Denmark
Jutland worker in induced coma
after trench collapse
A highway construction worker was in a medically-induced coma
following treatment after his rescue from an unstable excavation which
collapsed on him during drain installation in Tofterup, Jutland, where
tonnes of moist soil and sand slipped into the trench. It took an hour
to complete his rescue, by which time he was unconscious and suffering
from hypothermia. At Sydvestjysk Hospital his condition was listed as
stable and it was anticipated that he would be wakened from the coma
late on Wednesday.
30th
April 2009.
|
South Africa
Worker killed, another paralysed
in fall at Pretoria site
A partial structural collapse has occurred at the site of the Parkview
Lifestyle shopping centre in Pretoria, causing the death of 1 worker
and injury to 6 others, 1 of whom has a broken back and is paralysed.
The workers were engaged at 3rd floor level when the incident
occurred. 30th
April 2009.
|
China
Introduction of water led to
smelter furnace explosion
It is speculated that the
spraying of water on the dregs of a furnace at a smelting factory in
Hechi, Guangxi Zhuang province, led to an explosion in which 1 worker
has died and 6 others were injured. All were engaged in the task at
the lead and antimony plant of Nanfang Nonferrous Metals Refining when
the explosion occurred. 29th
April 2009.
|
Sweden
Robotic equipment not
deactivated almost killed maintenance worker
A public prosecutor in Stockholm has apportioned blame equally between
a company and an employee following an accident in June 2007 in which
a worker found himself in a life-threatening situation when robotic
machinery had not been deactivated prior to him commencing maintenance
work on it. Arbetsmiljoverket(AV) investigated the accident in Balsta
which left the worker with broken ribs after being gripped by the
robot used in lifting heavy masonry. 29th
April 2009.
|
Brazil
Contact lost with ocean race
rower in distress
Organisers of the Bouvet-Rames-Guyane ocean rowing race from
Senegal to Guyana are expressing concern for the safety of a
rower, a 45-year old French naval officer, with whom contact has been
lost since Monday morning. Around 11am he launched his first Sarsat
distress beacon, then later launched his second Argos beacon. As of
Monday evening he could not be raised on his Sat phone. His last
location was approximately 280 miles south of the destination port of
Cayenne. Difficult sea conditions were forming as the support ship
Melody set off to search, a Brazilian air/sea search was also
underway. 28th
April 2009.
|
Rep Ireland
€75K fine over worker's death at
Dublin site
Pierse Contracting has been fined a total of €75K(£66,791) after
pleading guilty to 3 breaches of Section 7 of the Health & Safety Act
in respect of a fatal accident at the Gallery Quay site on Pearse
Street, Dublin, on 14th March 2005. A carpet fitter was struck by a
falling steel bar from 6th floor level, accidentally dislodged as a
worker removed a plank section from a pile of timber. The company was
found to have failed to ensure the safety of those not in its employ
by not exposing them to risks by stacking materials at height
appropriately and having edge protection at height. There was also a
failure to provide protection from falling materials by providing
covered passageways and a failure to take account of a health and
safety plan. 28th
April 2009.
|
France
5 killed as air ambulance with
maternity patient crashed in Corsica
The crash of an air ambulance helicopter near the village of Albareto
in Corsica has claimed 5 lives, both pilots, a doctor and a 20-year
old woman who gave birth to a baby in-flight. The helicopter had taken
off from Ponte-Leccia for Bastia, no mayday was received from the
flight, prevailing weather conditions were of high winds and fog. 27th April 2009.
|
Russia
Trawler captain dies in Barents Sea
accident
The captain of the Murmansk trawler Koralnes died during
transportation by rescue helicopter after his boat sank in the Barents
Sea 70 miles northwest of Tromsoe, the rest of the 17 crew were
rescued safely by the joint efforts of the Norwegian coastguard and
another trawler, the Ostrov Valaam The captain was one of 2 crew
members who was rescued from the water but he succumbed to
hypothermia. The cause of the accident remains unknown, but the
22-year old boat lacked watertight bulkheads.
