Autlan EMD S.L.U. (formerly Cegasa) has been sanctioned by a court with the excessive exposure of a worker to acidic sulphuric acid clouds. In particular, some jobs had an acid incidence of 38 times that allowed, according to LAB in a note. 1 from the Eibar Work Area. The Hearing accepted on 14 October the demand of a worker from Oñati and recognized her occupational disease, occupational asthma. In addition, it has accepted the termination of contracts for two workers and the company will have to pay compensation.

The ELA trade union has also received a note in which it denounces that the decision to guarantee security measures has been delayed year after year. The first study carried out by the company in 2017 is too late, according to the union, “because the report recognizes that sulfuric acid is a key element in the company’s productive process.” In addition, it did not study all potentially contaminated areas, arguing that there was no risk of contamination.

In this first study the excess action of sulfuric acid was already identified, but until 2018 Autlan did not implement Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). They also denounce that preventive measures were not specific to the situation and that they were not implemented in all risk areas. ELA argues that acid mist would also extend to “common areas and rest areas”. Five workers in the company were recognised as having an occupational disease in 2022.