WHO WARNS YOUNG ON SUNBED USE
Posted Friday, April 15, 2005 by Ahmed Khan
The World Health Organization (WHO) is advising young persons to stay well clear of sunbeds. WHO maintains that no person under 18 years of age should use one, recent studies confirming the direct link between their use and cancer.
1 in 3 cancers worldwide is skin-related, in the US this is 1 in 2, where an estimated 1.1 million cases of skin cancer occur there annually.
In France legislation requires that all UV radiation-emitting appliances must be declared to the health authorities, minors under the age of 18 are banned, trained personnel must supervise at commercial establishments and any claim of health benefit is forbidden.
COMMENT
"There has been mounting concern over the past several years that people and in particular, teenagers are using sunbeds excessively to acquire tans which are seen as socially desirable. However, the consequence of this sunbed usage has been a precipitous rise in the number of skin cancer cases.
We are therefore calling attention to this fact and we would hope that this recommendation will inspire regulatory authorities to adopt stricter controls on the usage of sunbeds." - WHO Assistant Director-General responsible for environmental health.
HAMPTON REPORT IS VOTE OF CONFIDENCE - HSE
Posted Friday, April 15, 2005 by Ahmed Khan
The Chair of the Health and Safety Commission and HSE's Director General have welcomed publication of Reducing administrative burdens: effective inspection and enforcement, the final Hampton report, their comments are produced in full below.
The review considered how to reduce administrative burdens on business without compromising the UK's excellent regulatory outcomes. It found much good practice in UK regulation, but that good practice is not uniform and the system is generally complicated, and overlaps in regulators' activities led to too many duplicate information requests and multiple inspections.
The Review covered the inspection and enforcement work of 63 national regulators, as well as the 203 trading standards offices and 408 environmental health offices in English, Scottish and Welsh local authorities.
RISK ASSESSMENT
The Review proposes entrenching the principle of risk assessment throughout the regulatory system, so that the burden of enforcement falls most on highest-risk businesses and least on those with the best records of compliance. It is believed that not only are unnecessary inspections carried out, but necessary inspections are not being carried out, therefore it is proposed inspection rates be reduced where risks are low and enhanced where necessary.
The Review estimates, based on regulators' past experience, that comprehensive risk assessment in a streamlined structure could:
reduce the need for inspections by up to a third, which means around one million fewer inspections; and reduce the number of forms regulators send out by perhaps 25%.
COMMENT
The report has a wide ranging set of recommendations, many of which align with the Commission's strategy published last February which was warmly endorsed in the interim Hampton report.
For example, the Commission has for some time wanted higher penalties for health and safety offences. So we strongly welcome the recommendations to increase penalties, and to augment the range of sanctions available to our inspectors by using administrative penalties and to explore the use of restorative justice orders - issues which we already have under consideration.
I am glad too that the report has recognised the legitimacy of our partnership approach with Local Authorities. We have been working hard with our Local Authority fellow regulators to make effective partnerships deliver the health and safety targets agreed by Government.
We will need to work through the detail of these recommendations to establish exactly what changes we may need to introduce. And we will continue with other strands of our work in support of achieving the Revitalising targets - particularly those initiatives which involve trade unions, their health and safety representatives and workers." -Chair of the Health and Safety Commission.
"The report is a vote of confidence in our work and the way we go about our business. The addition to our remit of the inspection role of the Coal Authority, the Engineering Inspectorate, the Adventure Activities Licensing Authority and the Gangmasters Licensing Authority will allow us to build on the synergies between us and the work of these regulatory bodies. We will be working hard to secure a seamless and timely transfer of this work from other government departments to the HSE.
The report has many recommendations that we will need to examine in some detail, but our initial assessment is that they dovetail well with much of what we currently do or work already in hand. For example, the report recognises that there is a judgement to be made on the right balance between inspection and the provision of advice -although the Commission's response to the Hampton Interim Report made clear that we thought we had the balance just about right. We have done much to promote better regulation - for example we were the first body to enunciate the five principles of good regulation. And we have consulted recently on whether, and if so how, we might incentivise good health and safety performance.
We look forward to carrying this agenda forward both internally and with our fellow regulators, especially in terms of doing more joint working with these other regulators." - Director General of the Health and Safety Executive.
