A tradesman who illegally serviced fire extinguishers in a children's nursery has been fined ?1,000 and given a 10 week prison sentence, suspended for two years.

Health and safety chiefs are warning businesses that fail to comply with enforcement notices that they face prosecution.

Ross Ward, trading as A1 Fire Protection was issued with a prohibition notice in December last year, preventing him from servicing fire extinguishers until he could demonstrate his competence to carry out the work. Officers identified that despite the notice being in force, Mr Ward attended a children’s nursery in Douglas on 6 February 2014 and undertook servicing work on the fire extinguishers.

The nursery was supplied with replacement fire extinguishers, serviced to the required standard, while its own were removed and examined for any inappropriate maintenance issues that could have led to potential safety problems.

Richard Ronan MHK of the Department of Infrastructure warned: 'This prosecution will serve as a clear warning to businesses not to ignore enforcement notices issued by the Health and Safety at Work Inspectorate in the interests of ensuring appropriate standards of public safety.’

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