Solid Fuel Burners

Gentoo fined £40000 after death of Sunderland pensioner

HOUSING bosses have been fined £40,000 for failures which exposed tenants to the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Gentoo Group Ltd, a social landlord in Sunderland, was originally charged with safety breaches which caused the death of pensioner George Rutherford, who died of carbon monoxide fumes in his home.

Ex-miner Mr Rutherford, 80, was found dead at his house on Allendale Crescent, Penshaw, Sunderland, in June 2007.

The source of the carbon monoxide was a solid fuel burner which powered the heating and hot water system in his home.

Health and safety chiefs were unable to establish that Gentoo’s failings had caused Mr Rutherford’s death, but the firm admitted failing to “make arrangements as were appropriate for the maintenance of solid fuel appliances”.

Imposing the £40,000 fine plus £25,000 costs, Mr Justice Eder, at Newcastle Crown Court said: “In my judgement this shortfall was serious and significant, particularly having regard to the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning which was, of course, potentially fatal. Where death occurs in consequence of the breach that is an important aggravating feature.

“However, although it is common ground that Mr Rutherford died as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning, the prosecution accept it cannot be said his death occurred as a result of the defendant’s breach.

“Nevertheless there was, at the very least, a not insignificant risk of death. This was not an isolated breach. On the contrary it appears that this was a continuing systemic failure.”

Mr Rutherford was found dead at his home, owned by Gentoo, on June 17, 2007.

The landlord was due to stand trial on the more serious charge of exposing Mr Rutherford to the risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Gentoo, formed from the former Sunderland Housing Company, then admitted a lesser health and safety breach, namely ‘failing to give effect to such arrangements as were appropriate for the maintenance of solid fuel heating appliances and systems’.

The firm was cleared of the original more serious charge.

It conceded policies it had in place were deficient and ought to have done things like providing twice yearly safety checks, making sure the chimney flue was swept twice a year and making sure tenants cleaned the system’s throat plate once a month.

The court heard the number of properties owned by Gentoo which had solid fuel heating had decreased from 209 in 2007 to 91 in 2011, out of a total of around 30,000 properties. The judge said solid fuel burning appliances were a “wholly unregulated industry” and, apart from general health and safety regulations, there are still no specific rules requiring social landlords to carry out safety checks.

Solid Fuel Camp Stove

Solid Fuel Camp Stove

Even if you are mainly fed cold (I like Gunnar and 2009 in Sweden) or back to the local gastronomy does (as I am 2006 in the Czech Republic), one needs a solid fuel camp stove at some point - if only for the coffee water. There are many models, which makes the choice not necessarily. Advantages: It can be as good as anything go wrong, it can not escape alcohol, gasoline, etc. , the whole is extremely space-saving (the stove plus fuel can be as great at bringing in an army-dishes. Cons: The solid fuel camp stove is quite expensive, the combustion fumes are suspected not to be quite well, even the tablets are only available in few stores. The heat output is very low, so you need quite a lot of Esbit to a liter of water boil. must also be a tablet, you once lit, can be burned to an end, one can not dispense well. Conclusion: A good idea, unless you are only a few days on the road and know you would just once hot make water for coffee or a can, but not a "real "Kocher. Advantages: The flame level is well regulated, they use only solid fuel camp stove that is also required. Water boils very quickly and the solid fuel camp stove is easy to use (no pre-heating, cleaning nozzles, etc). Conclusion: I had 2006 and 2007, a cartridge heater (valve system of Campinggaz) and was happy with it, as a blessed him but then the time, I have it replaced with a Trangia stove. Advantages: Alcohol is the world quite well and cheaply available, the operation of the cooker is very simple and there is no precision mechanical parts that could break. As a complete system (eg Trangia) a space-saving packing solid fuel camp stove and dishes. The result is less waste from fuel tank. Disadvantages: In countries where ban on alcohol, there is no alcohol. The calorific value of alcohol is relatively small, can be tricked in cold temperatures, a little bit, and cooking will take longer than with petrol or gas. Conclusion: I love my Trangia, and me personally, the alcohol burner cook fast enough. And for me as a gross motor skills, the simple technique is perfect. Who would have another way, also gets other burning applications (gas, kerosene, gasoline) for the Trangia. Petrol stoves are technically more complicated. Depending on the purity of the solid fuel camp stove nozzles must be cleaned less often or more often (which means you used in the ideal case, the manufacturer's recommended just for fuel). Who cooks with normal petrol filling station has, the additives may be after a couple of harmful vapors to the nose. must be preheated in winter! But gasoline has a very high calorific value and is easily available worldwide. Disadvantages: Depending on the quality of the gasoline strong soot formation and / or harmful fumes. The solid fuel camp stove is not as easy to use as a gas or alcohol burner. More cleaning work. Kerosene solid fuel camp stove are similar to gasoline stove, but have clear advantages in the winter, as petroleum reserves even in extreme cold its calorific value. However, although petroleum is available worldwide, but not quite as good as gasoline. Solid fuels burned even the migrant workers in the U. S. of the 19th Century (the so-called hobos) in ovens that they made from old tin cans. A variant of this, it is fine today, the foldable hobo stove, which folded about postcard size and is fired with small pieces of wood. Leaves and camel dung should also work. The necessary small pieces of wood are found well wherever trees grow, even without the need to first chop wood. By the resulting high heat can also burn wet wood well. Disadvantages: Open fire is not always possible, but not the ignition of solid fuel as convenient and simple as gas or alcohol. Although solid fuel camp stove is widely available in nature, must come to a boil to be detected and collected. Conclusion: I have not tried the hobo stove, hold him but for an interesting story. Perhaps it is clear so that I sometimes get to see one in the wild:). The free and priceless Extra Tip: For a cooker including matches or lighters or both - it is to sin actually happened already, that Radler had dinner imagine failing that their hot water;). Allowed HTML tags:. . .

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