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10 year old dies after being given a ‘high voltage’ electric shock in Blackpool hotel

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A schoolboy has died after he received a ‘high voltage’ electric shock in a hotel reception.

The 10-year-old boy was found unresponsive following the incident at Tiffany’s Hotel, on Blackpool promenade, with injuries suggesting a “high voltage” of electricity.

He was taken to hospital in a critical condition after emergency services were called to the hotel late on Sunday 3rd September 2023, but he died four days later, on 7th September, surrounded by his family, police said.

Following an initial police investigation this matter has now been passed to the local authority. A file will be prepared for HM Coroner

In a statement yesterday, a spokesman for the hotel said: “We are deeply saddened by this recent incident involving a child who has received a shock on Sunday evening within our reception lounge area. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the child and their family during this distressing time.

“We want to reassure everybody that the health and safety of our guests and team remains our number one priority. We have taken the decision to voluntarily close temporarily whilst we undertake our own inspections.

“Our phone lines do remain open and we are working very closely with the Blackpool Council and the local enforcement to assist in their investigation.”

Location data can help build the EV chargepoint network of tomorrow

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New report sets out how location data can support local authorities to make good decisions about where EV chargepoints should be installed.

By 2030, the sale of new petrol and diesel cars will be phased out and by 2035 all new cars and vans will be zero emission. The transition to EVs will be enabled by a dependable, well located public charging network that local authorities are ideally placed to help deliver.

Location data can arm local authorities with evidence to rollout a public charging network that gives current and prospective EV owners the confidence to make their journeys, whether in a densely populated city or the countryside. Drivers need to have the same confidence that they can charge their EV as they have that they can refuel their current petrol or diesel vehicle, so they can go about their business unimpeded. This is critical to the growth of the economy, one of the Prime Minister’s five priorities.

Viscount Camrose, Minister, Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, said:

The transition to electric vehicles is central to the government’s plan to decarbonise the transport sector, keep the UK at the forefront of clean transport and tackle pollution, all while seizing the potential for growth and job creation in the UK’s growing EV industry.

Local authorities and the wider sector should continue to embrace new location data and analysis to accelerate the targeted rollout of chargepoints so that drivers can find and access reliable chargepoints wherever they live.

The location of chargepoints is as important as absolute numbers. This report explores the breadth of location data and applications available to support local authority decisions about where to install new chargepoints and identifies five opportunities to better use existing location data, as well as new sources of information to:

  • understand the location and availability of existing chargepoints by making chargepoint operator data standardised and consistent
  • understand consumer charging behaviour and travel patterns by using population movement data
  • identify the location of EVs by using commercially-held data about leased vehicles
  • identify existing electricity network capacity through better use of distribution network operator data
  • identify areas without off-street parking by using proxy data

Transport networks need to become more efficient, greener and safer. The Geospatial Commission has been leading a multi-year programme highlighting the opportunities for advanced geospatial applications in the transport sector. The programme has identified how location data can support the future of mobility and next generation transport networks and called out ways to maximise its impact. In 2021 we published ‘Getting to the Point’ which explored the role of location data to help model future demand for chargepoints, identify suitable sites, create a seamless consumer experience and track rollout.

This report highlights that the location of chargepoints is as important as absolute numbers. Consumers want chargepoints to be where they need them and for them to be easily accessible. Local authorities are ideally placed to identify local needs and play a fundamental role in facilitating private sector investment and ensuring all communities have access to reliable public charging infrastructure, especially on-street charging points. They must make informed decisions about how many, which types and where chargepoints will be installed, based on demand and site suitability. Location data and applications can give valuable insight.

Martin Tugwell, Chief Executive, Transport for the North, said:

High quality location data plays a critical role in enabling better decision making on how society can make a rapid transition to achieving a low carbon economy.

Location data and analysis is a vital component of our work at Transport for the North to underpin activities outlined in our regional Strategic Transport Plan, such as supporting our local authorities EV charging planning and delivery, and facilitating private sector investment to drive EV chargepoint rollout.

