Willmott fined £1.25m for gas leak

Willmott Partnership Homes, the resi arm of Willmott Dixon, has been fined £1.25m after exposing members of the public to carbon monoxide fumes at a scheme in Buckinghamshire.

Aylesbury Crown Court heard how, on 11 December 2014, at Hamilton House in Wolverton, a number of gas installations were found to be either immediately dangerous or at risk following the report of a smell of gas by a householder.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that the contractor built the flats several years before the incident and in 2014 some remedial was work needed to be carried out on an external wall.

During the demolition and reconstruction of the wall, many live flues of gas boilers were removed damaged and blocked, exposing the residents to a risk from carbon monoxide poisoning.

Willmott Partnership Homes pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and was fined £1.25 million and ordered to pay costs of £23,972.33.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Stephen Faulkner said: “Risks from gas installations, including those related to carbon monoxide, need to be managed by all during refurbishment.”

“This incident could have been avoided if the company had implemented a safe isolation system for the live boilers.”