BIRMINGHAM SCAFFOLDING COLLAPSE COMPANIES FINED
Posted Friday, April 15, 2005 by Ahmed Khan
The spectacular November 2003 collapse of a scaffolding structure around a Birmingham city centre building has resulted in Crown Court fines for two companies for breaching health and safety legislation. A teenage passer-by sustained injury when the scaffolding collapsed around her.
Investigation revealed the structure was insufficiently tied to the building to ensure stability and the effect of a high wind on its sheeted elevations precipitated its collapse.
M&J Flat Roofing Limited of Bedfordshire and Kelmark Scaffolding Limited pleaded guilty to breaches of the Construction (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1996, for which they were fined £2,000 and £4,000 respectively plus costs.
HSE AND ACAS CAN PAVE YOUR WAY TO A HAPPY, HEALTHY WORKFORCE
Posted Friday, April 15, 2005 by Ahmed Khan
The latest HSE and ACAS training event, Reducing Stress and Absence at Work, to help employers handle the consequences of stress and absence in the workplace, takes place this Thursday. The first of two half-day training sessions being staged by ACAS is being held at The Parsonage Hotel, Escrick, York, where advisers from both organisations, and others, will give managers the practical skills and knowledge they need to handle situations giving rise to stress and absence.
ACAS will be staging the second in this series of training sessions on 12 May 2005 at the Cedar Court Hotel, Wakefield, to find out more about these and other similar events in your area visit http://www.acas.org.uk/ .
ACAS has recently published Stress at Work, an advisory booklet to inform employers and employees of practical ways to avoid work-related stress, deal with the issues it raises and cope with the symptoms of stress, anxiety and ill health.
Additionally, ACAS has a helpline, see http://www.acas.org.uk/ .
COMMENT
"Long-term sickness absence costs the national economy over £3.8 billion a year and accounts for a third of working days lost. Work-related stress in particular is a serious problem - up to 5 million people in the UK claim to feel 'very' or 'extremely' stressed by their work. The law requires organisations to take action - reason enough to act. But there is no doubt a happy, healthy workforce is also a basis for commercial success." - HSE Inspector who will speak at the event.
"Stress is often a symptom of poor employment relations and can seriously affect productivity. Organisations who talk regularly with their employees and have sound systems and procedures in place for managing absence and sickness are much more likely to avoid work-related stress and to be able to deal with potentially stressful situations when they arise.
Our advisory booklet and the free confidential advice available from the Acas helpline will help employers and employees work together to minimise problems and improve employment relationships." - ACAS Chief Executive.
MACHINE SAFETY CONFERENCE
Posted Friday, April 15, 2005 by Ahmed Khan
The British Automation and Robot Association (BARA) is organising and hosting a conference on 11th May 2005 at the University of Warwick, Coventry. The fare will be of interest to managers and engineers responsible for workplace machinery, speakers will address the issues surrounding machine safety and functional safety in the light of current and forthcoming standards. Visit Machine Safety and Functional Safety Conference for more information.
NEW WORKING TIME RULES FOR HGV AND PSV DRIVERS
Posted Friday, April 15, 2005 by Ahmed Khan
The Road Transport (Working Time) Regulations 2005, which implement the Road Transport (Working Time) Directive - 2002/15/EC, were laid before Parliament yesterday and come into force on 4th April 2005.
The new rules will apply to commercial drivers and crews of Heavy Goods Vehicles and Public Service Vehicles in Great Britain, formal guidance on implementation is available on the DfT website at http://www.dft.gov.uk/freight/rtd.
The main provisions of the new Regulations are: weekly working time is limited to an average of 48 hours (normally calculated over a four-month reference period); a maximum of 60 hours work can be performed in a single week, so long as the average 48-hour limit is maintained; night workers are restricted to 10 hours working time in any 24-hour period; requirements relating to breaks that workers must be allowed.
Self-employed drivers will not be covered by the new Regulations until March 2009.
AGREEMENTS, DEFINITIONS AND ENFORCEMENT
Additionally, where there is either a collective agreement or a workforce agreement at company level between the employer and employees, companies will be able to use the derogations available under the Directive:-
the 4-month reference period for calculating the average 48-hour week can be extended to 6 months; the 10-hour limit (over a 24-hour period) for night workers can be exceeded, although the 60-hour weekly limit will still apply, and drivers will still have to respect the EU drivers' hours rules.
