March 2004

AVOIDING FALLS FROM VEHICLES
Posted Friday, March 26, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
Falling from vehicles is recognised as a major safety problem in road haulage activity, 700 serious injuries, some of them fatal, occur annually in this way. Falls from height and workplace transport are both HSE priority programmes. The HSE has published Avoiding falls from vehicles - a new leaflet/poster with safety messages aimed at workers in the road haulage industry. It folds out into a poster, and explains the practical steps, in the form of a safety 'checklist', that workers can take to prevent them falling. It also includes two case studies highlighting the injuries suffered by two workers who fell while unloading material from vehicles.
Copies of Avoiding falls from vehicles INDG395, ISBN 0 7176 2824 8
for priced packs of 20 - price £5.00, or free single copies, see HSE Books .

'Our figures show that every year over 700 people die or are
seriously injured falling from vehicles. These incidents cause pain,
grief and absence from work. We expect this initiative from HSE to
have an impact on those figures. Workers can carry the leaflet to
readily refer to the checklist and the poster provides a visual
reminder of the key steps to safety.' - Dr William Gillan, HSE's Falls from Height and Workplace Transport Priority Programmes Manager.

SCOTTISH WATER 2003 EUROPEAN WEEK WINNERS
Posted Friday, March 26, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
Scottish Water is the overall winner of the 2003 European Week for Safety and Health at Work awards, its campaign raised awareness about the safe management of substances among all its employees, particularly higher risk groups and frontline workers. A feature of this effective initiative was its integration of HSE's Electronic COSHH Essentials web tool into its intranet and the launch of its own complementary system.

The judges selected 13 national winners who were presented with awards by Des Browne, Minister of State for Work, Hans-Horst Konkolewsky, Director of the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work, and Bill Callaghan.

THE 2003 AWARD WINNERS

National Award Winners

ANDREW MILLAR AND CO. LTD, NORTHERN IRELAND (RETAIL)
BALFOUR BEATTY CONSTRUCTION LTD, LONDON
BFF NONWOVENS LTD, SOMERSET (MANUFACTURER)
GREGGS PLC, CUMBRIA (BAKERY MANUFACTURER AND RETAIL)
MACLELLAN INTERNATIONAL LTD, WORCESTERSHIRE (FACILITIES MANAGEMENT)
ROCHE VITAMINS UK LTD, DERBYSHIRE (VITAMINS AND FINE CHEMICALS)
SCA PACKAGING, KENT (PAPER MANUFACTURER)
SCOTTISH WATER, DUNFERMLINE
SOUTH WALES POLICE, BRIDGEND
SOUTH YORKSHIRE POLICE, SHEFFIELD
STOCKTON RIVERSIDE COLLEGE, STOCKTON ON TEES (FURTHER EDUCATION)
W JORDAN (CEREALS) LTD, BEDFORDSHIRE (FOOD MANUFACTURER)


Best Small Business

MONKEY TREE HOLIDAY PARK, CORNWALL

Commended

CUMBRIA COUNTY COUNCIL
HJ HEINZ COMPANY

“I warmly congratulate all the UK’s winners of the 2003 European Week for Safety and Health at Work awards. I am particularly pleased at the way organisations across a wide range of sectors have made improvements that will help protect the health of their staff. Every year, thousands of people are made ill through exposure to dangerous substances at work. Much of this is preventable. The awards demonstrate what can be achieved when commitment and creativity are brought to bear on the management of hazardous substances and occupational health in general.” - Bill Callaghan, HSC Chair.

CITY COUNCIL FAILED TO ENSURE SCHOOLS' GAS EQUIPMENT WAS SERVICED
Posted Friday, March 26, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
Mary Clark, a catering manager at Withywood Community School, one day in January 2003 took a lit taper to ignite a gas oven in its kitchen. An accumulation of gas ignited and she sustained burns to her hands and face. Investigation by HSE officials revealed that valves had leaked within the oven as a consequence of it not being serviced for almost 3 years, further investigation revealed many Bristol City Council schools had gas equipment that had not been serviced and maintained for similar periods of time.
Bristol Magistrates' Court fined the authority £5,000 for two breaches of health and safety legislation and required it to meet costs of £17,000. The Council is now monitoring the maintenance of gas equipment in its schools to ensure employees and children will never again be exposed to an unacceptable risk to their safety from unserviced gas equipment.

PERSONALITY, ATTITUDES AND STRESS-RELATED ILLNESS
Posted Friday, March 26, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
A very comprehensive report, Cognitive Factors’ Influence on the Expression and Reporting of Work-Related Stress, has been prepared by Loughborough University, the University of Nottingham and the Institute for Employment Studies for the HSE. Researchers conducted a series of analyses to determine the extent to which psychosocial hazards really influence occupational ill-health and if findings from research really reflect individual differences related to factors such as personality and attitudes. Do work conditions, individual differences, or a combination of both influence stress-related illness?
Among many findings, it is suggested that in general both individual differences and adverse work conditions are associated with increases in ill-health, and that adverse work conditions are associated more closely with subsequent increases in psychological symptoms than subsequent increases in physical symptoms.

HUMAN ERROR PRECIPITATED TRAGIC INDUSTRIAL ACCIDENT
Posted Friday, March 26, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
An inquest into the death of Dennis Burman, 51, who was fatally injured last June while working at Trinity Terminal in the port of Felixstowe, has determined a verdict of accidental death. Mr Burman was crushed on a ship-to-shore crane's walkway as the crane moved in what an HSE inspector described as an error of judgement by the crane operator.
Mr Burman had exited the crane's cab after an induction training session and had reached the gate between a fixed and moving gangway where he was crushed and fell 50 metres to the ground. There was no device fitted that would effectively bring the crane's movement to a halt when the gate was opened.
The Felixstowe Dock & Railway Company has since made procedural and physical changes relative to cranes at the port.

WORKPLACE BULLIES TARGETED
Posted Friday, March 26, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
The trade union Amicus is to lead a £1.8m project to help rid the workplace of its bullies and work with some of Britain's biggest employers to develop practical guidance to help them in this aim.

The project will provide support, advice and training to organisations trying to deal with bullying by: training employees as counsellors and investigators of bullying and harassment; devising and promoting a voluntary charter on 'dignity at work'; promoting examples of excellent employers in the UK and lessons to learn;
producing a benchmarking tool enabling organisations to measure
their success in achieving dignity; and producing a 'ban bullying' pack.

The project has 10 partners including British Aerospace, Royal Mail, Legal and General, British Telecom and Remploy, and will be supported by Government agencies such as Acas and the HSE. Half of the project's funding - almost £1m - will come from the DTI's Strategic Partnership Fund.

"For too many people discrimination begins at school. And for many,
the discrimination, harassment, victimization and violence that they
experience at school is something they have to deal with through
their whole lives - particularly in the workplace.
The best employers already know prejudice stops talented individuals
reaching their full potential and this is bad for business. Equality
and economic success go hand in hand." - Trade and Industry Secretary Patricia Hewitt.

COMBINED EFFORTS WILL HELP CUT DROWNINGS
Posted Friday, March 26, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
Around 450-500 people drown annually in the UK, 20% around the coastline. The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) will next week at its national water safety congress in Brighton encourage a new unity between organisations with an interest in reducing drownings and injuries, both inland and at sea. RoSPA wishes to see a change in the current arrangements for overseeing water safety issues which it believes to be too fragmented.
Next week's conference is sponsored by the Environment Agency and Sport England. David Jamieson, Transport Minister, will attend and launch new operational guidelines called Safety on Beaches.

“Because of the number of different Government departments and other organisations involved in water safety, there have been great difficulties in developing a co-ordinated approach.
Delegates to our conference will be asked to support the National Water Safety Forum which will look at issues such as education and accident prevention and developing guidance and best practice.” - Peter Cornall, RoSPA Head of Water Safety.

FIRE SERVICE SERVED WITH IMPROVEMENT NOTICE
Posted Friday, March 26, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
Strathclyde Fire Brigade has been served with an improvement notice related to its practices that became the focus of attention of the HSE following an incident during November 2003 in which firefighters' lives were placed in great danger in an outbreak of fire at Glasgow's Red Road high-rise residential flats. Firefighters had been despatched to a level below the outbreak as standard practice, however on this occasion they emerged by lift at the level where the fire was raging.
It is reported that the notice cites a failure to provide a safe system of work, as a result of which the fire authority, it is alleged, failed to ensure the safety of two employees and two employees of another organisation.
The fire service maintains it has already acted to prevent recurrence and can appeal the notices, if it is of a mind to (by Friday).

WORKMEN PLUNGED INTO SEA FROM CRANE
Posted Friday, March 26, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
The latest in a number of recent construction/ lifting plant incidents that have placed lives at risk occurred yesterday when a crane from which workmen were suspended became unstable, toppled, and dropped them both into the freezing waters off Arbroath harbour. Only the swift actions of nearby boat crews and Arbroath’s inshore lifeboat prevented loss of life as the men struggled to free themselves from the cage to which they were attached by harness.
Both men apparently escaped with minor injuries, it is reported they are employed by contractor Torith, based in Dundee, and were working at the breakwater wall.

SILAGE HARVEST ALERT TO FARMERS
Posted Wednesday, March 24, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
The forthcoming silage harvest will be a focus for HSE's inspectors making visits to farms around the beginning of April. When the grass has been cut it is stored in a clamp, where it is packed down tight and covered with plastic to stop the air getting in.
Scrutiny of the activities involved in its harvesting provides the focus of a South Derbyshire safety inspection blitz, some visits will be by appointment while others will be surprise inspections.

INSPECTORS WILL PAY PARTICULAR ATTENTION TO THE:
condition of silage clamps and their location relative to other hazards; monitoring of the performance of contractors brought in to carry out the work & condition of vehicles used.

FARMERS AND OTHERS INVOLVED SHOULD ENSURE:
machinery is properly maintained and inspected before it is used to make sure it is safe; staff and contractors have received proper training and instruction before they start work; children are not allowed anywhere near the work area; silage clamps are in a condition where they are able to stand the forces put upon them during the filling, pressing and storage.

“Hopefully we wont have to take any further action following these visits, because it will mean that farmers are doing everything that is required of them. Every year farmers and farm workers are killed or injured when many accidents could be prevented by a little forward planning. Safety procedures aren’t there to make life difficult for farmers – they’re vital to save lives. The purpose of these visits is to ensure that the law is being complied with. Where it is not HSE inspectors will be taking the appropriate enforcement action, including prosecution if the circumstances warrant it.” - HSE's Melvin Sandell.

