USA Luggage trailer and Plane-Mate collide at Virginia airport The driver of a Southwest Airlines luggage trailer died yesterday from injuries sustained in a transport accident on Thursday at Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia where his vehicle collided with a Plane-Mate, a passenger shuttle vehicle. 28th January 2012 The Netherlands Girl critically injured in fall from school ground climbing frame A 6-year old girl is listed in critical condition in the intensive care unit of a hospital in Utrecht after being injured in a fall from a climbing frame at De Triangel school in Maarssenbroek. It is thought that a skipping rope on the frame had somehow entangled around her neck. 27th January 2012 Ukraine Hot metal work may have sparked Odessa church fire It is speculated that welding sparks during hot metal work may have caused the fire yesterday at the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Cathedral in Bolgrad, Odessa, where renovation work is being undertaken. Fire crews managed to contain the blaze which saw the church dome collapse. 27th January 2012 Paraguay 2 utility workers killed as pylon buckles Two electrical engineers, aged 22 and 29, of Ingelco SRL died yesterday when a pylon on which they were working buckled and saw them fall 11 metres to the ground. The accident occurred on an ANDE (Administracion Nacional de Electricidad) installation where they were feeding high voltage cables up a pylon between 10 de Julio and Arasa Ty Streets in the Ycua Dure barrio of Luque. Both men had secured their safety lines to the pylon.  26th January 2012 Puerto Rico Structural collapse during refurbishment in San Juan A structural collapse occurred yesterday during refurbishment work on a 3-storey property on Loiza Street in the Santurce district of San Juan, an accident which claimed the life of an employee of Redcon General Contractors. A balcony and possibly an internal supporting wall appeared to fail on the 3rd floor, striking workers on the 2nd floor. There were allegations that the work lacked an authorised building permit. 26th January 2012 Germany Engineer crushed by lift at supermarket depot A 25-year old lift engineer died in a crush accident in a lift shaft at a supermarket chain warehouse in Paderborn. He and a colleague had been repairing a goods lift used to transport refrigerated containers. After maintenance the lift had stopped between floors and he had climbed through a maintenance access door which took him into a parallel lift shaft where he was struck by a descending lift. 25th January 2012 Austria Crane lifting accident on Vienna site A construction worker was critically injured having been injured in a 15-metre fall after being struck by material being moved by crane at a site on Trabrenn Street in the Leopold district of Vienna. 25th January 2012 Spain Road site worker run over by asphalt machine A Mallorcan highway construction worker, unsighted by the operator of an asphalting machine, was killed yesterday when he was struck by the equipment at the Esporles highway site in Establiments, Palma de Mallorca. 24th January 2012 USA Forklift fatality at Florida auctioneers A fatal accident claimed the life of a part-time worker at Ritchie Brothers Auctioneers on Ritchie Boulevard, Davenport, Florida, during the erecting of lighting standards. 24th January 2012 UAE 4 killed in separate scaffold accidents A scaffold collapse at a newbuild site on Dubai-Al Ain Highway killed 3 workers at the weekend and  left 5 others critically injured. They were engaged on external finishing work at 8th storey level when the accident occurred. Although strong winds were prevailing in the area local police have alleged that negligence played a part, the extent of which has to be ascertained. On Friday at a site on Al Muroor Road a 35-year old worker died when a scaffold, which had been overloaded, collapsed. 23rd January 2012 Italy Rome airport baggage handler injured in fall from height A 32-year old baggage handler at Fiumicino Airport was admitted to Rome's San Camillo Hospital at the weekend after falling several metres from a platform during unloading work at an aircraft. 23rd January 2012 USA Coastguard battles rough weather to reach seaman with severed finger The US coastguard successfully completed a tricky rescue operation in high winds and swell in the North Atlantic 200 miles off North Carolina to evacuate a Balkan crewman from the Liberian-flagged tanker Orange Wave where he had severed a finger in an industrial accident. He was airlifted to hospital in Norfolk, it was not known if surgical re-attachment was an option.  20th January 2012 India Welding sparks fire in airport departure lounge Fire broke out in the departure lounge of Bangalore International Airport on Thursday during hot metal work which saw sparks reach tins of flammable thinner nearby. Airport fire crews controlled the blaze, no injuries were reported. 20th January 2012 Trinidad &Tobago Linesman electrocuted in MEWP A linesman of TTEC(Trinidad &Tobago Electricity Commission) was electrocuted in an accident while working on high power lines 8 metres up in a MEWP(mobile elevating work platform) in Penal, south Trinidad. This was the 4th utility linesman fatality in the last 12 months. 19th January 2012 Malaysia Structural collapse on Penang newbuild site A concrete section of a wall collapse at a newbuild 2-storey house in Bayan Lepas has killed a construction worker and injured another who is being treated in Penang Hospital for a broken leg and ribs. 19th January 2012 Italy Venetian motorway site worker killed by falling pipes A construction worker was killed in a crush accident on Tuesday at a site on the A4 motorway at Meolo, Venice, when metal cables lifting drainage pipes failed and a suspended load fell on him. 18th January 2012 Belgium Transport fatality in Lomprety forest The Department of Labour in Charleroi has been advised of a transport accident in which a 53-year old worker died at Chimay in the forest of Lompret where he was struck by the trailer of a tractor which swung around during a manoeuvre. 18th January 2012 Austria Stokes Basket rescue from fall down power station shaft The Stokes Basket rescue of an injured worker took place yesterday at the Wilhering power station where the 42-year old worker was preparing to undertake maintenance work in a turbine shaft when he lost his balance and fell 8 metres down the shaft. His condition in hospital in Linz was not known. 17th January 2012 Australia NSW scuba diving fatality A 40-year old scuba diver has died in Pambula Hospital following an accident while diving on Monday with colleagues off Long Point, New South Wales, his diving tanks will undergo technical examination. 17th January 2012 Belgium Fishermen drowned off Zeebrugge A search for a fisherman missing off a boat capsized in the North Sea was called off at night fall yesterday, the body of a colleague was rescued from the water near the Wielingen buoy between Blankenberge and Zeebrugge but he succumbed later in hospital from hypothermia. The cause of the accident was unclear, the boat was towed into Ostend on Sunday evening. 16th January 2012 USA Rope tension decapitates worker A worker was decapitated while feeding material into wood chipping equipment in Nevada City, California. Ropes were being used to tie the cut material and it appeared that rope caught in the machine and he became entangled in this rope, tension developed in the rope and this caused the decapitation. 16th January 2012 Italy Swinging crane arm kills Campania worker A worker operating a lorry crane on Thursday afternoon at the construction site of a new industrial warehouse in the Campigliano district of San Cipriano Picento sustained severe head injuries when the crane arm swung and struck his head. He was transferred to the San Giovanni Dio e Ruggi d'Aragano Hospital in Salerno but died shortly after admission. 13th January 2012 France Reversing lorry injures quad bike driver at Martinique quarry The technical director of the SEPCA Caraibes quarry in the Paquemar are of Le Vauclin, Martinique, has been hospitalised in Fort de France with a multiple fracture of a leg and pelvic trauma after being struck on his quad bike by a reversing lorry which had stopped to allow an excavator passage on one of the quarry's perimeter roads.13th January 2012 Spain Leon worker killed in hydraulic equipment A worker has died in a crush accident during the construction of a warehouse at premises in Quintanilla de Florez, Leon. It appears he became trapped in equipment while using a multi-purpose hydraulic arm known as a "manitu." 