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Devon - Lightning Protection Campaigner

DEVON
 




At least the Vatican has adequate lightning protection.

Email sent by Alan Dransfield 10th February 2013 at 09.30 to the CEO of the Royal Devon Exeter Hospital



For the Attn of the CEO

Dear Madam


As you are aware, I am on record ref life-threatening dangers from lightning at numerous premises at the RDE. I really don't believe you are taking me seriously on these issue.  Hence, I would now like to elevate my complaint to the next phase of your complaints procedures please.

In the mean time, I suggest/recommend that you should have some warning signs made up and posted throughout the Hospital buildings to the effect of:

IN THE EVENT OF A THUNDERSTORM IT IS RECOMMEND YOU SHOULD EVACUATE THE BUILDING AND SEEK REFUGE FROM THE STORM ELSEWHERE BECAUSE THESE RDE BUILDINGS HAVE NOT BEEN PROVISIONED WITH ADEQUATE LIGHTNING PROTECTION SYSTEMS.

May I suggest you arrange an urgent meeting with your engineers sometime this week and I will attend to discuss these matters and advise correct actions at no charge.....


With thanks


Alan M Dransfield


Email sent by Alan Dransfield on 10th February 2013 at 10.25 cc Ben Bradshaw MP and others

Attn of the Headteachers and Board of Governors of Exeter PFI schools

Dear Sir/Madam

Please excuse this round robin email but I wish to alert all the oversight authorities responsible for the PFI schools in Exeter that their PFI schools are operating in a legal void owing to the failure to provision the schools with adequate Lightning Protection Systems, inter alia and is further compounded by the fact these schools have not been provisioned with any Lightning Risk Assessment.

I have contacted the relevant oversight authorities, at the DCC, Dept of Education and Ofsted, but they are not taking me seriously because they know the vicarious liability rests with the Headteachers and Board of Governors. Ditto for Ben Bradshaw MP.


I would like to draw your attention to the Lychett Minster School, which was destroyed by fire caused by a lightning strike over the Christmas holidays and by the grace of god nobody was hurt or killed by this particular lightning strike, but in the event the thunderstorm had occurred during normal schools hours, there is no doubt in my mind body bags would have been required.

The Dorset Fire Authority report on this fire is available at their website and I recommend all headteachers should read it for lessons learned.
I would strongly recommend that warnings signs should be made up and placed in prominent places around the your schools e.g.
IN THE EVENT OF A THUNDERSTORM IT IS RECOMMENDED TO EVACUATE THE SCHOOLS AND SEEK ALTERNATIVE SHELTER UNTIL THE STORM HAS PASSED. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD THE CHILDREN AND STAFF GATHER IN CROWDS NEAR THE WINDOWS OR NEAR THE DOORS TO WATCH THE LIGHTING.
YOU ARE ALSO WARNED NOT TO STAND NEAR LARGE STEEL STRUCTURES,EG, STAIR CASE, DOWNPIPES ETC.
UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCE MUST YOU TOUCH THE STEEL FABRICATION OF THE SCHOOL.

I fervently believe it would be prudent of all the PFI schools headteachers call an emergency meeting ASAP to discuss the safety of the children, staff and the general public during a thunderstorm.  I will gladly attend free of charge to advise the schools.

In the event your school is struck be lightning, your Public Liability Insurance will surely be revoked.

With thanks

Yours sincerely


Alan M Dransfield

I would gladly inspect your Lightning Risk Assessment at no charge, to this end,please feel free to send me a copy of your Lightning Risk Assessment.
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Email sent 13th March 2013 at 06.36

Dear Mr Bradshaw

Please find the following article from the DCC website, which clearly states they have a Public Liability Insurance for their schools and other premises regarding Lightning/Fire Damage.

This is a very serious oversight by the DCC because they are NOT compliant to the regulatory Lightning Protection Requirements stipulated in BS-EN 62305/2008 which CLEARLY requires Lightning Risk Assessment(LRA) at all Devon Schools.

In the event a DCC schools is destroyed by a Lightning Fires the Public Liability Insurance Could be revoked.Ditto for all Exeter City Council.

LRA has NOT (repeat NOT) been carried out anywhere in Devon.

This is tantamount to insurance fraud because both the DCC and the ECC hold full knowledge their premises are non-compliant TO BS-EN6203/08. In essence, the DCC are defrauding their insurance company owing to education premises and other properties regarding Lightning Protection. Ditto for the City Council premises.

I call upon my MP to seek a Public Inquiry and a criminal investigation into this matter .

With thanks

Alan M Dransfield


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Insurance
Legal Services
Insurance Summary for DCC
Schools
Buildings and Contents
As a result of continued risk management
procedures, the County Council has recently
been able to increase the scope of cover
under its buildings policy. From 01/01/2008
County and Controlled school buildings are
insured by the Local Authority for the full cost
of reinstatement against the perils of fire,
lightning, explosion, aircraft, storm, flood,
burst water pipes, impact, sprinkler leakage,
theft, subsidence and accidental damage.
Aided schools are separately insured as they
are owned by Trustees rather than the Local
Authority.
Cover for contents, however, remains to be
restricted to the perils of fire, lightning,
explosion and aircraft. However, schools still
have the option to take out cover for
additional perils on contents direct, should
they wish, using their delegated budgets to
pay the premium. Specialist Local Authority
insurers, such as Zurich Municipal, will
provide such cover but schools are free to
approach any broker or company they wish,
in order to obtain the best possible terms..
Additional Expenses
Cover is provided in respect of additional
expenditure incurred in order to continue
operations at the school, or elsewhere,
following damage by an uninsured peril.
Expenses relating to the hire of temporary
classrooms, additional travelling costs and
similar expenditures are covered by this
policy.
Employers Liability
Currently the Local Authority provides cover
up to £50 million for any one incident, in
respect of its legal liability for injury to
persons under a contract of service with the
Local Authority. Both full and part time
employees are similarly covered. Cover also
extends to include any person under a
contract of service to Aided School
Governors, whilst engaged in duties relating
to educational activities.
Public Liability
This covers any claims made against the
Local Authority, the school, its Governors,
employees or volunteer helpers by a third
party, in respect of any physical injury or
damage to property arising as a result of the
negligence of any of the above parties. The
policy has been specifically extended to cover
school Governors, including Governors of
aided schools in respect of claims arising out
of the use of school premises for educational
purposes. Currently the Local Authority
provides cover of £50 million for any one
incident.
Officials & Professional Indemnity
Similar to Public Liability insurance but
covering the legal liability of the Local
Authority, its employees and Governors for
any legal liability to pay compensation for
financial loss (as distinct from physical injury
or damage) sustained by a third party as a
result of negligent advice, acts, errors or
omissions on the part of any insured person


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