Health and Safety News

A civilian police worker with the Thames Valley Police has received six-figure compensation from his employer.

An accident which occurred in May 2007 left him with life-threatening injuries. Following the incident, he is yet to resume his duties.

The victim, Keith Tilbury, from Walton on Thames, was employed as a 999 control room operator. He was attending a demonstration on weapons safety when the mishap occurred.

PC David Micklethwaite, a firearms trainer, was demonstrating the working of a Dan Wesson .44 Magnum revolver. The trainer was demonstrating the use of weapons that may be encountered by police workers in the course of their work. During the demo he loaded the gun with what he believed were blank rounds from a sweet tin where such ammunition was usually stored. However, the rounds that he loaded were found to be live and when he pulled the trigger after pointing the firearm at Tilbury, the shot severely injured the worker.

Following this incident a complete investigation into the system of operation was undertaken by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). It was found that risk evaluation had already been done and safety provisions were in place for all possible risks. In fact, the assessment report clearly mentioned risks arising from mixing blank and live ammunition and set forth measures to ensure that such mixing did not take place. However, these measures were not followed fully at the precincts.

Court proceedings were conducted last September in the case wherein the Thames Valley Police accepted responsibility for the accident. They were fined £40,000 and asked to pay costs of £25,000 under Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act, 1974. PC David Micklethwaite, was also fined £8,000 under Section 7 of the same Act, and asked to pay an additional sum of £5,000 as costs.