Health and Safety News

Health and Safety News: April 2009
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Thursday, 30 April 2009
Sorry seems to be the hardest word

The vast majority of UK employers fail to apologise when their staff
suffer work-related accidents or injuries, according to a new survey
from the National Accident Helpline.
In the survey of employees who had been injured at work, 97 per cent
said that their boss had not taken any personal responsibility for what
had happened.
John Campbell, legal director of National Accident Helpline, said that

the results showed that employers still did not take enough personal
responsibility for the welfare of their staff: “Health and safety in the
workplace must be more than just a box ticking exercise; if an
employer is not truly invested in ensuring his employees are safe and
well then, not only will he have difficulties retaining staff but he will
leave himself open to financial redress should an accident occur.”
Source.
at 01:11 0 comments
Labels: accident, health and safety, injury, responsibility
10 times more people die from hazardous

substances than from workplace accidents
Contact with a wide range of chemicals and other hazardous
substances at work is endangering the health of workers across
Europe, according to the latest report by the European Agency for
Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA).
Expert Forecast on Emerging Chemical Risks - identifies the main

groups of substances that could pose new and increasing risks to
workers, contributing to diseases that range from allergies, asthma,
and infertility to cancers.
http://handsnews.blogspot.com/2009_04_01_archive.html (1 of 34) [11/05/2009 14:39:36]

10% of workers in Europe report having inhaled vapours and a further

19% claim to have breathed in dust, fumes or smoke in the
workplace.
Read more...
at 01:08 0 comments
Labels: allergy, asthma, cancer, chemicals, dust, fumes,
hazard, OSHA, smoke
Wednesday, 29 April 2009
A(H1N1) virus samples on their way to MRC flu

centre
Virus isolates from American and Mexican patients are on their way to
the National Institute for Medical Research for analysis and ongoing
virus monitoring work. These will come from the Centre for Disease
Control in Atlanta, Georgia, USA.
Dr Alan Hay will be leading efforts at NIMR to monitor any evolution in

the virus.
He explains: “These isolates come from clinical samples – nasal

swabs – from which the virus is grown in cell culture in a dish. These
individual samples of the virus are needed in order to analyse how it
is changing over time and from one patient to another.”
The World Influenza Centre at NIMR is one of a few WHO

Collaborating Centres on Influenza that together with many WHO
National Influenza Centres around the world will be taking part in this
monitoring and analysis work and anticipates receiving further virus
samples from patients in the UK and from countries around the world
in the coming days and weeks.
Dr Hay added: “Our expertise and facilities allow us to characterise

the virus, develop antiserum and compare different cases, looking
particularly at antigenic drift – that is monitoring changes in the virus
that could have an impact on its susceptibility to drugs or the
suitability of different vaccines. This will be the crucial question in the
coming weeks and constitute ongoing work until the epidemic comes
to an end.”
The work on the structure and evolution of the virus will feed into the
development of a potential vaccine. Scientists at NIMR are working
closely with colleagues at the Health Protection Agency to make sure
their work is coordinated.
Responding to reports that the World Health Organisation World

Influenza Centre at the National Institute for Medical Research said it
was "inevitable people would die from swine flu", Dr Alan Hay,
Director of the WHO World Influenza Centre made the comment in
the following context:
“All flu – including seasonal flu - has an associated mortality. People
in the UK die from influenza every year and if swine flu was epidemic
in the UK then it is likely people would die. The number of cases over
the next few days and weeks will be crucial. At this stage, the
confirmed cases of swine-like flu in the UK are very few and so far
people are only experiencing mild symptoms. Therefore it is important
to continue to remain calm.”

Source.
© 2009 Medical Research Council

at 09:22 0 comments
Labels: epidemic, health, MRC, pandemic, swine flu, WHO
Prosecuting Homicide
Murder and manslaughter are two of the offences that constitute
homicide.
Manslaughter can be committed in one of three ways:
* killing with the intent for murder but where there is provocation,
diminished responsibility or a suicide pact.
* conduct that was grossly negligent given the risk of death, and
resulted in death.
* conduct, taking the form of an unlawful act involving a danger of
some harm, that caused death.
With some exceptions,the crime of murder is committed, where a

person:
of sound mind and discretion (i.e. sane)

unlawfully kills (i.e. not self-defence or other justified killing)
any reasonable creature (human being)
in being (born alive and breathing through its own lungs)
under the Queen's Peace
with intent to kill or cause grievous bodily harm.
There are other specific homicide offences, for example, infanticide,

causing death by dangerous driving, and corporate manslaughter.
Source.
©
at 08:36 0 comments
Labels: Corporate Manslaughter, law, legislation,
regulation
We should not panic about swine flu

PROFESSOR JOHN OXFORD, VIROLOGY EXPERT AT
BARTS AND THE LONDON
If the avian flu H5N1 virus had spread from human to human like this
then I would be extremely worried. It would be top of my Richter
scale.
But this swine flu worries me less because as a population we have a

basic immunity to H1N1.
And not only are we coming up to the summer, which makes it less

likely for these viruses to spread as well, but Britain has enough
antiviral drugs for half of the population.
So we should not panic in any way. This does not look as though it is
going to be a virus that sweeps the world and causes huge mortality.
Source.
at 08:31 0 comments
Labels: health, illness, news, pandemic, swine flu
Swine flu in the UK

A 12-year-old girl is among five people in the UK who have contracted
swine flu after visiting Mexico, the Prime Minister, Gordon Brown has
confirmed.
Two adults - one from Redditch, Worcs and one from south London -
are also undergoing treatment, as are the two previously confirmed
cases in Scotland.
The girl's school, Paignton Community College in Devon, has shut

and pupils will be offered anti-viral drugs.
Mr Brown said all those with the virus were responding

well to treatment.
Source.
© BBC
at 08:25 0 comments
Labels: health, illness, news, swine flu
“Get ready for flu outbreak” businesses warned

Following the deaths of around 100 people in Mexico from swine flu,
and suspected cases in the UK, the Institution of Occupational Safety
and Health (IOSH), the world’s largest body for health and safety
professionals, is calling on employers to step up their preparations for
a possible pandemic flu outbreak.
Nattasha Freeman, the President of IOSH, said that a possible

pandemic was something businesses needed to prepare for now, not
once it is happening closer to home:
“The government and public health officials are already taking steps
to prepare the country for a possible pandemic, and it’s right that they
should do so. But employers can play a role in ensuring their staff
cope, services are maintained and businesses continue to operate.
“A pandemic can spread rapidly. So organisations need to be flexible

and prepare contingency plans in case a large number of staff, or
their relatives, suddenly fall ill because of the virus.
“There’s no need to panic, but employers should follow government

