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Health and Safety News

Occupational health and safety news and guidance

Blog posts January 2011

County Limerick farmer killed in workplace accident

John Halpin, a 72-year-old father of three, was struck by farm machinery and pronounced dead on arrival at hospital.

Read more at the Limerick Leader.

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Farm building firms prosecuted after roof fall

Two firms have been fined after an accident at a farm left a construction worker with severe spinal injuries which have left him reliant on a wheelchair.

Mr Cooke, from Cleeve, near Bristol, had been dismantling the roof while sub-contracting for Martock-based firm CW Pearce, which in turn was worki…

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Default retirement age scrapped

The law on age and retirement is changing. The Government is phasing out the default retirement age (DRA) from 6 April 2011.

The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has said that this will boost the UK’s economy, and be of benefit to people that wish to work past the age of 65.

No retir…

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Demolition company fined for fragile roof fall

H. Cope and Sons Ltd has appeared in court for failing to provide its employees with a safe system of work during the bulldozing of a block of garages.

One of the workers fell through a garage roof after losing his balance, landing on the ground seven feet below.

H. Cope and Sons pleaded guilty to br…

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Property company ignored order to keep workers safe

A property company in Aberystwyth was summoned to court after putting its workers at risk and then ignoring an order to improve safety.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) issued a prohibition noticed to Merlin Homes (Wales) Ltd on 12 February 2010 to stop work behind their development at Parc Y B…

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Care home company fined after pensioner dies

BUPA Care Homes (BNH) Ltd has been fined £150,000, and ordered to pay £150,000 in costs, following a prosecution by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) after a pensioner died at a nursing home in Birmingham.

Seventy-four-year-old Brigid O'Callaghan, died after being strangled by a lap belt when…

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ASDA fined after roller shutter accident

Supermarket chain Asda was fined £20,000 after a roller shutter broke an employee's jaw. The health and safety breach happened at Asda's distribution centre, on Skelmersdale's Stanley Industrial Estate.

To read more click here.

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Property management company fined for asbestos offences

A property management company was fined £30,100 today after admitting a series of offences which led to workers being exposed to asbestos fibres.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation found the company had failed to carry out an asbestos survey or risk assessment, had no licence to…

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Worker injured by industrial saw

An employee almost severed his arm when cutting wood on an industrial saw he had barely been trained to use, Chelmsford Magistrates' Court was told.

Machine Hire Ltd from Burnham Business Park, Springfield Road admitted to breaching regulation 9(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulati…

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Workers exposed to risk of serious injury

An egg packing business has been fined for exposing its employees to the risk of serious injury on a regular basis.

Workers employed by the partnership known as James Gammie had to use a specific machine, called a screw conveyor, to clear away chicken manure from each of the company's three sheds at…

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Litterpicker injured falling into well

A Mansfield District Council worker fell six metres down a dry well while clearing litter from a yard.

Mansfield District Council, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 4(1) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 and were fined £5,000, they were also ordered to pay £5,700 costs.

Read the HSE Pres…

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Recommendation to abolish the Adventure Activities Licensing Authority

In his report published on 15 October, Lord Young of Graffham, recommended that the Adventure Activities Licensing Authority (AALA) be abolished and the existing statutory licensing regime be replaced by a code of practice.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) will be publishing details to keep lic…

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Consultants Register to open for registration on 31 January 2011

The new online register of occupational safety and health consultants will open for registration on 31 January 2011.  Members of the participating professional bodies representing occupational safety and health consultants who meet the eligibility criteria can will then be able to apply to join the …

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Scissor lift safety warning following fatal overturns

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is advising users of certain types of scissor lifts to make daily safety checks after five people were killed in three separate incidents when they overturned.

The HSE warns those who use, or lease out, JLG 500RTS and 400 RTS scissor lifts, to ensure checks ar…

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Fatal explosion at recycling plant

One man died in hospital last night following an explosion at a recycling plant in South Yorkshire. The blast left another man with serious injuries.
 

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Council admits failing to store hazardous substances correctly

East Sussex County Council has admitted failing to store hazardous substances correctly after a visitor died due to drinking dishwasher fluid at one of their day centres.

It was discovered that the bottle containing the fluid was indistinguishable, in appearance, from the bottles of orange squash…

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Cardiff company fined over worker fall

A Cardiff-based truck and van company has been fined £20,000 after a mechanic fell from a makeshift platform attached to a forklift truck.

The 21-year-old HGV mechanic fractured his hip when he fell 15 feet.

The company pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 4(1) of the Work at Height Regulations 2…

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Firm fined after worker's thumb and finger sawn off

A construction and building firm based in Bury St Edmunds was fined today after a worker's finger and thumb were amputated by a moulding machine.

David Head, 24, a bench joiner of Rubens Walk, Sudbury was shaping a piece of timber when it caught in the cutter and dragged his left hand into the blade…

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Plumber jailed after 'Rogue Traders' exposes illegal gas work

A plumber caught carrying out illegal gas work by BBC's Rogue Traders, has been jailed after ignoring a previous order to stop.

Andrew John Carslake, 42, who traded as Aqua Plumbing, admitted breaching health and safety laws at Chelmsford Crown Court.

Mr Carslake admitted breaching Section 33 (1) (g…

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Health and Safety News - 4 January 2011

Worker died during first day at work

A Newmarket retail display firm has been fined £80,000 plus £16,914 costs, after an employee was crushed to death by a stack of glass he was unloading on his first day at work.

Worker killed in machine

A packaging manufacturer has been fined £50,000 plus £76,…

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20 Blog Posts