STEP CHANGE & HSE RENEW PLEDGE ON OFFSHORE SAFETY
Posted Friday, September 27, 2002 by Ahmed Khan
The HSE & Step Change (a UK offshore industry initiative aiming to deliver a major improvement in safety performance through cross-industry partnerships & the engagement & participation of all sectors of the industry), have once more expressed their commitment to making the UK offshore oil & gas industry the safest in the world by 2010. The latest annual offshore safety statistics bulletin reports that 3 people died in offshore incidents in 2001-2, the same as in the previous year, while the number of serious injuries increased by 2 to 55 over the same period.
STATIC PERFORMANCE
Taf Powell, head of HSE's Offshore Division, comments: "During the last year 3 people have died offshore in the areas which HSE regulates. This is 3 too many & none of us can rest until this figure is reduced to zero. Everyone will be concerned to see that there were also more serious injuries per 100,000 workers than last year. The numbers of less serious injuries & dangerous occurrences (potentially serious incidents where no one is injured) continue to improve, which is encouraging.
Overall therefore, UK offshore industry performance is static, probably improving slowly. HSE, offshore employers & the workforce are not satisfied with this state of affairs & have committed to working more effectively together to secure our common objective of significant improvement."
THE STEP CHANGE PROGRAMME
Taf Powell continued: "Everyone who works offshore has a part to play in improving standards of health & safety & it is important that the whole workforce knows how the industry is performing. This bulletin is concise, user friendly & easily accessed from the internet. I hope it will be widely read & used. In my view it should be posted on notice boards on offshore installations, onshore offices, HQ's & in premises where offshore workers & industry focused undergraduates are trained.
I am tremendously encouraged that the most senior members of the UK industry - oil companies, trade union leaders, drilling contractors, service & contractor companies & HSE - are joining together in the Step Change programme. This bulletin may be taken as an indicator of where we start & I look forward to improvements in performance by the time of the next bulletin in 2003." The HSE Offshore Division annual report on injuries and accidents for 2000/2001 is available at: www.hse.gov.uk/hid/osd/
hsr1001/index.htm. The 2001/2 report will be available later this year.
A BOLD NEW VISION
Tom Botts, Chair of Step Change said: "There has been improvement in UK safety performance since the start of Step Change in Safety in 1997, but we all want to see even greater gains. We have set ourselves a bold new vision that by 2010 the UK continental shelf will be the safest place to work in the worldwide oil & gas industry. One of the ways we will do that is to get better alignment & collaboration between industry & the HSE to target key safety improvements in the workplace.
We are also getting new widespread involvement from the most senior leaders across our Industry. I am confident that this new vision & approach will deliver the continued safety improvements we must achieve.
For further information on the health & safety initiatives provided by Step Change see www.stepchangeinsafety.net
21 CHILDREN DIE AS HANDRAIL COLLAPSES
Posted Thursday, September 26, 2002 by Ahmed Khan
It is reported that the collapse of a handrail at a secondary school in Fenzhen, northern China, at 7pm on Monday led to the deaths of 21 pupils aged 12 to 15, darkness & confusion contributing to the accident. One parent of a child among the 47 injured told news reporters that all corridors in the building were unlit.
Approximately 1500 children would have been issuing from 19 classes in the 4-storey building at the end of the day's teaching in the school when the incident occurred.
Investigation will focus on overcrowding & its significance in the handrail collapsing in a building just a year old & why only the classrooms were lit.
MAINTENANCE WORKER KILLED IN WORKPLACE ACCIDENT
Posted Thursday, September 26, 2002 by Ahmed Khan
A 51 year old maintenance worker has been fatally injured while welding parts of a hydraulic ramp. According to reports, the 51 year old was crushed when a ramp used for unloading vehicles at the premises of Leekes department store warehouse in Llantrisant collapsed on top of him while he was welding parts of it. He was employed by a sub-contractor & was working alone at the time.
Rhondda Cynon Taff Council, the enforcing authority for the retail premises, is investigating.
STABLE HAND DIES EXERCISING RACEHORSE
Posted Thursday, September 26, 2002 by Ahmed Khan
A 19 year old stable hand has died in a riding accident at Stafford's Yard, Willoughton, in Lincolnshire. The stable hand sustained fatal head injuries after falling & trapping her foot in a stirrup with the horse dragging her for a considerable distance.
WWT CONSTRUCTION HEALTH & SAFETY SEMINAR IN THE NORTH WEST
Posted Thursday, September 26, 2002 by Ahmed Khan
An event for smaller construction firms is to be held at Haydock Park racecourse on Wednesday 2nd October. The free day-long event is the latest in a nationwide series of WWT Construction Health & Safety Seminars, part of the Working Well Together programme giving a platform to the construction industry itself to advise others in the business on good practice & safety procedures when on site.
The campaign aims to significantly reduce accidents among small construction firms & the self-employed in an industry which last year claimed 106 lives across the country, including a dozen in the North West.
The day will feature live action demonstrations & practical advice on how to avoid some of the most common dangers of construction site working, covering working safely at heights & exhibitions of the latest safety equipment available. Participants will hear supporting advice & guidelines from experts in the construction industry.
Those attending will hear testimony from an accident victim - Ian Whittingham of Wirral, Merseyside - who fell while roof working & is now confined to a wheelchair.
Members of the industry who wish to attend should contact either HSE on 0161 952 8373 (phone line available 24 hours) or the Federation of Master Builders between 9.00 am - 5.00 pm on 01704 530201.
