EMPLOYEE FELL FROM FLT FORKS
Posted Thursday, September 29, 2005 by Ahmed Khan
The HSE is once more warning companies that it is unacceptable to permit persons to work, or access work, at height, using the forks of FLTs.
Last Friday, Dudson Limited was prosecuted following investigation of a December 2004 incident at its Tunstall premises in which an employee fractured his ankle in a fall whilst gaining access and egress to shipping containers. He was being lowered approximately 1.8 metres from the rear of a container to the ground on the FLT forks when he slipped off, falling backwards. The correct lifting equipment to enable access to and from the containers was available, but on a different site.
A Director of Dudson Limited pleaded guilty to a breach of S.2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 at Newcastle under Lyme Magistrates Court, the company was fined £10,000, with costs of £978.
COMMENT:
"Using a forklift truck's forks as a way of lifting and lowering people is a highly dangerous practice and creates an imminent risk to safety. Employers have a duty to ensure that appropriate safety measures are taken when carrying out work that involves working at height in order to prevent injuries such as these. In this case the warehouse function was being transferred from one site to another and the correct lifting equipment, a set of mobile steps, had not been moved to the new site.
HSE's current programme of Revitalising Health and Safety has highlighted falls from height as the most common cause of work-related deaths. Every year, around 80 people are killed and more than 5,500 seriously injured as a result of falling from height." - The prosecuting HSE Inspector.
PHYSIOTHERAPISTS AT HIGH RISK FROM MUSCULOSKELETAL DISORDERS
Posted Thursday, September 29, 2005 by Ahmed Khan
It is believed that a group of health workers, who work to alleviate the effects of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) in some of their patients, are themselves at elevated risk of developing these conditions through their occupation.
The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) sought to determine the extent of the problem among the ranks of its membership and physiotherapy assistants by examining over 3,500 responses and publishing the findings in its report, Work-related musculoskeletal disorders affecting members of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy.
The study reveals that younger physiotherapists and newly qualified graduates are most at risk and in need of interventions aimed at reducing injury rates, and that under-reporting of MSD's is commonplace. It examined at which career stage injuries occurred, the clinical setting, job risk factors, and offers preventive strategies.
Downloadable summaries and presentation material are available, as is the report for purchase, at Work-related MSD report.
NEW UKSRG GUIDELINES FOR THE MEASUREMENT OF FLOOR SLIP RESISTANCE
Posted Thursday, September 29, 2005 by Ahmed Khan
The UK Slip Resistance Group (UKSRG) has prepared new guidelines for the measurement of floor slip resistance and these are to be launched at a BRE conference in Watford on the 27th October 2005.
With the HSE Watch Your Step campaign just launched, employers and other specialists may wish to adopt a technical approach to determining doubtful surfaces, the guidelines have been prepared for architects, specifiers, cleaning contractors, flooring manufacturers, test houses and associated consultants to reduce the risk of pedestrian slip accidents.
The new edition includes some important changes to the 2000 guidelines, they describe the use of the Pendulum and a roughness metre to access floors for slipperiness.
Those attending the BRE conference can benefit from an introduction to the UKSRG guidelines Version 3 - why the new guidelines? why the Pendulum? and learn about: the application of the guidelines - practical demonstration; slope, profile, flooring and stairs;
complementary methods - SAT, SlipAlert, HSL ramp method; practical examples - preventing slip and trip accidents: a behavioural approach; specifying slip resistance of flooring: an architect's view; reducing slip and trip accidents in the workforce: a motivated food industry.
Visit BRE events for more information on the conference which will feature an exhibition, a copy of the guidelines will be included in the delegate pack.
NOISE AT WORK: RINGING THE CHANGES - RSM MEETING
Posted Thursday, September 29, 2005 by Ahmed Khan
The Royal Society of Medicine's Occupational Medicine Section has organised Noise at work: ringing the changes, a meeting that aims to update occupational physicians on advances in audiology, audiometry and the revised Noise at Work Regulations, but may also be of interest to safety professionals who wish to be better informed on the subject.
Eminent speakers will cover the following topics: noise at work - the new standards; organising an audiological assessment programme; and the clinical diagnosis of noise induced hearing loss.
