The extent of the damage following the fire at Yorkshire Game Farm
A bird farm in West Yorkshire has been fined over £25,000 after a fire in a pheasant rearing shed caused serious injuries to a worker.
Officers from Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigated an incident which took place at Yorkshire Game Farm in Woodlesford on May 6 2020 when the employee had been installing gas heaters in the pheasant rearing shed at the time.
Hearing the case at Leeds Magistrates' Court, HSE said upon the worker turning on the gas supply and lighting the heaters, the shed burst into flames, causing second and third degree burns.
The employee was taken to Pinderfields Hospital in Wakefield and was placed into an induced coma for five days.
An investigation was initiated by HSE which found it was ‘highly likely' a leak of gas ignited and set fire to the shed and the bedding put down for the birds.
HSE said no reason had been provided for the gas leak was not identified as all the gas piping within the building was destroyed but gas equipment outside the building was cracked and perished, indicating that it had not been maintained.
Yorkshire Game Farm pleaded guilty to breaching health and safety violations and the company was fined £26,680 and ordered to pay £6,495.20 in costs.
HSE inspector Howard Whittaker said: "This fire was most likely caused by gas leaking from poorly maintained equipment, and could have led to this young man's death.
"He was very lucky to escape with his life, but he will suffer increased sensitivity to sunlight for the rest of his life.
"The gas pipelines and equipment we found outside the shed was perished and cracked, indicating that it had not been maintained in a safe condition leading to the leak of gas causing an initial flash, followed by a fire inside the shed.
"In addition, a gas tightness test should have been carried out once the equipment had been installed and before the gas equipment was used, to identify if there were any leaks.
"In sentencing Yorkshire Game Farm, the district judge remarked this was an accident waiting to happen.
"Had the equipment been properly maintained and operated, in line with industry standards and good practice, this dreadful accident would not have happened."
