25 October Control of contractors gone wrong A global drinks (AD) firm has been ordered to over £277,000 in fines and costs after a contractor was killed as a result of falling six metres through a fragile skylight on a warehouse roof. Further to this, the worker’s employer (P) must pay just over £30,000 for his failure to protect his staff. Mr … Read More
30 September Fee for Intervention update The Business Law firm DWF has revealed figures from its recent Freedom of Information request for “Fee for Intervention” figures from the HSE. These figures relate to the third batch of invoices issues by the HSE in relation to fees for intervention scheme (FFI). These figures for February and March 2013 show that the figure … Read More
6 September False claims over health and safety An article about Health and Safety published in the Guardian on 05 September 2013 makes very interesting reading. The article centres on the dim view taken by the authors over the government making “False Claims over Health and Safety”. The article also points out that “The government will best protect people in workplaces by effective … Read More
3 September HSE to target Construction Sites in September 2013 HSE Campaign: Safer sites – targeted inspection initiative September 2013 HSE Construction Inspectors have been carrying out a major inspection and enforcement initiative during September 2013, targeting the refurbishment sector. They have revealed that they have visited over 1000 sites so far and inspected 1500 contractors. They have also revealed that they have found “material breaches” at … Read More
2 September Construction site safety remains in HSE focus The following is taken from the foreword HSE Construction Divisions Plan for 2012/13: “Despite the economic downturn the construction industry remains one of the largest in Great Britain, bringing employment to around two million people; but it remains extremely hazardous. The characteristics of the industry and the challenges it creates in tackling health and safety … Read More
16 August Tragic School Meal Food Poisoning Disaster Reveals Widespread Government Food Safety Issues Background A tragedy felt the world over as at least 23 Indian students, all less than twelve years old, died as a result of poor food safety and storage practices. The Mid-Day Meal Scheme has been long heralded as the largest and most successful program of it’s type in the world, with over 120 million … Read More
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