H&S News March 2007

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An independent review of oil giant BP's safety culture in the US has criticised its British-based board for inadequate leadership and a corporate blind spot that led it to focus on personal safety at the expense of process safety.

The Government has its work cut out to push through the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Bill without changes, following an amendment passed in the House of Lords extending the Bill's reach to cover the police and prison services.

Cloham, trading as Happy Home Furnishers, has been found not guilty of an H&S charge, which held them liable for the death of contractor Nigel Page of Page Roofing.  Page was making repairs to the retailer's warehouse when he fell 6m through a fragile rooflight.

WM Morrisons fined £5,000 and costs of 1,693.  Employee Patricia Finch suffered burns to her upper leg and foot after spilling fat from a deep-fat fryer while standing in for absent kitchen staff.  Finch was not competent to use fryers as she hadn't worked in the kitchen for 18 months.

Agreement on absence management that averted strikes planned by the T&G union.  Colds and flu leading to blocked ears, diarrhoea, vomiting and sickness abroad are among the conditions agreed by BA as making cabin crew unfit for duty.

Peter Clement has won a six-figure sum in compensation from his former employer, Corus.  Clement suffered 43% burns and other injuries in the steelworks explosion in 2001.

Best Build fined £12,500 and £1,000 costs.  Electrician, Neil Nadin, fell 3m through a rooflight.  No risk assessment and no guard rails in place.

The HSE has updated its website area on managing human performance.  New topics include safety-critical communications, supervision and behavioural safety.

Mining firm UK Coal has had to halt production at Daw Mill Colliery after contractor, Anthony Carrigan was killed when a tunnel wall collapsed on him.  Third fatality in 8 months.  HSE has ordered a thorough review of ground control requirements.

Marine Harvest Farm fined £5,500 following the death of marine Martin Blackley, who drowned while helping to clear a 16m-deep fish pen with a friend.  The owners of the fish farm supplied Blackley with no lifeline, no back-up oxygen and defective scuba equipment.

The FPB has called for more detail on doctors' sick notes so employees can better judge whether absences are justified.

The T&G Union is withdrawing from the Ports Industry National Committee for Health, Safety, Skills and Standards, claiming it is too dominated by employers' interests and is not fit to be the lead body for safety training and promotion in UK ports.  At least one other union is considering following suit.

The new NHS Injury Costs Recovery (ICR) scheme that allows the NHS to recover the costs of treating employees injured in workplace accidents could raise insurance premiums, employers' organisations have warned.

A £400,000 penalty for Nexen Petroleum UK after a massive hydrocarbon leak at its North Sea Scott platform has been criticised as too small by trade unions.  No-one was injured in the incident, but the HSE said it was only by chance the cloud of gas did not ignite and cause serious or fatal injuries.

Car-parts manufacturer, Hashimoto fined £15,000 and £30,000 costs.  Employee Ray Davison was left with 85% burns when the chemical xylene spilled onto his clothes and caught fire.  He died three days later.  No H&S policy, lack of staff training, ineffective management controls.

Harron Homes fined £18,000 and £4,210 costs.  Four bricklayers fell 2.4m when the first floor of a house collapsed.  The floor, which was supported by joists fixed to the building by joist hangers, collapsed under the weight of the men and a stack of concrete blocks.  No formal safe system of work or written method statement.

Epichem fined £20,000 and costs of £13,416 after two explosions at its premises in Bromborough, caused by severe over-heating during a chemical process.  Employee Paul Evans was seriously injured and another man suffered minor injuries.

Following a media storm over the use - or misuse - of ladders to change smoke detectors, the HSE has issued a clarification of the "three points of contact" rule and reiterated its view that ladders should only be used when a RA has ruled out safer methods of working.

More than one million people claiming Incapacity Benefit in 2006 said they were unable to work due to mental health problems, an increase of 50% on 1997.

The early fruits of the HSE's biggest ever workplace campaign: Better Backs.  (Sara Bean)

The countdown to smoke-free workplaces has begun.  Some organisations that have already made the switch.  (Jocelyn Dorrell)

The latest article for students of the NEBOSH National Diploma covers facilities provision for workers' rest and welfare.  (Lawrence Bamber)

Why lingering rumours of a ladder ban are greatly exaggerated.  (Paul Reeve)

The importance of thorough rescue planning for workers left hanging in harness.  (Roger H Smith)

The options for access using powered mobile platforms.  (Gordon Leicester)

Assessing and testing gas detectors before you commit yourself will help you choose the right model for the job.  (Sarah Ursulan)

After months of prevarication, the Government has finally conceded that its proposed offence of corporate manslaughter should be extended to some unincorporated bodies.

