Road accidents involving people driving for their work will still not be recorded as work-related accidents, the government has said.
Despite calls from the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) and others for work deaths on the road to be reportable under the Reporting of Incidents, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR), the government has still failed to respond to the demand.
President of IOSH, Ray Hurst, said that the government’s response to the Work and Pensions Select Committee Inquiry was a “missed opportunity” to rectify the situation.
"The health and safety statistics published as they are underestimates the true situation. The fatal injury statistics we get are just for workplace accidents – they don’t include work-related road deaths, and we believe there are between 800 and 1,000 of them each year. Other countries do include road deaths among their health and safety statistics," Ray added.
"The roads are a major hazard, and they are also a major source of employment – with the likes of lorry, van, bus and taxi drivers and sales staff all making use of the roads to earn their living."
"Work factors can often affect these people. For instance, if they’re forced to drive for long hours or are put under excessive targets, causing stress. These in turn can have devastating impacts on the person and on other road users. It’s in these sort of situations where accidents need proper investigation by health and safety experts – so that lessons on the causes of the accident can be learnt by employers."
"It seems the roads are the one place where employers will continue to be able to get away with putting their workers lives, and those of others, at risk. Work-related road deaths are a gaping hole in our health and safety recording," Ray concluded.
Source.
Tuesday, 22 July 2008
Firms unaware of new safety rules
More than half of all businesses in Britain are unaware of impending changes to legislation concerning first aid in the workplace, a study has shown.
Many firms, especially small and medium-sized companies, either fail to comply or are clueless about workplace safety regulations, according to research by the Red Cross.
Employers have been warned that from October 2009 they must aware new guidelines governing the number and category of first aid-trained staff come into force.
Anna Brown, head of customer services for the British Red Cross first-aid-training, said providing adequate safety advice would be welcomed by employees.
"Ensuring that your employees learn first aid is so much more than just complying with your health and safety obligations. Encouraging people to learn a life skill shows your commitment to the employee," she stated.
Under the Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981, employers are required to provide adequate and appropriate equipment, facilities and personnel to enable first-aid to be given to staff at work.
Source.
St John Ambulance give a detailed explanation on the first aid changes here.
Many firms, especially small and medium-sized companies, either fail to comply or are clueless about workplace safety regulations, according to research by the Red Cross.
Employers have been warned that from October 2009 they must aware new guidelines governing the number and category of first aid-trained staff come into force.
Anna Brown, head of customer services for the British Red Cross first-aid-training, said providing adequate safety advice would be welcomed by employees.
"Ensuring that your employees learn first aid is so much more than just complying with your health and safety obligations. Encouraging people to learn a life skill shows your commitment to the employee," she stated.
Under the Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981, employers are required to provide adequate and appropriate equipment, facilities and personnel to enable first-aid to be given to staff at work.
Source.
St John Ambulance give a detailed explanation on the first aid changes here.
Friday, 18 July 2008
Thirteen people killed in collision
By Sinegugu Ndlovu
Thirteen people were killed when a minibus taxi in which they were travelling was involved in a collision with two trucks and two cars near Ladysmith in KwaZulu-Natal on Thursday.
The collision happened on the R103 between Ladysmith and the N3 highway at about 7.30am. Police Captain Charmaine Struwig said it was believed that a truck travelling from Ladysmith had veered into oncoming traffic and had struck a taxi travelling towards Ladysmith. A second truck and two vehicles travelling behind the taxi then crashed into the wreckage.
"The taxi was completely ripped open and the majority of the passengers were flung out on to the road. Some bodies were found under the truck.
"We are still reconstructing the accident so we can't, at this stage, say how many people were in each vehicle," Struwig said.
She said the accident was one of the most gruesome she had seen in her career. The road was closed to traffic for about seven hours while authorities cleared the wreckage and recovered the bodies.
Original article continues...
Thirteen people were killed when a minibus taxi in which they were travelling was involved in a collision with two trucks and two cars near Ladysmith in KwaZulu-Natal on Thursday.
The collision happened on the R103 between Ladysmith and the N3 highway at about 7.30am. Police Captain Charmaine Struwig said it was believed that a truck travelling from Ladysmith had veered into oncoming traffic and had struck a taxi travelling towards Ladysmith. A second truck and two vehicles travelling behind the taxi then crashed into the wreckage.
"The taxi was completely ripped open and the majority of the passengers were flung out on to the road. Some bodies were found under the truck.
"We are still reconstructing the accident so we can't, at this stage, say how many people were in each vehicle," Struwig said.
She said the accident was one of the most gruesome she had seen in her career. The road was closed to traffic for about seven hours while authorities cleared the wreckage and recovered the bodies.
Original article continues...