12th January 2012 USA St Louis worker crushed in press machine A fatal crush accident has occurred at Butler Merchandising Solutions, a manufacturer of retail display signs on Delmar Road, St Louis, where a worker became trapped in a large press machine. 12th January 2012 USA Texas rail worker hit by maintenance wagon A Burlington Northern Santa Fe railway worker has died in an accident in North Amarillo, Texas, where he was struck by a rail grinding machine being switched from one track to another to repair a leakage in it. It is speculated that miscommunication contributed to the accident which saw him bumped and fall under the slow-moving wagon. 11th January 2012 USA New York bin man run over by wagon A 38-year old refuse collector of Ace Environmental has been killed after being run over by a bin van during a collection round on Osborne Terrace, Newark, New York. It was thought that he may have been trying to remount the rear of the wagon when the accident occurred. It was unclear if the vehicle was reversing at the time. 11th January 2012 Italy Workers burned by oil as recycling compactor explodes A paper recycling compactor exploded yesterday at the Fioraso premises in Andezeno, 10 miles southeast of Turin, an ensuing oil spillage ignited and left 4 workers with burns injuries. The most seriously injured was a admitted to the burns unit of CTO Hospital in Turin, the others are being treated at Chieri Hospital. 10th January 2012 USA Connecticut excavator operator killed in crush accident Investigators were yesterday studying a fatal accident in Bridgeport, Connecticut where a construction worker died in a crush accident when he became pinned between an excavator and a building on the site. Fire crews deployed airbags to raise the excavator, from which he had either alighted and been subsequently pinned by the moving vehicle, or from which he had been pitched off when it became unstable as he undertook grading work. 10th January 2012 Russia Child drowns in waste water after pavement subsidence A 2-year old child drowned yesterday in a waste water collection tank in Bryansk, 240 miles southwest of Moscow, following a pavement subsidence accident. A 26-year old woman was pushing the child in a pram when the cave-in occurred, initial speculation was that a waste water pipe had fractured and collapsed. The woman was rescued from the hole but the child was washed along the system. 9th January 2012 Australia Worker survives electric shock A 47-year old man is listed in critical but stable condition in hospital in Melbourne after experiencing cardiac arrest from an electric shock while installing speakers for a Cycling Australia Road National Championships event at Buninyong. It is thought that a cable being thrown to him touched an overhead power line before reaching him. Paramedics managed to resuscitate him at the locus prior to hospitalisation. 9th January 2012 China Unstable peroxyacetic acid explosion in Shanghai An explosion occurred during the production of highly purified peroxyacetic acid at the Shanghai Habo Chemical Technology Company in Songjiang, Shanghai, killing 1 worker and injuring 3 others, the company also manufactures hydrogen peroxide. 6th January 2012 France Worker's arm injured at Martinique waste incinerator A worker has been admitted to Pierre Zobda-Quitman Hospital in Fort de France, Martinique, with a severe arm injury after being caught in a conveyor system at a municipal waste disposal incinerator, it is speculated that he was attempting to clear a blockage when the accident occurred. 6th January 2012 New Zealand Conservationist missing on Pacific island Fears have been expressed over the survival of a 33-year old Romanian conservation biologist missing since Monday on Raoul Island, 680 miles northeast of New Zealand. He is one of 4 volunteers assisting 3 Department of Conservation workers and is believed to have been recording meteorological readings. An extensive air and land search of the island has failed to find him and there are fears he may have been washed off a rock by a wave. The Department of Labour has been advised of the situation. 5th January 2012 Russia Boy attacked by tiger at travelling zoo in Amur A 3-year boy was listed in critical condition in intensive care in a hospital in Blagoveschensk after being bitten and clawed in the head and legs by an Amur tiger at a travelling zoo in the city. It was alleged that the tiger had been moved from its cage to a less substantial enclosure to allow visitors to pose for photos and the boy's parents had allowed him to stand too close to the enclosure which allowed the animal to reach him through the bars.   5th January 2012 Italy Genoa lift worker dies; Sicilian site worker's leg cut by flex A 46-year old Peruvian national died yesterday in San Martin Hospital, Genoa, where he was being treated for critical crush injuries after being trapped under the carriage of a lift during maintenance work at a building on via Caffare, Genoa. He and a colleague were involved in the maintenance work, it is believed that his colleague was working inside the carriage when the accident occurred. Elsewhere in Italy, a Sardinian construction worker was badly injured when a flex bit deeply into his leg on a site in Agrigento yesterday, prompt medical attention is understood to have saved his leg from amputation. 4th January 2012 Sweden Girl dragged to death under tram Goteborg Sparvagar, which operates the city's trams, is investigating a fatal accident yesterday in which a teenage girl was dragged to her death under a tram in the city's Drottingtorget shortly before the morning rush hour. Initial speculation of the accident was that she may have tried to move through a gap between the last 2 carriages of the stationary tram just prior to it moving off. 4th January 2012 The Netherlands Bull gores 2 Gelderland farmers to death A wild bull has killed 2 farm proprietors aged 58 and 60 at premises in Hengelo, Gelderland, the accident occurred as they were moving a cow and her newborn calf in a byre where the bull charged through a timber fence and attacked them. 3rd January 2012 Mexico Trench collapse kills worker at Chihuahua level crossing site A worker died in an unstable excavation at the site of a new level crossing on Avenida Francisco Villa, Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua. He was a subcontractor for Ferromex on work being overseen by the Secretaria de Communicaciones y Transportes.  3rd January 2012

Germany Crane collapses on worker at Mulhouse site A crane collapsed during a lifting operation at a construction site on Friday on Old Tuttling Street in the Villingen-Schwenning district of Muhlhouse, an accident which claimed the life of a 39-year old site worker who was standing under the crane when the boom broke and the front segment and a concrete section fell on him. 28th January 2012 Belgium Passenger killed in Brussels tram door accident A 52-year old male passenger died in an accident early on Thursday evening when he was dragged several metres after his backpack became caught in the doors of a tram on Place du Conseil in Anderlecht, Brussels. STIB (Societe des Transports Intercommunaux de Bruxelles) is investigating why the tram doors would not have automatically opened upon detection of an object or person, a cord from the backpack apparently caught in the tram's rear doors. 27th January 2012 USA Nebraskan bakery outlet worker hit by reversing lorry An employee of the Old Home Bakery in Omaha, Nebraska, died in a crush accident during the night shift on Thursday morning when he became pinned against a loading bay by a reversing lorry. 