27 March Health and Safety Failings – Risk assessment failings lead to prosecution Risk assessment failings lead to prosecution Key Facts: An ecology consultancy firm have been prosecuted after a worker broke her back falling through a loft hatch. The HSE said that “A ‘one size fits all’ approach is obviously not suitable and the company’s tick-box approach to risk assessment failed to protect this worker.” The company … Read More
26 March Health and Safety Failings – Westfield shopping centre prosecuted over work at height failings. Westfield shopping centre prosecuted over work at height failings Key Facts: A construction worker fell through unguarded gap in roof deck at Westfield shopping centre. The worker dislocated and fractured his shoulder and was unable to work for six months. The owners of the shopping centre were fined £10,000 and costs of £1,247. Read More
24 March Health and Safety Failings – Overlooked machinery safety leads to injury and prosecution. Overlooked machinery safety leads to injury and prosecution Key Facts: Machinery safety was overlooked and inadequate at a vegetable nursery company. As a result, a worker was drawn into a machine, and required his arm to be surgically reattached. The company was fined £18,000, a victim surcharge of £120 and ordered to pay £862.25 in … Read More
23 March Health and Safety Failings – Fatal fragile roof incident results in fine Fatal fragile roof incident results in fine Key Facts: A worker fell to his death whilst undertaking work on a fragile roof. The HSE described it as being a tragic and preventable accident. Many safety controls were missing from the site, and the project had not been adequately planned. The roofing firm was fined £10,000 … Read More
20 March Health and Safety Failings – Lift malfunction at London’s Tower Bridge leads to prosecution Lift Malfunction at London’s Tower Bridge leads to prosecution Key Facts: A lift carrying 9 tourists and 1 agency worker plummeted 3 metres following a lift malfunction. The ‘catastrophic failing’ could have been avoided through proper review of earlier failings. The lift maintenance firm was fined £50,000 and costs of £50,000. Read More
19 March Health and Safety Failings – Work at Height breaches lead to serious injuries and a £60,000 fine Work at Height breaches lead to serious injuries and a £60,000 fine. Key facts: A cleaning firm employee suffered life changing injuries after falling six metres through a fragile roof-light. The HSE said that ‘the limited safety measures taken to protect the workforce were grossly inadequate’. The company was fined £60,000 and £5,471 for multiple … Read More
18 March Spotlight On – The HSL’s GRIP Scheme The HSL’s GRIP Scheme We come across slips, trips, and falls more often than we’d like to. Infact, they remain the most common cause of major injuries to employees. This got us looking at the HSL’s GRIP Scheme, and how this might help reduce the number of incidents. We thought we’d share what we found … Read More
17 March Health and Safety Failings – Scaffolder’s fall from height leads to £6,000 fine Scaffolder’s fall from height leads to £6,000 fine Key Facts: A subcontracted suffered serious injuries after falling seven metres through a fragile surface. The HSE said that the incident “could have cost the scaffolder his life”. The HSE said that more could and should have been done to prevent the fall from height. The firm … Read More
16 March Spotlight On – Poison Prevention (#PoisonPreventionWeek) Poison Prevention Week On Friday, Barack Obama made a proclamation about poison prevention. Each year, the third week of March marks National Poison Prevention Week (PPW) in America – and over here in the UK we’re also taking the opportunity to take a look at the issue. The aim of PPW is to educate the … Read More
16 March Health and Safety Failings – Engineer fined for fraudulent Gas Safe claims Engineer fined £6,000 for fraudulently claiming to be Gas Safe Registered Key Facts: Self-employed man fined for multiple has safety breaches after putting homeowners lives at risk by taking on work he was not sufficiently competent to undertake He fraudulently claimed to be Gas Safe registered when he was not, and never had been. He … Read More