Cotswold Airfield Operator prosecuted following the death of a fire fighter

Kemble Air Services Ltd, the operator of Cotswold Airfield, has been fined for safety failings after an experienced fire-fighter was killed while moving a pressurised gas cylinder.

Steven Mills, 45, was employed by Kemble Air Services as Station Officer at the airfield and was also a retained fire-fighter with Wiltshire Fire & Rescue Service. He died on 8 April 2011 during work to clear out a number of disused shipping containers that were being prepared for use as a training facility for the airfield.

As part of the process, a number of redundant gas cylinders, which were formerly part of a fire suppression system, needed to be removed. An earlier trial at Gloucester Crown Court in March heard that Mr Mills was attempting to move a large freestanding cylinder weighing 65kg when the gas in the cylinder discharged very rapidly. This caused the cylinder to spin round violently striking Mr Mills on his head and body leaving him with fatal injuries.

The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) investigated the circumstances of Mr Mill’s death and identified that there was no assessment or consideration of the risk by Kemble Air Services with regards to how the fire suppression system would be decommissioned safely.

The cylinders had been removed from the containers on the previous day by a number of fire-fighters from the Wiltshire Fire & Rescue Service under the direction of Mr Mills. They had also been subject to the same risks from the cylinders.

The Court was told on 13 May that had the removal work been suitably assessed and managed the incident could have been avoided.

Kemble Air Services Ltd, of Cotswold Airfield, Kemble Nr Cirencester was fined £75,000 and ordered to pay £98,000 in costs after being found guilty of two breaches of Regulation 3(1) of the management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE Inspector Ian Whittles said:

“Kemble Air Services failed to ensure the safety of its employees and others who were carrying out work to decommission fire suppression systems.

“This incident could have been prevented if Kemble Air Services had the appropriate oversight and control of the project to develop the training facility. They should have ensured that the work was suitably planned following a full assessment of the risks associated with the work. Sadly their failing to suitably assess the risks and implement the necessary controls led to the death of Mr Mills.”

HSE Press Release