27th January 2012 Germany Wind farm worker missing in North Sea A worker fell into the North Sea yesterday and was listed missing at the Bard Offshore1 wind farm 55 miles northwest of Borkum when a "boatlanding" failed during the installation of a foundation for a wind turbine platform. A major search for the missing man was launched, involving divers from Emden and Wilhelmshaven. His survival suit would afford him 8 hours in the water, a southeasterly wind, Beaufort 6, was blowing. A colleague who fell at the same time was rescued from the sea. 26th January 2012 Austria Crane driver falls 40 metres on Vienna site A crane driver died in a 40-metre fall from his cabin at the Sofiensale site on Landstrasse, Vienna, on Wednesday. Initial speculation was that a safety guard between the peak of the crane and its pivotal axis was inadvertently loosened when he left the cab. 26th January 2012 Australia Crush fatality at Victoria transport depot A worker has died in a transport crush accident at a lorry depot in Hepburn Springs, northwest Victoria, where he became pinned against machinery by a lorry which subsequently rolled over him. 25th January 2012 Australia Quarry worker's arm caught in conveyor A 20-year old quarry worker is listed in stable condition in Royal Brisbane Hospital after his arm became caught in a conveyor belt at a sand and gravel quarry in Conondale. 25th January 2012 Italy Shuttering falls on crane operator during hoisting A 6x2-metre shuttering panel fell from a crane in an excavation during hoisting at a construction site yesterday on the Brebemi motorway, Bergamo, the detached section fell on the cabin and killed the 48-year Albanian crane operator.  24th January 2012 Thailand Subsidence saw crane collapse during concrete pour A construction worker died instantly of multiple fractures in an accident during a concrete pour in a warehouse in Pattaya when subsidence occurred on ground supporting a crane lifting the concrete to a beam. 24th January 2012 India Refinery welding explosion An explosion occurred during hot metal work in the MRPL(Mangalore Refinery & Petrochemicals Ltd) refinery where a worker died in the Sulphur Recovery Unit II. 23rd January 2012 Spain Festival spectator killed by running bull A 45-year old spectator at the San Anton festival in Navajas died after being trampled by a running bull. It is believed that he and others were standing on a pile of logs to view a bull-running spectacle but he lost his balance and fell, and was struck on the head by the bull's hooves.  23rd January 2012 Zambia Rock fall kills worker at Chinese-owned mine A 37-year old miner died in a fall of ground accident, believed to have occurred after underground blasting, in Shaft 3 of the Collum Coal Mine, 2 other miners sustained critical injuries and were admitted to Maamba Hospital, Sinazongwe, Southern Zambia. 20th January 2012 Spain Worker falls from MEWP of unbraked vehicle A municipal utility worker of San Bartolome de Tirajana, Gran Canaria, sustained head injuries in fall from a MEWP(mobile elevating work platform) while preparing to work on a street light in Lomo Gordo. The hand brake of the MEWP had not been properly applied or was malfunctioning, which led to movement which saw the worker pitched out.  20th January 2012 Austria Crush fatality in Karnten sawmill A Bosnian worker has died in a crush and machinery accident at a sawmill in Sachsenburg, Karnten. He was working with a 450Kg timber section which pinned him in log sorting machinery there, it was unclear at the time if he was trying to clear a blockage which may have caused him to be struck by the moving timber. 19th January 2012 Germany Reversing forklift hits warehouse worker A 42-year old warehouse worker has been hospitalised in Neumarkt, Bavaria, with serious injuries after being overseen and struck by a reversing forklift truck in the warehouse in premises in Berching. 19th January 2012 Argentina Boiler explosion kills Misiones worker A foreman of the MDF plant in Puerto Piray, Misiones, has died of severe burns to his respiratory system in Madariaga Hospital in Posadas following an accident at the Alto Parana plant when a boiler valve exploded. Of 8 workers in the vicinity he had borne the full blast, one of the others is still in intensive care on a ventilator. 18th January 2012 Belgium Crush fatality at clay granules silo A 21-year old worker of ISS of Destelbergen died yesterday after several days in hospital following a crush accident at the Argex clay granules silo in Burcht where he and colleagues were engaged in cleaning work. An encrusted mass of material came off the silo wall and fell on him, burying him 10 metres down under the granules. 18th January 2012 Lebanon 24 killed in Beirut building collapse The collapse of a 5-storey building in the Fassouh district of Ashrafieh, Beirut, has led to 24 deaths, the building housed mostly African migrant workers, the structural collapse of such buildings is not a common occurrence in Lebanon. 17th January 2012 Colombia Worker killed in 9-storey fall A construction worker died in San Juan de Dios Hospital, Armenia, following an accident involving beam shuttering which saw him fall 9 storeys at a newbuild site at the junction of 19 and 22nd North Street near the Civil Defence building.17th January 2012 Kazakhstan Welding fire at Astana mosque A construction worker died and 13 others were injured during hot metal work yesterday in the Khazret Sultan mosque in Astana when sparks ignited scaffolding under the mosque's dome. 16th January 2012 Germany Lift crush fatality in Paderborn A lift engineer engaged in maintenance work died in a crush accident on Saturday in the main building of premises in Paderborn, details of the accident had not emerged. 16th January 2012 Germany Worker killed in fall into sawdust silo A 60-year old worker died in hospital in Heidelberg yesterday where he was admitted after falling into a sawdust filled silo on premises on Neuland Street, Sinsheim. He had entered the silo to undertake maintenance work but somehow slipped and was 20 minutes under the fine tilth dust before being brought out. 13th January 2012 Canada Hydrogen sulphide kills Alberta well site worker An exposure to hydrogen sulphide gas has claimed the life of a maintenance worker of Rezone Well Servicing Ltd at a Sinopec Daylight Energy well site 15 miles southwest of Whitecourt, Alberta. 13th January 2012 UAE Scaffold collapse kills Sharjah worker A 27-year old construction worker has died in an accident on a construction site in the Al Buhairah area of Sharjah where a scaffold failed and came down upon him. The victim was not wearing a hard hat and it was alleged that the site manifested safety deficiencies. 12th January 2012 Republic of Mauritius Wall collapse injures worker A 48-year old construction worker  has sustained a serious leg injury when a wall collapsed on the Coger Ltee site in Caudan Waterfront, Port Louis, where extension work to the Suffren Hotel is being undertaken. 12th January 2012 Italy Fall from scaffold in Lecce A worker was admitted to the Vito Fazzi Hospital in Lecce yesterday and was listed in critical condition after a fall from a scaffold structure on a housing site in the city. 11th January 2012 Italy Simplon track worker injured by train Rete Ferroviaria Italiana, the national rail service, is investigating an accident in which a worker of Gefer  sustained head and shoulder injuries when he was struck by a slow-moving train during sleeper replacement work on the Simplon line between Varzo and Domodossola. He is being treated in Maggiore di Novara Hospital, the contractor was replacing sleepers following a recent derailment. 11th January 2012 Switzerland Worker's leg pinned in chairlift accident An employee of the Kaiseregg-Bahnen sustained a severe thigh injury yesterday in a crush accident during inspection work at the Kaiseregg chairlift in the Bernese Oberland. He was working on the pylons up at the mountain station when he slipped and was drawn along by a chair before becoming pinned between it and a drive wheel.  10th January 2012 Japan CO incident in unventilated restaurant room A suspected carbon monoxide incident saw 21 diners become unwell during a meal in a room at a restaurant in Ichikawa, Hyogo. The room features a central sunken hearth with a pot cooking over a charcoal fire. The windows of the room were closed and it was alleged that staff had failed to activate extractor fans which could have led to a potential build-up of fumes. The diners were hospitalised and all are expected to make a full recovery. 