Snowdome fined £100k after death of 12-year-old

The Snowdome in Tamworth has been fined £100k following the death of a schoolboy.

Twelve-year-old Louis Watkiss had been at a tobogganing birthday party at the Snowdome in Tamworth on 24 September 2021.

He was descending the main ski slope on a toboggan when it slid into the back of a staff member conducting a slope walk. He fell backwards onto Louis who sadly died at the scene from head injuries.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that the Snowdome failed to ensure the safety of its customers, including Louis, while they were undertaking tobogganing at the venue. It was ordered to pay the £100k fine and costs of £14,534.

The HSE investigation also found that the Snowdome 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. As a result, there was no safe system of work, information, instruction, training or supervision to manage the risk of collisions between toboggans and pedestrians.

Outside Telford Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, Louis’ father Chris said: “We want to thank HSE (Health Safety Executive) for getting a prosecution, even though the fine is ridiculous and is not appropriate to a child’s death.

“You don’t expect your child to go to a leisure centre, wind up dead, and there be no custodial sentence – just a fine, a slap on the wrist and get on with it.”

Nathan Cook, senior enforcement lawyer for HSE said: “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.

“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.”