the management to protect them. The response from Sonae to this near fatal accident was to 'set up a committee to investigate the part of the factory were the accident occurred'. A hatch which would have prevented this accident was not screwed down and the health and Safety executive, who investigated the accident, were in no doubt that this was an accident simply waiting to happen. They always are.

Below, the Sonae sign that doesn't quite reflect reality. It says: "Sonae health and safety starts here, target zero for accidents. It should read "danger starts here"

Health and Safety Executive Condemn Sonae

In Knowsley Magistrates Court, Ian Conner of the Health and Safety executive slammed Sonae's management and stated that "management supervision of the workers was ABSENT." The workers were, in effect, left to make up their own safety procedures on the hoof, which in turn meant that Sonae workers were throwing their legs into conveyor belts to stop blockages. These workers need a good lecture off a seasoned Union Safety Rep, and in many ways they have themselves to blame if they continue to remain a non unionised plant. The management's only real concern is to keep the line running, and the conveyor belt feeding wood to the pulping machinery is meant to literally run 24 hours a day. Sonae, in the words of the HSE "failed to identify risks that left workers at serious risk of danger". The fine was almost the maximum that could be given, but in reality £35,000 plus costs is likely to work out at no more than a few hours' production profits which the automated plant creates for its Portuguese owners. This is the equivalent of fining you or me, perhaps £50 at most for almost killing someone. Sonae have been slapped on the wrist, fines like this are nothing when you're the Worlds biggest manufacturer and distributor of chipboard.

Sonae pose a far greater long term risk to the community.

The HSE told the Court that the case should be "a lesson to all employers", but lets not forget that Sonae pose a far greater long term risk to the community who are exposed to the toxic fumes and dust from the plant. The workers there have decided that there is either no risk or that they are prepared to take a risk for the pay packet. The safety of the community at large must be put before the Sonae factory. The only answer is for Sonae to be kicked out of Kirkby. So far they have made excuse after excuse, along with the gutless Council and the many Councillors who remain silent on the issue to preserve their own necks. For those Councillors who gave us Sonae, we should target them in the May 2004 elections. They CAN be defeated quite easily.

Michael Mc Namara is an example of what workers ought not to do. Using his leg to boost the Sonae profits was a stupid thing to do. Any workers reading this should NEVER use so much as a finger to unblock machinery unless it is safely switched off and guarded as detailed in health and safety laws. If anyone asks you to use a leg to unblock machinery, use it instead to walk to the nearest phone and inform the HSE. Don't be a jobs-worth, don't endanger yourself or your workmates because some bullying idiot supervisor or manager tells you to. The Sonae workers should join a union, bad as the unions are they can help and will do so if forced to by members. Joining a union is a good idea, and we hope the Sonae workers may get a good redundancy deal when the Toxic Plant is kicked out of our Town. Sonae workers: No offence, but the health of our community far outweighs your mortgage or car repayments. If you work or have worked in Sonae, please contact us and let us know your story. If you are affected by the factory, please send details here to Kirkby Times.