IOM HSW PROSECUTION FOLLOWED ENCOUNTER WITH ASBESTOS
Posted Wednesday, March 24, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
Everest Ltd and Everest (IOM) Ltd have been fined £18,000 by the Island's High Bailiff's Court for breaching the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 in an incident in which its employees and others were exposed to asbestos during work on a domestic conservatory in which asbestos insulation board soffits were disturbed without adequate arrangements being in place. Survey had not disclosed the presence of the asbestos containing material.
Everest Ltd explained that this was an isolated lapse, and it had amended its procedures and training to ensure such an event would not recur.

MAN FELL FROM INADEQUATELY GUARDED WORKING PLATFORM
Posted Wednesday, March 24, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
Bruce Thompson, 46, an employee of Cleveland Bridge UK of Darlington, sustained life-threatening injuries in a fall from an inadequately guarded working platform supported by a scaffold tower during October 2003. His injuries were compounded when he activated shot blasting equipment as he fell.
The company pleaded guilty to breaching health and safety legislation for which it was fined £8,000 with £1,040 costs.

EMPLOYEE ACCESSED DANGEROUS PART OF EQUIPMENT
Posted Wednesday, March 24, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
During January 2003 Imran Ahmed attempted to unblock a plastics recycling machine he was operating at his employers, West Midlands Recycling Ltd. of Sparkbrook, Birmingham. Doing so he accessed a dangerous part of the equipment and sustained a broken finger.
The company pleaded guilty to breaching the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 in the circumstances of the accident for which Birmingham Magistrates' Court fined it £3,000 with £275 costs.

HSE PILOTS INTERACTIVE CONSULTATION WEBSITE
Posted Wednesday, March 24, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
For the first time HSE has made available a new interactive consultation system on its website, on this first occasion to seek views on how restrictions on HSE disclosing information can be brought into line with the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
The consultation system contains a suite of discussion and background
documents, including frequently asked questions. HSE says anyone unable to use the online system can obtain copies of the documents and questionnaire from Keith Pritchard HSE Consultation Manager at keith.pritchard@hse.gsi.gov.uk

FOI ACT
The FOI Act 2000 introduces a general right of access to information but also provides exemptions to that right, these apply mainly where disclosure of the information would not be in the public interest, e.g. because it would prejudice law enforcement or because it would constitute an actionable breach of confidence.
Currently, s.28 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 restricts the circumstances in which HSE can disclose such information to third parties. Essentially, unless the provider gives their consent, information cannot be disclosed except for:
legal proceedings; in connection with functions conferred by the HSW Act or related to public health or safety; or as otherwise provided in law - e.g. the Data Protection Act.
S.28 does not allow HSE to take account of wider public interest arguments in favour of releasing information.

"If you have to provide information to HSE, or you look to HSE to release information, you may want to know what effect the FOI Act will have on section 28. From 1 January 2005, information covered by section 28 will no longer have special protection, and requests for access must be treated in the same way as for other information. That means taking account of the strong presumption in the FOI Act that the public interest requires information to be made available. We would like your views on how section 28 can best be amended to take account of the FOI Act.
In addition, if you want HSE to take account of your interests in
particular health and safety topics - including risk assessment,
manual handling and stress, you can register those interests now
using the new system. This will enable us to notify you of new
developments in these areas when HSE is seeking views and give you an opportunity to contribute." - Keith Pritchard, HSE consultation manager.

MINISTER TO SET SCENE AT ROSPA CONFERENCE
Posted Wednesday, March 24, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
This year's Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) national conference - Learning, Sharing, Moving Forward - takes place at the Salamander Suite, NEC, Birmingham, May 11-13. The event runs alongside Safety and Health Expo 2004 and the RoSPA occupational health and safety awards ceremonies. Conference is sponsored by EDF Energy, booking information can be found at www.rospa.com/shwcongress

Safety Minister Des Browne will open the conference and talk about the UK’s strategy for improving health and safety at work, and Bill Callaghan, HSC chair, will speak about tackling stress.
Case studies will accompany presentations on policy and research showing how the ideas involved have been applied in practice. A range of topics will be explored - enforcement and penalties for health and safety offences, how to improve the ability of organisations to learn from accidents and incident investigations, achieving improvement targets, whether at national, sector or individual business level, and addressing health and safety performance as a strategic business objective. Other sessions will look at reducing alcohol and drug problems and managing asbestos in buildings.

“Maintaining momentum for better health and safety at work is a tough challenge whether you are a Government Minister or a busy health and safety professional or safety representative in a fast-moving commercial organisation. The Minister will set the scene for 3 days in which we will look at new ways of thinking, and also try to learn from other people’s successes and failures.” - Roger Bibbings RoSPA Occupational Safety Adviser.

HEALTH AND SAFETY BLITZ IN HUNTINGDON THIS WEEK
Posted Wednesday, March 24, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
Proprietors, managers and employees of businesses and organisations in Huntingdon may this week be welcoming HSE officials bearing advice on health and safety. Inspectors will observe workplace standards prevailing in a variety of premises on Wednesday 24th March but will focus particularly on the manufacturing industry.
Sadly, judging by reports on the outcomes of previous exercises, inspectors may find it necessary to take some form of enforcement action at some premises where standards are not what they should be.
The programme of visits is part of a series of inspections across the East and South East which so far have reached industrial estates in Broxbourne, Watford, Dunstable, Hemel Hempstead, Welwyn Garden City, Hatfield, Bedford, Biggleswade, Sandy, Peterborough, Cambridge and Wisbech.

“We will be concentrating on the two areas that cause the most serious accidents in the workplace - operating transport and working at height. We will also be looking at the control of occupational asthma, slips, trips and manual handling risks.
I advise all businesses in the area to assess their health and safety standards, not just for the risks we are targeting, but for all their activities. Poor health and safety standards at work not only put workers at risk of serious injury, but also can also seriously damage profits.” - David Metson, acting HSE Principal Inspector for Cambridgeshire.

FALLS FROM HEIGHT PREVENTION IS THEME OF YORKSHIRE SAFETY EVENT
Posted Wednesday, March 24, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
An HSE special safety awareness event is being held at the Owlerton Sports Stadium, Penistone Road, Sheffield, on Tuesday 30th March aimed at small construction industry firms. All local building firms in the region, especially small firms and the self employed, are being invited to the event which will concentrate on falls from height in the building trades.
The free event is a collaborative effort of the HSE, construction companies, local councils, the CITB, the Federation of Master Builders and others and will feature practical demonstrations over the morning and afternoon covering both the risks and the precautions to prevent falls. Demonstrations will include: edge protection systems; use of counterweight and other proprietary systems; harnesses, nets and airbags; working safely around fragile materials and rooflights; mobile platforms, towers and scaffolds.
The morning session starts at 8.30, with registration from 8am and will last for about 3 hours - the event is then repeated from 12.30pm. To reserve a place or get more information, you can call 0114 291 2309.

TWO FATALITIES
One does not have to look further than the region itself for evidence of the deadly potential that falls from height pose for the industry:
there have been 2 fatalities in this part of the country over the last 6 months - a painter was killed in a cradle collapse in Sheffield and a man was crushed to death in a cherry picker in Goole;
2 other workers narrowly escaped death in separate 8-10 metre falls from factory roofs, in Grimsby and Hull & there have also been serious injuries to 6 local builders from falls from ladders and through roof trusses in this same period.

“Nine out the eleven fatalities that have happened in the UK since Christmas involved falls from heights. We urge local builders to learn from these terrible tragedies, which only re-emphasise the need for those in the construction industry to attend the event. The last thing you want to do is to find out about these things when its too late and you have to tell your workmate's family that he won't be coming home again.
Small firms feel it hardest, and most personally, if something does go wrong. You owe it to your staff, your workmates, your families and yourselves to make sure you are up to date with current expectations and know what kit is available. It might help you win a contract, and it might help you stop a death.” Dave Redman, HSE's Principal Inspector for Construction in South Yorkshire and Humberside, calls upon all small building firms to make the effort to come along for one of the half-day sessions.

TEENAGER LOST FINGERS IN RESTAURANT MINCER
Posted Wednesday, March 24, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
The proprietor of a restaurant, where a worker lost fingers in an inadequately guarded mincing machine and who subsequently failed to report the accident, has been heavily fined by SW London Magistrates.
Anton Jesuraja, 18, was working in the kitchen of Suree Andre's Amaranth Thai Cafe and Noodle Bar in Earlsfield, Wandsworth Council's investigation established that supervision and training of the young worker was also inadequate, the restaurant owner pleaded guilty to breaching s.2 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and was fined £13,000 with £2,000 costs. Mr Amaranth's poor command of English had rendered him more vulnerable.

BOY SERIOUSLY INJURED IN ROOF FALL
Posted Monday, March 22, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
Phillip Proser, 13, is seriously ill in hospital after he fell 5 metres through the roof of a building at the disused Penallta Colliery, Glamorgan.
It is believed he had been playing at the site in the company of other children, owners Swan Grange maintain every effort has been made to exclude trespassers.

PROACTIVE EMPLOYER TO BREATHALYSE EMPLOYEES
Posted Monday, March 22, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
A Fife employer is to implement a policy that it maintains will help maintain safety in its activities. It is the intention of FFDR of Lochgelly to conduct random morning breath tests of employees using equipment similar to that used by the police to determine if anyone is unwittingly turning out to work unfit through the effects of alcohol.
Proprietor Ronnie Klos explains his salvage business puts more than 50 vehicles on the road in its property salvage operations, which also require employees to undertake hazardous activities in a variety of environments.

CHEAP & SIMPLE REMEDY EXISTED TO PREVENT ACCIDENT TO MACHINE OPERATOR
Posted Monday, March 22, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
W E Roberts (Corrugated) Limited of Northfleet, Gravesend, has been fined £15,000 with £2, 061 costs after pleading guilty to breaching S.2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 in the circumstances of an accident in which its employee, Stephen Starr, sustained crush injuries to his right hand, resulting in an amputation of a finger, while operating a diecutting machine during July 2003.

