Achi news desk-
On Tuesday 23 April, Fife Council pleaded guilty at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court to breaching Sections 3(1) and Section 33(1)(a) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.
The guilty plea related to the death of Brian Miller, aged 66, who lived in supported accommodation on Methven Road in Kirkcaldy.
Brian died on 4 June 2020 after eating a corned beef sandwich and choking to death. The 66-year-old was on a strict diet which allowed him to have food that had been carefully prepared to ensure it was soft and chewy.
READ MORE:
Bute House Agreement and FMQs LIVE
Douglas Ross to introduce a motion of no confidence in Humza Yousaf
The HSE ruled that Brian should also have been closely supervised to ensure he was safe to eat. However, the food was not properly prepared and not much attention was paid to it, leading to his death.
Fife Council was fined £100,000 and the Sheriff also directed that a £50,000 Compensation Order be paid to Brian’s family.
Speaking after the case, Health and Safety Executive inspector Kerry Cringan said: “It’s tragic when a vulnerable person dies in completely avoidable circumstances.
“Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for us to be notified of deaths where people in care choke on high risk foods that were not suitable for their diet.
“Care providers must be guided by professional speech and language therapy workers and then ensure that their staff are trained to understand what those recommendations mean.
“They should be aware that we will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action against those who fail to train staff on the importance of following texture modified diets.”
Fife Council has been contacted for comment.
