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
30 October HSE seeks views on changes to First Aid regulations Plans to remove the requirement for first aid training providers to be approved by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have gone out to consultation. The proposal to amend the Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations (1981) was made in the independent Löfstedt report into health and safety, and accepted by the Government. The HSE is … Read More
1 October HSE cost recovery scheme starts today The Health & Safety Executive’s (HSE) new cost recovery scheme — Fee for Intervention (FFI) — comes into force today (1st October 2012) in England, Scotland and Wales. Under the Health and Safety (Fees) Regulations 2012, those who break health and safety laws are liable for recovery of HSE’s related costs, including inspection, investigation and … Read More
9 July HSE publishes 2011/12 fatal injury statistics The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) have published official statistics published which shows that the number of workers fatally injured in Britain last year remains largely unchanged. The provisional data has been released for April 2011 to March 2012, which shows 173 workers were killed – down 2 from the previous year. The rate of … Read More
2 July HSE confirms start date for cost recovery scheme The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has confirmed that its cost recovery scheme, called the “Fee for Intervention” (FFI), will start on 1 October 2012 subject to Parliamentary approval. The HSE has published some new details guidance setting out how the scheme will work in practice on its website, you can view this here. Developed … Read More