"The level of fine sends a strong message to employers that they face severe penalties if they fail to adequately control the risks to their employees. The HSE will not tolerate employers exposing their employees to unacceptable risks at work. The HSE has always been available to give advice in relation to health and safety at work and there is simply no excuse for employers to plead ignorance in relation to good health and safety practice.
W E Roberts (Corrugated) Limited failed to assess the risks to machine operators. This accident could have been avoided if they had simply carried out a risk assessment for the diecutting machine and implemented the cheap and simple safety improvements that were implemented after the accident to Mr Starr.
Mr Starr was 17 at the time of the accident and suffers from learning difficulties and dyslexia, consequently he would have a lack of experience and an absence of awareness of existing or potential risks to his safety. The company failed to ensure that he was supervised to a higher level than that of other employees.” - David Fussell, HM Inspector of Safety and Health.

POTTERS BAR - HSE NOW LEADS INVESTIGATION
Posted Monday, March 22, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
HSE and British Transport Police (BTP) officials met on Thursday with bereaved relatives and some of the scores of persons injured in the May 2002 Potters Bar rail accident that claimed 7 lives to relate progress in the joint investigation into the circumstances of the tragedy. The officials informed them that HSE were now leading the investigation as the emphasis was now on management systems and procedures which was the knowledge domain of its specialist investigators.
It was made clear however that it was still possible that BTP may reassume primacy in the investigation if evidence emerges of a serious criminal offence other than a health and safety offence.

UNSAFE SYSTEM OF WORK LED TO SERIOUS INJURY
Posted Monday, March 22, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
Gas Services Northern Limited, a co-operative organisation based in Darlington, has admitted and been fined by Bishop Auckland Magistrates' Court for breaching health and safety legislation in the circumstances of an industrial accident during August 2003. Two gas engineers, John Short, 47, and Jason Hamilton, 24, fell from a platform sustaining serious injury on a site in Darlington when Mr Short unwisely attempted to access the position where he wished to drill a hole in a wall at a height of 10 metres by climbing a ladder set upon a 6-metre-tall platform supported by scaffolding. The structure became unstable and they both fell.
The company was fined £6,000 for the breach with £740 costs.

CUSTODIAL SENTENCE FOR MAN WHO CAUSED INCIDENT THAT COULD HAVE ENDED APPALLINGLY
Posted Monday, March 22, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
On the 1st of November last year Andrew Bartlett, Master of the 681-tonne dredger, Donald Redford, collided with Hythe Pier at Southampton Water in an incident that severed the pier into two parts, an incident that a Judge said could have ended appallingly. The Southampton to Hythe ferry which uses the pier had just landed 235 people. Mr Bartlett was on watch and in charge of the
navigation of his vessel, investigation subsequently revealing he had a blood alcohol level of 89 mg per ml, approximately 2.5 times the permitted level for driving motor vehicles.
At Southampton Crown Court Mr Bartlett pleaded guilty to a Merchant Shipping offence of conduct endangering ships, structures and individuals and was sentenced to two 8-month custodial terms to run concurrently.

"This offence is an extremely serious one, if the Hythe Ferry had just arrived at the pier, the results could have been appalling. The Port of Southampton is the life blood of the City. Mr Bartlett had betrayed the trust of his employer, and other merchant seamen, who must rely on other users." - His Honour Judge, J G Boggis QC.

"This very serious incident clearly demonstrates how vitally important it is for any person who is in charge of the navigation of a vessel to maintain proper and effective control over the vessel. Captain Bartlett's standard of watch keeping and conduct fell so far below the level required that this collision was inevitable. The MCA views such conduct extremely seriously and will bring offenders to book." - Simon Roberts, The Maritime Coastguard Agency surveyor in charge of Southampton Marine Office.

CARE HOME RESIDENT'S DEATH UNDER INVESTIGATION
Posted Monday, March 22, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
The HSE is one of several authorities participating in the investigation into the sudden death of care home resident John Davies, 81, who died last week at Brooklands residential home, in Saundersfoot, Dyfed.
According to one report Mr Davies sustained scalding injuries. An inquest into his death has been opened and adjourned.

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY SUPPORT FOR SCOTTISH SMES
Posted Friday, March 19, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
The Scottish Executive moved last year to provide health and safety support to small and medium-sized firms (SMEs) in Scotland who typically have little or no access to occupational health or safety advice provision. Launched last year, Safe and Healthy Working is a free and confidential service available to all SMEs and their employees throughout the country.
Safe and Healthy Working aims to provide SMEs with 'high-quality information, advice and support, empowering them to better recognise and address occupational health and safety problems they may be experiencing, particularly where these relate to basic health and safety legal compliance, such as stress and musculoskeletal disorders'.
It achieves this through: a free and confidential advice line for employees and employers; professional advisers conducting workplace visits to identify occupational health and safety needs; advice and guidance to address occupational health and safety issues & a website specifically designed for SMEs.

HSE TO WARN OF INAPPROPRIATE POSITIONING OF GAS FLUES
Posted Friday, March 19, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
The potential dangers arising from the inappropriate positioning of domestic gas flues have emerged from the investigation into the February death by carbon monoxide poisoning of Dominic Rodgers, 10, in his Huddersfield home. Concern lies with situations where vents are sited in external passageways which may be insufficiently ventilated permitting exhaust gases to re-enter the accommodation. These passageway features may be found typically in terraced back-to-back housing common in parts of England.
It is reported that the HSE is to issue technical information on the matter quite soon.

COUNCIL'S RESORT TO SPRINKLERS FOR SCHOOLS
Posted Friday, March 19, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
Coventry City Council is the latest authority to decide that the installation of water sprinkler systems is the appropriate way to combat arson attacks on its school buildings and reduce rising insurance premiums. It plans to eventually install these systems in its existing schools as well as new builds. Neighbouring Warwickshire installs systems in all new schools.

SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE STATES INTENTION ON SPRINKLER SYSTEMS
Posted Friday, March 19, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
It has been announced that subject to consultation, from 1st May 2005 certain types of new and converted buildings in Scotland will require to have sprinkler systems fitted.
This is understood to apply to the following categories of new and converted buildings in Scotland: high rise blocks of flats; residential care buildings & sheltered housing.
New guidance will be written for existing buildings, especially for residential care homes in the wake of the Rosepark Home tragedy, and further research is being carried out which will both examine the Rosepark fire and look at other issues related to the installation of domestic and residential sprinklers.
Mary Mulligan, Deputy Communities Minister commented: "It is essential that fire safety is given greater prominence and that everyone is alerted to the risks of fire in the home and the various strategies for controlling it."

"Fire safety in existing premises needs to be based on an accurate assessment of the risk within the individual building. This is currently enforced through fire authorities and other authorities under various Acts and licensing regimes. We are aware of the need for clear and authoritative guidance on risk assessment for different building types and it is our intention to improve that which is currently available.
In the case of Houses in Multiple Occupation we are already in the middle of a review of the guidance. In the case of residential care homes we will certainly be producing new national guidance to take account of the lessons which can be learnt from the Rosepark Home tragedy. The Fire Services Bill will put in place a new framework for the assessment of risk and give authority to guidance issued by the Scottish Ministers. - Mary Mulligan, Deputy Communities Minister.

MOTOCROSS VENUE OPERATOR FINED
Posted Friday, March 19, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
Andy Nicholls, director of AN Sports, operator of a Reading motocross track venue at which Robert Pavelin, 11, died in an accident during September 2002, has been found guilty at the town's Magistrates' Court of breaching health and safety legislation in the manner in which the facility was operated.
Mr Nicholls and his company were fined £24,000 with £8,000 costs. The presiding judge was highly critical of the supervision of activities and the absence of monitoring of both bikes and track.

BULL KILLS FARMER
Posted Friday, March 19, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
It is reported that a farmer aged 77 has died in hospital from injuries he sustained in a livestock accident. It is understood he was transferring the animal from one enclosure to another & it is believed he was kicked and thrown about by a bull while tending to it in the farmyard at Shocklach, Cheshire.

MOWLEM RAILWAYS FINED HEAVILY FOR RAIL DEATH
Posted Friday, March 19, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
Terence Lowry, 39, died during February 2002 when his rail vehicle collided with another stationary vehicle on the permanent way between Belfast and Bangor as he worked overnight on a re-rail project. Another rail worker sustained injury in the collision.
Investigation of the accident revealed the workmen were working without the benefit of a safe system of work and in the absence of controls derived from a suitable and sufficient risk assessment for the activity.
Belfast Crown Court fined Mowlem £75,000 for its admitted breaches of health and safety legislation.

AGRICULTURAL SAFETY INSPECTION BLITZ DUE IN SHROPSHIRE
Posted Friday, March 19, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
Farms situated in Shropshire, the latest county to undergo health and safety blitz inspection, can expect visits from HSE inspectors from Monday 22nd to Friday 26 March. The south-west of the county is being targeted, inspectors' focus will be on workplace transport issues, such as the use of all-terrain vehicles and telescopic handlers. Other areas of concern are the control of risk associated with manual handling, livestock handling, working at height, the storage of pesticides, and the safety of children on site.

“Agriculture remains a hazardous industry in which to work and 38 people were killed while working in it in 2002/03. Prevention of this tragic loss of life is usually simple and not costly. Rushing a job such as repairing a roof or clearing a machine blockage without taking straightforward precautions or using the right protective equipment, often leads to injury or even death. It is important that we get the health and safety message across to all who work in the industry and Safety Awareness Days are one means of doing this. This is why farmers in south west Shropshire, who have not recently attended one of these events, will be the main focus of our inspection visits next week.
We are keen to work with farmers to reduce accidents and ill health by changing attitudes and work practices and trying to persuade employers, the self-employed and workers to think about the consequences of their actions. Inspectors will offer help and advice, but we will not hesitate to take a firm line where unsafe conditions are found in the farmyard or field.” - Dr Phil Smith, HM Principal Inspector for Agriculture, Shropshire.

CONTRACTOR ERRED ENVIRONMENTALLY AT LANDFILL SITE
Posted Friday, March 19, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
During June last year a member of the public alerted the Environment Agency to a heavy discoloration of the Connon Stream below the Connon Bridge Landfill site at East Taphouse, near Liskeard. Agency officials sampled the waters and found them to contain silt levels 2,880 times greater than those upstream of the site. Contractors carrying out earthworks had been pumping water containing sand and silt to another part of the site, the pollution stemmed from a broken pipe coupling.
J McArdle Contracts Ltd from Wembley, Middlesex, maintained the incident was a result of an act of vandalism, however it pleaded guilty to causing poisonous, noxious or polluting matter to enter controlled waters contrary to the Water Resources Act 1991 and was fined £500 with £812 costs by East Cornwall Magistrates.

