HSE/NW/106/06. GNN141031P. 22 November 2006

Gulliver's World to pay £170,000 after child's death

Gulliver's World was today fined £80,000 and ordered to pay £90,000 costs after pleading guilty to Health and Safety Executive (HSE) criminal charges arising from the death of teenager Salma Saleem on 13 July 2002.

Salma, then 14, died when she fell approximately 6.6 metres from a gondola on the double ferris wheel at Gulliver's World Ltd, Shackleton Close, Old Hall, Warrington, Cheshire. The company today pleaded guilty at Chester Crown Court to a charge under Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act (HSW Act) that they failed to ensure the safety of someone not in their employment, for which it was fined £70,000, and a charge under Regulation 3(1) of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, in that they had failed to carry out an appropriate risk assessment, for which it was fined £10,000.

Paul Spurrier, HSE Principal Inspector who managed the case, says: "HSE extends its sympathy to the family of Salma, who had both physical disabilities and learning difficulties.

"She attended Gulliver's World in July 2002 for what was intended to be a pleasurable family day out but it ended in the most tragic of circumstances.

"This tragic case brings home the importance to all fairground operators that they must ensure that their fairground rides are safe, by having their initial design thoroughly reviewed, by having them checked and adequately maintained on a regular basis, by keeping records of items replaced or repaired, by ensuring that their staff are trained in how the ride works, that they understand any precautions they must take with vulnerable passengers and that they understand what to do in an emergency situation"

Notes to editors

1. Section 3 (1) of the HSW Act states, "It shall be the duty of every employer to conduct his undertaking in such a way as to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that persons not in his employment who may be affected thereby are not thereby exposed to risks to their health or safety."
2. Regulation 3 (1) (b) of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 states:
   "Every employer shall make a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks to the health and safety of persons not in his employment arising out of or in connection with the conduct by him of his undertaking."
3. The maximum penalty for each offence in the Crown Court is an unlimited fine.

 

Public enquiries

HSE's InfoLine: 0845 3450055
Caerphilly Business Park, Caerphilly CF83 3GG

HSE information and news releases can be accessed on the Internet www.hse.gov.uk/