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25.03.08 - HSE warns landlords to ensure safe gas installations in their properties
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is warning landlords to ensure gas installations in their properties are safe and that they are annually checked by a competent registered gas installer. The warning follows its prosecution of a Doncaster caravan park owner for exposing her tenants to serious risks to their health and safety.
Tina Gavin of St Erics Road, Doncaster, was fined £16,000 and ordered to pay costs of £7,500 costs at Doncaster Magistrates Court today (25 March 2008) after pleading guilty/ being found guilty of breaching Section 3 (2) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.
Following an incident at the caravan park in September 2006, gas safety standards were checked by a gas specialist from the Health and Safety Laboratory in three mobile homes. The inspection found leaking gas and dangerous levels of carbon monoxide. Ms Gavin's tenants had complained variously of the smell of gas and malfunctions of their appliances which she did not act on. None of the tenants had been given a landlord's gas safety record.
A further inspection was undertaken over the following days by a CORGI registered engineer at the landlady's request. Basic checks identified serious problems with the gas installations at almost every one of the mobile homes inspected.
After the hearing, HSE Inspector Chris Chambers said: "This case is one of the most flagrant breaches of gas safety issues in relation to health and safety law that I have ever dealt with.
"Ms Gavin was putting the lives of her tenants at grave risk. Fortunately the situation was discovered before somebody died as a result of the dangerous gas installations. HSE will not hesitate to prosecute individuals who break the law in this way and put people's health and safety at risk."
Sent: 25/04/2008
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