http://www.safetymedia.co.uk/news/ Health & Safety news direct to your desktop. en-us Tue, 10 Jun 2003 04:00:00 GMT Tue, 10 Jun 2003 09:41:01 GMT sales@safetymedia.co.uk sales@safetymedia.co.uk
Bodmin Magistrates Court heard how during the inspection, the HSE were concerned that some employees were working at height without suitable precautions in place. Blocked walkways around the site also raised concern with the Inspectors.

The court heard inspectors from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) visited the site at Glendorgal Resort, Lusty Glaze Road, Newquay, during February and March 2008.

The company pleaded guilty to breaching section 2(1) and section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, for failing to provide guardrails on a bridge over an excavation site. The company was fined £1500 for each offence and ordered to pay £2000 in costs.

Speaking after the hearing, HSEP Inspector Barry Trudgian said: "Forty one employees suffered major injuries following falls from height in Cornwall in 2008/09. This toll may have been even higher if the unsafe working practices at this site had continued. Construction companies must make the safety of their workers a priority, not leave it as an after-thought."

Inspector Trudgian concluded: "Simple measures can be taken to ensure the safety of employees on construction sites, such as providing guardrails where necessary and keeping the site clear of hazards such as rubbish."

Find out more about Working at Height


]]> March 17, 2010 http://www.safetymedia.co.uk/news/images/scaffolding_100.jpg
Perth Sheriff Court heard how Blairish Restorations Limited based in Aberfeldy were undertaking a renovation project at Findynate House, Strathtay in the summer of 2008. The company failed to identify that lead paint was present and also failed to ensure that suitable precautions were taken during the old paintwork being sanded down and removed.

Two workers were admitted to hospital with acute lead poisoning after inhaling and ingesting lead dust over several months. The court also heard how the dust was spread to the workers homes from the workers overalls, potentially endangering their families.

On 16th March 2010, the company pleaded guilty to offences under Section 3 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and was fined £10,000.

Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Inspector, Gary Stimpson, commented: "This case is important as it reminds primary contractors of their responsibility and duty of care to others working on the site - even if they are not directly employed by them. Exposure to Lead can result in significant and debilitating symptoms such as anaemia, nausea and constipation and even nerve, brain and/or kidney damage.

Inspector Stimpson concluded: "There may be a view that lead is an historic problem, which was dealt with a long time ago. This prosecution shows that this is not the case. Those involved in renovating old buildings need to be particularly vigilant. Once dust or fume is generated from operations such as sanding, paint burning it easily enters the body through normal breathing or swallowing, where it accumulates causing debilitating symptoms."

Find out more about Risk Assessment


]]> March 17, 2010 http://www.safetymedia.co.uk/news/images/paint_100.jpg
Emplyee Aaron Watts Solihull was operating an unguarded pedestal drilling machine on 6 November 2008. His right hand glove became entangled in one of the rotating spindles of the drill and he suffered injuries to the back of his right hand and a deep laceration to the palm. Mr Watts required a month off work due to the severity of his injuries.

Thor Hammer Company Ltd pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 11(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 and was fined £2,500. and ordered to pay £2,594 in costs.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Clive Neil said: "Once again we have an incident of an employee who suffered serious injury simply because there wasn t the necessary protection around the drill. Mr Watts is lucky he didnít lose a finger or worse. This offence is all the more serious because the company had received previous advice from HSE about the need to guard its drilling machines - and had even identified the need in its own risk assessment - but did not do it.

Inspector Neil concluded: "It would have cost far less than the fine handed out to install the required protection. Only weeks before the offence the company received a quote to fit a suitable guard at a cost of only £165."

Find out more about Hand & Wrist Injuries


]]> March 16, 2010 http://www.safetymedia.co.uk/news/images/pedistal_drill_100.jpg
The incident occurred on 4 September 2008 at the company s Aldwarke Steel Works in Rotherham. Sheffield Crown Court heard how the crane had been fitted with a safe working load alarm however the driver had not been trained on how to use it. The crane became overloaded however no alarms sounded as it overturned.