It is being held on the evening of Tuesday 29th November 2005, for further details and necessary pre-booking visit http://www.rsm.ac.uk/academ/smtoccup.htm
JARVIS HOTELS LIMITED FINED £400,000
Posted Thursday, September 29, 2005 by Ahmed Khan
Poor judgement by those in a position to allocate funds to replace or upgrade an unreliable lift at an Edinburgh hotel contributed to the death of a guest at the premises operated at the time by Jarvis Hotels Limited. The fatal accident occurred during September 2003 at the Learmonth Hotel, a guest stranded in the lift attempted to free himself by climbing out of the lift carriage, but instead fell down the shaft to his death.
The circumstances discovered by the investigating officials from the enforcing authority, City of Edinburgh Council, led to the serving of a Prohibition Notice relating to the lift and a prosecution of the company.
The company's legal representative maintained, in mitigation, it had not fully grasped the importance of the requirement to act on the lift that was conveyed by several contracted engineers' service reports, and had intended to do something about it in due course. It admitted breaches of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 and the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 for which it was fined £400,000.
ROSPA ADVISER'S TIMELINE ON WORKPLACE HEALTH AND SAFETY
Posted Thursday, September 29, 2005 by Ahmed Khan
The OS&H journal-published thoughts of the Occupational Safety Adviser for the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) spanning over 10 years have now been collated and made available. Parting Shots is described by RoSPA as a reference tool, and that it will be of interest to professionals and those studying the subject at degree level.
COMMENT:
“My monthly column has given me the freedom to comment on the unfolding health and safety scene. It is interesting to see how some ideas have come to fruition and others still challenge the health and safety community.” - the Author.
DEATH BY MISADVENTURE OF FARMER KILLED BY HEDGE CUTTER
Posted Thursday, September 29, 2005 by Ahmed Khan
An inquest jury sitting at an Aberystwyth Court has determined a verdict of death by misadventure, having listened to the circumstances surrounding the death of a farmer in his 70s during January 2005, and who may have slipped, fallen over, or somehow moved into the path of the blades of a tractor-powered hedge cutter operated by a neighbour.
The Coroner expressed the view that the hazardous operation lacked a degree of planning that could have prevented the tragedy.
WATCH YOUR STEP MAJOR CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED
Posted Thursday, September 29, 2005 by Ahmed Khan
Watch Your Step major campaign launched
Yesterday, the HSE, in partnership with Local Authorities and other stakeholders, launched its cross-industry campaign, Watch Your Step, to alert employers and those persons in a position to take action to curb workplace falls which amount to 42,260 nationally, costing the economy approximately £800 million.
The campaign aims to raise awareness of the serious impact falls have on both the injured party and on UK businesses, with over 90% of cases involving injury requiring the person to be absent from work for at least one week. The number of falls recorded has increased each year for the last 5 years.
Simple cost-effective measures can be put in place to reduce this human and financial burden, there are 3 main causes of falls, which can be easily minimised: slips on wet and dry substances - clean or report spillages immediately; trips over obstacles in walkways, such as cables, products, furniture and fittings - tidy up as you go and keep all walkways clear; human factors, including failure to report and manage risks - don't just see it, sort it.
A campaign helpline is available - 0845 345 0055, and seminars will take place like the one in the West Midlands on 1st November at Bescot Stadium, Walsall, to educate small and newly formed businesses in the way to minimise the risk of slips and trips.
COMMENT:
"Slips and trips are often seen as a bit of a joke. Although much of the time, we're able to get up and brush ourselves down with nothing more serious than injured pride, all too often the injury is more serious. During a normal working day, one person falls and seriously hurts themselves in a British workplace every three minutes. Given that these are only reported incidents, the actual figure will be significantly higher.
It is estimated that each workplace fall costs an average of £25,000 when absenteeism, insurance, wage and civil liability costs are taken into consideration. This is not a laughing matter for any business but could be particularly crippling for small businesses. The good news is that many incidents are preventable by carrying out regular risk assessments and encouraging all employees to be vigilant to the risks and think seriously about how they can ensure a safer workplace - our message to everyone is don't just see it, sort it." - HSE Acting Chief Executive.
EU'S NEW GLOBAL SAFETY AND HEALTH PORTAL
Posted Thursday, September 29, 2005 by Ahmed Khan
The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work says its new online information portal is the first global portal on occupational safety and health information for people involved in risk prevention at work.
