H&S News June 2008

Comments

HSE is warning vehicle repair and maintenance engineers of the dangers of working under vehicles after Mr Simon Rose, an experienced engineer, was killed when the vehicle he was working on moved forward over improvised chocks and ran over him.  Dennis Eagle Ltd find £166,000 and costs of £22,612 under HASAWA 1974 s2.

Nearly 70 per cent of small firms have no contingency plans to cope with emergencies such as major floods or fires, the Assoc of British Insurers claims.

Network Rail should work with emergency services to handle accidents more systematically, the head of the National Audit Office claims.

University researchers have indicated that up to 20 per cent of crashes on motorways and trunk roads are caused by drivers falling asleep at the wheel.  Typically, such accidents involve careering off roads or into other vehicles and occur at high speeds.

Ongoing investigations by the Assoc of British Insurers have confirmed the poor safety records of many young drivers as indicated by earlier studies.  Analysis of 8.5 million motor insurance policies for 2005 and 2006 showed that young drivers were much more likely to make claims than other age groups, and they were more likely to be at fault in a collision.

Businesses in six regions could soon have better access to occup health services.  Six new projects have been announced located in Merseyside, East London, West Yorkshire, Newcastle, Devon and Worcestershire.  Together with schemes already running they will make up a network of NHS departments offering services to non-NHS employers.

The Dept of Children, Schools and Families has issued a new design specification for sprinklers in schools.  SSLD 8 - one of a series of guidance notes covering building systems for schools - is intended for use alongside BB 100: Design for fire safety in schools.

Food retailer Sainsbury plc is shelving the sale of its chip pans to help reduce some 49 per cent of house fires and about 30 fatalities caused nationally each year by these misused kitchen products.

An exploration of the training implications of the new building safety standard, BS 9999, due to be published later this year.  (Angela Davies)

The limitations of fire safety training material and the need for professional advice  (Ken Day)

The provision of training and information on workplace fire safety is essential to protect both people and the material investments of a business.  (Sue Tyley)

A look at the role of Lead Fire Authority Partnership Schemes in ensuring fire safety in companies with multiple outlets.

Why organisations can fail in a crisis and the steps needed to ensure business resilience.  (John Basinger)

Those responsible for fire safety should give more consideration to the threat of arson, as new guidance explains.  (Adair Lewis)

The HSE hopes to launch a new worker-involvement package by the autumn.  The guidance, which needs to be agreed by the new HSE's board during the summer, will include a new document for employers on good practice on worker involvement, a revised version of the safety representatives "Brown Book", and a short guide for SMEs.

Local authority inspectors visited hairdressing and nail salons in London during the six months to April 2007, focusing on dermatitis and asthma, both of which are HSE priorities.

HSE commissioned research has revealed that workers in nail bars report significant, increased prevalence of work-related symptoms, including nasal, neck, shoulder, wrist/hand and lower back problems.  The study comprised returns from 71 technicians and a control group of 64 individuals.

Twenty years after the world's worst offshore disaster, why Piper Alpha cost the lives of 167 men, and the legacy of that tragic night.  (Becky Allen)

A House of Commons committee is unhappy about H&S in the UK.  (Howard Fidderman)

The Black report on the health of the working-age population might just be the prescription that the Government needs.  (Howard Fidderman)

The HSE has started carrying out an intensive inspection campaign that will take inspectors onto numerous farms and soft fruit growers in the north east of Scotland during the first fortnight of June.  The blitz will target Perthshire, Angus and Morayshire and will focus on migrant workers, falls from height, workplace transport and overhead power lines.

HSE warns employers to ensure they assess workplace machinery risks properly to ensure they have adequate safeguards in place.  The warning follows the prosecution of C&P Bird Bros Ltd, who were fined £5,000 and costs of £4,850.80 under PUWER 1998.  Employee Diane Davies started the scraper cleaning system in the sheds but the drive became entangled and would not run.  She attempted to fix the machine by pulling on the cable.  When the machine started to move her finger was pulled in between the pulley and the cable and she suffered severe injuries.  The guard had previously been removed for repair and not refitted.

London Central Bus Company Ltd fined £60,000 and costs of £15,347 under HASAWA 1974 s2.  An employee fell into a pit and suffered spinal injuries, just over a year after another employee died in similar circumstances.  Omar Maouche suffered compression of the spine which has severely affected his working life since.

Sharwood Steel Fabrications Ltd have been fined £1,000 and costs of £1,345 under HASAWA 1974 s2.  A 16-year old employee was working with a Director of the company cutting sheet metal on a guillotine.  The Director John Ward was called away and the young employee continued to cut the metal.  There was no front guard on the machine, so he managed to push the metal far under the blade and accidentally pressed down on the foot pedal.  This brought the guillotine down, taking off the end of one finger.