The company pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and was fined £100,000 and ordered to pay costs of £9,908.50.

After the hearing, HSE Inspector Geoff Clark said: "This is a serious health and safety breach by a company that globally employs tens of thousands of people which could easily have led to people being killed. The operator was extremely lucky to escape with only minor injuries.

Inspector Clark concluded: "This hearing highlights the importance of having an effective system in place for managing health and safety to stop easily avoidable incidents. In this case the measures in place were simply inadequate, in particular, there was a substantial failure to provide enough suitable training."

Find out more about Risk Assessment


]]> March 16, 2010 http://www.safetymedia.co.uk/news/images/mobile_crane_100.jpg
The incident occurred in September 2006 when a Royal Mail HGV driver was reversing his tractor to line up with a trailer unit parked at a loading bay at Heathrow Worldwide Distribution Centre.

Once lined up, the driver left his cab and walked to the back of the unit to complete the manoeuvre. The driver found shunter Colin Smith, 57, had been trapped between the tractor and the trailer, where Mr Smith had been removing a lock from the trailer and suffered fatal injuries.

Royal Mail Group Ltd pleaded guilty to breaching section 2 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and were ordered to pay £90,000 and costs of £42,549.56.

Karl Howes, HSE Inspector, said: "This was a tragic accident which could have been easily prevented if Royal Mail had exercised proper control of vehicle activities at the Heathrow Distribution Centre. The company failed to adequately assess the risk to shunters working in the yard or to identify and rectify the unsafe system and this contributed to Mr Smith s death.

Inspector Howes concluded: "In areas where vehicles are manoeuvring, employers have a legal duty to ensure that work can be done safely. Royal Mail s guilty plea demonstrates that they acknowledge the failings and since the accident they have put measures in place to prevent a recurrence."

In 2008/09, 25 people were killed at work as a result of being hit by vehicles.


Find out more about Driving Safely


]]> March 11, 2010 http://www.safetymedia.co.uk/news/images/trucks_100.jpg
St Helens Magistrates Court heard how Charles Molloy of Molloy Building Contractors was hired to replace ridge tiles on top of the Black Horse Hotel roof in St Helens. On 18 June 2009 a Health and Safety Inspector spotted Mr Molloy and his worker on the roof without harnesses, no scaffolding or any other safety precautions in place.

The Court heard how Mr Molloy also ignored advice he was given about the way he was working by an Environmental Health Officer from St Helens Council, a few days before HSE s visit.

Mr Molloy was fined £1,5000 and ordered to pay £1,000 costs after pleading guilty to breaching Regulation 6(3) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 by failing to take measures to prevent workers falling

HSE Inspector Sandra Tomlinson said: "Mr Molloy apparently had little concern for his own safety, or that of those he employed, by working so precariously on a rooftop. When we visited the site and saw both men still working on the roof without safety equipment after previous warnings, we had no choice but to take legal action.

Inspector Tomlinson concluded: "Falls from height kill dozens of workers every year and seriously injure hundreds more. We will therefore continue to prosecute employers who put lives in danger."

Find out more about Working at Heights


]]> March 11, 2010 http://www.safetymedia.co.uk/news/images/roof_100.jpg
The investigation found employees of Shane Homes Limited were working on the first floor extension when they were put at risk of a fall of up to four metres. No edge protection was in place on the scaffolding and the access ladder was too short and not secured.

Shane Homes Limited pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 6(3) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 and received a fine of £1,000 and ordered to pay £799 costs.

Following the hearing HSE Inspector, Geoff Clark said: "Falls from height remain the largest cause of fatal and serious injuries in the construction industry. The scaffolding at the Shane Homes construction site was dangerous and people should not have been expected to use it.

Inspector Clark concluded: "The law is quite clear and there is much guidance provided by the HSE and industry bodies on the required standards for working at height. We hope the prosecution serves as a reminder to companies using scaffolding that they need to ensure it is erected by trained and competent people, and that it is safe to use."

