Will child's injury encourage councils to adopt facilities management health and safety process?
September 8th 16:31 Health and Safety
Local authorities across the UK could be inspired to adopt facilities management health and safety processes following a recent incident in Newcastle.
A five-year-old girl was admitted to hospital and required surgery after injuring herself using an interactive display at Newcastle City Council's Discovery Museum.
Information from an investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) revealed that a protective guard was missing from a section of the display which contained a rotating fan, causing the youngster's injury.
As such the council was fined £12,000 and ordered to pay £7,733 in costs by Newcastle Upon Tyne Magistrates' Court after pleading guilty to breaching Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.
HSE inspector, Carol Forster, said: "The serious injuries that this young girl suffered could easily have been avoided.
"It's important that councils, like any other organisations, must have systems and procedures in place to ensure that the safety of members of the public is not put at risk by their activities."
