Firm fined more than £500,000 over explosion that saw worker lose leg

The court heard the firm had a “cavalier and reckless approach” to health and safety and had failed to ensure a safe working environment for staff, contractors and visitors and failed to suitably train staff.

While the directors had relied on others to ensure the firm and its processes were legally complaint, Mr Auty said many of the failures in this case “required in fact very little by way of expertise”.

Instead they required “consideration, pause for thought, openness and dare I say plain common sense and respect”, he said.

The court heard how the directors were “genuinely remorseful” and that the firm had settled a civil claim with one victim, while another was ongoing.

BioDynamic, which the court heard had an annual turnover of less than £4m, will have to pay the fine over the course of five years.