Construction News

Fri March 29 2024

Related Information

Loft conversion led to gas leak

26 Jun 13 A Welsh local authority has been fined £20,000 after a simple loft conversion left a family exposed to the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.

A home improvement contractor carried out the work at a property in Bettws on behalf of Newport City Council in November 2010.

As part of the improvement work the company had to move a boiler and replace a flue. Afterwards, the householder, who shares her home with four foster children, complained the boiler was not working properly and was leaking, and arranged for an independent engineer to examine the work.

The engineer found the pressure relief valve had not been connected and confirmed the boiler was leaking potentially lethal fumes into the loft space. He advised her not to use the equipment and contacted Gas Safe Register, who sent an officer to investigate.

In a prosecution brought by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE), Cwmbran Magistrates heard that the householder had agreed to modifications to her home with a grant from the council to accommodate foster children.

Gas Safe found the boiler was not correctly fitted and the flue from the gas fire had been capped just below the level of the loft, allowing poisonous carbon monoxide gas into the loft space. It was classified as 'immediately dangerous'.

Related Information

HSE's investigation identified that Newport City Council had told the householder to contract the company without checking their competence or monitoring their work. In addition, the council did not follow its own procedures for choosing contractors. Although the authority kept a list of approved firms it did not supply this to the householder and did not involve the council department which normally dealt with such work.

Newport City Council pleaded guilty to a breach of Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and was fined £20,000 and was ordered to pay £11,000 in costs.

After the hearing HSE inspector Dean Baker said: "Newport City Council failed in their obligation to the family to ensure that the contractors they were paying to do the work were able to do it competently and to monitor the work being carried out on their behalf.

"The shoddy and careless work by the contractors could have cost a family with young children their lives. Anyone carrying out work on or near a flue should get the advice of a Gas Safe Registered engineer before starting work."

Got a story? Email news@theconstructionindex.co.uk

MPU
MPU

Click here to view latest construction news »