3 September Fork Lift Truck Death A fork lift truck death costs cash and carry nearly £200,000. A cash and carry wholesaler was fined £175,000 plus costs of £18,455 after a member of staff was killed at their site in Avonmouth. The victim was fatally wounded after she walked through the “Goods In” area of the site. The fork lift truck … Read More
3 September Corporate Manslaughter acquittal A flower company, based in Norfolk, is one of the first to successfully defend itself against prosecution under the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007. A tractor driver was towing a trailer to fill an uneven path with soil when the he tipped the hydraulic lift trailer; it hit a 11kv overhead cable. An … Read More
6 August Respirable Crystalline Silica Respirable crystalline silica (RCS) is a serious problem in some industries, particularly the construction industry. The cancer burden study of the number of deaths from lung cancer associated with exposure to RCS shows there are about 600 deaths per year, with about 500 of these deaths occurring from exposure to silica dust in the construction sector. … Read More
9 June Director jailed – for supplying asbestos roof panels that led to fatal fall Director jailed for 12 months for supplying roof panels containing asbestos. Not only was the sale illegal, but it contributed to the death or a steel erecter. An investigation by the HSE into the fall found that RM (who was the sole director of RM Developments (2005)) supplied second-hand roofing sheets containing white asbestos to … Read More
28 May Corporate Manslaughter – company awaiting sentencing The Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007 has been used in a recent case involving a Stonemasonry firm. Cavendish Masonry, a Bath based stonemasonry firm, is awaiting sentencing following being found guilty of corporate manslaughter under the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007. A 23 year old worker (Mr David Evans) was crushed by … Read More
27 May Work at height – caught during the act Here is an example of being caught in the act of doing something foolish and being penalised for it. A foolhardy roofer appeared in court after footing a double extension ladder on a transit van in order to access a third floor façade. In this case, Mr George Nicholls (aged 25), blatantly risked harming himself and others … Read More
27 May Fall from Height – another serious injury leading to prosecution The HSE investigates another work fall from height leading to serious injury. Worker will never walk again. A Southwark based construction company has been prosecuted by the HSE and ordered to over £126,000 in fines and court costs after a worker was left paralysed following a fall. The 38 year old worker fell eight metres … Read More
16 May Workplace Transport Prosecution There are about 50 people killed each year in accidents involving workplace transport. These types of accidents also cause more than 1500 major injuries (accidents which, for example, result in broken bones or amputations) and about 3500 injuries that cause people to be off work for more than three days. This article pulls together links to information … Read More
11 May Lead poisoning prosecution Lead poisoning is still an issue in some workplaces. Recently, a court heard that nine workers at a ceramic tile factory in North Wales had levels of lead in their blood above national safety limits putting them at risk of serious health problems. The employees of a specialist firm (CBD of Denbigh) were tested after … Read More
9 May Asbestos prosecution for failure to communicate In the words of Cool Hand Luke, “What we have here is a failure to communicate”. This led to an asbestos prosecution. A Battersea building firm has been fined for failing to highlight the known presence of asbestos insulating board (AIB) in a warehouse – leading to exposure to a foreman and others to potential … Read More