In the wake of the outbreak of disease at the Bernard Matthews poultry farm in Suffolk, the HSE released an updated version of its guidance for inspectors on avian flu.

The HSE published a guide in January for small and medium-sized enterprises on handling alcohol-related problems at work.

The HSL has released a report on data collected under the Asbestos Workers Survey which shows a marked shift over the past 30 years in the types of licensed asbestos workers who have undergone medical examinations.

The HSE has confirmed that its proposed Biocidal Products (Amendment) Regs 2006 will not come into force until 6 April 2007.

The HSE issued occupational guidance on BSE in January.  Compliance should mean that, "workers will have a negligible risk of being exposed to BSE infection".

The HSE has published the advice that it gives inspectors on investigating suspected breaches of s.3 of the HSW Act.

The HSE updated its advice on 6 February for training providers who wish to run first-aid-at-work courses.

On 5 February, the HSE produced a detailed report on the "headline" offshore injury and ill-health statistics for 2005/06 that it released in autumn 2006.

The HSE published advice on 24 January for employers on 'Slips and trips in icy conditions'.

The HSE has published case studies of stress management in the education, health, finance and service sectors.

HSE-commissioned research has concluded that the impact of H&S activity on business productivity is not very strong.

In an Opinion that generally finds against the EC, the advocate general to the ECJ has made it more likely that the UK will be allowed to continue its use of "so far as is reasonably practicable" (SFAIRP) when implementing H&S directives.

The lessons from the second year of the HSE's construction worker engagement initiative.  (Lucinda Ponting)

The HSE has published a consultation document to help shape its future policy on the advice given to Planning Authorities when they consider applications close to large scale petrol facilities.

The HSE and Calderdale MBC have joined forces to stage an action-packed week aimed at businesses in the area, with events ranging from fleet management to construction safety.

The HSE has announced a programme of intensive inspections in the Home Counties region during 2007 following the deaths of eight builders in Herts and Bucks over the last two-and-a-half years.

The EMWWT and the HSE will be hosting an H&S event on an active construction site in Burton on 22 March.  Those working in the industry will be advising on good practice and safety procedures when on site.

Michael Allinson and Lakeland Property Consultants and Management Co. Ltd each fined £1,500 and costs of £315.  HSE inspector found Allinson and his two employees risking serious injury as they dismantled a roof whilst standing on top of it, with no form of protection to prevent them from falling.

Equestrian Studies students from Calderdale College are ready to help you back a winner with their own 'spot the H&S difference' test.  It is one of the centrepieces of an Agricultural H&S Awareness day at the end of Calderdale's first Safer Working Communities week.

Dermatitis is a very serious issue for the hairdressing industry.  The HSE and Calderdale Council are staging a free advice seminar aimed particularly at the hairdressing industry as a key part of the first Calderdale Safer Working Communities week.

Reducing farm accidents will be the theme of a free half-day safety awareness event held by the HSE in Chester on 6 March.  The day will feature six safety scenarios that highlight the risks of certain work activities and offer practical advice for safe practice.

Reducing farm accidents will be the theme of a free half-day safety awareness event held by the HSE in Lancaster on 8 March.  The day will feature six safety scenarios that highlight the risks of certain work activities and offer practical advice for safe practice.

The Pink Leisure Ld fined £10,000 and costs of £4,753 costs, and Eclipse Developments Ltd fined £15,000 and costs of £6,535.  Employees were exposed to asbestos during refurbishment work.

Fined £5,000 under HASAWA 1974 s3.  Scaffolding collapse.

Fined total of £6,500 under CHSWR 1996 and HASAWA 1974 s3.  Scaffolding fall.

Fined £13,000 under HASAWA 1974 s2.  IP was shot blasting from a scaffold tower when he fell against it, causing it to collapse.

Fined total of £5,000 under ALR and CAWR 2002.    Asbestos removal not subject to licensing conditions or safe removal method.

Fined total of £500 under ALR and CAWR 2002.  Asbestos removal not subject to licensing conditions or safe removal method.

Fined total of £2,000 under COSHH 2002.  Ill-health amongst employees as a consequence of poor/absent control measures over a prolonged period despite advice from HSE since 2004. 

Fined £18,000 under HASAWA 1974 s2.  Son of MD killed when struck by a number of private vehicles when banking construction plant from the verge of a single carriageway bypass onto the highway.

Fined £18,000 under HASAWA 1974 s3.  Employee of subcontractor killed when struck by a number of private vehicles when banking construction plant from the verge of a single carriageway bypass onto the highway.