PROTECTING HEARING FROM NOISE AT WORK
Posted Tuesday, September 24, 2002 by Ahmed Khan
The HSE is making it easier to access information on protecting hearing from noise at work. It has published guidance on noise combining 6 Noise at work publications to produce a comprehensive leaflet for employers & a pocket card for employees.
For employers, the leaflet Noise at Work - advice for employers outlines:
legal duties to protect the hearing of workers, how to assess & control noise, how to choose quieter equipment & machinery, different methods of hearing protection & health surveillance.
The new leaflet replaces previous HSE leaflets Introducing the Noise at Work Regulations, Keep the Noise Down, Ear Protection and Health Surveillance in Noisy Industries.
The new pocket card for employees Protect your hearing - or lose it! outlines the risks of exposure & the duties on the employer & employee to provide & use protection. It provides information on:
when to wear hearing protection, how to wear earmuffs & earplugs properly & how to look after protection equipment.
This booklet replaces the existing pocket card Protect your hearing! and the leaflet Noise at work - a guide for employees.
The new poster, Protect your hearing or lose it! is also available.
The Head of HSE's Physical Agents Policy Unit, Mike Shepherd says: "Exposure to excessive noise at work is still damaging people's hearing. It is important that employers & workers have simple, comprehensive & helpful guidance to advise them on how to reduce exposure levels & guard against hearing loss."
Single copies of Noise at Work - advice for employers INDG362 and Protect your hearing - or lose it! INDG363 are available free or in priced packs from HSE Books. Information about reducing noise levels at source comes in the HSE publications Reducing Noise at Work - Guidance on the Noise at Work Regulations 1989 and Sound Solutions - Techniques to Reduce Noise at Work.
NEW NOISE DIRECTIVE
The Noise at Work Regulations 1989 sets out measures to reduce & control noise levels at work to cut the risk of damage to employees' hearing. The regulations have two action levels related to daily personal exposure averaged over an 8 hour day - 85dB(A) is the first action level & 90dB(A) is the second. There is also a peak action level of 140dB(C).
The later stages of discussions are current over a new EU Noise Directive that lowers the action levels to 80 & 85 dB(A) & introduces a limit value of 87dB(A), above which exposure (taking hearing protection into account) will be prohibited.
Adoption of this Directive is expected before the end of this year & all member states, including the UK, will then have 3 years to implement it in their own legislation.
RECENT FATAL ACCIDENT UNDERLINES NEED FOR POTATO HARVESTER BLITZ
Posted Tuesday, September 24, 2002 by Ahmed Khan
The HSE is this week conducting a potato harvester blitz in Staffordshire - only a few days after a man lost his life in Fife after trapping his arm in machinery. Over the last 5 years, one fatal & 32 serious accidents involving potato harvesters have been reported.
A team of inspectors will carry out spot checks on this equipment over the next 3 weeks. They will visit potato fields in south Staffordshire & talk to farmers, workers & contractors about how they ensure people working in the fields & farmyards are using potato harvesters correctly.
Hazards arising from harvesting activity include: being run over,
falling from ladders or access platforms, getting caught up in the machinery or sustaining back injuries from handling bags of potatoes.
The inspectors will check that vehicles & machinery are safe as well as advising on correct manual handling & how to prevent falls from heights.
Dr Phil Smith, Principal Inspector for agriculture in the Marches area, which covers Staffordshire, said: "Although they are only used for a few weeks each year, potato harvesters have the potential to cause serious injury & even death. My inspectors will be out & about over this busy period & will take a firm line if they are concerned for the safety of workers or members of the public who may be at risk.
There are accidents each year during potato harvesting & in most cases, these can be prevented by a little forethought, planning & good maintenance of machinery."
Guidance on the safe use of potato harvesters is available in HSE Agriculture Information Sheet No 13, free from the HSE website at www.hse.gov.uk .
FACTORY ENGINEER ELECTROCUTED
Posted Tuesday, September 24, 2002 by Ahmed Khan
An inquest has begun in Mansfield into the death of 42 year old man who died last week in a workplace accident at a factory in Nottinghamshire. Mr Pemberton was discovered to have collapsed & died at a metal cabinet in a workshop at Carnaudmetalbox Aerosols Sutton-in-Ashfield.
According to an HSE spokesman an investigation was progressing: "The investigation will be carried out to establish exactly how the accident happened & also if the company has safe working practices in place. It appears the man died after suffering an electric shock but we have no other details about this incident."
POTATO HARVESTER CLAIMS WORKERS LIFE
Posted Tuesday, September 24, 2002 by Ahmed Khan
A worker, aged 30, has died in an accident on a Fife farm. The accident occurred at Balkaithly Farm, Dunino & involved the man becoming trapped by the arm. Fife Fire & Rescue Service, ambulance & a trauma team arrived to free him but he was pronounced dead at the scene.
OFFSHORE SAFETY LEGISLATION EXTENDED
Posted Tuesday, September 24, 2002 by Ahmed Khan
New regulations amending the Offshore Installations and Pipeline Works (Management and Administration) Regulations 1995 (MAR) are now in force. They have the effect of ensuring all parts of an offshore installation are within the scope of the appropriate health and safety legislation.
