Unregistered gas fitter Dean Mulholland Blues has been sentenced after putting lives at risk by carrying out illegal gas work at several properties in the north east.

Newcastle Crown Court heard that, from September 2016 to December 2017, the defendant advertised his ‘services’ on various social media sites using false names, several telephone numbers and at least three bank accounts to evade detection.  His illegal gas work put lives at risk from carbon monoxide poisoning, asphyxiation, fire and explosion due to his poor workmanship.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that the defendant has never been registered with Gas Safe Register, nor was he competent to carry out gas work.

Dean Mulholland Blues of Annand Way, Newton Aycliffe pleaded guilty to 24 breaches of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998. He was sentenced to a 3 year custodial sentence and was disqualified from being the director of a company for 12 years.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Jonathan Wills said: “Anyone employed to work on gas appliances in domestic premises must be a Gas Safe registered engineer and competent in that area of gas work. The gas engineer’s competencies are clearly marked on the back of the back of the engineer’s Gas Safe Register ID card. If in any doubt you can contact the Gas Safe Register or check their website to see if the engineer is registered.”

He added: “If anyone has had any gas work carried out by Mr Blues, I urge them to ensure that the work is now checked by a registered Gas Safe Register engineer as soon as possible.”

Notes to editors:

1. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. We reduce work-related death, injury and ill health. It does so through research, information and advice, promoting training; new or revised regulations and codes of practice, and working with local authority partners by inspection, investigation and enforcement. www.hse.gov.uk
2. More about the legislation referred to in this case can be found at: www.legislation.gov.uk/
3. HSE news releases are available at http://press.hse.gov.uk

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Wayne McKnight (trading as RJE Construction) has been fined for safety breaches after a 17-year-old worker fell from a mezzanine floor to the ground below.

Sheffield Magistrates’ Court heard that, on 28^th February 2019, the worker and two others were building the mezzanine floor at a site  in Neepsend Lane, Sheffield. The injured person stepped on a loose board and fell 2.8 metres to the ground below, sustaining cuts and bruises.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that safety nets had not been put in place before boarding commenced. No other fall from height protection was present to prevent or mitigate falls through the mezzanine floor.

Wayne McKnight (trading as RJE Construction) Park Crescent, Sunning Dale, Ascot Berkshire pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 6 (3) of the Work at Height Regulations 2015. Mr McKnight has been fined £500 and ordered to pay costs of £1,300

After the hearing, HSE inspector Sarah Robinson commented: “Falls from height often result in life-changing or fatal injuries, which thankfully did not eventuate here. In most cases, these incidents are needless and could be prevented by properly planning the work to ensure that effective preventative and protective measures are in place.

“This incident could have easily been prevented if the company had installed safety nets prior to work starting on the mezzanine.”

Notes to Editors:

1. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. We prevent work-related death, injury and ill health through regulatory actions that range from influencing behaviours across whole industry sectors through to targeted interventions on individual businesses. These activities are supported by globally recognised scientific expertise. hse.gov.uk^[1]
2. More about the legislation referred to in this case can be found at: legislation.gov.uk/ ^[2]
3. HSE news releases are available at http://press.hse.gov.uk^[3]
4. Please see the link below to the page on HSE’s website that is the best guide to doing it the right way: www.hse.gov.uk/construction/safetytopics/workinhatheight

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Southend High School for Boys Academy Trust has been sentenced  after a worker fell from a ladder.

Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court heard how, on 19 February 2019, the injured person was using an unsecured ladder at the school to dismantle a canopy roof when the ladder slipped, causing the worker to fall and sustain fractures to his face,  a fractured femur and other injuries.

An investigation by Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that the school did not have a risk assessment or safe system for dismantling the canopy roof which resulted in the work being conducted unsafely. No assessment was made as to the fragility of the roof before accessing it,  suitable equipment was not provided, the injured person was not trained and the  work was not supervised. The investigation also found that other work at height at the school was also carried out without specific planning, supervision and was not carried out safely.

Southend High School for Boys Academy Trust of Prittlewell Chase, Westcliff On Sea, Essex pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and was fined £24,000 and ordered to pay costs of £5,446.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Eleanor Kinman said: “Falls from height remain one of the most common causes of work-related fatalities in this country and the risks associated with working at height are well known.

“Those in control of work have a responsibility to devise safe methods of working and to provide the necessary information, instruction and training to their workers in the safe system of working.