Fined £18,000 under HASAWA 1974 s3.  Employee of subcontractor killed when struck by a number of private vehicles when banking construction plant from the verge of a single carriageway bypass onto the highway.  Principal contractor.

Fined total of £60,000 under WHSWR 1992 and MHSWR 1999.  Employee struck by reversing FLT.

Fined £4,000 under HASAWA 1974 s3.  Scaffolding collapse.

Fined £35,000 under HASAWA 1974 s3.  Fatal accident after fall through fragile roof during demolition.

Fined total of £20,000 under HASAWA 1974 s2 and LOLER 1998.  Fatal accident after fall through fragile roof during demolition.

Fined total of £10,000 under HASAWA 1974 s2.  Fatal accident after fall through fragile roof during demolition.  MD of demolition sub-contractor.

Fined £2,500 under HASAWA 1974 s7.  Fatal accident after fall through fragile roof during demolition.  Site foreman.

Fined £20,000 under HASAWA 1974 s3.  Fatal accident after fall through fragile roof during demolition.  MD of principal contractor.

New legislation which came into force last month allows the NHS to recover costs from insurance companies through a scheme based on existing arrangements for dealing with road accident victims.  The Government estimates that more than £150m could be put back into patient care.

Tracy Ann Daw has been paid £135,545 in damages by her employer, Intel Corporation, after suffering a breakdown in 2001 brought on by pressure at work.  Intel failed to address Daw’s repeated protests about her workload.  The Court of Appeal’s decision to uphold the earlier ruling means that an employer’s provision of counselling services and medical assistance will not be enough in future.

The Government has announced it will accept the recommendations made in the BRC’s report ‘Risk, Responsibility and Regulation - Whose risk is it anyway?’.  It has agreed that risk needs to be managed in a sensible and proportionate way.

Seven garment-factory workers employed by companies such as Courtaulds, Coats Viyella and Pretty Polly have claimed damages for industrial deafness arising from low-levels of exposure to workplace noise during the 1980s.  However, the judge ruled that the companies involved are not liable.

Tony Blair has assured the Commons Liaison Committee that he is committed to the Corporate Manslaughter Bill, despite reports that it would be scrapped if the House of Lords voted to include deaths in prisons and police cells.

Geoffrey Stead has been awarded ‘substantial compensation’ from British Rail having been diagnosed with pleural thickening as a result of stripping out asbestos-laden pipes from old boiler houses.  The DTI has made a bid to reverse last year’s High Court ruling that former dockers suffering from asbestos-related illnesses could seek compensation from the Government.  Debra Brewer is to sue the MoD £75,000 as she believes she has contracted terminal lung cancer by inhaling asbestos dust as she hugged her father, Philip Northmore, who worked as a lagger.  Finally, Les Skramstad, a major campaigner in the fight for a global ban on asbestos, died from mesothelioma in January.

The global workforce isbecoming fatter, sicker and less productive, owing to chronic conditions such as heart disease and diabetes.  A new report ‘Working Towards Wellness: Accelerating the Prevention of Chronic Disease’ by PricewaterhouseCoopers Health Research Institute in conjunction with the World Economic Forum, has identified chronic disease as a growing and costly threat to corporations and their workers.

From 27 February, drivers caught using mobile phones will receive three points on their licences.  Road safety groups have warned employers to be sure they are not falling foul of the law.

Minister for Employment and Welfare Reform, Jim Murphy, announced a review of the Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (IIDB) scheme to suit a more service-based workforce and to help more people get back into work.

A road worker has secured £42,000 compensation from Derbyshire County Council for injuries caused by exposure to vibrating tools.  Inadequate protective equipment, no medical surveillance.

The NEC in Birmingham fined £20,000 and costs of £13,500.  An employee was injured while trying to lift a 53kg motor on his own.  No safe system of work, no H&S training, RAs hadn’t been revised for 10 years and no consideration had been given to manual handling.

Folidek Roofings Ltd fined £15,000 and costs of £6,939.  Lee Quinlan was working on a roof when one of the asbestos panels he was standing on gave way and he fell 7m sustaining serious injuries.  The contracts manager had sent away a tower scaffold hired in for the job, so Quinlan’s two colleagues were working from a ladder.  Inadequate method statement.

Peter Swinbourne and Nicholas Rawlins, trading jointly as Dover Building and Property Maintenance, each fined £10,000 and £1,290 costs.  Teenager Martin Sankey, on his second day of work experience, was working next to an unguarded lift well when he blacked out and fell 6m through the well, sustaining serious injuries.

