Association fined £70,000 for carbon monoxide death
A housing association has received a £70,000 fine following the death of a security guard from carbon monoxide poisoning.
Clyde Valley Housing Association pleaded guilty last month to a breach of the Health and Safety at Work Act after 37-year-old Thomas Fraser was found dead on one of its building sites.
The security guard, whose employer Alpha Securities provided security services for CVHA, was killed on 6 February 2008 by a build-up of toxic carbon monoxide fumes from a petrol generator used to heat and light flats at the £2.2 million development. He was found feet away from the generator in a poorly-ventilated temporary office.
The Motherwell-based housing association admitted in a hearing at Hamilton Sheriff Court that it had failed to ensure Mr Fraser properly understood how to operate the petrol heater. In sentencing, Sheriff Douglas Brown said the fine would have reached £100,000 if the association had pleaded not guilty.
Further investigations regarding Alpha Securities are still underway.
CVHA chief executive Tom Barclay said: ‘Although Mr Fraser was not our employee, we deeply regret the role our actions may have placed in his untimely death. This incident has had a profound effect on our staff, who pride themselves on the work they do in ensuring communities prosper.
‘The association would like to end its statement by reaffirming its profound sympathy to the family of Thomas Fraser.’
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Readers' comments (5)
Peter | 21/04/2010 10:54 am
This is a terribly tragedy, my sympathies goes to Mr Fraser's family for their loss.
I am somewhat perturbed with Mr Barclay's comments: 'Although Mr Fraser was not our employee...', what difference would it make if Mr Fraser was? Carbon monoxide do not discriminate!!
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kass | 21/04/2010 11:36 am
And whose money is this fine from? Is it from the pocket of the person responsible that this death should not have happened?
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Nuruh | 21/04/2010 11:40 am
I am so sorry for the family of the deceased I would comment that the government should continue taking account of this such matters, and even the private land lords are very reluctant about theirs tenants they should be worn about their tenants' health care.
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Milan | 21/04/2010 1:53 pm
How fortunate for the CVHA Cheif Executive Tom Barclay. As the incident occurred on the 6th February 2008 the incident could not be dealt with under the Corporate Manslaughter & Corportae Homicide Act 2007 (which got it's royal Assent on the 26th July 2007 but only came into force on the 1st April 2008!
Had the incident occurred after the 1st April 2008 CVHA would not only have been fined but the CEO would most probably have been imprisoned.
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The ONLY One | 22/04/2010 10:22 am
Good to see Kass being as sympathetic as ever. This is a tragic and needless loss of a 37 year old male who had family. My sympathy to them all.
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