advice. It will still be possible for people to continue their everyday

activities in most cases without any constraints,” she added.
Employers with workers at particular risk of exposure (e.g. healthcare
workers) are advised to follow specific HSE guidance. However, there
are some steps all organisations can take that will help to protect
them and their staff if a pandemic strikes. IOSH is advising
companies to consider the following 10 points:
1. Have a plan – you will probably only get two weeks notice of the
start of a pandemic - but this only gives you time to communicate your
policy, not to start thinking about it.
2. Identify what tasks are essential to your core business and key
staff – think about how you can cover these jobs safely during the
pandemic. Training for some staff may be necessary. You should also
identify employees with existing chronic medical conditions like
asthma, who are more likely to be severely affected.
3. Review personnel policies and reduce bureaucracy – employees
who are ill or think they are ill need to be encouraged to stay at home
and to seek medical advice.
4. Encourage flexible working practices – this might mean
encouraging people to work from home or flexible hours to enable
employees to look after ill dependents, look after children if schools
are closed and to reduce the time spent on public transport, where
there is more chance of being infected.
5. Consider suppliers and sub contractors – ensure they have

continuity measures in place and are aware of your plan.
6. Review your cleaning contract – maintaining a high level of hygiene

in the workplace is important. Consider disinfecting door handles and
telephones and providing anti-bacterial hand gel for staff and visitors
to use.
7. Encourage employees to take personal responsibility to protect

themselves – encourage hand washing, wearing gloves on public
transport, disposing of tissues so that cleaners don’t come into
contact with them and covering nose and mouth when coughing or
sneezing.
8. Consider cancelling conferences or meetings - why not hold video

conferences or online meetings instead?
9. If you decide to go ahead with an event, use a risk assessment to

identify the precautions that can be taken to minimise the spread of
infection – this might include cleaning the room and ensuring it is well
ventilated, providing good hand washing facilities and trying to avoid
people queuing at entrances or in catering areas.
10. Keep in touch with government advice.
Source.
at 07:41 0 comments
Labels: emergency planning, HSE, IOSH, pandemic, swine
flu

'Swine flu' misnamed?

What's in a name? U.S. pork producers are finding that the name of
the virus spreading from Mexico is affecting their business, prompting
U.S. officials to argue for changing the name from swine flu.
At a news briefing, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano

and Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack took pains to repeatedly refer
to the flu as the "H1N1 virus."
"This is not a food-borne illness, virus. It is not correct to refer to it as

swine flu because really that's not what this is about," Vilsack said.
Israel has already rejected the name swine flu, and opted to call it
"Mexico flu." Jewish dietary laws forbid eating pork.
The Paris-based World Organisation for Animal Health also objected

to the name, saying the virus contains avian and human
components and no pig so far has been found ill with
the disease.
And there is growing sentiment in the farm sector to call it the North
American virus -- although disease expert Anthony Fauci told a
Senate hearing the "swine flu" designation reflected scientific naming
protocol.
For U.S. pork producers the swine flu name has hurt, forcing
government officials into the position of stressing that American pork
is safe to eat and that other countries should not ban imports.
Pork, soybean and corn prices have fallen in the last two days, "and if
this continues, obviously you have significant potential, which is why
it's important to get this right," Vilsack said.
At the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there was also
talk of stripping the "swine" from swine flu, which CDC acting director
Richard Besser said was leading to the misapprehension that people
can catch the disease from pork.
"That's not helpful to pork producers. That's not helpful to people who
eat pork. It's not helpful to people who are wondering, how can they
get this infection," Besser told a briefing.
Source.
Copyright © 2009 Yahoo! All rights reserved.

at 04:55 0 comments
Labels: health, illness, news, pandemic, swine flu
Tuesday, 28 April 2009
'Too late' to contain swine flu

The swine flu virus first detected in Mexico can no
longer be contained and countries should focus on
mitigating its effects, a top UN official said.
World Health Organization deputy chief Keiji Fukuda was speaking as
the WHO raised its alert level to four, or two steps short of a full
pandemic.
UN food inspectors are going to Mexico to examine reports that

industrial pig farms were the source of the outbreak.
The number of probable deaths from the virus there has risen to 152.
The US, Canada, Spain and Britain have confirmed cases of the
virus, but not deaths have been reported outside Mexico.
'Not inevitable'
Alert level four means the virus is showing a sustained ability to pass
from human to human and is able to cause community-level
outbreaks.
Mr Fukuda said this was a "significant step towards pandemic

influenza" but a pandemic should not be considered
inevitable.
Original article continues...
© BBC News
at 02:08 0 comments
Labels: health, news, pandemic, swine flu, United Nations,
WHO
Offshore worker missing

At 3am on Tuesday 28 April 2009, the Health and Safety Executive
(HSE) was informed that a male worker at the Beryl Alpha offshore
platform had been reported as missing. A full scale emergency search
and rescue response with police and the other emergency services is
currently underway. HSE is liaising closely with Exxon Mobile and the
emergency services.
Source.
at 02:05 0 comments
Labels: health and safety, HSE, missing, news, offshore,
police
Friday, 24 April 2009
B&Q death probe

A 59-year-old bus driver has become the tenth person to be killed or
injured by falling objects in British and Irish B&Q stores since 1997.
Michael O’Rourke, who was shopping in the DIY chain’s outlet in

Tallaght, Dublin, died after fencing units fell on him from a high shelf.
A B&Q worker also narrowly avoided injury in the incident last month.
Ireland’s safety watchdog the Health and Safety Authority told EHN it
was investigating the death.
Brian Mooney, the director of B&Q Ireland, said the firm would be
working with the HSA and the Irish police to establish the cause of the

accident.
‘We’re all devastated by the accident at our Tallaght store and are
supporting the HSA with their ongoing investigations, alongside our
own, to understand how its happened. Our thoughts remain with the
family and friends of the deceased,’ he said.
The death comes after B&Q was named by the Local Better
Regulation Officer in the UK as one of the first four ‘major businesses’
to sign up to its flagship primary authority scheme. The scheme aims
to put an end to ‘costly inconsistent regulation’ by giving multi-site
businesses a single local authority to provide advice and co-ordinate
prosecutions.
The LBRO told EHN it would be inappropriate to comment on the

incident or on B&Q’s wider safety record but expressed condolences
to the dead man’s family.
‘The accident is currently being investigated by the HSA and the

gardai, so on this basis alone it is inappropriate for LBRO to
comment. However, we would like to extend our sympathy to the
family of the victim,’ said a spokesperson.
The LBRO added that the primary authority scheme applies only in
the UK and does not extend to Ireland.
The B&Q primary authority, Eastleigh Borough Council, told EHN that
it was aware of the latest incident but was ‘satisfied’ that the company
had taken steps to prevent a repeat in the UK.
‘I’m satisfied that the steps they have taken will not result in a
repetition in the UK.
‘The specific issues raised by this accident have been actioned

country-wide,’ said senior EHO Hedley Trembath.
But he said he could not discuss the steps the company had taken
because under the terms of the primary authority agreement he was
not allowed to ‘talk to the press’.
‘It says "I am not allowed to talk to the press without the consent of
the company". I can therefore only talk in generalities,’ he said.
B&Q told EHN it had made changes following the accident at the
Tallaght store.
‘We have made some immediate changes to how we store our

products at height and will consider any recommendations made by
the HSA as a result of their investigations for how we might further
enhance this,’ said a spokesperson.
Source.
© 2009 Chartered Institute of Environmental Health
Further Information about B&Q Accidents.

