26 August COVID-secure and HSE enforcement The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) said it will be carrying out further spot inspections at businesses in areas with the highest coronavirus infection rates as it continues its efforts to halt the spread of the virus. This means that HSE inspectors will be dropping in on businesses and putting employers on the spot in Oldham … Read More
23 September Worker died after fall from a scaffolding access ladder £53,000 fine after fatal fall from an insecure ladder An Aberdeen-based roofing contractor has been prosecuted by the HSE after a worker died when he fell from a ladder while exiting scaffolding. JF, a 56-year-old employee of Henderson and Aitken, fell from the top rungs of the ladder after it slipped sideways in Jute Street … Read More
27 June Fire Risk – “too awful to contemplate” People still put profit before safety. The man who created a fire safety risk that was described as “too awful to contemplate” by massive overcrowding during at an event at York’s Kuda nightclub has been given a suspended prison sentence. The club was rated to a safe capacity of 645, but during a Basshunter event … Read More
4 April Asbestos disturbed – hoteliers fines A Devon based hoteliers was been sentenced after asbestos-containing materials (ACM) were disturbed during a major refurbishment at The Park Hotel in Barnstaple. The Magistrates’ Court in Newton Abbot heard that between October 2016 and May 2017 construction work was undertaken to refurbish the hotel on Taw Vale. Parts of the hotel were originally constructed during … Read More
26 March Risk Assessment: Being wise before the event We are all aware that risk assessment is a legal requirement, and most organisations have some form of risk assessment process in place. Sometimes this is only in place because risk assessment is a legal requirement. Fortunately, there are some organisations that embrace the risk assessment process and understand it can protect the health and the safety of their … Read More
1 August Prison Sentence for Roofing Contractor Council H&S officers reported dangerous roof work to HSE – Prison Sentence for Roofing Contractor. A roofing contractor has been sentenced for safety breaches after workers were left at risk of falling from unprotected roof edges in February 2016. The failures of C Smith Roofing (Mr Chris Smith T/A) were discovered by local council health and safety … Read More
1 August Unsafe roof work Unsafe Roof Work – a roofing contractor employed by Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council has had its unsafe working practices exposed after an employee fell through a roof light. In a prosecution brought by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE), Dudley magistrates heard how people were working on the roof for Woodhull Roofing had no safety … Read More
31 July Workers leg crushed by concrete block Leg crushed – life-changing injuries for an agency worker The construction company Kier Infrastructure has been fined £600,000 after a seven-tonne concrete block fell on an agency worker on a rail bridge site in Cardiff. The court was told that agency worker, PW aged 42, suffered life-changing injuries when a seven-tonne block of pre-cast concrete fell on … Read More
2 May Forged asbestos documents leads to fine and suspended jail sentence Forged documents led to prosecution: fines and suspended sentences In April 2018, an asbestos removal company and two of its managers were prosecuted after forging documents in order to obtain an asbestos licence from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Greater Manchester Magistrates’ Court heard how, between 16 March 2012 and 10 March 2016, Excavation … Read More
27 April Catalogue of failures – including using crowbars to smash an asbestos roof Quainton Logistics and Storage had let conditions on site fall well below the expected standards, said the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Workers use crowbars to smash asbestos roof Workers had not been given personal protective equipment and used crowbars to smash up asbestos cement roof sheets, which was then left on top of mobile … Read More