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Council fined over school gas leak
Gateshead Council has apologised after it was fined a total of £10,000 over a gas leak at a primary school.
The council was also ordered to pay costs of £6,830 after it pleaded guilty at Gateshead Magistrates' Court to a health and safety charge.
Twenty-five pupils and two members of teaching staff were evacuated from a classroom at Crookhill Primary School, Ryton, on the 14 November, 2006 when they were overcome by carbon monoxide.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive, which brought the action, found that carbon monoxide was produced by an inadequately maintained boiler and had leaked into the classroom above.
HSE inspector, Michael Bone, said: "HSE's investigation showed that the failure by Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council to operate an effective gas safety management system was the most significant matter.
"The boiler plant at Crookhill had not been maintained correctly, causing it to produce carbon monoxide which then leaked into the classroom."
He added: "I would urge all
organisations with responsibility for managing gas safety to review their procedures and quality systems."
Group director of Local Environmental Services at Gateshead Council, John Robinson, said: "We want to apologise to all the children, parents and staff of Crookhill School for the distress this incident has caused.
"We take our health and safety responsibilities extremely seriously at Gateshead Council and we accept the findings of the investigation and the punishment issued by the court.
"The incident was the result of a unique set of circumstances and we have since made significant efforts to review and improve our processes and procedures and we are confident that it could never happen again. We have co-operated fully with the HSE throughout the investigation and will continue to do so in the future."
Sent: 21/02/2008
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