20/02/12: An unregistered gas fitter who was working illegally left tenants in danger and left a house at risk of an explosion after lying to the property owner about being registered with gas safe.

Cheltenham Magistrates were told that Christopher Clark, a self-employed gas fitter, installed a new central heating system at a house in Norwood Road between December ‘10 and February ‘11.

The HSE prosecution told the court that Mr. Clark’s registration with Gas Safe had expired in early 2010, and therefore he wasn’t legally covered to carry out the work.

After he had completed the work, Mr. Clark advised that he would return with the required paperwork. However, when the tenant noticed a leak and tried to contact him to ask him to return, repair the leak and provide the necessary paperwork, he was unable to contact him.

The householder subsequently contacted Gas Safe who visited the house to check the installation. The leak was found at the boiler connection which meant that the supply had to be disconnected until a registered fitter could carry out remedial work to resolve the problem.

The HSE investigators found that Mr. Clark had also completed work for the same customer, who owned both properties at another house in the town, on 29 July ‘10 when he again falsely claimed to be registered with Gas Safe.

A HSE spokesperson commented that Mr. Clark had put the Norwood Road resident at serious risk of an explosion. It could easily have turned into a fatal incident and it is only as a result of the resident’s vigilance that this risk was averted.

It is imperative that all gas work is carried out by competent engineers because of the high risks involved. Furthermore by claiming that he was still registered with gas safe, Mr Clark broke the law.

Mr. Clark of Boddington was fined £16K and received a cost order for £800 after pleading guilty to breaches of H&S legislation.

A North Yorkshire power station has received a substantial fine after an employee sustained a broken foot in an accident.
The worker who has requested anonymity sustained the injury when a large weight dropped nearly 15 feet from a crane onto his foot.
The injured man was operating the crane with another colleague at the time of the accident and both men were using a pole to pull a chain connected to its steering mechanism.

The chain and the counter weight became detached at the same moment that the injured man lost his balance. Although he was able to kick his co-worker out of danger, he exposed his foot to the falling weight and despite the reinforced safety boots he was wearing, his foot was badly fractured.

The HSE investigation revealed that the weight had only been attached to the crane by a single bolt and that the crane had missed 2 out of 4 of its recent services.

Drax Power Station Ltd and Konecranes UK Ltd were each fined more than £13K after pleading guilty to breaching H&S legislation.

Data recently issued by the Department of Health shows that following an annual 9 per cent increase in the number of claims for clinical negligence between 2010 and 2011, the NHS is facing a bill in excess of £15 billion.

The figure quoted is close to £15.7 billion and equates to one seventh of the total annual budget for the NHS. The provision has been made to pay claims in future years from patients who have suffered personal injury or negligence as a result of blunders by NHS staff. The number of claims is expected to be in the tens of thousands.

Last year, the medical negligence bill cost the UK government £500 million. A huge part of this ends up being paid as lawyers’ fees and there is concern about the spiralling costs due to the proliferation of ‘no win, no fee’ firms who are encouraging patients to make claims.

The Chief Executive of the Patients Association, Katherine Murphy, commented on the report stating that patients often used a negligence claim as the last resort. They might not want to pursue legal action but the NHS complaints system is not robust and fails them. She added that it was a scandal that the NHS is being forced to find £20 billion in efficiency savings yet so much money is being set aside to compensate patients.

David Cameron has hosted talks with insurers and consumer groups at Downing Street in an attempt to reduce whiplash claims and cut premiums.

Insurers claim that false whiplash claims cost the industry £2bn every year and add an average of £90 to annual premiums.

A No. 10 spokesperson said that Britain has the highest claim rate for whiplash injuries in Europe with claims being submitted for minor accidents. He added that the insurance companies have said that if the government intervene in this matter, all savings will be passed on to their customers.

This matter has been on the agenda for some time but following a recent meeting of the Transport Select Committee, it has been agreed to bring the primary legislation forward. This means that evidence will be required to not only prove the injury but also that it has had a substantial effect on the life of the claimant before any compensation is released.

The Prime Minister is reported to have told the representatives at the meeting that there isn’t a silver bullet solution to soaring premiums. He said that personal responsibility and individual action is also required on the part of policy holders.

Insurance companies are requesting that measures similar to those in force in Germany where there is a speed threshold and drivers need 2 separate diagnoses for their injury.

UK insurers are seeking the creation of a pool of impartial experts who will be able to assess the validity of claims and Downing Street has said that it will join the industry in examining the options.

The ABI has welcomed the intervention of the prime minister and the CEO has said that the industry is drowning in fraudulent and exaggerated claims. Because whiplash is currently self reported, the industry has to tread extremely carefully when challenging a claim and this whole process needs to be changed.

