H&S News June 2007

This initiative falls under HSE's overall 'Sensible Risks' campaign umbrella and entails the posting of a new myth-busting cartoon on the HSE website every month, with a caption setting the record straight.  The second of these cartoons - illustrating the myth that RAs must always be long and complex - appears this month.

An internal audit report concludes that there is a 'serious gap' in safety inspectors' implementation of HSE enforcement guidance.  It suggests that rather than prosecuting around 700 cases each year, the HSE should be prosecuting close to 2,000.

The new CDM Regs have come into force on time, despite Conservative resistance.  Lord McKenzie told construction leaders, "A successful partnership between the industry and the HSE has resulted in a set of regs based on sensible risk management and practical application."

According to a new campaign backed by the CBI and the TUC, working nine to five is damaging to health and will soon be a thing of the past for many workers.

According to legal firm Thompsons Solicitors, the families of asbestos victims in England and Wales are receiving 'derisory' compensation settlements compared to their Scottish counterparts.

Colonel Chris Manning, the Army's head of health, safety and environmental protection, has singled out the Corporate Manslaughter Bill as 'a challenge' to the armed services.  The Bill would allow the MoD to face corporate manslaughter charges for the first time.

The HSE has warned that the offshore oil and gas industry is facing a rise in the number of lifting accidents - as experienced staff leave the sector.

A comprehensive review of the health of the working age population has been announced by the Government.  It is hoped that the review will increase understanding of the beneficial link between work and health.

The BSC Middle East office was formally launched in April with an awards event at the British Embassy in Dubai.

BSC chairman Nina Wrightson OBE has been appointed a non-executive director of the National Health Service Litigation Authority.

The BSC has been operating for half a century.  It has a considerable H&S heritage - one to be proud of - but more importantly, at 50 years old, it has a major standing across the world.

Chemical manufacturers and suppliers could end up paying millions of pounds over the next decade to comply with the new REACH regs protecting people and the environment from risks posed by their products.  REACH comes into force 1st June.

Ministers have drafted changes to the Public Health (Control of Disease) Act 1984 to cover contamination by deliberate or accidental releases of chemicals or radiation as well as infectious diseases.

BNGSL have been issued with an Improvement Notice after an employee was injured during maintenance work in the glovebox suite at Sellafield.  Inspectors found that equipment in the suite was unreliable and was being used under conditions outside its original design intent, not being maintained in efficient working order and in good repair. 

According to the Health Protection Agency, every business and organisation should assess and review their protocols for handling mail.

Figures released by the Maritime & Coastguard Agency show that 124 people died last year as a result of maritime accidents.  For comparison, the previous year's total was 100.

Bill Callaghan commended the Access Industry Forum (AIF) for collaborative working in improving safety and providing innovative solutions to prevent workers being injured whilst working at height.

The HSE and gas trainer Building Services Training are working with Merthyr Tydfil Borough Council to make sure all staff dealing with gas appliances are up to speed on gas safety issues.

The HSE will be attending a Community Safety Information Day in Dundee on 16 June, organised by Tayside Fire and Rescue Service for migrant workers.  There will be a stand with a range of leaflets on H&S issues, including those affecting accommodation, in a number of Eastern European languages.

The HSE Construction Division will be carrying out targeted inspections on a variety of premises in Norwich on 6 June to check that businesses are getting it right when working at height and keeping their site in good working order.

Presswarm Double Glazing Co Ltd fined £9,000 and costs of £840.80 for contravening a requirement of an Improvement Notice.  The company failed to arrange for tests or examinations of electrical systems/equipment and failed to ensure the electrical systems were adequately maintained.

Fined £16,000 under HASAWA 1974 s2.  Fatal accident in which an FLT dislodged a steel beam causing a ribdeck stack to fall onto an employee.

Fined £100,000 under HASAWA 1974 s3.  Electrical fitter suffered serious electrical burns whilst working at Corus Heavy Section Mill, and later died as a result of his injuries.  Inadequate information, instruction and supervision provided by defendant as main contractor.

Fined £35,000 under HASAWA 1974 s2.  Electrical fitter suffered serious electrical burns whilst working at Corus Heavy Section Mill, and later died as a result of his injuries.  Inadequate information, instruction and supervision provided by defendant as employer.

Fined £100,000 under HASAWA 1974 s3.  Electrical fitter suffered serious electrical burns whilst working at Corus Heavy Section Mill, and later died as a result of his injuries.  Failure as Client to ensure workers had sufficient knowledge and experience.

Found guilty under MHSWR 1999 and fined £2,000.  Accident to Steven Law, thumb amputation.

Fined total of £50,000 under MHSWR 1999, PUWER 1998 and HASAWA 1974 s2.  Accident to employee whose hand became trapped in a drive roller.

Fined £2,000 under HASAWA 1974.  Employee fell from the roof of a lean-to building when a roof panel gave way as he put his weight on it.

Fined £10,000 under HASAWA 1974 s2.  IP seriously injured when caught between two pipes during pipe rolling operation.

Fined £2,000 under HASAWA 1974 s2.  Accident involving fall from height from vehicle.  Company failed to provide and maintain a safe system of work in relation to vehicle trailer unit loading operations.