The new website at http://osha.eu.int/ permits you to:
search for information by risk types, sectors or groups; use an on-line thesaurus in 20 languages when looking for more specialised terminology, it groups terms by subject and lists all the records containing the selected keyword; customise the site to your own requirements in terms of OSH-topics, languages and countries; access a good practice section with cases that you may readily implement in your organisation; navigate the national sites maintained by the Agency's representations across Europe and its international partners' sites; download Agency publications from an on-line library; focus on noise prevention by having a look at the new noise at work web feature in support of this year’s European Week campaign.
COMMENT:
“A world of safety and health knowledge is now available right at your fingertips. I hope that our new information system will lead to improved workplace health and safety and help reduce the large human and economic toll paid due to accidents and ill-health at work.” - the Agency’s Director.
UPDATE ON E-COLI OUTBREAK
Posted Thursday, September 29, 2005 by Ahmed Khan
As of Wednesday evening, 21.09.05, 56 cases have been confirmed, the Health Authority appears to have discovered a possible link involving a meat supply company from Bridgend and schools have been informed about this.
SOURCE OF WELSH E-COLI O157 OUTBREAK REMAINS UNDETECTED
Posted Thursday, September 29, 2005 by Ahmed Khan
At least 22 confirmed cases of e-coli O157, a variety of food poisoning caused by a particularly virulent type of Escherichia coli bacteria, have been confirmed in the Rhondda Cynon Taff, Merthyr Tydfil and Caerphilly areas within the last few days. 12 of the cases occurred amongst pupils of local, mainly primary, schools.
Officials of the Local Authorities in these areas, the National Public Health Service and local hospitals are working closely to detect the source and keep the public informed.
The officials will no doubt be considering the normal ways in which people become infected, these include:
handling raw meet, especially beef; eating undercooked meat or poultry or other contaminated food products; consuming untreated milk or dairy products; swimming in, or drinking, unchlorinated water; direct contact with animals, particularly on farms or in animal sanctuaries; and close contact with another infected person.
SEARCH CONTINUES FOR POSSIBLE LINKS BETWEEN ENVIRONMENTAL CONTAMINATION AND ADVERSE HEALTH EFFECTS
Posted Thursday, September 29, 2005 by Ahmed Khan
Following a successful West Midlands piloted study to identify links between exposure to environmental contamination and adverse health effects, the Health Protection Agency (HPA) in England and Wales is to further develop an environmental public health tracking system. The system will draw upon data on hospital admissions, birth abnormalities and cancer registrations, information supplied by the Environment Agency and others relating to potential sites of environmental contamination. This should enable the HPA to assess any links between clusters of adverse health effects, such as selected cancers and respiratory conditions, and potential environmental exposures.
COMMENT:
“The West Midlands pilot mapped both historical (some from the 19th century) and contemporary data on potential sources of environmental contamination and data on hospital admissions and cancer registrations for diseases such as lung cancer. This enabled possible connections between clusters of disease and possible sites of contamination to be investigated. While the system doesn’t prove a link, it does identify areas that need further detailed investigation.
Over the next year this pilot study will be further extended to include Wales and will also be focusing on other conditions such as childhood cancers and low birth weight. The causes of childhood disease are a key strand of the Agency’s work.
We hope to have a national system in place during the next 5 years which will provide valuable information about trends in environmental health to underpin the Agency’s health protection work. The Agency is grateful to the Environment Agency, Local Authorities and Cancer Registries and the Perinatal Institutes of the NHS who continue to assist us with this programme.” - Research programme leader.
RSI FIGURES SHOW APPARENT SHARP RISE
Posted Thursday, September 29, 2005 by Ahmed Khan
The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP) is concerned about the apparent sharp increase in the reports of cases of Repetitive Strain Injury (RSI).
The statistics bringing this to light were compiled for 2003/04 by the CSP and the Labour Research Department, indicating that 448,000 British workers suffered from RSI, a rise of 52,000 on the 2001/02 figure, with each person, as a consequence, requiring an average of 18.3 days off in that time.
The CSP advises employers to avoid the problem in the workforce by acting to:
provide assessments for each staff member to see what risks are associated with their jobs, and how best to combat those;
encourage early reporting of any symptoms and provide access to appropriate help, such as consulting an occupational physiotherapist; and
ensure employees are able to organise their work and take regular breaks.