10th January 2012 UAE Lift engineer killed in fall down shaft A 28-year old lift engineer has died in an accident in a fall and crush accident in the lift shaft of a 10-storey building in the Al Shuwhain area of Sharjah. He was engaged in maintenance work on Sunday and apparently fell from the top of the carriage which subsequently descended on him from the 8th floor. 9th January 2012 Trinidad and Tobago Trench collapse kills site worker A 35-year old African construction worker of Ragbir and Deonarine Contractors, subcontracted to the Trinidad and Tobago Electricity Commission, died in an unstable excavation during pipe installation at a site on the junction of Wrightson Road and Flament Street in Port-of-Spain. He and a colleague became trapped 2 metres underground when the trench collapsed and it took several hours to recover his body. His colleague was hospitalised with fractures. 9th January 2012 Argentina Worker killed in fall from raised position A 39-year old worker has died in a 4-metre fall which inflicted a severe fracture of the base of his skull at Basil farm in La Puntilla. He and another worker had been raised on a backhoe vehicle and were fitting metal plates to a shed when he lost his balance and fell. 6th January 2012 Colombia Earth slippage at Cucunuba mine A mud slide occurred on Thursday in a coal mine in Vereda Aposentos, Cundinamarca, claiming the life of a 24-year old miner. He was 1 of 3 miners at the locus, one managed to escape uninjured, the other is listed in satisfactory condition in hospital. 6th January 2012 Argentina Santa Fe engineer electrocuted working on power lines On Wednesday morning a 22-year old employee of the electrical cooperative of Venado Tuerto in Santa Fe died after being exposed to a live13K-volt power line during maintenance work on the lines in the La Victoria industrial estate of the city. 5th January 2012 Germany Solar panel installer dies in fall from roof A 31-year old worker died of head injuries in a fall of 8.6 metres from the roof of a timber manufacturing company in the Langenslingen district of Andelfingen, Baden-Wurttemburg, he was 1 of 8 workers engaged in the installation of roof solar panels. 5th January 2012 Peru Sullana street sweeper killed by car A 35-year old female operating street-sweeping equipment has died of severe head trauma in the Hospital de Apoyo, Sullana, after being struck by a car when its driver lost control of the vehicle. It has been alleged that the car driver subsequently failed a blood/alcohol test. 4th January 2012 Colombia Triple fatality in illegal Antioquia gold mine The Instituto de Geologia y Mineria is investigating a triple fatality at an illegal gold mine in Puerto Berrio, in the east of Antioquia, where 3 workers were found dead in the illegal mine. It was not initially clear whether they had succumbed to a build up of methane or carbon monoxide, or were victims of an explosion. Last year 58 mining fatalities were recorded in Colombia. 4th January 2012 Turkey 4 dead in explosion at ammo disposal facility A build-up of gas pressure was speculated as a possible cause of an explosion on Monday at a 4-storey military ammunition disposal facility in Yahsihan, Kirikkale, which saw 4 night shift security guards killed. 3rd January 2012 Australia Perth rail construction worker killed A rail construction worker of John Holland has been killed in a crush accident after being struck by a rail maintenance vehicle which appears to have experienced brake failure as it was coming off the tracks during work on the Perth City Link Project. 3rd January 2012

Germany Bonn worker rescued uninjured from 6-m deep trench collapse A construction worker survived being buried to chest level in an unstable excavation at the former Chancellory building in Bonn on Friday. Shoring was improvised from scaffold poles to preclude further instability and using light tools and hand digging the worker was rescued relatively uninjured early in the evening. 28th January 2012 Scotland Fall from height fatality during DIY at church The funeral has taken place of a 71-year old Lanarkshire man who died in a fall from a ladder while painting the ceiling of Wishaw Baptist Church, he was one of a number of members who undertake such tasks at the church. 27th January 2012 Uruguay Construction worker dies of leptospirosis The death of a 53-year old construction worker in Rio Branco has been confirmed as leptospirosis, 2 other workers aged 26 and 42 are being treated in hospital for the illness. It was unclear whether they contracted it in their dormitory accommodation or on site near the Maua Bridge on the border with Brazil.  27th January 2012 Italy Falling hay bale kills worker A 33-year old man died of blunt force trauma injuries in hospital in Bolzano yesterday after being struck by a 400Kg bale of hay which became unstable during unloading from a lorry at La Valle, South Tyrol, earlier in the day. 26th January 2012 USA Patio roof collapse kills Utah construction worker A 46-year old construction worker was killed when a 5x5 metre patio roof collapsed during renovation work and fell on him as he worked up a ladder at premises on Kensington Avenue in the Sugar House area of Salt Lake City.   26th January 2012 Spain Reversing lorry kills Basque warehouse worker A 32-year old warehouse worker was killed by a reversing lorry at an unloading bay at the Eguiluz & Ercilla premises on the Erletxe industrial estate in Galdako, southeast of Bilbao. He was positioning a ramp in preparation for the lorry's unloading when he was struck, unsighted by the lorry driver. 25th January 2012 USA Worker falls into concrete pour trench A worker of Bradshaw Construction Corporation was rescued from an excavation filled with wet concrete but is listed in critical condition in hospital. A 2-metre sewer pipe was being installed in a tunnel under the Florida East Coast Railway in Hollywood, Fort Lauderdale, and he was lying on a timber board which lifted during the pour, pitching him into the excavation. 25th January 2012 Austria Workers survive warehouse roof collapse Two sawmill workers survived the collapse of a warehouse roof at  premises in Radstadt, Salzburg, on Monday morning. They became aware of the imminent collapse, caused by a mass of heavy snow, and sought refuge beside a 4-metre high stack of timber and emerged later with light injuries. 24th January 2012 Belgium Fall from height factory accident linked to Limburg burglary A 31-year old Polish national died in hospital in Maaseik yesterday from injuries sustained in a fall from height accident at industrial premises on Bekaertlaanm, Dilsen. Further investigation alleged that the accident involved an act of attempted burglary.  24th January 2012 Switzerland Falling material injures Gotthard tunnel worker A 46-year old construction worker sustained life-threatening injuries on Sunday when timber and a metal crate fell from scaffolding and struck him at the Faido TI site on the south side of the NEAT Gotthard base tunnel project. 23rd January 2012 USA Fall from height death at Texas oil rig An oil worker died in an 18-metre fall from a derrick on to the floor of an Energy Drilling Company rig near O'Farrell, Texas. 23rd January 2012 Liechtenstein Worker injured in fall from raised forklift forks A 29-year old worker was hospitalised on Thursday with head and chest injuries in a fall from height after being raised on the forks of a forklift truck. To work on overheard lighting at premises in Ruggell, north Liechtenstein, he was raised inside a wire mesh container which tipped on its side during the operation, causing him to fall out. 20th January 2012 The Netherlands Skipper fined over collision off Hook of Holland The 40-year old captain of the tanker Athiri was fined €10K in court yesterday for various breaches of maritime regulations over an incident on Wednesday evening in which his boat struck the tanker Sloman Themis which was at anchor off the Hook of Holland. Both ships were carrying hazardous material but the damage was above the water line, both later sailed into Rotterdam. 