Council fined after exhibit injuryNewcastle City Council has been fined after rotating fan blades in an interactive exhibit seriously injured a five-year old girl.
The child was on a family visit to Newcastle's Discovery Museum on August 17, 2009, when she was injured by the "Floating on Air" exhibit.
The accident occurred when she put her hands inside an opening leading to the fan blades, which powered the air supply to the exhibit. As the protective guard for the opening was missing, the girl's hand came into contact with the rotating blades.
The five-year-old, who is from Leeds and cannot be named for legal reasons, put her hand through the opening and suffered serious injuries, which required immediate surgery.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecuted Newcastle City Council, which runs the museum, following the incident. Newcastle City Council, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 at Newcastle Upon Tyne Magistrates' Court. It was fined £12,000 and was ordered to pay costs of £7,733.
HSE's investigation showed that there was no formal system in place to ensure the exhibit was in good condition and was safe to use.
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