The definition of 'night time' is a period between 00.00-04.00 for drivers and crew of goods vehicles, and 01.00-05.00 for drivers and crew of passenger vehicles, workers who occasionally perform road transport activities will be subject to the Working Time Regulations 1998 (as amended) rather than these new Regulations.
The new Regulations will be enforced in Great Britain by the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) whose response will be proportionate, with an onus on educating employers and workers. The Driver and Vehicle Testing Agency (DVTA) will enforce the new regime in Northern Ireland when it is introduced.
COMMENT
"These Regulations should deliver safety benefits for drivers and other road users, improve drivers' working conditions and help make the road transport sector more attractive as a career choice. We have worked closely with industry and unions to ensure that the new arrangements are practical, clear and equitable. We intend to review the new rules in the light of operational experience to make sure that this remains the case." - Transport Minister.
CONSTRUCTION COMPANY FINED OVER FALL FROM HEIGHT DEATH
Posted Friday, April 15, 2005 by Ahmed Khan
A failure by a contractor to provide an appropriate ladder for a workman and his colleagues to access a scaffold structure led to a fatal fall on a London construction site during November 2002.
The 63-year old self employed carpenter was deployed to refurbish a semi- detached house and build a loft conversion when he fell approximately 2.4 metres from the exterior access scaffold. Investigation found no appropriate access ladder had been provided, the ladder in place on the day of the accident was too short for the purpose, and it is reckoned the accident victim fell whilst trying to access the scaffold. As a result he suffered severe head injuries and died next day.
The site contractor Circleworth Ltd of London NW10 pleaded guilty to breaching s.3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 at the City of London Magistrates' Court for which it was fined £7,500 with £2,877 costs.
COMMENT
"'This tragic death and the grief suffered by his family and friends at the firm, could have been avoided if the company had ensured that the ladder used to access the scaffold was long enough to extend 1m past the landing point and was secured in place. Any contractor or site foreman who reads about this case should make sure they check the ladders in use on their sites." - HSE investigating inspector
TECHNOLOGY EXISTS TO PREVENT RAIL OBSTRUCTION ACCIDENTS
Posted Friday, April 15, 2005 by Ahmed Khan
The Associated Society of Locomotive Engineers and Firemen (ASLEF) reports that every single day 80 trains in the UK collide with something on the track, with each event carrying the potential for disaster.
The union advocates the wide application of the latest rail technology, now in service in the United States, which can sense track obstructions and warn approaching train drivers of the imminent danger. Its acting General Secretary explains: “The technology exists to enable transponders to be placed on rails that can ‘read’ an obstruction on the track. It is in use in the USA, and its introduction is vital if we are to avoid future unnecessary rail disasters. Accidents of the type that killed one of our members this year when a car was parked on an unmanned level crossing can be made a thing of the past. It is criminal irresponsibility to ignore available technology.”
The union also wishes to see the introduction of this technology to be accompanied by a "massive public awareness campaign to educate people into exactly what they are doing if they interfere with rail lines. These actions might start as a moment of irresponsibility – but they can end up as mass murderers.”
Speaking of the current environment within which rail safety must progress, he says: “Whenever there is an accident on our railways, three things happen: managers disappear into the distance, politicians wash their hands and lawyers book their next holiday in the Caribbean.”
LADDER FALL WORKER COMPENSATED WITH 6-FIGURE SETTLEMENT
Posted Friday, April 15, 2005 by Ahmed Khan
A workman who sustained head and spinal injuries in a 3-metre fall from a ladder while working for his employer, Irvine Whitlock Ltd of Bedford, has been compensated for his loss which resulted from the accident on a French construction site during 1999. His fall occurred when the ladder he was descending slipped from scaffolding.
The pain he lives with from his physical injury has been accompanied by severe depression and a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder, his work prospects remain very poor.
His settlement, secured by personal injury lawyers, Irwin Mitchell, is a substantial sum covering his future loss of earnings, compensation for his injuries and other related out of pocket expenses.
MANAGER RECEIVES CUSTODIAL SENTENCE FOR MANSLAUGHTER OF EMPLOYEE
Posted Friday, April 15, 2005 by Ahmed Khan
The outcome of a complacent failure to implement safe systems for handling petrol is the loss of the life of an 18-year-old employee, a custodial sentence for his manager and a hefty fine for a garage proprietor.