27th April 2009.
|
South Africa
Newbuild collapse in east
Pretoria
A building under construction collapsed on Thursday on Garsfontein
Road, Pretoria, 1 worker died and 6 others were injured in the
accident.
24th April 2009.
|
Australia
Apprentice toolmaker died drawn
into machine by loose clothes
An Industrial Relations Court has been critical of safety standards at
Diemould Tooling in Edwardstown, Adelaide, where an apprentice
toolmaker died in an accident in 2004 while operating a horizontal
boring machine. His loose fitting clothing snagged and drew him into
the machine, severing his feet and inflicting injuries to which he
succumbed. The court will apply a fine at a session in June.
24th April 2009.
|
Russia
Helicopter with 7 on board missing in Tomsk
An Mi-2 helicopter of Sibaviatrade
of Krasnoyarsk carrying 2 pilots and 5 passengers was reported missing
yesterday in Tomsk from where search and rescue teams are looking for
it. The helicopter had departed from Strezhevoy for Kedrovy.
23rd April 2009.
|
USA
Scaffold dismantling fatality in Kentucky
An accident during dismantling of
scaffolding at Western Kentucky Energy in Evansville, Kentucky, has
led to the death of a worker of contractor First Coast Scaffolding who
died in a fall from height.
23rd April 2009.
|
Rep Ireland
Galway lobster fishermen found
drowned
Two Galway lobster fishermen have died after apparently being swept
off their open currach(curragh) boat, a traditional fishing boat,
which was found overturned by other fishermen who alerted the
authorities.
Conditions were good when they set off on Tuesday morning to check
lobster pots off Aughrus Point, Connemara. Their currach, favoured for
fishing close to the rocky Atlantic coast, displayed some signs of
damage when found.
22nd April 2009.
|
USA
Methanol burns accident in
Tennessee
A worker is listed in critical
condition in the burns unit of Vanderbilt Hospital, Athens,Tennessee,
after sustaining severe burns to his face and neck in an accident
while working with 200 gallons of methyl alcohol (methanol) at the
SunsOil chemical and biofuel plant in Athens.
22nd April 2009.
|
Germany
Girl drowns in swimming pool in
Leer
An 8-year old girl died and her mother and 2 siblings have been
critically injured in an accident after being found at the bottom of
the deep end of a public swimming pool in Leer, northwest Germany.
The Vietnamese woman had taken her children first into the
non-swimming area before later going to the main pool. No malfunction
of the chlorine system was involved, it is speculated that she may not
have realised that she was entering the 2m-deep end of the pool.
21st April 2009.
|
USA
Louisiana worker injured testing
gas well
A contractor to Chesapeake Energy is responding well to hospital
treatment following an accident in which he sustained leg injuries and
burns while testing a gas well on Williams Road, Shreveport,
Louisiana. 21st
April 2009.
|
China
20 killed in Hunan mine
warehouse explosion
The explosion of a 3-storey
warehouse at the Qingshanbei coalmine in Hunan has killed 18 workers
and left 6 others injured, with 2 others still missing in the rubble.
It is believed that explosives may have been stored illegally in the
building. 20th
April 2009.
|
Canada
Investigation of child forklift
accident in British Columbia
WorkSafe BC is investigating an
accident at premises on Industrial Avenue, Penticton, where a child
was allegedly injured when his leg was pinned under a forklift truck
after operating it.
20th April 2009.
|
Canada
Municipal worker killed at
Ontario landfill site
A municipal worker was killed in an
accident on Thursday afternoon at the Fifth Line landfill site of
Sault Sainte Marie, Ontario, details of the accident have yet to be
confirmed but it is believed that a crane toppled over at the site. 17th April 2009.
|
USA
Fatal machine accident on
Wisconsin farm
The snagging of clothing in the
power drive of a conveyor belt at a feed mill on a farm in Auburn,
Wisconsin, has led to the death of an employee of Ed's Feed Service.
