Company fined after OAP fall
July 8, 2008
A heating firm has been fined £5,000 after it admitted breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act.
Progas Heating, of Denny, Stirlingshire, was handed the penalty at Edinburgh Sheriff Court after an 89-year-old Edinburgh woman fell through a hatch in her kitchen floor which had been left open by a worker from the firm.
The Edinburgh Evening News reports Progas employees were moving the gas meter from the inside the woman's home to outside when the incident occurred.
According to the paper they left the hatch in the floor open to allow access, but left it unprotected save for the closed kitchen door.
The News reports the 89-year-old suffered three fractures to her ankle when she walked into the room to cook a meal and fell through the gap.
Fellow paper the Scotsman said The Health and Safety Executive yesterday advised companies to take care when working in elderly persons' homes.
Progas Heating, of Denny, Stirlingshire, was handed the penalty at Edinburgh Sheriff Court after an 89-year-old Edinburgh woman fell through a hatch in her kitchen floor which had been left open by a worker from the firm.
The Edinburgh Evening News reports Progas employees were moving the gas meter from the inside the woman's home to outside when the incident occurred.
According to the paper they left the hatch in the floor open to allow access, but left it unprotected save for the closed kitchen door.
The News reports the 89-year-old suffered three fractures to her ankle when she walked into the room to cook a meal and fell through the gap.
Fellow paper the Scotsman said The Health and Safety Executive yesterday advised companies to take care when working in elderly persons' homes.
More Slips, Trips and Falls news:
Council pays GBP 22,000 over theatre fall - October 10, 2008HSE illuminates safety issues in the night-time economy - October 8, 2008
TIE secures HSE applause - October 6, 2008
HSE decision into Burnley death expected before Xmas - October 3, 2008
Health and Safety Exec investigates warehouse death - October 1, 2008