“If a suitable safe system of work had been in place prior to the incident, the serious injuries sustained by the employee could have been prevented.”

Notes to Editors:

1. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. We prevent work-related death, injury and ill health through regulatory actions that range from influencing behaviours across whole industry sectors through to targeted interventions on individual businesses. These activities are supported by globally recognised scientific expertise. hse.gov.uk
2. More about the legislation referred to in this case can be found at: legislation.gov.uk/
3. HSE news releases are available at http://press.hse.gov.uk
4. For more information on how to work safely at height, please visit: hse.gov.uk/work-at-height/step-by-steo-guide..htm

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C F Booth (Engineering) Ltd has been sentenced  after a 37-year-old worker became entangled and pulled into a CNC lathe.

Sheffield Magistrates’ Court heard that, on 9 May 2018, he was working on a Hankook CNC lathe setting up a workpiece on a jig which was held in the chuck and on the steady at the company’s site at Lyme Street, Rotherham. As he leaned over the workpiece and the steady to adjust a rear screw, the grub screws on the workpiece caught his t-shirt and he was pulled into the machine. He sustained a large open cut to his arm, 24 stitches to his lip and underwent an operation on his arm.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that machinery had interlock devices fitted but they had been by-passed/defeated so it was possible to  move guards/doors that should have been interlocked out of the way during set up, to allow access to the rotating chuck and workpiece.

C F Booth (Engineering) Ltd of Wharfe Road Doncaster South Yorkshire pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2 (1) of the Health & Safety at Work etc Act 1974. The company has been fined £50,000 and ordered to pay £3,077 in costs.

After the hearing, HSE inspector Carol Downes commented: “This case highlights the importance of ensuring safety features are working correctly and carrying out proper risk assessments.

“This incident could so easily have been avoided by ensuring safety devices are not defeated and by ensuring the correct control measures and safe working practices are in place.

“Companies should be aware that HSE will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action against those that fall below the required standards.”

Notes to Editors:

1. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. We prevent work-related death, injury and ill health through regulatory actions that range from influencing behaviours across whole industry sectors through to targeted interventions on individual businesses. These activities are supported by globally recognised scientific expertise. hse.gov.uk^[1]
2. More about the legislation referred to in this case can be found at: legislation.gov.uk/ ^[2]
3. HSE news releases are available at http://press.hse.gov.uk^[3]
4. Please see the link below to the page on HSE’s website that is the best guide to doing it the right way: Health and safety in engineering workshops – HSG129 (hse.gov.uk)

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Kepak Group Limited (formally 2 Sisters Red Meat Limited), has been fined after a worker was seriously injured following a workplace transport incident. .

Merthyr Tydfil Magistrates’ Court heard how, on 17 February 2017, an employee of a contractor that had a permanent presence on the Kepak’s Merthyr Tydfil site, was struck by a forklift truck (FLT) when he was walking along the internal roadway at the back yard end of the site. He was struck from behind by the FLT and trapped beneath the metal container it was carrying. He was dragged along the ground and received multiple serious and life changing injuries, including the loss of a leg.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that the company’s workplace transport risk assessment did not ensure that suitable and sufficient traffic management arrangements, including pedestrian and vehicle segregation, were in place. The premises were operated by 2 Sisters Red Meat Limited at the time that the incident occurred. This company name was changed to Kepak Group Limited in July 2018.

Kepak Group Limited, of Cookston Road, Portlethen, Aberdeen, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 4 of the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992  and has been fined £600,000 and ordered to pay costs of £ £38,183.            .

Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Rhys Hughes said: “This was a tragic and wholly avoidable incident, caused by the failure of the host company to undertake and implement an adequate risk assessment and ensure a safe system of work was in place“.

“This risk was further amplified by the company’s failure to implement a number of simple safety measures including separation and segregation of vehicles and pedestrians.”

“There is ample published guidance and advice available that is in the public domain; both on the HSE website and from other reliable sources to assist dutyholders in deciding what measures they should put in place.”

Notes to Editors:

1. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. We prevent work-related death, injury and ill health through regulatory actions that range from influencing behaviours across whole industry sectors through to targeted interventions on individual businesses. These activities are supported by globally recognised scientific expertise. hse.gov.uk
2. More about the legislation referred to in this case can be found at: legislation.gov.uk/
3. HSE news releases are available at http://press.hse.gov.uk

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