Fined £2,000 under WHSWR 1992.  The company had a workforce with unsuitable and insufficient washing facilities whilst regularly, and in large amounts, using a substance hazardous to health.

Fined £50,000 under HASAWA 1974 s3.  New Lidl store under construction in Nottingham.  Company were the UK subsidiary of the Principal Contractors.  Failure to control the risks to subcontractors and members of the public created by the work on site.

Fined total of £100,000 under HASAWA 1974 s2 and s3.  New Lidl store under construction in Nottingham.  Company acting as Principal Contractors on the site.  Failure to control the risks to their employees, other subcontractors and members of the public created by the work on site.

Fined £2,500 under HASAWA 1974 s7.  Four-stage clearance certificate issued following a poor asbestos clean of a primary school's boiler room.

In a bid to reduce the number of deaths and injuries caused by falls and trips the HSE has announced that over 1000 nationwide inspections will take place on construction sites throughout June and July.

The Government has until 17 July to get the Corporate Manslaughter and Homicide Bill on to the statute book, following MPs' rejection of House of Lords amendments last month.  A Government compromise, which leaves the door open for an extension to deaths in custody - without the need for a new Bill - may lead to successful passage through the Lords.

The draft guidance led by IoD sets out an agenda for the effective leadership of H&S, and is designed for use by directors, governors, trustees, officers and their equivalents in organisations of all sizes in the private, public and voluntary sectors.

RoSPA's National Occup Safety and Health Committee has launched an 18-month project to look into the provision of help on H&S for small firms.

The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work is inviting nominations for the eighth European Good Practice Awards in Occup H&S.  The 2007 scheme will recognise organisations that have made outstanding and innovative contributions to promote an integrated management approach to tackle musculoskeletal disorders in the workplace.

The Cheshire area of the National Association of Flower Arranging Societies (NAFAS) was concerned to receive a letter from Guide Dogs for the Blind, requesting the former's flower clubs to stop collecting used stamps because of the associated "H&S issues".  A spokesperson for Guide Dogs for the Blind explained that, "staff were having to lift heavy bags and boxes of stamps and people have pulled their backs."

TJ Morris Ltd, the company behind retail chain Home Bargains, has been fined £120,000 and costs of £32,576.  Ian Edgar was fatally injured in a collision with an articulated lorry as he crossed the transport yard of the TJ Morris distribution centre in Gillmoss.  No segregation between vehicles and pedestrians and no designated route, information or instructions on how to cross the yard safely.

Carlisle Leisure Ltd (CLL) fined £20,000 and costs of £38,000.  Trainee assistant golf professional, Lee Sturrock, 18, was seriously injured when the modified tractor he was driving overturned, trapping him underneath.  The tractor had been modified by CLL and had an inadequate restraint system and insufficient RA.  Mr Sturrock had been in the job less than two weeks and had not received adequate training.

NAP Anglia fined £10,000 and MD Colin Arnold fined £10,000 and partial costs of £15,000.  Employee Fred Feathers fell 3m from incomplete scaffolding when it collapsed at a site in Stradbroke.  The scaffolding was not firmly erected, it was not proved that the person erecting it was competent and there were no toeboards.

How practitioners and human resources professionals can work together to avoid unfair dismissal claims from employees incapable of working owing to disability or illness.  (Kevin Bridges)

Ideas developed during the last 30 years of six key areas that practitioners could focus on to be effective.  (Steve Osborn)

Work environments that are structurally and culturally designed to facilitate preferred work practices will be rewarded with a positive difference to employee health and sense of well-being.  (Karen Coomer)

With the new Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals (REACH) legislation coming into force this month, a look at the implications for British businesses.  (Mark Blainey)

Over the last 40 years, civil and criminal law has heaped liabilities onto the shoulders of UK employers.  A look at the way in which liability in civil and criminal law has developed in H&S.  (David Branson)

In the wake of criticism of the Government for its lack of funding into the potential health effects of nanotechnology, an examination of this increasingly important area and what the safety and health practitioner needs to know.  (Dr Chris Ide)

Making the right respiratory protective equipment (RPE) selection can mean the difference between H&S or occup illness, and, in some instances, even death.  (Greg Barber)

The Court of Appeal has cleared the way for hundreds, perhaps thousands, of former dockworkers to pursue the Government for compensation for asbestos-related illnesses.

HSE-commissioned research by the Centre for Corporate Accountability has found that Britain is out of step with many other industrialised nations in not imposing statutory H&S duties on directors.

A survey by the FSB has reported an average of just 1.8 days of sickness absence for each employee in small and micro firms a year, compared with the 2006 all-firm average of 8 days reported by the Chartered Institute of Personnel Development.

According to a study by the  University of London and City University, there are 19 areas in which managers need to be competent in order to deal with workplace stress.  The most important are managing workloads and resources, having a "participative" approach and communicating well.

The HSE has added three more reports to its horizon scanning series, on virtual H&S, synthetic biology and the impact of environmental and other legislation on workplace H&S.

HSE-commissioned research has found that a "new and innovative approach" to reducing musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) results in "benefits in behaviour change and symptom reduction [that] persist over a longer period of follow-up".

Published: 'Management competencies for preventing and reducing stress at work'.

