Gas firm had 'toxic' and 'unprofessional' culture

The culture at Jersey's only gas company was "unprofessional" and "toxic", a former human resources worker has told the court.

Kimberley Patterson said she had been brought in as the chief people officer in September 2021 by the then chief executive officer Jo Cox, who told her the company was "in a bit of a mess" and had a "toxic environment".

Patterson is giving evidence in the trial of Island Energy which pleads not guilty to a combined health and safety case. Gas workers Neil Armstrong, John Wright and Lee Ward, also deny 10 counts of gross negligence manslaughter.

The HR worker said when she began working at Island Energy, she was surprised by how people communicated.

She said: "I think the way in which people spoke to each other was unprofessional, there was a lack of respect... I'd come from a corporate background where people didn't swear or curse."

The court heard the HR department at Island Energy was "shocking" and that some HR policies weren't in place and "basic things were missing".

Patterson said it was her job to update out-of-date papers, including contracts and the employee handbook.

She also introduced performance management reviews, where employees would sit down with their managers and go through how they had been getting on with the job.

The court heard this was "very standard" for performance management and she did not think employees "took it serious" and that they "thought it was a waste of time".

Following the explosion on 10 December 2022 at Haut du Mont, Patterson said "an awful lot of resource was suddenly found".

The residents who died were Peter Bowler, 72, Billy Marsden, 62, Derek Ellis, 61, Sylvia Ellis, 73, Ken Ralph, 72, Jane Ralph, 71, Romeu De Almeida, 67, Louise De Almeida, 64, Raymond Brown, 71, and Kathy McGinness, 73.

Patterson told the court: "There was various people brought in, experts, I think there was even, there might have been a third party company brought in.

"They recognised there just wasn't any people, there wasn't anyone qualified."

Patterson added: "I think that people knew there was a lack of experience in the company for sure - a lack of and not enough."

To attract new workers to the company, the court heard more money was spent on people and salaries were increased - including housing and car allowances.

"Significant packages for people to get the experience that was needed because people had been suspended, there was all kinds going on," Patterson said.

The trial continues on Monday.

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