Prevention of Future Deaths reports · 2014

Komba Kpakiwa

Regulation 28 report to prevent future deaths, reference 2014-0301, written 23 May 2014. A coroner writes one of these when an inquest reveals a risk that could cause further deaths unless something changes.

Date of report23 May 2014
Reference2014-0301
DeceasedKomba Kpakiwa
CoronerCaroline Beasley-Murray
Coroner areaEssex
CategoryOther related deaths
Sourcejudiciary.uk record · original PDF
Responses published1

The report

Text extracted from the PDF text layer. Reproduced verbatim, including the scan's own layout.

HM Coroner’s Court  
A Block – Ground Floor 
County Hall  
Victoria Road 
Chelmsford 
CM1 1LX 

Telephone: 0333 013 5000 
coroner@essex.gov.uk 

ANNEX A 

HM Senior Coroner for Essex  

REGULATION 28:  REPORT TO PREVENT FUTURE DEATHS (1) 

REGULATION 28 REPORT TO PREVENT FUTURE DEATHS 

THIS REPORT IS BEING SENT TO: 

1-  Chartered Institute of Environmental Health  

2- 

Institute of Occupational Safety and Health 

1 

CORONER 

I am Caroline Beasley-Murray, Senior Coroner, for the coroner area of Essex 

2 

CORONER’S LEGAL POWERS 

I make this report under paragraph 7, Schedule 5, of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 
and regulations 28 and 29 of the Coroners (Investigations) Regulations 2013. 

3 

INVESTIGATION and INQUEST 

On 29 April 2013 I commenced an investigation into the deaths of Josephine Foday and 
of Komba Kpakiwa.  The investigation concluded at the end of the inquests on 15 May 
2014. The conclusions of the inquests were Accident. Natural The cause of death for 
both 1a) consistent with drowning.  

4 

CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE DEATH 

Both Ms Foday and Mr Komba were found floating in the swimming pool at Down Hall 
Country House Hotel, Hatfield Heath, Essex. Their deaths were confirmed shortly 
thereafter.  
CORONER’S CONCERNS 

5 

During the course of the inquest the evidence revealed matters giving rise to concern. In 
my opinion there is a risk that future deaths will occur unless action is taken. In the 
circumstances, it is my statutory duty to report to you. 

The MATTERS OF CONCERN are as follows.  –  
1) The pool profile was inherently dangerous 
2)The pool profile, including depths and gradients were not considered when carrying 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 out the hazard identification that is required in the swimming pool guidance document 
HSG 179 
3) The risk assessments did not cover the accurate profile information and any other 
specific risk factors 
4) There were no lifeguards provided and the duty holders of the pool did not ensure 
that there were in place effective controls in place to reduce the risk of drowning 
5) It did not appear that non swimmers or poor swimmers had been considered in the 
risk assessment process. 
6) The pool operators had not sought the advice of a swimming pool expert in order to 
decide what would constitute adequate controls where constant pool supervision was 
not provided in this unusual hopper type pool. 
The operators were relying on CCTV as a method of supervision but this was not 
monitored and no system was put in its place when it became unavailable. 
7) Some of the signage provided was not clear, accurate and unambiguous. 
8)The pool operators did not ensure that in a pool of over 1.5m depth there were always 
on the premises, when the pool was open, staff trained in aquatic rescue techniques. 
. 

6 

ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN 

In my opinion action should be taken to prevent future deaths and I believe you and your 
organisation have the power to take such action.  

7 

YOUR RESPONSE 

You are under a duty to respond to this report within 56 days of the date of this report, 
namely by 18th Jul. I, the coroner, may extend the period. 

Your response must contain details of action taken or proposed to be taken, setting out 
the timetable for action. Otherwise you must explain why no action is proposed. 

8 

COPIES and PUBLICATION 

I have sent a copy of my report to:- 

Fentons Solicitors, Berrymans Lace Mawer Solicitors, Weightmans LLP,  

Safety. 

-Uttlesford District Council, 

 Specialist on Aquatic 

I am also under a duty to send the Chief Coroner a copy of your response.  

The Chief Coroner may publish either or both in a complete or redacted or summary 
form. He may send a copy of this report to any person who he believes may find it useful 
or of interest. You may make representations to me, the coroner, at the time of your 
response, about the release or the publication of your response by the Chief Coroner. 

9 

23rd May 2014                                               

HM Senior Coroner for Essex

Responses

1 response published against this report on judiciary.uk. A response is a body's written reply to the coroner's concerns; publication is at the discretion of the Chief Coroner's office, so an absent response does not mean nobody replied.

Response from Iosh (PDF)
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Ms C Beasley-Murray hi
HM Senior Coroner for Essex =

HM Coroner's Court savwtiosh.co.uk

A Block — Ground Floor

County Hall

Victoria Road

Chelmsford
CM1 1LX

11 July 2014

Dear Ms Beasley-Murray

Further to your correspondence regarding the deaths of hotel swimming pool users
Josephine Foday and Komba Kpakiwa, in which you seek IOSH assistance to help prevent
further such tragedies.

We understand that the swimming pool concerned is now closed and so no-one else will be
put at similar risk in this facility.

In our capacity as a professional body for occupational safety and health practitioners, we
will raise awareness among our 44,000 members by highlighting the facts of this case, the
concerns raised and the Health and Safety Executive guidance on this topic. To this end, we
will be taking the following actions:

e Including a summary of the key findings in the next available issue (September 2014)
of the Institution’s official member magazine — the Safety and Health Practitioner

e Including a news item in our e-bulletin, Connect, on Monday 21 July, which is
distributed to all our members.

We note that you have written to the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health and would
also suggest that you contact the Royal Society for Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), which
has a Leisure Safety Department specifically covering water safety, to further raise

wareness of this incident.

Jar) Chmiel
Chief Executive

Institution of Occupational
Safety and Health
Founded 1945
inccrporated by Royal Charter 2003
C) Registered charity 1036790
Le Recognised by the 0 as on

TARESTOR fl PROPLE international MGC

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