A building firm and one of its directors have been fined £15,000
over leaving customers at risk of exposure to carbon monoxide
fumes.
Rushi Construction (UK) Ltd, owned by Vikas Patel, built an
extension to a home in Westwood Drive, Little Chalfont,
Buckinghamshire, between September 3 and December 8, 2009.
Part of the construction was built around the flue outlet of a
boiler, but a Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation found
that no Gas Safe registered engineer had been involved in the
fitting work.
Patel tried to use a washing machine vent hose and a sewage pipe
to extend the outlet out a window. His attempt was unsuccessful,
leaving the homeowners exposed to potentially deadly
fumes.
At Aylesbury Magistrates' Court, Rushi Construction (UK), of
Wembley, was fined £12,000 and ordered to pay costs of £1,000 after
admitting breaching health and safety and gas safety regulations.
Patel also admitted the charges and was fined £3,000 and ordered to
pay £731 in costs.
HSE inspector Stephen Manley said: "Mr Patel's clients
could have died because of the unsafe situation he created in their
home. HSE will always take action when we see examples of such
blatant disregard or ignorance, of regulations, guidance, and
common sense."