The worker was in a crouching position loading grain when the snagging
occurred, although the tractor powering the conveyor belt was promptly
deactivated, he had already sustained critical head and neck injuries. 17th April 2009.
|
China
27 rescued off Shandong after
vessels capsize
The Ministry of Transport announced that a major search and rescue
operation was successful on Wednesday for 27 people missing in waters
30 miles off Dongying, Shandong, when an engineering ship and 4
fishing boats capsized in Bohai Bay, initially 6 people were rescued. 16th April 2009.
|
New Zealand
Falling container kills brewery
site worker
A falling shipping container has killed a worker at a site 5 miles
north of Manurewa where Mainzeal Construction is building a new Lion
Brewery. This was the 2nd fatal accident on the site this year, a
worker was killed by falling steel in February. 16th April 2009.
|
Japan
10 fishermen missing after
trawler capsizes
Following the capsize of the 135-tonne Daiei Maru No 11 fishing boat
of the Tachiura fishery cooperative, owned by Daiei Suisan Fishery
Company, which sank on Tuesday 8 miles northwest of Ogami Island while
heading for the East China Sea, 12 of the 22-man crew are missing.
Other boats of the fleet fishing for mackerel managed to rescue 10
survivors, the incident occurred with winds gusting to 45mph and waves
running to 3 metres. 15th April 2009.
|
Peru
Teachers and children killed as
suspension bridge fails in Parinacochas
The collapse of a suspension bridge spanning a 40-metre wide,
100-metre deep ravine in the Ayacucho district of Coracora,
Parinacochas, killed 7 children and 2 teachers of the colegio 9 de
Diciembre school, 375 miles southeast of Lima, more than 40 others
were injured. 15th April 2009.
|
Poland
21 hostel residents die in worst
such fire in 29 years
The fire which killed 21 residents of a homeless shelter in Kamieniec
Pomorski, West Pomerania, was the worst such accident in Poland since 55 people died in
a fire in a mental hospital in Gorna Grupa in 1980.
Fire crews were based just 200 metres from the locus and could respond
within minutes, however the speed of the inferno saw 80% of the
3-storey building ablaze by the time of their arrival.
The 70's building previously housed workers and has a fire escape at
the rear by which some people escaped. Many of the 20 injured have
fractures from leaping from windows.
14th April 2009.
|
Mexico
Crane knocks over pylon, 3 Pemex
workers killed
A falling electricity pylon killed 3 employees of Petroleos Mexicanos at
the Lazaro Cardenas refinery in Minatitlan. The 3 workers were
awaiting a bus when a crane hit overhead power lines, causing
the pylon to collapse. The crane operator is listed in stable
condition. 14th
April 2009.
|
Czech Republic
2 maintenance workers killed at
Ostrava coking plant
An explosion at a coking plant of New World Resources in Ostrava
killed 2 maintenance workers who were working on an ammonia tank when
it exploded on Thursday, the company has 2 coking plants in Ostrava,
the Jan Sverma and Svoboda.
10th April 2009.
|
Philippines
Boiler explosion kills 13 at
styrofoam plant
The overheating of an exchange tank connected to a boiler led to an
explosion of the boiler at the styrofoam packaging material plant of
QC Styro Corporation in Santa Maria, 35 miles north of Manila, an
accident which killed 13 workers and has left another 12 badly
injured. 9th April 2009.
|
USA
Search continues for deckhand
missing in Ohio River
The US Coastguard continued its search and recovery operation on
Wednesday on the Ohio River between the WH Sammis Power Plant and New
Cumberland Lock and Dam for a barge deckhand of Campbell
Transportation Company who fell into the river during a coal delivery
to the power plant. The barge was attached to the Oliver Shearer
towboat at the time, the Campbell barge line works on the Upper Ohio
River. 9th April 2009.
|
USA
Kentucky MEWP fatality
Investigation of the death of a Ware Trucking employee who died in a
MEWP (mobile elevating work platform) accident in Providence,
Kentucky, has concluded that it was a probable case of electrocution
when a scissors platform contacted a high power line during
maintenance work.
