Stanislawa Kmiecik · Prevention of Future Deaths report

On 10 June 2019, I commenced an investigation into the death of Stanislawa Kmiecik, who died on 12 April 2019 as a result of
1a. Multiple Injuries
An inquest touching her death is yet to take place.

Stanislawa Kmiecik entered the Urban Outfitters store in the Victoria Shopping Centre, Nottingham, on the afternoon of 12 April 2019. She made her way across the shop floor, and accessed a concrete mezzanine floor via a gate just off of the main shop floor. This area is not supposed to be accessed by members of the public, rather it is an area intended for staff to access in order to display merchandise and signage, but it is visible and was accessible from the shop floor where members of the public are free to roam.
The concrete mezzanine floor has two open spaces leading to the basement shop floor approximately 18 feet below. Mrs Kmiecik entered the open space and fell to the floor below sustaining multiple injuries consistent with a fall from height. She died at the scene.

(1) There is a drop of some 18 feet between the mezzanine floor and the basement shop floor below that is accessible via a gate from the shop floor where persons are free to roam

(2) There is no signage highlighting the risk of fall

(3) Whilst the area is cordoned off from the main shop floor by way of a locked mesh gate and some scaffolding type posts, it remains possible for staff and/or members of the public to access the area.

(4) Although members of staff have been told not to access this area of the shop, I remain concerned that in the absence of signage, a new or inexperienced member of staff may seek access to that area either by unlocking the gate or by climbing over the gate (as has happened in the past).

(5) If a member of staff or the public were to access the area, there remains a risk of falling from height as there is no safety netting or other safety structure below either of the two openings in the mezzanine floor.

(6) The surface area surrounding the openings is uneven and in a state of disrepair, posing a trip hazard to any member of staff or the public in the vicinity and increasing the risk of inadvertently falling from height.

(7) Further, any item that is dropped in that area, or is thrown over the gate, could fall through the opening and onto staff/members of the public below.