Informa Markets

Author Bio ▼

Safety and Health Practitioner (SHP) is first for independent health and safety news.
September 3, 2013

Young family exposed to carbon monoxide poisoning

Young family exposes to carbon monoxide when using the gas fire

 
 
 
 
A building contractor has been fined for a catalogue of failings that left a family exposed to potentially fatal carbon monoxide fumes.
 
Morris and Spottiswood Ltd had tendered to Glasgow Housing Association to carry out renovation work on a block of flats in September 2008, which included the removal of redundant chimneys to reduce future maintenance costs.
 
Glasgow Sheriff Court heard that in June 2010 the owner of one of the flats became concerned about headaches her 10-year-old son was experiencing.
 
The 30-year-old mother suspected the gas fire in her living room was responsible and asked a friend, who was a registered Gas Safe engineer, to check for her.
 
He found that the chimney had been demolished and the space behind the fire was filled with debris from the demolition, blocking the flue and stopping all means of ventilation.
 
This meant that the carbon monoxide that would have been produced on any occasion the gas fire was used would have spilled back into the living room. This could have been fatal at high or prolonged exposure.
 
The fire was condemned, the HSE was notified and an investigation was launched.
 
As part of the initial project, the flat in question was visited at various times by a Morris and Spottiswood site foreman, a client-tenant liaison officer and a gas engineer in order to check the appliances.
 
The foreman had recorded that there was an electric fire in the property, when in fact there was a gas fire, which required the chimney for a flue.
 
The court heard that Morris and Spottiswood sub-contracted the work to remove the chimneys but had failed to provide sufficient direction and supervision to the sub-contractor. 
 
Morris and Spottiswood Ltd, of Helen Street, Glasgow was fined £60,000 after pleading guilty to breaching section 3(1) of the HSWA 1974 between 22 September 2009 and 20 March 2009. No costs are awarded in Scotland.
 
Following the case, HSE inspector Helen Diamond said: “It was Morris and Spottiswood’s decision to remove the chimney at this property, based on checks made by a site supervisor who had no specific trade.
 
“A young family was needlessly put at risk because the company fell considerably short in its duties as principal contractor. It failed to ensure a competent person was employed to determine whether properties had a gas or electric fire and then failed to provide sufficient information, instruction, training and supervision to the sub-contractor.”
 
In mitigation, the company entered an early guilty plea and co-operated with the investigation, as a result of which, the fine was reduced from £90,000 to £60,000.

What makes us susceptible to burnout?

In this episode  of the Safety & Health Podcast, ‘Burnout, stress and being human’, Heather Beach is joined by Stacy Thomson to discuss burnout, perfectionism and how to deal with burnout as an individual, as management and as an organisation.

We provide an insight on how to tackle burnout and why mental health is such a taboo subject, particularly in the workplace.

stress

Related Topics

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

0 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments