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News August 2003
| Title | Comments | Publication |
| 226 work deaths last year. | The HSE statistics for 2002/03 show that 226 people were killed which is a 10% reduction from 2001/02. | Internet: www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/overall/fatl0203.pdf HSC Press Release C038:03 29/7/03 |
| Workplace transport. | The current legislation and initiatives in place to reduce the death and injuries associated with workplace transport. (P Ellis) | Internet: www.hse.gov.uk RoSPA Safety Express 2003 (July/Aug):10-11 |
| Unlawful killing verdict shocks Royal Mint. | An Inquest jury has ruled that a Royal Mint worker was unlawfully killed when crushed by a 6 tonne furnace falling 12' from a damaged crane hook. The RM has Crown immunity. | RoSPA Safety Express 2003 (July/Aug):1 |
| Tube derailment 'accident waiting to happen'. | The London Assembly has concluded that LU's failure to solve faults on the Central Line meant that the Chancery Lane derailment in Jan 03 was inevitable. | Internet: www.london.gov.uk/assembly/reports/transport.jsp RoSPA Safety Express 2003 (July/Aug):2 |
| Machinery safety codes. | The Manufacturing Technologies Assoc have published a set of revised Codes for specific types of machine tools. | MTA Internet: www.mta.org.uk RoSPA Safety Express 2003 (July/Aug):9 |
| New safe swimming pools guidance. | Guidance on the risks associated with swimming pool operation and the precautions to help achieve a safe environment. | 'Managing H&S in swimming pools' Isbn 0-7176-2686-5 £10.95 HSE Tel:01787-881165 HSC Newsletter 2003 (149)June:28 |
| Scottish fire record worst in UK. | The Scottish Executive's 2001 fire statistics show an increase in the number of fires and 103 fatalities, an increase of 37% on 2000. | Internet: www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/00255-00.asp Fire Prevention 2003 370 (July):4 |
| Credibility gap. | Evidence of poor design and management in buildings suggests that fire safety engineering may lose its credibility. (M Shipp) | Fire Prevention 2003 370 (July):29-31 |
| Averting disaster. | The work of the Building Disaster Assessment Group in identifying improvements to building design and fire fighting practices. (S Hunt & D Berry) | Fire Prevention 2003 370 (July):32-33 |
| Practice makes perfect. | The recommendations of the recent project on best practice in passive fire protection. (D Sugden) | Fire Prevention 2003 370 (July):42-43 |
| Following suit. | Limitations of conventional fire fighter uniforms and the use of specialised protective suits. (A McAllister) | Fire Prevention 2003 370 (July):56-57 |
| Breathe easy. | Developments in comfort, performance and safety of breathing apparatus for fire fighters. (A Kyle) | Fire Prevention 2003 370 (July):58-59 |
| It's good to talk. | Good inter service communication is essential for any emergency service to function smoothly. (K McKeown) | Fire Prevention 2003 370 (July):61-63 |
| Constructing better health. | The aim of Constructing Better Health is to offer employers and employees best practice management solutions to reduce exposure to health risks. | HSC Press Release C036:03 25/7/03 |
| New website promotes safety in health services. | The HSE website covers H&S in both the NHS and the independent sectors of the health services. | Internet: www.hse.gov.uk/healthservices HSE Press Release E144:03 28/7/03 |
| Construction deaths down in 2002/03 but worrying signs this year. | The 2002/03 construction statistics show that 71 people were killed, down from 80 in 2001/02 but 27 have already died in the current reporting year. | Internet: www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/overall/fatl0203.pdf HSE Press Release E146:03 29/7/03 |
| HSE publishes statistics of fatal injuries for 2002/03. | The latest detailed statistics on fatal injuries in the HSE and Local Authority enforcement sectors. | Internet: www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/overall/fatl0203.pdf HSE Press Release E149:03 29/7/03 |
| HSC publishes statistics of inspection and enforcement in Local Authority enforced sectors for 2001/02. | The latest detailed statistics on inspection and enforcement action in Local Authority enforced sectors in 2001/02. | Internet: www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/industry/index.htm HSC Press Release C032:03 31/7/03 |
| Health and Safety Commission concern over safety implications following a 10% drop in Local Authority inspection rates. | Following a 10% drop in inspection rates, the HSC are concerned over the trend amongst LAs to reduce the priority given to H&S enforcement. | Internet: www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/industry/iebltn03.pdf HSC Press Release C039:03 31/7/03 |
| Hold my calls, I'm on the road! | From 1/12/03 driving whilst using a handheld mobile will incur a £30 fixed penalty and 3 penalty points, or a £1,000 fine if the matter goes to court. (K Bridges) | Safety & Health Practitioner 2003 21(8):12 |
| CPS lays manslaughter and safety charges over Hatfield. | Following the Hatfield rail crash investigation, 6 senior executives and 2 companies have been charged with gross negligence manslaughter and other charges under the HASAWA 1974. | Safety & Health Practitioner 2003 21(8):2 |
| Factory owner guilty of manslaughter. | Mr I Morris found guilty of manslaughter following the deaths of 2 night workers overcome by chemical fumes whilst removing paint from aluminium car wheels. | Safety & Health Practitioner 2003 21(8):8 |
| Risk assessment didn't address reality. | Norpol Recycling fined £25,000 + £4,950 costs. Killed falling 1.7m from a table whilst emptying plastic onto a conveyor. The RA did not address the actual work practice. | Safety & Health Practitioner 2003 21(8):12 |
| Calling all safety reps. | IOSH and Sypol have launched a competition to identify good practice by safety reps in inspections and investigations. | Entries to IOSH. Safety & Health Practitioner 2003 21(8):14 |
| Push for stricter measures to prevent industrial accidents. | The European Parliament has adopted amendments to further strengthen the Seveso II Dir designed to prevent major industrial accidents involving dangerous substances. | Safety & Health Practitioner 2003 21(8):17 |
| Interest-free energy loan. | Loans >£50,000 are available to SMEs to install energy efficient equipment on their sites. | Internet: www.actionenergy.org.uk Safety & Health Practitioner 2003 21(8):18 |
| MSDs: consigned to the backwaters. | A model designed to ensure that musculoskeletal problems in the workforce are properly treated, prioritised according to severity, and rectified. (L Robertson) | Safety & Health Practitioner 2003 21(8):26-28 |
| Playing hide and sick. | An investigatory approach to identifying workplace accident trends which could help find patterns and reduce days off sick. (I Harper) | Safety & Health Practitioner 2003 21(8):30-31 |
| SOS – Save our skins. | Work related skin disease, the substances and environments that can trigger them and how the hazards can be prevented or minimised. (Dr C Ide) | Safety & Health Practitioner 2003 21(8):32-34 |
| The importance of being competent. | Training and competence and its meaning to H&S practitioners. (A Christodoulou) | Safety & Health Practitioner 2003 21(8):36-38 |
| It's not rocket science. | The main points to consider when developing your own basic effective training programme. (D Abbott) | Safety & Health Practitioner 2003 21(8):40-41 |
| E is for employee education. | Computer based learning can offer a cost and time efficient alternative to in-situ training. (D Hodgkinson) | Safety & Health Practitioner 2003 21(8):42-44 |
| VDU guidance revisited. | The HSE revised guidance on VDUs takes into account the latest research results. | INDG36 rev2 HSE Safety & Health Practitioner 2003 21(8):68 |
| HSE issues new guidance for the bakery industry. | Practical and legal guidance for management and supervisory staff in bakeries and those with H&S interests. | HSG233 Isbn 0-7176-2616-4 £13.50 HSE Tel:01787-881165 HSE Press Release E151:03 4/8/03 |
| Steady progress but rail industry must do more on safety culture. | The 2nd progress report on the recommendations from Public Inquiry following Prof J Uff and Lord Cullen's work on the Southall and Ladbroke Grove rail crashes. | 'Rail Public Inquiries: HSC report on overall progress April 2003...' Internet: www.hse.gov.uk/railways/railpublic2.pdf HSC Press Release C040:03 5/8/03 |
| Help with dangerous substances – action pack for European Week now available. | The 7th European Week for H&S runs from 13-18/10/03 and its theme this year is dangerous substances and the affect on workers and their families. | Info Pack. Tel:0800-0850050 Internet: www.hse.gov.uk/euroweek HSE Press Release E147:03 6/8/03 |
| Antony Parker | Fined £1,500 under HASAWA 1974 s33. Non compliance with an Improvement Notice requiring thorough examinations. | HSE Prosecution Case F010000646 (19/5/03) |
| Lavers Repairs Ltd | Fined £5,000 under HASAWA 1974 s2. Injured when a tonne container fell. Container not chocked. No previous agreement between parties to the lift. | HSE Prosecution Case F030000389 (19/5/03) |
| John Anglim Construction Ltd | Fined £5,000 under HASAWA 1974 s3. Excavator operator lifted a container which fell onto a worker. No chocks or other support provided. No RA, plans or instructions agreed between parties to the lift. | HSE Prosecution Case F030000398 (19/5/03) |
| Garry Dobson | Fined £5,000 under HASAWA 1974 s3. Property let to tenants on instruction of another letting agent without gas safety check. Heat exchanger blocked, CO being emitted. | HSE Prosecution Case F080000332 (19/5/03) |
| Sonae UK Ltd | Fined £35,000 under HASAWA 1974 s2. Failure to provide a safe system of work for the clearance of blockages in a wet fuel bunker for a hot gas generator. | HSE Prosecution Case F170000400 (19/5/03) |
| Steven Alexander Winchester | Guilty under CHSWR 1996. Workers undertaking construction work on a 40' high pitched roof. No fall protection or prevention. | HSE Prosecution Case F230000109 (19/5/03) |
| Stokes Hanks & Dennis Ltd | Fined £20,000 under HASAWA 1974 s2 & s3. Driver of concrete lorry killed by dumper truck driven by 17 year old. No young persons' RA, training, information, instruction, supervision or safe system of work. | HSE Prosecution Case F230000142 (19/5/03) |
| Anthony Leslie Hayball t/a Hayball & Co Plumbing Contractors | Fined £5,000 under HASAWA 1974 s3. Worker cut through a gas main causing an explosion. | HSE Prosecution Case F060000356 (21/5/03) |
| John Kirkham | Fined £1,500 under CHSWR 1996. Son injured falling >2m through a fragile roof during construction work. Inadequate fall prevention. | HSE Prosecution Case F170000397 (21/5/03) |
| Corespec Ltd | Fined £5,000 under HASAWA 1974 s3. Visiting company director injured whilst driving an FLT. Not qualified, no authorisation. | HSE Prosecution Case F190000404 (21/5/03) |
| Frank Bird (Poultry) Ltd | Fined £4,000 under HASAWA 1974 s2. Injured whilst using a handling and washing machinery system. | HSE Prosecution Case F180000394 (22/5/03) |
| Stowe Woodward (UK) Ltd | Fined £25,000 under HASAWA 1974 s2. Killed entangled with a wrapper being removed from a rubber coated roller. No RA or safe system of work. | HSE Prosecution Case F200000564 (22/5/03) |
| Paul Bray (partner in Phoenix Scaffolding Services) | Fined £2,500 under HASAWA 1974 s2. Injured falling through roof light during construction of edge protection on asbestos cement sheet roof. | HSE Prosecution Case F230000174 (22/5/03) |
| Mike Perrow (partner in Phoenix Scaffolding Services) | Fined £2,500 under HASAWA 1974 s2. Injured falling through roof light during construction of edge protection on asbestos cement sheet roof. | HSE Prosecution Case F230000175 (22/5/03) |
| Coventry City Council | Fined £12,000 under HASAWA 1974 s3. Member of the public injured during the collapse of a hoarding in bad weather. Inadequate maintenance and monitoring of the fence. | HSE Prosecution Case F100000587 (23/5/03) |
| Prepared Foods Group Ltd | Fined £5,000 under PUWER 1998. Injured whilst using a pasta extruder. Inadequate guarding. | HSE Prosecution Case F140000332 (23/5/03) |
| David Arthur Oakes | Guilty under HASAWA 1974 s7. Worker killed and 2 injured when a building collapsed during unsafe demolition work. Employed as site agent. | HSE Prosecution Case F170000318 (23/5/03) |
| Mr Abdulwaheed Abidoye (director of Beckon Contancting Ltd) | Fined £3,750 under HASAWA 1974 s37. After breaking LUL rules had his Track Cert withdrawn but acted as protection master for Thales Telecom Ltd and took contractor onto track without informing Track Access Controller. Risk of being struck by a train or electrocuted. | HSE Prosecution Case F220000032 (28/5/03) |
| Beckon Contancting Ltd | Fined £2,500 under HASAWA 1974 s3. After breaking LUL rules, director had Track Cert withdrawn but acted as protection master for Thales Telecom Ltd and took contractor onto track without informing Track Access Controller. Risk of being struck by a train or electrocuted. | HSE Prosecution Case F220000033 (28/5/03) |
| Heritage Building Co | Fined £6,400 under HASAWA 1974 s3 / PUWER 1998. Telehandler ran backwards down slope and crashed into house. Brakes not properly maintained and operator not trained. | HSE Prosecution Case F230000168 (28/5/03) |