LINPAC Materials Handling UK Ltd fined £2,500 and costs of £13,000 for failing to control the risk of legionella caused by a chiller unit at its Walsall site.  Poor maintenance of chiller unit, lack of biocide treatment.

David Clark, a self-employed builder from Chippenham, fined £2,000 and costs of £1,500 for failing to properly plan work on a roof, or select appropriate protective equipment.  HSE inspectors found him with none of the safety measures required for working at height.

Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council fined £12,000 and costs of £4,884.  Steven Walsh, a technician at Counthill community school in Oldham, suffered injuries to his hand from an unguarded circular saw blade.  No training in the use and maintenance of woodworking machinery.

The case and possible outcomes of the final judgement of the European Court of Justice on reasonable practicability.  (Mike Appleby)

In 2005 specialist lender Bradford & Bingley plc found itself subject to a local authority investigation into its management of work-related stress.  This started a two-year programme of work to tackle a hazard that has become more common in the modern workplace.  (John Hamilton)

On 29 January the Government’s NHS Injury Costs Recovery Scheme came into effect in England, Scotland and Wales.  The implications of the new scheme for practitioners.  (Jonathan Coatman)

Effective training is a vital aspect of any risk management strategy.  A five-step checklist to get the most out of training programmes.  (Kate Beaven-Marks)

Lifts are a feature of almost all buildings and as they are in constant use, they have the potential to seriously injure if not managed and run safely.  A few key issues for duty-holders.  (Eamonn Reid)

Agricultural inspectors are concerned that tree surgeons and fellers may be involved in a seasonal rise in accidents as high winds damage branches and trunks.  Anyone using a chainsaw must be properly trained and wear appropriate PPE.

Current issues in occup health will be examined in the updated website set up by the British Heart Foundation’s national centre for physical activity and health.

Scientists at Loughborough University are examining the effects of driving on people’s health with the aim of developing an ergonomics tool for companies to manage occup risks.

Stonetec Ltd fined £30,000 and AAA Scaffolding Ltd fined £48,750 following a scaffolding collapse in Palmerston Place, Edinburgh, in which member of the public, Sarah McGeachy, was seriously injured.  Insufficient ties to keep the scaffold attached to the adjacent building.

South West London and St George’s Mental Health Trust fined £7,500 and £3,694 costs following the death of 88 year-old William Durrant.  Durrant was leaving Springfield University Hospital when he fell, injuring his hip and wrist.  He died a month later.

Michael Tony Mortimer of Merry Lees fined £50,000 and costs of £43,881 following the death of Daniel Leighton.  Leighton was working on a house extension in Cossington when the tower scaffolding he was using fell over.  The HSE is warning firms and their employees to make sure proper precautions are in place when working at height.

The HSE is running a Safety Awareness Day in Builth Wells on 14th March where farmers from Wales and Worcestershire can get advice on the best way to manage risks and run a safe business.

The HSE told nearly 200 Cheshire farmers gathered at a farm safety awareness day not to “pay the big price” for lack of attention to H&S matters.

Over 80 bodyshop paint sprayers from across Lincolnshire are expected to attend a H&S day in South Hykeham on 16th March.  Motor vehicle repair paint sprayers have an 80 times higher risk of getting asthma compared with other UK workers.  The event will focus on reducing exposure to isocyanate paints, which can cause long term and life threatening illness.

The HSE told over 200 Lancashire farmers gathered at a farm safety awareness day not to “pay the big price” for lack of attention to H&S matters.

SFJ Ltd fined £15,000 and costs of £7,500.  Clive Forbes was assisting with the unloading of a cement mixer when he was lifted into the air with the mixer and fell, sustaining serious injuries.  Supervisor inadequately trained.

If proposals in a draft Coroners Bill are adopted, coroners will be given stronger powers to ensure that lessons are learned from workplace deaths.

Derby City Council fined £42,000 and costs of £58,000 following the death of 12 year-old Vicky Thomas, who died after a section of fence at Osmaston Park collapsed on top of her.  HSE has said that local authorities should review how they maintain their railings and fences.

UKAEA fined £140,000 after pleading guilty to four charges, including dumping radioactive waste in a landfill on the Dounreay nuclear reactor site between 1963 and 1975.

William Hargreaves fined £1,500 after a 15 year-old schoolboy was seriously injured when he fell from scaffolding while on a two-week work experience placement.  Insufficient steps taken to prevent a fall from height.  Site manager was unaware of the boy’s presence on site and therefore didn’t include him in the site H&S induction process.

