Latest News, updated 7th March 2010
This is where we'll announce the most recent additions to our web site. If you've visited us before and want to know what's changed, take a look here first. Please send any comments to webmaster@hastam.co.uk.
New Chief Executive for HASTAM
HASTAM is pleased to announce that Mike Vyvyan, previously with JOMC, has agreed to join HASTAM as our Chief Executive from 23 November 2009. Mike brings to HASTAM a wealth of business knowledge and experience from a wide range of industries and activities. At the same time the company also welcomes Liz Shuttleworth as Business Development Manager.
HASTAM's Chairman, Andrew Hale, has welcomed the appointments: "These additions to HASTAM's strength will give an important boost to the company and will place its range of activities, from training, through bespoke consultancy to research and expert witness work more clearly in the market. We look forward to working with Mike and Liz to ensure that we stay at the cutting edge of the management and regulation of safety and health."
Their Managing Director, Mike Thomas, is also supportive of the situation saying, "Mike and Liz bring to HASTAM the marketing expertise we have lacked and I am sure they will complement our technical skills by ensuring we reach the widest market with our innovative products and services. In this, our 25th year of trading the new blood they bring is just what we need".
The rest of the HASTAM Board are all looking forward to the future and to working with Mike Vyvyan and Liz Shuttleworth.
Top Health & Safety News Items
Week ending 5th March 2010
Trafford lorry builder fined after worker crushed
A lorry-trailer building company in Trafford has been fined after a worker was crushed by more than two tonnes of metal.
The HSE prosecuted S Cartwright and Sons (Coachbuilders) Ltd following the incident in Broadheath near Altrincham. The company was fined £15,000 and ordered to pay £18,315 towards the cost of the prosecution at Manchester Crown Court, Minshull Street, on Friday 5 March.
The court heard that David Jones was helping to move a stack of 6.7 metre-long metal strips onto a trailer on 13 March 2008 when the incident happened. The stack and lifting beam, weighing a total of 2.2 tonnes, fell onto him from the forks of a forklift truck.
The metal strips and beam which injured David Jones
Mr Jones broke his back in four places, 12 ribs and a shoulder blade, punctured a lung, bruised his heart and suffered stomach injuries.
HSE Inspector Richard Clarke said, "One of S Cartwright and Sons' workers was seriously injured because the company did not do enough to protect the safety of its employees. Mr Jones is still in constant pain and the incident could have killed him.
"The company regularly requires its employees to unload long stacks of metal strips, which are used to build the trailers for lorries. But, at the time of the incident, it did not provide suitable training or written guidance for its staff to handle long loads.
"Manufacturing companies can be dangerous places to work if the risks are not properly managed. It's vital that good health and safety measures are put in place to prevent workers from being injured."
S Cartwright and Sons (Coachbuilders) Ltd, of Atlantic Street, Broadheath, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 by failing to ensure the safety of its employees.
There were 32 deaths and more than 22,400 serious injuries in the manufacturing sector in Great Britain last year. Information on improving safety is available at http://www.hse.gov.uk/manufacturing">http://www.hse.gov.uk/manufacturing.
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Week ending 26th February 2010
Rotherham Council and contractor fined after employee killed by reversing truck
Family hopes lessons will be learned after "horrific" loss.
Rotherham Council was today fined £75,000 after an employee was killed by a reversing truck.
The HSE also prosecuted contractor Brocklebank & Company (Demolition) Limited over the incident during a council road surfacing operation.
Gordon Duffield, a council employee, was knocked down by an eight-wheeled tipper wagon operated by Brocklebank as it delivered asphalt to a site on Fitzwilliam Road, Rotherham, on 4 May 2007.
Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council was fined £75,000 and ordered to pay £18,350 costs in relation to the incident after pleading guilty to a section 2(1) breach of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 at Doncaster Crown Court.
Brocklebank & Company (Demolition) Limited of, Doctor Lane, Sheffield, also pleaded guilty to a breach of section 3(1) of the same legislation, and was fined £30,000 and ordered to pay £12,000 costs.
After the hearing, HSE Principal Inspector John Rowe said, "Mr Duffield's death demonstrates all too clearly the need for the movement of workplace vehicles to be carefully managed so that employees and other pedestrians are not put at risk.
"The council had a duty to protect their employee. Yet, vehicle movements at the site were uncontrolled despite the fact that tipper wagons had to reverse the length of the site.
"No one was designated to direct the movement and unloading of the lorry. The council were also aware that the worker was partially deaf as a result of exposure to noise at work - but had made no assessment of his suitability to continue as a road worker.
He continued, "Similarly, the contractor in this case had failed to take all reasonably practicable steps to protect those at the site from the risk of being hit by a reversing vehicle. In particular, instructions for the driver to do a 360 degree check were not communicated, nor was CCTV fitted to eliminate the blind spot at the rear of the vehicle."
Mr Duffield's family, including wife Linda and daughters Claire and Lyn, added, "Gordon Duffield was a kind, loving husband, father and granddad who will be forever missed.
"Losing someone you love in such a horrific way is an extremely difficult thing to come to terms with. Knowing their death could have been prevented makes the loss even more unbearable.
"We can only hope that if anything positive can come out of the tragic circumstances we have found ourselves in, it is that lessons can be learned, and that lives can be saved through improved health and safety measures within companies and organisations in the same or similar industries."
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