Chesterfield bodyshop owner Christopher Hutton has been fined £4,000 by the Health and Safety Executive.

Hutton, who heads the Auto Bodyworks and Wheel Clinic at Storforth Land Trading Estate, Hasland, was prosecuted after he failed to provide health surveillance to staff who were exposed to isocyanates.

He had been ordered to do so, and to have a spray booth tested, by HSE Improvement Notices issued following an inspection in April 2014.

Chesterfield Magistrates Court was told Hutton had been given a number of opportunities to comply with the Improvement Notices but had failed to do so.

Hutton, of Gloucester Road, Newbold, was fined a total of £4000 and ordered to pay costs of £1600 after pleading guilty of breaching Section 33(1)(g) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.

After the hearing, HSE inspector Edward Walker commented: “Exposure to isocyanate containing paints is the main cause of occupational asthma in the UK. There are well established standards to protect the health of employees which Christopher Hutton had failed to achieve.”