A gas engineer from West Bromwich has been prosecuted after a family of five were taken to hospital following exposure to carbon monoxide.

The two adults and three children aged two, nine and 11 were taken ill on 22 January 2011, Birmingham Magistrates' Court heard. The family housekeeper was also taken to hospital.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecuted Graham Slater for carrying out gas safety checks at the bungalow in Squirrel Walk, Little Aston, Staffordshire, on 20 February 2009 and 1 July 2010, despite not being fully qualified.


The family all suffered from vomiting and severe headaches and two of the adults who became ill, collapsed after losing consciousness. They were given oxygen therapy by a paramedic and discharged from hospital several hours later.

HSE's investigation into the incident discovered Mr Slater had not followed technical guidance from the Gas Safe Register when examining the warm air heater.

The court also heard that while he was a Gas Safe registered engineer, he was not qualified to work with warm air heaters.

Graham Slater, of Radway Road, pleaded guilty to two breaches of Regulation 3(1) of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 and was fined £2,000 and ordered to pay £3,000 costs.

(CD/GK)