2008 B&Q employee knocked unconscious when a lawnmower fell on
her in the West Midlands. Fined £28,000
2007 A succession of dislodged kitchen doors fell on three customers

and a paramedic in Worthing. Fined £15,000.
2004 Door display fell on a customer’s head in Glasgow. Fined

£10,000
2001 Unsecured sun loungers fell 2m on two people. Fined £5,000

2000 Wood pallet blown from racking hits shopper. Fined £5,000
1997 Worktops fall onto a contractor causing spinal, brain and limb
injuries. Fined £3,000
at 03:21 0 comments
Labels: accident, B and Q, CIEH, EHN, fatality, health and
safety
First company to face manslaughter charge

The first case under a new corporate manslaughter law has been
brought against a firm after one of its employees was buried alive
when a pit collapsed.
Junior geologist Alexander Wright, 27, was taking soil samples from a
development site near Stroud, in Gloucestershire, when the pit he
was working in collapsed on top of him, crushing him to death.
Cotswold Geotechnical Holdings is accused of gross negligence

leading to the death of Mr Wright last September.
One of the firm's directors, Peter Eaton, is also charged with gross
negligence manslaughter and both he and the company also face
health and safety charges.
The aim of the Corporate Manslaughter Act is to make it easier for

firms to be brought to justice over the death of their employees. The
firm is facing an unlimited fine, while Mr Eaton could get life
imprisonment.
In previous cases of this sort, the prosecution was required to prove

there was a "controlling mind" at fault.
Mr Eaton will appear before Stroud Magistrates' Court on June 17.
Source.
Copyright © Press Association 2009

at 03:04 0 comments
Labels: Corporate Manslaughter, crushed, excavation,
fatality, negligence, prosecution
H&S in the workplace - director leadership

Everyone knows that directors are used to taking responsibility for all
aspects of their enterprise. Yet a recent telephone survey of 1600
directors across the public, private and voluntary sectors, discovered
gaps of awareness within some sectors, including those regulated by
local authorities.
In response the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is promoting,

Leading health and safety at work. Written by the Institute of Directors

and HSE and endorsed by HSENI it is an informative read for council
managers.
The survey - carried out by Databuild, contacted 1600 directors in

Great Britain, or their equivalents, from a range of organisations with
five or more employees - found that:
25 per cent of organisations were led by directors who were aware of

the guidance and 13 per cent said they’d read it.
Awareness levels ranged from 32 per cent (among charities) down to
as low as 19 per cent (directors in the hotel and catering sector). The
equivalent figures for those who had read it were 14 and 7 per cent,
respectively.
Tony Bandle, Head of HSE’s Business Involvement Unit, said: “While

it is pleasing that so many people have heard of and acted upon this
advice, the challenge now is to encourage more directors to read –
and use – the guidance to improve health and safety outcomes.”
Leading health and safety at work is downloadable from www.hse.

gov.uk/leadership.
© 2009 LACORS
at 04:13 0 comments
Labels: guidance, HSE, HSENI, LACORS, leadership,
management
War on death at work

Health and Safety is often treated as the proverbial punching bag and
is associated with PC words and a general lack of action. It is
misused as a catch all excuse to prevent people doing something.
How often have you heard, ‘No you can’t do that because of Health
and Safety’? No explanation given, just Health and Safety.
People often take it as gospel that because someone has invoked

‘H&S’ nothing can be done to overturn this ‘ruling’. Worse still, the
myth is often perpetrated by the press with legitimate concerns taken
out of context.
Health and Safety should in essence be about empowering people to

carry out their jobs in a safe environment. If it were perhaps re-
branded, ‘Preventing death and serious injury, whatever you’re doing,’
the message would be clearer.
It may be something as simple as making sure that employees are

not burdened with damaged hearing from noise when something as
simple as the employer providing earplugs would nip the problem in
the bud.
Health and Safety is not a glamorous topic but it is very important
which is why the Local Government Association and the Health and
Safety Executive, meet on a bi-annual basis to discuss how we can
improve health and safety links with councils and beyond. The main
issue has been to try and create a national framework which can be
tailored to local circumstances.
While it is not a ‘sexy’ issue it is important that as councillors we take

an interest, it is about making sure that we help protect people from

unnecessary harm. We need to look at what might be included in
Local Area Agreements in England, Single Outcome Agreements in
Scotland and Local Delivery Agreements in Wales.
The idea is to create a safer and healthier environment for everyone -

sometimes work may feel like it is killing you but we're trying to make
sure it doesn't harm you either.
© 2009 LACORS
at 03:45 0 comments
Labels: health and safety, HSE, LACORS
Fines after worker's thumb crushed

An engineering firm has been fined after an employee lost part of his
thumb in machinery.
The prosecution follows an incident on 30 August 2007 when a

worker was making car turbochargers at Trucast's factory in Ryde,
Isle of Wight.
The man's thumb became trapped in the closing clamp mechanism

on the machine he was operating, causing crush injuries to his left
thumb.
Trucast, of Derby Road, Melbourne, Derby, pleaded guilty to

breaching the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations
and the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations for failing
to carry out suitable risk assessments to protect its employees.
It was fined £5,000 at Isle of Wight Magistrates' Court and ordered to

pay a contribution towards costs of £9,000.
Health and Safety Executive inspector Roger Upfold said: "This case
illustrates the need for employers to undertake and review risk
assessments in a way that correctly identifies all of the significant
risks, and as a result ensure that an appropriate package of
measures including physical safeguards, safe systems of work and
consistent training are provided for the safety of all workers."
Source.

at 03:04 0 comments
Labels: crushed, fine, HSE, injury, IOSH, prosecution, risk
assessments, safe system of work
Insurers block asbestos claims law

A new law giving victims of negligent exposure to asbestos the power
to seek damages in Scotland is being challenged by insurers.
The Damages (Asbestos-related conditions) (Scotland) Act was

passed by MSPs, who overturned a landmark House of Lords ruling

that people with pleural plaques cannot claim compensation.
The decision was made last month despite opposition from Tories
and insurers, who said it ignored medical opinion and would "open the
floodgates" for claims.
Insurers including Aviva, AXA Insurance, RSA and Zurich argue that it
contravenes the European Convention on Human Rights and
insurers' economic rights.
Nick Starling, of the Association Of British Insurers, said: "Insurers
have not taken this action lightly.
"But as the Act is ill conceived, ignores the fundamental legal principle
of negligence and clear medical evidence, they feel they have no
choice.
"The industry is fundamentally opposed to any move that will extend

compensation to those exposed to a risk but not suffering any
symptoms, such as pleural plaques."
The association said it was making legal moves to stop the Act
coming into force in June.
A Scottish Government spokesman said: "We are disappointed that

this action to seek effectively to overturn the will of the Scottish
Parliament has been taken."
Source.

