Bedford dry cleaners fined for safety failings

Date:

18 April 2012

Release No:

HSE-E-76

A chain of dry cleaners in Bedford has been fined after putting workers' lives at risk from a poorly-maintained gas boiler.

The dangerous gas-fired steam boiler

Bedford Magistrates' Court heard inspectors from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) visited Kempston Cleaners in Tavistock Street on 1 July 2011 after an alert from an Environmental Health Officer at Bedford Borough Council. During their visit they discovered the gas-fired steam boiler was in a dangerous condition.

It was severely corroded, the flue was cracked and damaged, several burners were not working properly and there was a high risk that workers and members of the public were being exposed to toxic carbon monoxide emissions.

HSE served a Prohibition Notice immediately requiring the owner to demonstrate the boiler did not leak carbon monoxide into the spaces occupied by people. Its subsequent investigation found the company had failed to put a proper system in place to ensure the steam pressure system associated with the boiler was regularly serviced.

Kempston Cleaners Limited of 58 Tavistock Street, Bedford, admitted breaching Regulation 5 (1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations for which it was fined £4,000 and Regulation 8 of the Pressure Systems Safety Regulations for which it was fined £2,000. The company was ordered to pay £1,146.50 costs and a £15 victim surcharge.

After the case, HSE Inspector Stephen Faulkner said:

"It was clear the owner of this company had completely disregarded the welfare of his workforce in not bothering to ensure that the steam boiler was properly maintained. The condition in which I found boiler, the most hazardous piece of equipment on the premises, was a disgrace.

"As always, HSE will not hesitate to take action if we find poor practice putting lives at risk."

Notes to editors

1. The Health and Safety Executive is Britain's national regulator for workplace health and safety. It aims to reduce work-related death, injury and ill health. It does so through research, information and advice; promoting training; new or revised regulations and codes of practice; and working with local authority partners by inspection, investigation and enforcement. www.hse.gov.uk
2. Regulation 5 (1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations states: "Every employer shall ensure that work equipment is maintained in an efficient state, in efficient working order and in good repair"
3. Regulation 8 of the Pressure Systems Safety Regulations states: "The user of an installed system and owner of a mobile system shall not operate the system or allow it to be operated unless he has a written scheme for the periodic examination, by a competent person... "
4. The court ordered Kempston Cleaners Limited to pay a separate £15 victim surcharge, the proceeds of which will be spent on services for victims and witnesses.

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Issued on behalf of the Health and Safety Executive by the Regional News Network