Hotel company ordered to pay more than £11,000 after child suffers severe burns

A Middlesbrough-based hotel company has been ordered to pay more than £11,000 after a child suffered severe burns while at a wedding reception.

Here For You Hospitality Middlesbrough admitted breaching health and safety laws at Teeside Magistrates' Court on Monday.

The company was prosecuted by Middlesbrough Council after a five-year-old tripped over a soup kettle's trailing electric cable, causing its contents to spill over the youngster.

The child required immediate hospital treatment following the incident at the Sporting Lodge in Low Lane, in November 2016.

Judith Hedgley, Middlesbrough Council's head of public protection, said: "This company failed to manage their business safety, giving rise to a serious risk to the public which resulted in a child being injured.

"This incident caused significant distress not only to the child but to friends and family at a wedding party, which turned a happy occasion into a serious incident.

"Employers must take steps to protect their employees and any other people who could be affected by their work, giving particular consideration to the more vulnerable and those at greater risk such as small children."

Here For You Hospitality Middlesbrough was fined £6,000, ordered to pay £4,000 to the victim and £1,645 towards the council's costs.

Councillor Julia Rostron, executive member for adult social care and public health, said: "Health and safety laws are there to set standards and protect workers and others.

"The council has a duty to ensure health and safety standards in more than 2,500 workplaces in Middlesbrough.

“Officers from the Public Protection Service thoroughly investigate workplace accidents and where necessary, enforcement action will be taken.”

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