| British Nuclear Fuels Plc | Fined £7,500 under HASAWA 1974 s2. Injured after becoming entangled in an unguarded stock bar. | HSE Prosecution Case F180000399 (29/5/03) |
| United Demolition Ltd | Fined £20,000 under HASAWA 1974 s2. One killed and one injured during demolition work. Inadequate supports positioned to hold up part of concrete roof. | HSE Prosecution Case F230000103 (29/5/03) |
| Michael Henstock t/a Orchard Windows | Fined £2,500 under CHSWR 1996. Injured falling 5m off flat roof. No edge protection and unsafe system of work. | HSE Prosecution Case F230000205 (30/5/03) |
| Leaflet on tax rules for purchasing occupational health support. | Tax and NI Contributions and the purchase of occupational health support, including items that are tax deductible. | Internet: www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/ohindex.htm HSE Press Release E153:03 14/8/03 |
| Musculoskeletal disorders major cause of work related illness, latest figures reveal. | In 2001/02 33m working days were lost due to work related illness, with musculoskeletal disorders being the most prevalent occupational disease. | 'Self-reported work related illness 2001/02…' Internet: www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/causdis/swi0102.pdf Health and Safety at Work 2003 25(8):5 |
| Rebuilding Iraq. | The H&S implications for construction workers involved in working in Iraq. (C Atkins) | Health and Safety at Work 2003 25(8):12-14 |
| Limiting EMFs. | Managing the risks from electromagnetic fields and the cost of over restriction. (P Ellis) | Health and Safety at Work 2003 25(8):15-16 |
| Trophy safety. | The vanity of awards, the sanity of audits and the reality of accidents. (P Hughes) | Health and Safety at Work 2003 25(8):25-27 |
| Railways – TPWS. | The HSE has proposed a limited exemption for Network Rail from its duty to fit the Train Protection and Warning System. | For details. Internet: www.hse.gov.uk/railways/liveissues/tpwsconsult.htm Health & Safety Bulletin 2003 (321):7 |
| Stress pilot takes off. | Review of the HSE's new standards for managing work-related stress. (C Dyer) | Health & Safety Bulletin 2003 (321):8-10 |
| Trust me, I'm an inspector. | Research on how far the public trust the HSE. (L Wustemann) | Health & Safety Bulletin 2003 (321):11-12 |
| Tackling work related violence in the National Health Service. | The approach of one Trust and a union in tackling work related violence in the NHS following the NAO report. | Health & Safety Bulletin 2003 (321):13-16 |
| The use of work equipment. | The UK's response to Directives on the provision and use of work equipment improves safety standards. (L Ponting) | Health & Safety Bulletin 2003 (321):17-18 |
| Understanding electricity. | You don't always need to be an electrician to manage electrical safety at work. (I Clements) | Health & Safety Bulletin 2003 (321):19-23 |
| Statement of nuclear incidents at nuclear installations. | There were no incidents in the period 1/4/03-30/6/03. | HSE Press Release E152:03 8/8/03 |
| Optaglio Ltd | Fined £5,600 under MHSWR 1999 / PUWER 1998. Injured by nip between rollers on 2nd hand machine. No guarding. | HSE Prosecution Case F020000445 (2/6/03) |
| Plastics & Paper Machinery Ltd | Fined £5,000 under HASAWA 1974 s6. Supplied 2nd hand machine without guarding to nip between rollers or mesh between gears. Subsequent injury. | HSE Prosecution Case F020000446 (2/6/03) |
| PM Lewis | Fined £1,745 under CPR 1986. During farm inspection, pesticide store door open and a quantity of containers out of the store under a water tank. Inadequate precautions. | HSE Prosecution Case F030000405 (2/6/03) |
| Sheffield Forgemasters Engineering Ltd | Fined £2,000 under WHSWR 1992. Injured falling whilst working at the side of a 2 bay casting pit. No fall prevention measures. | HSE Prosecution Case F140000334 (2/6/03) |
| Vale of Mowbray Ltd | Fined £8,000 under HASAWA 1974 s2. Explosion inside oven which devastated the factory. | HSE Prosecution Case F150000512 (2/6/03) |
| Rockwell Solutions Ltd | Fined £10,000 under HASAWA 1974 s2 / COSHH 1999. During inspection of a laminating machine, faults identified. An accident had previously occurred on a similar machine in Wales. | HSE Prosecution Case F200000497 (2/6/03) |
| Egger UK Ltd | Fined £12,000 under HASAWA 1974 s3. Agency cleaner injured falling 11m through opening in factory roof made as part of shut down engineering work. Inadequate precautions to prevent falls. | HSE Prosecution Case F190000386 (3/6/03) |