Find out more about Working at Heights


]]> March 11, 2010 http://www.safetymedia.co.uk/news/images/scaffolding_100.jpg
The incident occurred on 13 March 2008 the worker, David Jones was helping to move a stack of 6.7 metre-long strips onto a trailer. The Court heard how the stack and lifting beam which weighed a total of 2.2 tonnes fell onto Mr Jones from the forks of a forklift truck. The incident left Mr Jones with severe injuries including a broken back in four places, 12 broken ribs and a shoulder blade, punctured a lung, bruised his heart and suffered stomach injuries.

S Cartwright and Sons (Coachbuilders) Ltd pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 by failing to ensure the safety of its employees. The company were fined £15,000 and ordered to pay £18,315 costs.

HSE Inspector Richard Clarke said: "One of S Cartwright and Sons workers was seriously injured because the company did not do enough to protect the safety of its employees. Mr Jones is still in constant pain and the incident could have killed him. The company regularly requires its employees to unload long stacks of metal strips, which are used to build the trailers for lorries. But, at the time of the incident, it did not provide suitable training or written guidance for its staff to handle long loads.

Inspector Clarke concluded: "Manufacturing companies can be dangerous places to work if the risks are not properly managed. Itís vital that good health and safety measures are put in place to prevent workers from being injured."

Find out more about Risk Assessment


]]> March 9, 2010 http://www.safetymedia.co.uk/news/images/spinal_100.jpg
Darlington Magistrates Court heard how an excavator was being used at the site in Allanbrae to dig a trench for drainage on a sloping bank. John Taylor, was laying pipes when the trench wall collapsed and trapped him from the waist down for more than two hours. The incident left Mr Taylor with bruising to his legs.

The following Health and Safety Executive investigation found that the excavator driver had not received suitable training for use of the excavator.

On 8 March 2010, Vickers Construction Limited of Eaglescliffe, pleaded guilty to breaching section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and was fined £5,000 and ordered to pay costs of £3,178.10.

After the case, HSE Inspector Dr Dave Shallow, said: "Trench collapses are a well-known cause of serious injuries and deaths in the construction industry and this incident could have easily been avoided. The employee using the excavator should have been properly trained and industry guidance, which recommends providing shoring or trench boxes, should have been followed.

Inspector Shallow concluded: "Companies need to recognise the dangers of excavations and ensure safe systems of work are in place before workers enter excavations."

Find out more about Construction Safety


]]> March 9, 2010 http://www.safetymedia.co.uk/news/images/pipeline_100.jpg
Stafford Magistrates Court heard how agency employee Steven Jones, 28, was working at Romtech Ltd s Cannock site on 2 February 2009 when the incident occurred. Mr Jones was using a radial arm drill when his right hand glove became entangled in the rotating drill bit.

The Court heard how Mr Jones right arm was caught and dragged into the drill whcih broke both bones in his forearm and severely damaged his muscles. It was also heard how the emergency services had to cut free his clothing from the machine due to the extent the material had been drawn in.

Romtech Ltd pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 11(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 and Regulation 3(1) of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. The company was fined £20,000 for each of the two breaches and ordered to pay costs of £7,401.

HSE inspector Andrew Bowker said: "Mr Jones suffered a shocking fracture to his right arm and his injuries may have been much worse if he had not been able to use his left hand to hit the machineís stop button. The potential safety risks associated with entanglement on radial arm drilling machines have been well known for decades and control measures have been well documented in HSE guidance going back to the 1970s.

Inspector Bowker concluded: "It is not acceptable that this type of incident is still happening. Companies must invest sufficient time and effort in risk assessment to ensure their radial arm drills have suitable guards or trip devices in position. They must also ensure that staff are aware of the risks and that supervisors and managers monitor working procedures."

Find out more about Risk Assessment


]]> March 5, 2010 http://www.safetymedia.co.uk/news/images/drill_100.jpg