What has happened to public reporting on H&S.  (Howard Fidderman)

With so little known about the toxicity, safety or environmental hazards of nanoscale particles, should H&S professionals be concerned?  (Becky Allen)

Why the UK may not be such a bad place to work after all.  (Lucinda Ponting)

Over the next 12 weeks, small businesses will get the chance to get their ladders checked and where necessary, trade them in for new ones at a discounted price.  HSE is working with Local Authorities, ladder manufacturers and retailers to address the safety issues around access equipment with employers and ladder users.

Newhey Carpets Ltd fined £1,600 and costs of £1,324 after employee Gillian Handley, the main operator of a carpet-beaming machine, was seriously injured when she became entangled in the revolving machinery.  The machinery guarding was not fixed or interlocked and the trip wire was not in the correct position.

J D Macadam and Son (Garages) Ltd fined £4,000 and costs of £3,372.15.  Employees David Fretwell and Martin Wild received burns after an explosion in a shipping container, which was being used as a tearoom.  Failure to take all reasonable measures to ensure employees' safety.

The HSE Construction Division will be carrying out targeted inspections during June, focusing on smaller building sites following three deaths in the last nine months involving smaller builders working in Hertfordshire.

On 13th June, inspectors will be visiting a variety of premises in Ipswich to ensure that businesses are getting it right when working at height and keeping their sites in good working order.

Over the next couple of months, HSE Construction Division Inspectors will be carrying out targeted inspections looking at the issues of low falls and good order at construction projects that are approaching completion, particularly in refurbishment projects.

As part of the Safer Working Communities initiative taking place this week in the district, Tynedale Council and HSE have teamed up with J T Dove Ltd in Hexham to offer businesses a 35% discount off the trade price of a new ladder when they trade in their old one until the end of June.

The HSE will be driving home messages about the safe use of vehicles on farms and in forestry and agriculture at this year's Royal Highland Show in Ingliston (21-24 June) after statistics showed that between 2001/02 and 2005/06, vehicle related incidents were the biggest single cause of fatal accidents in the sector.

HSE are hosting a joint 'Ladder Lunch' from 1-2pm on 12th June at HSS Crawley depot, West Sussex, as part of the HSE 'ladder exchange' initiative.  The ladder lunch will feature a presentation from H&S inspector Tony Almond about ladder safety and working at height.

Fined total of £1,300 under GSIUR 1998.  Case against one of two unregistered gas installers relating to work when not Corgi registered and work not to appropriate standards.

Fined total of £1,000 under GSIUR 1998.  Case against one of two unregistered gas installers relating to work when not Corgi registered and work not to appropriate standards.

Fined total of £2,000 under WHR 2005 and LOLER 1998.  Complaint received of unsafe work at height.

Fined total of £3,000 under CAWR 2002, ALR 1983 and CDMR 1994.  Property development company removed ceilings in a 3-storey building in a town centre.  Evidence that asbestos insulating board (AIB) had been removed.  Analysis confirmed AIB.  Company failed to survey prior to the work.  No control measures in place when the AIB was removed.  Removal adjacent to pavement used by members of the public.

Fined £15,000 under HASAWA 1974 s2.  An employee fell 6m from a flat roof where he had been taking measurements.  Apart from verbally warning employees to be careful near the edge of the roof, the company took no measures to prevent their employees from falling.

Fined total of £5,000 under WHR 2005.  Self-employed roofer fell through a fragile roof, sustaining multiple injuries.  Inadequate fall prevention.  Company acting as Principal Contractor.

Fined total of £4,000 under WHR 2005.  Self-employed roofer fell through a fragile roof, sustaining multiple injuries.  Inadequate fall prevention.  Employed by defendant.

Fined total of £5,000 under WHR 2005.  Employee injured following fall from height.  A serious accident - potentially fatal - was the consequence of a fundamental failure to plan, organise and execute work at height.

Fined £12,000 under HASAWA 1974 s2.  A roll of paper was being lowered on a crane from the operating floor to the basement when a loud bang was heard and the reel of paper and spreader beam fell in an uncontrolled manner into the basement, rotating by 180° during the fall.

Fined total of £20,000 under LOLER 1998 and HASAWA 1974 s3 and s2.  100-tonne crane overturned while carrying out lifting duties.

Found guilty under HASAWA 1974 s2.  Failure to provide and maintain a system of work for carrying out cleaning work on a fragile roof.

Fined total of £80,000 under COSHH 2002.  Failure to make a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks to patients of exposure to legionella bacteria from water systems.  Failure to control such risks.

Fined £4,000 under HASAWA 1974 s2.  Fall from height.

Fined total of £4,000 under HASAWA 1974 s3 and EWR 1989.  Fatal accident to an employee of Guy Leasing Ltd who came into contact with live overhead cables.

Fined £2,000 under WHR 2005.

Fined £3,335 under LOLER 1998.  FLT accident in which the load fell from the forks onto IP assisting.

Fined £4,500 under HASAWA 1974 s2.  Failure to protect the H&S of employees, sfarp during the movement of an A-frame trolley loaded with glass.

Fined £500 under HASAWA 1974 s2.  Employee injured during attempt to move an A-frame trolley loaded with glass.  Failure to protect the H&S of employees, sfarp.

