Isle of Wight Council fined over scalding in respite residential care facility

Publicservice.co.uk reports:

The Isle of Wight Council has been fined £12,000 plus costs of £5,133 after a man staying at a respite residential care facility was scalded while in the shower.

In 2009, very hot water from the shower hit the man's lower back, resulting in 13 per cent burns and preventing him from returning home – he now lives in a care home.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) said the shower fitting wasn't suitable for use in a healthcare facility and was not equipped with a thermostatic mixing valve which limits shower temperatures to 41°C. Two other resource centres had the same units fitted. The HSE also found that the council had no means of maintaining the equipment or checking water temperatures...