Cubbington Sports & Social Club Ltd has been fined £5,000 after pleading “guilty” to two health and safety offences at a Magistrates’ Court hearing, in the Warwickshire Justice Centre on 2 August 2012. Prosecuting Warwick District Council were awarded full costs of £4,353 (Video Embedded).
 |
| [relatedPosts title=”Related Posts”] |
|
|
The Court heard that on 5 November 2011 two members of the public suffered minor burn injuries during a firework display which had been organised by the sports and social club in Windmill Lane, Cubbington. On the Monday following the firework display, two members of the public independently contacted Warwick District Council to advise that there had been at least two separate incidents of fireworks heading horizontally in the direction of spectators, with at least one firework striking and “exploding within a burger van”. Another witness described a “repeater” firework firing into the crowd, which left her children “extremely distressed with one visibly shaking at every further explosion.”
The Magistrates were shown mobile phone footage of the firework incidents, which had been taken by a spectator. The subsequent investigation by a health and safety inspector from Warwick District Council revealed that the club had failed to manage the event in a safe manner, and in particular, it had not organised, planned or had in place appropriate health and safety control measures, essential for a firework event.
The Magistrates gave the company credit for its early guilty plea, its assurance that any future events will be properly organised and safely managed, and for its cooperation with the district council’s investigation.
Councillor Michael Coker, Portfolio Holder for the Environment said, “The injuries to the two members of the public resulted from serious breaches of health and safety legislation. The accident was preventable and foreseeable as fireworks are explosives and the associated risks are well known.
Guidance for organisations planning such an event is readily available to download, free of charge, on the Health and Safety Executive website. I hope that organisations undertaking firework displays, will seek advice from their local Council and the Fire Authority, prior to their event.”
Further Information
Offences: Breach of:
- Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, Section 3(1)
- Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, Regulation 3
There have been at least two major firework incidents, in the UK, within the last 12 months. One display resulted in smoke drifting across the M5 motorway causing a multi vehicle accident resulting in several fatalities. Consequently, Warwick District Council is considering a voluntary Firework Display Registration Scheme, based on a scheme introduced by Newport Council in 2011. Firework display organisers, who register with the Council, would receive at least one advisory site visit to ensure the event complies with HSE guidance.
.