Fined total of £2,500 under ELCIR 1998.  David Welsh failed to produce a valid certificate of EL insurance when formally requested.

Fined £5,000 under HASAWA 1974 s2.  IP struck by block staking arm having entered the enclosed area of a concrete slab manufacturing machine to free a metal pallet, after defeating the gate interlock.

Fined £4,000 under HASAWA 1974 s2.  Employee injured when he fell over 2m from a stepladder.  Failure to ensure safe work at height around buses and coaches.

Fined total of £5,000 under HASAWA 1974 s21 and MHSWR 1999.  Inadequate welfare (no running hot water or shower) on demolition site, Improvement Notice issued.  No safety adviser to monitor sites.

Fined £1,000 under HASAWA 1974 s2.

Fined total of £9,000 under HASAWA 1974 s2, s3, s33, CHSWR 1996 and CDMR 1994.  Non-compliance of notices.

Fined £300 under HASAWA 1974 s7.  Uncontrolled work with asbestos at Framwellgate School.

Fined £12,000 under HASAWA 1974 s2.  IP amputated fingers on left hand during roll forming operations.

Fined £5,000 under HASAWA 1974 s2.  Accident to IP whilst using an unguarded flat bed cutter machine.

The ECJ has upheld one of the key elements of British H&S law - the use of the key phrase 'so far as is reasonably practicable'.  Bill Callaghan, Chair of the HSC welcomed the decision.

European employers and trade unions have signed up to a framework which sets out steps to prevent bullying, sexual harassment and physical violence in the workplace.

TRL is asking drivers of vans and fleet managers to complete a short online questionnaire as part of its research into potential problems arising from the incorrect loading or placement of materials in vans.

The Freight Transport Association Vehicle Inspection Service (FTA/VIS) has found that over half of the safety-related defects found during roadside checks on lorries by vehicle inspectors should have been picked up during daily walk-around checks by the vehicle's driver.

More than 1,400 businesses and organisations were honoured at RoSPA's Occup H&S Awards, which took place alongside the Safety & Health Expo last month.

Improved EU-wide co-operation between custom authorities has led to an increase in the detection of dangerous consumer products.  The Annual (RAPEX) Report on dangerous consumer products shows restrictions or bans were placed on 942 dangerous products last year.

In a survey conducted by the National Association of Schoolmasters Union of Women Teachers (NASUWT), 42% of teachers said their employers were failing to undertake regular checks of workplace hazards.  One-third reported that they had not received any training in fire safety, and in schools/colleges where asbestos problems were present, 51% of teachers said that the problem was not properly contained.

Proposals, including enabling a wider range of people to claim damages when someone dies in an accident as a result of another person's negligence, are being considered in a consultation on changes to the civil law on damages.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) has published guidance to help businesses and enforcement authorities prevent or better respond to food incidents.

The National Association for Safety & Health in Care Services (NASHiCS) is holding its 2007 conference and exhibition on 5th July 2007 in Coventry.  Topics to be covered include work/life balance, infection risk and return to work issues.

The Department of Health (DH) has issued guidance for NHS trusts on the use of mobile phones in hospitals.

Improving health in the workplace should be one of local authorities (LA) top five enforcement priorities, the report concluded.  In 2004, over 560,000 people who work in LA enforced sectors experienced an illness or ill health condition caused or made worse by work. 

Debbie Carter has been awarded £90,000 in compensation after she was injured when a resident at the care home she worked at fell on her.  Ms Carter was left alone to help the resident get into bed, despite the woman having poor mobility and a history of falls.  Ms Carter had only been on one manual handling course in 12 years.  Inadequate RA.

Many employers in the music and entertainment sectors are unaware that they will have to comply with the Control of Noise at Work 2005 Regs which come into force across these sectors in April 2008.

The Society of Radiographers has published guidance on dealing with workplace stress.  The 48-page document contains "down to earth, practical advice" for safety reps.

Tackling musculoskeletal disorders was the focus of the first European Week for Safety and Health in 2000.  Then, workers and employers were urged to "turn their backs on MSDs" and seven years on the message is still the same as the prevention of work-related MSDs is again at the top of the H&S agenda.

An examination of some recent cases involving H&S law.  The focus is on the legal implications of failing to comply with an Improvement Notice, working at height, and the successful prosecution of a rail maintenance company.  (Edward Hodson)

For the first time in a long time, British Armed Forces are so stretched that the Volunteer Reserve Force daily awaits call-up papers.  This commitment by and of volunteers is not without cost.  (Elizabeth Gates)

From large multi-national corporations to small local retailers, all employers have to meet the legal requirements set out in the H&S (First-Aid) Regs 1981.  (Audrey Edwards)

Eighteen months after huge explosions and fire swept through the Buncefield oil depot in Hemel Hempstead, a look back at events that day and what action is being taken to prevent a similar incident happening again.  (Nick Cook)

Securing effective leadership of occup H&S in organisations of all kinds is key to improving H&S performance.  The steps directors and senior managers can take to exercise real leadership in this area.

Manufacturer of new build homes, Space 4 Ltd fined £65,000 and costs of £60,000 following the death of Philip Macken who was fatally crushed against a machine.  Safety devices not fully operational, therefore dangerous parts could be accessed.

