A Gateshead Council investigation was launched along with health and safety experts after a bungled work in one of their own houses. Councillors learned about the incident after scrutinising the annual health and safety report earlier this week.
According to the authority’s annual health and safety report, its construction services removed a chimney at a property in Skiddaw Place on June 29 and 30 2021. However, a problem arose as a gas fire which was due to be decommissioned was still attached to the gas supply.
This incident was investigated internally by the council and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) was informed about the incident. The incident was followed by an HSE investigation and the council was issued a £160 fee for intervention.
Read More: 'Third party damage' causes gas leak near Royal Victoria Infirmary with emergency services on hand
A council spokesperson said: "Following the removal of a chimney stack at an address in Gateshead by the Council’s construction services on 29 and 30 June 2021, we identified a breach in health and safety regulations. We immediately reported the incident to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and initiated an internal investigation.
"All recommendations that resulted from the investigation to prevent a repeat of the incident have now been implemented. This includes extensive staff training on relevant regulations and processes.
"The Fee for Intervention (FFI) was incurred following a RIDDOR report into the incident, and we are awaiting a follow up visit from the HSE to conclude this process".
The council’s health and safety report stated: “All actions identified within the investigation report have since been closed out. There has not yet been a follow up visit from the HSE at the time of this report”. This fee is issued to businesses or council’s who require HSE personnel to inspect and advise on work carried out.
The council’s health and safety report stated: “All actions identified within the investigation report have since been closed out. There has not yet been a follow up visit from the HSE at the time of this report”.
The chairman of Gateshead’s corporate resources overview and scrutiny committee, coun John Eagle said: “ I’m still concerned about the gas fire incident. There are some long term members here who will remember this council was fined in excess of a hundred thousand pounds, if not several hundred thousand pounds, for a couple residents who died as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning.
“When you look at this, it makes your teeth curl.
“People could have been killed with this. We are not here to micromanage this report, that's not the role of this committee.
“But I think as members we should be concerned when the council and residents are put at risk through what can only be called shoddy workmanship”.
Amendments have been made to this story regarding the reason for the investigation taking place
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