at 03:02 0 comments
Labels: asbestos, compensation, IOSH, Scotland
Research finds spiralling UK ‘compensation

culture’ – But spiralling down not up…
Research published this week by the University of Warwick’s
School of Law, for the Health and Safety Executive, has
undermined the popular view that UK citizens are engaging in a
spiralling ‘compensation culture’ with ever increasing claims against
allegedly negligent companies and organisations. Instead, the
evidence suggests that the number of such court claims has
continued to fall.
The Warwick researchers’ remit was to survey the extent to which the
Management of Health and Safety at Work and Fire
Precautions (Workplace) (Amendment) Regulations 2003, which
removed the civil liability exclusions contained in the Management
of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, had
influenced the volume of claims taken to court in respect of workplace
incidents and accidents. In particular, the researchers were given the
task to review whether there had been an increase in claims for
damages arising from occupational injury or ill health for breaches of
the 1999 Regulations, and, if so, the full extent of that increase.
Rather than evidence of increasing numbers of claims, however, the

researchers found that the number of legal actions in this area was
consistently falling in both the High Court and the County Courts.
Between 1999 and 2003, the number of "personal injury actions" in
the Queen’s Bench Division of the High Court was:
1999 1,187
2000 1,024
2001 1,019
2002 827
2003 570
The figures for "other negligence claims (including professional

negligence)" during the same period revealed the following:
1999 373
2000 225
2001 292
2002 268
2003 128
The number of "small claims" recorded during the relevant period

under the heading of "Negligence – personal injury" and "Other
negligence" in the County Courts was as follows: Number of
"Negligence – Personal injury" Small Claims Heard (1999-2003)
1999 3,560
2000 1,790
2001 2,280
2002 3,150
2003 2,210
Number of "Other negligence" Small Claims Heard (1999-2003)
1999 16,750
2000 8,010
2001 10,300
2002 7,800
2003 7,290
The researchers also looked at the data on the number of civil liability
claims specifically arising from the introduction of the new
regulations in 2003 and found no evidence of increase. The
Warwick researchers concluded that this was because workers
already had available to them the right to bring actions in negligence
as well as the right to bring actions for breach of statutory duty under
other legislation, where there was no exclusion of civil liability. These
conclusions were also supported by the observations of a wide range
of legal practitioners, insurers, employers’ associations and trade
unions, who participated in the Warwick research. In particular, there
was no evidence of any significant numbers of claims "in the pipeline"
since the coming into force of the 2003 Regulations.
It is expected that, once sufficient time has elapsed to measure the

impact of the new regulations on completed litigation in this area, the
government will be seeking a more detailed examination of the
judicial statistics and emerging litigation practice in order to build upon
the policy implications of the published Warwick findings.
Source.
at 07:02 0 comments
Labels: compensation, health and safety, news, research,
safety

Health and safety: a grave error of judgement

They have been blamed for banning everything from
conkers to classical music, but all the Health and
Safety Executive is really responsible for is ‘topple-
testing’ in cemeteries, its chairman says.
Judith Hackitt travels home to Oxford most nights by train. “There is
hardly a week that goes by,” she says, “when somebody doesn’t
come on the tannoy and say ‘we can’t bring the trolley round tonight
because of health and safety’. And actually, no.”
No?
“No,” says Hackitt. “You can’t bring the trolley round because the
aisles are stacked with people. Or, you can’t bring the trolley round
because the trolley dolly hasn’t turned up for work. It’s one of the two.
It sure isn’t health and safety.”
Judith Hackitt is chairman of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

People, she says, are always stealing its phrase. “It’s a good one to
hide behind,” she says.
There is Health and Safety, you see, and health and safety. People
are forever confusing the two. Last night, on BBC One, you may have
seen the journalist Quentin Letts in fine Panorama diatribe form. He
was mainly having a go at the latter, but it frequently seemed as if he
was blaming the former. In the minds of the public, these things mix
and match.
Hard hats on a building site, that’s Health and Safety. Children

needing goggles to play conkers, or being banned from donkey
derbies, or bonfires, or from throwing snowballs, or tossing pancakes,
or building things out of egg boxes, that’s health and safety. There is
even a section on the HSE website devoted to distinguishing between
the two. “Myth of the month”, it is called. It has also published a
calendar (June: MYTH: Children can’t take part in egg and spoon
races).
As a rule of thumb, she says, whenever the media is in a lather about

health and safety, the Health and Safety Executive has nothing to do
with it. Although not always. There were, for example, gravestones
and ladders.
Visit TimesOnline for the full article.
Last year, 229 people were killed in workplace accidents. “But

actually, that is a gross underestimate,” says Hackitt. “Add to that the
2,000 people who died prematurely last year because they had been
exposed to asbestos at work, the several thousand who had been
exposed to other harmful substances. There are 100,000 people in
Britain who have been injured at work, 28,000 with amputations. Two
million off work, half of whom will never work again …” The fuss about
health and safety, she says, makes it so much harder to promote
Health and Safety. Forget about conkers and gravestones,” she says,
“and let’s focus on the real problems. If I find all of this rubbish
demoralising, imagine what it’s like for our inspectors. They’re the
ones who visit families after someone has died. And to be called the
Health and Safety Taleban? It’s horrible.”
Source.
Copyright 2009 Times Newspapers Ltd.

at 06:56 0 comments
Labels: accident, fatality, health and safety, HSE, injury,
Judith Hackitt, news
HSE warns companies to assess risk after worker

injured by toppled crusher
The Health and Safety Executive is warning employers to ensure staff
are suitably trained for the safe movement of heavy machinery
following the prosecution of a Cardiff company.
The warning comes after one of its employees was severely injured
when an 800kg machine toppled onto him.
Pullman Design and Fabrication Ltd, pleaded guilty to a charge under
Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, and were
fined £30,000 and ordered to pay £27,500 costs at Cardiff Crown
Court this week
In September 2006, Colin Mark Davies, from Cardiff, was working

with a colleague in moving a ‘swarf crusher’, which was part of a
wheel lathe. It was being used by his employers, Pullman Design and
Fabrication Ltd of the Train Maintenance Depot in Leckwith, Cardiff to
refurbish the wheels of railway rolling stock.
The machine was being moved using ‘skates’ which were being
positioned under the legs of the machine when it toppled over,
trapping Mr Davies. He suffered a broken collar bone, broken wrist,
broken femur, back injuries and extensive bruising of the feet, back
and legs.
HSE inspector Hugh Emment said: "Mr Davies suffered extensive

injuries as a result of this incident. This demonstrates the need for
companies to carry out suitable risk assessments to ensure that a
safe system of work is in place and this includes all planning and
training arrangements before work of this nature begins.
"There is a legal requirement for employers to carry out full risk

assessments in situations where employees are exposed to greater
danger."
Advice for employers on when to carry out risk assessments is

available from HSE Infoline or from the HSE website.
Source.
at 03:00 0 comments
Labels: fine, HSE, injury, prosecution, risk assessments,
training
Council fined following death of waste collector

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) today warned employers of

waste collectors to ensure their kerbside workers are fully trained to

safely assist their drivers to reverse and avoid collision with
pedestrians.
The warning follows the death of 35-year-old Stephen Welsh, an