Berser International Cargo Services Ltd fined £22,000 and costs of £18,000 under WHSWR 1992.  The case followed the death of one of their lorry-driving employees who was killed after a sliding metal gate weighing 8 cwt fell on him.  Failure to maintain equipment and devices (including the access gates to the premises) in efficient working order and good repair.

The HSE is warning roofers and other contractors that when operating at height work must be planned to ensure adequate controls are in place to prevent falls liable to cause serious injuries.  John Hartshorne fined £2,000 and costs of £500 under WHR 2005.  Mr Hartshorne and two employees were seen by a passing inspector carrying out roof repairs without any measures in place to prevent falls.

Airbags International Limited fined £30,000 and costs of £4,500 under HASAWA 1974 s3.  Agency worker Oliver Britton was working in the factory when he was tasked with changing a roll of fabric on a machine.  Mr Britton was holding the fabric in the "danger area" of the machine when another employee started the machine and Mr Oliver's arm became trapped.  The severe injuries sustained resulted in the amputation of his arm.

HSE inspectors will conduct unannounced inspections of the refurbishment industry concentrating on Southport, Crosby and Bootle.  This industry accounts for 60 percent of all accidents in construction, but represents only 40 percent of all construction activity.  The inspection initiative is aimed at trying to reduce the accident statistics.

IP (Pontefract) Ltd of Uxbridge, Middlesex, were fined £50,000 and ordered to pay costs of £6,000 under HASAWA 1974 s2.  This is after a 60 year old worker at their site was crushed and killed by a load dislodged from the forks of an FLT.

In April, the HSE and the Duchy College in Cornwall organised two special events focusing on child farm safety for local schools.  This resulted in an array of winning posters which will be unveiled at the Royal Cornwall Show.  The posters are the handiwork of pupils from Cornwall schools which took part in the awareness days.

The HSE in partnership with the Scottish Housebuilders H&S Forum and Homes for Scotland held a safety and health awareness event recently.  It covered a range of "hot topics" including falls from vehicles, industrial rope access and scaffold design.  Nearly 70 people died in Scotland last year and almost 3,800 were seriously injured as a result of a fall from height in the work place.

Medway Council was fined £75,000 and £6,761 costs under HASAWA 1974 s2, PUWER 1998 and MHSWR 1999.  This followed after a man had two fingers partially severed by a large grass mower whilst attempting to repair it.  Systemic failure to train staff and to provide maintenance of machinery.

Harris Transport lost their appeal against a £28,000 fine handed to them earlier this year.  The fine resulted from an incident that left an employee permanently disabled, after suffering severe injuries to both legs when he was run over by an FLT.  The company now have to pay the fine in full and have incurred additional court costs of £5,300.

Oldham MBC was fined £1,500 and costs of £5,382 under WHR 2005.  An employee fell from a bowls pavilion and broke his arm.  The gardener had been applying anti-vandal paint to the roof of a new bowls pavilion when he fell while getting down.  He had accessed the roof from a grass bank behind the pavilion.

Fined £16,000 under HASAWA 1974 s3.  Fatality at Willow Bridge Caravan Park, Doncaster.  Checks made in relation to gas safety standards.

Fined total of £5,100 under COSHH 2002.  Exposure to concrete dust during floor maintenance, had previous COSHH enforcement and advice.

Fined £3,500 under CDMR 2007.  Polish labourers working on pallet of telehandler demolishing garage.

Fined total of £3,000 under PUWER 1998 and WHR 2005.  IP cleaning pipe work using platform steps, which had a safety handrail and lockable wheels, they lost their balance fell approx 2 metres landing on the floor.

Fined total of £14,500 under HASAWA 1974 s2 and RIDDOR 1995. 

Fined £5,000 under HASAWA 1974 s2.  This case did result from the investigation of a fatality.

Fined £15,000 under HASAWA 1974 s3.  Part of the construction site hoarding blew down during very high winds and hit a member of the public.  IP taken to hospital.  Not the first occurrence of hoarding being dislodged or blown over at the site.  The hoarding did not have the capability of withstanding the wind.

Fined £12,000 under HASAWA 1974 s33.  IP was working on a vessel, mechanism holding vessel shifted or broke, IP unable to hold onto vessel and fell about 4 metres, slipping down the side of vessel, falling onto his arm on the floor.

HSE has warned aerosol companies of the need to adopt good industry working practices when the change over of propellant is required.  The warning follows the prosecution of North West Aerosols Ltd following a major fire on their premises which killed one man and three others received serious burns.  The company have since gone into voluntary liquidation and were fined a total of £2 with costs of £1.  Had they still been in existence, they would have been fined in the region of £250,000.

RoSPA and BNFL have announced a major new long-term scholarship scheme for students to undertake research aimed at saving lives and reducing injuries.  Under what is believed to be one of the biggest accident prevention scholarships ever funded, up to three PhD students will be awarded grants annually.  It is envisaged the scheme will run for 10 to 12 years, starting in 2009.  An invitation to bid for the scholarships will be announced later this year.

