Health and Safety News
We scour the Internet for Health and Safety related news items on an almost daily basis.
The news articles and clippings, curated by MD Safety, highlight the requirements for compliance with UK Health and Safety Legislation and best practice across all industry sectors.
The majority of the information and cases will apply to a greater or lesser degree to our broad range of Clients and lessons to be learned will be able to be gained.
New technology driving change in road safety
Since the 1980’s, the UK has seen considerable change in relation to driver technologies and practices, whether by introduction of and greater reliance upon telematics and ‘black box’ systems, to more recently the use of semi-autonomous and self-braking vehicles. Innovation and tech certainly appear to be creating a shift change, in terms of how duty holders and organisations are seeking to manage and control its work-related road risk (“WRRR”).
Read MoreEmployers must ensure workplaces are well ventilated to minimise COVID-19 spread
Businesses are being reminded that they have a legal duty to ensure that their premises have an adequate supply of fresh air in enclosed areas as part of a broad strategy to minimise the risk of the coronavirus from spreading via workplaces. With most COVID-19 restrictions lifted, Great Britain's Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has updated its guidance on ventilation and air conditioning as part of a package of preventative measures to help safely manage the increasing number of people returning to the workplace and to reduce infection risk.
Read MoreAn annual gas safety check can keep us all safe
Gas Safety Week, from 13 to 19 September. If we can take one positive from the incredibly challenging past 18 months or so, it must be the acts of kindness and neighbourliness that we have all witnessed, especially during the difficult months of lockdown. From those who worked to keep essential services running to getting the weekly shop for our vulnerable neighbours or simply making time to chat, the sense of community, connectivity and collective care is one thing that most of us have wanted to preserve as we have emerged from those dark times.
Read MoreTwo companies fined for failing that led to crush injury
Two companies have been fined a total of £100,000 after an employee was crushed by machinery. Chivas Brothers Limited and Fire Protection Group (FPG) Limited pled guilty to health and safety breaches, committed between 20 December 2016 and 22 February 2017, at Dumbarton Sheriff Court.
Read MoreWorker’s arm became trapped in machinery
A rubber processing company has been fined after a worker’s arm was trapped in machinery. An employee of Marple Polymers Processors Limited was cleaning a stationary conveyor belt on a Banbury mixing machine, on 4 January 2018. Unaware cleaning was taking place, another employee started the conveyor belt system. The original employee’s left arm became trapped between the conveyor belt and the tension idler causing serious injuries to their arm and hand.
Read MoreConstruction company prosecuted for multiple safety failings
A construction company has been fined after repeated health and safety breaches, giving rise to significant risk, were found on a site in Bolton. Manchester Magistrates’ Court heard how inspections at the construction site at Manchester Road, Bolton, had taken place three times between October 2019 to January 2020 by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
Read MoreHSE warns on work-related road risk
Driving for work is likely to be the most dangerous activity most workers will ever undertake, the Health & Safety Executive says. Company car drivers in the UK are 49% more likely to be involved in traffic collisions, even after correcting for demographic variables and their relatively high mileages. Countless other will suffer stress, anxiety and/or minor injuries from unreported incidents.
Read MoreUpdated Guidance: Driving and riding safely for work
Updated - Guidance on managing health and safety risks to workers who drive a vehicle or ride a motorcycle, other powered two-wheeler or bicycle on the road as part of work.
Read MoreWind farm firms admit safety failures that led to security guard’s death
The parent company of a contractor that was building a wind farm in Scotland and a security firm that employed staff to guard the remote site have admitted safety breaches after a security guard was trapped in snow for four and half hours and later died from hypothermia. Another security guard also had to be airlifted to hospital but survived the extreme weather conditions.
Read MoreHSE develops BIM safety guidance for clients
The Health & Safety Executive’s (HSE) BIM 4 Health & Safety Working Group is working with the UK BIM Alliance to develop guidance for construction clients on using BIM to improve design risk management. The guidance note will help clients produce project information requirements (PIRs) for design risk management and is based on the protocols of BS EN ISO 19650, the international standard for managing information over the whole lifecycle of a built asset using BIM.
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