Past Limited
Pat News
Boy fried alive as he mops the floor
A 17 year old collapsed in a pool of water after he moved a plate-warmer that became live because of a badly made plug. He died just days after handing in his notice at Fatty Ar buckle's in Lincoln .
At least four other £3-an-hour employees had received electric shocks from the same machine before the tragedy.
The plugs earth wire had been disconnected and was lying over the live cable. Tests later showed 11 out of the 56 appliances in the diner were faulty.
Now ex-bosses of the fast food chain could face corporate manslaughter charges
after the jury returned a verdict that the victim was unlawfully killed.
Assistant Kitchen Manager Adam Clarke said he changed fuses on the plate-warmer
and found there was no earth in the plug. He twice received shocks and
complained.
Extract from the Daily Star
Dangerous Electrical Items
A potentially lethal lamp sold at a West End store led to a £4,000 fine in a
successful prosecution by Westminster City Council Trading Standards. The
Council was alerted when a customer who had bought a lamp from a shop in W1,
received a strong electric shock. This led to hospital treatment. Westminster
Trading Standards launched an immediate investigation. A number of other lamps
from the store were seized, and these were also found to be electrically unsafe.
With one lamp, it was possible to touch the live part of the light bulb while
illuminated.
The owners of the shop, pleaded guilty to two summonses under the Consumer
Protection Act at Horseferry Road Magistrates' Court in April 2002. The owners
of the shop were fined a total of £4,000 and ordered to pay £784 costs.
In their defence, the company stressed that there was a small sign displayed in
the shop stating that the lamps would need to be rewired after purchase. The
company has taken steps to trace all customers who bought the lamps, asking them
to be returned for testing and correction where necessary.
Canteen Shock
A chef in a Bury works canteen received an electric shock, and the company a
£10k fine. Electrical equipment was not being properly maintained and poor
wiring and earthing to a cooker rendered it live. www.safegard-online.co.uk
Hotel fined £20,000
The Health and Safety section of Manchester City Council’s Environmental Health
division has successfully prosecuted Jarvis Hotels PLC for two breaches of the
Health & Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.
At a hearing at Manchester Magistrates Court on Wednesday February 26 2003, the
company pleaded guilty to two offences. It received fines totaling £20,000 and
was ordered to pay £1,722.45 costs to the City Council.
The first incident occurred on March 5 2002 when a hotel employee received an
electric shock while unplugging a "hot box", used to keep food warm. The top of
the plug casing was later found to be broken and the employee had touched a live
part as he grasped the plug.
The second incident, occurring on March 13 2002, involved a guest staying at the
hotel. She received an electric shock when she attempted to plug in a portable
heater from which the back case of the plug was missing.
Councillor Val Stevens, Manchester City Council’s Executive Member for Planning
and Environment, said:
"We shall continue to prosecute companies in breach of health and safety
regulations in order to reinforce good practice and to foster more responsible
attitudes to health and safety issues."
Extract from Manchester City Council: http://www.manchester.gov.uk/news/2003/f
Eb/shock.HTML
Recall Notice
The following recall notices are for electrical safety.
If you have a fan heater made by Connect-IT with the model numbers:- EP 00 344,
EP 00 358, EP 00 359, EP 00 360, EP 00 361, EP 00 362, EP 00 363, EP 00364 OR EP
00 480, THEN YOU SHOULD STOP USING IT AND CALL FREE 0800 328 9508 FOR A
REPLACEMENT. The plug is over heating.
If you have a surgmaster extension lead made in 2003 with any of the following
serial numbers then stop using it and contact the manufactures.
F9G930, F9G930-10-W, F9G930-G-CL OR F9G930-10-SN.