20th January 2012 Wales Light aircraft crash in Powys Two occupants of a light aircraft were killed when it crashed on Wednesday at Long Mountain in Leighton, Powys, the Air Accident Investigation Branch was due at the scene later in the day. 19th January 2012 Colombia Teenage worker killed in fall on Neiva site An 18-year old construction worker has died in a fall from height accident on a site in the Rojas Trujillo district of Neiva. He lost his balance and fell from the 4th storey, he also contacted a live power source in his fall. 19th January 2012 Germany Chemical incident at Bruhl works Thirty-nine workers were injured yesterday in a chemical incident at the DOM technology plant in Bruhl involving a toxic atmosphere from chlorine bleach used to clean cylinders and 200 litres of hydrochloric acid. Sixteen of the injured were hospitalised, with 7 being admitted to intensive care. 18th January 2012 Norway Helicopter crashed herding deer in wintry weather The Norwegian Air Accident Investigation Board is investigating a helicopter crash at Mosjoen which claimed the lives of 2 workers of Jamtlands Flyg during work to herd reindeer, snow storms prevailed locally at the time. 18th January 2012 Wales Powys helicopter crash The Air Accident Investigation Unit was advised of a helicopter crash yesterday near the Lake Vyrnwy Hotel, Montgomeryshire, both occupants escaped the accident with minor injuries which were treated at Royal Shrewsbury Hospital. 17th January 2012 Venezuela Shift change boat hit rig in bad weather A worker died and 9 others were injured when the Mara-50 boat  taking PDV(Petroleos de Venezuela) workers to a shift change struck the LL-118 oil rig 15 miles north of the Lagunillas pier in Lake Maracaibo, the accident occurred in bad weather. 17th January 2012 Rep Ireland Award over Dublin playground accident A 15-year old youth has been awarded €12K(£9,916) by Dublin City Council over an accident at a municipal playground at St Mary's Place, Dublin. Dublin Circuit Civic Court heard that his foot caught on perimeter fencing as he played football, causing him to fall and break a wrist. 16th January 2012 Italy Bergamo quarry owner crushed by excavator The 85-year old proprietor of the Tebaldi marble and granite quarry in Zandobbia, Bergamo, has died in a transport accident when an excavator struck an embankment during a manoeuvre and overturned, knocking him over and crushing him as he passed. 16th January 2012 England Prosecution of Network Rail The Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) has instigated a prosecution against Network Rail in connection with the February 2007 derailment of the Virgin Trains service from London Euston to Glasgow Central near Grayrigg, Cumbria. One passenger died, 86 people were injured. Network Rail is charged under S.3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, it being deemed to have 'failed to provide and implement suitable and sufficient standards, procedures, guidance, training, tools and resources for the inspection and maintenance of fixed stretcher-bar points.' The ORR Director of Railway Safety said: "I have concluded that there is enough evidence, and that it is in the public interest, to bring criminal proceedings against Network Rail for a serious breach of health and safety law which led to the train derailment. The railway today is as safe as it has ever been but there can be no room for complacency. The entire rail industry must continue to strive for improvements to ensure that public safety is never put at risk." 13th January 2012 Argentina Suspended platform fails at 8th floor level A suspended platform failed at 8th floor level outside a building on Paraguay highway, Rosario, where 2 workers were undertaking maintenance work. A 20-year old worker fell to his death, his colleague managed to cling to the hanging structure until rescued. He is being treated for severe injuries, including his eyes as they were working with muriatic acid. 13th January 2012 Japan Lag legs it over wall scaffold at Hiroshima prison A prisoner serving a life sentence for attempted murder was on the run in Hiroshima after escaping from a city prison during an exercise break in the prison yard. He availed himself of scaffolding, which had been erected on both sides of a perimeter wall for maintenance work, to scale the 5m wall, electric current normally running on the wall had been switched off for safety reasons.  13th January 2012 England Somerset helicopter crash The Air Accident Investigation Branch is investigating the crash of a gazelle helicopter which came down in woodland close to the Churchfields Industrial Estate during a flight from Bath to Salisbury. The 3 occupants managed to extricate themselves from the wreckage and one of them was detained in Salisbury District Hospital with back injuries.12th January 2012 Venezuela Water tank collapse kills worker at farm A 46-year old worker has died in the General del Sur Hospital, Maracaibo, where he had been admitted with critical head and internal injuries when the wall of a water tank collapsed at Suan farm in La Cepeda. It is believed that the tank was being filled with water at the time and burst under pressure. 12th January 2012 Germany Burns accident at Frankfurt substation An engineer checking switchgear and wiring in an electrical substation in Seckbach, Frankfurt, was hospitalised with 2nd degree burns following contact with a 100K-volt power source. It was initially unclear whether electricity arced or the accident involved inadequate insulation. 11th January 2012 Mexico Guadalajara accident probe A worker has died in an accident at the Vidrios Cristales y Lunas premises on San Felipe Street, Guadalajara. Conflicting reports of the accident were received, initially indicating an electrical accident but later it was thought that an elevator was involved. 11th January 2012 Romania Woman's hand severed cutting wood A 52-year old woman was listed in critical condition in hospital in Iasi last night following an accident in which she severed her hand while cutting timber with a saw earlier in the day. The severed hand was brought to the hospital, initially surgical re-attachment was being hoped for. 10th January 2012 Venezuela Fall from height fatality A 38-year old worker fell 2 storeys while working in a building in Siquisay, Pampan. He sustained critical head injuries and died during treatment in A&E in Dr Pedro Emilio Carrillo University Hospital. 10th January 2012 Sweden Fatal accident at Malmo shooting range A fatal shooting accident occurred on Sunday at a Malmo shooting range, local police have indicated that there were no suspicions of a criminal act and that the victim died from a shot from a gun he was handling. 9th January 2012 Austria Fingers severed in electric winch A 45-year old man was hospitalised in Amstetten on Saturday after severing 2 fingers in an electric winch being used to pull timber at premises in Grossraming, Steyr, his fingers having become caught between the drive and gears of the electric winch. 9th January 2012 Italy Maintenance workers killed on conveyor and under HGV Two workers died in separate crush accidents on Thursday. At Bessone, manufacturer of detergents and plastics in Cuneo, a 49-year old worker died in a crush accident during maintenance work on a conveyor. At the Sada workshop on via Strauss in south Saregno a 26-year old mechanic died in a crush accident under a lorry. 6th January 2012 New Zealand Tree felling accident The Department of Labour is investigating a workplace accident in Otorohanga where a 49-year old excavator operator was killed in a crush accident when a 40-metre high tree fell on his cab during work to fell the tree. The excavator had been digging at the base and roots of the tree which fell suddenly. It was unclear whether the Department was regarding this as a forestry or farming fatality. The Department recorded 17 agricultural and farming deaths last year which saw a total of 37 workplace deaths in all sectors, the lowest figure for 6 years. 6th January 2012 Rep Ireland Workplace deaths rise again, farming disproportionally dangerous Workplace deaths rose by 15% last year from 48 in 2010 to 55 in 2011, the 2nd successive year of increase, but while agricultural fatalities fell from 25 in 2010 to 22 last year, farming still proves to be a disproportionally dangerous occupation, with farming accounting for 40% of fatalities from just 6% of the Irish workforce. 