COMMENT:
'Employers can make a big difference to the health of their workers, while at the same time improving the productivity and profits of their business. Pain or discomfort caused by upper limb disorders can lead to more sick days and low motivation. These disorders can largely be avoided and prevention is always better than cure. Improvements can easily be made, starting with some steps that can relieve stress on the arms, shoulders and neck.' - Chair of the Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Occupational Health and Ergonomics (ACPOHE).
BATLEY AND DEWSBURY BUSINESS OWNERS AND EMPLOYEES SLEEP EASIER IN THEIR BEDS!
Posted Thursday, September 29, 2005 by Ahmed Khan
With assistance from an HSE blitz campaign earlier this year, around 30 small bed divan and mattress manufacturing companies, some family-based, in Batley and Dewsbury, are now the better in terms of health and safety performance.
The campaign targeted businesses concentrated in an area known as 'The Batley Mile', and provided each company with an information pack backed up by an audit of its health and safety policies and procedures which revealed: muscular skeletal disorders caused by poor lifting techniques - mattress manufacture involves the handling of awkward and bulky items; repetitive strain injury caused by specialist processes like tape edge sewing, where operatives walk backwards to feed tape into sewing machines which they control with their knees; the storage of the highly flammable cellular plastic material used to produce the mattresses was problematic, being short on space small manufacturers tend to pack these materials around the workforce despite HSE recommendations that no more than half a day's working supply should be held in the work area; a lack of the knowledge and understanding to manage the problem of noise-induced hearing loss in smaller companies.
The campaign brought 3 Improvement Notices, 2 related to cellular plastic storage and one related to falling from height; and one Prohibition Notice related to falling from height.
COMMENT:
"HSE has successfully delivered some important messages to a group of small, hard-to-reach businesses that, in the past have lacked knowledge and understanding of the health and safety issues in their industry. For this group working with the difficulties of traditional, sometimes run-down, environments with restricted space, uneven floors and poor visibility, mean such concerns have sometimes had a low priority.
Where there have been specific or urgent problems we have stepped in to take enforcement action, but importantly this initiative has provided a platform for the kind of direct contact that will pay dividends in terms of the future health and safety of the workforce." - HSE inspector who led the campaign.
REFORM OF THE LAW OF CORPORATE HOMICIDE IN SCOTLAND - CONFERENCE
Posted Thursday, September 29, 2005 by Ahmed Khan
The Centre for Corporate Accountability (CCA) is to present a conference on Corporate Homicide Reform, in Glasgow on the 6th October 2005.
The conference brings together prominent speakers from the Scottish Executive, employers, trade unions, lawyers and members of the Executive's Panel to discuss what reform is required to the law of Corporate Homicide in Scotland.
Pertinent matters include:
Is there a real Scottish alternative to the Westminster reform?
What should be the nature of any Scottish offence?
How it should apply to crown and public bodies?
Its application to individual directors; and sentencing.
For more information, contact the CCA at info@corporateaccountability.org
BUILDING SITE FATAL ACCIDENT IN DEVON
Posted Friday, September 9, 2005 by Ahmed Khan
It is reported that on Wednesday a workman in his 20s died following an accident on a project to extend a building in Broad Clyst, 4 miles northeast of Exeter, Devon.
He sustained crush injuries when a wall collapsed and trapped him, narrowly missing his 2 colleagues.
MEPS DECLINE TO LEGISLATE ON OCCUPATIONAL SOLAR UV RISK
Posted Friday, September 9, 2005 by Ahmed Khan
Against a background of rising European skin cancer rates, MEPs have determined that it is still not a good idea to specifically legislate that employers, on an EU-wide basis, should be legally obliged to take steps to limit excessive exposure of outdoor workers to sunlight through the Optical Radiation Directive.
Individual states can, however, still opt to legislate to protect outdoor workers from the deleterious effects of excessive ultra-violet exposure on skin and eyes, employers are also free to adopt whatever policies they deem appropriate to control the risk.
The Directive's wording will now be amended appropriately, the vote read 397 to 260, with 9 members abstaining.
VISITOR TO CAR SHOWROOM SHATTERED GLASS PANEL
Posted Friday, September 9, 2005 by Ahmed Khan
Ames Nissan Limited of Thetford has been prosecuted and fined as a result of an incident in which a member of the public sustained serious wounds when he walked through a glass panel which was not protected nor manufactured with safety material. The accident in August 2004 required many hours of surgery and has impacted on the accident victim's earning capacity.
