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Roman Catholic School and Builder fined after Oil Tank Fire Horror
7th May 2009
Schools have been warned to take extra care over building and maintenance work after a man was burned by flaming sawdust, while removing a heating oil tank at an independent, Roman Catholic school in Boston.
St Bede's Roman Catholic Science College, of Tollfield Road, Boston, admitted failing to plan the work properly and failing to give the builders proper instructions for the work. It was fined £2,000 and ordered to pay costs of £ 900 at Skegness Magistrates court today yesterday.
The injured man's employers, R Harvey Builders, of Redstone Industrial Estate, Boston, admitted failing to carry out a risk assessment, and were fined £1,000 with £ 800 costs.
The school was charged with breaching regulations 5(1) and 12(1) of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations, and the builders were charged under section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Etc Act 1974. Maximum fines at magistrates court are £20,000 on each charge.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) brought the prosecution after an investigation into a fire at the school on 7 September 2007 when the man was injured. Sawdust had been used to soak up waste oil from a tank being removed but when the builders cut up the tank with an angle grinder, sparks set it alight. The fire service had to be called to put out the fire and students were evacuated.
Nottingham HSE inspector Jo Anderson, who investigated the case, said "This case highlights the extra need to work safely at schools, and to plan properly so all the risks are taken into account. If the school and the builders each knew what the other was doing, this incident would not have happened, and the worker would not have been injured."