The ILO is calling on employers to manage risks in the work environment to reduce both the human and economic burdens of work-related accidents and ill-health.  In a new report the ILO lists risk management techniques to help employers identify, anticipate and assess hazards and risks and take positive action to control them.

Risk assessment is the focus of the 2008 European Campaign for Safety and Health at Work, formerly known as Euroweek.  Organised by EU-OSHA, the campaign will be launched this month and run for two years.  Every three and a half minutes, somebody in the EU dies from work-related causes.  This means almost 167,000 deaths a year as a result of either work-related accidents (7,500) or occup diseases (159,500).

The public inquiry into the explosion at the Stockline plastics factory will begin next month.

The TUC is asking union reps to take part in its annual survey which covers reps' views and experience of health and safety in the workplace.

The supermarket giant Tesco has been fined a total of £25,000 under HASAWA 1974 s2 and LOLER 1998.  An employee was knocked unconscious and suffered head injuries when struck on the head by the hydraulic arm of a scissor lift.  The lift had been reported as being defective by a lift engineer four days before the accident.  Although the engineer wanted to condemn the lift, it continued to be used.

Some recent prosecutions involving unsafe systems of work.  (Edward Hodson)

Respiratory Protective equipment (RPE) is used as a final means of defence against airborne contaminants such as dusts, mists, fumes, gases and vapours.  The different types of RPE and its selection.  (Greg Barber)

The theme of this year's Men's Health Week, which takes place later this month, is "Men at Work".  As well as focussing on how to better target work-related health messages, the week also aims to highlight the role employers can play in raising men's awareness of all health issues.  (Nick Cook)

Much store is placed on evidence-based occup health practice but how we go about acquiring that evidence is keenly debated.  (Elizabeth Gates)

With things a-changing at HSE, there is a need to rethink national H&S strategy.  (Roger Bibbings)

The Conservatives want to revise the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 to ensure that the police prioritise the risk to public safety above the risk to individual officers.  David Davis outlined the Tories' intention, should they come into power, to amend s2 of the Act in relation to police operations, as a response to what the party sees as a rise in overly-cautious, defensive policing, which is putting the public at greater risk.

In a move that could have a positive impact on H&S, foreign workers hoping to fill skilled vacancies in Britain will have to meet strict new criteria under Home Office plans due to come into force this autumn.  UK companies will have to prove they cannot fill skilled posts with a resident worker, and show that the job has been advertised in the UK.  Would be migrants will generally need a job offer before they apply for a visa for which they will be subject to a points quota.

According to a new CBI/AXA absence survey, the gap between sickness absence rates in the public and private sectors has hit a new high.  The study found that average absence levels across the public sector to be nine days per worker - 55 per cent higher than the 5.8 day average for the private sector.  The highest absence rates were found in the health/social care services (12.6 days), and police and probation services (9.9 days).

The Government's plans to overhaul the skills regime could undermine the quality of H&S training, NEBOSH has warned. 

A headmaster who was found guilty of H&S offences following the death of a six year-old pupil has had his conviction overturned by the Court of Appeal.  James Porter, who was originally convicted after the death of Kian Williams, was cleared by the appeal judge who said the steps created no risk of injury.

The TUC has published guidance to help employers and unions support people with mental-health problems at work.

To what extent can something a person uses at work, but which is not provided by their employer, be classed as work equipment?  It's all about control.  (Kevin Bridges)

Companies need to train their managers in practical people skills so they can properly engage their workforce and take their safety cultures on to the next level.  (Tim Marsh)

With the new law on corporate manslaughter fresh in the minds of senior management, now is as good a time as any to undertake a root-and-branches review of your H&S systems.  (Gary Booton)

Working in, or engaging with, a group is a central part of any practitioner's role - whether sitting on a committee, working as part of a team, or attending a routine meeting.  Some of the more common characteristics of group working, and ways to make groups function more effectively.  (Peter Zymanczyk)

As the summer months arrive and temperatures rise, are safety and health practitioners ready to protect outdoor workers from the effects of the sun?  (Anthony Hubbard)

Setting up a business or working on a contract abroad can mean complying with a very different legal system.  An introduction to working within German H&S regulations and how the country is adapting its existing regulations to accommodate changes from the European Commission.  (Burkhard Fabritius)

Are traditional approaches aimed at combating musculoskeletal disorders too limited in their scope?  An argument for moving away from a simplistic ergonomics method to a more sophisticated bio-psychosocial model.  (Andrew Baird)

The Communication Workers' Union's "Lighten the load" campaign aims to tackle musculoskeletal disorders among Royal Mail employees.  Its progress to date.  (Dave Joyce)

Spray-Craft Coating Limited fined £5,000 and costs of £1,100 under WHR 2005.  A man was removing a fan on the roof of a spray booth, located in a workshop, when he fell 2.6 metres resulting in serious injuries including fracturing his wrist and shoulder.  He suffered bleeding in the brain and was in an induced coma for two weeks.

