Brody O'Brien · Prevention of Future Deaths report

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Issued 9 Feb 2026•Lancashire and Blackburn with Darwen

Published report and response evidence

This report’s concerns and statements found in recipients’ published responses. Statements are included even where no link to an individual concern is recorded. A link shows an evidence connection; it does not assign responsibility.

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Concerns
2

Raised in this report

Recipients
2

Named on the report

Responses found
2

Of 2 recipients

Stated actions
7

Described in responses

Recipients and published responses

Full report text

This is the full text from the original published report.

Open published report

Concerns and recipient responses

Select any concern, action or position to view the source wording.

Concerns raised2

  1. Unsafe and difficult emergency access to the location
    Part of recurring concern: Unreliable emergency access arrangements for responders
  2. Failure to secure the accessible location against ligature use

Stated actions An action is something a recipient says it has done, is doing, or plans to do in response to a concern raised.7

  1. Health and Safety Executive

    Improve site security and fencing around the development site bordering the mill.

  2. Health and Safety Executive

    Liaise with Rossendale Borough Council and share advice to further secure access to the mill building.

  3. Rossendale Borough Council

    Request the wider Albert Mill site owner to take action on their land to help prevent access.

  4. Rossendale Borough Council

    Coordinate with the HSE and landowner, attend the site, and obtain quotes for securing works in default.

  5. Rossendale Borough Council

    Assess how further access from the footpath can be prevented, taking account of existing rights of way.

  6. Rossendale Borough Council

    Issue a statutory notice requiring the site owner to secure Sunnyside Works against ground-level access.

  7. Rossendale Borough Council

    Remove trees on Council-owned land near the building to help prevent access.

Respondent positions A position is what a recipient says about a concern when it does not describe a specific action.2

  1. Health and Safety Executive

    Enforcement responsibility for the disused mill falls outside the remit because there is no ongoing work activity.

    Outside remitThe respondent said that this matter was outside its role or authority.
  2. Rossendale Borough Council

    Access to Sunnyside Works is suitable and safe for securing works, contrary to the owner's assertion that it is not.

    Disputes the concernThe respondent disagreed with part of the concern or the basis for it.

Source evidence

How this individual concern was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below. Response links show a clear evidence connection; they do not assign responsibility.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Unsafe and difficult emergency access to the location

Wider context from the report

“(2) Emergency services found access to the ████████ particularly with their equipment, difficult and treacherous. They had to scale a wall and once inside, the ground was very uneven and dangerous posing a significant risk. ”

Is this part of a recurring concern?

Yes — Unreliable emergency access arrangements for responders.

Open source report

Source evidence

How this individual concern was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the report wording shown below. Response links show a clear evidence connection; they do not assign responsibility.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Failure to secure the accessible location against ligature use

Wider context from the report

“(1) Brody was able to access the ████████ as it remains unsecured and use the ████████ to secure a ligature. ”

Is this part of a recurring concern?

No recurring-concern membership is currently published.

Open source report

Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Improve site security and fencing around the development site bordering the mill.

Verbatim wording from the response

“HSE does not have any enforcement responsibility for the disused mill as there is no ongoing work activity. However, the mill building is bordered on two sides by a site under the control of Spenside Developments Ltd which is enforced by HSE. We inspected the site in November 2025 and took enforcement action with regard to improvements to site security. A further visit was made on 17th March 2026 to re-assess site security and the necessary improvements to the site fencing have been made.”

Source location

2026-0084 - Response from HSE
Page 1 · response
Published 13 February 2026

Open published response

Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Liaise with Rossendale Borough Council and share advice to further secure access to the mill building.

Verbatim wording from the response

“Liaison with legal and planning representatives from Rossendale Borough Council took place to share concerns and ensure that both organisations are working together in an effective and cooperative manner. Representatives from Rossendale Borough Council were in attendance on 17th March and advice has been shared with regard to further securing access to the mill building.”

Source location

2026-0084 - Response from HSE
Page 1 · response
Published 13 February 2026

Open published response

Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Request the wider Albert Mill site owner to take action on their land to help prevent access.

