![PP Construction Safety logo and link to home page [1]](https://www.ppconstructionsafety.com/wp-content/themes/ppcs960/images/ppcslogo.jpg)
FATAL ACCIDENT INQUIRY: CHILD ELECTROCUTED
Death could have been prevented if workman had ‘cleaned up properly’
A Scottish fatal accident inquiry has ruled the death of a young child could have been prevented if a handyman had cleaned up properly.
Twenty-one-month-old Liam Boyle was electrocuted in his Glasgow home in February 2009. The Glasgow Sheriff Court heard that handyman Daniel Rough was fitting a new oven. A plug with uncovered wires was left in the living room, and Liam picked it up.
The youngster carried the plug to his toy room, plugged it in and is thought to have touched the conductors causing the fatal accident. His mother Claire Hughes found him lying lifeless and tried in vain to resuscitate him.
“Liam would not have died when, where and how he did if he had been denied access to the new cable and plug once it had been disconnected from the new oven.
Undoubtedly that could have been achieved by keeping the new cable and plug in a place where Liam could not get at them while the work was being done and also by removing them as part of the necessary task of clearing up whatever tools and equipment had been brought to the house to allow completion of the instructed work after that work had been completed.
These, to my mind, are precautions that are obvious, no more than common sense…The primary responsibility for satisfying the reasonable precautions of keeping the new cable and plug in a place where Liam could not get at them while the work was being done, and for removing them as part of the necessary task of clearing up whatever tools and equipment he had brought to the house must rest with the person undertaking the job
Mr Rough knew that Liam, a small boy, was in the living room while he was carrying out the task of replacing the old oven in the next door room, the kitchen.
He ought to have taken account of Liam’s presence and young age to the extent of recognising that his work equipment of whatever description, and that includes the new cable and plug, would be a source of interest if not fascination to Liam, and that by reason of his young age this brought with it a significantly enhanced risk that the natural curiosity of a small boy had the potential to lead him into doing something that might injure himself even if his mother were also present in the same room.”
Latest Construction Health and Safety News
CONSTRUCTION SAFETY NEWS – END OF NEW CONTENT
The addition of content on this website ceased on 17th April 2020.
Material posted before this date can be found by clicking on our SEARCH NEWS DATABASE function.
HSE WARN OF NEED FOR RPE FACE FIT TEST AND CHECK
Incorrectly fitted RPE will not protect the wearer from dangers to health
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 16th April 2020CORONA VIRUS: LATEST SITE OPERATING PROCEDURES
Industry Bodies publish risk management guidance Version 3
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 15th April 2020TOWER CRANE OUT OF SERVICE SAFETY ALERT
Important advice from Construction Plant-hire Association and HSE
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 30th March 2020FRAGILE ROOF REPLACEMENT PUT WORKERS IN DANGER
Measures to prevent falling from or through the roof were missing
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 30th March 2020WORKMAN FELL FROM EDGE OF MEZZANINE FLOOR
Edge protection was absent and workman untrained for the task
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 30th March 2020HSE PLAN AND CONSTRUCTION PRIORITIES 2020/21
Appointed CDM 2015 Principal Designers remain focus of HSE inspections
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 30th March 2020COVID-19 ADVICE & GUIDANCE FOR CONSTRUCTION
BuildUK support industry with advice, guidance and information
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 30th March 2020LATEST HSE CONVICTIONS AND NOTICES REGISTERS
View current online HSE registers of prosecution convictions and notices
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 30th March 2020POORLY DESIGNED SCHOOL GATE CRUSHED CHILD
Sliding gate over-run mechanism proved insufficiently robust
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 9th March 2020POWER GENERATOR PROSECUTED OVER UNSAFE SYSTEM
Maintenance workers seriously injured when energy suddenly released
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 2nd March 2020CEILING BELOW SAVES WORKMAN IN ROOFLIGHT FALL
Roofworker fell through roof after stepping on fragile rooflight
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 2nd March 2020INEXPERIENCED WORKER FELL THROUGH OPENING
No physical protection or warning of opening and fragile covering
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 29th February 2020CDM PRINCIPAL DESIGNER IN COURT OVER FIRE RISK
Designers and contractor prosecuted for risk management failings
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 29th February 2020PRISON SENTENCE FOR RECALCITRANT DIRECTOR
Prohibition and improvement notices ignored and danger persisted
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 26th February 2020TEMPORARY WORKS HOARDING FELL ON PEDESTRIAN
Member of the public struck when site fence collapsed suddenly
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 26th February 2020CHILD FATALLY INJURED BY UNSECURED POLE
Pole stored on embankment moved and trapped boy against fencing
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 26th February 2020OWNER RESPONSE TO HSE INSPECTION ENDED IN COURT
Police uphold HSE right to inspect without threats, aggression or abuse
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 24th February 2020HSE TARGETING WELDING FUME CANCER RISK
Inspections to enforce improved controls required by new risk evidence
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 24th February 2020CONTRACTOR FAILED TO REPLACE MISSING PROTECTION
Painter and decorator fractured hip in fall from landing
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 18th February 2020RISK OF DERMATITIS SUFFICIENT FOR PROSECUTION
Company failed to implement controls and surveillance required by COSHH
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 18th February 2020COSHH FAILINGS CAUSE ASTHMA AND PROVE COSTLY
Uncontrolled exposure to isocyanates during paint spraying operations
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 18th February 2020POLICE EMPLOYEE SHOCKED BY DATA CABLE WORK
South Wales Force fined over electric shock from ceiling void cable
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 18th February 2020COLLAPSE OF PUMP SET TRAPPED WORKMAN
Unsafe system of work transferring from pallet to a raised platform
Read the rest of this article »
Posted on 18th February 2020MODIFIED PODIUM STEPS CAUSE FALL FROM HEIGHT
Firm failed to select and correctly assemble with necessary training
Posted on 14th February 2020