"Evidence of this pollution was visible for 2 kilometres downstream of the Connon Bridge Landfill site. Although the overall impact was minimal, this discharge serves as a timely reminder of the need for contractors to be extra vigilant when working near watercourses." - Stephen Clark, Environment Agency.

ASBESTOS CONTAMINATED OCCUPIED SCHOOL
Posted Friday, March 19, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
Investigation continues to determine the facts surrounding the contamination of a school in which asbestos fibres spread throughout the occupied building during a window replacement project conducted over several weeks. The school, Silverhill Primary in Mickleover, Derby, has been closed since the weekend and will remain closed for many weeks yet. According to one account, testing revealed the significant presence of fibres in the vicinity of the work and other parts of the building.
Advice issued by the City Council to parents is that children's clothing might have picked up very small amounts of asbestos fibre, but if the clothing has been washed, the fibres will have mostly been removed. It further advises that if any item might have had an especially high exposure, it can be placed into a tied plastic bag and retained until the Council's specialist consultants are in a position to report back. It is understood that consultants from the Institute of Occupational Medicine will attend the school.

ESSEX FARMING INSPECTION BLITZ
Posted Wednesday, March 17, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
Farmers in Essex will be receiving visitors next week from Monday 15th March to Friday 19th March - HSE inspectors who are to assess compliance with health and safety legislation. The visits, some by appointment others unannounced, will mean officials from East Grinstead, Ashford, Luton, Basingstoke, Norwich and Chelmsford dispensing advice and inevitably in some instances, enforcement notices.

Inspectors will pay particular attention to how farmers control risks arising from:

FARM TRANSPORT
WORKING AT HEIGHT
THE PRESENCE OF CHILDREN
MANUAL HANDLING
EXPOSURE TO GRAIN DUST (WHICH CAN CAUSE OCCUPATIONAL ASTHMA)

The above activities regularly contribute to accidents and ill health in agriculture. Recent accidents include: a farmer who drowned after entering a grain bin where grain was being drawn out of the bottom;
another crushed to death when the tractor and trailer they had parked whilst closing a gate ran back and trapped them against the gate;
a child was killed when a reversing tractor and trailer failed to see her riding her bicycle in the farmyard & a landscape worker survived being run over by a fork lift but received serious brain damage.

"People working in agriculture continue to be among those most likely to come to harm because of their work. In most cases accidents are easily preventable and the solutions to problems are simple and inexpensive to implement. However, it is also true that there are a significant number of farmers who see training as an unnecessary burden and who need to make better use of local training groups." - Frank Sykes, HSE Principal Inspector for agriculture, Essex.

NEW HEALTHCARE SECTOR SAFETY TRAINING INITIATIVE
Posted Wednesday, March 17, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
A new Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH)/ University of Wales College of Medicine developed training course, Healthcare: risk and safety management, is now available aimed at managers working in both clinical and administrative areas of healthcare.
At a recent high profile launch, John Hutton MP, Minister of State for Health, congratulated both bodies and expressed the view that it "will be immensely helpful in reducing further the rates of sickness and the number of accidents we have in the industry."

HEALTHCARE: RISK AND SAFETY MANAGEMENT
Each module provides a high level of interaction between the trainer and trainee; the course can be tailored to suit healthcare environment, eg. acute, primary or ambulance care; it can be completed in a time frame to suit the particular employee; a maximum of 4 days is required, in one block or spread over several weeks;
the syllabus comprises 12 modules, including governance, health and safety law, risk assessment, safety management systems, hazardous substances, occupational health, fire, workplace safety and communication. It also covers clinical and practical issues such as infection control, violence and aggression, and manual handling.

"Our course has been specifically designed and developed for the healthcare sector. The National Patient Safety Agency calculates that approximately 1 in 10 patients suffers an adverse event contributed to by health and safety failures - we firmly believe that this course will help to reduce this figure by meeting a crucial need in the healthcare sector." - Rob Strange Chief executive of IOSH.
"I'm sure that training programmes like this will result in better safety." - Chris Taylor, head of sector at the HSE.

"The beauty of the approach is that staff can now transfer from one trust to another without the need to be re-trained, which generates enormous cost savings. And, as everyone is working with the same base knowledge, risk assessment becomes a much easier task." - Dr Rob Davies MBE, head of the Health, Safety and Environment Unit at University of Wales College of Medicine.

TEESSIDE CONSTRUCTION SAFETY EVENT
Posted Wednesday, March 17, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
The HSE, Teesside Safety Group and the Teesside SHE Partnership are hosting a Safety and Health Awareness Event at Sedgefield Racecourse on Wednesday 24th March. Representatives from small building firms, construction and contracting companies are being invited, with more than 250 bosses and workers in the North East expected to attend and learn of the main causes of accidents and illnesses on construction sites and how to avoid them.
Delegates can attend either a morning or an afternoon session, based on a series of practical demonstrations by experts in the industry focusing on aspects of everyday site safety that most people involved in the construction industry will encounter. The informal scenarios will include protecting against noise, manual handling, working at height, working in a confined space, asbestos legislation and using tower scaffolds.
Visitors can talk to Health and Safety professionals on a one-to-one basis about specific issues concerning their own businesses, anyone interested in attending the event should contact Samantha Glasgow on 0191 202 6299 or fax number 0191 2026300.

SKIP LOADERS & THEIR HAZARDS
Posted Wednesday, March 17, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
A guidance leaflet has been published on the HSE website explaining the dangers associated with skips, skip loaders and associated activities. Safe use of skip loaders: advice for employees INDG378, free from HSE Books considers the risks and appropriate controls of hazards including: being struck by vehicles; falling and slipping;
failures of lifting equipment; striking overhead cables and other obstructions; vehicle overturns & runaway vehicles.

WORKER SAFETY ADVISER CHALLENGE FUND
Posted Wednesday, March 17, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
The launch of the Worker Safety Adviser (WSA) Challenge Fund takes place on the 26th March 2004. The fund has been set up to support innovative projects leading to the greater involvement of workers in occupational health and safety matters.
Bids for funding will be invited from the above date, closing date for applications is 7th May 2004. For the First round of bidding, applications would be particularly welcomed from the construction, hospitality, retail and voluntary sectors building on the work of the WSA Pilot.

THE CHALLENGE FUND
The Challenge Fund is a grant scheme designed to increase worker involvement and consultation through the intervention of the Workers’ Safety Adviser; projects for support under the Challenge Fund are invited on a competitive basis during fixed rounds;
organisations could be looking to work together in partnership for the first time or build on existing relationships;
the scheme offers funding to eligible projects that are looking to adopt and build partnership approaches; the focus of the Challenge Fund will be on small organisations employing between 1 and 250 employees.

REDUCING NOISE EXPOSURE IN FARMING
Posted Wednesday, March 17, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
Not surprisingly, in sometimes relatively uncontrolled working environments such as farming, noise exposures can be problematic. A recent study, Practical solutions to noise problems in agriculture, has by means of a literature review studied data on noise exposure on farms, encompassing noise control techniques and legislation in relation to recent developments and their applicability to on-farm conditions.
The study is concerned with noise sources that expose operators to LEP,d 89-104 dB(A). Case studies were undertaken to discover cost effective solutions, suggesting a useful reduction in the daily noise exposure values can be achieved in the range 3-16 dB(A), although additional personal hearing protection may still be required.
RR212 - Practical solutions to noise problems in agriculture Evans, J.P., Whyte, R.T. and others, Silsoe Research Institute, RMS Vibration Test Laboratory and HSE, HSE Books, 2004, ISBN 0717628264.

POWER LINES, PARTICLES & HEALTH
Posted Wednesday, March 17, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
The National Radiological Protection Board's independent Advisory Group on Non-ionising Radiation (AGNIR) has recently considered the matter of whether particle deposition in the vicinity of power lines has any bearing on human health. Some have for a number of years taken the view that there could be detrimental health effects caused by the resultant increased charge on certain pollutant particles in the atmosphere resulting from the presence of power lines. Specific pollutants cited included radon decay products, chemicals, spores, bacteria and other organisms which could be deposited on the skin and lungs to greater effect having been ionised by corona discharging at high voltage.
AGNIR concludes in its report, Particle Deposition in the Vicinity of Power Lines and Possible Effects on Health, that any effect of charge is unlikely to have more than a slight influence, if any, on the health of the general population.
AGNIR says there is no strong case for further research in this area but suggests some possible studies that would provide further information on the charge distribution on atmospheric particulate materials and its effect on deposition in the body.
The report can be purchased through the National Radiological Protection Board website.

REPORT CONCLUSION
"….it seems unlikely that corona ions would have more than a small effect on the long-term health risks associated with particulate air pollutants, even in the individuals who are most affected. In public health terms, the proportionate impact will be even lower because only a small fraction of the general population live or work close to sources of corona ions.”

CONSTRUCTION WORKER DIES AFTER FALL FROM HEIGHT
Posted Wednesday, March 17, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
John Walsh, 53, an employee of Ferson Construction Services Ltd, Bristol, has died in a fall from height accident on the site of the new Welsh Assembly debating chamber at Britannia Quay, Cardiff.
According to one account Mr Walsh may have been using a ladder at the time of the accident on Monday afternoon, Taylor Woodrow are Principal Contractors for

WORKPLACE TRANSPORT PROSECUTION
Posted Wednesday, March 17, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
Keyway Construction Ltd, Gloucester, has been prosecuted over a dump truck accident in which its employee, Dean Webb, 30, sustained serious injury at a landfill site during April 2003. Mr Webb was trapped under the truck in the rollover accident, HSE investigation established it was not fitted with an appropriate restraining device.
The company admitted breaching s2.of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, Gloucester Magistrates' Court fined it £2,500 with £1,690 costs.

MOST DANGEROUS OF OCCUPATIONS
Posted Wednesday, March 17, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
A commercial fisherman is presumed drowned following his 10-metre long 10- tonne vessel's sinking at the weekend.
Newlyn-based Mark Jose and 2 others had been retrieving fishing nets 19 miles south of Lizard, Cornwall, his colleagues were rescued from the automatically inflated hydrostatic liferaft, Mr Jose has not been found despite the efforts of a Falmouth co-ordinated search. The survivors report they experienced engine trouble and while stationery were struck by a large wave that overturned their vessel.
The fatal accident rate for sea fisherman is many times that of other dangerous occupations such as oil and gas production, quarrying, mining and construction.

