Following David Lloyd Leisure Club Limited pleading guilty to charges against the Health and Safety at Work Act, they were fined £2.55 million and ordered to pay £258,355.80 in costs at Leeds Crown Court today.
The successful prosecution, taken by Leeds City Council, followed an investigation by the council’s environmental health team into the tragic death of a three-year-old boy as a result of drowning, at the David Lloyd Leisure Club, Moortown, Leeds.
During the investigation, health and safety inspectors for the council identified inadequate lifeguarding arrangements at the club over a number of years leading up to the tragic event.
The investigation found that David Lloyds Leisure had been exposing club members to risks contrary to Section 33(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, between 1 September 2015, and 22 April 2018 in the David Lloyd Leisure Club.
Leeds City Council environmental health service are responsible for regulating health and safety standards across a wide range of commercial sectors including retail, wholesale distribution, hotels and catering, offices, and leisure industries.