A sport hen farm close to Leeds has been fined over £26,000 after a employee suffered extreme burns following a fireplace.
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Leeds Magistrates’ Court heard that the worker had been putting in fuel heaters in a pheasant rearing shed, prepared for a brand new crop of birds. Upon turning on the fuel provide and lighting the warmers, the shed burst into flames, inflicting him important burns and completely destroying the shed.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) discovered that when the worker got here to fee the warmers, it was extremely doubtless {that a} leak of fuel ignited, setting hearth to the shed and the bedding put down for the birds. The motive for the fuel leak was not recognized as all of the fuel piping inside the building was destroyed, however fuel gear exterior the building was cracked and perished, indicating that it had not been maintained.
HSE inspector Howard Whittaker stated: “This hearth was probably attributable to fuel leaking from poorly maintained gear, and will have led to this young man’s loss of life. He was very fortunate to flee along with his life, however he’ll endure elevated sensitivity to daylight for the remainder of his life.
“The fuel pipelines and gear we discovered exterior the shed was perished and cracked, indicating that it had not been maintained in a secure situation resulting in the leak of fuel inflicting an preliminary flash, adopted by a fireplace contained in the shed.
“In addition, a fuel tightness take a look at ought to have been carried out as soon as the gear had been put in and earlier than the fuel gear was used, to determine if there have been any leaks. In sentencing Yorkshire Game Farm, the district choose remarked this was an accident ready to occur. Had the gear been correctly maintained and operated, consistent with trade requirements and good follow, this dreadful accident wouldn’t have occurred.
Yorkshire Game Farm pleaded responsible to breaching Section 2 (1) of the Health & Safety at Work and so forth Act 1974. The firm has been fined £26,680.00 and ordered to pay £6495.20 in prices.