A man from North Wales who pretended to be a registered as a gas engineer, has been jailed for 8 months after he illegally installed a gas boiler at a house in Rhyl.

The HSE prosecuted Lee Hampshire, for completing work on gas fittings and appliances falsely claiming that he was registered with the industry regulator.

Chester Magistrates were told that Mr. Hampshire August 2009, Mr. Hampshire made a series of errors when he installed a boiler in a domestic property. One of the faults was so serious that it the gas supply was immediately disconnected.
The gauge indicated a fault had developed immediately after the installation of the boiler but Mr. Hampshire told the home owner to call the maker directly.

The manufacturer sent an engineer to the property in order for the problem to be assessed, the engineer also found that the flue had not been fitted with the correct screws, and he also saw an obvious gap between the boiler and the flue, which should always be airtight.

When he fitted the boiler, Mr. Hampshire claimed to be registered with the gas safe scheme and showed the home owner with an out of date registration from the previous official register, CORGI.

The court was told that HSE had served Mr. Hampshire with a Prohibition Notice in November 2008 for putting customers at risk and failing to register with gas safe.

A HSE spokesperson commented that Mr. Hampshire had carried on working on gas appliances and fittings even after he had been issued with a notice, the previous year. His behaviour shows an obvious disregard for industry codes of practice and the law.

He still didn’t register with gas safe and carried on deceiving his clients that he was an approved and competent gas engineer, he was risking people’s lives.

A Gas Safe spokesperson said that they work with the HSE to investigate all unregistered gas fitters and we will maintain our policy of prosecuting all cases when the noticed are ignored.

A gas fitter has been sentenced following a series of safety and legislative breaches.

A landlord was also fined for failing to ensure gas checks were completed at a property in Blackburn and which put a family of 8 at risk.

HSE prosecuted Rashid Hussain after he continually ignored their warnings about not arranging for a gas engineer to make an annual visit to the property which is on Longshaw Lane.

Blackburn Magistrates were told that although Mr. Hussain had provided his tenants with a gas check certificate when they first rented the property them September 2008. He did not get a gas engineer to carry out a subsequent check the following year. HSE had served an improvement notice to him in November 2010 but he still refrained from arranging the gas check.

Mr. Hussain was fined £10K and received a cost order for £8K after he pleaded guilty to breaches of H&S legislation.
Magistrates were also told that Mr. Hussain had previously been prosecuted by the local Council for 2 other offences which took place at the same property.

He had been found guilty of renting the property out without having the appropriate council licence and of ignoring a council improvement notice that had been issued after the house was discovered not to be fit to live in. In that case, Mr. Hussain was originally fined more than £10K but this had later been reduced to £6.5K following an appeal.

A HSE spokesperson has commented that a family had to vacate their home as their lives had been exposed to risk by their landlord.

He had been happy to take thousands of pounds for their rent but wouldn’t pay less than £100 for a yearly gas check. He had received numerous warnings but chose to ignore them, HSE notices are a final warning about non-compliance of the law and we will maintain our policy of prosecuting all cases when the noticed are ignored.

A gas safety register spokesperson commented that each and every rented house must have a yearly check on all appliances by a registered engineer to ensure that everything is working efficiently and safely, it is the landlord’s responsibility to make sure that this happens.

Landlords are also legally obligated to give their tenants proof of the gas safety certificate to show that the check has been completed. If you don’t have an up to date gas record you may be at risk from fires, leaks, poisoning and explosions.

Ulnar neuropathy is a disorder which involves the ulnar nerve. This condition occurs when the ulnar nerve becomes entrapped at the elbow or wrist.

Some of the common causes of ulnar neuropathy include:

• an illness which damages the ulnar nerve
• an injury to the nerve
• injury to the nearby structures of the nerve which puts pressure on the nerve
• long term pressure on the nerve

Ulnar neuropathy causes a tingling sensation, pain and numbness.

In the UK, it is the responsibility of the employer to protect workers from sustaining any kind of injury. This also includes protecting them from sustaining nerve injuries which can have long term and devastating effects.

Nerve injury cannot be reverted in most cases, and this means that the injury and its effects may last a lifetime.

Workers who perform repetitive tasks at the workplace must be made aware of the potential dangers of repetitive movements and actions. If the employer fails to take the necessary steps to prevent such kinds of injuries, he may be held responsible if an employee develops ulnar neuropathy.

Starting A Ulnar Neuropathy Claim

If you have developed ulnar neuropathy due to the negligence of your employer, we can help you make a No Win No Fee ulnar neuropathy claim.