The new Regulations were required to ensure that offshore health & safety law is appropriately applied & that the definitions of an offshore installation in MAR & in other offshore legislation, such as the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (Application Outside Great Britain) Order 2001, are consistent. Because of new developments in technology offshore the definition of what is an offshore installation needed to be extended to include supplementary units. Such units provide power & other support facilities for offshore installations & can be powered by wind or wave or by conventional means.
Revised guidance to support the amended Offshore Installations and Pipeline Works (Management and Administration) Regulations 1995 will appear in the coming weeks. It has been revised to reflect the new definition of what is an offshore installation.
The guidance also reflects other changes made since it was first published in 1995 including; defining when a well service vessel (WSV) becomes an offshore installation & clarifying the position of specialist support vessels which provide accommodation (flotels).
The Offshore Safety (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2002 (SI 2002/2175) will soon be available from the Stationery Office. The revised A guide to the offshore Installations and Pipeline Works (Management and Administration) Regulations 1995 will be available from HSE Books www.hsebooks.co.uk/.
NEW MINISTER RESPONSIBLE FOR HEALTH & SAFETY
Posted Tuesday, September 24, 2002 by Ahmed Khan
Nick Brown has been appointed as the new Minister responsible for Health and Safety.
Mr Brown's appointment follows the decision by the Prime Minister that the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) would take over responsibility for Health and Safety from the former Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions (DTLR).
Mr Brown will remain Minister for Work, retaining all his previous responsibilities. He said: "I'm delighted to take on this important task. I intend to work closely with Bill Callaghan & the Health and Safety Commission, as well as Ministerial colleagues in other Departments to build an agenda for 'welfare in work' to complement the Welfare to Work agenda. With recruitment & retention increasingly important at this time of record employment, improving health & safety at work will benefit employees & employers alike."
HSC Chair Bill Callaghan said: "Good health & safety demands an effective partnership between Government, employers & workers & their safety representatives. We look forward to close collaboration with DWP to deliver the national improvement targets, which HSC agreed with the Government, to reduce the social & economic toll of health & safety failures in Britain. With them, we shall continue to encourage higher standards of health & safety in the private sector, while still pressing the public sector to lead by example.
Together we can champion health & safety excellence & spread a positive safety culture throughout British industry in both larger & small firms."
MANAGING HEALTH & SAFETY IN DOCKWORK
Posted Sunday, September 22, 2002 by Ahmed Khan
HSC Chairman, Bill Callaghan, has welcomed new guidance for those employers who must manage health & safety in our docks environment.
Mr Callaghan speaking of the value of the advice said: "This guidance will assist in the development of robust & effective health & safety management systems, resulting in co-operation, co-ordination & communication between all employers & contractors. These are essential where so many employers & workers depend on one another for their health & safety. This document will be an invaluable tool to clarify where responsibilities lie & to promote communication & co-operation between the workforce, the trade unions & other interested parties."
Managing health & safety in dockwork follows on from the HSE's Safety in Docks by providing additional guidance on the management responsibilities of the many employers & contractors in the industry.
Copies of Managing health and safety in dockwork (HSG177), ISBN 0-7176-2020-4, price £9.50, are available from HSE Books.
VICTORIAN WORK PRACTISE RETURNS TO LINCOLNSHIRE!
Posted Sunday, September 22, 2002 by Ahmed Khan
The sighting of a 9-year old local boy operating an industrial vacuum cleaner with a road surfacing crew in Scunthorpe is now the subject of an investigation of the incident by North Lincolnshire council who awarded the contract to Total Bitumen of Preston.
"We have had confirmation that he was there & we are now asking them (the contractors) to look into how he was there & what he was doing," said a council spokesman. "The council does not expect any children to be working with potentially dangerous equipment & is asking the company for an explanation."
Total Bitumen expressed their grave concern over the incident and promise a full investigation. "Company rules are simple & clear - staff or contractors are not allowed to bring children to any work site under any circumstances at any time. This rule was broken. We will urgently investigate the circumstances & appropriate action will be taken."
JURORS MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS TO HSE
Posted Sunday, September 22, 2002 by Ahmed Khan
An inquest into the workplace death of a 17 year old youth, who died at the premises of QK Cold Stores in Marston, near Grantham has returned a verdict of accidental death. The youth, a warehouseman, sustained fatal crush injuries when a pallet loaded with frozen chickens became unstable & fell from a forklift onto him.
The inquest jurors in Grantham heard that the forklift had no faults & was being operated by a suitably trained employee. A recommendation was made that the HSE considers the matter of the way pallets are stored & moved in these circumstances.
DOG DIRT - REFEREE RULES!
Posted Sunday, September 22, 2002 by Ahmed Khan
Dog excrement on a football pitch has led to the postponement of the Scottish Youth Cup fixture between Nairn County & Brora Rangers.
Referee Eric Robertson decided that Nairn's Lochdhu Park presented a threat to the health of the teenage players.
The home side's Youth Chairman Mike MacPherson commented: "We are just scunnered. It would be really disappointing for the lads if we get kicked out of the cup because of this. On behalf of all the youngsters I ask that dog owners walk around the pitches & not over them."
A spokesman for the Scottish Football Association said: "What was on the field at the time constituted what, in Mr Robertson's opinion, was a danger to the players."
HEALTH & SAFETY LAW SIMPLIFIED!
Posted Friday, September 20, 2002 by Ahmed Khan
New legislation aimed at clarifying & simplifying elements of health & safety law came into force this week.