| SPS International Ltd | Fined £750 under LOLER 1998. An agency worker injured whilst unloading assemblies after the sling which he had looped on the fork of a FLT came off. No safe working system. | HSE Prosecution Case F200000599 (3/6/03) |
| Candy Domestic Appliances Ltd | Fined £6,000 under MHSWR 1999 / PUWER 1998. Injured when trapped by the unloading frame of a machine. Light beams disabled. | HSE Prosecution Case F170000401 (4/6/03) |
| Crestbrook Heating Co Ltd | Fined £6,000 under CHSWR 1996 / MHSWR 1999. One injured falling 6m after a joist broke whilst removing water tanks and plumbing from the roof space. A 2nd worker saved himself. Inadequate RA and decking. | HSE Prosecution Case F230000119 (4/6/03) |
| Decorative Specialists Ltd | Fined £15,000 under CHSWR 1996. A painter fell whilst accessing a scaffold using a ladder. Ladder not tied and too small. Scaffold unsafe and no inspections. | HSE Prosecution Case F230000216 (4/6/03) |
| Unistrut Ltd | Fined £3,200 under PUWER 1998. Injured whilst changing the tool on a power press. | HSE Prosecution Case F100000484 (5/6/03) |
| Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council | Fined £2,000 under HASAWA 1974 s2. Worker's 12 year old son fell 5m through fragile roof light. Risk to non-employees not foreseeable under circumstances, but employees exposed to same risk. | HSE Prosecution Case F140000320 (5/6/03) |
| Total Gutter Maintenance Ltd | Fined £12,000 under HASAWA 1974 s2 / MHSWR 1999 / CHSWR 1996. Roofer killed falling through a fragile roof light. | HSE Prosecution Case F030000384 (6/6/03) |
| 24 Seven Utility Services Ltd | Fined £150,000 under HASAWA 1974 s2. Inserted incorrect test plugs into a switch on 11kv switchgear. The plugs made contact with the live busbar and caused a flashover. | HSE Prosecution Case F060000363 (6/6/03) |
| Steven James Miller | Fined £2,550 under HASAWA 1974 s3 & s33 / GSIUR 1998. Carried out unsafe gas work on behalf of his father who was CORGI registered. Not CORGI registered and falsification of documents. | HSE Prosecution Case F100000582 (6/6/03) |
| Bullying and victimisation at work. | Defines what bullying is, why it occurs and what organisations should do to eradicate it. (P Ellis) | RoSPA Occup Safety & Health Journal 2003 33(8):40-42 |
| £1.7 million for lorry driver training. | 500 newly licensed and 3,500 experienced lorry drivers plus 200 instructors, will benefit from a development training scheme as part of the Road Haulage Modernisation fund. | RoSPA Occup Safety & Health Journal 2003 33(8):3 |
| Buried Services warning. | Network Rail Infr Ltd fined £16,000 + £1,750 costs. HW Martin (Fencing Contr) Ltd fined £6,000 + £1,750 costs. Fencers speared a 132kv cable with a hand spike whilst digging a hole. No cable plans. | RoSPA Occup Safety & Health Journal 2003 33(8):5 |
| Firm fined £200,000 after silo death. | Forth Ports fined £200,000. Killed after climbing into a grain silo to install a bug trap. Lack of oxygen. Poor RA, training and access. | RoSPA Occup Safety & Health Journal 2003 33(8):8 |
| Promoting men's health. | Research aimed at promoting men's health and their understanding of the prostate. | 'Out of the water closet' CEDC Tel:024-76588440 RoSPA Occup Safety & Health Journal 2003 33(8):11 |
| Sticks and stones…(Pt 1) | Do safety professionals, management and business, mirror the commitment of trade unions in dealing with workplace violence? (R Mackmurdo) | RoSPA Occup Safety & Health Journal 2003 33(8):14-16 |
| Interactive info. | RoSPAs information service is now interactive, requiring a membership number and a password to access the site. (L Lawson) | Internet: www.rospa.com/mem RoSPA Occup Safety & Health Journal 2003 33(8):18-19 |
| Fatigued beyond reason. | Accident investigation and what can happen when people's sleep is disturbed. (N Cook) | RoSPA Occup Safety & Health Journal 2003 33(8):20-22,24,26 |
| Operation battle ready. | The UK's Defence Medical Services. (E Gates) | RoSPA Occup Safety & Health Journal 2003 33(8):30-35 |
| Looking after our safety reps. | A change required in the attitude towards safety reps and worker participation. (R Bibbings) | RoSPA Occup Safety & Health Journal 2003 33(8):55-56 |
| HSE investigation at GlaxoSmithKline factory. | Following allegations on a TV programme, the HSE carried out an inspection to ensure that present day workers at the Kent site were adequately protected. | HSE Press Release E155:03 14/8/03 |
| Blitz on farm vehicles in East Kent. | During harvesting, HSE inspectors and the police will target agricultural vehicles both on and off the road. | HSE Press Release E158:03 14/8/03 |