East Dunbartonshire Council employee, who was struck and
fatally injured by a reversing waste recycling lorry. The accident
happened on January 23, 2007 in Smeaton Terrace, Torrance.
East Dunbartonshire Council was fined £13,500 at Glasgow Sheriff

Court today (Wednesday 15 April, 2009) after pleading guilty to a
charge under Section 2 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work (etc) Act.
The accident happened as the employee, who was working as a

waste recycling collector, was run over by the council’s waste
recycling lorry during a reversing manoeuvre. The accident happened
on a dull and frosty morning about 8.45 am in a cul-de-sac.
HSE Inspector Jean Edgar commented after the case:
"Employers of waste collectors should ensure that their kerbside

workers are fully trained to safely assist their drivers to reverse and
avoid collision with pedestrians. A safe system of work should be
drawn up setting out how communication and control between
kerbside collectors and the driver can be reliably achieved. I cannot
stress enough, how challenging a work environment the streets of our
towns and cities are for this important group of workers and how a
simple mistake can have tragic consequences."
Source.
at 02:58 0 comments
Labels: accident, fatality, health and safety, HSE,
recycling, safe system of work
Shaft fall highlights height hazards at Lincolnshire

school - Northampton company fined
Lift manufacturers and maintenance companies are reminded of their
duties to the safety of staff and the penalties of failing to work safely
at height. The warning follows an incident in Lincolnshire where an
employee fell 6.5 metres down a lift shaft, resulting in serious injuries.
The UK Lift Company of Blisworth, Northampton, were fined £2,000

and ordered to pay costs of £8,000 at Lincoln magistrates court today
(15 April) after pleading guilty to contravening Regulation 4 (1) and
Regulation 6(3) (Reg 6(3) is mentioned in the information and the
notes to editor) of the Work At Height Regulations 2005 in that they
failed to carry out the repair of a school lift safely.
The case arose from an incident at North Kesteven School in

Lincolnshire in February last year when the company's assistant site
manager, Michael Richards fell 6.5 metres, from the second floor,
down the School's lift shaft whilst helping a lift engineer. He suffered
serious injuries including a broken pelvis, other broken bones,
fractures and ligament damage as a result.
Prosecuting, HSE Inspector Judith McNulty-Green said:
"The injuries Mr Richards suffered were very serious and this incident
could have easily been avoided. Working at a lift landing with the

landing door open is clearly unsafe, generating a foreseeable risk of a

fall. This is made worse by the presence of other people, either
assisting or unexpectedly entering the danger zone, particularly in a
school where there are pupils in the vicinity.
"Risks of this nature must be managed by carrying out a suitable risk

assessment and implementing and enforcing the necessary control
measures. Those measures in this case would have ideally been
locating the working platform on the second floor or installing barriers
and signage.
"Had appropriate control measures been put in place when the lift
was being repaired, the injuries could have been avoided.
"Companies are required by the Health and Safety at Work Act and
by the Work at Height Regulations to take all reasonable measures to
ensure the safety of employees and others that may be affected by
that work. The outcome of this incident - the injuries and the
subsequent fine - remind us that the results can be serious for people
and for businesses that fail to comply"
Source.
at 02:57 0 comments
Labels: fine, HSE, injury, prosecution, school, work at
height
Fire on jetliner `was not noticed`

A fire on a Boeing 777 carrying 185 passengers was not noticed by
pilots preparing to take off from Heathrow Airport, says the Air
Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB).
It reports that only when a tug driver saw smoke billowing from vents
in the United Airlines aircraft was the crew alerted and the
passengers evacuated. Despite an electrical fault causing "significant
smoke", the possibility of fire "appeared to have been missed", says
the report.
It was not until 14 minutes after the problem arose that the smoke
was noticed in the cockpit. The fault had caused 1,000C droplets of
molten metal to fall onto insulation material under an electrical panel.
This damaged the aircraft's cooling ducts and wiring.
Passengers were told by the relief co-pilot that an electrical problem
had prompted some of the air conditioning and equipment cooling to
be shut down. A stewardess was told that there was a problem with
the electrics - but no fire - after she noticed "an electrical smell" in the
passenger cabin.
The report notes that the cause of the fault "could not be determined",
and that recommendations including improvements to systems and
fire warnings have been made to Boeing and the Federal Aviation
Administration in the US.
Source.

at 06:38 0 comments

Labels: airport, fire, hazard, health and safety, news
Timber firm fined after man hurt

A timber firm has been ordered to pay more than £6,000 after a
worker was seriously hurt when he became entangled in machinery.
Paul Huckle, an employee of FW Mason & Sons, in Nottingham, was

trying to fix a problem with equipment which cuts timber when he was
injured. Mr Huckle suffered cuts and damage to muscles and bone in
his leg and was taken to hospital.
The firm was taken to court by the Health and Safety Executive which
felt his employers had not put a safe system in place for dealing with
equipment.
HSE Inspector Francine Clarke said: "Today's judgment sends out a

firm message to timber companies that correct systems must be in
place for when machinery fails.
"Companies must provide adequate systems and instructions so that

employees know what action to take when machinery fails so that
repairs are carried out safely."
FW Mason & Sons was fined £4,000 and ordered to pay £2,497 costs
at Nottingham Magistrates Court after pleading guilty to breaching
health and safety regulations.
The HSE found the firm had failed to offer workers a safe way of
replacing dislodged drive belts on the timber equipment.
Source.

at 06:37 0 comments
Labels: fine, HSE, injury, IOSH, safe system of work,
timber
Miners win arthritis claim right

Thousands of miners forced to retire or live in discomfort due to
arthritis of the knee joints have been told they can now claim help
from the Government.
The unions claim "Miners' Knee", otherwise known as osteoarthritis of

the knee, is caused by years of repetitive work in cramped conditions.
Work and pensions minister James Purnell has announced that

Miners' Knee will now be covered by the industrial injuries benefit
scheme and that workers who have contracted the disease through
certain jobs may be able to get Industrial Injuries Disablement
Benefit.
Mr Purnell said: "This disease has made life very difficult for a large

number of retired miners and forced others to end their working life
earlier than planned, so I am pleased that we are now in a position
that we will be able to offer them valuable financial assistance."
The move comes on the back of recommendations by the Industrial

Injuries Advisory Council that coal miners with the disease who have
worked underground for over a decade should be able to claim the
benefit.
The council is an independent statutory body set up in 1946 to advise

the Secretary of State for Social Security on matters relating to the
industrial injuries scheme.
Source.

at 06:35 0 comments
Labels: arthritis, compensation, injury, IOSH, news
Compensation law shake-up planned

The law covering compensation for wrongful deaths should be
overhauled, Scottish politicians have been told.
A member's Bill aimed at updating legislation for such cases -

including road traffic accidents and deaths in the workplace - will be
brought by Labour MSP Bill Butler.
The Glasgow Anniesland member said the changes "urgently"

needed to come into effect, adding: "I want to provide justice and
dignity for victims and their loved ones. The current system can be
improved so that it provides a fair level of compensation in cases of
wrongful death without the need for unnecessarily long and
distressing court cases.
"Labour has always put the needs of victims first and these sensible
proposals, which have been drawn up by the Scottish Law
Commission, need to be implemented urgently."
Mr Butler said he would be approaching Justice Secretary Kenny