There are a number of significant changes on matters such as:
FIRST AID
DISPLAY SCREEN EQUIPMENT
PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT
MANUAL HANDLING
WORK EQUIPMENT
LIFTING OPERATIONS
QUARRIES
The proposed changes have been made to clarify a number of issues recently raised by the European Commission on specific aspects of the UK implementation of the Framework Directive (89/391/EEC) & to address some minor drafting problems that have since been identified in some sets of regulations, for example, cross-references within regulations that are incorrect.
Speaking of the new amending regulations, HSC Chair Bill Callaghan said: "There are some important issues dealt with in these amendments. They cover a number of significant changes that will affect a wide range of important health & safety measures.
These amendments will help greatly in clarifying & simplifying the requirements of the law. I hope these changes will make the regulations covered by these amendments more accessible to employees, who have important rights & obligations under these pieces of legislation."
The Health and Safety (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2002 (Statutory Instrument (S.I.) number S.I. 2002 No. 2174) are available on the HMSO website - www.hmso.gov.uk. Further guidance on the Regulations will be published in due course.
The Health and Safety (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2002 amend the:
Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1991;
Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992;
Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992;
Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992;
Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992;
Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998;
Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998; and
the Quarries Regulations 1999.
CONTRACTORS & CLIENTS MUST ACT RESPONSIBLY
Posted Thursday, September 19, 2002 by Ahmed Khan
New HSE published guidance is now available to encourage clients & contractors to work together to meet the requirements of health & safety legislation.
The leaflet entitled Use of contractors – a joint responsibility, is aimed at clients & contractors across industry to help protect each other, their workforce & the public.
In order to dispel any confusion over health & safety responsibilities, it explains that in any client/contractor relationship in either the public or private sector, both parties will have responsibilities under health & safety law & in general terms describes what both parties need to do to comply with it.
The guidance will not apply to agency or mobile workers, nor will it apply to deliveries to clients' premises or work activities covered by the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 1994 (CDM).
Where CDM applies, clients, contractors & others have specific legal responsibilities.
Free single copies of Use of contractors – a joint responsibility (INDG368) can be ordered online at http://www.hsebooks.co.uk/ or are available from HSE Books, PO Box 1999, Sudbury, Suffolk, CO10 2WA, tel: 01787-881165 or fax: 01787-313995. Priced packs of 10 are also available.
WORKER DIED CLEANING MACHINE WHICH SHOULD HAVE BEEN SWITCHED OFF!
Posted Tuesday, September 17, 2002 by Ahmed Khan
Eternit UK, a concrete manufacturing company from Royston, Hertfordshire, pleaded guilty & was fined £40,000 with costs of £21,000, at Cambridge Crown Court for failing to meet the requirements of health & safety law in respect of the accidental death of one its workers in March last year.
The 35 year old employee was cleaning a machine during a night shift when he accessed dangerous moving parts of it & was drawn in & killed almost instantly, sustaining horrific head injuries.
Eternit did not operate down time on the concrete machines & its management was unaware of the particular system of work employed by the cleaners, & the opportunity for prevention was therefore lost.
Pascal Bates for the prosecution said: "The deceased was able to gain access in an area which he should have been prevented from having access to. Had there been a down time, the job of cleaning under the machine, while it was running, would not have been necessary."
EAST SUSSEX HSE FARM BLITZ RESULTS IN 22 NOTICES BEING ISSUED
Posted Tuesday, September 17, 2002 by Ahmed Khan
The HSE & Sussex Police farm blitz concentrating on farm vehicles has given rise to concern over the safety standards prevailing - with 22 enforcement notices being required. HSE & Sussex Police stopped & examined 14 agricultural vehicles & 76 agricultural or forestry premises were visited without prior notice.
Eleven notices related to transport, including trailer brakes, missing doors & mirrors & driver training. Most of the other notices concerned poor guarding standards on a variety of agricultural machines.
5 YEAR OLD ON TELESCOPIC HANDLER!
During one visit a five-year-old child was found riding on a telescopic handler, a cross between a tractor & a forklift truck. It is illegal to carry a child under 13 on an agricultural machine while it is being used on a farm. Inspectors found the riders of 2 quad bikes had received inadequate training & during one farm visit a man operating a chainsaw was observed not wearing any protective equipment.
PTO's
HSE's Mike Walters commented: "The HSE & Sussex Police have carried out a number of similar inspections in the last 5 years. It has been very noticeable this time that farmers appear to be maintaining their tractors & trailers in a better state of repair. It was disappointing, however, to find a large number of agricultural machines either poorly guarded or with no guard at all. Although we did find examples of good practice, which is encouraging, farmers must be more active in protecting themselves & their employees from injury. Poor health & safety standards lead not only to accidents with their personal & financial costs, but the same failings, even where no injuries result, lead to damage to machinery or buildings with more financial costs.
Legislation has been in place since the late 1950s to ensure that PTO (power take-off) shafts linking tractors to powered equipment are properly guarded. There can be no excuse for unguarded PTO shafts which, in an accident, invariably lead to fatalities or loss of a limb."
FATAL ACCIDENT AT LIVERPOOL DOCKS
Posted Monday, September 16, 2002 by Ahmed Khan
A 53 year old man died in an accident last week at Seaforth Docks, Merseyside. The man received crush injuries while positioned inside the hold of a ship & was assisting with unloading a cargo of forestry products.
TEENAGER ELECTROCUTED AT CARE CENTRE
Posted Monday, September 16, 2002 by Ahmed Khan
A 14 year old girl undergoing treatment at a care centre in Orinsay, Isle of Lewis, has died from electric shock. According to one account, a radio connected to an extension cable fell from a window sill into her bath.
