Home put elderly in danger (From Penarth Times)

Home put elderly in danger

A PENARTH residential home put the care of 'vulnerable and elderly' residents at risk, a court has heard.

The owners of Harbour Heights, Beach Road, were ordered to pay more than £8,000 by Barry Magistrates for breaching health and safety rules.

Abu Jafar Mohammed Rahman, 56, and wife Nasima Akhtar Rahman, 57, were each fined £3,000 after admitting three offences under the Health and Safety at Work Act.

The couple, who live at Litchard Hill, Bridgend, were further ordered to pay costs of £2,020.

Prosecuting for the Vale Council, Mohammed Yakub said that in January 2002, an enforcement notice was served on the owners after they failed to fully comply with an earlier improvement notice requiring them to take action in respect of a number of health and safety issues.

Failure to conform with the improvement notice, which was served following a routine inspection by environmental health officers, presented a risk to the health and safety of employees and residents.

During the investigations, added Mr Yakub, it was revealed that several recorded accidents had not been reported to the authority as required under legislation.

He continued: "This included a serious accident involving a resident who had been left unattended in a chair lift at the top of a staircase.

It appeared the resident became detached from the lift, fell down the staircase and suffered serious bruising."

Mr Yakub said: "Mr and Mrs Rahman put the health and safety of elderly, vulnerable residents - the very people they are responsible for - at risk."

He said the reporting of accident and ill health at work was a legal requirement.

Representing the couple, Gwyn Davies said that his clients had failed to appreciate the seriousness of the implications.

The Rahmans, who have owned the home since 1990, have now addressed the problems by employing a health and safety consultant and the issue should not arise again, he said.