Death of boy at skiing birthday party results in £100k fine

A Tamworth indoor skiing company has been fined £100,000 after the death of a schoolboy at their site.

On 24 September 2021, Louis Watkiss (12) attended a birthday party at the Snowdome in Tamworth. While Louis was descending the main ski slope on a toboggan, a member of staff was conducting a slope walk. Louis’ toboggan crashed into the staff member, who fell backwards onto Louis.

Louis died at the scene from head injuries.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigated the incident, and found that Snowdome Limited did not have a suitable and sufficient risk assessment for tobogganing activities and had not fully considered all persons likely to be on the slope during tobogganing.

This failure to identify the risk to customers and staff meant there was no safe system of work for ‘slope walks’. The company failed to provide mandatory information, instruction, training and supervision to manage the risk of collisions between toboggans and pedestrians.

Appearing at Telford Magistrates’ Court on 26 February, Snowdome Limited, of Leisure Island, River Drive, Tamworth, Staffordshire, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The company were fined £100,000 and ordered to pay costs of £14,534.

Nathan Cook, senior enforcement lawyer for HSE commented on the case:

“Louis went to a friend’s birthday party at the Snowdome and should have returned home safely to his family after an enjoyable occasion.

“Tragically, due to the failings of Snowdome Limited, this did not happen. Louis’s death could have been prevented if the company had adequately assessed and controlled the risks associated with tobogganing activities.

“This should act as a reminder that venues and employers must ensure suitable and sufficient risk assessments are in place and employees are provided with sufficient safe systems of work, information, instructions, training, and supervision.

Nathan Cook continued:

“Our risk assessment guidance may be more commonly used for workplaces such as factories and construction sites, but the same principles apply for busy venues like indoor ski slopes. The possible risks to people from equipment and the movement of visitors and staff needs to be thought through.

“Our thoughts remain with Louis’ family.”

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