Leicester care home fined £100K over burns death

By The Press Association23rd January 2015News EnglandCare Homes, Health and Wellbeing, News England, Older People, Safety

A care home company has been fined £100,000 for breaching safety laws after the death of an 85-year-old resident who suffered serious burns following a fall.

Walter Powley died in hospital eight days after becoming trapped between a wardrobe and a radiator at the Western Park View home in Hinckley Road, Leicester, in May 2012.

In a statement confirming that Western Park Leicester Ltd had been fined £100,000 at Leicester Crown Court, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) said Mr Powley had been admitted to the home four days before being injured.

Western Park Leicester, based in Queen Street, Wolverhampton, pleaded guilty to breaching section 3 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and was also ordered to pay £35,000 in costs.

In its statement, the HSE said Mr Powley fell in his room and suffered serious burns to his right leg from the radiator pipe and valves, and superficial burns to both legs.

An investigation into the death found the radiator pipes and valves at the home were not covered.

It also found the home’s owner was aware that Mr Powley was at risk of falls and injury and that staff should be vigilant.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Dr Richenda Dixon said: “This was a foreseeable and preventable fatal incident.

“While most of the residents at Western Park View are physically disabled with limited mobility, Walter was not. He was more mobile, and known to be so, hence at greater danger from any risks in his room.

“The scalding or burning risks from the pipes were long-standing and could have caused injury to any resident.

“Western Park Leicester failed to heed published guidance from HSE about the need to cover hot pipes and valves. Had they been covered or boxed-in Walter’s death could have been prevented.”

In a statement on behalf of Mr Powley’s family, his son Colin said: “We are still devastated not only by our dad’s death but also how it came about.

“His stay at Western Park View was only to be for two weeks’ respite while we explored all options for future care.

“The fact that he died from injuries sustained as a result of, in our view, inadequate care in a place where he was supposedly safer than at home, is heart-breaking.”