5th January 2012 Switzerland Fire in Geneva hospital patient's room An adult psychiatric patient was badly burned and left in critical condition after a fire in his room on the 5th floor of the University of Geneva Hospital. A member of staff was badly injured with smoke inhalation during the patient's rescue, others sustained lesser injuries. Naked flames are strictly banned in rooms in the hospital where the last fire incident occurred 25 years ago.  5th January 2012 England Crew man killed in severe weather off Devon A crew man of the Annie PG has died in an accident in the English Channel after the small tanker was struck by a large wave. Two other crew men were injured, all were airlifted off the ship by Falmouth Coastguard. 4th January 2012 Germany Bin man's hand crushed guiding reversing wagon An Essen refuse collector was detained in hospital with a severe hand injury following an accident in which his hand was crushed against a traffic bollard as he guided a reversing bin wagon on the city's Aachenerstrasse. 4th January 2012 UAE Workers' heads severed in fall from height Two Asian construction workers died in a fall from the 8th storey at a newbuild site on Nadja Street, Abu Dhabi, when timber sections on their scaffold failed. One worker's head was cleft on impact, the other's was severed as they struck equipment and sharp-edged material. 3rd January 2012 Spain Construction deaths and workforce decline Although the 123 construction sector workplace fatality figure for 2011 represents a fall of 34 from the total of 157 in 2010, a reduction in the construction workforce last year has to be considered when appraising the reduction. Andalucia and Madrid accounted for 25% of the fatalities. 3rd January 2012 Northern Ireland Fatal industrial accident in Co Antrim It is reported that a man has died in an accident yesterday afternoon near Portglenone, 6 miles west of Ballymena. One account states he was working on an item of plant beneath which he became trapped. 1st January 2012

Visit www.safetystandard.co.uk for UK news and information on occupational health and safety. England Serious industrial accident in Co Durham A worker sustained serious crush injuries in the early hours of yesterday as he worked at the premises of Conmech Engineering in Annfield Plain. Accounts state his lower body was trapped by a large machine. 27th January 2012 England Elderly man dies following accident It has been reported that a man has died following an industrial accident on the 18th January at the premises of Tyre Renewals in Castle Cary, 10 miles north of Yeovil, Somerset. One account states he was initially trapped in machinery and succumbed to his injuries later. 27th January 2012 England Faulty wiring caused fatal house fire A 34-year old woman died in the basement of her Knowle, Bristol, home in September 2010 after becoming overcome by the products of combustion of a fire. An expert witness at the Flax Bourton inquest into her death opined that an earthing conductor overheated, causing cables to ignite roof joists. A verdict of accidental death was recorded. 26th January 2012 Scotland Guilty plea by rail maintenance company Railcare Ltd of Milton Keynes has admitted breaching the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 at Glasgow Sheriff Court in connection with an industrial accident in which a maintenance employee suffered a fatal head injury while working at its Springburn, Glasgow, site during December 2008. It is believed his clothing caught in an inadequately guarded lathe machine being used to polish a train axle. Sentencing will take place next month. 26th January 2012 England Worker trapped by hand Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service were called upon on Monday morning to extricate a workman from machinery at the premises of Lloyds Animal Feeds, Westover Trading Estate, Langport, Somerset. One account states the entrapment involved an augur being used by the man on a platform. He was taken by air ambulance to hospital after his 2-hour ordeal. 25th January 2012 England Elderly man in Kent care home fatal fall It is reported that a resident in his 80's, staying at the Wells House Nursing home in Folkestone, has died after falling from a window on Sunday afternoon. 25th January 2012 England Care home fire It is speculated that Saturday afternoon's fire at The Knowles Tile Hill, Coventry, care home was caused by a lit cigarette placed in the pocket of clothing hung up within a resident's room. One resident was treated for burns to her leg and another for smoke inhalation at a local hospital, others were treated at the scene for mild smoke inhalation. 24th January 2012 England Inquests over asbestos related deaths The manner in which asbestos exposures earlier in working lives have the potential to kill decades after exposure is all too well illustrated by recent inquest determinations related to the disease mesothelioma. In all the following cases the verdict was death from an industrial disease. A retired 74-year old haematologist died of the disease caused by an exposure to asbestos dust during his service on HMS Albion during 1956. A 47-year old woman was exposed to asbestos at her workplace between 1980 and 1984 during which time fabric repairs were carried out in the premises where she worked as a machinist. A 63-year old retired policeman died of the disease, it is believed, because he attended dozens of fires from as far back as 1968 as part of his duties for Hampshire Police. 24th January 2012 England Business loses small fortune in gas incident Retail businesses in the centre of Liverpool were left counting the cost of lost revenue following last Thursday's evacuation of the city centre after a gas main was breached when workmen hit it when they were depositing downtakings from height down a chute at the junction of Renshaw Street and Ranelagh Street. An entire half-day's trading was lost in an area within 200 metres of the gas main and Liverpool Central Station was closed. 23rd January 2012 Scotland Dog triggered fatal industrial accident A fatal accident inquiry has pointed to the likelihood that a farmer's dog knocked against the lever control of a Manitou reach truck with a shovel attachment to move it forward to fatally crush its master at a farm near Mintlaw, Aberdeenshire, in June 2008. The deceased 67-year old farmer had alighted from the vehicle to shovel some spilled animal feed into the bucket when it had crushed him against the wall, his body to be subsequently discovered by his son- in-law. The dog was observed still in the cab, the vehicle engine was found cold, its battery flat and it had run out of diesel, expert deductions pointed to the farmer having died many hours before discovery, probably the previous evening. The Sheriff presiding at the inquiry in Peterhead determined that the reasonable precautions that the deceased might have taken to prevent the accident would have been any one of: parking the vehicle parallel to the wall rather than perpendicular to it; switching the engine off; engaging neutral gear, engaging the handbrake; or taking the dog out of the cab. It was noted that models of this machine produced a few months after the one involved were fitted with seat sensors so that the vehicles could not move without the presence of a driver in the operator's seat.  20th January 2012 England Worker taken to hospital It is reported that a 59-year old man was air-lifted to hospital on Wednesday afternoon from a hotel in Stratford-upon-Avon to a specialist unit in Birmingham for upper body burns sustained in a cleaning accident in the hotel kitchen. 20th January 2012 England Fatal accident at Cemex It is reported that a scaffolder in his 20's died in the early hours of yesterday in an industrial accident at the Cemex premises in Rugby. The contractor sustained head injuries from which he succumbed at the site, another man sustained a broken arm in the incident. 19th January 2012 England Accidental death of mechanic An inquest jury has returned a verdict of accidental death, having weighed up the evidence concerning the fatal incident in which a 48-year old mechanic working at Ipswich Docks died some weeks after he was injured by an exploding forklift truck tyre on a multi-piece wheel in the workshop of Associated British Ports at Cliff Quay. The inquest heard that the explosion could not have occurred had the multi-piece wheel been deflated before removal. 