22 July Prosecution of a Company – Working at Height Health and Safety A skip company has been prosecuted by the HSE following an inspection visit to their depot where inspectors saw a worker climbing down a 10 metre high stack of skips with no fall protection in place (no prevention and non fall mitigation). It emerged that the worker had earlier climbed up the stack in order … Read More
28 June Section 37 – Prosecution of a Director Getting ready for Section 37 Prosecution A construction company and an engineering firm have both been found guilty of breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 after the death of a self-employed man who fell to his death on a building site in 2008. The 40 year old victim, who was contracted by … Read More
15 May HSE Enforcement Visits I have received several calls over the last few weeks from companies that have had enforcement visits from the HSE. Some of these companies have been a little disgruntled that the HSE have raised the subject of Cost Recovery (see posts on Fee for Intervention). Like it or not, Fee for Intervention is here to … Read More
7 February County Council fined after Discovery of Asbestos in Primary School County Council fined after discovery of Asbestos in Primary School. A County Council and a refurbishment firm have been fined for exposing a nursery class, school staff and two joiners to asbestos fibres. The refurbishment company was working at a local primary School in Cheslyn Hay for the council when the incident happened on Friday … Read More
4 February Firm fined for exposing workers to fall risk A refurbishment and shop fitting company has been fined for safety failings after instructing two of its employees to work at height without appropriate protective measures or relevant roofwork safety training. The men were working on the roof of a large furniture store in Bridgtown, Cannock, on 26 September 2011 when they were spotted and … Read More
30 January Brazilian Nightclub Fire (updated) Brazilian police have arrested two members of the band that used the ill-fated pyrotechnics during a performance at a student nightclub where 237 people died in a fire and over a hundred were detained in hospital. The band was performing at the overcrowded Kiss Club when the fire started early on Sunday morning in the … Read More
19 December Ladder association announces biggest ‘idiot’ The Ladder Association has announced the winner of its “Idiots on a ladder” campaign. With over 30% of the vote the winning picture showed a worker reaching up to the top of a chimney with a gaping fall directly below him. Not only could the fall have killed him, but one commenter pointed out that … Read More
30 November Asbestos report recommends demolition of school Tests at a school in Wales, which was closed last month because of asbestos fears, have detected airborne-fibre levels up to ten times above the previously accepted background level for schools. The school, which caters for more than 900 pupils, shut on 12 October after a structural report identified the presence of asbestos. Caerphilly County … Read More
20 November HSE could lose more than half the fees it recovers to the treasury The Fee for Intervention (FFI) scheme is now in full operation, and has been since 1st October 2012. However it now appears that the HSE won’t be keeping the full amount recovered under the scheme, with the top layer being skimmed off by the treasury. The Health & Safety Executive will keep £10 million of … Read More
9 November Garden centre charged with corporate manslaughter A third company in England has been charged with corporate manslaughter in relation to an incident two years ago in which an employee died after a vehicle he was towing came into contact with overhead power lines. This follows on from two previous prosecutions in England where Cotswold Geotechnical was the first company to be … Read More