8th April 2009.
|
Indonesia
24 killed in air crash after
parachute training
A Fokker 27 military aircraft crashed into a hangar at Hussein
Sastranegara Airport, Bandung, in stormy conditions on Monday killing
all 24 persons on board. The 32-year old turboprop aircraft had
departed from Jakarta's Halim Perdanakusumah Airport with 17 trainees
and 6 instructors for a parachute exercise.
7th April 2009.
|
South Africa
Lorry runs over man's feet in
work zone
It is thought unlikely that surgeons will be able to save the feet of
a man who was run over by a lorry as he walked across an industrial
site in Boksburg, Gauteng, he has also suffered substantial blood loss
in the accident.
7th April 2009.
|
China
Confined space fatal accident at Sichuan paper mill
During cleaning in a paper mill in the village of Guangfo, in Dongpo
District of Sichuan, 2 workers were overcome by a gaseous atmosphere
and fell into a paper pulp pool and died, 4 others were critically
injured in attempting their rescue, although 2 of the latter were
responding to hospital treatment on Sunday. The Dongpo District
Administration of Work Safety is investigating the incident today.
6th April 2009.
|
France
Breton care home fire
More than 20 pensioners were evacuated from the Kerdudo care home in
Guidel, Brittany, after fire broke out in a cleaner's cupboard, no
serious injuries were reported.
6th April 2009.
|
Austria
Work platform falls at Graz site
An electronically controlled work platform fell 6 metres into a shaft
yesterday at the new 50-metre tall Reininghausgrunden building in
Graz, injuring the 5 workers engaged in concrete work, 3 suffered
considerable fractures.
3rd April 2009.
|
Moldova
Transdienster gas pipe fire
extinguished
Moldova Gaz indicated on Thursday that the fire in the exploded
pipeline in Transdienster has been extinguished and the replacement of
30 metres of pipeline should be completed within 3 days.
3rd April 2009.
|
China
Arrests follow explosion at
quarry
Police have made 2 arrests in the wake of an explosion and subsequent
landslide at the Diaoxiyan Quarry in Yichang City, Hubei, where 4
workers died and a further 3 are missing under rubble.
2nd April 2009.
|
Egypt
Workers' bus crashes in Sinai,
11 killed
A bus crossing the Sinai Peninsula with migrant Egyptian workers bound
for Jordan overturned on Tuesday near Nakhl, 65 miles east of Suez,
leading to the loss of 11 lives and injury to 36 others hospitalised
in Suez and El-Arish.
1st April 2009.
|
USA
Subcontractor killed in boiler
at Missouri power plant
A worker of Team Industrial Services, subcontracted to Kansas City
Power & Light, has been killed in an accident inside a boiler at the
Iatan 2 power plant which is under construction in Platte County,
northwest Missouri.
1st April 2009.
|
|
India
4 killed in Chennai train
collision
The Commissioner of Railway Safety is investigating an accident on
Wednesday in which a local passenger train being driven without
authorisation from Chennai Central collided with a goods train with
oil tanks in the Vyasarpadi suburb of Chennai where 4 people died and
11 were injured.
Police are also involved in the
investigation as the train appeared to have been operated by an
unauthorised individual.
30th April 2009.
|
USA
Fatal accident at EFACEC site in
Georgia
A worker died in an accident on Wednesday at the under-construction
EFACEC plant on Effingham Industrial Park, Georgia, details have yet
to be confirmed.