19th January 2012 Wales Farm worker impaled It is reported that a farm worker has sustained a serious leg injury yesterday afternoon when he was impaled on the spike of a hay baler on a farm near Bodedern, Anglesey. 18th January 2012 England Finger severed DuBois Ltd, trading as AGI Amaray, of Slough, Berkshire, has been fined £7,000 with costs of £4,677 having pleaded guilty to breaching r.11(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 in the circumstances of an industrial accident in which an employee severed his finger in machinery at a factory in Corby. He was working to repair a colour dosing unit attached to an injection moulding machine when the middle finger on his left hand became trapped in the rotating dial used to add colour to the plastic. Surgeons could not repair the damage and it was amputated above the knuckle. The machine’s guard had been removed for the task and this had been a regular occurrence. 18th January 2012 England Prison sentence for work at height breach A man from Leicester man has been given a 12-month suspended prison sentence for breaching r.4(1) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 in connection with the death in June 2009 of a 44-year old man who fell 6 metres  through the corrugated asbestos cement sheeted roof of a disused factory unit in Leicester. He had been instructed to carry out the work by the convicted man who was helping to bring the building back into use, but the work was arranged without proper planning, supervision or carried out in a safe manner. Leicester Crown Court  ordered him to pay compensation of £13,800 to the deceased's family and full costs of £17,337. 17th January 2012 England Vet critically injured A veterinary practitioner is reported to be critically ill in a Bristol hospital after sustaining head injuries in an accident last week involving work with livestock. 17th January 2012 Ireland 5 missing from sunken fishing boat Five crewmen from the fishing vessel Tit Bonhomme are missing after it sank at 6am yesterday morning off Union Hall Harbour, County Cork. One crewman has been lifted from the water and taken to hospital. Force 7-8 winds were prevailing at the time, the 21-metre long boat is reported to have been crewed by 4 Egyptian men and there has been speculation that it may have struck a small island before sinking. 16th January 2012 England Prison sentence for school death driver The 41-year old driver of a South Lakeland District Council recycling vehicle which struck and killed a 58-year old woman in the grounds of St Mary’s C. of E. Nursery and Infant School in Windermere, Cumbria, while reversing in March 2011 has been given a 10-month custodial sentence, having earlier admitted a charge of death by careless driving at Carlisle Crown Court. 16th January 2012 Wales Commercial fisherman missing A search is ongoing for a crew member of a Scottish based fishing vessel gone overboard during the early hours of Friday morning. He was last seen onboard when the boat was 1.2 miles west of South Stack off Anglesey, having refuelled at Holyhead. He was reported missing when the boat was 15 miles west of Anglesey, the search for the man, who was reported to be not wearing a lifejacket, extends over an area of 50miles². 13th January 2012 England Narrow escape for worker at silo A man was extricated from a grain silo by Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Services yesterday at a farm in Blewbury, 10 miles north of Newbury. He was reported to have been buried up to his chest at one point, and extremely lucky to survive. 13th January 2012 England Incident at agrochemical manufacturer Two workers were taken to hospital for treatment after reportedly collapsing as they worked at the premises of AmegA Sciences Plc in Daventry, Northamptonshire. Both men were  reported to be under observation but their condition is described was non-life threatening. 13th January 2012 England Landfill death in Cambs. An inquest has been opened into the death of a lorry driver who died in an incident last week at the Waste Recycling Group operated landfill site at Milton, Cambridgeshire. Accounts state that he sustained a crush injury and that the deceased was employed by a contractor delivering waste. 12th January 2012 England Plumber put lives at risk The proprietor of C&H Services, a plumbing business in Milton Keynes, has been prosecuted and fined for breaching r.3(1) and 3(3) of the Gas Safety (Installation & Use) Regulations 1998 in connection with gas installation work at a residential property in Dunstable which was described as immediately dangerous when inspected by Gas Safe, the Government approved registration scheme for gas engineers in the UK. Examination of the work revealed that the boiler and flue were not compatible and the boiler casing had not been replaced, resulting in the seal between the boiler and the kitchen becoming ineffective. The defects could have resulted in carbon monoxide escaping. The investigation also found that the proprietor was not registered with Gas Safe and was working illegally. He received a 3-month community order and was ordered to pay £475 costs. 12th January 2012 Scotland Chemical incident at West Lothian warehouse More than 20 persons were taken to hospital yesterday morning after reporting that they had been affected by exposure to a chemical spilled at the premises of distribution company Palletways in the Kirkton area of Livingston. Some of those affected are reported to have been kept in hospital during the afternoon for observation of what were described as minor symptoms. One account states the spillage was a small quantity of Denatonium Benzoate, which attracts the risk phrases 'R20/22 - Harmful by inhalation and if swallowed', its container was inadvertently punctured. 11th January 2012 Scotland Intruder hanged It is reported that a 37-year old man was discovered by an employee arriving for work to be dead and hanging from a boundary fence between 2 properties at the Carse Industrial Estate in Inverness last Thursday. One account speculates that his clothing caught on the fence, causing accidental hanging. 11th January 2012 Peru Irishman killed in charity race accident An Irishman participating in the Mototaxi Junket, a charity adventure challenge between Cuzco and Piura in Peru organised by The Adventurists, has died in an accident involving his 3-wheel converted motorcycle near Huancayo. His colleague was hospitalised and is listed in stable condition. No other road user was involved in the accident. The 25-year old victim had latterly been based in Edinburgh. 10th January 2012 England Scaffolder severely disabled by falling load A 31-year old man has been left paraplegic, the result of an industrial accident during November 2008. He was unloading a number of 7-metre long scaffold members, operating a vehicle-mounted crane at Festival Park in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent, when one of the lifting slings detached from the crane hook. The load fell on him because he had taken up a position directly underneath it. The lift had not been adequately planned by his employer, and significantly, the safety catch on the crane hook was defective, a matter that the employer had been aware of but had neglected to remedy. A deficiency in the accident victim's training and supervision meant the significance of the defective crane hook was not recognised. The equipment had not been properly maintained and should never have been used. Employer Spectra Scaffolding of Bury admitted breaching r.8(1) of the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 and r.5(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 and was fined £40,000 with £45,000 costs. 10th January 2012 Scotland French fisherman perishes A French fisherman has died after falling from his vessel, the Jean Claude Coulon II, in the early hours of Sunday morning. He was lost overboard around 25 miles west of Sula Sgeir and recovered by his colleagues but was confirmed dead at Stornoway Harbour. 