SLOW REVERSING VEHICLE KILLED WORKER ON SITE
Posted Wednesday, March 17, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
Joseph Jenkinson, a sub contractor, was run over and killed by a slow reversing agricultural trailer on a road widening project at Wheaton Aston, near Stafford during July 2001. HSE investigation of the incident led to a prosecution of principal contractor JDM Accord Ltd of Welwyn Garden City who pleaded guilty to breaching r. 3(1) of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, for failing to make a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks to persons not in its employment whilst they were at work in connection with the conduct of its undertaking; and S.3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 for failing to ensure, so far as was reasonably practicable, that persons not in its employment were not thereby exposed to risks to their health and safety by the virtue of the construction work involving the movement of vehicles.
JDM was fined a total of £100,000 with £32,183 in costs, by Stafford Crown Court.

"The risk to 'banksmen' from reversing vehicles is well known and has
to be properly controlled. Banksmen are often used as the first or only line of protection for pedestrians from reversing vehicles,
instead of proper precautions being implemented to eliminate or reduce reversing and providing visibility aids such as cctv and
mirrors. There were many elements which contributed to this accident, but the 'safe sight, safe vehicle, safe drivers' message certainly had not been acted on." - Joy Jones, HSE Principal Construction Inspector.

DEMOLITION PRACTICES STUDIED
Posted Wednesday, March 17, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
Construction and refurbishment activity presents a higher risk of injury and ill-health, with demolition often the most hazardous phase of these projects.
A recent HSE-funded study has been conducted jointly by Loughborough University and Milan Polytechnic in an attempt to identify the main factors associated with health and safety issues on refurbishment sites, in particular to examine the strategies adopted where demolition is an activity. Useful comparison was made between practices in the UK and Italy.
Researchers have produced a checklist for proactive management of health and safety on refurbishment projects and generated recommendations for further research into ways of improving health and safety performance in this area of work.

The research work suggests that much greater care in the management of refurbishment works is required; communication, not unexpectedly, remains a crucial matter, a continuous flow of information has to be maintained between all the project participants; the role of Client is pivotal, one-off or occasional Clients need more health and safety guidance.

Health and safety in refurbishment involving demolition and structural instability, Anumba, C., Marino, B. and others; Loughborough University and Milan Polytechnic, HSE Books, 2004; Research report 204, ISBN 0717628205, price £20.00.

EMPLOYEES HAVE VITAL CONTRIBUTION TO MAKE IN ENSURING BETTER HEALTH AND SAFETY
Posted Friday, March 12, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
HSC is this week advocating a greater involvement by employees through proper consultation with employers as a path to better standards of health and safety in the workplace.
Speaking of HSC's call for greater worker consultation and involvement, expressed in its statement urging a collaborative approach between partners to managing risks to occupational health and safety, Chairman Bill Callaghan says: "I believe the statement makes a strong argument for the active participation of employees in managing workplace health and safety, working in partnership with their employers to reduce both ill-health and injuries."

COLLECTIVE DECLARATION
The statement, central to HSC's new strategy, recognises workers as the most valuable asset in bringing about real improvements. It focuses on the relationships between workers and employers and promotes a collaborative approach based on trust.
The statement has been endorsed by the TUC, CBI, Institute of Directors, Federation of Small Businesses and Chemical Industries Association.
The text of the statement, A Collective Declaration on Worker Involvement, also contains views expressed by various stakeholders.
Later this month HSE will be publicising the Challenge Fund and inviting bids for awards at the end of March, its focus will be small and medium-sized enterprises lacking arrangements for employee involvement in health and safety.

"A fully involved and consulted workforce would be a major contribution to achieving a healthier, safer workplace. All workers have a right to work in places where all risks to their health and safety are properly controlled. Not enough employers properly involve and consult their staff on health and safety. Equally, not enough workers feel able to come forward and take on health and safety responsibilities.
There are many examples of where greater consultation between managers, staff and unions has increased health and standards, and other cases where poor dialogue has led to significant human and financial costs.
The Piper Alpha oil platform explosion in 1987, which killed 167 workers and cost an estimated £2bn, and the 1988 Clapham rail crash, in which 35 people died, are two examples of employee concerns about health and safety not being raised. In a paper on safety cultures1 in the workplace in 1999, the HSE concluded: "The first people to realise something may be seriously wrong in an organisation are usually those who work there.
We are not claiming that workforce involvement is the only way to improve health and safety, or saying its absence is the only reason for failure. I challenge all parts of industry to promote the statement and build agreement on this issue: for employers, workers, the unions and other major players to develop and publicise ways of creating trust and working with each other in partnership." - Bill Callaghan
"Following an invitation from both management and safety representatives at trade union Amicus to visit the site, I saw the benefits of working in partnership and was impressed by the commitment and determination of partners to make this approach work; one that could be an example to other employers.
Partnership between employers, managers, trade unions and other parties is vital to build on Great Britain's record on occupational health and safety." -Minister for Work Des Browne welcomed publication of the statement, and commented during a recent visit to BAE Systems Aerostructures, Prestwick.

MAN SERIOUS AFTER FALL ON INDUSTRIAL SITE
Posted Friday, March 12, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
A man, reported to be an intruder, has been seriously injured in an apparent 10-metre fall inside a tank on a disused part of a site occupied by CJC Chemicals of Hartlepool. It is believed he fell while negotiating the inside of the disused settlement tank. He sustained multiple fractures, his condition is described as stable.

HSE WORKING WITH HEALTH SERVICES TO IMPROVE NHS STAFF WORKING CONDITIONS
Posted Thursday, March 11, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
Chris Taylor, Head of HSE's Health Services Unit, has responded to the published findings of the Commission for Health Improvement (CHI) staff survey published yesterday:
"The findings about the risks faced by NHS staff are useful and confirm what we already know. Stress, manual handling, and violence, for example, are a significant problem for staff and the illness and disruption they cause place a major burden on the delivery of health services.
The HSE are working with health services to improve working conditions for NHS staff and at the same time improve the service to patients. Health Service are a priority for HSE and our inspections of NHS trusts are already focusing on the major risks highlighted by the CHI survey.
We are also working with the Department of Health, the main NHS agencies and staff organisations to provide the tools for improving health and safety.

Initiatives include:
a national package of training on managing violence and aggression (run by the Counter Fraud and Security Management Service); practical guidance on managing work-related stress in healthcare; work with the National Patient Safety Agency and NHS Estates on the design of safer hospitals; and education on health and safety for undergraduate medical students (with the Council for the Head of Medical Schools).

The CHI report illustrates why sensible health and safety needs to be an integral part of any efficient organisation. NHS trusts and their managers should take an active role in the health and safety of their staff, to ensure the delivery of top quality care to patients."

JISHA JOINS ONLINE HEALTH AND SAFETY INFORMATION NETWORK
Posted Thursday, March 11, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work's global Internet portal for occupational safety and health (OSH) information is to be boosted by the participation of The Japan Industrial Safety and Health Association (JISHA). The resource, comprising a unique network of websites, offers information on good safety and health practice, research, statistics, training and other fields, and is the world’s largest online repository of validated and up-to-date safety and health information.

Network partners include: the International Labour Organization;
the World Health Organisation; the Organization for American States; and specialist safety and health institutions in more than 30 European countries, Australia, Canada, Brazil and the United States.

The Japanese website is expected in a few months time.

"I am especially pleased to welcome JISHA as our first Asian network partner. Workplace safety and health is a matter of global concern and geographical barriers should not stand in the way of the flow of information that can raise safety and health standards in workplaces across the world. Through this co-operative arrangement, businesses, workers and experts in Europe and Japan will be better informed in the future about regulatory demands, new research findings and good practices, and therefore be in a better position to meet the safety and health challenges of globalisation.” - Hans-Horst Konkolewsky Director of the European Agency.

COMPANY STORED WASTE ON LAND WITHOUT LICENCE
Posted Thursday, March 11, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
At Rotherham Magistrates' Court this week Michael McErlain, 49, a Director of Carwick Limited, a skip hire company trading in Rotherham, has pleaded guilty to one offence of keeping controlled waste, including special waste, other than in accordance with a waste management licence and one of depositing waste on land where no waste management licence was in force on dates in February and April 2003. Mr McErlain was fined a total of £4,000 with £3659 Environment costs.
This was brought to the attention of the Agency, the company originally had a licence to store waste at its site in Waleswood near Rotherham, but this was suspended, and an investigation discovered waste there, including asbestos.

NO LICENCE EXISTED
Mr McErlain was instructed to remove the waste and not to deposit any more. All waste was removed except the asbestos, which was still there in April but has now also been removed. However, the company then began to use another piece of land nearby, which did not have a waste management licence, to dump its waste.

"The Agency issues authorisations to waste management companies to regulate their activities and ensure protection of the environment. Where individuals or companies flout those controls they can expect to be prosecuted. Today’s case sends a clear message to other waste management companies that they must abide by their authorisations." - Paul Salter, Special Enforcement Officer.

BAN ON HIGH-CHROMIUM CEMENT
Posted Thursday, March 11, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
The HSC is consulting on a proposed ban on high-chromium cement, a known cause of allergic dermatitis - a painful, disfiguring and sometimes disabling skin disease. Once skin is sensitised, the condition can become irreversible and threaten the livelihoods of builders, bricklayers, tilers and anyone who uses cement, concrete, mortar, grout and tile adhesive.
The ban will be effected through an amendment to the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH) and the Chemical Hazards Information and Packaging Regulations 2002 (CHIP). The amendment implements a European Community Directive and would come into force in January 2005, however, where the chromium VI content has been brought down to safe levels, manufacturers will be required to mark on the packaging the 'use by' date of the reducing agent, and the amendment will not apply where there is no risk of skin contact.

COMMENT INVITED
It would therefore become illegal to supply and use cement with more than two parts per million of chromium VI, although at present most cement used in the UK contains more than this level of chromium VI and therefore presents an unnecessary risk to workers' health, although it can be made safe through the addition of a reducing agent.
The HSC is inviting firms to comment on a proposed ban, the Consultative Document for these amendments is available at http://www.hse.gov.uk/consult/condocs/cd195.pdf . Guidance on the safe use of cement is available on HSE Construction Information Sheet No 26 .

