A South-West housing company has been brought to court after failing to adhere to safety rules…
An investigation was launched by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) after North Devon Homes Ltd capped off a chimney at a property, despite it being in use at the time.
The case was brought before Barnstaple Magistrates’ Court yesterday [13 August] and revealed how employees at the firm were investigating damp at the property. In an attempt to solve the problem they removed a chimney and tiled over the roof leaving it terminating within the loft space. The chimney was being used to flue the gas fire and boiler.
The tenant found an unpleasant smell in the loft several weeks after the work was completed. When the carbon monoxide alarm in the property sounded the tenant called the emergency gas service, who classed the situation as “immediately dangerous”. This meant the situation could be an immediate risk to life.
North Devon Homes Ltd pleaded guilty to a breach of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. The company was fined £6,000 and ordered to pay costs of £833.
HSE Inspector Simon Jones said: “This was an incredibly dangerous situation where gas appliances were left to pump potentially poisonous and fatal gasses into the loft space of a home instead of to outside the property.
“Whenever a chimney is removed or capped careful checks should be taken to ensure that the chimney is not being used and cannot be used in the future.
“Proper control by North Devon Homes Ltd and clear work instructions would have prevented this dangerous situation from arising and putting the lives of their tenants at risk.”