Inspection campaign – waste and recycling. The HSE will visit 500 waste and recycling sites over the winter of 2022/23. Whilst the particular focus of the campaign is machinery and workplace transport safety, other serious concerns will not be overlooked. Those in the sector can prepare by reading the guidelines being used by inspectors
Further information:
https://www.hse.gov.uk/foi/internalops/og/og-00100.pdf
News: Freight Containers
Toxic atmospheres in freight containers. Research has confirmed the potential for harm to port workers opening up freight containers at ports. Academics found examples of toxic and oxygen depleted atmospheres.
Further information:
https://press.hse.gov.uk/2022/10/19/freight-containers-potential-worker-exposure/
News: NCRQ
NCRQ qualification route at risk. A popular on-line learning supplier has gone into administration. Those who are using the NCRQ should keep up to date with developments as attempts are being made to enable the courses to continue under a different supplier.
Further information:
News: Care Homes
Basic advice on PPE in Social Care. The government has issued a couple of leaflets for workers in adult social care services explaining which PPE to wear and how to use it safely.
Further information:
Further information:
https://press.hse.gov.uk/2022/10/14/company-fined-440000-after-security-guard-seriously-injured/
Accidental mixing of chemicals caused chlorine gas cloud. GEA Farm Technologies (UK) Ltd has been fined after releasing a cloud of toxic chlorine gas due to the mixing of concentrated sulphuric acid with 1600 litres of sodium hypochlorite solution. (Although in this case the accident happened at a chemical works, it illustrates the risks in any setting where substances are used in bulk).
Further information:
Man fell from the forks of a forklift truck. A Colchester based logistics company has been fined after an employee fractured his spine in a two-foot fall from the forks of a forklift truck.
Further information:
Contractor caused serious accident to client’s employee. An engineering company has appeared in court after it left a gantry plate unsecured so that it collapsed beneath an unsuspecting employee of the client.
Further information:
Failure to take safety lessons from site to site. An £800,000 fine levied against Nestle for a conveyor belt accident, and the injuries to its employee, illustrate the potential consequences when risks identified at one site are not dealt with at all sites. This prosecution concerned an unguarded roller, and the incident had similarities with one which had led to a previous prosecution.
Further information:
https://press.hse.gov.uk/2022/10/20/nestle-fined-after-worker-suffers-injuries-at-chocolate-factory/
Machine unblocking accidents at Bernard Matthew’s. A £400,000 fine has been issued following two separate incidents at Bernard Matthew’s factory in which employees were seriously injured trying to clear blockages.
Further information:
Accelerant used on bonfire caught out worker. A court has heard how a worker who was asked to light a bonfire was unaware that a colleague had put petrol on the materials. The fire engulfed him, and his injuries required multiple skin grafts. In court, Kent County Surfacing Ltd pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 15(8), Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 and was fined £10,000 plus costs of £7,333.
Further information:
https://press.hse.gov.uk/2022/10/12/groundworks-contractor-fined-for-petrol-fire/
Home built access cradle was prohibited. A façade renovation company has been prosecuted over its dealings with HSE including obstructing an inspector and ignoring a prohibition notice which ordered them to stop using a site-made cradle.
Further information:
Fire safety errors at care home. The owners of a care home have been prosecuted after an incident in which a resident died while smoking.
Further information:
Hotel was banned from taking guests, but continued in business. A hotel owner has been fined £50,000 after ignoring a prohibition notice for serious fire safety failings. He also received custodial sentences, suspended for two years.
Further information:
https://www.fia.uk.com/news/london-hotel-owner-fined-for-breach-of-prohibition-notice.html
Poundland loses a few quid over asbestos mistakes. Poundland Limited has been ordered to pay fines and costs of £640,000 for asbestos risks at its Ipswich store.
Further information:
https://www.shponline.co.uk/prosecutions/ipswich-poundland-fined-over-asbestos-failings/
Public safety mistakes of retailer tally up £1 Million bill. Top Shop and its former owner, Arcadia Group have been fined a total of £1 million over a disastrous queue barrier system seriously injured one child and then killed another at the other end of the country six days later. The judge stated that once the company was aware of the first accident it had no coherent strategy to coordinate its effort to prevent a further one.
Further information:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-berkshire-63244444
No work at height precautions. An engineering company has been fined £20,000 after a worker fell four metres whilst replacing parts of a petrol station canopy. No precautions were taken to prevent falls through or from the structure.
Further information:
https://press.hse.gov.uk/2022/10/21/company-fined-20000-after-worker-fell-through-station-canopy/
HSE loses its patience over repeated fire risk on site.
Further information:
https://press.hse.gov.uk/2022/10/26/building-contractor-and-director-fined-after-fire-risk-failings/