Verbatim wording from the response

“The Council is also taking some additional steps to assist in the prevention of access by the removal of some trees on Council owned land in close proximity to the building and looking how further access from the footpath could be prevented but this would have to take into account current rights of way etc. The owner of the wider Albert Mill site has been helpful in his approach and has confirmed that we can take access over the land; we have certain rights of access in any event but this has been appreciated. The Council will also be requesting that they also take some action on their land to assist in the prevention of access and to this end the Council will keep you informed.”

Source location

2026-0084 - Response from Rossendale Borough Council
Page 2 · response
Published 13 February 2026

Open published response

Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Coordinate with the HSE and landowner, attend the site, and obtain quotes for securing works in default.

Verbatim wording from the response

“The Council has been working alongside ████████ of the Health and Safety Executive and officers have spoken with him both over the telephone and in person on site. The HSE has no involvement with Sunnyside Works as this does not form part of the active site but ████████ has been very helpful in offering advice and assistance as to safety measures that could be taken on site.”

Source location

2026-0084 - Response from Rossendale Borough Council
Page 1 · response
Published 13 February 2026

Open published response

Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Assess how further access from the footpath can be prevented, taking account of existing rights of way.

Verbatim wording from the response

“The Council is also taking some additional steps to assist in the prevention of access by the removal of some trees on Council owned land in close proximity to the building and looking how further access from the footpath could be prevented but this would have to take into account current rights of way etc. The owner of the wider Albert Mill site has been helpful in his approach and has confirmed that we can take access over the land; we have certain rights of access in any event but this has been appreciated. The Council will also be requesting that they also take some action on their land to assist in the prevention of access and to this end the Council will keep you informed.”

Source location

2026-0084 - Response from Rossendale Borough Council
Page 2 · response
Published 13 February 2026

Open published response

Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Issue a statutory notice requiring the site owner to secure Sunnyside Works against ground-level access.

Verbatim wording from the response

“As requested, a copy of the report was sent to the owner of Sunnyside Works, ████████ together with a s29 Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982. This notice required ████████ to secure the building by either boarding all openings accessible from ground level or by provision of perimeter fencing to prevent access.”

Source location

2026-0084 - Response from Rossendale Borough Council
Page 1 · response
Published 13 February 2026

Open published response

Source evidence

How this respondent action was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Remove trees on Council-owned land near the building to help prevent access.

Verbatim wording from the response

“The Council is also taking some additional steps to assist in the prevention of access by the removal of some trees on Council owned land in close proximity to the building and looking how further access from the footpath could be prevented but this would have to take into account current rights of way etc. The owner of the wider Albert Mill site has been helpful in his approach and has confirmed that we can take access over the land; we have certain rights of access in any event but this has been appreciated. The Council will also be requesting that they also take some action on their land to assist in the prevention of access and to this end the Council will keep you informed.”

Source location

2026-0084 - Response from Rossendale Borough Council
Page 2 · response
Published 13 February 2026

Open published response

Source evidence

How this respondent position was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Enforcement responsibility for the disused mill falls outside the remit because there is no ongoing work activity.

Verbatim wording from the response

“HSE does not have any enforcement responsibility for the disused mill as there is no ongoing work activity. However, the mill building is bordered on two sides by a site under the control of Spenside Developments Ltd which is enforced by HSE. We inspected the site in November 2025 and took enforcement action with regard to improvements to site security. A further visit was made on 17th March 2026 to re-assess site security and the necessary improvements to the site fencing have been made.”

Source location

2026-0084 - Response from HSE
Page 1 · response
Published 13 February 2026

Open published response

Source evidence

How this respondent position was interpreted

PFD Monitor created a concise, searchable interpretation from the published response wording shown below.

PFD Monitor interpretation

Access to Sunnyside Works is suitable and safe for securing works, contrary to the owner's assertion that it is not.

Verbatim wording from the response

“The Council has not accepted this position. The Council has been in communication with the owner of the Albert Mill site and they have confirmed that they are agreeable to ████████ taking access over their land to his property in order to carry out the securing of the building. This has been relayed to ████████ but he does not accept that access is suitable or safe. This is also not accepted by the Council.”

Source location

2026-0084 - Response from Rossendale Borough Council
Page 1 · response
Published 13 February 2026

Open published response
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Information checked against the published report and official responses · Data reviewed 7 Sep 2026 · About data quality and limitations

Data last updated 7 September 2026