A new unit is being set up to provide the Government with independent professional advice on fire, rescue and resilience matters.

Amicus is calling for action from the government to combat workplace allergies.  It wants more funding to identify and remove, or neutralise, the causes of workplace allergies, and to put in place genuine schemes to help re-employ those already affected.

HSE’s ongoing review of its Corporate Medical Unit has sparked concerns from Prospect - the union representing workers at the HSE - that the specialist unit could be closed.  HSE is seeking to shed 250-350 jobs in response to government funding cutbacks.

‘Work & Health - Changing how we think about common health problems’ is a new guidance leaflet calling for a culture change in how health issues and sickness absence are dealt with in the workplace.

Employers across the country have taken part in ‘listening exercises’ held by the Government in an effort to address how mental health issues are handled in the workplace.  British businesses are estimated to be losing more than £9 billion every year because of mental health problems at work.

The HSE is warning local authorities across Scotland to be proactive in identifying and addressing H&S issues affecting their staff.  This comes after Dundee City Council was issued with an Improvement Notice for failing to have adequate management systems and provisions in place.

BUPA Care Homes (CFC Homes) fined £18,000 after Mrs Newton, an 80-year-old care home resident became trapped in rails fitted to her bed.  She died shortly afterwards.  Poor RA and awareness of potential risks, inadequate staff training and unsuitable bed rails.

The Institute of Occupational Medicine (IOM) has opened its archives to give free access to around 500 research reports it has conducted since 1969 to the present day.

A new Code of Practice for professional users of pesticides has been published online by The Scottish Executive.  Similar guidance was published for England and Wales last year.

Employees working for Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council and the North Glamorgan NHS Trust are invited to take part in the ‘Wellbeing in Work’ study to discover more about the relationship between health and wellbeing in work, in order to develop new ways of improving the quality of people’s working lives.

RoSPA’s online driver RA tool, ‘Driver Profiler’, was named the ‘Innovative Road Safety Product of the Year’ at the Highways Magazine Excellence Awards.

RoSPA is running two half-day briefings on 26th March covering H&S in nursing and residential homes, and in the domiciliary services.  The briefings will cover key issues such as fire RAs, lifting equipment, and aggression.

A filming technique used regularly during the making of blockbusters is now being used to find ergonomic solutions to H&S problems faced by workers in this country.  (Nick Cook)

In December 2005, an amendment was made to the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 which specifically addressed the issue of mental health discrimination.  Over a year on, and some employers still seem to be finding it difficult getting to grips with the law change.  (Elizabeth Gates)

Over the last twenty years, there have been enormous changes in the H&S field.  Changes in attitudes and legislation have led to a wealth of benefits for workers in the UK.  The H&S profession has also changed, with new roles opening up for the H&S professional.  (Gill MacLoughlin)

Responses to the simplification plan recently published by the HSE as part of the Government’s on-going drive ‘to cut red tape’ have included a call for HSE to review "the extent to which it can move towards a model based on earned autonomy".  How this can be achieved.  (Roger Bibbings)

New rules to crack down on people who obstruct emergency workers are now in force.  Under the new offence anyone who gets in the way of an emergency worker responding to emergency situations is liable to be prosecuted and fined up to £5,000.

Up to eleven million UK workers could face serious health problems from prolonged standing at work.  A survey of union national safety officers has discovered widespread consequences, from varicose veins to heart disease.

Lotus Construction Ltd fined £5,000 and costs of £1,143.  17 year-old sub-contractor Richard Green fell around 2.4m from the open edge of a first floor working platform.

Andrew Richardson of Southern Gas Conversions Ltd fined £500 and costs of £10,000 after being found guilty of failing to have the required insurance when a teenage mechanic was injured.

‘Accidents are not random’ highlights the dangers created by bad habits and complacency on the road.  All of the images of drivers used in this fast moving DVD were shot on UK roads last year.

Download free leaflets and posters giving guidance on H&S in the motor vehicle repair and associated industries from a dedicated web page produced by the HSE.

The H&S of migrants in the workforce has now become a major challenge.  The key issues for protecting ‘the most vulnerable workers of all’.  (Nick Cook)

According to new BHF research, fewer than one in ten of the general public have the skills to perform CPR.  The charity is encouraging people to sign up to one of their free Heartstart UK courses.

Findings from new research by the Trade Union Research Unit (TURU) into the experiences of over 1,000 staff in universities and colleges reveal disturbing levels of stress as workloads increase.  But only 16% of staff thought their institution was addressing the causes of stress.

The first findings of a review of the facilities and support available to workplace representatives are presented in a DTI consultation document.