"This ban would be an important step in our campaign against skin disease. Dermatitis is a very nasty affliction which can inflict huge discomfort on sufferers. Many people have been forced to give up their jobs, and are often left with painful and damaged hands for life. In a typical year between 200 and 400 new cases of allergic
contact come to light. We are now giving firms the chance to tell us how they think we should bring this ban in."- Bill Macdonald, Head of Policy on Skin Disease at HSE.

PM5 MOVES TOWARDS REVISION
Posted Thursday, March 11, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
The existing HSE guidance note, PM5, Automatically controlled steam and hot water boilers, predates the use of Programmable Electronic Systems (PES) in the control of boilers and the recently published standards, e.g., BS EN 61508, dealing with these technologies. The monitoring and control facilities provided by PES are becoming increasingly commonplace. Boiler control systems may be very sophisticated, allowing automatic shutdown, remote monitoring and a facility to automatically indicate at a remote engineering site that a fault has been detected.
In recognition of this the first in a series of reports, Report 1 - Hardware reliability aspects CI/03/23, describing analyses is available and is intended to provide information that will allow a 'state-of-the-art' revision of PM5 to be accomplished.

INVESTIGATION INTO MIDLANDS LEGIONNAIRES OUTBREAK
Posted Thursday, March 11, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
Two employees of Linpac, Walsall, have contracted Legionnaires' disease. Although the source of the disease has not been determined, public health officials have reassured residents in the area that action has been taken to reduce the likelihood of further infections.

BSI SCHEME CAN HELP REDUCE DOMESTIC DEATH AND INJURY FROM ELECTRICITY
Posted Thursday, March 11, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
ROSPA estimates that in England and Wales faulty domestic electrical installation work resulting in electrocution and fire causes 44 deaths and around 2,850 injuries each year. To reduce this loss British Standards Institution (BSI) has launched a Kitemark scheme for electricians, aiming to help the public identify fully-qualified and competent contractors who are regularly assessed by BSI Product Services. Only 20% of the estimated 60,000 firms trading as electricians are registered as members of voluntary schemes such as those run by the National Inspection Council for Electrical Installation Contracting and the Electrical Contractors Association.

HOW THE SCHEME WILL WORK?
BSI’s new Kitemark scheme will operate on the basis of compliance with the national safety standard BS 7671:2001 Requirements for Electrical Installations; the scheme will also meet the specific needs of the proposed Part P of the Building Regulations in England and Wales; BSI will check the qualifications and competencies of personnel and supervisory staff and carry out inspections of installation work to ensure it complies with BS7671. BSI will also check the adequacy of electricians’ professional indemnity cover and assess the calibration and control of their electrical test equipment.

COMPETENT PERSONS SELF-CERTIFICATION SCHEME
BSI has applied for the new Kitemark scheme to be approved as a ‘Competent Persons Self-Certification Scheme’. The Government is due to introduce electrical safety into the Building Regulations this year and, when approved, the Kitemark scheme will exempt members of the scheme from inspections by Local Authority Building Control. The scheme should achieve approval later this year. It means electrical contractors who pass BSI’s checks will be able to provide homeowners with ‘electrical completion certificates’ carrying the Kitemark. Certificates will provide evidence to prospective buyers that hidden electrical work was correctly installed and met the standard required.

"This new Kitemark scheme is great news for consumers as it will help identify those electrical installation contractors who are regularly checked by an independent body. With BSI’s Kitemark so well known, the public will be reassured when they see the mark that the work carried out meets the necessary safety standards." - Mike Pearson, BSI Product Services’ Head of Projects.

BLACKPOOL, FYLDE, WYRE AND PRESTON SHAD
Posted Thursday, March 11, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
The HSE and Blackpool Borough Council are laying on a safety event for small businesses where they can learn how to comply with health and safety requirements. The Safety and Health Awareness Day (SHAD) event is at the Blackpool De Vere Herons Reach Hotel on Wednesday 31st March, and will feature practical awareness raising demonstrations that will feature - managing asbestos; work at height; manual handling; workplace transport safety; slips, footwear and flooring design; and display screen equipment. The half-day morning seminar will be repeated during the afternoon, and is expected to be attended by representatives of up to 300 small and medium-sized businesses in total from the Blackpool, Fylde, Wyre and Preston areas.
Places at the events are free, bookings can be made either by contacting Mary Clarkson at HSE's offices in Marshall House, Preston on 01772 836219, by fax on 01772 836285 or by contacting Dave Womack at Blackpool Borough Council on 01253-478336, by fax 01253-478324 or by e-mail dave.womack@blackpool.gov.uk.
"Blackpool Borough Council is working in partnership with the HSE to promote a greater understanding of health and safety requirements. We hope that together we can make Blackpool a safer place to work in and to visit." - Councillor Robert Wynne, Portfolio Holder for partnerships, businesses and companies at Blackpool Borough Council.

NW ENGLAND CONSTRUCTION SAFETY SEMINAR
Posted Thursday, March 11, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
The North West Safety Initiative (NWSi) is a group interested in improving construction safety comprising The Merseyside and Cheshire Construction Safety Group, North West Construction Safety Group and the Construction Design and Management Support Group. HSE is sponsoring NWSi's 8th national seminar aimed at all with an involvement in construction. It is to be held on 16th March 2004 at Runcorn, Cheshire, (seminar dinner on the 15th) and is aimed at all with an involvement in construction health and safety focusing on the successful management of health and safety applicable to maintenance and refurbishment projects.
Learn more about the Here's one I built earlier! seminar.

ADVICE FOR FARMERS ON ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS AND APPLIANCES
Posted Thursday, March 11, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
Farmers in the North and West of England are being warned of the potentially deadly danger of neglecting their electrical systems and appliances. The advice from HSE Agricultural inspector Peter Lennon is good for other working environments similar to those found on the typical farm.
HSE draws attention to a very useful guide, The safe use of electricity in farming and horticulture, which is available from FEC Services on 024-7669-6512. The HSE's website has Farmwise your essential guide to health and safety in agriculture which can be downloaded there.

MR LENNON'S ADVICE
"The effects of muck, dust and weather all increase the chance of the system becoming unsafe. Farmers need to take action to protect themselves, their employees and their stock from electric shocks or fires. It is important to visually check your system and appliances. The easiest way to avoid a shock is to avoid using damaged equipment. Check plugs, sockets and cables regularly for signs of damage. Don't just tape over damage; get it repaired properly. You can avoid a lot of damage in the first place by not trailing cables across the floor. A fault I often see is the cable not properly secured in the cable grip on a plug. This can lead to the individual flexes coming loose in the plug, which can cause the appliance to become live. Always wire plugs correctly and never use anything other than the correct fuse for the appliance. It goes without saying that you should NEVER use silver foil or nails instead of fuses."

USE CIRCUIT PROTECTION
"Protect your appliance and installation from shocks by using circuit breakers which work by detecting an earth leakage and then knocking the power off. Different breakers have different sensitivities. For instance, a miniature circuit breaker (MCB) detects a short circuit of 100 mAmps and knocks off the power in 100 mSeconds. This sort of breaker should be found protecting your fuse bank. A residual current device (RCD) should have a 30 mA/30 mS rating. This device should be used to protect appliances plugged into sockets, particularly power washers or steam cleaners. An RCD can be a plug-in type, which are very cheap and are available from any DIY shop. Increasingly, I'm seeing RCDs incorporated into the socket or on the ring main fuse. It doesn't matter where the RCD is as long as the person using the appliance is protected. The one thing all circuit breakers have in common is that they have a test button. Every so often, press and reset the test button to make sure the breaker is still working."

GET YOUR SYSTEM INSPECTED
"Every three years get a competent electrician to do a proper inspection of your entire installation. This is the best preventative measure against serious electrical problems. Electricity is a hidden, silent killer. Fortunately simple precautions can reduce the risk of an accident dramatically."

ROAD SAFETY AWARDS
Posted Thursday, March 11, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents(RoSPA) has recognised the outstanding contribution made by two persons in the field of road safety.
Graham Feest, secretary of the Association of Industrial Road Safety Officers (AIRSO), and Professor James Thomson of Strathclyde University were presented with RoSPA’s Distinguished Service Award for road safety at the Society’s National Road Safety Congress in Cardiff.

SPRINKLER SYSTEMS FOR CERTAIN SCOTTISH RESIDENTIAL ACCOMMODATION MORE LIKELY
Posted Thursday, March 11, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
The prospect of an eventual reduction in the number of residential fire fatalities in Scotland has moved closer with Mary Mulligan, the Deputy Communities Minister, writing to the Building Standards Advisory Committee (BSAC) asking them to consider the issue of sprinklers in the light of research published last month by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM).
BSAC, an advisory non-departmental public body, advises the Scottish Executive on its function relating to Part II of the Building (Scotland) Act 1959.
"The Scottish Executive has been working closely with ODPM, which has responsibility for fire safety issues in England and Wales, on jointly-sponsored research into sprinklers in residential properties. The first phase of this work has now been completed and published.
It is important that this work is considered carefully from a Scottish perspective. I have asked the Building Standards Advisory Committee, which provides advice to Scottish Ministers, to consider the issue of sprinklers in light of the ODPM research report." - Mary Mulligan
“There has never ever been a recorded death in a sprinkler protected building. As a brigade we are very much behind the Executive’s push for sprinklers to be installed. I personally would like it extended to all domestic properties and homes in Tayside." Mick McKay, Fire Safety Commander, Tayside Fire Service.

FATAL WORKPLACE TRANSPORT ACCIDENT AT HALFORD'S HQ
Posted Thursday, March 11, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
Harry Underwood, 58, has died at the scene of an accident at Halford's Redditch premises. Mr Underwood, according to one account, sustained severe crush injuries underneath a forklift truck after it was in collision with an HGV. Environmental Health Department officials from Redditch Borough Council are investigating.