Allied Welsh Ltd have been fined £25,000 and costs of £8,600 under HASAWA 1974 s2.  David Morgan fell from an extension ladder whilst working on a loft conversion carrying an 8'x4' piece of chipboard.  He suffered a severely broken ankle, broken wrist and facial injuries where the wood hit him.  No safe and suitable method of getting material from ground level up to the loft space.  Investigations showed they had had previous advice from HSE but did not heed it on this occasion.

A farmer nearly fell through a roof this week while demonstrating the dangers of working at height.  Fortunately the "farmer" was a trained specialist working on a roof 6" off the ground!  This was one of six scenarios shown to farmers at a safety workshop designed specifically for agricultural workers recently.

Company director John Holdom, of J R Holdom Contactors, was fined £2,000 and costs of £1,614 under WHR 2005.  A sub-contracted plasterer fell 4 metres through a temporary timber handrail on the first floor of a barn, suffering broken wrists and bruising to the left side.

HSE is advising employers, especially small and medium sized companies, about the need to ensure safe procedures when undertaking building maintenance after a man fell while working on a roof.  Body & Wheels Workshop Ltd fined £3,000 and costs of £1,597 under HASAWA 1974 s2.  Aaron Green fell through a fragile roof whilst working from two crawler boards which had not been secured or fitted with guard rails.  Later the same day and the following day, HSE found the company continued to work in the same manner so placing further members of staff at risk.

The HSE is urging Shetland's crofters and farmers to attend a Safety Awareness Day in Lerwick on 2 July.  The day will be very practical and hands-on with real-life scenarios being acted out on the day.

Following an intensive inspection initiative by the HSE, enforcement action was taken against 13 sites.  A total of 15 sites were visited in one day, 7 Prohibition Notices were served, stopping the work activity immediately and preventing it from restarting until remedial action had been taken, and 6 Improvement Notices.  Infringement of work at height safety rules accounted for the majority of the enforcement action, with dangerous and untidy sites also a major problem.

HSE has warned companies to ensure machinery is adequately guarded after a worker was injured in a machinery incident.  Weetabix Ltd were fined £3,500 and costs of £1,490.40 under PUWER 1998.

Fined £4,000 under HASAWA 1974 s2.  IP amputated finger when it was drawn into trap.  Safety trip on edge of chute broken and not repaired.  Training and supervision not adequate.

Fined £25,000 under PUWER 1998.  IP suffered amputation of thumb and broken index finger whilst operating unguarded rotary valve on a sand extraction unit.

Fined total of £8,000 under PUWER 1998.  Accident to IP resulting in amputation of a finger.

Fined £10,000 under HASAWA 1974 s2.  Employee fell from ladder whilst repairing a broken window.  Ladder not secured, employee had not received any training in the use of ladders, ladder not suitable for this type of work as the employee was unable to hold on properly while working.

Fined total of £4,670 under COSHH 2002.  Employee suffered ill health as a result of exposure to mineral oil.  Inadequate control of exposure to mineral oil, absence of health surveillance, inadequate information on mineral oils provided to employees.

Fined £5,000 under GSIUR 1998.  Landlord failed to produce a Gas Safety Certificate.

Fined total of £3,000 under DSEAR 2002.  A source of ignition entered the ducting system of an extraction system.  This blew a collect chamber in the forge dept and blew the filtration chamber outside.

Fined £14,000 under HASAWA 1974 s2.  Welding tutor injured when bottle of nitric acid exploded.  No assessment of risks of mixing and storing nitric acid and ethanol.  Inadequate control measures were in place regarding reduction of risks from the same.

Siemens Dematic Ltd (Principal Contractor) fined £100,000 and costs of £47,000 under HASAWA 1974 s3.  Stow (UK) Ltd (racking installation contractors) fined £80,000 and costs of £41,000 under HASAWA 1974 s3.  David Hill (Siemens' project manager) fined £2,500 and costs of £500 under HASAWA 1974 s7.  David Hastie (self employed site's H&S officer, contracted to Siemens for the project) fined £2,500 and costs of £500 under HASAWA 1974 s3.  Hans Zdolsek was helping to install staircases to access a racking system.  Temporary guard rails to prevent falls were not long enough to span the length of the system so some workers used plastic cable-ties to secure them in place.  Hans leaned against one of the rails and fell 28 feet to his death when it gave way. (More...)

Unions have warned the Government not to ignore the findings of the Works & Pensions Select Committee on the work of the HSE, especially in terms of funding and front line enforcement.

Prospect, the union which represents HSE Inspectors will ballot its members over strike action if it receives a below inflation pay offer.

The HSE has recruited 40 more front-line inspectors, it has been announced.  The move comes less than a month after the Works and Pensions Select Committee condemned recent falls in inspector numbers.

£235 million is to be invested in building 3,500 new play areas for children across the country in a fresh attempt to tackle Britain's risk-averse society.