A report on the first horizon scanning conference organised by the HSE can now be viewed online.  Horizon scanning is the process by which HSE systematically anticipates, identifies and prepares for new and changing risks in the workplace.

A review published by the World Health Organisation (WHO) examines the relationship between gender inequality and women workers’ health.

August 2006 saw 127 reported cases of Legionnaire’s disease.  Free online information and advice on how to keep wet cooling systems free from the disease can be found on the HSE’s website.

The Chief Executive of the HSE has responded to national newspapers after a series of articles claimed firemen had been banned from using stepladders to fit smoke alarms.  He said it is untrue.

A series of vicious attacks and van-jackings targeting Royal Mail delivery staff has prompted calls for urgent protection measures.  In the latest incident in December a postal worker was badly beaten and left lying on the pavement while his two assailants stole his van.

Fire Minister, Angela Smith has announced an additional £10.5m of funding for fire and rescue authorities in England to help them build a network of regional control centres that will improve their response to large scale natural disasters, industrial accidents and terrorist attacks.

Over 80 hairdressers from across the county are expected to attend a free advice seminar at Lincoln Drill Hall on 19th March.  The seminar aims to educate hairdressers about the risks of dermatitis.

The HSE is hosting a free workshop at the Three Counties Showground in Malvern on 14th March as the latest event in a nationwide series of Construction Safety and Health Awareness Days.  Aimed at small contractors, sole traders and the self-employed.

John Preston and Graham Cresswell each fined £7,500, and the University of the Arts London fined £20,000 and costs of £9,654.  Contractor Jeremy Davenport suffered serious injuries when he fell over 5m from a ladder he was using for access to a ledge.  The ladder also fell from the ledge, hitting member of the public, Desislava Ilieva.

R P Tyson Construction Ltd fined £16,000 and costs of £6,446 following the death of employee, Anthony Isherwood, during construction work at Hutton Grammar School.  All terrain lift truck reversed into a steel beam that was supporting a pack of floor decking, causing the steel decking to fall onto Mr Isherwood.

The HSE is inviting employers to a free event on March 21st in Cardiff where back experts, HSE inspectors and healthcare professionals will provide free advice to help employers avoid costs of back injuries.

Businesses based at London Luton Airport were told ‘look after your worker’s backs’ during a special Better Backs Awareness Day held 14th March.  Aimed to raise the profile of injuries caused by poor lifting and handling techniques.

EJ Lidster and Sons Ltd fined £70,000 and costs of £35,000.  Driver John Ferneyhough was attempting to load an excavator on to his lorry when the hook attachment on the crane he was using failed, causing the excavator to fall on the lorry.  Poor maintenance.

The HSC held their regular open meeting in Aberdeen.  Bill Callaghan said, "The Commission is committed to a policy of openness and to hearing at first hand about H&S issues in all parts of Great Britain."

The HSE called the MoD to answer two Crown censures, both arising from fatalities involving the use of workplace transport.  HSE brought to light significant systematic shortcomings in the corporate arrangements for assessing transport risks in the MoD.

Bill Callaghan recognises that it is not possible, nor desirable to eliminate risk altogether, but that it should be managed using practical controls.

North East Environmental and Director, Henry Robinson, each fined £4,600 for carrying out work without licence.

Fined £3,500 under PUWER 1998.  Accident caused by a guarding deficiency that had existed for some time.

Fined £13,000 under HASAWA 1974 s3.  Agency worker injured by travelling crane whilst working in overhead gantry.  Inadequate SoW.

Fined £20,000 under HASAWA 1974 s2.  IP run over by dumper.

Fined £2,500 under HASAWA 1974 s21.  Non-compliance of a Notice.

Fined £10,000 under HASAWA 1974 s2.  Observation of two employees in unsupported excavation approx 2m deep.

Fined £1,000 under HASAWA 1974 s7.  Observation of two employees in unsupported excavation approx 2m deep.

Fined £1,500 under WHR 2005.  Employee fell through unprotected stairwell opening.

Fined £5,000 under CSR 1997.  IP was trapped in a Lavatec Tunnel Batch Washer for approx 20 mins after he went in to clear a blockage.  No rescue procedure.

The warning follows the prosecution of Bau GmBH and Re-Construction UK Ltd following poor management during the construction of the Lidl store in Nottingham.  Bau GmBH fined £100,000 and costs of £6,188.  Re-Construction Ltd fined £50,000 and costs of £6,188.  From 2003 to 2005 the two companies were served with seven Prohibition Notices between them.

