Latest news with #HealthandSafetyatWorkAct
ITV News
11 hours ago
- Business
- ITV News
The Langton Arms pub where wife died after falling down cellar handed £240k fine
The owners of a pub where a customer died after falling through an unlocked cellar door has been ordered to pay a fine and costs totalling more than £285,000. Julie Hyatt, 57, was having lunch with her husband, Paul, and friends at The Langton Arms at Church Langton, near Market Harborough, in Leicestershire, in May 2023. She hadn't been drinking and was following signs to the toilet, when she opened an unmarked and unlocked door, not knowing it was to the pub's cellar, and fell down a steep flight of stairs. Mrs Hyatt suffered serious injuries from which she died in hospital 12 days later. At Leicester Magistrates' Court, the RedCat Pub Company, based in London, admitted breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act by exposing persons not in its employment to a risk to their health and safety. At the hearing, held on the second anniversary of Mrs Hyatt's funeral, the company was fined £240,000 and ordered to pay costs of £43,633.06p along with a £2,000 surcharge. In determining the level of fine and costs, District Judge Nick Watson said he had taken into account that RedCat's parent company had a turnover of more than £120million. He said he wanted to "bring it home to shareholders and management that they must take health and safety seriously". He added "Any sentence that I impose could not equate to the loss of Mrs Hyatt to her family and friends." In statements read to the court, it was revealed Mrs Hyatt and her husband had been looking forward to retirement and moving to the Norfolk coast. Married since 1987, they shared many interests and a passion for sport with Mrs Hyatt being a Leicester City season ticket holder for more than 30 years. The court heard that Mrs Hyatt's death was foreseeable. The company had failed to properly train staff and had left customers confused by inadequate and inconsistent signs. In a statement read to the court, Richard Lewis, CEO of RedCat Pub Company, expressed his "sincere personal regret" as the death was "entirely avoidable". The company said it accepted full responsibility. "We are genuinely very sorry ... We have plainly failed the Hyatt family. We will do all we can to prevent anything of the like happening again," added Mr Lewis. The court heard the company had since put in place risk assessments and evaluated the way in which it conducts staff training in relation to health and safety. ITV News Central Correspondent Peter Bearne sat down with the Paul Hyatt last year, who is still waiting for answers more than 12 months after his wife's death. In the time that passed, Paul, from Countesthorpe, repeatedly contacted the council for updates on the case, but said he has got nowhere. Paul has learned Harborough District Council have brought in a solicitor from another council to help with the case. In 2024, the council asked Paul for Julie's death certificate, something that the family won't get until after the inquest. ITV News Central is also aware of two other similar cases elsewhere in the country which came to court in 12 months. Speaking to ITV News Central, following the incident, Paul said: "It was hell at the time. I was in some very, very dark places." He added: "I just wish somebody would go in and shake that department up and get this sorted. Enough is enough. All I want is justice...I lost my wife." In response, Harborough District Council say that they sympathise with Mr Hyatt's frustrations. They told ITV News Central this case is a complex and lengthy criminal investigation, and they're unable to comment on its progress. "Specialist legal resource, they added, was allocated without delay. They said they've liaised with Mr Hyatt and his solicitor as much as they can, but there's a limit to what they can disclose."The Redcat Pub Company, which runs the Langton Arms, said: "We have and will continue to fully co-operate with the investigations being carried out by the authorities with regards to this incident."