According to a new report from the TUC, unscrupulous employers are exploiting vulnerable workers with practices considered unprincipled in the 19th century.  The TUC's Commission on vulnerable employment says that the law needs to be changed to give greater protection to the estimated 2m vulnerable workers in the UK, who work for low pay or on illegal hours, often for abusive bosses.

The Gangmasters Licensing Authority would welcome licensing powers for other sectors of UK industry - such as construction - its Chairman has said.  The GLA currently only has jurisdiction to license gangmasters in the agriculture, food processing and shellfish collection sectors.

According to a new survey by Norwich Union Healthcare, 32 per cent of UK workers have turned up for work with a hangover, while 15 per cent say they have been drunk on the job.  One in ten workers said that they did this at least once a month, while 1 in 20 said it happened once a week.

The owner of an East Sussex roofing company has been charged with the manslaughter of an employee, Darren Hooper, who fell 20 feet through a skylight.  Police and the HSE launched an investigation which culminated in manslaughter charges against Darren's boss, Colin Cooper.

Advanced Cooling Systems Ltd fined total of £15,000 and costs of £3,192 under HASAWA 1974 s2.  Daniel Smith had been installing an extractor fan when he slipped and fell through a skylight.  He shattered his back in the accident and has so far received 18 months of intensive rehabilitation and is still unable to walk unaided.

John Beckett, a company director whose employee died from chemical inhalation, has been fined £17,500 but  escaped a manslaughter conviction when the judge ruled there was no case to answer.  Dean Cox died from dichloromethane poisoning.

Impress Merthyr Tydfil in South Wales is part of the worldwide metal packaging manufacturer Impress Group.  The Group produces steel cans for a huge range of everyday consumer goods - from soups to baked beans and hairsprays to paints.  How they keep everyone safe at work.  (Joanna Gurman)

By law, all employers must provide adequate equipment, facilities and personnel so that first-aid can be given to employees in an emergency: What to do.  (Audrey Edwards)

The introduction of the Work at Height Regulations in 2005 prompted a wave of confusion over whether ladders had been banned at work, but they can still be used - providing certain criteria are met.  When, where and how to use them safely.  (David Wilson)

Ladders are all well and good for work at height in the right circumstances.  They are not, however, always appropriate, and sometimes you need a different tool for the job.  Some alternative access equipment.  (David Wilson)

A new voluntary CoP on water mist systems is now available.  It provides guidance and information to specifiers and end-users on water mist systems, which are increasingly being used in a wide range of commercial applications.

The Institute of Fire Safety Managers is holding a one-day conference on 29 July in Oxford.  The event will feature presentations on various subjects including fire safety in healthcare, the use of infrared thermography to prevent auto-ignition and corporate manslaughter.

The Scottish Minister for Community Safety has hailed the success of a series of workshops advising small businesses and voluntary groups about fire safety law.

Fire engineering has been at the heart of a 10-year project to convert a Victorian warehouse in Manchester into a hotel.  (Simon Lay)

Drawing on the experience of the London Fire Brigade, how regulators assess computational fluid dynamics submissions for fire engineered building designs.  (Alan Taylor)

Cabling is the key to the fire safety systems at Heathrow Airport's new Terminal 5.  (Mark Froggatt)

A review of the fire and rescue service response to the major flooding in England last year recommends a host of improvements - but rejects calls for a statutory flood rescue duty.  (FRM)

With the Integrated Clothing Project coming of age, fire authorities in England now have a new range of personal protective equipment and clothing options.  (Roger Startin)

The Internet offers worldwide benefits to fire alarm servicing companies when it comes to the remote monitoring of systems.  (Mohamed Benerari)

Recent tests in France evaluated the ability of high-expansion foam to control fires involving stored aerosols.  (Phillipe Grondeau)

Ongoing research shows that evacuation can be enhanced by the use of directional sound technology.  (Deborah Withington)

HSE has announced CAPITA as its preferred bidder in the competition to provide a new gas installer registration scheme in Great Britain.  This scheme will replace the one currently operated by CORGI.

Leicester based Parmeko Plc were fined £10,000 and costs of £1,910 under HASAWA 1974 s2.   An employee suffered burns to his hands and legs after some acetone caught fire.

Alfred McAlpine was fined a total of £2,400 and costs of £2,821 under MHSWR 1999 and PUWER 1998.  This was after an incident in which a worker employed by Alfred McAlpine Government Services Ltd was severely injured as a result of a grass-cutting incident on the slopes of the embankment of the A1M motorway.

Defective and poorly erected scaffolding poses risks to both construction workers and members of the public and each year a high number of people are killed and seriously injured.   Aberdeen City Council and the HSE are working in partnership to ensure that these risks are adequately controlled.