| Blitz on farms in Worcestershire and Herefordshire targets seasonal workers. | During August and Sept, agricultural inspectors will be targeting farmers and gangmasters who employ seasonal workers, carrying out field checks and yard inspections. | 'Farmwise: essential guide to H&S in agric' Misc 165 HSE Tel:01787-881165 HSE Press Release E159:03 14/8/03 |
| Amendment to Asbestos Prohibition Regulations. | Came into force on 15/8/03 the amendment affects the importation of products containing asbestos. | Asbestos (Prohibition) (Amend) Regs 2003 SO Tel:0870-6005522 HSC Press Release C041:03 15/8/03 |
| New guidance to tackle accidents at power presses. | Poor maintenance is a major cause of accidents at power presses, associated with 40% of incidents involving mechanical presses. | HSG236 Isbn 0-7176-2171-5 £8.50 INDG375 & INDG316 HSE Tel:01787-881165 HSE Press Release E156:03 18/8/03 |
| HSE publish major investigation report into incidents at BP Grangemouth complex. | Major incident investigation report into 3 events at the complex in May – June 2000. | Internet: www.hse.gov.uk/comah/bpgrange/index.htm HSE Press Release E160:03 18/8/03 |
| Vessel owners and master fined £58,000 after collision. | Armana Ltd fined £40,000 + £15,000 costs and Charles Waddy (Master) fined £3,000. A vessel entered the safety zone round an offshore gas installation and collided with a leg of the accommodation platform. | HSE Press Release E163:03 20/8/03 |
| Nuclear safety watchdog grants decommissioning consent for Hinkley Point A. | The first time in the UK and Europe where consent to decommission a nuclear power station has been granted for a decommissioning project under the revised EIAD. | HSE Press Release E164:03 20/8/03 |
| HSE provides guidance on preventing heat stress. | Employers information on the risks of overheating when working in hot conditions such as bakeries, compressed air tunnels, foundries and smelting. | GIS1 Internet www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/whswindx.htm HSE Press Release E157:03 21/8/03 |
| RPA Building Services Ltd | Guilty under HASAWA 1974 s33. Non compliance with an Improvement Notice requiring the provision of adequate rest facilities on site. | HSE Prosecution Case F010000619 (9/6/03) |
| T Mat Engineering Ltd | Fined £18,000 under HASAWA 1974 s2. Injured falling 3m from roof of container enclosure. | HSE Prosecution Case F090000412 (9/6/03) |
| Noriphalt Asphalt Ltd | Fined £10,000 under HASAWA 1974 s2 / PUWER 1998. Injured in rotating shaft of diesel engine on asphalt tanker. No guarding. | HSE Prosecution Case F180000401 (9/6/03) |
| Inverness Slaters Ltd | Fined £750 under HASAWA 1974 s2. Breach under this section. | HSE Prosecution Case F230000029 (9/6/03) |
| Anthony Doyle | Fined £6,000 under CHSWR 1996. Injured falling with overturning tower scaffold during property conversion. Tower in poor condition and other defects on site. Duty holder. | HSE Prosecution Case F230000219 (9/6/03) |
| DS Smith Thames | Fined £5,000 under MHSWR 1999 / PUWER 1998. Injured whilst assisting maintenance operation on printer slotter running at wash-up mode. Guard had been removed. | HSE Prosecution Case F030000407 (10/6/03) |
| Keencut Ltd | Fined £3,000 under PUWER 1998 / MHSWR 1999. 17 year old agency worker operating unguarded drilling machine. Common practice. No RA. | HSE Prosecution Case F090000409 (10/6/03) |
| Plascoat UK Ltd | Fined £6,500 under MHSWR 1999 / WHSWR 1992 / PUWER 1998. FLT operator injured by reversing lorry after dismounting to clear spilt load. No RA, FLT maintenance programmes, refresher training or segregated traffic routes. | HSE Prosecution Case F100000490 (10/6/03) |
| SP Power Systems Ltd | Fined £4,000 under MHSWR 1999. Killed during the replacement of a rotten wooden pole used for low voltage power. No information, instruction, training or supervision. | HSE Prosecution Case F210000423 (10/6/03) |
| David Paine Associates Ltd | Fined £3,000 under HASAWA 1974 s2. Injured falling from a trolley balanced on FLT tines. No safe system of work. | HSE Prosecution Case F070000413 (11/6/03) |
| Westgate Ltd | Fined £1,000 under EWR 1989. Risk of injury from unsafe electrical socket. No maintenance. | HSE Prosecution Case F110000789 (11/6/03) |
| Hodgson & Hodgson Ltd | Fined £12,000 under HASAWA 1974 s3. Agency worker injured falling 19' from open edge on 2nd fl of building whilst carrying out loading work. No safe system of work or edge protection barriers in place. | HSE Prosecution Case F120000455 (11/6/03) |