On 19th February 2004, at the Anchor garage, Peacehaven, Sussex, an apprentice mechanic was helping his manager decant a mixture of petrol and diesel from a dustbin into a waste oil disposal tank on the garage forecourt when the petrol exploded. A flue pipe outlet from a gas boiler was situated next to the tank and was switched on at the time. The boiler caused the fuel vapour to be sucked into the flue and to be ignited, the teenager became engulfed in flames in the explosion and died 4 days later.
PROSECUTION
At an earlier hearing, the garage manager was found guilty of manslaughter and his father, the owner, was found guilty of breaching s.2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. At Lewes Crown Court the manager received a 9-month custodial sentence, the proprietor a fine of £10,000 with costs of £15,000.
The HSE and Sussex Police wish to warn motor vehicle repair garages about the importance of having a safe system in place for handling and storing petrol.
Information on health and safety for motor vehicle repair can be found at the HSE website - http://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr
COMMENT
"Causing the death of a person in such circumstances must be met with a prison sentence to punish you and send a serious message to people in the workplace that if they are grossly negligent they face prison." - Presiding Judge, of the garage manager on passing sentence.
"To say that you were complacent about health and safety is an understatement. You regard health and safety as a tiresome intrusion into your business and a matter of common sense that you could leave to the experience of your mechanics. Being a dinosaur can sometimes be endearing but not on health and safety matters." Presiding Judge of the garage proprietor.
"In this case the garage management apparently had little understanding of how highly flammable petrol is. Minimal attempts had been made to overcome the hazards associated with its handling. The joint investigation with Sussex Police found that no formal procedures were in place for transferring and storing highly flammable liquids or draining fuel from cars. The proprietor had also failed to register his garage with HSE.
HSE issues simple guidance for petrol handling and storage in garages and we are always happy to advise on these matters. Most of the hazards of fuel removal can be mitigated by the use of a proprietary fuel retriever; providing a suitable container; eliminating static electricity; and capturing any petrol vapour displaced. This case is particularly distressing as the accident victim was learning the trade and so was heavily reliant on the duty of care owed to him by his manager and the garage owner. This was sadly absent." - HSE Inspector.
"The tragic death of our youngest son has been both traumatic and painful for us. It is the most painful news any parent can go through, that one of their children has been killed. We would like to get this message across to all those parties involved with placing young school leavers in a working environment - that they ensure that the companies they send these young people to are registered with the HSE and that they are receiving proper health and safety training at the workplace. It is not enough to assume that the other party is carrying it out." - the accident victim's parents.
LADDER FALL LEFT WORKER WITH LIMB PARALYSIS
Posted Friday, April 1, 2005 by Ahmed Khan
During February 2003 two men employed by the property maintenance company 1st Saxon Property Services Ltd, and based at its Fareham premises, were working at Cymens Ora, Keynor Lane, Siddlesham, West Sussex. One of the workmen, an insulation installer, ascended a ladder placed on top of a single storey extension to install a roof tile ventilator. While doing this he slipped and fell, sustaining serious injury.
HSE investigation led to prosecution at Chichester Magistrates' Court, West Sussex, where 1st Saxon Property Services Ltd was fined £1,000 after pleading guilty to breaching S.2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and £2,000 for breaching r.3(1) of the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1999, with costs of £5,740.
The company had received previous advice from HSE following an investigation into an incident involving a fatality during window installation work.
COMMENT
The HM Inspector of Safety and Health familiar with the prosecution said:
"Falls from height are the largest cause of accidents in the construction industry accounting for over 50% of all accidents. Most of these accidents could have been prevented if the right equipment had been provided and used properly.
Work should not be carried out from ladders unless the work is of short duration and can be done safely i.e. if the work requires only one hand to be used, it can be done without stretching, ladders are secured to prevent slipping and a good handhold is available.
Although the company had provided a general method statement for the work, they had not taken adequate measures to ensure that their employees followed it, and that it addressed site-specific elements."
CURBING MANUAL HANDLING IN KERBING
Posted Friday, April 1, 2005 by Ahmed Khan
A new HSE Information sheet has been published, Handling kerbs: Reducing the risks of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), Construction Information Sheet No 57, to inform employers how they can better comply with duties under the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992.
The guidance has benefited from input by the Kerbs Forum (comprising of kerb manufacturers, contractors, local authorities, etc) who sought ways to increase the application of mechanical handling devices, such as vacuum lifters and grabs, during kerb laying.
A typical kerbstone weighs around 67kg and typically was manually handled at least 3 times before final positioning. This work was fraught with manual handling risk because of the posture adopted and the repetitive nature of the work.
