Death of care home resident: company fined £450,000
Health and Safety Executive v Caring Homes Healthcare Group Ltd (2017) Guildford Crown Court, June 7
Statutory reference: s.3 of the Health and Safety at Work, etc., Act 1974 (HSWA)
Caring Homes Healthcare Group Ltd, the owner and manager of the Coppice Lea Nursing Home in Surrey, has been fined after the death of a resident.
The facts
· In October 2013 an 87-year old woman was a resident at the home. She fell four metres through her window, suffering fatal injuries.
· The window restrictor in place was easily overridden and was not fit for purpose.
The decision
The company was fined £450,000 plus £14,700 costs.
An HSE inspector is reported to have commented after the case that all windows which were large enough for people to fall through, should be restrained sufficiently to prevent falls. The benchmark of 100 mm should only be allowed to disengage using a special tool or key.
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