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Birmingham Airport fined £100,000 after boy trapped in baggage conveyor belt

Birmingham Airport has been fined £100,000 after a young child was hurt when he became trapped in a baggage conveyor belt.

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Birmingham Airport

The six-year-old boy spent two days in hospital following the incident which was witnessed by other holidaymakers.

Birmingham Airport Ltd admitted a charge under the Health and Safety at Work Act at the city’s magistrates court and was fined £100,000. It was also ordered to pay £1,251 costs.

The court heard the boy had been with his father and partner in the baggage reclaim area of the airport when he entered the mesh cage of the conveyor, which was used for delivering oversized baggage to the public baggage reclaim area.

The conveyor started while the youngster was inside. He suffered a crush injury to his leg and had to remain in hospital for two nights for observation. He went on to make a full recovery.

Paramedics were called to asses the injured boy following the drama on September 4, 2016, while the Midland Air Ambulance also touched down at the airport.

An investigation was launched by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) which found airport management had removed a safety device on the machinery and its replacement did not provide the same level of protection.

District Judge Jan Jellema said it was clear that what happened had come as a severe shock to the company, which had helped the boy overcome his trauma by giving him a VIP visit to the airport.

“Nonetheless this accident should not have happened,” he said.

“The change to the cage structure may have provided a false reassurance of a substantial physical presence but which in reality was open to the exploration of a six-year-old boy, perhaps bored or investigating, while waiting for his family’s baggage to arrive at a neighbouring carousel.”

Sarah Le Fevre, defending, said the company, which had no previous convictions, had been embarrassed by its failure.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Geoffrey Brown said “This case will serve as a reminder that risk assessments and guarding of machinery requires regular review and monitoring especially where arrangements are altered or removed.

"Had the airport assessed the changes properly these injuries could have been avoided."