Syral UK Ltd fined total of £30,000 under HASAWA 1974 s2 and s3, costs of £6,500.  Brewchem International Ltd fined £10,000 under HASAWA 1974 s3 and costs of £2,000.  During the process of opening up one of the evaporators, there was an uncontrolled release of large quantities of hot liquid.  Two workers injured, one badly with serious burns to his face, neck and arms, the other slight burns and shock.  Three others were uninjured.  Failure to provide a safe system of work during maintenance operations.

HSE has applied to the Court of Appeal for leave to appeal to the House of Lords in the case of Regina (HSE) v James Godfrey Joseph Porter.  The aim of the appeal is to obtain clarification on the law of risk.  As proceedings are now active, HSE cannot comment further until its conclusion.

Bussey and Armstrong Ltd, Darlington, were fined £15,000 under HASAWA 1974 s2, costs of £3,193 and ordered to pay compensation of £5,000 to injured worker.  Employee was working on the second floor using a saw horse as a working platform.  He was working next to an unguarded stairwell and lost his balance falling 5.4 metres to the concrete ground floor.  Serious injuries including crushed vertebrae and a fractured pelvis.

Authentic World Cuisine Limited were fined £4,000 under PSSR 2000.  An employee sustained multiple injuries when the door of an autoclave exploded under pressure midway through a cooking cycle.  The detached circular steel door struck him, sent him 8 metres across the factory causing multiple fractures.  Also sustained burns.  As a result from the incident his leg was amputated.

Fined £5,000 under HASAWA 1974 s2.  IP was working off a step ladder, his feet approx 6ft off the floor when he fell and landed on his back on the soft ground.  Investigation is taking place.

Prison for manslaughter.  17 year old suffered fatal injuries after falling through a fragile roof light of a retail store.  Lack of control measures to prevent access to adjoining building where there were fragile roof lights and no edge protection.

Fined £1,750 under HASAWA 1974 s7.  IP received a fractured pelvis when she was hit by an FLT.

Fined total of £4,000 under CDMR 2007, RIDDOR 1995 and WHR 2005.  IP was asked to remove concrete blocks which were on the roof, picked one up, turned and the roof gave in.

Fined total of £10,500 under HASAWA 1974 s20.  Company failed to produce documents requested under Section 20 powers.

Fined £4,000 under PUWER  1998.  Two IPs painting attic windows of public house when cherry picker overturned and were ejected from the basket when it hit the ground.

Fined £2,640 under PUWER 1998.  The nosing along an aluminium section was being removed with the use of a rip saw.  IP was guiding out the removed section when his glove caught on the blade, which pulled his hand into the blade.

Fined total of £200,000 under HASAWA 1974 s3.  This followed a fatal accident in which an employee of Baker Hughes Ltd was fatally crushed within the hydraulic catwalk, a piece of lifting equipment owned and operated by Edeco Petroleum Services.

Fined £32,000 under HASAWA 1974 s3.  Workman on a construction, demolition site came across a metal pipe which was identified as a live cable that they had been unaware of.  SP Power Systems Ltd visited site, sealing the end of the cable, but failed to make clear to site management team the cable remained live.  Believing the cable to be dead, work continued on site.  Two workers were working in the building, one of them stumbled onto the cable causing it to explode, resulting in serious burns to both men.

Fined total of £3,000 under COSHH 2002.  IP and another employee asked to do "one off" job using oxy-acetylene burning equipment.  No COSHH assessment and no control of exposure to metal fume.  Both suffered symptoms of metal fume fever.  IP was severely affected.

Fined total of £4,500 under PUWER 1998 and MHSWR 1999.  This follows a farm accident with a harvester.  IP's right arm was drawn into the cutter and their hand and lower arm were amputated.

Saint Gobain Building Distribution Ltd fined a total of £120,000 and to pay costs of £51,000 under MHSWR 1999.  HGV driver Nigel Sargeant fell 15 feet from his trailer and suffered fatal head injuries.  The day before the first load of metal telegraph poles were to be dispatched Mr Sargeant was concerned about the height of a load and climbed onto a vehicle to attempt to lower it when the load shifted and the accident happened. (More...)

David Paul Johnson has been jailed for three and a half years after a jury convicted him of the manslaughter of a client who died from CO poisoning.  Johnson, who traded as Merlin Building and Roofing Contractors, demolished and rebuilt the chimney stack above a roof line at the home of Robert Schenker.  In doing so debris fell down inside the chimney, eventually the bottom of the flue became plugged with debris.  Investigations showed that fatal levels of CO were produced within two minutes of the boiler being lit.

Despite the popular belief that sickness absence is rising, the rate in manufacturing is actually stable at 3% or 6.8 days per employee.

Balfour Beatty and GT Railway Maintenance (trading as Carillion Rail) both fined £200,000 and shared costs of £42,000 under HASAWA 1974 s3.  Elec-Track (now known as Hythe Realisations) fined £200,000 under HASAWA 1974 s2.  Richard McBride came into contact with a power line carrying 25kv whilst using an elevated platform.  His two colleagues managed to jump clear.  Mr McBride suffered serious burns and had to have one leg amputated below the knee.  Permit to work bypassed by the companies.