Steve Ward, Decarbonisation Programme Manager, Transport for Wales, said:

Good quality location data is essential to us helping the public and private sectors collaborate to identify and develop sites for electric vehicle charging. We have worked with datasets from a large number of sources to develop modelling tools that indicate which locations are more suitable for commercially-funded charging facilities, and which could be unlocked by targeting investment in improving electricity supply capacity.

We are sharing the outputs of our mapping with all stakeholders, including the electricity Distribution Network Operators, who are using this data to plan ahead of anticipated demand for charging ‘hotspots.

London cafe owner fined £60k after man dies as a result of faulty shower room electrics

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A London cafe owner was given a £60,000 fine after a man died on the premises after being electrocuted.

Sukran Sanli, who owns Adams Café in London Road, CR0 2TD, and her company was also given a 26-week suspended prison sentence and told to do 200 hours of community service.

Her case was heard at Croydon Magistrates Court on Monday, March 20, after Croydon Council’s food and safety team investigated the death by electrocution of Mustafa Ozbek on January 21, 2020.

Mr Ozbek was living in a room at the back of the cafe.

Sanli had paid an unqualified electrician to carry out work twice in 2016 and 2019.

Mr Ozbek was electrocuted because there was no main earth connection to the incoming electrical supply and when a fault occurred on a circuit, the fuse did not operate to trip and cut off the electricity.

It meant metal pipework in the shower room became live with a dangerous voltage which resulted in his death.

The council’s investigation involved specialists from the Health and Safety Executive to inspect the cafe.

It found the electrics were “unsatisfactory” with a number of items identified as being “potentially dangerous”.

Sanli pleaded guilty to four charges, two against her and two against her company, relating to offences under the Health and Safety at Work Etc. Act 1974.

Jason Perry, executive mayor of Croydon, said: “This is a tragic incident that could have been avoided.

“We will always seek the toughest penalties against business and property owners who endanger the lives of others through careless disregard for health and safety law.

“We hope that this very sad case serves as a stark warning to others, to make sure they are fulfilling their duties under the legislation and that all works are carried out by a qualified tradesperson, to avoid putting others at risk.”

Croydon Council is urging businesses to only employ qualified electricians, accredited by one of the approved bodies for electrical contractors, to carry out work on their installation.

These bodies include the Electrical Contractors Association, (ECA), NICEIC, and NAPIT.

Look out for the logos and check the registration of the electrician before allowing them to undertake work.

£14 million cash boost to accelerate rollout of low carbon heating

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More than £14 million is being made available to accelerate the installation of heat pumps and heat networks across the country, as a new scheme launches to train thousands of installers.

Over £9.7 million will go towards 4 projects based across the country, from Bristol to Cambridgeshire – helping cut costs of these low carbon technologies, and reducing disruption to consumers by coordinating the wide-spread rollout in concentrated areas.

To propel the move to cleaner energy in homes, a new £5 million Heat Training Grant will support 10,000 trainees over the next 2 years to become low carbon heating experts – creating new green jobs and growing our economy in flourishing green industries. Grants of up to £500 will go towards training with heating manufacturers such as Panasonic, Valliant and Worcester-Bosch expected to offer additional discounts to participating trainees.

Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, Lord Callanan, said:

This funding will give the rollout of heat pumps a huge boost by making them cheaper and easier to install, and importantly helping more households move away from costly fossil fuels.

But we need a skilled workforce to deliver this, so we’re training thousands of people to be experts at installing heat pumps and heat networks, driving the country’s push towards net zero.

We’re also making sure the cost of installing a heat pump is more affordable than ever before through grants of up to £6,000 through the Boiler Upgrade Scheme and a zero rate on VAT. So, it’s right we also put funding in place to train installers to meet demand.

Heat pumps are highly efficient and reliable and are key to cutting carbon emissions using cheaper renewable energy produced here in the UK.

The government’s £60 million Heat Pump Ready programme aims to develop innovative solutions to reducing barriers to the rollout of low carbon technology in homes and businesses across the UK.