MacAskill in a bid to make the law fairer.
The Bill comes after the Scottish Law Commission made a number of
recommendations in September last year aimed at reforming the law
in this area.
The shake-up means the relatives of victims could receive

compensation more quickly by removing the need to go to court
where liability has been admitted.
Source.

at 06:18 0 comments
Labels: compensation, fatality, law, legislation, liability

Death crash Puma`s gearbox blamed

A "catastrophic" gearbox failure caused the crash of a Puma
AS332L2 helicopter in the North Sea that killed 14 passengers and
two crew, according to the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB).
An initial report reveals that the main rotor sheared off and hit the
aircraft`s tail, which detached from the fuselage. The report
recommends that manufacturers Eurocopter conducts additional
inspections of the gearboxes of all similar models.
The aircraft operator, Bond Offshore, said the findings confirmed it

had been complying with current systems and procedures. But oil
company BP said it would not use the type again until safety checks
have been carried out. The 16 were flying from BP's Miller platform on
1 April when the Puma hit the sea 11 miles north-east of Peterhead in
Aberdeenshire. A memorial service will be held in Aberdeen next
week.
Flight International magazine aviation expert David Learmount says

that the helicopter would have "dropped out of the sky like a stone".
This "pretty rare" type of failure meant that the crew would have had
little chance to save themselves or their passengers, he said.
Source.

at 01:25 0 comments
Labels: AAIB, accident, fatality, helicopter, IOSH, news
Police target flight 'laser louts'

Police are launching a crackdown on people who shine lasers at
aircraft, after aviation chiefs reported a huge rise in incidents of pilots
being distracted during flight.
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) said the number of cases

involving malicious "laser louts" rose from 29 in 2007 to 206 last year,
and many of these incidents affected commercial airlines flying to UK
airports.
Police and Government departments are now helping the CAA to
track down the perpetrators and a number of these people have
already been successfully prosecuted.
A new device, which police forces across the UK are now using, can
find and photograph the exact location of where a laser beam starts,
any images can then be used in court.
The new campaign also intends to highlight the penalties offenders

can face, which can result in sentences of up to five years in prison.
Head of flight operations at the CAA, Bob Jones, said: "To those
individuals targeting aircraft with laser devices the message is clear -
don't.
"We strongly urge anyone who sees a laser being used against

aircraft in their local area to contact the police immediately. These

things are not toys. They pose a serious risk to all flight safety."
Source.

at 01:23 0 comments
Labels: airport, CAA, pilots, police, prosecution, safety
Nottinghamshire company fined after two workers

are injured
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is reminding employers of
their duties to the safety of staff following two incidents in Mansfield
where employees at the same company suffered serious injuries
within weeks of each other.
Mansfield-based SDC Trailers Ltd were fined £3,300 and SDC Parts
and Services Ltd were fined £2,600, both were ordered to pay costs
of £1,824.60 at Mansfield Magistrates Court today, Wednesday 8
April, after pleading guilty to breaching Health and Safety legislation.
SDC Parts and Services Ltd contravened Regulation 3(1)a of the

Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 in that
they failed to make a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks to
the health and safety of their employees in relation to the unloading of
trailers containing lorry tyres and wheel and tyre assemblies. SDC
Trailers Ltd contravened Regulation 10 of the Work at Height
Regulations 2005 in that they failed to prevent tyres loaded on a
curtain-sided trailer from falling, causing injury to an employee.
On 4 June 2007, an employee of SDC Parts and Services Ltd was

injured whilst unloading a consignment of lorry wheel and tyre
assemblies from a curtain-sided trailer. The trailer had been loaded
by SDC Trailers Ltd at their factory in Northern Ireland. The goods
were being manually palletized when one fell from a stack and
fractured his knee.
On 10 July 2007, another employee of SDC Parts and Services Ltd

received crushing injuries when preparing to unload lorry tyres from a
curtain-sided trailer, also loaded by SDC Trailers Ltd. As he released
the curtain an unsecured stack of tyres fell from the trailer, pinning
him against an adjacent vehicle and causing crush injuries.
Prosecuting, HSE Inspector Maureen Kingman said:
"The unloading of trailers in which loads have not been properly

secured places those involved at considerable risk. The outcome of
these incidents - the injuries and the subsequent fine - reminds us
that the results can be serious for people and for businesses that fail
to comply with their health and safety duties."
Source.
at 04:08 0 comments
Labels: accident, fine, HSE, injury, legislation,
management, prosecution, risk assessments

Operational Note: HSE announces change in policy

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) publishes details of work-
related deaths on a monthly basis through the Chief Executive’s
report to the HSE Board.
Following recommendations from the Information Commissioner, HSE

will now include the names of the deceased and additional details on
these fatal incidents at www.hse.gov.uk/foi
at 04:25 0 comments
Labels: fatality, FOI, health and safety, HSE, news
Imperial warned of dust hazards years before

explosion
Fourteen people died as the result of an explosion at the Imperial
sugar refinery near Savannah last February. Six months later, the
Occupational Safety and Health Administration
determined dust was the culprit. OSHA says Imperial Sugar
managers knew of the problem for years and refused to fix it. OSHA
slapped the company with an 8.7 million dollar fine. Victims filed their
own lawsuits.
Read more...
Related article:
Imperial Sugar CEO reflects on explosion.

at 06:57 0 comments
Labels: accident, explosion, fatality, fine, injury, USA
Firefighter injured by new engine

A firefighter in Northern Ireland has been injured after a technical
problem with a new £360,000 fire engine.
The victim was working on one of the new Vema fire appliances in
Londonderry when it jolted and caused a serious injury to his back.
Following the incident four aerial platforms on the new engines have
been removed and the manufacturer has been called in to assess the
machines.
A fire service spokeswoman said: "Northern Ireland Fire &

Rescue Service (NIFRS) has temporarily removed its four Vema
fire appliances from operation, while a technical problem is being

investigated.
"NIFRS will not compromise the health and safety of its firefighters
and this decision was taken as a precaution, whilst an investigation is
ongoing."
She added that while the investigation is taking place the safety of the
public has not been compromised as other specialist aerial
appliances are providing emergency cover and it is just a short-term
measure.
Fire Brigades' Union regional secretary Jim Quinn said that the victim
suffered a vertebrae injury to his back, but added that he is "fairly
happy" with the investigation so far.
Source.

at 06:41 0 comments
Labels: accident, back injuries, FBU, firefighters
HSE merges chemicals bodies