Following an investigation by the enforcing authority, Breckland Council, a prosecution was instigated and Central Norfolk Magistrates' Court fined the company £10,000 plus costs for breaching health and safety legislation. In mitigation the company said it had now surveyed its premises and replaced all the dangerous glazing.
Regulation 14 of The Workplace (Heath, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 requires that every window or other transparent or translucent surface in a wall, partition, door or gate should, where necessary for reasons of health or safety, be of a safety material or be protected against breakage of the transparent or translucent material; and be appropriately marked or incorporate features to make it apparent.
For full information visit HSE's page at http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg212.htm .
FOOTBALL CLUB FINED OVER FATAL CAR PARK ACCIDENT
Posted Friday, September 9, 2005 by Ahmed Khan
Bolton Wanderers Football Club plc has been prosecuted and fined for admitted safety failures deemed to breach minimum legislative requirements in the circumstances of a fatal accident in its stadium car park.
In August 2003, a motorcyclist died after riding into a chain suspended across a roadway, an earlier similar incident had brought advice and written warnings from Bolton Council, the enforcing authority. Despite this, the football club failed to act in the suggested ways to prevent the motorcyclists, who were using the car park without consent, from suffering serious injury.
Bolton Crown Court fined the company £90,000 with costs.
AGENCY WORKER NEEDED SAFE SYSTEM OF WORK
Posted Friday, September 9, 2005 by Ahmed Khan
Star Plant Hire Ltd of Folkestone, Kent, has been prosecuted and fined after admitting a breach of S.3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 for failures that resulted in a serious accident to an agency worker engaged by it.
The incident occurred on the 27th September 2004 at the company's depot in Kent, the agency worker suffered an open fracture to his right leg as he unloaded a mini excavator from a lorry. He had been attempting to drive the vehicle down the side of a ramp, but it began to slide and eventually tipped over. He grabbed the excavator's levers to stay in the vehicle but his leg became trapped.
Star Plant was fined a total of £5,000 at Sevenoaks Magistrates' Court, with costs of £2,416.
COMMENT:
"This prosecution highlights the need for employers to ensure that workers are given adequate instructions and information so they can follow safe systems of work, whether they are a permanent member of staff or employed via an agency.
As a result of this incident, Mr Homewood had an operation to insert a metal bar into a bone in his leg during a two-week stay in hospital. He is currently awaiting a further operation and has been unable to work since." - HM Inspector of Health and Safety.
NETWORK RAIL CONVICTED
Posted Friday, September 9, 2005 by Ahmed Khan
Network Rail, formerly Railtrack, operator of Britain's railway infrastructure, must, along with contractor Balfour Beatty Rail Maintenance Limited, await October sentencing, having been convicted yesterday of breaching the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 (HSWA) in the circumstances leading up to the October 2000 train crash at Hatfield in which 4 died and more than 100 were injured.
The conviction was a consequence of omissions by the company relating to track maintenance, principally that a section of dangerously faulty rail, having been identified at the derailment location, was not given any priority for action over a period of almost 2 years.
5 former senior employees of both companies were cleared of HSWA charges.
COMMENT:
"The Hatfield tragedy was a terrible event for everyone involved, and our thoughts today are with those who died and were injured on that day and their families. Once again, we wish to say we are sorry that it ever happened. This has been a long trial, it has now reached its conclusion and we respect the findings of the court.
It must be remembered that the maintenance of the railway has fundamentally changed since the Hatfield tragedy in October 2000. Since Network Rail took over the nation's railway infrastructure some three years ago, maintenance has been taken in-house rather than being outsourced, and we have changed our approach from a 'find and fix' maintenance regime to one of 'predict and prevent' . We have also invested heavily in new maintenance technology and doubled the size of our company to some 30,000 employees. All these changes have been made as we work to minimise the chances of this ever happening again." - Network Rail's Chairman.
WORKING AT HEIGHT ADVICE INITIATIVE FOR PAINTERS AND DECORATORS BACKED BY PASMA AND IPAF
Posted Friday, September 9, 2005 by Ahmed Khan
HSE and Dulux Decorator Centres are promoting safe working at height practices to painters and decorators at certain of their stores during September.
The pilot project is being backed by PASMA and International Powered Access Federation (IPAF), with discounts on training on offer to small and medium-sized businesses.
