HQN SAFETYnet

Midland Heart to pay £135,000 over scalding death

Midland Heart, the largest housing group in the Midlands, admitted two breaches of s3(1) of the HSWA 1974 for failing to ensure the water-outlet temperature had been properly controlled to avoid scalding, in a prosecution brought by Birmingham City Council.

Anthony Ironmonger, 75, died after suffering burns in a bath at Birminghams Summer Hill House hostel. On 6 December 2007, Mr Ironmonger had gone into the communal bath area, locked the door and run the hot tap, the water from which was at a temperature of between 60 and 65OC. He sustained burns to 40% of his total body surface area and had scalds down his back, shoulders, buttocks, upper thighs and both feet. He died in hospital on 17 December from multi-organ failure, complicated by his injuries.

Mr Ironmonger was the second person to have been scalded in a bath at a property operated by Midland Heart. Kevin Clarke, aged 43 at the time, sustained burns at the Snow Hill hostel on 24 August 2008, but was discharged from hospital after treatment.

The housing association was fined £80,000 in relation to the case of Mr Ironmonger and £20,000 in relation to Mr Clarke. It was also ordered to pay £35,000 agreed costs.

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