James Marsh, a burglar, has been jailed for three-and-a-half years for discarding a cigarette in a shop in Canterbury, causing a major fire.  Crews rescued eight residents living in flats above the shop.

Fire and rescue services across the UK are warning the public of the danger of sterilising cleaning cloths and sponges in microwave ovens after a number of house fires.

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh have visited London’s newest fire station at Millwall to learn more about youth engagement activities, including the acclaimed Local Intervention Fire Education (LIFE) programme.  This intensive five-day course for young people offers the opportunity to learn firefighting skills alongside London firefighters.

More than 90 participants from 11 European countries met recently at the Fire Across Europe seminar, organised by the Federation of British Fire Organisations, to discuss how fire issues can gain greater prominence in Europe.

Some 150 firefighters and 30 appliances were in attendance at a fire in a six-storey block of flats in Knightsbridge.  One of the largest turnouts of London Fire Brigade in recent times. 

Campaigners are urging the EC to better promote the Europe-wide emergency number 112.  Concerns have been raised that many people across the EU are unaware of the 112 number.

Following the launch of ‘Strategy for Children and Young People’, Communities and Local Government has launched a new action plan to help the fire and rescue service combat fire-related youth crime.

With most fire-related deaths and injuries continuing to happen in the home, the housing sector should be fully utilised.  (Sarah Davis)

The Integrated Clothing Project (ICP) aims to deliver a standard level of appropriate protection for firefighters across England and create a stronger national identity for the fire and rescue service.  The arrangements.  (Paul Fuller)

A recent survey has found that, despite the advent of the Fire Safety Order, poor fire safety management is still a persistent problem.  (Chris Pearce)

This April sees changes to the fire safety aspects of the Building Regs and guidance coming into effect.  The main changes and views of key stakeholders.

The new Approved Document B’s (ADB) guidance on fire alarms in dwellings falls short of that set out in the relevant code of practice.  (Gerald Jones)

The Passive Fire Protection Federation (PFPF) welcomes the new ADB but wonders if the document is starting to show its age.  (David Sugden)

The updated ADB will aid understanding of the requirements but there are also some controversial changes.  (Barry Turner)

Lift-assisted evacuation is a key component of the fire strategy for the Belle van Zuylen Tower, a 70-level superstructure planned for Utrecht.  (Rachel Taylor)

The demand for integrated fire engineered solutions is growing to meet the needs of modern office buildings, as a new project in the City of London shows.  (Piotr Tofilo)

The investigation into the fire at the Beaufort Park development in north London in 2006 has raised concerns over on-site safety and the construction methods used.  (Adair Lewis, David Poxon)

A safe approach route procedure that emergency services can adopt at incidents where a toxic inhalation hazard is suspected.  (Simon Young)

Recent developments in fire detection technology and some interesting pointers to future trends.  (Don Scott)

How the fire detection industry is looking to improve the performance of detectors and reduce false alarms.

An hypoxic air venting (HAV) system is a new form of fire prevention technology that works by controlling the relative levels of oxygen and nitrogen in the air, creating a ‘fire proof’ atmosphere.  How HAVs are protecting buildings.  (Jensen Geir)

The technology behind compressed air foam systems and some tips on how to maintain them.  (Keith Klassen)

The future of the much-delayed Manslaughter Bill is in disarray after the Government suffered a stinging defeat in the House of Lords.  The Lords voted by 223 to 127 in favour of an amendment to extend the proposed manslaughter law to cover deaths in prison and custody.

The Cumbrian rail crash that killed an 84-year-old woman and injured 22 others has prompted demands for a public inquiry.  This comes after a points failure was identified as the likely cause of the disaster by an initial report - as was the case in the 2002 Potters Bar train crash that killed 7 people.

Construction bosses are not amused after workers posted films of themselves performing dangerous stunts on the video-sharing website YouTube.

A coalition of 39 public sector pension funds has threatened to vote against the remuneration packages offered to top BP executives if the company does not improve its safety performance.

The TUC has called on employees to ‘work smart, not stupid’ after a report revealed that it will take until 2030 to end regular unpaid overtime of more than ten hours a week.

The government has announced that bosses may soon face fines of over £100 if staff drop cigarette butts outside their workplace.

The GMB union has called on public authorities to ensure that everything is being done to safeguard East Anglian poultry industry workers from bird flu.  This follows the outbreak of the disease at Bernard Matthews’ turkey farm in Suffolk.