The girl was participating in a project designed to assist those with social problems.
EMPLOYEE BADLY SCALDED
Posted Monday, September 16, 2002 by Ahmed Khan
An employee of caterers Craven Gilpin based in Leeds is being treated for serious injuries following an accident involving an urn filled with boiling water at the Harrogate Flower Show being held at the town's Great Yorkshire Showground.
According to one account the female employee tripped & decanted the hot water over herself.
She is being treated for 70% burns at the burns unit at the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle.
8 YEAR OLD KILLED ON CONSTRUCTION SITE
Posted Monday, September 16, 2002 by Ahmed Khan
An 8 year old boy died on a construction site in Renfrew, (Scotland) at the weekend, the boy was with 3 other older older children.
It is reported that he had been playing with a 10 mtr length of service piping on a house building project & is believed to have slipped underneath it.
He died later in the Southern General Hospital.
CONSTRUCTION WORKER CRITICAL AFTER FALLING FROM SCAFFOLDING
Posted Monday, September 16, 2002 by Ahmed Khan
A construction worker is said to be in a critical condition after an accident on the site of a reservoir at Cumwhinton, Cumbria. According to one account, the man, aged 53, fell 10 mtrs from a scaffolding structure onto concrete below. He has serious head injuries.
GAMEKEEPER SUCCUMBS TO INDUSTRIAL DISEASE
Posted Monday, September 16, 2002 by Ahmed Khan
A 54 year old gamekeeper employed on an estate near Ilminster, Somerset, died last year following a long illness believed to be related to his occupation - according to a Coroner. The gamekeeper was diagnosed as having contracted bird fancier's lung many years ago as a result of the time he spent in pheasant rearing sheds.
LAMINATE GLASS TO BE FITTED TO FIRE APPLIANCES
Posted Saturday, September 14, 2002 by Ahmed Khan
Lothian and Borders Fire Brigade is to fit all their fire engines with laminate glass in response to increasing violence perpetrated against them when responding to emergencies.
The windows, rendered shatter-proof, will help protect firefighters facing what the Brigade terms a 'dramatic rise' in violence, particularly ambushes after deliberate acts of fire raising. The position has deteriorated to such an extent that the Brigade will not respond to certain emergencies in some housing estates without police protection.
Their fleet of 62 appliances will be protected at a cost of £15,000.
Ken Harrold, Chairman of the Fire Board commented: "I find it very difficult to get my head around the fact that people are deliberately planning to attack firefighters given they have such a high standing in society and have always done an excellent job to protect these kids."
ROYAL MINT AVOIDS PROSECUTION OVER WORKPLACE DEATH!
Posted Saturday, September 14, 2002 by Ahmed Khan
According to the presiding officer at a hearing of Crown Censure Proceedings, but for crown immunity the Royal Mint would hace faced 'a realistic prospect of a conviction in the courts' over the death of John Wynne, 50, in a workplace accident at the Mint's Llantrisant operation in South Wales last year.
In what was described as 'an accident waiting to happen', Mr Wynne was struck by a furnace as it fell from a crane.
HEREFORDSHIRE & WORCESTERSHIRE FARM SAFETY DAY.
Posted Thursday, September 12, 2002 by Ahmed Khan
Farmers in Herefordshire & Worcestershire are being invited to an HSE organised free Safety Awareness Day on 30th October at Holme Lacy College, Herefordshire.
Those attending will benefit from a series of demonstrations showing correct techniques in those activities which give rise to the majority of agricultural accidents, for example:
roof work, using & maintaining equipment such as lift trucks & ATVs (all-terrain vehicles) as well as manual handling, including that of livestock.
HSE's Head of Operations with particular responsibility for agriculture in the East & West Midlands, Greg Bungay, comments: "This is a chance for farmers to learn what kills & injures those working in agriculture & how to prevent accidents. By taking note of the advice given by health & safety trainers & professionals, farmers can prevent themselves becoming one of the grim list of fatal accidents reported every year in agriculture."
FREE GUIDANCE & INFORMATION.
Dr Phil Smith, Principal Inspector for Agriculture in the Marches area says: "These events aim to improve awareness by making health & safety interesting & stimulating & by providing those attending with an opportunity to get advice from health & safety experts, discuss practical precautions & obtain free guidance & information.
Although last year saw a welcome drop in the number of fatal & serious accidents to workers in agriculture, half of these involved self-employed farmers. We are particularly keen to reach those farmers who often work alone & may take risks to get a difficult job done.
Those farmers who are invited to attend & turn up on the day will fall out of our priority inspection programme so as to give them time to put into practice what they have learned. Those who are invited but could not attend will, of course, remain in the programme & can expect a visit."
800 SMALL WOODWORKING BUSINESSES TO ATTEND SAFETY EVENTS.
Posted Thursday, September 12, 2002 by Ahmed Khan
The HSE is to hold an innovative woodworking safety awareness event in the Lancashire area during October, one of 7 free woodworking events planned nationally for this year (2002/03). The county has suffered from high rates of accidents in the woodworking industry.
The Safety Awareness Events hope to involve at least 800 companies nationally, with small businesses throughout Lancashire invited to attend their event at Accrington and Rossendale College on 18th October.