Meat processing firm Tulip has been fined a total of £265,000 after three serious safety incidents in five months.  One employee lost the tips of three fingers in a machine which was not properly guarded.  Later that year a self-employed contractor suffered a severe electrical shock while changing a light fitting.  The shock caused him to fall from a ladder breaking bones in his shoulder.  Finally, Tulip was served with a Prohibition Notice after allowing employees and contractors to use a wooden walkway that ran over a suspended ceiling.  The walkway did not have full guard rails and the personnel were at risk of falling 18 metres through the ceiling to the production floor below.

HSE is consulting on changes to the approved poster employers must display in the workplace detailing basic H&S information for employees.

Calendar of new and upcoming legislation.

If employers aren't making enough progress in workplace stress management, it's because they are getting caught in the same traps.  (Rosemary Anderson)

Continuing the series on protecting and supporting employees with serious medical conditions.  (Becky Allen)

The latest of the catch-up articles for NEBOSH National Diploma students - stress.  (Lawrence Bamber)

Initiatives to protect emergency workers from attack.  (Lucie Ponting)

The basics of providing prescription safety glasses.  (Laura Barton)

Setting out the basics of managing physical barriers between moving machinery and human limbs.  (Michael Ellis)

Clearing up some of the confusion about portable IT equipment and combustible materials.  (Stuart Scott)

Hot off the press - and onto your computer or phone.  A whole range of ways you can keep up to date with what's happening in the world of health and safety.

An idea of what to expect when an HSE inspector visits your premises.

In the last 5 years, 30 motor vehicle repair workers have been killed at work.  An average of 2,000 injuries a year are also reported.

Migrant workers - who is responsible for what?

New editions of PUWER ACoP and RIDDOR Guide have been published.  They both reflect the latest legislation.

The HSE have produced a new package on local exhaust ventilation (LEV).  HSG258 replaces both HSG37 - Intro to LEV and HSG54 - Maint, exam and testing of LEV.

Construction firms carrying out refurbishment projects in Newcastle and Teeside are being targeted by the HSE for the second time in five months in order to crackdown on dangerous working practices.

Colchester Borough Council has signed up with the HSE campaign to combat the growing number of myths that are undermining health and safety legislation.

Eastern Windows Manufacturing Co Ltd fined £5,000 with £1,480 costs under WHR 2005.  This is the maximum fine a Magistrates Court can impose for a breach of health and safety regulations.  An employee fell approx 2.5 metres through a fragile roof, fractured his skull and vertebrae and is now deaf in one ear and has difficulty walking.

The final PRC quarterly report for 2007 found that 955 out of 1583 samples of 25 different foods tested had no detectable residues, and 600 samples contained levels below the maximum permitted levels.  28 samples contained residues above the maximum permitted levels but none of these residues were likely to cause concerns for peoples' health.  No residues were detected on any samples of milk, pork, turkey, water or cider and perry.  These results should reassure consumers that the food they eat continues to be safe.

Work was halted on construction sites in Newcastle as part of the HSE crackdown on unsafe practices.  Inspectors visited 24 contractors and served 4 Prohibition Notices, effectively stopping work, due to concerns about working at height and electrical issues.

Cross and Wells Ltd fined £3,000 and costs of £3,422 under HASAWA 1974 s2, after an employee fell from a working platform while carrying out maintenance work.  The fall was from a work platform that in turn fell from the forks of an FLT as it was being manoeuvred by an unauthorised driver.  The platform had not been adequately risk assessed and the working platform the employee was standing on was not suitable for daily use.  The employee sustained several injuries including broken ribs.

HSE's new Scotland Director visited the Royal Highland Show for the first time and reminded farmers and agriculture workers that although agriculture continues to be one of the most dangerous industries to work in, most accidents and tragedies can be avoided.

A North Wales joint inspection programme into caravan sites will be launched by the HSE and Local Authority Environmental Health Officers.  Designed to provide reassurance to holiday makers and to remind site owners of their obligations to provide a safe and secure environment for their clients, inspectors will be looking at issues relating to traffic management and gas safety at each site.

HSE will be participating in a series of Cumbrian Business Advice Open Days at the start of July.  The Days are part of a nationwide series by HM Revenue and Customs working with a number of national partners including the HSE.

Philip Wolstenholme of Rotherham pleaded guilty under HASAWA 1974 s2 and s33.  He was given a sentence of three months for not providing adequate training or equipment for his employees before instructing them to dismantle a scaffold.  An employee and a colleague, neither of whom had been trained, were dismantling a scaffold when a badly supported scaffold board gave way.  One of the workers fell 6 metres suffering significant injuries to his foot and spine.

HSE has welcomed the response to a safety seminar held in Aberdeen in conjunction with Aberdeen City Council.  Over 200 delegates from the north east attended the event designed to promote safe use of scaffolding.

