Fines issued for school fire safety incident

A building company and a school have been fined after a worker was burnt while removing an oil tank.

R Harvey Builders, of Redstone Industrial Estate, Boston, was fined £1,000 and ordered to pay costs of £800 by Skegness magistrates court when it admitted failing to carry out a risk assessment, which may highlight the need for fire safety training.

In addition, St Bede's Catholic Science College, of Tollfield Road, Boston, was issued a £2,000 fine and £900 in costs for failing to plan work properly and for not giving the construction firm adequate instructions.

The case related to an accident in September 2007, in which a fire started when an angle grinder was being used to cut up an oil tank.

Sawdust had been used to soak up waste oil from the tank ignited, causing a worker to be injured and the students being evacuated from the school.

Last month, a developer was fined £10,000 by Nottingham crown court after he admitted breaking the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, following an incident which saw a building collapse.

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