Thursday, 17 July 2008
Cement firm fined £200,000
A cement firm has been fined £200,000 after a quarry worker was permanently scared when he fell into the blades of a fan.
Welder Stuart Richardson lost an ear and needed bone plates and screws to his mouth after the incident at the Dunbar Works in East Lothian.
Mr Richardson fell into the uncovered electric fan as he was working on the motor of the quarry's stacker machine - which crushes limestone to make cement.
He was taken to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary and later transferred to St Johns' Hospital in Livingston for specialist treatment.
A health and safety inspector said the firm failed to provide a sufficient system of work in place at the time or the delivery of training in risk assessment.
Lafarge Cement admitted two offences under health and safety laws at Edinburgh Sheriff Court
Sheriff Kenneth Maciver said: "I'm satisfied and I think the Health and Safety Executive is satisfied that steps have been taken."
But he added: "This was a wholly avoidable accident, that is accepted by the company quite properly and I was impressed by the way the company have made no excuses as is regularly the case."
Original article posted 17 July 2008.
Welder Stuart Richardson lost an ear and needed bone plates and screws to his mouth after the incident at the Dunbar Works in East Lothian.
Mr Richardson fell into the uncovered electric fan as he was working on the motor of the quarry's stacker machine - which crushes limestone to make cement.
He was taken to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary and later transferred to St Johns' Hospital in Livingston for specialist treatment.
A health and safety inspector said the firm failed to provide a sufficient system of work in place at the time or the delivery of training in risk assessment.
Lafarge Cement admitted two offences under health and safety laws at Edinburgh Sheriff Court
Sheriff Kenneth Maciver said: "I'm satisfied and I think the Health and Safety Executive is satisfied that steps have been taken."
But he added: "This was a wholly avoidable accident, that is accepted by the company quite properly and I was impressed by the way the company have made no excuses as is regularly the case."
Original article posted 17 July 2008.
Dacorum Borough Council Fined After Death Of Employee
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has warned organisations to ensure employees are properly trained to use equipment, following an incident leading to the death of a 29 year-old Council worker.
Dacorum Borough Council of Civic Centre, Hemel Hempstead, was fined £37,500 with £17,500 costs, at St Albans Magistrates Court today (15th July) after pleading guilty to breaches of Section 2 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, Regulation 3(1) of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 and Regulation 3(1) of the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989.
On 9 November 2006, Ben Richardson, who worked for Dacorum Borough Council as part of the housing repair team, was called to Jarman Close, in Hemel Hempstead, to help Council plumbers working to fix a burst water main.
He clamped an electric cable thinking it was a domestic water main. The house, built in the 1960s, had a mains water pipe and electricity supply cable which were both of similar size and colour, making them hard to distinguish. The cable ruptured sending a massive current through his body.
The HSE investigation identified that the system of work used to detect the water supply did not involve the use a cable avoidance tool (CAT) to safely detect electric current and avoid, the electricity supply to the house.
Mr Richardson's workmate said they had been shown how to use a CAT during '20 or 30 minutes' as part of a training course in 1998, but they had never achieved competence in its use.
HSE Inspector, Trevor Morrow, said:
"The CAT is a sophisticated piece of equipment. You won't learn to use it competently during 20 to 30 minutes on a training course, but you will with regular use and experience.
"The CAT they were trained on was a different model to the one that was kept at Dacorum Borough Council, so they would have had to be trained again. If it had been available as part of their normal excavation work and they had been competent in its use, then the CAT would have prevented this fatality.
"I hope this tragic incident makes it clear to employers that they need to take positive steps to risk assess the obvious hazards involved with underground work, such as electricity and gas, and to manage them. They must ensure that staff are properly trained in the use of detection equipment, such as a CAT, and are aware of the potential risks involved in this type of work."
Notes
Section 2 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 states "It shall be the duty of every employer to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of all his employees."
Regulation 3(1) of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 states "Every employer shall make a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks to the health and safety of his employees to which they are exposed whilst they are at work.
Regulation 3(1) of the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 states "Every work activity, including operation, use and maintenance of a system and work near a system, shall be carried out in such a manner as not to give rise, so far as is reasonably practicable, to danger."
Original post 17 July 2008.
Dacorum Borough Council of Civic Centre, Hemel Hempstead, was fined £37,500 with £17,500 costs, at St Albans Magistrates Court today (15th July) after pleading guilty to breaches of Section 2 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, Regulation 3(1) of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 and Regulation 3(1) of the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989.
On 9 November 2006, Ben Richardson, who worked for Dacorum Borough Council as part of the housing repair team, was called to Jarman Close, in Hemel Hempstead, to help Council plumbers working to fix a burst water main.
