Sentence: 12 months imprisonment suspended for two years, 240 hours of unpaid work, and £2,000 costs
Barry Newman, as the sole trader of Foster Brother Builders, was contracted to perform refurbishment works at a property on Commercial Road, Bulwell. On November 22, 2022, he placed a faulty portable space heater connected to a propane gas cylinder in the property's cellar to dry out damp, despite manufacturer instructions requiring well-ventilated areas and prohibiting underground use. This resulted in a gas explosion due to a leak, causing severe burn injuries to a 51-year-old man's hands, legs, face, and scalp, and extensive damage to the property. An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive found that Newman failed to conduct a risk assessment and used unsuitable equipment.