Time Business News
19 hours ago
- Health
- Time Business News
How often should I carry out a legionella risk assessment as a business owner
According to the HSE Acop l8 'The control of legionella bacteria' in water systems a legionella risk assessment should be reviewed regularly and at least every two years or if there is reason to believe that the current assessment is no longer valid. A Legionella risk assessment may no longer be valid if: There are changes to the water system. There are changes in the use of business. There is new information available about the risk or current control measures are no longer effective. How Often Do You Need a Legionella Risk Assessment? For high-risk environments, such as care homes, hospitals, or buildings with complex water systems, more frequent assessments may be necessary. Ultimately, the goal is to ensure that any potential sources of Legionella bacteria are identified, assessed, and properly managed to protect the health and safety of building occupants. Keeping your Legionella risk assessment current is not just best practice—it's a legal requirement under UK health and safety law. How frequently should Legionella testing be carried out? Legionella testing follows the same principles: it is recommended to test every two years if you are confident that existing control measures remain effective and compliant. However, if there have been changes to the water system or if conditions such as stagnant water or fluctuations in temperature are present, factors that can encourage the growth of Legionella bacteria, it is advisable to carry out testing sooner. Why is it so important to test for Legionella? Legionella bacteria when inhaled can pose a serious health risk because the bacteria can cause Legionnaires' disease. Those most vulnerable include people over the age of 45, individuals and anyone with a weakened immune system. The illness can be dangerous to those who catch the disease. Testing for Legionella is especially important because the bacteria can thrive in a wide range of common building water systems, including hot and cold-water tanks, pipework, showers, cooling towers, and even decorative fountains. It grows most effectively in water temperatures between 20°C and 45°C, particularly where water is stagnant or where scale, sludge, or biofilm are present. Many systems can develop these conditions unknowingly, especially in larger or older buildings. Under UK law, including the Health and Safety at Work Act and the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations, employers, landlords, and duty holders have a legal obligation to control the risk of exposure to Legionella. By conducting regular Legionella risk assessments and ongoing water system monitoring, you reduce the risk of contamination and demonstrate compliance with your legal duties. This proactive approach safeguards your building's occupants and helps prevent avoidable harm. What guidance is there for Legionella monitoring? The UK Health and Safety Executive (HSE) provides comprehensive guidance on legionella monitoring to help employers and those responsible for premises manage and control the risks associated with Legionella bacteria, which can cause Legionnaires' disease. A summary of the HSE's guidance: Monitoring and control measures for Legionella risk, as outlined in HSE guidance, involve maintaining hot water at a minimum of 60°C at the heater and 50°C at outlets, while cold water should be stored and distributed at 20°C or below. It is essential to ensure regular water movement to avoid stagnation and to clean and disinfect systems routinely. For hot and cold-water systems (HSG274 Part 2), temperature checks at sentinel outlets should be conducted monthly, showerheads and hoses cleaned quarterly, cold water storage tanks inspected annually, and calorifiers inspected and, if needed, cleaned every six to twelve months. Infrequently used outlets should be flushed as required. For cooling towers and evaporative condensers (HSG274 Part 1), weekly system condition and chemical level checks are recommended, Legionella sampling should occur monthly, and a full clean and disinfection of the system should be performed quarterly, supported by an effective biocide treatment programme. Record keeping is also critical; records of risk assessments, monitoring and inspection results, remedial actions, and responsible persons should be maintained for at least five years. All tasks should be carried out by competent individuals with suitable training and experience, which may include duty holders, designated responsible persons, or external you want to ensure your water systems are safe and compliant, contact us to arrange a comprehensive Legionella risk assessment by experienced specialists. Get in touch today for a quote. TIME BUSINESS NEWS
Scoop
19 hours ago
- Scoop
Charges Laid Over Deaths In New Zealand Hostel Fire
