Residents of the Abbey Road Estate in Camden will now be able to claim carbon monoxide poisoning compensation after the property services company – whose actions caused seven residents to be hospitalised – were found guilty of negligence at the Central Criminal Court.
The news that those who suffered an injury in the incident will be entitled to claim carbon monoxide poisoning compensation comes following the successful prosecution of Apollo Property Services Group Limited by the Health Service executive in relation to refurbishment work done of the roof of the estate between February and March 2008.
It was found in the case against the company that Apollo Property Services Group Limited did not have a system in place to identify which of the roof-top boiler flues were still operational and continued the refurbishment work without any thought being given to the consequences of their negligence.
The company were also found to be in breach of section 3(1) of the Health and Safety etc. at Work Act 1974 in regards to ensuring that workers engaged in the refurbishment work were made aware of safe working practices when in close proximity to boiler flues and warned of the possible risks. It was also discovered during the Health Service Executive´s investigation into the incident that no supervision was provided as the work commenced.
Judges at the Central Criminal Court in London´s Old Bailey fined Apollo Property Services Group Limited £165,000, ordered the company to pay £19,000 in compensation and £117,582 in costs. Residents of the Abbey Road Estate who suffered an illness related to blocked flues during the refurbishment work will now be entitled to claim carbon monoxide poisoning compensation against the company.