30th April 2009.
|
Austria
Girl's thumb severed in
motorised mower
A 9-year old girl has been hospitalised in Upper Austria after her
thumb was severed in an accident involving grass cutting machinery in
Liebenau, details of the incident are under investigation. 29th April 2009.
|
Iceland
Girl rescued on mountain
undertaking school project
A coastguard helicopter had to rescue a pupil of the Fjolbrautaskoli
Sudurlands secondary school, Selfoss, who became disoriented during
the descent from a ridge on the Blajfoll mountain range while
undertaking a school project. The area where she was located was quite
steep, the coastguard indicated that locating her had not been
straightforward. 29th April 2009.
|
The Netherlands
Worker killed in fall from roof
The Arbeidsinspectie (work safety inspectorate) was called to a site
in Westervoort, Gelderland, on Monday where a maintenance worker
died in a 5-metre fall from the roof of commercial premises. 28th April 2009.
|
France
Dangerous patient escapes from
psychiatric unit
A 43-year old patient has escaped from a psychiatric unit in Niort in
an incident described by the authorities as "the result of
negligence". In 2006 he was convicted in Vienna of murdering an escort
girl in her apartment. His escape from the unit was achieved by
accessing an area not normally open to patients, then going through a
window and scaling an enclosing fence. 28th April 2009.
|
USA
Tricky Stokes Basket rescue at Kansas
grain elevator
A Stokes Basket rescue was deployed following an accident at Cereal
Food Processors on East 17th Street, Wichita, where a worker became
trapped 110 metres above ground on a concrete platform after being
knocked off an elevating platform at a grain elevator. A panel was
being carried on the platform by 2 workers but it struck a transverse
beam as it ascended, knocking 1 of the workers 7m down on to the
concrete platform. Ropes and ladders were used to get the stretcher
down to the victim who was believed to have fractured a hip. The
lowering of the stretcher and patient took an hour but was achieved
safely. 27th April 2009.
|
South Africa
Bodies recovered from Tshepong gold
mine
Yesterday the bodies of 2 workers were recovered from Harmony Gold's
Tshepong mine where 4 miners were trapped in a fall of ground accident
on Thursday, the other 2 had managed to make their way to safety.
27th April 2009.
|
USA
Gas well blow-out fatality at
Canadian site in Texas
A flying section of pipe has killed a worker when a gas well blew out
at an Encana site 10 miles east of Franklin, central Texas.
24th April 2009.
|
Gibraltar
Company fined over suspended
scaffold shortcomings
Violation of r.3(1) of the Management of Health & Safety at Work
Regulations for a failure to provide a safe system of work has led to
a fine of £6K for Akis Enterprises Ltd who were operating a suspended
scaffold at a site on Rodger's Road last October. An additional fine
of £300 was levied for violating r.7(a) of the Factories (Lifting
Operations and Lifting Equipment) Regulations for failing to ensure
that the scaffold was clearly marked for lifting persons.
The court heard that the company had failed to provide a safe system
of work by inspecting the scaffold for employees and protecting the
public from falling debris.
24th April 2009.
|
USA
Confined space fatality at Illinois food plant
Specialist rescue teams attended a
confined space fatal accident on Wednesday at the ACH Food plant in
Champaign, Illinois, where a 46-year old worker, who was preparing a
railway wagon for loading with vegetable oil, was found dead inside
the empty wagon in a building on the premises.
23rd April 2009.
|
France
Painter killed in fall at
Houlgate
A painter in his 40's has died in hospital in Caen following a fall
from height accident on Tuesday at a house site in Houlgate on the
coast. 22nd April
2009.
|
Singapore
Engineer killed in shipyard fall
A marine engineer of contractor Aker Solutions has died in an 8-metre
fall into an aperture on a drill ship which was under maintenance at
the Sembawang shipyard of Sembcorp Marine, he fell after removing a
timber plank on the ship.
21st April 2009.
|
Belgium
WW1 ordnance found on Bruges
site
An evacuation of 500 people took place in Bruges on Monday afternoon
to handle a 120Kg WW1 bomb containing 65Kg of explosives which was
uncovered on a building site on the Norwegse Kaai.
21st April 2009.
|
Guyana
Ocean rower
rescued off Brazil
A French rower participating in the Bouvet-Rames-Guyane ocean rowing
race from Senegal to Guyana has been rescued by the Greek tanker
Astrocleo, now heading for America, which responded to a mayday from
Brazilian authorities who detected his emergency beacons and alerted 4
cargo ships to his distress.