John Goymer, Acting Principal Inspector of Health and Safety says: "Rates of injury at woodworking machinery continue to be 3 times higher than average rates in manufacturing as a whole. Rates of amputation are 4 times higher. The Safety Awareness days are a completely new concept to woodworking. Each event will feature practical interactive demonstrations of scenarios that regularly feature in the accidents reported by woodworking businesses - for example machinery & manual handling injuries. Each scenario will highlight the risks involved & give practical demonstrations on how these risks can be eliminated or reduced to acceptable levels.
Any woodworking business receiving an invitation to this free event should make every effort to attend."
ATTENDANCE ADVISED!
HSE will view attendance at the event as a positive sign that a business is managing health & safety risks within the workplace. Attendance will then be used in the decision-making process determining which businesses receive a visit from an HSE inspector.
HSE is working in partnership with Didac Ltd (a woodworking training provider) on the events along with several industry trade associations. The day offers attendees the unique opportunity of being able to discuss safety issues with the people responsible for enforcing the law on neutral ground.
The event is open to companies by invitation only.
SMALL CONSTRUCTION FIRMS MUST MAKE A BIG COMMITMENT TO SAFETY URGES SEMINAR.
Posted Thursday, September 12, 2002 by Ahmed Khan
Construction industry safety experts gathered earlier this week at the first in a series of hard-hitting seminars designed to get small contractors & self-employed people in the construction industry to put health & safety at the top of the agenda.
The message from the health & safety seminar, held in West Yorkshire, was that however small the job or the firm involved, cutting corners & underestimating risks is unacceptable in the construction industry. The initiative was organised by the Working Well Together (WWT)) partnership made up of employers, contractors, safety professionals, suppliers, trade unions & the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
Provisional figures show that 79 workers died in the construction industry for the year 2001/2002; 45 per cent of them were caused by falls from height. Overall, falls caused over half of fatal accidents to self-employed people.
Mike Cosman, Head of HSE's Construction Sector told the seminar:
"This event is about the industry learning to help itself. Smaller firms who typically work on household & commercial new-build, repairs & refurbishments have the same responsibility on these sites to workers & the public as do the large-scale construction sites. People in the industry have to wake up to the realities & the consequences of taking unnecessary risks to save a few seconds or pounds.
"The partnership of people here today represents all aspects of the industry & we all want to hammer home the same message that however small your operation your biggest commitment on site must be to safety."
Representatives from small firms & contractors attending the seminar saw live-action demonstrations of safe practice when working at heights, a common danger area on many building sites.
Along with supportive advice & exhibitions of the latest safety equipment available, there were also some cautionary words from an accident victim.
Gareth Blenkin from New Farnley, Leeds, was working on the roof of a factory in September 2001 when he fell 8 metres through one of its fragile roof lights. There were no safety precautions in place & he sustained serious injuries. Now aged 34 & walking only with the aid of sticks, he faces an uncertain future. After 15 years as a roofer he is no longer able to work in the industry.
He said:
"I want to stop anyone else from being injured in this way. No matter what kind or size of business is involved, safety has to be a priority. Lives & livelihoods are at stake & no short cut is worth that kind of risk."
Ron Wilson, Regional Director of the Federation of Master Builders, a trade association supporting the event, said:
"Events like this are hugely important, we are trying to remind building companies that safety on site should always be paramount. The industry has to realise that putting safety measures in place is in their interests. The cost of operating safely is inexpensive in comparison to the costs of halting labour because of an accident.
"All firms, whatever size, have a responsibility for other people, whether they be employees or passers-by. Every accident happens to someone who belongs to someone else."
The event is the first of a series of similar events organised by the WWT partnership taking place across the country.
MOBILE WORK EQUIPMENT DEADLINE LESS THAN 90 DAYS AWAY!
Posted Thursday, September 12, 2002 by Ahmed Khan
HSE wishes to remind users of mobile work equipment, such as forklift trucks, dumper trucks & tractors, that they have just 90 days to comply with safety regulations.
For new equipment the requirement to comply with Part III of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER 98) has been in effect since 5th December 1998, but for equipment in use before that date, there are now just 3 months of the 4 year transitional period to go. PUWER 98, together with the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER), implement the Amending Directive to the Use of Work Equipment Directive (95/63/EC).
Timothy Walker, HSE's Director General comments: "The HSE is committed to reducing the number of deaths involving mobile work equipment. Last year 99 people were killed and over 8,000 people were injured in accidents involving workplace transport. The entry into effect of Part III of PUWER 98 will contribute to reducing the unacceptable level of deaths and injuries."
The serious safety risks involved in the use of mobile equipment include:
being struck by the vehicle, the vehicle rolling over, the driver or passengers falling from the vehicle or being struck by a falling object, unauthorised start up of the vehicle, inadequate devices for braking and stopping & restricted driver visibility.
ROPS and FOPS
Part III of PUWER requires duty holders to ensure their equipment is safe to use by means of measures such as:
retrofitting roll-over protective structures (ROPS);
falling object protective structures (FOPS);
operator restraints (seat belts, lap belts, etc); and
driver visibility aids such as mirrors.
For instance, if under the particular conditions of use mobile plant is likely to overturn, the user must provide a ROPS and operator restraint.
Wearing of operator restraints
Duty holders need to ensure that when mobile plant is used in conditions where overturn is likely, operator restraint is worn. ROPS and restraints can be rendered useless if the driver of an overturning vehicle is not wearing the seat belt provided.
Supervisors should regularly check that drivers are wearing seat belts where necessary.