Miller Construction Ltd fined £75,000 and costs of £52,228, P.J. Carey Contractors Ltd fined £100,000 and costs of £17,643, Sean Mongan fined £2,500 and Barry Pollen fined £1,000.  Justin Taylor was killed in an incident involving a dumper truck.  The companies failed to carry out even a basic check on the driver's ability to safely operate a dumper.  Inadequately segregated pedestrian and vehicle routes.

Silvery Tweed Cereals Ltd fined £20,000 and costs of £5,397.  Steven Rogers, 29, was permanently paralysed after a downgrade bin which he was attempting to empty fell from the forks of an FLT and pinned him to the ground.  Load was not adequately secured, unsuitable RA, not all operators had received adequate FLT training.

AEI Compounds Ltd fined £125,000 and costs of £6,479.  Nicola Bauckham was seriously injured after her left hand and arm were caught in a machine she'd been cleaning.  Unsuitable and insufficient RA.

A 'Ladder Lunch' will be held on 21 June at HSS Bristol Depot, Filton.  Businesses are invited to bring along their 'dodgy' ladders and trade them in for a safe set.  During the event, HSE inspector Ian Whittles will give a short presentation about ladder safety and working at height.

Ward Bros Plant Hire Ltd has been served with a Prohibition Notice after an explosion occurred in a van travelling along Front Street, Wolsingham, which resulted in the death of the driver, employee Andrew Herd.  HSE's investigation into the underlying issues leading to the explosion is ongoing.

HSE are working in partnership with HSS Hire to host a ladder lunch on 19th June at HSS Hire's Park Royal depot, Abbey Road.  Businesses are invited to bring along their 'dodgy' ladders and trade them in for a safe set.  There will be a presentation from Tony Almond, from the HSE's 'Falls from Height' Programme, about ladder safety and working at height.

Fined total of £60,000 under HASAWA 1974 s2 and s3.  Asbestos contamination of Southfields School during refurbishment work.

Fined total of £30,000 under HASAWA 1974 s2 and s3 and ALR 1983.  Asbestos contamination of Southfields School during refurbishment work.  Exposure of contractors, school cleaners and school staff.

Fined total of £10,000 under ALR 1983 and CAWR 2002. MD of B & W Asbestos Removal Specialists Ltd.

Fined £20,000 under HASAWA 1974 s2.  Unsafe work at height.

The recent surge in the number of building site deaths has prompted MPs to express concerns over the state of construction safety in the UK.  Labour's Michael Clapham is particularly worried by the decline in the number of convictions following construction deaths.

The major achievements of fire and rescue services go some way to justifying integrated risk management planning, but there are still some issues to consider.  (Jonathan O'Neill)

With the ban on smoking in enclosed public places and workplaces in England due to come into force on 1 July, the CFOA is stressing the need for people who smoke at home to take some simple precautions to minimise the risk of fire.

Phil Toase stands down as CFOA president this month.  A look at the progress made by UK fire and rescue services over the past year and some of the key issues ahead.

The management and leadership skills needed by a fire service incident commander.  (Peter Redbourn)

A potential loophole with the Fire Safety Order when it comes to the requirements for plant, work processes and dangerous substances.  (Dave Sibert)

Retail giant Sainsbury's has developed a new style of fire safety training.  (Simon Morriss)

Some legal tips on how investigating fire officers can bring prosecutions under the Fire Safety Order.  (Hazel Padmore)

Fire and rescue service leaders from the US and the UK came together recently to discuss how prepared emergency responders are to the full range of challenges.  (Dennis Davis)

Certain downlights may present an overheating risk.  Some concerns and the potential liability issues that could arise.

A new website has been launched to give specifiers and building owners easy access to the latest code of practice covering hardware for fire and escape doors.

Wood and timber products protected with fire-retardant treatments can prevent or delay ignition and flame spread.  (Richard Adams)

Some current concerns relating to the use of cavity barriers and fire-stopping to help prevent fire spread.  (Graham Ellicott)

The benefits of third-party certification of fire protection products, and an argument against the need to make it mandatory.  (Graham Orme)

Obtaining third-party approval of products helps to manage risks and ensure customer confidence.  (Angela Richards)

Labour MPs expressed incredulity as shadow work and pensions minister Andrew Selous announced that the Tories had never intended to vote against the law - despite introducing a motion calling for its annulment.

The Government has suffered yet another defeat in the House of Lords over whether the Manslaughter Bill should exclude deaths in custody.

Labour backbencher Wayne David has become the latest MP to introduce a bill proposing stiffer penalties for safety offences - but is his attempt doomed to failure?

The Government drew up the Regulatory Enforcement and Sanctions Bill giving regulators a wider range of sanctions, following the Macrory penalties review which found that the current sanctioning regime was 'ineffective, over reliant on criminal prosecution and lacking in flexibility'.  However, the HSE has no plans to use any of the new enforcement powers.

More than 70 MPs have signed an Early Day Motion condemning the lack of resources available for maintaining the H&S of UK workers.  The motion expresses concern over planned cuts in the number of HSE inspectors and the recent rise in construction deaths.  It calls on the Government to ensure that further funding is made available to the HSE.

BP's safety record has come under the spotlight again this month after it was revealed that the oil giant's North Sea platforms have been served with 14 Improvement Notices over the last 12 months.