The 4 Heat Pump Ready projects, 2 in Oxfordshire and one each in Bristol and Cambridgeshire have been successful in the second phase of funding.

The innovation programme runs alongside the government’s £450 million Boiler Upgrade Scheme, that provides up to £6,000 grants to homeowners towards the cost of a heat pump, and a zero rate of VAT, making clean heating measures even more affordable for people looking to replace gas or oil boilers in their property.

Work on installing heat pumps purchased through the Boiler Upgrade Scheme will begin in the successful projects from late December this year. The government expects heat pump deployment to reach 600,000 per year in 2028, a tenfold increase from 2021.

To meet demand, the Heat Training Grant will provide heating engineers with grants of up to £500 towards training.

The grant could cover most of the cost of a level 3 heat pump course, which takes one week or less for an experienced gas or oil heating installer to complete. In addition, heating manufacturers including Baxi, NIBE, Panasonic, Vaillant, Ideal Heating and Worcester-Bosch are expected to offer additional discounts and offers to participating trainees. These benefits could be worth up to a further £500 in product vouchers, additional training and other support, helping trainees put their new skills into practice.

Karen Boswell, Managing Director UK and Ireland at heating manufacturer Baxi, said:

We welcome the government’s investment in developing the new skills needed to support the growth of low-carbon heating solutions in homes and buildings.

We are fully committed to helping the industry transition to net zero, and we’re focused on helping individuals access opportunities to participate in the anticipated growth of air source heat pumps.

Shaun Edwards, CEO Groupe Atlantic UK, ROI and North America Divisions, said:

At Ideal Heating we believe installers will play a critical role in the decarbonisation of heating and we welcome further government funding targeted at heat pump training. Our Ideal Heating Expert Academy has also committed to providing additional subsidised training for installers participating in the government scheme.

This financial support, together with the forthcoming opening of our state-of the-art National Training and Technology Centre, will make the upskilling of the sector to install and maintain heat pumps as affordable and accessible as possible, to support the drive to net zero.

Carl Arntzen, CEO of Worcester Bosch said:

We are delighted to see the announcement by government of the funding for installers to become qualified to install heat pumps. There is great interest in future technologies and with this funding installers can gain the confidence and skills to offer heat pumps to their customers.

The latest support comes in addition to the £15 million government has already committed to developing skills in the energy efficiency and low carbon heating sectors since 2020.

The government already funds heat pump training through the Home Decarbonisation Skills Competition, however the new funding will now extend support for heat pumps until at least 2025, and also goes further by including training for heat networks.

The heat networks training courses will cover the full lifecycle of the systems from initial design to building, operation, and maintenance. Government is also aiming to develop a series of courses and online training videos for heat networks operation and maintenance.

By providing heat networks training support alongside heat pumps, areas of overlap and collaboration can be better explored, particularly around the installation of large-scale heat pumps for heat networks and shared ground loops.

Government is now seeking expressions of interest from training providers who wish to offer the new grants for heat pump training.

Product Recall – Fluke 8x V Series Digital Multi-meters

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Fluke has identified a potential safety issue affecting certain Fluke 83V, 87V and 88V Digital Multimeters (‘Fluke 8x V series DMMs’).

Fluke 8x V series DMMs in a certain serial number range may have plastic material intrusion in the COM input terminal. In rare cases, the plastic has sufficiently covered the wall of the input terminal such that it can inhibit proper contact.  

This has been observed at specific orientations of the test lead plug within the input terminal when used with the “split core” TL75 test leads that shipped with certain regional variants of the product.  

If using the Fluke 8x V series DMM for the purpose of confirming the absence of voltage this may result in a non-hazardous voltage reading when hazardous voltage is present, thereby creating a potential safety risk.

The importer has withdrawn the product from the market and informed all distributors to stop sale and return any affected.

Further information

For further information please read – https://www.fluke.com/en-us/support/safety-notices/8x-v-safety-notice and https://www.gov.uk/product-safety-alerts-reports-recalls/product-recall-fluke-8x-v-series-digital-multimeters-dmm-2301-0135