An industrial laundry company, some of whose staff felt sick and had headaches after a chemical escaped, faces fines of more than £60,000.

At Witham Magistrates' Court, yesterday Eastern Counties Laundries Ltd, which has premises in Coggeshall, Chelmsford and Clacton admitted four charges of breaching Health and safety at work regulations.

The court heard how, on January 14, last year, a cleaning chemical had been released from a washing machine, at the company's premises in Springfield Road, Chelmsford.

As a result several employees suffered headaches and nausea, although none were seriously affected, the court heard.

Health and safety inspectors found the methods used by the company to clean up the chemical were inadequate, magistrates were told.

Following this inspectors discovered a number of other breaches of regulations including improperly stored chemicals, inadequately trained first aiders and poor control over dangerous machinery.

Muhammed Haque, mitigating, said the company had been operating for around 180 years and regretted what had happened.

Mr Haque added that the company had stopped using the chemicals involved since the case began.

Magistrates, who had the power to fine the company £20,000 each for three for the charges and £5,000 for the fourth, declined jurisdiction of the case and have passed it to Chelmsford Crown Court for sentencing.

Published Tuesday December 18, 2001