Painters and decorators visiting nominated Dulux Decorator Centres across the country will be able to discuss informally with HSE inspectors: the risks of working at height; complying with the new Working at Height regulations; suitable work at height equipment; and best practice.
STATISTICS
HSE statistics reveal painting and decorating to be responsible for a significant proportion of falls from height¹, furthermore, these are not reducing amongst small and medium-sized businesses, despite the construction industry becoming increasingly aware of the dangers when working at height.
Painters and decorators are invited to visit the following Dulux Decorator Centres during September to speak to an inspector about working safely at height:
6 - Liverpool;
7 - Dundee;
8 - Shawpark;
12 Watford;
13 - Leeds;
14 - Birmingham;
14 - Hemel Hempstead;
15 - Newcastle upon Tyne;
15 - Nottingham;
19 - Stratford;
20 - Salford;
21 - Rayleigh;
26 - Southampton; and
29 - Yeovil.
¹ In 2003/4, 245 painters and decorators were seriously injured as a result of falling from height; six of the falls were fatal.
AGENCIES STRIVE TO DISCOVER SOURCE OF LEGIONNAIRES' DISEASE IN S. LONDON
Posted Friday, September 9, 2005 by Ahmed Khan
The Health Protection Agency, HSE and environmental staff of local councils in South London, are engaged in the search to find the source of the Legionnaires' Disease that has resulted in at least 7 cases throughout Wandsworth, Lewisham and Bexleyheath in as many weeks.
Two of the affected remain very ill with the disease, one is reported to be critical. All tests for the bacterium conducted at suspect locations have so far proved negative.
FORKLIFT OPERATOR PROSECUTED UNDER S7 OF HSWA
Posted Friday, September 9, 2005 by Ahmed Khan
An employee of ZF Lemforder UK Limited of Bickenhill, West Midlands, has been prosecuted and fined for actions, that HSE had alleged, placed him in breach of his duty as an individual under S.7¹ of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.
The prosecution followed an incident on 11th January 2005, when the man lifted a colleague up approximately 3-4 metres in a metal stillage balanced on the forks of his forklift truck, in order to repair a loading bay curtain, when the correct lifting equipment was available from the company. The outcome was a fall in which a colleague sustained major injuries.
It transpired that the convicted man had received risk assessment training, forklift truck driver training and training which allows him to teach forklift truck driver training to others. These training courses give examples of bad practice, including lifting people up in metal stillages or pallets balanced on the forks of forklift trucks to gain access to height.
HSE wishes to caution companies to take adequate precautions to prevent injuries when falling from height at work, particularly in the use of forklift trucks, which should only be used to lift goods in their metal stillages as opposed to people.
The man pleaded guilty at Solihull Magistrates Court and was fined £450, with costs of £250.
COMMENT:
"Using a forklift truck as a way of elevating people is a highly dangerous practice and creates an imminent risk to safety. Both employers and employees have a duty to ensure that appropriate safety measures are taken when carrying out work that involves working at height in order to prevent injuries such as these.
HSE's current programme of Revitalising Health and Safety has highlighted falls from height as the most common cause of work-related deaths. Every year, around 80 people are killed and more than 5,500 seriously injured as a result of falling from height" - Prosecuting HSE Inspector.
¹ The prosecution under the Act was because he was deemed to have failed to discharge the duty imposed on him by S.7 in that he failed to take reasonable care of the health and safety of other persons, including his colleague, who may be affected by his acts or omissions at work.
PROPERTY COMPANY FINED OVER EDINBURGH DEMOLITION DEATH
Posted Friday, September 9, 2005 by Ahmed Khan
Sundial Properties of Edinburgh has been prosecuted and fined £60,000 for safety failures that contributed to the death in May 2004 of a construction worker who died when he entered a danger area and was buried by a collapsing gable wall. The accident occurred on the site being developed on Calton Road, Edinburgh, the company conceded it should have established a formal exclusion zone around a building being removed. HSE investigation established that the wall collapsed as a crane lifted a ventilation fitting which was inadvertently left attached to the building by a bolt, this being sufficient to bring it crashing down.
Regulations 9,10 and 11 of the Construction (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1996 (CHSW Regulations) require duty holders to:
prevent accidental collapse of new or existing structures or those under construction;
make sure any dismantling or demolition of any structure is planned and carried out in a safe manner under the supervision of a competent person;
only fire explosive charges after steps have been taken to ensure that no one is exposed to risk or injury from the explosion.