Small businesses in five English regions are to benefit from NHS support on occup health issues.  The £10m pilot projects will help improve workers' physical, mental and social well-being.

With CDM now in force, HSE Principal Specialist Inspector Andrew East takes a look at the main changes and explains what the reforms mean in practice.

Callaway Golf Europe Ltd fined £21,000 and costs of £5,123.  Mark Presland was stock picking at the firm's warehouse, intending to remove items from the 15m-high racking using an FLT.  However, he was unable to move the truck close enough because the aisle was filled with stock.  He climbed up the racking to remove goods by hand and fell off, injuring himself.  No assessment of safety risks at the warehouse and failure to introduce industry-standard control measures.

The BSC has written to every secondary school headteacher in the country, offering to fund the assessment of all pupils in Years 9, 10 and 11 during the next academic year, so that they can gain a nationally-recognised qualification in H&S.

Cheadle Royal Hospital in Cheshire is a mental health hospital owned by Affinity Healthcare.  The particular H&S issues involved in running such a facility.  (Brian Shillibeer)

Two years ago, the Work at Height Regs (WAHR) were brought in to reduce the number of fall deaths.  What employers need to do to comply with them.  (Nasar Farooq)

Despite research showing the potentially fatal effects of being suspended after a fall, many employers remain confused about the problem.  The low-down on the risks - and how to avoid them.  (Paul Witheridge)

Workplace bullying costs UK businesses 18.9 million working days a year.  So, what can employers do to tackle the problem?  (Matt Witheridge)

Addressing an IOSH Yorkshire Branch seminar on 'The Modern Practitioner', Bill Callaghan pitched his message on sensible risk, "The truth of the matter is that it is not desirable to eliminate risk altogether - rather risks need to be managed sensibly and responsibly…H&S is about saving lives not stopping living."

Select Plant Hire Company Ltd has been served with a Prohibition Notice following the collapse of a tower crane in Croydon.  The top section of the crane had not been connected to the climbing frame.  The Notice covers all of Select's tower cranes and stops them from climbing (eg raising or lowering) tower cranes using inadequately trained staff.

Inspectors from the HSE's Construction Division will join other companies and emergency services as part of the annual 'Zone Ranger Challenge' at the Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service premises in Sunderland.  Through a mixture of fun and hard teaching, the children will learn about everyday hazards around the house as well as the HSE's specialism in terms of the dangers of playing on building sites.

Permanent Flooring Ltd fined £6,000 and costs of £12,000.  R.L. Davies and Son Ltd fined £25,000 and costs of £15,814.54.  Miall Roberts, 19, was electrocuted after the concrete pump he was working on came into contact with an 11KV overhead power line.  Another worker on the site, Darren Gittins, received an electric shock but was uninjured.  Both companies were operating at a site in Bala Industrial Park.  Inadequate RAs.

The HSE has teamed up with York Theatre Royal to promote the HSE's 2007 ladder safety campaign.  Marshall Lancaster, well known as DC Chris Skelton in BBC One's hit 'Life on Mars' has stepped up to the challenge on behalf of the HSE in an effort to encourage people to 'take a moment, not a fall'.

This year's Euro Week focuses on musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) and manual handling which remain the most common cause of occup ill health with a total of 190,000 new cases reported to the HSE last year.  HSE will support the 'lighten the load' campaign by boosting its training initiative for safety reps.

Speaking at the annual Swansea and South Wales H&S Group seminar, Sandy Blair explained that it is not realistic to eliminate risk altogether and that the H&S of workers must be protected by correctly identifying risks and managing them sensibly and proportionately.

With Newcastle's traditional 'Hoppings' funfair about to open on the Town Moor, the HSE has issued advice to parents to ensure their children can enjoy the amusements in safety.  HSE Principal Inspector David Cole warned not to go on rides that do not display the Amusement Devices Inspection Procedure Scheme (ADIPS) sticker.  Parents should check their children are above the required height and that safety belts and other restraints are securely fitted.

The key stakeholder conference which will take place on 25-26th June will seek agreement on criteria for setting priorities for future activities and possible interventions to tackle the risk of exposure to chemical carcinogens.

Bowling Finishing Services Ltd fined £4,600 and costs of £2,381.  Employee Steven Lord suffered severe crush injuries to his hand when it was drawn in between two rollers of a rinse mangle.  No safeguards to prevent access to the machine's dangerous parts, lack of suitable and sufficient RA.

HSE construction inspectors visited building sites across the Watford and Three Rivers area on 13th June.  The inspections focused on H&S at smaller sites following three deaths during the last nine months involving builders in Hertfordshire.  On 20% of the sites the safety precautions to prevent falls from height were so poor that work had to be stopped.

The Council, the Care Trust and South East Northumberland Recycling Ltd (SENREC) each fined £10,000 and costs of £4,000.  Simon Nelson, a service user of the Horticultural Unit at Hepscott Park, sustained serious injuries after he was struck by one or two falling recycled paper bales weighing around 800kgs.

Kudos Shower Products Ltd fined £10,000 and costs of £1,339.20.  Two employees, including Daniel Phelan, were helping move large 700kg crates in the warehouse when one of the crates fell off an FLT, crushing Mr Phelan's steel toe capped safety boots and breaking his foot.  Unsafe working practices.

