Drilling firm fined £27,000 for breach

A drilling company at the centre of an investigation into the death of an elderly couple has been fined £27,000 for health and safety breaches.

Dudley-based form M&J Drilling Services Ltd was not found to be responsible for the deaths of James and Molly McDonald, both aged 74, who died of carbon monoxide poisoning in 2005. It was initially feared fumes had emanated through bore holes drilled into a former coal field near their homes in Bell Road, Netherton, by the company.

Workers had been on site around the time of the couple's deaths, preparing the land for redevelopment.

On inspection, that initial fear was ruled out.

But the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the deaths highlighted a health and safety breach regarding the treatment of methane at the site.

Bosses at the company, based in Holloway Street, Lower Gornal, had pleaded guilty to failing to carry out suitable assessment of risk for the health and safety of staff under the health and safety at work act.

It is said they did not pay due regard to the possible effects that the gas, which is often found in coal mines, could have had on members of staff.

At a sentencing hearing held at Wolverhampton Crown Court yesterday defence barrister Mr Bernard Thorougood said there was no evidence to link the company to the deaths.

"It must be very difficult for the people who have lost loved ones like this and I offer my sympathies," he told the family of the McDonalds, who were in court.

He added: "Wherever the gas came that caused this terrible tragedy, it did not come from the boreholes."

He added that if methane had escaped it would have caused a mild burn or singeing to someone standing right next to the hole."

The company was fined £3,000 and ordered to pay £24,306.67 in legal costs.

Judge John Warner said: "In this instance the company failed to carry out the suitable risk assessment. No monitoring was undertaken on site."

National safety tests for underground gas were introduced following the death of Mr and Mrs McDonald.