Birmingham Airport has recently been fined £100,000 by the courts after a six year old boy became trapped in baggage machinery. His leg was crushed and he was admitted to hospital for treatment.
The young boy was able to climb into a mesh cage on the over-sized baggage belt in the arrivals hall. The belt then started up to dispense luggage and his leg became trapped between the conveyor and carousel rollers.
Investigations by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that airport officials had removed a safety device from the baggage carousel, but its replacement was inadequate and did not offer the same levels of protection. Birmingham Airport admitted fault under the Health and Safety at Work Act. Under the Act, a duty of care is still owed by the airport to those on the airport premises for purposes other than employment.
The district judge in this case commented that the change in structure to the carousel more than likely provided a false reassurance of a substantial structure, however it was more than apparent that the machinery was easily accessible.
If the airport properly assessed the changes to the safety devices on the baggage belts and realised the inadequacy of its replacement, it was highly likely that the child’s injuries could have been avoided.