HSE, Cannock District Council and the Pritchard Group are holding a free day of practical workshops at Virage Park, Bridgtown on 18th July to educate more people on the safe use of ladders and other access equipment.  There will also be demonstrations and case studies.

Skanska Rashleigh Weatherfoil Ltd fined £60,000 and costs of £13,369.45.  John Brookes, David Powell and Noah Eastwood suffered electrical flash burns while carrying out work in the switchroom to upgrade the power supply.  No proper RA or method statement prepared, failure in the management to follow H&S procedures.

In a bid to tackle the culture of 'unwise risk taking' in these sectors, which led to 45 fatalities last year, new VQs have been developed to help increase the skills base and competencies of people working in the industry.

Commenting on this welcome recognition of Bill Callaghan's achievements, Geoffrey Podger, Chief Executive of the HSE said, "Bill's outstanding achievement and service to H&S has been accentuated during his eight years as HSC Chair…Bill has championed the sensible risk message and has steered the organisation closer to realising its long term vision to see H&S as a cornerstone of a civilised society".

The immediate cause of the accident was a catastrophic failure of the Vampire's front offside tyre at 288mph on the seventh high-speed run of the day.  The investigation identifies omissions by the BBC and Primetime Landspeed Engineering (PTLE), but finds no grounds for prosecution.

Fined £2,500 under PUWER 1998.  Employee injured whilst operating a guillotine.  Failure to take effective measures to prevent access to dangerous parts of the machine.

Fined total of £2,000 under HASAWA 1974 s37.  Failure to comply with two Improvement Notices served on Techlink Enterprises Ltd.

Fined £7,500 under HASAWA 1974 s37.  Employee Steve Woolston lost two fingers while carrying out stopped grooving on a vertical spindle moulder.  Failure to provide safe system of work, to prevent access to dangerous parts of machinery, to provide adequate instruction, training and supervision, and failure to make a suitable and sufficient RA.

Draft guidance for directors differs from its predecessor more in style than substance, but that may not be a bad thing.  (Howard Fidderman)

The HSE has told Falcon Crane Hire to tighten its systems of tower crane maintenance after independent inspection reports found 10% of 120 cranes checked had serious faults.

HSW are launching two new websites to give H&S specialists the best professional information on the internet.

According to research by vehicle management company Total Motion, around one in six company vehicles in the UK is unroadworthy and almost one in four is inadequately maintained.  Around one in twenty business drivers do not have valid licences.

The HSC and HSE have taken another step towards merging.  The HSE has asked H&S minister Lord McKenzie to consult on detailed proposals for the two bodies to be formally joined next year.

Supermarket giant Tesco is encouraging one of its suppliers, Katsouris Fresh Foods, to make H&S improvements following an unannounced plant inspection by the retailer.  Katsouris also faces union accusations that it puts production needs ahead of employee safety.

The HSE is planning a crackdown on safety breaches by smaller construction firms in a renewed effort to improve standards among the industry's SMEs.  The Executive signalled its willingness to take legal action over safety breaches even where there has not been an accident.

Raymond Knapman and Robert William Legg have been banned from running an employment agency following their convictions for safety breaches which contributed to the deaths of lorry drivers Mark Chadbourne and Anthony Best.  Investigators found Knapman and Legg had pushed drivers to work well in excess of their permitted hours despite warnings they were falling asleep at the wheel.

The latest annual absence survey from the manufacturers' organisation, the EEF, shows companies lost an average of 6.7 days per employee in 2006, down from 7.1 days in 2005 and 8.1 days in 2004.  EEF chief medical advisor Sayeed Khan attributed the downward trend to a more proactive approach to absence management and better training for line managers.

The European Parliament has approved a draft Directive to extend the requirement for HGVs to be fitted with 'blind spot' mirrors to cover older vehicles.

A look at whether evidence you take safety seriously can cut insurance premiums.  (Lucie Ponting)

In the second article on safety in emerging economies, the focus is on India.  (Adrienne Gleeson)

The top techniques to select the best people for H&S posts.  (Rachel Suff)

Ways to avoid contractors becoming your weakest safety link.  (Paul Smith)

Lone workers may benefit from communications technology as part of a broader support package.  (Daniel Riley)

In the second article on classic case law for NEBOSH National Diploma students, the focus is on two landmark prosecutions.  (Lawrence Bamber)

Adjustable office furniture has an important role in preventing musculoskeletal problems, especially if people know how to use it.  (Matt Haigh)

Researchers in the UK and the Netherlands have developed a model to help people understand how human factors, safety management systems (SMSs) and wider organisational issues link together.  The model aims to facilitate a more cohesive and structured approach to activities such as assessment, inspection, accident investigation and communication.

New research by the HSL suggests that employers are recording and reporting more slips and trips incidents as a defence against the perceived threat of litigation.  At the same time, most workers are reluctant to bring actions against their employers unless they are seriously hurt, supporting the argument that the so-called 'litigation culture' is a myth.

According to new HSE-commissioned research, the public sector could do more to meet its H&S obligations when procuring construction projects.  While some public sector clients perform well and the majority follow published guidelines, the study found that "best practice" is not yet sufficiently "embedded".