Willowbrook Property Services Ltd fined £4,000 and costs of £12,000, and Jamie Collier-Baker fined £350.  Lance Smith was standing by a tipper truck helping an excavator truck unload when the digger’s bucket swung unexpectedly, slamming him against the truck and crushing his leg.  Collier-Baker, who was driving the excavator, was not qualified to do so.

Just Granite Ltd fined £10,000 and £4,470 in costs after Czech lorry driver, Lubomir Tihlar, was killed while helping to take granite slabs off his vehicle.  Inadequate RA.  

Facilities management contractors need to have high health and safety standards to keep the customer happy but Serco Integrated Services goes even further and will train a client’s staff as well.  How the company works.  (John Roper)

According to The British Crime Survey there were over 650,000 incidents of people being assaulted or threatened at work in England and Wales in 2004/05.  Some of the steps that employers can take to reduce the risk of violence to staff.  (Bill Fox)

Research into the most effective ways of engaging construction workers in H&S has found that informal approaches work best.  (Dr Billy Hare, Dr Iain Cameron)

Employers are increasingly using software systems to aid their management of H&S.  The steps to follow when selecting and implementing a package.  (Matt Duckhouse)

With Britain facing an increased threat of terrorism, many organisations are reviewing their evacuation procedures.  Some of the factors to take into account.  (Paul Moor)

More than 30 years on from the Flixborough chemical plant explosion, debate still rumbles on about why it happened.  Ahead of a special symposium on 13th April on the disaster, SM looks back at the controversy surrounding the inquiry and why arguments about Flixborough still continue.

An event aimed at cutting the number of major accidents caused by slips and trips to staff, students and pupils in the North East’s schools, colleges and universities was held on 20th March at City of Sunderland College, Washington.

The HSC reiterated its strong support for worker involvement for the H&S system at their public meeting.  Bill Callaghan said, "A fully involved and consulted workforce is a major contribution to achieving a healthier, safer workplace".

Speaking to childcare professionals at The Barnardo’s Annual Conference: Childhood Matter, Jonathan Rees of the HSE explained the importance of risk and adventure in children’s lives and recognising the need to manage it.

Delivering an annual lecture, Bill Callaghan stressed that "H&S needs to re-discover its roots, re-discover the art of the possible, rather than pursue the ideal of the perfect.  The human relations and H&S communities need to work more closely together to achieve this goal".

Over 100 hairdressers and hairdressing students from across the country are expected to attend a free advice seminar at New College Stamford on 26th March.  The seminar aims to educate hairdressers about the risks of dermatitis.

Greater Manchester Waste Ltd fined £50,000 and costs of £6,750.  Employee Dean Aldred suffered serious injuries after his hand was drawn into an in-running nip on a rotary screen.  Insufficient RA, inadequate guarding and safe system of work.

Asbestos analyst Kevin Breithaupt fined £2,500 and costs of £1,500 after he issued a clearance certificate following removal of asbestos from the boiler room of Maryville Primary School when asbestos was still present.

Fined £15,000 under HASAWA 1974 s2.  FLT overturned injuring employee.

Fined total of £6,000 under PUWER 1998.  IP injured while operating press.  No guarding fitted.

Fined £5,000 under HASAWA 1974 s2.  Accident to Craig Silver.

Fined total of £7,000 under HASAWA 1974 s21 and CHSWR 1996.  Follow up on IN.  Welfare facilities still not provided on site.

Fined £1,700 under WHSWR 1992.  Engineer fell 2.2m from a stepladder.  No RA or safe system of work for work at height.

Fined total of £12,500 under HASAWA 1974 s3 and WHR 2005.  Sub contract electrician fell approx 2.9m through one of five unprotected glass and timber roof lights.  Sustained serious injuries.

Geoffrey Podger outlined the H&S challenges facing the modern workplace.  He reiterated that a flexible and resolute approach will be required to respond to constantly changing work environments and make them safe, healthy and sustainable in the future. (More...)

Celtic Pine and Oak fined £7,050 and costs of £1,295.  Proprietors John and Melanie MacDonald failed to act on a faulty step and dangerous electrical wiring despite inspections and an Enforcement Notice.

Balfour Beatty Infrastructure Services fined £180,000 and £73,000 costs.  Jason Pepall was electrocuted by a live rail while working as a lookout for contractor McGinley Recruitment Services.  No RA or method statement.

According to new figures supplied to the HSC by the CPI, paper makers have cut their average accident rates by a third in the past three years.

Exel (UK), owner of the Tibbett & Britten business fined £10,000 and £23,378 costs.  John Rowland died after a half-tonne bale of plastic fell on him as he helped unload a trailer.  Inadequate safe system of work, which it then failed to implement properly.