For further information see HSE's free leaflet Fitting and Use of Restraining Systems on Lift Trucks HSE Information Sheet MISC241. Copies of Safe Use of Work Equipment - Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998: Approved Code of Practice and Guidance
(L22), ISBN 0-7176-1626-6, price £8.00 .
HEALTHCARE SECTOR GUIDANCE & INFORMATION
Posted Sunday, September 8, 2002 by Ahmed Khan
The European Agency for Safety & Health at Work has just published a factsheet entitled Safety and Health Good Practice on-line for the Healthcare Sector.
It is available at: http://agency.osha.eu.int/publications/factsheets/29/en/index.htm
LEGIONNAIRE'S DISEASE - USEFUL INFORMATION!
Posted Sunday, September 8, 2002 by Ahmed Khan
WHAT IS LEGIONNAIRE'S DISEASE?
Legionnaires' disease is a type of pneumonia. It was named after an outbreak of severe pneumonia which affected a meeting of the American Legion in 1976. It is an uncommon but serious disease.
The illness occurs more frequently in men than women. It usually affects middle-aged or elderly people & it more commonly affects smokers or people with other chest problems. Legionnaires' disease is uncommon in younger people & is very uncommon under the age of 20.
About half the cases of legionnaires' disease are caught abroad. The other half are the result of infections acquired in the UK.
HOW DO PEOPLE GET IT?
The germ which causes legionnaires' disease is a bacterium called Legionella pneumophila. People catch legionnaires' disease by inhaling small droplets of water suspended in the air which contain the Legionella bacterium. However, most people who are exposed to Legionella do not become ill.
Legionnaires' disease does not spread from person to person.
WHERE DOES IT COME FROM?
The bacterium which causes legionnaires' disease is widespread in nature. It mainly lives in water, for example ponds, where it does not usually cause problems. Outbreaks occur from purpose-built water systems where temperatures are warm enough to encourage growth of the bacteria, eg in cooling towers, evaporative condensers & whirlpool spas (Jaccuzi) & from water used for domestic purposes in buildings such as hotels.
Most community outbreaks in the UK have been linked to installations such as cooling towers or evaporative condensers which can spread droplets of water over a wide area. These are found as part of air-conditioning & industrial cooling systems.
WHAT MEASURES ARE THERE TO CONTROL LEGIONNAIRE'S DISEASE?
To prevent the occurrence of legionnaires' disease, companies which operate these systems must comply with regulations requiring them to manage, maintain & treat them properly. Amongst other things, this means that the water must be treated & the system cleaned regularly.
WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS?
The symptoms of legionnaires' disease are similar to the symptoms of the flu:
1.high temperature, feverishness & chills;
2.cough;
3.muscle pains;
4.headache; & leading on to
5.pneumonia, very occasionally
6.diarrhoea & signs of mental confusion
HOW IS IT TREATED?
The illness is treated with an antibiotic called erythromycin or a similar antibiotic.
WHAT TO DO?
If you develop the above symptoms & you are worried that it might be legionnaires' disease, see your general practitioner.
Because it is similar to flu, it is not always easy to diagnose. A blood or urine test will be helpful in deciding whether an illness is or is not legionnaires' disease. When doctors are aware that the illness is present in the local community, they have a much better chance of diagnosing it earlier.
If you suspect that you may have got the illness as a consequence of your work then you are advised to report this to your manager, as well as your health & safety representative & occupational health department, if you have one. There is a legal requirement for employers to report cases of legionnaires' disease that may be acquired at their premises to the Health & Safety Executive
FURTHER INFORMATION
If you need further help, staff at the HSE national call centre (HSE Infoline - tel: 08701 545500 or email them at: hseinformationservices@natbrit.com
The Public Health Laboratory Service protects the population from infection by working with others to control & prevent the spread of infectious diseases – for more information about Legionnaires disease visit their website at www.phls.org.uk
HSE - ADVICE ON HOW TO REPORT HEALTH & SAFETY INCIDENTS
Posted Thursday, September 5, 2002 by Ahmed Khan
The HSE has issued an updated leaflet giving employers advice on how to report health & safety incidents as well as how to use the HSE's new incident contact centre.
All employers have a legal duty to report the following work-related health & safety incidents:
deaths, major injuries, over-three-day injuries, where an employee or self-employed person has an accident resulting in them being off work - or unable to do their work - for more than three days, injuries to members of the public that require them to go to hospital,
work-related diseases & dangerous occurrence which could potentially have resulted in a reportable injury.
The incident contact centre (ICC) provides a single point of contact for all employers in England, Scotland & Wales to use, whatever their business. Reports can be made by telephone – the quickest & most straightforward method – or via the internet, e-mail, fax or post.
HSE Director General Timothy Walker said:
"The ICC offers an excellent integrated service to employers & considerable benefits for business. It cuts down on paperwork & helps duty holders to discharge their legal obligations with the minimum of fuss."
ICC CONTACT DETAILS ARE:
Telephone - 0845 300 9923
E-mail - riddor@natbrit.com
Fax - 0845 300 9924
By post to:
Incident Contact Centre
Caerphilly Business Park
Caerphilly CF83 3GG
Website - www.riddor.gov.uk
UNPOPULAR COUNCIL ACTS TO MAKE ITS CEMETERIES SAFER PLACES
Posted Wednesday, September 4, 2002 by Ahmed Khan
Warrington Borough Council has surveyed much of it's 4 cemeteries & 9 closed churchyards & discovered around 1,700 of the 30,000 memorials are in a potentially unstable condition & therefore pose a threat to visitors & employees who work there.
