Friday April 12, 2024
Ruwaida Adan, 15, (L), was strangled by her hijab during a go-karting race with her friends in East London. Jurors said Ruwaida should have been told to remove the headscarf, but checks at Capital Karts in Barking, East London, (R) missed it.
London (HOL) - Capital Karts has been fined nearly £120,000 after 15-year-old Ruwaida Adan was fatally injured when her hijab became entangled in a go-kart's mechanical parts. The incident occurred at the company's Barking site in East London on August 6, 2021, during an outing with a Newham youth group. Romford Magistrates' Court imposed the fine on April 3, citing breaches of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. The penalty includes a £90,000 fine, additional costs of £29,021.18, and a £190 victim surcharge.
Barking and Dagenham Council's investigation found that the kart Ruwaida was driving lacked a critical safety guard over its rotating axle gear and drive belt, a fault that had gone unnoticed for possibly over a month. This oversight was part of broader safety failures at the venue, including inadequate communication of safety protocols such as removing loose clothing and securing long hair.
Capital Karts admitted to the safety breaches and has undertaken a thorough review and overhaul of its safety procedures. "We are deeply shocked and saddened by Ruwaida's death and have cooperated fully with the authorities," a company spokesperson stated. "Following the incident, we have revised all our safety procedures to ensure such a tragedy does not occur again."
The company also closed its Barking site in June 2022 and opened a new facility at Cabot Square in Canary Wharf under a different entity within the same group.
The court's decision brought some relief to Ruwaida's family. Her mother, Amina Mohamed, expressed both sorrow and relief at the accountability. "Ruwaida was a beacon of kindness, humour, and support, with a beautiful smile and her whole life ahead of her," Mohamed said. : "In the wake of the tragic loss of our beloved Ruwaida, we are relieved to finally see Capital Karts held accountable for what happened on August 6, 2021.
Gary Jones, operational director for enforcement, regulatory, and community safety at the council, highlighted the importance of strict safety enforcement. "It's clear that not enough was done to prevent this tragic accident, and I welcome the result of this case," he said. "I hope this sends a strong message to similar businesses on how important it is that they implement measures to ensure that something like this never happens again."