Head Of Training, The Healthy Work Company

December 18, 2014

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Wine bar faces health and safety charges over liquid nitrogen cocktail

Oscar’s Wine Bar in Lancaster is being prosecuted under Health and Safety laws after an 18-year-old woman, who drank a cocktail containing liquid nitrogen, needed to have her stomach removed.

Gaby Scanlon, from Heysham, Lancashire was celebrating her birthday at the George Street wine bar in October 2012. After drinking two Nitro Jagermeisters, she said her stomach started to expand.

Ms Scanlon was taken to Lancaster Royal Infirmary where a scan revealed it had a large perforation. She spent three weeks in hospital as doctors removed her stomach and connected her oesophagus directly to her small bowel.

Following the incident David Morris MP for Morecambe and Lunesdale, called for a ban on liquid nitrogen cocktails. He said: “I am very angry that one of my constituents has been injured by liquid nitrogen and as far as I am concerned that is one constituent too many.”

“I will be assessing the options to make Parliament aware of what has happened to Gaby and I will ask MPs to consider banning liquid nitrogen drinks before someone else is injured or even killed.” He added.

Lancaster City Council said court proceedings will take place against the wine bar, one of its directors and an employee.

A council statement said: “Andrew Dunn, of The Garden Village in Old Earswick, Yorkshire, has been summoned to court to answer charges under sections 3(1), 33(1)(a) and 37 of the Health and Safety at Work Act etc 1974 in relation to his role as a director of Oscar’s Wine Bar.

“Matthew George Harding, of George Street in Lancaster, has also been summoned to court to answer charges under and breaches of sections 7 and 33(1)(a) of the Health and Safety at Work Act etc 1974 in relation to his role as an employee of Oscar’s Wine Bar.

“The company, Oscar’s Wine Bar Ltd, registered address of 39-42 Bridge Street, Swinton, South Yorkshire, has been summoned to court to answer charges under sections 3(1), and 33(1)(a) of the Health and Safety at Work Act etc 1974.”

The first hearing will take place at Lancaster Magistrates’ Court on 9 February.

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