With the recognition that mechanical solutions would greatly reduce the risks, the Kerbs Forum agreed transitional timeframes during which the change from manual to mechanically assisted kerb handling would take place: for newbuild projects, the industry was given until June 2004 to make the change; for spot kerbing or kerb maintenance work, the end of January 2005.
COMMENT
"This guidance is the result of working in partnership between ourselves and those involved in the kerb supply chain. The project has been a success and we are now close to our goal, to make mechanical handling of heavy kerb products the industry norm." - HSE's Construction Sector.
"Handling kerbs is typical of the difficult issues that our industry must tackle if we are to have an impact on work related ill-health. Within a goal-setting legislative framework, there will always be a need for credible guidance on what needs to be done; I am pleased to see HSE working in close collaboration with the industry to map out a practical framework for handling kerbs. This is a useful marriage of the common-sense that can come from industry, self-regulation, and the authority that HSE can bring to any guidance". - The Construction Confederation.
"We have been closely involved with the 'Kerbs Forum' since it was convened and welcomed working in partnership with HSE to develop consistent guidelines on this important issue. MSDs account for over a third of all injuries in construction and are a major reason for workers leaving the industry.
Interpave welcomes the new information sheet which provides guidance for a wide range of duty holders on what they can do to promote and facilitate mechanical solutions and gives details on the range of plant and equipment available to control the MSD risks. We are confident that adherence to the guidelines will ensure that the handling of pre-cast kerbs in construction projects is undertaken in a safe manner." - Interpave Chairman.
"The industry has responded well to this issue and manual handling of kerbs is well on its way to being eliminated, but there are areas of difficulty needing resolution. The 'Kerbs Forum' and production of the guidance has been a prime example showing how co-operation between all parties concerned can produce real results within a complex issue." - Director Health, Safety and Environmental Services, Mowlem Plc and Chairman - CECA Health & Safety Committee.
HAZARDOUS WASTE - TIME FOR CHANGE
Posted Friday, April 1, 2005 by Ahmed Khan
Changes to hazardous waste management legislation later this year, as a result of the EU's Landfill Directive, mean that businesses producing hazardous waste will need to describe exactly what their waste contains and this 'characterisation' will determine what can be done to minimise it, ease its recovery, or ensure its safe disposal. Some everyday household and business items, such as computer monitors, televisions, fluorescent tubes and scrap cars, have joined the list of toxic, corrosive and irritant substances and materials like asbestos, industrial chemicals and clinical waste, under the 'hazardous' classification
The Environment Minister urges businesses to make the most of the free support and guidance¹ available to them before July.
Later this year will see the appearance of the new Hazardous Waste Regulations which will improve the controls on the tracking and movement of hazardous waste.
COMMENT
"Changes in the legislation affecting hazardous waste management require all hazardous waste to be managed responsibly. This will help to reduce the 5 million tonnes of hazardous waste produced each year in England and Wales and improve safety standards."
Proper planning can save you money. Experience has shown that by reducing the amount of hazardous waste being produced in the first place, there's a good chance you'll save money as well as protecting the environment. There is lots of free advice, guidance and support available if businesses need it.
The Government is committed to helping clarify new requirements and how they affect your business. However, the responsibility for hazardous waste ultimately lies with the company that produces it.
Businesses need to be aware that the penalties for failing to comply with the controls can be severe - in some case a heavy fine or even jail. This is why it is key that businesses start preparing now, if they have not already done so." - The Environment Minister.
"There is a whole industry out there gearing up to manage this waste stream safely, so there can be no excuses for irresponsible management. ESA's members are looking forward to working with waste producers and can provide advice and environmentally responsible management options for hazardous waste." - The Environmental Services Association's (ESA) Chief Executive.
¹ Support, guidance and advice:
A dedicated website on hazardous waste can be found at http://www.hazardouswaste.org.uk/ - information relating to changes in hazardous waste legislation providing updates, guidance, a comprehensive FAQ and contacts;
UK companies can call the Environment and Energy helpline free on 0800 585 794;
For a free site visit, followed by support and advice on waste minimisation, contact Envirowise;
Guidelines and further information for small businesses is available at the NetRegs website, the free online portal for small businesses providing guidance on the regulations governing business activities as well as information on forthcoming legislation and good practice advice;
the Environment Agency on 08708 506 506 or enquiries@environment-agency.gov.uk
The Environmental Services Association is the trade association representing the UK's waste management sector.