HSE is reminding parents and farmers of the need to keep children safe on farms.  The reminder comes as the schools in Scotland will be breaking up for the summer holidays.

Community organisations in Edinburgh are being invited to update their health and safety procedures by attending a free event on Monday 30th June.  This will include risk assessment and legislation, how a risk assessment helps prevents accidents in the workplace, workers rights and the role of the trades unions.

HSE is warning the construction industry and parents that building sites are dangerous and must not be used as playgrounds.  The warning comes as schools in Scotland are about to break for the summer holidays.

HSE has highlighted the importance of companies conducting planned maintenance checks on machinery after inspectors discovered several faults which could have killed employees at a food processing plant.  Grampian Country Pork Halls Ltd were fined £2,000 after failing to provide and maintain plant and systems of work that are safe and without risks to health.

Nearly 200 small businesses across Scotland took part in a series of health and safety advice sessions over April and May.  Big business offered expert advice to their smaller counterparts.

HSE is targeting North East furniture manufacturers to raise awareness of the health risks associated with wood dust and wood working in general.  They will visit firms in the region and will be addressing the main health and safety risks to employees.

Harrison Castings Ltd were fined a total of £5,300 and costs of £2,134 under PPEWR 1992.  They were also ordered to pay £2,000 compensation.  Gordon Fowkes, a 62 year old Foundry Manager, was burnt by a blowback of molten metal as he removed a mould plug during a routine casting operation.  He suffered serious burns to his hands and arms.  He has since returned to work with the full support of his employer.

HSE has granted Able UK Ltd of Teeside an exemption under the Control of Asbestos Regs 2006 to allow them to import asbestos contained in a French ship.  They are going to dismantle the ship at their recycling centre.  HSE has imposed strict conditions governing the removal of asbestos from the vessel.  Exemption does not come into force until the company has been granted a Waste Management Licence by the Environment Agency for the site.

Rehau Ltd fined total of £7,500 and costs of £3,340.92 under PUWER 1998.  Two members of staff had serious injuries when the separate incidents took place.  Geraint Jones received hand lacerations and Susan Jones received lacerations and fractures to both hands after they were drawn onto a danger area whilst feeding plastic into the machine.  Investigations showed that one machine did not have any physical guarding and the other machine was being operated without adequate safety devices.

Fined £20,000 under HASAWA 1974 s2.  Operative was grass cutting at the flank of a road embankment on a ride on mower.  Mower ran away down slope, overturned at bottom landing on top of the IP.  No ROPS fitted.  Gradient exceeded maker's max limit and rain earlier in day.

Fined £18,000 under HASAWA 1974 s3.

Fined £8,000 under HASAWA 1974 s3.  Company failed [safely] to conduct undertaking, provision of a temporary video screen supporting structure for the World Cup event at Millennium Point in Birmingham on June 20 2006.

Fined total of £10,000 under HASAWA 1974 s3 and s2.  Company failed to ensure that a screen supporting structure which was suitably designed for its intended purpose was provided for use at Millennium Point during the world cup event.

Fined £12,000 under HASAWA 1974 s2.  Employee injured whilst dismounting from flat roof work area with no suitable access, egress or fall prevention measures in place.  No safe system of work for work at height activities.

Fined £100,000 under HASAWA 1974 s2.  MRX Engineering Support Services Ltd, trading as Stackright Building Systems.  A man was killed and another seriously injured when a steel lifting frame weighing more than half a ton fell from an overhead crane.  No safety catch on hook of crane which could have prevented the load from falling.  Crane operators had not been adequately trained in its safe use.

Fined £2,000 under CAR 2006.  Prohibition Notice served due to unsafe construction work.  Three Polish workers destroying asbestos containing materials in an unsafe, unplanned manner.  AIB damaged and caused contamination of a building undergoing refurbishment.

Fined total of £3,750 under COMAH 1999.  Failure to notify the presence of dangerous substances in quantities exceeding the lower tier COMAH threshold.

Fined £2,500 under WHR 2005.  The IP was welding on hands and knees using a scaffold tower with no handrail at the top, slipped off the edge to the floor.

Prison for manslaughter.  Prosecution of company manager following crane collapse.  Case resulted from the investigation of a fatality.

Fined £1,000 under HASAWA 1974 s3.  Dean Henry Johnson, a self employed labourer, operated a Manitou Maniscopic telescopic materials handler without training, certification or authorisation.  Reversing away from the store he ran over another worker causing major injuries.

Fined £500 under HASAWA 1974 s3.  Two zero fines under HASAWA 1974 s33 and zero fine under GSIUR 1998 and HASAWA 1974 s3.  Gaswork including landlord gas safety inspections carried out by gas fitter outside his Corgi registration.  Landlord safety certificates given to Landlord without checks being carried out and subsequent inspections showed that some of the appliances were at risk.