Injuryclaims.co.uk has specialist solicitors who have vast experience in handling all types of claims arising out of work accidents. If you believe you have an ulnar neuropathy claim, contact us through our online claim form and we will get back to you to discuss your claim with you.

Carbon monoxide is an odourless and colourless gas that is poisonous. Carbon monoxide is produced when carbon-based fuels such as oil, coal, gas and wood do not burn completely.

In the UK, an estimated 20 people die every year as a result of CO poisoning. In addition, there are hundreds more who suffer injuries as a result of being exposed to this hazardous gas.

Generally, carbon monoxide poisoning occurs when gas appliances are poorly maintained, are not installed correctly or when they are not ventilated sufficiently.

If you have been exposed to carbon monoxide whilst at work and have suffered injuries as a result, you may be eligible to make carbon monoxide poisoning claims.

Symptoms Of Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

• dizziness
• nausea
• fatigue
• shortness of breath
• vomiting
• confusion
• abdominal pain
• memory loss

Claiming Compensation for Carbon Monoxide Poisoning

You can claim compensation for the following:

• personal injury such as pain, suffering and discomfort that you have been through as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning
• time that you took off work to recover from your injuries and illnesses
• any kind of on going health problems that arose as a result of the poisoning
• all the financial losses that you suffered as a result of the poisoning

To start a carbon monoxide poisoning claim, all you need to do is get in touch with our expert work injury claim solicitors today.

You can complete our quick online claim form and we will call you back to discuss your claim with you.

Back injuries are one of the common types of injuries which affect a large number of industrial workers. Back injuries can be caused by numerous factors. They can be caused by carrying out manual handling tasks incorrectly, carrying loads which are too heavy, making use of the wrong technique when carrying loads, slips, trips and falls and also by being struck by items falling from above.

If you have suffered back injury at work due to someone else’s negligence, you may be eligible to make back injury at work claims.

Handling Back Injury At Work Claims With Expertise

In the UK, every employer is obliged to reduce risks of back injuries and any other kind of injuries at the workplace. It is their duty to ensure that the workplace is free of risks and potential hazards. They must carry out risk assessments and ensure that their employees are adequately trained to carry out manual handling tasks. And, employers must also provide employees with the right equipment to help them perform their tasks safely.

If you have suffered a back injury at work due to the failure of your employer to comply with health and safety rules, we can help you make back injury claims.

Even if you have a pre-existing back injury, you may still be able to claim for compensation provided that your condition has been aggravated by the kind of work you are required to perform.

No Win No Fee Claims

Injuryclaims.co.uk has a team of dedicated work accident claim solicitors who can handle your case on your behalf. We understand that suffering a work related back injury can be a traumatic experience and this is why we will handle your back injury at work claim in the best possible way. We will ensure that you receive the maximum compensation possible and get rid of all the financial worries that arose as a result of the injury.

With years of experience in handling work injury claim, we are sure to take the risk and strain out of making a back injury at work claim. We will do all the work for you. We will handle all the paperwork and also take care of the legal proceedings.

The best part is that your claim will handled on a risk free No Win No Fee basis and we will also give you a 100% compensation guarantee.

If you would like to find out more information about making a back injury at work claim, simply complete our quick online claim form and request a call back.

Tinnitus is a condition which can be characterised by ringing or other kinds of noises heard in the ear in the absence of noise from an external source. Tinnitus is not a serious problem, but it can cause a number of symptoms and create complications for the victim. Tinnitus can be caused as a result of an ear injury, circulatory system problems or by being exposed to loud noise over a long period of time.

Types of Tinnitus

There are a number of types of tinnitus. These include:

• Tonal tinnitus which is also called ‘ringing in the ears’. When a person suffers from tonal tinnitus, he may hear a continuous sound instead of intermittent or pulsating sound.
• Pulsating tinnitus is when the person hears sounds which pulsates in time with the heartbeat or is intermittent.
• Apart from ringing, people who have developed tinnitus may experience other kinds of noises as well. This includes beeping, whistling, hissing, buzzing and roaring noises.

Making Tinnitus Claims

Injuryclaims.co.uk solicitors are committed to obtaining compensation on behalf of victims who have developed tinnitus as a result of working in noisy environments. So if you are looking to recover compensation for the pain and suffering that you have been through as a result of developing tinnitus, get in touch with our specialist industrial illness claim solicitors today.

Our injury claim solicitors will use a genuine No Win No Fee scheme to handle your claim and will also offer a 100% compensation guarantee.

Employ the services of the best tinnitus claim solicitors to recover the highest level of compensation possible. For a free assessment of your tinnitus claim, simply complete our online claim form.