PAINT MIX-UP CONTRAVENED ENVIRONMENTAL LAW
Posted Thursday, March 11, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
Unlicensed waste in a larger consignment delivered to Allerton Park Landfill Site near Knaresborough put Severfield-Reeve Structures Limited, Dalton Airfield Industrial Estate, Thirsk, in breach of environmental law and landed them later in court.
The company admitted and was fined £2,000 with £1,253 costs by Richmond Magistrate’s Court for failing to take all reasonable measures to prevent a contravention of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
During August 2003 the company’s waste was taken to the landfill where staff discovered paint cans still containing liquid paint, however a transfer note recording the movement of waste did not state that part of the waste was liquid paint which is classified as a ‘special waste’ under the Environmental Protection Act 1990. This must be disposed of at specially licensed sites with particular facilities for dealing with liquids.
The company explained the lapse had occurred when they were using contract painters but they did have an environmental policy and appropriate facilities for waste disposal, and an error had occurred in disposal.
"This case illustrates how careful companies need to be about complying with their Duty of Care obligations. It is not enough to have a policy and the right equipment, companies need to make sure these are used, especially by contractors.
We are happy to offer advice to any companies who are not sure about their obligations to make sure that incidents like this do not occur." - Agency Environment Officer.

MAN DIED AFTER RAIL INCIDENT
Posted Thursday, March 11, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
British Transport Police and HSE officials are investigating an incident that occurred last week during rail maintenance work near Grantham after which a worker died. According to one account the man, who is reported to be an employee of Mowlem, suffered a cardiac arrest after taking action to avoid an oncoming rail trailer on the permanent way between Grantham and Skegness.

OLDER WORKER ISSUES EXPLORED
Posted Thursday, March 11, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
A special workshop Keeping the Older Worker Healthy and Safe examining current issues and approaches to improving the quality of working life of the older worker takes place next week, on Wednesday 17th March in Sheffield. The Health and Safety Laboratory are hosts to the EQUAL Network Workshop which will be of interest to a wide range of practitioners and policy makers, health and social care practitioners, industry, charitable and government bodies concerned with the needs of the older worker, as well as researchers and academics from engineering, social sciences, medical and health care disciplines. Current and future research into the design of the workplace will also be a feature, view the draft programme
EQUAL is a national research initiative designed to encourage university based academics and researchers to become involved with quality of life research for the benefit of older people, and disabled people and more generally to meet the challenges of the ageing population in the United Kingdom.

UNISON PRESSES FOR SAFER NEEDLES
Posted Saturday, March 6, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
The UK’s biggest health union UNISON wants the Department of Health to issue guidance to all NHS institutions, advising employers how to minimise the incidence of sharps or needlestick injuries among health care staff comprising the following measures:

THE ADOPTION OF SAFER NEEDLE TECHNOLOGY
PROPER SURVEILLANCE AND REPORTING PROCEDURES
COMPREHENSIVE PREVENTATIVE MEASURES AND SAFER WORKING PRACTICES APPROPRIATE TO THE RISK ASSESSMENT
APPROPRIATE TRAINING & EDUCATION IN THE SAFE USE & DISPOSAL OF SHARPS

"Safer needles are available and so subjecting thousands of NHS workers to the terror of dirty needles is unnecessary and inhumane. Four health workers have already died after contracting HIV from needlestick injuries and there are another 12 cases of probable infection - action has to be taken now before more workers die.
The cost of providing safer needles is pennies, especially when you add together the cost of treating someone with a needlestick injury - the tests, post exposure treatment, time off and compensation - and all this is nothing compared to the human misery and anxiety caused by this sort of injury”. - Karen Jennings, UNISON Head of Health.

WORKPLACE TRANSPORT SAFETY THE FOCUS IN BLACK COUNTRY
Posted Saturday, March 6, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
This week, with the aim of raising an awareness of workplace transport health and safety issues among small and medium-sized companies in the Black Country area, teams of inspectors drawn from the HSE and the environmental health department of Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council are carrying out inspections at local premises.
They will be calling on firms at industrial estates in Cradley Heath, Tipton, Smethwick and West Bromwich to check on driver and vehicle safety.

The four main types of workplace transport accidents are: moving vehicles hitting or running over people, people falling off workplace vehicles, workplace vehicles overturning & objects falling off workplace vehicles.

"We will be visiting selected estates to look at transport issues such as forklift training, seat belts, vehicle maintenance, pedestrian safety and reversing vehicles. Around 70 people in the UK die in workplace transport accidents each year. This is mostly due to insufficient driver training, poor workplace layout and inadequate separation of vehicles from pedestrians. The vast majority of workplace transport accidents are preventable, and all companies need to assess the risks in their workplace thoroughly to make sure there are no accidents waiting to happen." - Gareth Langston, HSE Birmingham.

SCOTTISH LOCAL AUTHORITY DEMONSTRATED 'WHOLESALE DERELICTION OF DUTY'
Posted Saturday, March 6, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
A Scottish Sheriff has been highly critical of one aspect of a Scottish Council's health and safety performance which came to light following an incident at its swimming pool in Madras College, St Andrews, Fife.
Cupar Sheriff Court learned how many years of inaction by Fife Council had permitted the permanent electrical installation in the school building to degrade, corrode, and generally become unsafe, a matter which Sheriff Evans termed a 'wholesale dereliction of duty'.
As a consequence, during November 2002 some of the 18 children from Lawhead Primary school occupying the pool were shocked and had to be assisted from the water when a steel hand rail became live.
Fife Council admitted breaching the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 and was fined £5,000.

The Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 - Systems, work activities and protective equipment
r.4(1) All systems shall at all times be of such construction as to prevent, so far as is reasonably practicable, danger.
r.4(2) As may be necessary to prevent danger, all systems shall be maintained so as to prevent, so far as is reasonably practicable, such danger.

WEB TOOL TO PROVIDE READILY UNDERSTANDABLE INFORMATION AND SUPPORT ON CHEMICALS
Posted Saturday, March 6, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
Building on the success of HSE’s COSHH Essentials, a web tool that helps businesses control health risks from chemicals, and NetRegs advising on how to comply with environmental law, organisations seeking advice on working with chemicals will be able to do so free online, helping them to protect people and the environment.
The tool, Chemical Essentials, is being developed by the HSE, the Environment Agency and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, for the first time bringing together the regulation of occupational health, safety at work and the environment.
The development of the Chemical Essentials concept has been made possible by a £250,000 award from the Treasury’s Invest to Save Budget, however, further funding is now required to fully develop the software.
A range of small businesses will pilot the CD-Rom to make sure it is easy to use and that the guidance meets their needs.
”In Great Britain, at least 12,000 new cases of illness and injury due to exposure to hazardous substances at work arise each year and around 4,000 are serious. Employers, particularly small businesses, need to recognise that the branded product they are using could actually harm their own health or that of their workforce.
We want to develop channels of support and advice that can be accessed without fear of enforcement action. Chemical Essentials, which does not introduce any new legal duties, is in keeping with this supportive approach. It will give free practical help to hairdressers, florists and motor vehicle repairs, among others, on how to control hazardous substances that can cause asthma, skin disease and even cancer.” - HSC Chairman Bill Callaghan.
"Small and medium-sized businesses may be responsible for over 50% of the pollution incidents in England and Wales, but they do not always have the resources to address environmental issues. That is why we must provide clear, readily understandable information and support. Chemical Essentials will help us do this but we must first obtain further funding to carry the project to completion." - Ceri Davies, Head of Air and Chemicals Policy, Environment Agency.

"Chemical Essentials is a great joint initiative which could result in better understanding of chemicals and their risks to human health and the environment. SEPA believes prevention is better than cure and the approach of Chemical Essentials, giving clear and accessible advice, is a very good way to achieve this.” - Ken Pugh, Chemicals Management Policy Advisor, Scottish Environment Protection Agency.

INDUSTRIAL TIMBER TREATMENT
Posted Saturday, March 6, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
The latest version of the Environment Agency's Timber Treatment Installations 2003 - Code of Practice for Safe Design and Operation is available. It was developed in consultation with the Environment Agency (EA), the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), the Environment and Heritage Service Northern Ireland, the HSE and the Chief and Assistant Chief Fire Officers Association and offers practical guidance on environmental, safety and health issues relevant to companies in industrial wood preservation. It covers the use of plant used for the impregnation and/or immersion of timber with water-borne preservatives, organic solvent based preservatives, creosote and fire retardant chemicals. This document is not intended to cover in-situ methods of timber treatment or the use of highly flammable liquids.

FORKLIFT ACCIDENT COST WORKER HIS LEG
Posted Saturday, March 6, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
Computer parts company Inventec (Scotland) Corporation Ltd has admitted and been fined £10,000 at Paisley Sheriff Court for breaching health and safety legislation in the circumstances of an accident in which John Dryden, 55, a visiting contractor's employee, was struck by a forklift truck.
The accident occurred at Inventec's Hillington Industrial Estate in Glasgow, Mr Dryden's leg was so badly crushed it had to be removed below the knee.
After the accident Inventec was served with an enforcement notice concerning the need for the separation of persons from vehicles at its despatch depot.

WEST MIDLANDS SHAD
Posted Saturday, March 6, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
In excess of 300 small firms and the self-employed engaged in the West Midlands construction industry are expected to attend a free construction safety and health awareness day (SHAD) in Birmingham at Edgbaston Cricket Ground on 3rd March. Small contractors, sole traders and the self-employed are more likely to feature in the accident statistics and it is intended the latest information on best health and safety practice can prevent some at least from coming to grief. Last year there were 74 deaths in the construction industry across the country, including 8 in the West Midlands conurbation.
The seminar is organised by a partnership including the Federation of Master Builders, Midlands Working Well Together Action Group, Construction Industry Training Board, Costain Ltd, Bovis Lendlease, Montpellier Group, Skanska and the HSE. It is part of Working Well Together - an industry-wide construction health and safety campaign developed by the HSC's Construction Industry Advisory Committee.
"This free event has been organised by several major players in the industry to give advice and information to small contractors, sole traders and the self-employed. It is aimed at those who underestimate the impact poor health and safety performance can have on their lives and those who work with them; the financial impact if things go wrong; and who have yet to realise that health and safety can actually make good business sense.
We are encouraged to see that large companies are taking very seriously their responsibility to the industry as a whole. This is help for the industry from the industry. And by attending a day like this, smaller companies benefit from a wealth of experience and demonstrate a real commitment to improving safety." - Ray Cooke, HSE's Principal Inspector for Construction, West Midlands

THREE COMPANIES FINED OVER FATAL ACCIDENT
Posted Saturday, March 6, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
Shaun McDonald, 25, lost his life in an industrial accident as he worked cleaning tanks. He died on July 7, 2002, in a burning supply ship, the Far Service moored in Peterhead harbour, the fire fuelled by oil that escaped as it was being transferred from the vessel to a road tanker. The oil ignited when it reached the engine room, the incident had the potential to claim more lives.
Enviroco of Aberdeen admitted and was fined £100,000 at Peterhead Sheriff Court for breaching the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, failing to ensure the health and safety of its employee Mr McDonald and others not employed by it. Mr McDonald fell victim to a failure to provide a safe system of work for the transfer of the oil.
Two other companies, Farstad Shipping Services, Portlethen, and ASCO, Peterhead, were also fined £40,000 and £28,000 respectively for their failures that had amounted to a breach of health and safety legislation.

