Kane Haulage of St Albans in Hertfordshire was contracted to carry out demolition work at Oldfield Trading Estate in Sutton in preparation for the construction of a new self-storage facility on the site.
Although some work had been undertaken by utility companies EDF Energy (EDF) and Scotia Gas Networks (SGN) to disconnect the electricity and gas supplies at the site, neither had completed their work. Meters had been removed from various building units on the estate but the electricity and gas supplies up to the meters remained live.
City of London Magistrates Court heard that EDF engineers were called to the site on a number of occasions between May and July 2009 as a result of damage to live cables. EDF had warned Kane Haulage not to continue with work until all the electricity supplies had been disconnected. Despite this warning, demolition work continued and EDF made a complaint to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) when it was again called to the site on 15 September 2009.
Prior to this on the 13 September 2009 a resident of Oldfield Road reported the smell of gas in his garden and garage to SGN. The source of the gas smell was traced to the demolition site where up to 20 severed live gas pipes were found. The polyethylene pipes had been bent over and tied with wire or duct tape, releasing gas at full pressure when they were untied. Steel pipes had been filled with mud which had dried out and cracked allowing gas to escape.
Kane Haulage Ltd of St Albans, Hertfordshire pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. It was fined a total of £11,700 and ordered to pay costs of £6,936.50
Speaking after the prosecution, HSE Inspector Loraine Charles said: “It is almost miraculous that there were no injuries, given the level of risk generated by the unsafe way in which Kane Haulage Ltd carried out this demolition in relation to the live electricity and gas services.
“Despite repeated warnings that both gas and electricity supplies to and through the site remained live, Kane Haulage proceeded with demolition works, thus exposing workers on the site, residents of the surrounding properties and users of the busy A217 dual carriageway bordering the site to very serious risks.”
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