Not guilty plea by Drax power station in health and safety prosecution

North Yorkshire-based energy business, Drax Power, has pleaded not guilty to allegations that wood dust from its biomass pellets put employees’ health at risk.

The company is facing a criminal prosecution by the Health and Safety Executive for two alleged offences.

Drax is accused of exposing employees to wood dust at its plant – where it burns wood biomass to create electricity – risking their “health, safety and welfare at work.”

It is also charged with failing to make a suitable risk assessment before allowing employees to work with potentially “hazardous substances” at the biomass power station in Selby.

The case was first heard at Leeds Magistrates’ Court before being transferred to the crown court. The trial was today scheduled for June 2023.