He clamped an electric cable thinking it was a domestic water main. The house, built in the 1960s, had a mains water pipe and electricity supply cable which were both of similar size and colour, making them hard to distinguish. The cable ruptured sending a massive current through his body.
The HSE investigation identified that the system of work used to detect the water supply did not involve the use a cable avoidance tool (CAT) to safely detect electric current and avoid, the electricity supply to the house.
Mr Richardson's workmate said they had been shown how to use a CAT during '20 or 30 minutes' as part of a training course in 1998, but they had never achieved competence in its use.
HSE Inspector, Trevor Morrow, said:
"The CAT is a sophisticated piece of equipment. You won't learn to use it competently during 20 to 30 minutes on a training course, but you will with regular use and experience.
"The CAT they were trained on was a different model to the one that was kept at Dacorum Borough Council, so they would have had to be trained again. If it had been available as part of their normal excavation work and they had been competent in its use, then the CAT would have prevented this fatality.
"I hope this tragic incident makes it clear to employers that they need to take positive steps to risk assess the obvious hazards involved with underground work, such as electricity and gas, and to manage them. They must ensure that staff are properly trained in the use of detection equipment, such as a CAT, and are aware of the potential risks involved in this type of work."
Notes
Section 2 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 states "It shall be the duty of every employer to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of all his employees."
Regulation 3(1) of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 states "Every employer shall make a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks to the health and safety of his employees to which they are exposed whilst they are at work.
Regulation 3(1) of the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 states "Every work activity, including operation, use and maintenance of a system and work near a system, shall be carried out in such a manner as not to give rise, so far as is reasonably practicable, to danger."
Original post 17 July 2008.
Wednesday, 16 July 2008
Track worker killed on mainline
A rail worker has been killed while working on the West Coast Mainline.
The 41-year-old man, from Stockport, Greater Manchester, died near Rugby train station on Saturday morning, British Transport Police (BTP) said.
He was employed by contractor Leda Rail. Details of the accident have not been released but Network Rail said it was investigating.
Network Rail is carrying out massive engineering works at Rugby in a bid to upgrade the West Coast Mainline.
A statement released by Network Rail said: "A rail worker employed by Leda Rail was fatally injured early on Saturday 12 July just south of Rugby Station while carrying out track works.
"A full investigation has been launched into the incident.
"Network Rail's thoughts are with the family of the deceased."
In February, Network Rail was given a £14m fine relating mainly to work at Rugby in late December and January, which over-ran by four days.
Article by BBC News.
Other articles covering the same incident:
Rail worker killed on tracks. Stockport Express.
The 41-year-old man, from Stockport, Greater Manchester, died near Rugby train station on Saturday morning, British Transport Police (BTP) said.
He was employed by contractor Leda Rail. Details of the accident have not been released but Network Rail said it was investigating.
Network Rail is carrying out massive engineering works at Rugby in a bid to upgrade the West Coast Mainline.
A statement released by Network Rail said: "A rail worker employed by Leda Rail was fatally injured early on Saturday 12 July just south of Rugby Station while carrying out track works.
"A full investigation has been launched into the incident.
"Network Rail's thoughts are with the family of the deceased."
In February, Network Rail was given a £14m fine relating mainly to work at Rugby in late December and January, which over-ran by four days.
Article by BBC News.
Other articles covering the same incident:
Rail worker killed on tracks. Stockport Express.
Tuesday, 15 July 2008
Homes for Haringey Ltd prosecuted after worker injured in fall from loft
The Health and Safety Executive is warning employers to ensure they have safe systems for working at height in place after a worker was seriously injured in a fall from a loft, while he was changing a water tank at a flat.
Read the full HSE press release.
Read the full HSE press release.
Monday, 14 July 2008
Ravers lose sight at Russian laser show
MOSCOW - Dozens of partygoers at an outdoor rave near Moscow last week have lost partial vision after a laser light show burned their retinas, Russian health officials said on Monday.
Moscow city health department officials confirmed 12 cases of laser-blindness at the Central Ophthalmological Clinic, and daily newspaper Kommersant said another 17 were registered at City Hospital 32 in the centre of the capital.
Attendees at the July 5 Aquamarine Open Air Festival in Kirzhach, 80 km (50 miles) northeast of Moscow, began seeking medical help days after the show, complaining of eye and vision problems, health officials told Reuters.
"They all have retinal burns, scarring is visible on them. Loss of vision in individual cases is as high as 80 percent, and regaining it is already impossible," Kommersant quoted a treating ophthalmologist as saying.
Attendees said heavy rains forced organisers to erect massive tents for the all-night dance party, and lasers that normally illuminate upwards into the sky were instead partially refracted into the ravers' eyes.