GETTING IT WRONG ENVIRONMENTALLY PUT COMPANY IN COURT
Posted Saturday, March 6, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
IMCO Recycling (UK) Ltd of Swansea, who process metal, has been prosecuted for breaches of the Environment Protection Act 1990 (EPA 90) at Swansea Magistrates Court. It received a fine of £5,000 on one charge of knowingly causing controlled waste to be deposited on land without a waste management licence contrary to S.33(1)(a) of EPA 90 and a further £5,000 on a second charge of knowingly causing controlled waste to be kept on land not benefiting from a waste management licence, in contravention of S.33(1)(b) of EPA 90. It must also meet costs of £7,753 incurred by Environment Agency Wales.

BETTER MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
During February 2002 the company had departed from its normal practice of taking a quantity of by-product of aluminium smelting, namely the harmful waste known as aluminium salt slag, to a licensed waste transfer station at Briton Ferry. Instead, because of an engineering problem, solidified aluminium salt slag waste could not be released from the bins containing it, and it was decided to send it to Keeper's Lodge Farm on the access road to the IMCO premises. Agency officers found 16 bins, from which some of the waste had fallen out and was lying on the ground. In some areas salt slag was found in puddles causing the waste to react and produce harmful gases.

"The Agency will not hesitate to take action against companies who inappropriately manage their waste, putting the environment and the health and safety of people at risk. Companies need to ensure that their waste is properly handled, transported, disposed or recovered in compliance with the law. It is unfortunate that carelessness occurred in this case. The incident could have been avoided if the company had put better management systems in place and had got in touch with the Agency for help and advice beforehand." - Agency spokesperson.

FURNITURE COMPANY PROSECUTED OVER TEENAGER'S ENCOUNTER WITH MOULDING MACHINE BLADES
Posted Saturday, March 6, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
Lebus Furniture Ltd, Scunthorpe, has been prosecuted for breaching health and safety legislation over an accident during October 2002 in which its teenage employee, Mark Sefton, severely injured his hand when it came into contact with the cutting blades of a wood moulding machine.
Mr Sefton was employed as a labourer whose duties involved feeding timber into the machine and had only weeks' experience with the company. On this occasion his colleague/ supervisor instructed him to clean up, however in his absence Mr Sefton had entered the noise enclosure which was not interlocked with the machine and contacted an unguarded blade which inflicted finger fractures and tendon damage. His supervisor had not anticipated that he would enter the enclosure, and although the machine conveyor had been switched off, the blades had continued their motion.
Plainly Mr Sefton had received inadequate information, instruction and training for his work. Lebus was fined £3,000 for the breach and must meet £1,940 costs.

UNIVERSITY FINED OVER EPILEPTIC SWIMMER'S DEATH
Posted Saturday, March 6, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
The University of East Anglia has pleaded guilty to breaching health and safety legislation in the circumstances of the death of Simon Land, 33, who died some days after a pool incident in September 2002 in which he was rescued from the water at the Sportspark. The University was fined £3,500.
Risk assessment for the pool conducted some months earlier had arrived at a sufficiency of one lifeguard for up to 15 pool users, which in the view of the prosecution was inadequate, although two other lifeguards were within the premises. Mr Land had not informed poolside staff of his epileptic condition.

LONDON SAFETY EVENT FOR SMALL BUSINESSES
Posted Saturday, March 6, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
Small businesses in South-east London can benefit from free health and safety advice at a safety awareness event at Charlton Athletic's Valley stadium on Tuesday 9th March, the Safety and Health Awareness Day is a joint venture by local Councils and the HSE aimed at the bosses of small firms employing fewer than 50 people.
The event is based on a series of practical demonstrations by experienced independent instructors focusing on aspects of everyday workplace safety that employees in most small companies will encounter, including risk assessment, managing asbestos, working at height, manual handling, workplace transport, and slips, footwear and flooring design.
Visitors can talk to Health and Safety professionals and Local Authority inspectors on a one-to-one basis about specific issues that concern their own businesses.
To reserve a free place on the awareness day, you can opt for morning or afternoon, contact the HSE on 020 7556 2115 or 020 7556 2297.

B&Q PLC FINED OVER CUSTOMER'S INJURY
Posted Saturday, March 6, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
Duncan Tavendale, 63, was shopping at B&Q's Darnley, west of Scotland, branch during March 2002 when a door fell from a high display inflicting a head injury that rendered him unconscious, and from which he has not so far fully recovered.
Investigation by officials of enforcing authority Glasgow City Council revealed the door had been disturbed by an employee using a lift platform.
The company admitted a breach of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 at Glasgow Sheriff Court and was fined £10,000.

WIDNES HAULAGE FATALITY INVESTIGATED
Posted Saturday, March 6, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
Investigation continues into the death last week of Steve Lindforth, 45, in the premises of his employer, Exel Logistics, West Bank, Widnes. Halton Borough Council Environmental Health officials have not released details, however it is reported Mr Lindforth died in hospital having sustained trauma-related injuries.

HSE ISSUES GUIDELINES FOR WORK IN TIDAL AREAS
Posted Saturday, March 6, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
Out of concern for the dangers faced by cockle pickers and others who venture on to tidal areas and estuaries, HSE has published guidelines which if followed will allow work to be conducted relatively safely in this hazardous environment. Guidelines for safe working in estuaries and tidal areas is on the HSE website.

WHITE VAN INITIATIVE ON THE ROAD
Posted Saturday, March 6, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
A new White Van Roadshow aimed at reducing injuries and ill-health in construction has set out to visit building sites commencing in East Anglia and proceeding over a 4-week period to call in on over 60 sites throughout the Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds and Sheffield areas.
The Working Well Together (WWT) campaign's White Van Roadshow, sponsored by the HSE, is taking health and safety messages about the biggest dangers on construction sites, and how to deal with them, direct to sites with fewer than 50 workers. Construction industry workers can view a 15-minute health and safety video, try out safety equipment and find out more about the effects of hearing loss.
The East Anglia launch site was nominated by AKE Scaffolding, winners of two of the WWT Awards for health and safety in construction, its Kim Friedlund commenting: "We want the Roadshow to demonstrate how committed everyone needs to be in keeping our workers safe - and how important health and safety is to everyone on small sites as well as big ones."
"HSE is delighted to support the White Van Initiative. We want everyone in the industry, whether they work on a large or small site, to be aware of how to stay healthy and safe on site. The White Van campaign is a step in the right direction" - Patricia Dair, HSE Principal Inspector.

TWO QUESTIONED BY POLICE OVER TEBAY RAIL ACCIDENT
Posted Saturday, March 6, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
British Transport Police (BTP) are questioning two men arrested in connection with February's Tebay rail accident in which 4 men died after being struck by a runaway wagon. It is also reported that BTP have visited the premises of contractor Mac Machinery, Anglesey, in connection with their enquiries.

FLEET MANAGERS' SITE PROVES POPULAR
Posted Saturday, March 6, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents' (RoSPA) new website offering health and safety information for fleet managers is serving increasing numbers of interested visitors. The Driver and Fleet Solutions site attracts in excess of 500 visitors a day since its arrival late last year.
Charles Davis, RoSPA Head of Driver and Fleet Solutions, comments: “The website’s popularity shows how seriously the fleet industry is taking health and safety. This has become a bigger and bigger issue since RoSPA pioneered the concept of managing occupational road risk a few years ago and the website gives them swift access to the answers they need.”

CONSULTATION ON COMPRESSED AIR REGULATION FOR NORTHERN IRELAND
Posted Saturday, March 6, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
HSENI has published a consultative document entitled Proposals for Work in Compressed Air Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2004. The proposals concern the replacement of the Work in Compressed Air Special Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1963 (S.R. 1963 No. 85) with a new set of much broader and more flexible Regulations to control the particular risks associated with work in compressed air. The new Regulations will feature both prescriptive and goal-setting requirements which will be supported by guidance providing a single, comprehensive source of reference material for industry concerning work in compressed air.
The Consultative Document is on the HSENI website, closing date for the receipt of comments is Friday 19th March 2004.

CONFERENCE ENGAGED INTEREST OF EMPLOYMENT AGENCIES
Posted Saturday, March 6, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
The HSE, Jobcentre Plus and the Department of Trade and Industry recently joined forces to dispense free advice and guidance to local employment agencies at a conference in Newmarket. Over 60 representatives from local employment agencies in Cambridgeshire and Suffolk attended, helping them better understand their health and safety responsibilities for clients.
"We were encouraged to see so many of the local employment agencies taking an active interest in their responsibility to ensure the health & safety of their clients. When agencies place people in work there is often some confusion as to who is responsible for their work place welfare. Through hosting this conference along with Jobcentre Plus we were able to get our safety messages across to an important sector of the employment industry." - Carol Grainger, Head of Special Hazards Branch, HSE.

SAWMILL CONVEYOR INJURED YOUNG WORKER
Posted Saturday, March 6, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
Graeme Harvey, 17, sustained major arm injuries during June 2003 when his arm was drawn into a conveyor when it got caught between a roller and the moving belt as he cleaned around the equipment.
His employer, John Gordon and Son Ltd, admitted breaching health and safety legislation at its Balblair sawmills in Nairn, Inverness Sheriff Court fined it £10,000 for failing to ensure Mr Harvey's safety.

YOUNG WORKER DAMAGED FINGERS IN VACUM PACKING MACHINE
Posted Saturday, March 6, 2004 by Ahmed Khan
Cathal Matthew, 17, sustained finger tendon damage and dislocated 3 fingers last June in an industrial accident at his employer's, DMD Aberdeen, premises. Mr Matthew was working with a vacum packaging machine when a blockage occurred and, contrary to usual practice and instruction, rather than alerting a supervisor he attempted to unblock it himself. While doing so, and because the equipment was inadequately guarded, he was able to access a cutting edge which inflicted the injury to his hand.
At Aberdeen Sheriff Court DMD was deemed to have breached health and safety legislation and was fined £1,500 for failing to ensure the safety of its employee.

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