VALUE OF BREAKS DURING KEYBOARD WORK CONFIRMED
Posted Friday, April 1, 2005 by Ahmed Khan
The value of the inclusion of r.4¹ in the Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations1992 in reducing the likelihood of musculoskeletal problems is confirmed by a study conducted by Denmark’s National Institute of Occupational Health, recently published in Occupational and Environmental Medicine.
The researchers concluded that when organising keyboard work it is important to allow for physical variation with other work tasks, avoiding long periods of continual work at the keyboard.
¹ Daily work routine of users
Reg.4. Every employer shall so plan the activities of users at work in his undertaking that their daily work on display screen equipment is periodically interrupted by such breaks or changes of activity so as to reduce their workload at that equipment.
FORKLIFT RAN OVER SUNBATHER
Posted Friday, April 1, 2005 by Ahmed Khan
A man sustained multiple injuries when a site vehicle ran over him as he lay on the grass of Edinburgh's Meadows area as a company was preparing the site for a music event during the 2003 Edinburgh Festival.
Prestigious event company, Field and Lawn (Marquees) Ltd, of Edinburgh was fined £5,000 at Edinburgh Sheriff Court after pleading guilty to breaching the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 in the circumstances of the accident. Investigation by City of Edinburgh Council Environmental Health officials established the company had significant failures in the way it set about the project, the Director of Environmental and Consumer Services explained: "For temporary entertainment venues it is vital that promoters and contractors consider the safety of the public and workers during set up and dismantling as well as during the event itself. The carrying out of a risk assessment and establishment of suitable control measures reduce the risks of such accidents - safe workplaces, safe vehicles and safe drivers are what businesses should be achieving."
COMMENT
The Council's Executive member for Environmental and Consumer Services commented: "Accidents involving vehicles at workplaces, whether in permanent buildings or at temporary sites such as this, are one of the main causes of fatalities and serious injuries in the UK. The City of Edinburgh Council is committed to ensuring that the city is a safe place to work and live in. This successful investigation demonstrates that we will not hesitate to prosecute companies who put the safety of Edinburgh residents at risk."
SKIP LOADERS - GUIDANCE FOR EMPLOYEES AND THE SELF-EMPLOYED
Posted Friday, April 1, 2005 by Ahmed Khan
The HSE leaflet on skip loading, Safe use of skip loaders - advice for employees, Indg 378, has been published on the HSE website.
Revised at the end of last year, it contains detailed advice to assist with risk assessment and devising safe systems of work where skips are present on sites. It can be ordered in card form in priced packs of 10 from HSE Books, ISBN 0 7176 2216 9. Single free copies are also available from HSE Books.
RAILWAYS GUIDANCE PUBLISHED
Posted Friday, April 1, 2005 by Ahmed Khan
Revised guidance on the Railway and Other Transport Systems (Approval of Works, Plant and Equipment Regulations 1994 (ROTS) has been published by the HSE.
The revision offers more detailed advice on the ROTS process and the information the Railway Inspectorate (HMRI) needs in order to assess schemes, whilst the new General Notice (GN) dispenses with the requirement for HMRI to approve schemes that the regulator determines are lower risk, eg bridges with less than 4 spans or internal cosmetic refurbishments of vehicles.
HSE says industry should review the guide and assess whether any proposed schemes now come within the dispensation under the new GN. Schemes that are already in the system but not yet approved may also be covered and formal approval by HMRI may no longer be needed. In such cases, the onus is on industry to alert HMRI to any cases that they believe are now covered by the GN. If this is the case HMRI will remove them from the system.
Further information on approvals can be found on the HSE website at http://www.hse.gov.uk/railways/approvals.htm
COMMENT
HMRI's technical division explains: "This new guide provides industry with an assurance that HMRI's decision making process is consistent, transparent and accountable. In addition to the new GN, the guide combines all the other GNs into one consolidated document with extra information on specific submission requirements including types of evidence required and a handy reference section to enable relevant sections to be found easily. We have redrawn the process diagrams to give more detail to all parts of the process and include a new diagram on testing and trials. HSE consulted our industry partners on the format of the guide following comments that the document could be improved. Industry now has one document that details from start to finish all the requirements to achieve approval of new and altered works."
