Council Fined over Fatal Fall in Bowling Club Pavillion

A council was fined more than £11,000 for health and safety failings after a lady tripped while entering a bowling club pavilion, hurt her head and later died.

The Health and Safety Executive found a 15 by 12cm hole in the linoleum floor near the door of the kitchen. The Council admitted an offence under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 of failing to maintain the floor but argued the lady may not have tripped on the linoleum and her fall could have been caused by the step at the doorway.

The council admitted it had failed to carry out an adequate risk assessment of the flooring after it had suspended safety checks at the pavilion and others like it to concentrate on higher priority safety work.

After the accident, the council restored the checks and spent £150 on fixing the flooring. The council were fined £11,500 and ordered it to pay £11,800 prosecution costs.