New Zealand Police announced on June 5 that three people had been charged with manslaughter over a May 2023 boarding house fire in Wellington that killed five people. A fourth person has also subsequently been charged. The charges were laid after a two-year investigation into whether the condition of the 52-year-old, four-storey Loafers Lodge and its fire safety systems 'contributed to the fatal outcome.' Detective Sergeant Timothy Leitch said the people charged were 'involved with the management and operation of the building, and police allege they were responsible for aspects of the building's fire safety system.' Two men aged 75 and 58, and a 70-year-old woman, appeared in the Wellington District Court facing five charges of manslaughter, one for each victim. They are alleged to have failed to take reasonable precautions and care to avoid danger to life. They face an alternative set of manslaughter charges alleging failure to comply with duty under the Health and Safety at Work Act. The fourth person charged, a 72-year-old man, also entered no plea when he appeared in court on June 9. The charges are the first of their kind in New Zealand, it being the first time that police have charged anyone involved in maintaining a building with manslaughter. The courts suppressed the names of all four and remanded them on bail until their appearance in the High Court on June 19. Shortly after the 2023 fire, a 50-year-old man who lived at the boarding house was accused of deliberately lighting it. He pleaded not guilty and is scheduled to face trial in August, charged with five counts of murder and two of arson. His lawyer has indicated a defence of insanity will be lodged. The five residents who died in the blaze which gutted the building were: Michael Wahrlich, 67, a street performer known around town as Mike the Juggler, Melvin Parun, 68, Kenneth Barnard, 67, Peter O'Sullivan, 64, and Liam Hockings, 50. More than 90 people, many of them long-term residents, were staying at the boarding house when the fire broke out on the third floor at 12:25 a.m. on May 16. About 50 survivors were forced to take refuge at an evacuation centre in Newtown Park. Many lost everything in the fire. The 92-room lodge was a death trap. It had no sprinkler system, which firefighters said would have saved lives, and only one functional exit. Fire alarms were reportedly faulty, with some residents saying they only went off in part of the building, and others saying there were so many false alarms that people had learned to ignore them. The fire spread rapidly, making it impossible for many to reach the stairwell to escape. Resident Simon Hanify told the World Socialist Web Site that the front door had been 'sealed shut for about a month; someone kicked it in.' A notice said: 'Door broken, use side entrance.' Some people who could not reach the stairwell to the side entrance were forced to jump onto the roof of an adjacent building. Others were rescued from the rooftop by a fire truck ladder. Some residents were, he said, 'mentally ill or medicated, or infirm, or old, and they wouldn't have stood a chance.' Others spoke of the rooms infested with bed bugs and the lifts frequently not working. Hanify was charged $280 a week for the room, including power, while some were charged as much as $320. 'Do the maths for 92 rooms—and they can't even put a sprinkler system in or replace the roof,' Hanify said. Loafers Lodge is a microcosm of the social crisis affecting ever wider layers of the New Zealand working class. It was home to low-paid shift workers, including meat processing workers, hospital staff, as well as unemployed and elderly people unable to find affordable housing elsewhere. Many were among the city's poorest and lived there for lack of any better options. Murray Edridge, from the Wellington City Mission charity, told the Guardian: 'A significant proportion of residents of the lodge are under our care. This is an absolute disaster. These are people who are inherently vulnerable anyway.' Survivor Alan Potter told the Post following the charges: 'That's the news I wanted to hear.' The 78-year-old has long called for an inquiry into the deadly fire, beyond just charging a man with lighting it. 'I believe it's an institutional failure,' he said. Liam Hockings' family released a statement saying: 'This tragedy has highlighted serious concerns about the safety and conditions of some accommodation, particularly for vulnerable people in our communities who are often housed in buildings like this… 'Everyone deserves a safe place to live—regardless of their circumstances—and we urge all those who own, operate, or manage buildings to take their responsibilities seriously. Lives literally depend on it.' The family was still coming to terms with Liam's death. 'He would have turned 53 just a few days ago,' they said. While the building's managers are now facing legal consequences, the entire ruling elite, including the previous Labour-led government, bears responsibility for creating both the legal framework and social conditions that allowed it. Following the fire, Labour's then Housing Minister Megan Wood declared that Loafers Lodge had passed an inspection by the Wellington City Council and 'met the requirements of the Building Act.' While some countries require sprinklers in buildings of four storeys and above, in New Zealand they are required only for buildings more than 10 storeys high. The fire was a product of the assault on the living standards of the working class, particularly the basic right to decent housing. Loafers Lodge was one of hundreds of boarding houses that are essentially dumping grounds for thousands of people who cannot afford soaring private rents and are unable to access limited public housing. In