NEW FAST-TRACK COMPENSATION FOR MINERS
Posted Friday, April 1, 2005 by Ahmed Khan
The DTI Minister responsible for the Government's Coal Health Compensation Scheme has confirmed the start of a new fast-track process for compensating miners with lung damage. Based on a breathing test to monitor the loss of lung function due to coal dust, miners who opt for the test will be entitled to compensation up to £12,900. Miners can opt for the fast-track scheme or they can opt for a full medical assessment.
The new arrangements are in place to help miners whose lungs have suffered the least damage, more serious cases will receive a full medical assessment.
The Minister explained: "We are already paying out £2 million a day in compensation and this fast-track procedure gives up to 100,000 the miners whose lungs suffered less damage the opportunity to receive a far quicker payment by avoiding the wait for a more extensive medical assessment. Each miner should decide, in consultation with their solicitor or advisor, whether the fast-track option is best for them. As well as the 100,000 miners who can opt into this scheme, there are 60,000 widows and families who will be eligible for the fast-track scheme from June, based on the late miner's death certificate."
GUIDANCE FOR ASBESTOS SAMPLING, ANALYSIS AND CLEARANCE PROCEDURES
Posted Friday, April 1, 2005 by Ahmed Khan
The HSE has published new guidance - Asbestos: The analysts guide for sampling, analysis and clearance procedures for asbestos analysts, although it says it will also be useful to asbestos removal contractors and supervisors, employers, building owners, occupational hygienists, safety officers and people with responsibility for managing properties and estates.
The document rationalises and updates previous publications, replacing guidance notes EH10, MDHS39, and MDHS77, and contains full details of the forthcoming World Health Organisation analytical method for the evaluation of asbestos fibres in air, which replaces the existing European Reference Method when the Asbestos Worker Protection Directive is implemented in the UK in 2006; and specific guidance on personal issues for analysts including qualifications and training, selection and use of personal protective equipment, and decontamination procedures.
Asbestos: The analysts guide for sampling, analysis and clearance procedures, HSG248, ISBN 0-7176-2875-2, Price £16.50, visit: www.hsebooks.co.uk.
NCMA PUBLISHES GUIDE FOR CHILDMINDERS
Posted Friday, April 1, 2005 by Ahmed Khan
The National Childminding Association (NCMA) has published a guide to children's safety aimed at registered childminders and other home-based childcarers.
The NCMA guide to children's safety adopts a risk assessment based approach, usefully illustrated by practical examples to assist with hazard identification and risk control. Specific environments in the home are addressed, eg bathroom, kitchen, and are given this treatment, as are hazards arising from the garden, play equipment, trips and outings. There is a particularly good section on the selection of suitable toys and equipment.
Reading this useful guide serves as a reminder of the numerous harms that can befall children when risks are insufficiently controlled in the home.
To learn more about the NCMA or obtain the publication visit NCMA.
YORKSHIRE GARAGE HEALTH AND SAFETY OPERATION
Posted Friday, April 1, 2005 by Ahmed Khan
The latest phase of HSE's motor vehicle repair blitz inspection programme arrives in the Wakefield area where it has contacted 271 premises, issuing safety guidance and a checklist prior to a series of unannounced safety inspections over the next few months. It is made plain that premises where risks are inadequately controlled face enforcement action, there will be a focus on bodywork garages, road haulage companies with garage workshops and roadside recovery premises.
The HSE safety blitz across the Wakefield, Castleford and Pontefract areas will continue into other parts of Yorkshire later this year, and is justified because of an alarming increase in accidents in recent years, with 1 death and 389 reported injuries in the last 5 years in West Yorkshire. Additionally, HSE says non-reporting is rife, with less than half of the premises contacted registered with them.
The HSE has a dedicated webpage for the industry at http://www.hse.gov.uk/mvr.
COMMENT
The HSE Inspector involved in the operation gives some background information says: "We are targeting vehicle repair industry as there has been a worrying increase in accidents over the last few years. We have issued a checklist of steps to improve safety and we expect all premises to comply with these.
There are several issues of particular concern. The lifting and carrying of heavy loads cause a quarter of all accidents. Falls from heights are the main cause of death or serious injury, and fires and explosions, usually caused by the mishandling of petrol, are the greatest cause of property damage.
By taking a few easy steps to improving their health and safety regime, repair shops can reduce the risk of staff injuries. Companies that choose not to follow our safety guidance and endanger the lives of their employees can be prosecuted as a result."