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has created a new
Chemicals Regulation Directorate (CRD) to oversee the
regulation of biocides, pesticides, detergents and chemicals, and
duties under the Classification and Labelling regime.
It follows the merger of the Pesticides Safety Directorate (PSD) –

which was transferred to the HSE from the Department for
Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) in April 2008 – and the
Chemicals Assessment Schemes Unit (CASU).
The CRD, which was formed on 1 April this year, will act as the
Executive’s source of regulatory expertise on toxicology, chemistry,
human exposure and environmental impact.
The PSD’s chief executive, Kerr Wilson, becomes director of the

CRD, reporting directly to the HSE’s chief executive, Geoffrey
Podger. Said Dr Wilson: “Bringing together the delivery of HSE
responsibilities for pesticides, biocides detergents and industrial
chemicals into one directorate has the potential to provide all
stakeholders with a better regulatory service.”
Source.
Copyright 2004 UBM Information

at 01:54 0 comments
Labels: chemicals, HSE, regulation, risk assessments,
safety

Myth: People don’t have to take any responsibility

for their own health and safety
The reality
Employers have a duty to protect workers and the public from
dangers caused by their work - and HSE is committed to making sure
they do that. But health and safety isn’t entirely someone else's
responsibility.
We all have a duty to keep ourselves safe, by co-operating with safety

measures and not putting ourselves or others in danger. This is just
common sense - something we all use every day.
It's important that we aren’t put at risk by other people’s actions, but if
we ignore our own responsibilities, real risks can get missed. Playing
the blame game doesn't keep people safe - better to rely on common
sense and co-operation.
Source.
at 01:24 0 comments
Labels: campaign, health and safety, HSE, myth
Gas Safe Register

The Gas Safe Register replaced CORGI gas registration in Great
Britain on April 1st 2009.
View the Gas Safe Register website.

at 01:20 0 comments
Labels: CORGI, gas, health and safety, news, safety
European workers face new and increasing health

risks from hazardous substances

Contact with a wide range of chemicals and other hazardous

substances at work is endangering the health of workers across
Europe, and nanotechnology is one of the risks causing most concern
to experts from 21 European countries.
A report by the European Agency for Safety and Health at

Work (EU-OSHA) – called Expert Forecast on Emerging Chemical
Risks - identifies the main groups of substances which could pose
new and increasing risks to workers, contributing to diseases which
range from allergies, asthma, and infertility to cancers. Dangerous
substances are not only found in the chemical industry, but also in
occupations such as farming, nursing, construction and in many small
and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) outside the chemical industry.
“It is estimated that each year there are 74,000 work-related deaths
linked to hazardous substances encountered in the workplace. This
means that 10 times more people die from dangerous substances
than from workplace accidents. Many companies do not give enough
consideration to the elimination or substitution of hazardous
substances. Management of chemical risks is particularly poor in
SMEs and subcontractor firms”, says Jukka Takala, Director of the
European Agency for Safety and Health at Work.
About 15% of European workers report handling chemical products

for a quarter of the time they spend at work, while 10% report inhaling
vapours and 19% report breathing in dust, fumes and smoke in their
workplaces.
The Expert Forecast on Emerging Chemical Risks, established by 49

experts across Europe, puts nanoparticles at the top of the list of
substances from which workers need protection. Nanotechnology is
used for example in cosmetics and IT products and is expected to
grow rapidly into a global, multibillion euro market. While more
research into the degree of damage from nanoparticles on human
health is needed, sufficient information to develop interim working
practices to reduce workplace exposure is available.
In many professions workers’ skin is exposed to chemicals leading to

an increase in the numbers affected by allergic diseases. It is
estimated that chemicals are responsible for 80-90% of skin diseases,
which rank second (13.6%) on the scale of occupational diseases,
following musculoskeletal disorders. Even so, there are no agreed
scientific methods for assessing the effect of these substances on the
skin or for setting safe dermal exposure levels.
The forecast also highlights substances likely to cause cancers, for
example diesel exhausts. As to reprotoxicants, substances that can
damage reproductive health, the level of awareness is still very
scarce and stigmatised as a women health issue. They are too rarely
considered in workplace risk assessments and in prevention.
Occupations of emerging concern, where workers face high risk of

coming into contact with hazardous substances include waste
management, construction and service activities such as cleaning or
home nursing.
Combined exposures to several chemicals are the rule rather than

exception and, when considering each risk independently, the true
dimension is likely to be underestimated. Today concern about
multiple exposures is increasing. This was also shown in EU-
OSHA’s forecasts on biological, physical and psychosocial emerging
risks. A larger-scale foresight study begins this year and will focus on
workplace risks posed by new technologies over the next ten years.
EU-OSHA organised a seminar where the results of the forecast were
discussed with EU policy-makers, social partners and OSH experts.

The workshop conclusions add to the wide range of good practice

information EU-OSHA offers to employers, safety and health
professionals and to workers and their representatives.
Source.
Further reading
Read the full report
See the factsheet
Dangerous substances at a glance
at 01:08 0 comments
Labels: chemicals, EU, fatality, hazard, health, illness,
OSHA, risk, risk assessments
Monday, 6 April 2009
Helicopter death crash second worst

The death of 16 people in a helicopter crash in the North Sea has
prompted a call for similar models to be grounded pending an
investigation.
The Super Puma operated by Bond Offshore Helicopters is similar

to another Bond aircraft that also ditched in the North Sea six weeks
ago. All 18 passengers were rescued. Offshore union RMT called for
the grounding of all Super Pumas until it it can be clearly established
what caused it to come down.
Of this latest crash, Scotland's First Minister Alex Salmond said: "It
looks like we might be facing the second worst helicopter support
incident in history, in terms of the number of fatalities." Brian Taylor,
of the drilling contractor KCA Deutag, said he believed 10 of his crew
were on board, nine from the UK and one from Europe. The aircraft
had been flying back from the BP Miller platform in calm and sunny
conditions.
Eight bodies have been taken from the water after the accident 14
miles from Peterhead. It is believed that the remaining bodies may
still be trapped in the aircraft. Susan Todd of the coastguard, said
nine vessels, including RNLI, merchant and fishing boats, were
involved in the recovery operation.
Source.

at 06:30 0 comments
Labels: accident, coastguard, fatality, helicopter, IOSH,
RNLI
Falling hammer halts Goldman work, and angers

parents

A hammer hurtled down 18 stories from the Goldman Sachs

construction Wednesday morning and smashed into the back window
of a taxi on Murray St.
The cab had no passenger and the driver was unhurt, but the
accident highlighted the dangers of construction and enraged P.S. 89
parents who often walk their children to school right where the
hammer fell just after 8:15 a.m.
“It’s a hazard,” said Val Chan, who was picking up her 6-year-old son
at P.S. 89 later in the day, April 1. “It seems like there’s construction
on just about every block…. It’s scary.”
The hammer fell from the tool belt of a worker who was at the 18th
floor on the hoist, or exterior elevator, said John Gallagher,
spokesperson for contractor Tishman Construction Corp. As the
worker closed the hoist’s vertical, bi-parting gate, the rising bottom
gate caught on his hammer and flipped it out of his tool belt, sending
it falling toward the street, Gallagher said in an e-mail. The worker
was a carpenter with subcontractor Structure Tone.
The Dept. of Buildings stopped all work on the 43-story building,

which was expected to open at the end of the year, and issued a
violation for failure to protect the public and property. The
investigation is ongoing, said Kate Lindquist, spokesperson for the D.
O.B.
Gallagher said in a statement that Tishman is also investigating “to

determine exactly what happened and how to best prevent anything
like this from occurring in the future.” Tishman will attend a meeting
with residents at Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver’s office this week.
In 2007, a falling load of steel beams paralyzed an architect, and last