| Childscape | Guilty under HASAWA 1974 s2. An arborist working in a tree with top handled chainsaw. No emergency procedures to effect an aerial rescue, for the only other worker on site had not been given training. | HSE Prosecution Case F160000392 (11/6/03) |
| Norwest Holst Construction Ltd | Fined £25,500 under HASAWA 1974 s3 / CHSWR 1996. Injured when steel reinforcing bar fell during lifting operation. Improper slinging and control of work activity. | HSE Prosecution Case F080000348 (12/6/03) |
| Edmund Nuttall Ltd | Fined £25,500 under HASAWA 1974 s3 / CHSWR 1996. Injured when steel reinforcing bar fell during lifting operation. Improper slinging and control of work activity. | HSE Prosecution Case F080000349 (12/6/03) |
| Francis McVey | Fined £2,000 under CAWR 1987 / CDMR 1994. Spread of asbestos during construction work. No control measures. | HSE Prosecution Case F230000166 (12/6/03) |
| Polestar Purnell Ltd | Fined £25,000 under HASAWA 1974 s2. A fire occurred during a printing process using solvents. Failure to control solvent vapour. | HSE Prosecution Case F010000639 (13/6/03) |
| Kitchen Craft (UK) Ltd | Fined £9,000 under PUWER 1998. Injured whilst using a bench saw. Poor guarding and inadequate training. | HSE Prosecution Case F010000668 (13/6/03) |
| Interpane Glass (UK) Ltd | Fined £5,000 under HASAWA 1974 s2. Injured in powered vertical rollers on manufacturing line whilst removing stickers from the roller prior to work. Foot operated controls overridden. No guarding, safe system of work or RA. | HSE Prosecution Case F160000406 (13/6/03) |
| More working time measures introduced. | The DTI has introduced new measures to protect workers from excessive hours and unreasonable working patterns. They affect employment sectors previously excluded from the 1998 Working Time Dir. | DTI Tel:020-7215-5000 RoSPA Occup Safety & Health Bulletin 2003 32(8):3 |
| DWP plans for ELCI. | Dept for Work & Pensions proposals to help deal with the costs of ELCI as part of a cross departmental government review. | Internet: www.dwp.gov.uk RoSPA Occup Safety & Health Bulletin 2003 32(8):5 |
| RoSPA Driver Profiler tool. | A PC-based assessment tool that highlights weak areas of driver competency and is designed to separate out fleet drivers based on their capabilities. | 'The Driver Profiler' RoSPA Ms R O'Shea Tel:0121-248-2065 RoSPA Occup Safety & Health Bulletin 2003 32(8):7 |
| Successful prosecution under Workplace Regs. | Mr R Thompson, a furniture manufacturer, fined £8,000 + £3,000 costs. No fire alarms, detectors or fire fighting equipment. Blocked exit routes. | Fire Prevention 2003 371 (Aug):4 |
| White Paper outlines radical reform. | Government's programme for transforming the fire service into a more proactive organisation. | 'Our fire and rescue service' Fire Prevention 2003 371 (Aug):12-14 |
| Lift logic. | Whether emergency escape lifts should be used as a major means of escape in super high-rise buildings. (A So, T Lai & J Yu) | Fire Prevention 2003 371 (Aug):26-28 |
| Sound effects. | The technology available for raising the alarm in the event of a fire. (B Chapman) | Fire Prevention 2003 371 (Aug):29-30,32 |
| Deaf defying. | The implementation of new legislation such as the Disability Discrimination Act should raise the standards of fire safety provision for deaf people. (E Parker) | Fire Prevention 2003 371 (Aug):33-35 |
| Offshore industry advisory committee holds open session in Aberdeen. | The HSC's Offshore Industry Advisory Comm will hold its 4th open public session in Aberdeen on 4/9/03. | Ms T Webster OIAC Tel:020-7717-6707 HSC Press Release C042:03 22/8/03 |
| Asthma workshop to be opened by new minister in European Week for Safety and Health. | During the European Week for Safety and Health 13-18/10/03, Des Browne, Minister responsible for H&S at the DWP will open a workshop focusing on the prevention of occupational asthma. | Internet: www.bohs.org/asthmaworkshop HSE Press Release E165:03 27/8/03 |
| Second HSE blitz on falls from height in construction. | In Sept inspectors will again be visiting construction sites across the UK as part of a Europe wide campaign to reduce falls from heights. | HSE Press Release E166:03 27/8/03 |
| A new way to help protect workers' backs. | The HSE's new Manual Handling Assessment Chart will help managers identify high risk manual handling jobs. | Internet: www.hse.gov.uk/msd/mac HSE Press Release E161:03 29/8/03 |
