IN THE COURTS CARING HOMES
PLEAD GUILTY A care home company has been fined almost half a million pounds after an elderly resident fell from her first floor window and died.
Guildford Crown Court heard that the 87-year-old was staying at the Coppice Lea Nursing home in Surrey, owned and managed by Caring Homes Healthcare Group Limited. In the early hours of 3rd October 2013, the woman fell about four metres through her window.
She was reported missing at 1am and found two hours later. She was pronounced dead at the scene.
A Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation found that the window restrictor in place, which normally prevents the window from opening fully, was easily overridden and therefore not fit for purpose.
Caring Homes Healthcare Group Limited of The Colchester Business Park, Essex, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. The company was fined £450,000 and ordered to pay costs of £14,762.44.
Speaking after the hearing, HSE Inspector Rebekah Dunn said: “It was clear from our investigation that the window restrictor was simply not doing the job of preventing the window from opening. It is alarming, and
ROOFING COMPANY FINED AFTER SAFETY
FAILINGS A roofing company has been sentenced for safety failings related to working at height.
Brighton Magistrates Court heard how numerous concerns were raised by members of the public, about work being carried out by G & S Roofing Limited. The company twice ignored written advice to address the issue of working at height in an unsafe manner.
In August 2016, a further concern 10
tragic, that an 87-year-old woman with dementia was able to defeat it.
“Caring Homes therefore failed to ensure the woman’s safety, which is particularly important given its unique position of trust. All windows that are
was raised by a member of the public who contacted the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) after seeing more evidence of operatives hired by G & S Roofing working unsafely from height. Inspectors then visited the site.
The HSE investigation found one of the operatives to be working on the flashings of a chimney from a ladder resting on the pitch of the roof at the unguarded gable end of the two- storey house. There was nothing at the gable end of the roof to prevent a person falling, a fall that could have caused personal injury. A prohibition was served but the company took no action to rectify the dangerous working conditions.
large enough for people to fit through should be restrained sufficiently to prevent such falls. The 100mm benchmark should only be allowed to disengage using a special tool or key.”
www.hse.gov.uk
G & S Roofing Ltd of Pembroke Lodge, 3 Pembroke Road, Ruislip was found guilty in its absence to breaching Regulations 4(1)(a) and 4(1)(c) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 by virtue of Regulation 3(b). The company were fined a total of £80,000 and ordered to pay costs of £4,574.
Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Rebekah Dunn said: “The dangers associated with working at height are well known and G & S Roofing had a duty to protect all operatives from the risk of falling from height. Despite repeated advice, the company failed to put in adequate precautionary measures.”
www.hse.gov.uk www.tomorrowshs.com
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