As a consequence, in order to meet their obligations to persons at risk from falling stones, they have decided they have no choice but to lay such stones flat or cordon them off.
The action has upset many local people who do not regard many of the gravestones affected as dangerous, and some Council employees have experienced their ire.
Speaking for the Council's bereavement services department, manager Angela Dunn said: "It is essential that our cemeteries are safe places for people to come & pay their respects.
To ensure that, we must be responsible & take action to deal with any memorial which poses a threat to the public & we hope people can understand that. People have been hurt, even killed, as a result of dangerous memorials. We have received calls from people who are not happy about what we are having to do & we apologise if this causes upset."
ALCOHOL MISUSE - FREE ADVICE LEAFLET
Posted Wednesday, September 4, 2002 by Ahmed Khan
The Health Development Agency has published a free advisory leaflet, 'The Prevention & Reduction of Alcohol Misuse' for organisations considering implementing a workplace policy on the subject of alcohol misuse, or who wish to evaluate their current policy.
Visit the Agency's site at www.hda-online.org.uk where the leaflet can be downloaded.
TAKING YOUR FORK LIFT OUT ON THE PUBLIC HIGHWAY - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Posted Tuesday, September 3, 2002 by Ahmed Khan
In answer to the seemingly perpetual question about how to legally venture on to the public highway with a fork lift truck, the Fork Lift Truck Association (FLTA) offers all you need to know in one publication.
The FLTA say that literally tens of thousands of fork lift truck operations each day are conducted illegally and without insurance cover & unwittingly by some otherwise responsible companies ignorant of the legal requirements for taking a fork lift truck onto a public road.
What is a public road ?
A copy of the recent technical bulletin published by FLTA explains how failure to comply with some fairly basic procedures, even for the shortest of moves, could invalidate existing insurance & result in expensive & damaging police or civil actions. Many who contravene the law do it because they do not understand what constitutes a public road.
The publication addresses the problem of what actually constitutes a public road (according to a recent legal case, the definition is: anywhere the public may be found, such as car parks, lay-bys, loading bays, private roads through trading or industrial estates, etc.
The Technical Bulletin 03 also covers a variety of other issues including:
road fund licensing & the various rates applicable; insurance; lighting; safety; number plate requirements; the registration & classification of trucks; current rates of duty & addresses of DVLA local offices.
Dispelling myths
Brian Warbrick, FLTA Chairman comments: "This document will prove invaluable to almost every business. At one time or another, most companies take their fork lifts onto a road. It may be necessary to deliver or recover the truck from an operating location, move it from one site to another or simply to offload a delivery lorry. This bulletin dispels all the myths & clarifies the situation so everyone can operate safely & within the law."
To obtain copies of this & other Technical Bulletins contact: David Ellison, Secretary, Fork Lift Truck Association, Manor Farm Buildings, Lasham, Alton, Hants, GU34 7SL. Tel: 01256 381441 Fax: 01256 381735. Email: mail@fork-truck.org.uk or visit www.fork-truck.org.uk
HOLDING COMPANY FACES SOLWAY HARVESTER CHARGES
Posted Monday, September 2, 2002 by Ahmed Khan
The Company which owns the Solway Harvester fishing vessel, lost with 7 lives in 2000, is to face manslaughter charges in connection with their deaths. Jack Robinson (Trawlers) Ltd, a holding company based in Hull, faces the charges, it's owner, Richard Gidney, also faces manslaughter charges.
DISTILLEX TO APPEAR IN COURT
Posted Monday, September 2, 2002 by Ahmed Khan
Distillex, who recycled & disposed of solvent-based waste at it's now destroyed North Shields plant, are facing a court appearance over a major incident in April. A fire followed by explosions necessitated the evacuation of hundreds of homes within a 1000 metre exclusion zone.
The organisation is to appear at North Shields Magistrates' Court in September, the summons stating that it allegedly failed to meet the requirements of the Health & Safety at Work Act in the circumstances of the incident.
Distillex is now moving the operation to its Lancashire plant, rendering its 12 local employees redundant.
NEWCASTLE BUILDING COLLAPSE - HSE TO INVESTIGATE CIRCUMSTANCES
Posted Monday, September 2, 2002 by Ahmed Khan
The partial & progressive collapse of the former TSB bank in Grainger Street, Newcastle has required a major response from the authorities in the city.
City centre premises were evacuated & the metro line service running under the building was suspended. Transco became involved as there were concerns over a nearby gas main.
A demolition company's personnel had been engaged in preparing the premises for redevelopment, when a rear wall weakened, precipitating partial collapse.
Ian Robertson of Tyne & Wear Fire Service said: "This is a very serious incident, it had the potential to be a life-threatening incident because of the proximity of the gas main & the possible vibrations from the Metro but, thankfully, the evacuation went very well."
Bill McKay, an HSE Principal Inspector, said that an investigation of the incident would take place.
ST JOHN AMBULANCE FACES PROSECUTION
Posted Monday, September 2, 2002 by Ahmed Khan
The HSE is to prosecute the St John Ambulance service over the circumstances of the death of Rowan Dassaniake, 21, in an accident involving a power boat at Royal Victoria Dock, London in 1998. Mr Dassaniake was a first aider.
Trial will take place at Snaresbrook Crown Court.