May, a square of steel blew onto the Battery Park City ballfields
and landed yards from a child playing baseball.
Tishman and Goldman executives attended several public meetings

after the ballfield accident and added many safety measures to the
site, but parents are upset that these measures did not prevent
another accident from occurring.
Article continues...
© 2009 Community Media, LLC

at 03:23 0 comments
Labels: accident, construction, hazard, management,
news, scaffold
Plasterer dies in accident

The family of a popular Plymouth plasterer who was crushed to death
in an horrific industrial accident have paid tribute to a 'peaceful' and
'generous' man.
Phillip Ring died on a business park near Yelverton after a pallet

weighing more than a tonne fell on him from the back of a lorry.
Whitleigh, where the 37-year-old had lived all his life, is a community
in shock, while Phillip's distraught loved ones have spoken of the
"hole in the family" his death will leave.

Keen musician Phillip was killed when loading the pallet, stacked with
about 1250kg of dry plaster powder, from a lorry to his van.
Witnesses describe hearing an "almighty crash" as the heavy load fell

backwards from the lorry's tail lift, burying the keen musician from the
waist up.
He was rushed to Derriford Hospital with serious head injuries, but

later died.
Phillip did an apprenticeship in painting and decorating after leaving
Whitleigh Secondary School, later becoming an expert plasterer.
Co-founding his own company, Sheridan, six years ago, he employed

almost 30 people at the height of the building boom.
When the accident happened, at about 1.20pm on Tuesday, Phillip

was picking up supplies for newbuild homes he was working on
nearby.
Witnesses said he had backed his white van up to the rear of a

delivery lorry in order to transfer the heavy pallet, loaded with dozens
of 25kg bags of the white powder, via the lorry's tail lift.
Police, an air ambulance and two land ambulances all sped to the
scene, paramedics rushing Phillip to Derriford Hospital by road.
Sadly, he passed away as a result of his injuries.
A police spokesman said the accident was not being treated as

suspicious, though it will be subject to a joint investigation by Devon
and Cornwall Constabulary and the Health and Safety Executive.
The HSE confirmed that an investigation was under way, saying an

inspector had visited the site on Tuesday. The coroner has been
informed.
Source.
at 03:08 0 comments
Labels: accident, crushed, fatality, health and safety, HSE,
news, police
Teenager dies after tragic accident at work

A TEENAGER from Slough has tragically died after an accident at
work in Windsor.
Jake Herring, a trainee design engineer at Grundfos Control

Solutions, was fatally injured at the Fair Acres Industrial Estate in
Dedworth Road on Monday.
The 19-year-old, a former Burnham Upper School student, was taken

to Wexham Park Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
Linda Dingley, marketing manager for Grundfos Control Solutions,

said: “We are extremely devastated by what has happened. He was a
lovely young man, who was quite shy and always very pleasant. He
had made a lot of friends within the company and we had very high
hopes for him.

“He worked with around 15 people and it was very much like a family.
The site has been closed since Monday as a mark of respect and to
allow his colleagues to get their thoughts together.”
Jake had been working for the company, which makes panels, since
October. The site will be re-opened on Monday and counselling is
being offered to employees.
An investigation has been launched by Thames Valley Police in

conjunction with the Health And Safety Executive. A post mortem will
take place on Friday.
Source.
at 03:03 0 comments
Labels: accident, fatality, HSE, news, police, teenager
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● ▼ 2009 (180)
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heels
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safe...
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Coronation Street
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Health and Safety News is building a list of
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Health and Safety News - April 2009

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Health and Safety News - April 2009

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Health and Safety News: April 2009

injured in Moscow pipeline explosion

Thursday, 30 April 2009

Sorry seems to be the hardest word

John Campbell, legal director of National Accident Helpline, said that

10 times more people die from hazardous

Expert Forecast on Emerging Chemical Risks - identifies the main

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10% of workers in Europe report having inhaled vapours and a further

Wednesday, 29 April 2009

A(H1N1) virus samples on their way to MRC flu

Dr Alan Hay will be leading efforts at NIMR to monitor any evolution in

He explains: “These isolates come from clinical samples – nasal

The World Influenza Centre at NIMR is one of a few WHO

Dr Hay added: “Our expertise and facilities allow us to characterise

Responding to reports that the World Health Organisation World

http://handsnews.blogspot.com/2009_04_01_archive.html (2 of 34) [11/05/2009 14:39:36]

© 2009 Medical Research Council

With some exceptions,the crime of murder is committed, where a

of sound mind and discretion (i.e. sane)

There are other specific homicide offences, for example, infanticide,

We should not panic about swine flu

But this swine flu worries me less because as a population we have a

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Swine flu in the UK

The girl's school, Paignton Community College in Devon, has shut

Mr Brown said all those with the virus were responding

“Get ready for flu outbreak” businesses warned

Nattasha Freeman, the President of IOSH, said that a possible

“A pandemic can spread rapidly. So organisations need to be flexible

“There’s no need to panic, but employers should follow government

http://handsnews.blogspot.com/2009_04_01_archive.html (4 of 34) [11/05/2009 14:39:36]

advice. It will still be possible for people to continue their everyday

5. Consider suppliers and sub contractors – ensure they have

6. Review your cleaning contract – maintaining a high level of hygiene

7. Encourage employees to take personal responsibility to protect

8. Consider cancelling conferences or meetings - why not hold video

9. If you decide to go ahead with an event, use a risk assessment to

10. Keep in touch with government advice.

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'Swine flu' misnamed?

At a news briefing, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano

"This is not a food-borne illness, virus. It is not correct to refer to it as

The Paris-based World Organisation for Animal Health also objected

Copyright © 2009 Yahoo! All rights reserved.

Tuesday, 28 April 2009

'Too late' to contain swine flu

UN food inspectors are going to Mexico to examine reports that

http://handsnews.blogspot.com/2009_04_01_archive.html (6 of 34) [11/05/2009 14:39:36]

industrial pig farms were the source of the outbreak.

Mr Fukuda said this was a "significant step towards pandemic

Original article continues...

Offshore worker missing

Friday, 24 April 2009

B&Q death probe

Michael O’Rourke, who was shopping in the DIY chain’s outlet in

http://handsnews.blogspot.com/2009_04_01_archive.html (7 of 34) [11/05/2009 14:39:36]

The LBRO told EHN it would be inappropriate to comment on the

‘The accident is currently being investigated by the HSA and the

‘The specific issues raised by this accident have been actioned

‘We have made some immediate changes to how we store our

© 2009 Chartered Institute of Environmental Health

Further Information about B&Q Accidents.