The recent inquest into the tragic death of 11-year-old Kyra Hill at Liquid Leisure water park in Berkshire has highlighted severe deficiencies in health and safety practices, highlighting the vital importance of integrating emergency plans with comprehensive risk assessments. Kyra’s death, ruled as unlawful killing due to gross breaches in safety protocols, serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of inadequate planning and oversight in public venues.
The Tragedy
On August 6, 2022, Kyra Hill was attending a birthday party at Liquid Leisure near Windsor. She encountered difficulties in a designated swimming area, which reached depths of up to 4.67 meters. Despite the presence of a lifeguard, the visibility in the water was described as “zero,” and Kyra was not located until over an hour after emergency services were first alerted. The inquest revealed that the park lacked an emergency plan and a proper risk assessment, with warning signs that were “falsely reassuring” about water depths. Furthermore, there were no systems in place to inform parents and carers about the risks associated with the water area, such as the requirement for one adult per four children in the water. These oversights contributed significantly to the tragic outcome.
The vital importance of integrated emergency planning and risk Assessments
Kyra’s death underscores the critical need for businesses, especially those operating in high-risk environments like water parks, to integrate emergency planning with thorough risk assessments.
A risk assessment identifies potential hazards, evaluates the risks associated with them, and implements control measures to mitigate those risks.
An emergency plan outlines the procedures to follow in the event of an incident, ensuring a swift and coordinated response. When these two elements are not aligned, as was evident in this case, the safety of individuals is compromised.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) emphasises that employers must conduct risk assessments and have appropriate emergency procedures in place to protect the health and safety of their employees and the public. Failure to do so not only endangers lives but also exposes organisations to legal liabilities and reputational damage.
How AssessNET can support effective risk management
AssessNET’s health and safety software offers a comprehensive solution to help organisations integrate risk assessments with emergency planning.
By utilising AssessNET, organisations can proactively manage risks and ensure that emergency plans are effectively aligned with identified hazards, thereby enhancing safety and compliance. AssessNET enables:
- Centralised risk management ensuring that all potential hazards are identified and addressed.
- Customisable templates enabling organisations to tailor them to their specific needs and activities.
- Real-time monitoring and reporting allowing for timely identification of issues and implementation of corrective actions.
- Integration with Emergency plans: ensuring that safety procedures are aligned with identified risks.
- Compliance tracking providing audit trails and documentation for regulatory purposes.
Conclusion
The tragic case of Kyra Hill serves as a poignant reminder of the importance of integrating emergency planning with comprehensive risk assessments. Organisations must prioritise the safety of individuals by ensuring that all potential hazards are identified and addressed, and that appropriate emergency procedures are in place. Tools like AssessNET can play a crucial role in facilitating this integration, helping organisations to create safer environments and prevent future tragedies
