Housing society fined £50,000 after boiler explosion fatality

Date:

7 December 2009

Release No:

611/SWW/09

Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have successfully prosecuted a housing society and a plumber following a boiler explosion that killed a tenant.

Severn Vale Housing Society Limited, of Tewkesbury, Gloucestershire, and Matthew Lee, of Mendip Close, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire were charged with breaches under Section 3 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and Section 3 (2) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 respectively.

Prosecution proceedings were started after Christine Goodall, 65, was killed at her home in Nut Orchard End, Twyning, Gloucestershire, on 11 November 2007 when an incorrectly decommissioned boiler exploded.

The house in Nut Orchard End, Twyning after the explosion

Severn Vale Housing Society Limited, was fined £50,000 for the above charge and ordered to pay costs of £7,500 Matthew Lee, a self-employed plumber hired by the housing society to decommission the boiler, was fined £7,500 and ordered to pay costs of £1,500 plus £15 x2 victim surcharge, at Gloucester Crown Court today (7 December 2009).

The fatal incident occurred when tenant Christine Goodall lit a fire for the first time since the back boiler had been decommissioned in 1999. The decommissioning work was not properly carried out as the back boiler had not been fully drained but had been left in a sealed condition. When Mrs Goodall lit a fire, the residual water in the back boiler was heated, generating steam and building up pressure leading to the explosion of the back boiler.

These types of back boilers, which sat behind open fires, were commonly installed in both private and public housing in the past when coal was a major form of heating. There are still some properties which have such back boilers in situ, although many have been replaced or decommissioned by councils, housing associations and private homeowners over the years.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE Inspector, Caroline Bird, said:

The house in Nut Orchard End, Twyning after the explosion

"This tragic incident has led HSE to issue a safety alert for the attention of landlords, tenants, the plumbing/heating industry and homeowners, about the potential dangers of lighting a solid fuel fire when a redundant solid fuel back boiler has been left within the fireplace.

"The information in this safety alert will help anyone affected to decide whether they need to address a potential safety risk within their property or housing stock. Anyone who thinks they might have a redundant back boiler in potentially dangerous circumstances should never light a fire in the fireplace until they have sought professional advice."

Notes to editors

1. Severn Vale Housing Society Limited was found guilty of breaching Section 3 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, in that: 'it failed to conduct their undertaking in such a way as to ensure, so far as was reasonably practicable, that persons not in its employment who may be affected thereby including Christine Goodall were not exposed to risks to their safety...'
2. Matthew Lee was found guilty of breaching Section 3 (2) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, in that: 'he failed to conduct his undertaking, namely the physical decommissioning of a Redfyre No 4A Bacboiler, in such a way as to ensure so far as was reasonably practicable, that persons not in his employment who may be affected thereby, including Christine Goodall, were not exposed to risks to their safety when using the fireplace...'
3. Further guidance and advice on health and safety issues relating to the safety of boilers can be found on the HSE website at: www.hse.gov.uk including information regarding relevant safety alerts:
   • Safety Alert - Risks from redundant solid fuel back boilers
   • Safety Alert - Scalding risk from domestic hot water systems
   or from the following websites: www.solidfuel.co.uk or www.hetas.co.uk.

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Issued on behalf of the Health and Safety Executive by COI News and PR South West