HSE has published INDG220 - A guide to the Construction (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1996.
UNSAFE SYSTEM OF WORK COST ESSEX WORKER HIS ARM
Posted Friday, September 9, 2005 by Ahmed Khan
Food processing company, Kebabery Cash and Carry (Wholesale) Limited, has been fined for its failure to ensure the safety of an employee who subsequently required to have his arm amputated after an industrial accident at its Epping, Essex, premises.
During July 2004, an employee, while using an unapproved system of work to clean a mixing bowl, got his arm caught and mangled within it while it was in motion, investigation established that an interlock was deliberately defeated which would otherwise have stopped its motion when the lid was raised.
The company admitted breaching the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 for which Chelmsford Crown Court fined it £10,000, with costs of £7,450.
RECENT NW ENGLAND FORKLIFT TRAGEDIES BRING HSE WARNING
Posted Friday, September 9, 2005 by Ahmed Khan
HSE is warning operators of forklift trucks to be aware of the necessary safety precautions required in their use following two Greater Manchester fatal incidents in recent weeks involving forklift trucks at Electromec Ltd, Droylsden, and at Townley Dye Dyestuffs, Timperley, Altrincham.
Guidance for forklift truck advises: don't travel with the load raised; it reduces the driver's visibility and destabilises the truck; do not lift a person on the forks unless a safe working platform is fitted; don't move a load that appears unsuitable, for example too heavy or unsecured; ensure drivers are suitably trained;
take extra care on slopes; ensure pedestrians and vehicles are segregated; and before raising a load, ensure safe clearance overhead.
COMMENT:
"Lift trucks are immensely useful in the workplace, but can be very dangerous if not used correctly. Two fatalities have occurred in the region involving lift trucks in the last few weeks and this reminds us of the need to use them safely, to get the best, not the worst out of them.
Whilst implying no blame about the circumstances leading to either fatality, both of which are still under investigation, we hope they will serve as a reminder to all users of such equipment to remain aware of the measures necessary to reduce potential danger from their use." - HSE's North West Regional Director.
MANAGEMENT OF RAILWAY CONTRACTORS - INFORMAL CONSULTATION
Posted Friday, September 9, 2005 by Ahmed Khan
HSE is holding an informal consultation for the purpose of enabling Her Majesty’s Railway Inspectorate to arrive at a strategy for its interventions in the management of railway contractors.
W S Atkins has developed proposals for the strategy - W S Atkins Proposals for Essential Elements of an HSE Strategy for Management of Contractors, and makes a number of recommendations. HSE says the analysis and opinions in the report are those of W S Atkins, and not HSE, and seeks views from the industry and other interested parties to contribute to the production of the strategy, which can be accomplished by visiting Informal consultation - Management of railway contractors - developing an intervention strategy.
The closing date for responses is 7th October 2005.
HSE GAS FORGE WARNING FOR AGRICULTURE AND RELATED SERVICES
Posted Friday, September 9, 2005 by Ahmed Khan
HSE has acted to warn users of gas forges of the importance of functioning flame failure devices (FFDs) on the equipment which is used mainly by farriers.
HSE points out that under the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER), employers and the self-employed have a duty to ensure that work equipment complies with relevant standards.
Danger lies where unburned gas is allowed to build up, which can lead to explosions, so gas appliances must be constructed so that during ignition and flame extinction a build-up of gas is avoided. This means that an FFD should be fitted that shuts off the gas supply if it is not burning.
In some situations, such as high winds, the gas may go out, so operators may deliberately override the FFD. While this may not present a high risk in the open air, it is crucial that the device is reinstated prior to moving the forge and working in an enclosed space.
HSE says the key issues are the purchase of suitable equipment and safe operation of the forge.
COMMENT:
"HSE cannot condone in any way the deliberate overriding of FFDs and certainly expects that whenever these types of forges are used in a workroom the FFD must be operating correctly. Should an incident occur, as well as risking serious injury, the forge operator could face legal and civil action which might well jeopardise the business.
When choosing a gas furnace, users should check for evidence that the equipment meets basic safety standards. If work in the open air is envisaged and the FFD is likely to cause problems, the use of cowls and wind breaks should be considered. Manufacturers of mobile forges can also help by looking at their designs to minimise the problem." - An inspector from HSE's Agriculture Safety Section.