The HSC has given the go-ahead for the development of a 'Route map for workplace transport and work-related road risk'.  The decision reflects an HSE recommendation to expand the proposed online map - consultation on which had been confined to the workplace - to embrace driving on public highways.

According to a new report from the HSE's 'horizon scanning' programme, environmental legislation may create unintended H&S hazards in the workplace.  The latest report focuses on how legislation that encourages a switch to more environmentally friendly chemicals could actually be creating new hazards at work.

According to new research by the Institute of Occup Medicine (IoM), nearly three-quarters of DSE users suffer from at least one musculoskeletal disorder.  According to the researchers, this could indicate that the H&S (DSE) Regs 1992 "may not have had a major impact" in reducing ill health associated with DSE use.

An independent evaluation of the 'cascading messages' approach used by the HSE to communicate the duty to manage asbestos has concluded it may be "worthwhile" applying the technique to other campaigns.

According to HSE-commissioned research, better knowledge and training is a critical factor in getting maintenance workers to behave safely around asbestos.  In particular, the researchers recommend that the HSE move away from the basic message that "asbestos kills" towards a more detailed message about how many and how.

The HSE will concentrate its enforcement work on migrant labour in 2007/08 in the agriculture and fresh produce/food processing sector (as it did in 2006/07).

The number of mesothelioma deaths increased from 153 in 1968 to 1,969 in 2004.  The figures are drawn from the British Mesothelioma Register, which is maintained by the HSE and records all deaths where mesothelioma has been mentioned in a death certificate.

The HSE's asbestos in schools Consortium of Local Authorities Special Programme (CLASP) working group has produced guidance on potential asbestos fibre release in CLASP buildings constructed between 1945 and 1980.

The HSE has published the advice that it gives inspectors for enforcing the new fire-safety regime under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 and the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005 in premises for which the HSE is responsible.

Published: Challenges ahead, HSC business plan 2007/08.

Polish-speaking workers can now access the HSE's Polish page.  The HSE also produces information in Bengali, Chinese, Gujarati, Hindi, Punjabi, Urdu and Welsh.

The HSE has published details of the main H&S interventions that it will pursue with Royal Mail during 2007/08.

The HSE has launched guidance on slips, trips and falls in contact centres developed by centre stakeholders in north-west England.

Published: Slips and trips mapping tool: an aid for safety reps.

What employers need to do to comply with the smoking ban in England.  (Howard Fidderman)

The project is part of a drive to improve H&S in the agriculture and food processing sectors.  A pocket card, published by the HSE in eight languages, is being distributed at ports of entry to the UK.  The leaflet explains the rights and responsibilities of migrant workers.

K and M Joinery Ltd fined £2,600 and costs of £1,395.  Apprentice Brett Lawden, 19, received spinal injuries after falling through an unprotected stairwell on a building site.

An event aimed at cutting the number of accidents caused by slips and trips to students and staff in Scotland's universities and colleges will be held on 10th July at Forth Valley College, Falkirk.  The event is aimed at those working in the higher and further education sector in Scotland who have H&S responsibilities.

Building companies, maintenance companies and contractors in the area are invited to attend the free Construction Safety and Health Awareness Day on July 11th at Rowley Mile Racecourse Conference and Exhibition Centre in Newmarket.  The aim of the half-day event is to raise awareness of key H&S issues facing the construction industry and give practical advice on how to avoid risks on construction sites.

Macclesfield Borough Council fined £6,000 and costs of £3,747.  Council employee Andrew McKeith was reported missing by his wife after spending a day spraying the herbicide 'Enforcer' at recreation grounds throughout the Borough.  Mr McKeith had not been trained in proper use of the herbicide nor was he given the correct PPE.  He therefore suffered prolonged exposure to its effects.  As a result, when he returned to his normal workplace he became disorientated and has no recollection of where he spent that night.  He was found the following morning by a colleague.

Fined £3,000 under CDMR 1994.  Fatal fall from warehouse roof on its premises of an employee of Telford Tower & Scaffold Ltd.

Fined total of £12,000 under HASAWA 1974 s2 and s3.  Demolition and asbestos removal.

Fined £10,000 under HASAWA 1974 s33.  Breach of Prohibition Notice.

Fined total of £2,500 under WHR 2005 and HASAWA 1974 s2.  Employee fell approx 5m through an open stairwell whilst ascending an untied ladder.

Fined total of £44,000 under CHSWR 1996 and HASAWA 1974 s2.  Non-compliance with Improvement Notice.

Fined total of £17,000 under HASAWA 1974 s2, WHR 2005 and MHSWR 1999.  Inadequate safe system of work when sampling potatoes from a vehicle via a gantry, caused a fall of over 3m.

Fined £10,000 under HASAWA 1974 s2.  Employee struck by reversing FLT.

Fined £10,000 under HASAWA 1974 s3.  Poor work at height.

Fined £3,000 under HASAWA 1974 s7.  FLT driver who struck and ran over a pedestrian as he was driving forwards with view obstructed by load on forks of FLT.

Fined £1,000 under PUWER 1998.  A machine operator sustained injuries to his finger when he made contact with a slitting blade.  Failure to provide adequate training.

Fined £8,000 under HASAWA 1974 s2.  Accident occurred due to lack of planning.