Following a death by electrocution on their premises, a Croydon business owner and her company were found guilty of four Health and Safety law violations.
Sukran Sanli and her company, Adams Café Restaurant Limited, 152 London Road, were ordered to pay a total of £60,303 in fines and costs. Ms Sanli was also given a 26-week suspended prison sentence and ordered to do 200 hours of unpaid community service when she appeared in Croydon Magistrates Court on Monday, March 20.
The prosecution arose from an investigation by Croydon Council’s Food and Safety Team into the death by electrocution of Mustafa Ozbek on 21 January 2020, who was living in a room at the back of the café premises.
Sanli had paid for unqualified electricians to perform general electrical work on the premises in 2016 and again in 2019, four months before the fatal incident. Mr Ozbek was electrocuted because there was no main earth connection to the incoming electrical supply, and when a fault occurred on a circuit, the fuse did not trip and cut off the power. As a result, the metal pipework in the shower room became live with a dangerous voltage, killing him.
The investigation by the council focused on the responsibility for the safe provision of electricity to the premises. The Food and Safety Team arranged for two HSE Specialist Inspectors to visit the premises and prepare an electrical system report. They also had a competent electrical contractor inspect the electrical installation thoroughly.
The overall assessment was ‘unsatisfactory’ with a number of items being identified as ‘potentially dangerous’.
Sanli pled guilty to four charges, two against her and two against her company, alleging violations of Sections 2 and 3 of the Health and Safety at Work Etc. Act 1974.
“This is a tragic incident that could have been avoided,” said Croydon Executive Mayor Jason Perry. We will always seek the harshest penalties for business and property owners who endanger the lives of others by ignoring health and safety laws. We hope that this tragic case serves as a stark warning to others to ensure that they are fulfilling their legal obligations and that all work is performed by a qualified tradesperson to avoid endangering others.”
Croydon Council is urging businesses to hire only qualified and competent electricians who have been accredited by one of the approved bodies for electrical contractors to work on their installation. The Electrical Contractors Association (ECA), NICEIC, and NAPIT are among these organisations. Before allowing an electrician to do work, look for logos and verify their registration.
