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
13 March Health and Safety Failings – Fine issued following excavation collapse Fine issued following excavation collapse Key Facts: Building firm owner was left partially buried, and broke his leg and ankle in excavation collapse The HSE inspector described him as being ‘reckless with the lives of his employees’. The director and the firm were both fined £15,000 each, as well as being ordered to pay £1,176 … Read More
12 March Health and Safety Failings – Fine issued for multiple health and safety failings Fine issued for multiple health and safety failings Key Facts: The site was in such a dangerous condition that 8 notices were immediately issued by the visiting health and safety inspector Dangers included unguarded dangerous machinery, exposure to risk of electrocution, and asbestos contamination. HSE inspector said that the standards were “totally inadequate” and that … Read More
10 March Health and Safety Failings – Quarry safety failings lead to firm’s second fine Quarry safety failings lead to firm’s second fine Key Facts: Quarry blast sent rocks of up to 15 kilos flying across a public road towards employees HSE identified serious control failings in quarry safety Blast not properly planned, and inadequate safety measures in place Firm fined £30,000 – having already been fined £20,000 in 2013 … Read More
9 March Health and Safety Failings – LOLER breach leads to worker losing leg LOLER breach leads to worker losing leg Key Facts: 49-year-old factory worker struck by 850kg frame Frame fell two metres before landing on worker’s leg following LOLER breach Due to resulting injuries, worker’s left leg needed to be amputated Two firms fined nearly £50,000 and costs following HSE investigation Read More
6 March Fine issued for breach of work at height regulations Demolition firm fined for breaching work at height regulations Key Facts: Demolition firm caught on camera risking workers’ lives whilst undertaking work at height An immediate enforcement notice was served to the firm following an HSE visit The firm was fined £1,000 and ordered to pay £1,053 in costs Read More