A chemical explosion at a paper mill in the United States has killed one worker and left several others injured, prompting UK health and safety regulators to issue an urgent alert to British mills operating similar processes. The blast occurred on Tuesday at the Pixelle Specialty Solutions plant in Jay, Maine, a facility that produces specialty papers for labels and packaging. According to local officials, the explosion happened in a tank containing sulfuric acid used in the papermaking process. The deceased worker has been identified as a 42-year-old operator with more than a decade of experience at the plant.
The UK’s Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has moved swiftly to contact British paper mills that handle hazardous chemicals, urging them to review safety protocols and ensure that ventilation systems, tank integrity checks, and emergency response plans are up to date. The HSE’s chief inspector of factories, who asked not to be named due to the ongoing investigation, said: “We are treating this as a wake-up call. The paper industry in Britain relies on similar chemical processes, and we will not wait for a tragedy here to act. Inspectors will be making unannounced visits to high-risk sites over the next fortnight.”
Union leaders have seized on the incident to renew calls for stricter oversight of the paper and pulp sector, which employs around 20,000 workers in the UK. Unite the union’s national officer for manufacturing, Tony Burke, said: “This death is a grim reminder that when safety corners are cut, workers pay with their lives. Many paper mills in the North of England are ageing, and the pursuit of profit has led to underinvestment in safety systems. We need mandatory safety reviews, not just voluntary alerts.” The union is demanding that the HSE publish a list of the 10 highest-risk plants and that operators consult with unions on any changes to chemical handling procedures.
At the centre of the concern is the use of sulfuric acid in the pulping process, a common method for breaking down wood chips into cellulose fibres. In recent years, there have been at least three minor chemical leaks at UK paper mills, though no fatalities. The HSE records show that incidents involving hazardous substances in the paper industry have risen by 12 per cent since 2018, with hot work, confined space entry, and chemical burns being the most common causes of serious injury.
Local residents in Jay, Maine, have described hearing a “massive boom” that shook houses and shattered windows within a half-mile radius. The mill was temporarily evacuated, and nearby roads were closed while hazardous materials teams assessed air quality. The company has suspended operations at the facility pending an investigation. Pixelle issued a statement expressing “deep sorrow” over the loss of the colleague and said it was cooperating fully with federal and state investigators.
For workers in the UK, the news has hit close to home. At a paper mill in Cheshire that uses similar acid-based processes, shop steward Dave Matthews told us: “It could have been us. The machines are always running, and the pressure to meet targets is relentless. We saw what happened in Maine, and it makes you wonder if our own checks are enough.”
The incident comes as the UK paper industry faces rising energy costs and competition from imported products, pressures that union leaders argue could tempt some employers to skimp on maintenance. The HSE has said it will prioritise inspections in the next month and will consider issuing a formal safety notice if companies do not voluntarily comply.
The death in Maine is a stark illustration of the human cost of industrial hazards. While regulators on both sides of the Atlantic move to tighten oversight, the family of the worker killed is left to mourn. The name of the deceased has not been released pending notification of next of kin.
This report will be updated as more details emerge.