| B Nobbs & GM Nobbs | Fined £2,500 under PUWER 1998 / RIDDOR 1995. Injured whilst using a spindle moulder. No guarding which was common practice. No accident report to HSE. | HSE Prosecution Case F010000669 (16/6/03) |
| Peter Allen Preston | Fined £5,000 under HASAWA 1974 s37. S37 charge substituted for a manslaughter charge. Followed the investigation of a fatality at Ford, [previously reported]. | HSE Prosecution Case F020000514 (16/6/03) |
| Paul McKenzie | Fined £5,000 under HASAWA 1974 s37. Followed the investigation of a fatality at Ford, [previously reported]. Prosecution of a director who pleaded guilty. | HSE Prosecution Case F020000515 (16/6/03) |
| Dong Jin Precision UK Ltd | Fined £15,000 under MHSWR 1999. Injured whilst using a grinding machine. Main guard not properly interlocked. | HSE Prosecution Case F190000398 (16/6/03) |
| Gilsons the Bakers Ltd | Fined £5,000 under PUWER 1998 / MHSWR 1999. Injured whilst cleaning unguarded discharge area of a food depositor. HSE guidance but inadequate RA. | HSE Prosecution Case F090000410 (19/6/03) |
| Seafield Holdings Ltd | Fined £9,000 under HASAWA 1974 s2 / PUWER 1998 / RIDDOR 1995. HGV driver injured by unstable, unguarded switch unit to fuel delivery pump. Problem known to management. No accident report to HSE. | HSE Prosecution Case F140000339 (19/6/03) |
| Caparo Engineering Ltd | Fined £3,000 under EWR 1989 / MHSWR 1999. Two electricians injured working on power converter unit for a drop forging press. Live working. No RA, method statement or permit to work. Unsuitable test equipment. | HSE Prosecution Case F190000412 (19/6/03) |
| O'Brien Properties Ltd | Fined £6,000 under HASAWA 1974 s3 / CHSWR 1996. Failure to ensure scaffolding was maintained in a safe condition. As a result, persons carrying out work were liable to fall >2m. | HSE Prosecution Case F230000118 (19/6/03) |
| Birmingham Children's Hospital | Fined £2,000 under EWR 1989. Known standards not being achieved or otherwise managed. Equipment in poor repair and system in place fell into disuse. | HSE Prosecution Case F100000492 (20/6/03) |
| Burman Hi-Ton Ltd | Fined £20,000 under HASAWA 1974 s2 / PUWER 1998 / MHSWR 1999. Injured using a drilling machine. No guarding, insufficient RA. Instruction, training and supervision did not cover risk. | HSE Prosecution Case F100000576 (20/6/03) |
| B&S Engineering (Cradley) Ltd | Fined £1,500 under EWR 1989. Injured by 415v electric shock. Failure to maintain 3 phase twin and earth extension cable which had a visible split in insulation. No PAT testing. | HSE Prosecution Case F120000473 (20/6/03) |
HSE Prosecutions Database (4 Feb 2007)
After a gap of around a year, HSE is now posting prosecutions again. We have started inputting cases with hearing dates after 1-Nov-2006 and will update new cases weekly as they are reported. In view of the volume of prosecutions now posted, we are not inputting previous cases. There will therefore be a gap in our database from a hearing date of 24 January 2006 until November 1st. Anyone not finding a case which may have been heard between January and November 2006, should therefore try searching the HSE Prosecutions database.
When the HSE relaunched the Prosecution database in January 2007, after a break of around a year, they appear to have changed the format of the case numbers. Therefore, for all entries with a hearing date before the 24 January 2006 you should search the HSE database using the defendants name instead of the case number we have quoted if you wish to check details for yourself.
Disclaimer
Whilst every effort is taken to ensure that H & S News entries are an accurate summary of the source data, at the time of publication on the HASTAM website, HASTAM cannot accept any responsibility for errors or omissions in transcription. Further, HASTAM cannot accept any responsibility for the content of the information to be found in the source materials.
HASTAM cannot accept any liability for any events arising from the use of this information. We strongly recommend that, if any information from any H & S News entry is to be used for any specific purpose, the original source is checked to confirm accuracy and to enable the user to take account of the full information. This is particularly important in the case of HSE Prosecutions where the HSE may have withdrawn a specific entry subsequent to its publication in H & S News. Entries can be checked using the search facility on www.hse-databases.co.uk/prosecutions
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