the five years preceding the fire, including during the Ardern-led Labour government from 2017, Wellington's median rent went up by 33 percent, pushing more people into precarious housing. The waiting list for state housing more than quadrupled from 5,353 in June 2017 to 24,080 in March 2023. More than 100,000 people were estimated to be homeless or in severely substandard housing—about 2 percent of the population. The situation continues to worsen under the current far-right National Party-NZ First-ACT coalition government, which took office in 2023. Figures released in March showed that the number of people sleeping rough had risen 53 percent in Auckland and 40 percent in Wellington. Housing First Auckland manager Rami Alrudani told Radio NZ last month that his organisation was seeing 'more and more homelessness every day.' Last year, the government imposed stricter rules making it more difficult for people to access emergency housing. Among the government's many anti-working-class policies, there has been a massive tax cut for landlords, including many MPs who are property investors, estimated to have cost $NZ2.9 billion. The government falsely claimed this would lead to more affordable rents. According to Infometrics, average rent has risen by 2.7 percent in the past year, in line with inflation, to $575 per week and $592 in metropolitan areas. The government is meanwhile moving to water down health and safety regulations. The regulator WorkSafe will be 'reformed' to reduce the 'burden' on businesses and 'rebalance' its focus away from enforcement and towards 'advice.' More than a hundred jobs have been cut at the agency. This sets the stage for similar tragedies to the Wellington fire, not only in slum boarding houses but more broadly. By John Braddock, Socialist Equality Group 12 June 2025
Otago Daily Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
KiwiRail charged over Cook Strait ferry grounding
Photo: Supplied / Renee Horncastle Maritime NZ has filed two health and safety charges against KiwiRail over its grounding of the Interislander ferry Aratere nearly a year ago. On June 21, 2024, the ship grounded just north of Picton with 47 people on board. No-one was injured and the ship was refloated just under 24 hours later. A preliminary Transport Investigation Commission report found the event started with an autopilot mistake. Maritime NZ chief executive Kirstie Hewlett said the two charges filed under the Health and Safety at Work Act related to failures by KiwiRail to keep crew and passengers safe while on board. "This was a complex incident and important investigation given it focused on KiwiRail bringing in new systems to older vessels and broader safety management." Hewlett said Maritime NZ looked at systems, policies, procedures and culture within KiwiRail with regard to the grounding. Interislander executive general manager Duncan Roy said due to the charges being before the courts they could not comment on them. Roy said since the grounding the Cook Strait ferry service had made improvements to its processes and systems to avoid a repeat of this issue. "We immediately undertook an internal investigation which resulted in nine recommendations - seven of those recommendations have been completed. "This includes a full review of training processes especially for critical equipment, and reviews of our contractor management and risk management procedures." He said since the breakdown Aratere had made more than 1100 crossings of Cook Strait, carrying over 133,000 passengers and 64,000 private and commercial vehicles.
Otago Daily Times
3 days ago
- Business
- Otago Daily Times
KiwiRail charged over Aratere ferry grounding
Photo: Supplied / Renee Horncastle Maritime NZ has filed two health and safety charges against KiwiRail over its grounding of the Interislander ferry Aratere nearly a year ago. On June 21, 2024, the ship grounded just north of Picton with 47 people on board. No-one was injured and the ship was refloated just under 24 hours later. A preliminary Transport Investigation Commission report found the event started with an autopilot mistake. Maritime NZ chief executive Kirstie Hewlett said the two charges filed under the Health and Safety at Work Act related to failures by KiwiRail to keep crew and passengers safe while on board. "This was a complex incident and important investigation given it focused on KiwiRail bringing in new systems to older vessels and broader safety management." Hewlett said Maritime NZ looked at systems, policies, procedures and culture within KiwiRail with regard to the grounding. Interislander executive general manager Duncan Roy said due to the charges being before the courts they could not comment on them. Roy said since the grounding the Cook Strait ferry service had made improvements to its processes and systems to avoid a repeat of this issue. "We immediately undertook an internal investigation which resulted in nine recommendations - seven of those recommendations have been completed. "This includes a full review of training processes especially for critical equipment, and reviews of our contractor management and risk management procedures." He said since the breakdown Aratere had made more than 1100 crossings of Cook Strait, carrying over 133,000 passengers and 64,000 private and commercial vehicles.