"I immediately had a spot like when you stare into the sun," rave-attendee Dmitry told Kommersant.
"After three days I decided to go to the hospital. They examined me, asked if I had been at Open Air, and then put me straight in the hospital. I didn't even get to go home and get my stuff," he said.
Cosmic Connection, promoters of the Aquamarine rave, were unreachable and did not list contact numbers on their Web site.
Industry Web site www.laserfx.com said focused laser light can cause eye damage almost instantly.
The owner of a Moscow laser rental company told Reuters the accidental blindings were due to "illiteracy on the part of technicians".
"It was partly the rain, but also partly the size of the laser. Somebody set up an extremely powerful laser for such a small space," said Valentin Vasiliev, who said his company did not provide the Aquamarine lasers.
Original article by Chris Baldwin posted 14 July 2008.
Moscow city health department officials confirmed 12 cases of laser-blindness at the Central Ophthalmological Clinic, and daily newspaper Kommersant said another 17 were registered at City Hospital 32 in the centre of the capital.
Attendees at the July 5 Aquamarine Open Air Festival in Kirzhach, 80 km (50 miles) northeast of Moscow, began seeking medical help days after the show, complaining of eye and vision problems, health officials told Reuters.
"They all have retinal burns, scarring is visible on them. Loss of vision in individual cases is as high as 80 percent, and regaining it is already impossible," Kommersant quoted a treating ophthalmologist as saying.
Attendees said heavy rains forced organisers to erect massive tents for the all-night dance party, and lasers that normally illuminate upwards into the sky were instead partially refracted into the ravers' eyes.
"I immediately had a spot like when you stare into the sun," rave-attendee Dmitry told Kommersant.
"After three days I decided to go to the hospital. They examined me, asked if I had been at Open Air, and then put me straight in the hospital. I didn't even get to go home and get my stuff," he said.
Cosmic Connection, promoters of the Aquamarine rave, were unreachable and did not list contact numbers on their Web site.
Industry Web site www.laserfx.com said focused laser light can cause eye damage almost instantly.
The owner of a Moscow laser rental company told Reuters the accidental blindings were due to "illiteracy on the part of technicians".
"It was partly the rain, but also partly the size of the laser. Somebody set up an extremely powerful laser for such a small space," said Valentin Vasiliev, who said his company did not provide the Aquamarine lasers.
Original article by Chris Baldwin posted 14 July 2008.
Friday, 11 July 2008
Woman dies after lift shaft fall
A woman has died after falling nine floors down a lift shaft in a block of high-rise flats in Glasgow in the early hours of Wednesday.
It is believed the woman was trying to get out of the lift at Rodgers Towers in Maryhill after it became stuck between the eighth and ninth floors.
The 32-year-old was taken to hospital but died a short time later.
The Health and Safety Executive has launched an inquiry. A report has been sent to the procurator fiscal.
Strathclyde Police said the woman died after falling nine floors down the shaft at Wynford Road.
A spokeswoman said the incident took place at about 0035 BST.
"The woman received serious injuries and was removed to the Western Infirmary where she died a short time later," she said.
The lifts in the block are run by the Cube Housing Association.
Chief executive Lynn McCulloch said: "We are shocked and saddened by this tragic incident and our sympathies go out to the family of the person who died.
"Our staff are now working with the police and health and safety personnel to try to ascertain how this accident occurred.
"While we have a very thorough lift maintenance programme in place, we have instigated an immediate inspection of all lifts in the Wyndford Estate."
BBC News article posted 9 July 2008.
It is believed the woman was trying to get out of the lift at Rodgers Towers in Maryhill after it became stuck between the eighth and ninth floors.
The 32-year-old was taken to hospital but died a short time later.
The Health and Safety Executive has launched an inquiry. A report has been sent to the procurator fiscal.
Strathclyde Police said the woman died after falling nine floors down the shaft at Wynford Road.
A spokeswoman said the incident took place at about 0035 BST.
"The woman received serious injuries and was removed to the Western Infirmary where she died a short time later," she said.
The lifts in the block are run by the Cube Housing Association.
Chief executive Lynn McCulloch said: "We are shocked and saddened by this tragic incident and our sympathies go out to the family of the person who died.
"Our staff are now working with the police and health and safety personnel to try to ascertain how this accident occurred.
"While we have a very thorough lift maintenance programme in place, we have instigated an immediate inspection of all lifts in the Wyndford Estate."
BBC News article posted 9 July 2008.
Wednesday, 9 July 2008
Myth: Health and safety laws banned poles in fire stations
The Health and Safety Executive's Myth of the Month.
It was widely reported that a fire station was built without the traditional pole for 'health and safety' reasons.
Poles are not banned and firefighters around the country continue to use them.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