9th January 2012 England Substandard safety at logistics company Transport and logistics company Kuehne and Nagel Ltd has been fined £48,287 including costs at Northampton Crown Court having breached the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 in connection with an industrial accident at its Wellingborough depot. A 40-year-old employee sustained back injuries when he fell out of the rear of a delivery vehicle after loading merchandise into it. The vehicle driver wasn't told of his colleague's presence and drove away from the delivery bay, causing the man to fall. Wellingborough Council's investigation of the December 2009 accident deemed it resulted from a breakdown in safe working procedures. Having found "serious failures" in the company's health and safety systems it instigated the prosecution. Leadership across the site was lacking and management had insufficient understanding of all the processes on site. The Council says Kuehne and Nagel has since reviewed its policies and procedures and remedied the situation. Wellingborough Council's Principal Health Protection Manager commented: "This accident could easily have been avoided if good health and safety management practices had been used. Companies need to make sure they are abiding by health and safety regulations and have considered the potential hazards and risks associated with their business. We can work with companies to assist them in achieving a standard that can help prevent accidents like this occurring." 9th January 2012 England Company's risk assessment failure A forklift truck driving employee of Manufacturer Vesuvius UK Limited of Derbyshire was badly injured when he fell from a ramp whilst unloading a lorry on 15th February 2010. He was unloading a 7-metre long container at its Sheepbridge Works in Chesterfield using his truck and mobile ramp when the ramp became separated from the lorry bed, causing the truck and driver to fall to the ground. His injuries were so severe that he spent 8 days in hospital having fractured his back. Unable to work for 9 months he is capable of only part- time work. HSE found no evidence of a risk assessment for loading/unloading activities taking place on site. Furthermore, the forklift truck drivers were aware of the problem with the ramp and adopted an informal system of using the forks of the truck to push it back into position. Vesuvius UK Limited of Barlborough, Derbyshire, admitted breaching S.2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, and r.3(1)(a) of the Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations 1999 and was fined £24,000 plus costs of £4,815. 6th January 2012 England Grower oblivious to work at height danger Westland Nurseries (Offenham) Ltd, of Offenham, Evesham, has been fined £12,000 with £6,835 costs in connection with an industrial accident during December 2009. It pleaded guilty to breaching S.2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 at Worcester Magistrates' Court after HSE instigated  a prosecution following its investigation of the accident in which a 21-year old employee fell 3 metres through a glasshouse roof as he cleaned a valley gutter. His injuries prevented him working for 3 months. The injured man had been inadequately trained by another employee who had not been trained in working at height, the company had taken no measures to prevent workers falling from the glasshouse roofs and did not understand the risks involved when working at height. 6th January 2012 England Derbyshire worker injured by bolt gun A man sustained non-life threatening abdominal injuries on Tuesday afternoon whilst handling an animal retained-bolt gun at a butcher's retail premises in Swadlincote. 5th January 2012 England Lift engineer injured It is reported that a man in his 20's has been treated for serious injuries after falling down a shaft adjacent to a lift shaft at a residential building of flatted properties at Paradise Street in the centre of Birmingham yesterday afternoon. 4th January 2012 England Takeaway owners prosecuted The proprietors of the Reigate Kebab & Burger House in the town's London Road have been prosecuted and fined a total of £2,600 plus £900 costs and £30 victim surcharge for a variety of health and safety and food safety breaches of law. A third person was charged with obstruction of a Reigate & Banstead Borough Council official and was fined £100 plus £15 victim surcharge. The offences included: failing to provide hot running water to sinks for hand washing and washing equipment; water leaking from the ceiling onto live electrics; poor repair to internal and external surfaces. The Council's Executive Member for Safer Communities commented: "We have taken a range of actions from the provision of considerable advice and coaching, to legal Hygiene Improvement Notices. Prosecution is always seen as a last resort, but unfortunately in this case it was brought due to the Council’s previous measures failing to secure any long term improvement in food hygiene and health and safety standards." 4th January 2012 England 2 injured in former Notts colliery explosion Two men, reported to be security guards, have been seriously injured in an electrical explosion and fire at a substation at the UK Coal decommissioned Welbeck Colliery at Meden Vale near Mansfield. The men are being treated for burns following the incident on Saturday evening and listed as critical but stable. 3rd January 2012 England Reckless lighting company prosecuted The City of Lincoln Council has prosecuted Academy Signs Ltd after it demonstrated what it termed a 'blatant disregard for health and safety' in the manner in which it undertook work to replace lighting tubes at The Ritz public house on Lincoln High Street on 8th July 2010. The company admitted breaching the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 and the Work at Height Regulations 2005. The 3 separate charges involved failures to: make a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks to health and safety of employees for which it was fined £4,000; take suitable and sufficient measures to prevent, as far as reasonably practicable, a person falling a distance liable to cause a personal injury by failing to provide fall arrest equipment, for which it was fined £3,000; and ensure that people not in its employment who may be affected are not exposed to risks to their health and safety, for which it was fined £5,000. It must also meet costs of £1,000 and a victim surcharge of £15. The Council's Health and Safety Inspector commented: "The City of Lincoln Council has an enforcement responsibility for many businesses operating within the city and we will always investigate employers who demonstrate a blatant disregard for health and safety. The reckless manner in which Academy Signs Ltd went about replacing lighting tubes to JD Wetherspoon The Ritz on High Street put both their employees and members of the public walking on the footpath at risk of serious injury. The fine imposed by Lincoln Magistrates Court confirms that working at a height without any safety measures is unacceptable." 3rd January 2012 England Housebuilder's poor safety standards exposed by accident A fatal accident could have been the outcome of a failure by a housebuilder to follow its own construction plan in respect of dealing with the hazard presented by electrical cables on a farm house refurbishment project. During November last year on the site in Pemberton, near Wigan, a worker cut into a live electricity cable he was told was not live and was thrown across a cellar room and knocked unconscious by the shock. Wain Homes (North West) Ltd of Birchwood, Warrington, had employed the accident victim as a casual labourer. It had prepared a construction plan which had identified live electricity cables as a potential hazard, but it did not take the steps to check existing cables to see if they were live or properly isolated. Furthermore, inspectors also discovered that a gas pipe serving a neighbouring property had been damaged by a digger earlier in the project. The company had failed to plan and manage the construction work safely, failed to locate and check existing gas and electricity services, and failed to ensure the safety of workers. This placed it in breach of r.22(1)(a) and r.34(1) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007 and the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 for which it was fined £8,000 with £2,095 in prosecution costs. 3rd January 2012