Catalent Pharma has been fined $76,000 by U.K. safety officials after at least 10 manufacturing workers came down with allergic contact dermatitis. The contract services provider, located in Swindon, has admitted to breaking the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations.

The workers had been handling olanzapine, an ingredient of the antipsychotic drug they were manufacturing. The substance is known to cause dermatitis.

The fine was levied because Catalent failed to conduct a risk assessment once the substance was determined a likely cause in two dermatitis cases, from October and December 2007. The company began its investigation in February 2008, following a visit by the Health and Safety Executive, Britain's workplace safety authority.

As a result of the assessment delay, more workers were exposed and developed the condition.

- see the Health and Safety Executive release
- here's more

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