Race organisers initially were concerned when contact was lost but the
release of the 2nd beacon suggested that he had managed to equip
himself in a survival suit. Whether the boat capsized or sank remains
unknown, but he was in the leading half of the field of the race whose
leading rower is expected in Cayenne, Guyana, today (Monday).
20th April 2009.
|
South Africa
Print works fire kills 9
Search and rescue teams have been
delayed in their task of recovering 2 bodies on account of the
instability of the shell of the Paarl Print building on Boland's
industrial estate where fire gutted the printers, leading to the
deaths of 9 workers and injury to 9 others who were trapped inside as
the fire took hold and the roof collapsed.
20th April 2009.
|
USA
Fatal accident at Kansas power
station
A contract worker has died in an
accident at the LaCygne Generating Station of Westar and KCP &
L(Kansas City Power & Light), 65 miles south of Kansas City.
20th April 2009.
|
USA
Missouri roads worker killed in
transport accident
A highway construction worker was
killed after falling under a lorry during work to dismantle a crane at
the bridge site spanning the Pomme de Terre River on US Highway 65 in
southwest Missouri, the crane was being dismantled and loaded on to
the flatbed lorry when the accident occurred.
17th April 2009.
|
Australia
Woman scuba diver dies in Gold
Coast accident
Queensland Workplace Health and Safety is investigating a fatal diving
incident on Wednesday in which a woman in her 20's died near Labrador
on Main Beach, she was with a group in a boat and had apparently got
into difficulties but managed to resurface to seek assistance before
going down again.
16th April 2009.
|
Austria
Woman badly burned in hotel
sauna
A 64-year old woman has been hospitalised in Hartberg, Steier, with
1st and 2nd degree upper body burns following an accident in the sauna
of a hotel in Bad Waltersdorf when a tongue of flame shot out of an
oven.
16th April 2009.
|
Peru
20 killed in bus/gas lorry
collision on Pan-American Highway
At least 20 people died when a Costeno bus travelling from Lima to
Pisco collided with a gas tanker on the Pan-American Highway in
Canete, 110 miles south of Lima. The coach driver has been
hospitalised with 80% burns and 2nd degree burns to his face following
the fireball explosion which occurred upon impact.
15th April 2009.
|
Vietnam
Bridge workers missing in river
after scaffold accident
A cable of a suspended scaffold failed at the site of the Tra On
Bridge at Tra On Town in the southern province of Vinh Long, causing 7
workers to fall into the river, 2 have died, 2 were rescued but the 3
others are missing. Concrete was being pumped at the time of the
accident, the scaffold twisting as the cable broke. Initial
speculation has suggested human error, the contractor is Bridge Joint
Stock Company No 12.
15th April 2009.
|
USA
Lift engineer dies in accident
in closed Ohio hotel
A lift engineer died in an accident on Monday at the Holiday Inn on
West Lane Avenue, Columbus, the premises were closed last month with a
view to reopening as student accommodation close to the Ohio State
University campus.
14th April 2009.
|
India
Worker electrocuted at Lucknow
house site
A construction worker was electrocuted while working on a new build
house in Lucknow where the Lucknow Electricity Supply Administration
has launched an investigation into why the owner failed to request
deactivation of an 11kW power line during stages of the work.
14th April 2009.
|
England
Forklift fatality at Slough
plant
A 29-year old worker was killed in an accident this week at the HRP
plant on Slough Industrial Estate, it is believed that he was driving
a forklift truck which overturned, causing critical head, chest and
pelvic injuries.
10th April 2009.
|
Belgium
Transport fatality at Menin
recycling unit
A 41-year old worker was killed in a transport accident on Wednesday
afternoon at Gallo Recycling in Menin where he was struck by a
bulldozer. 9th April 2009.
|
Austria
Joiner survives major fall after
window ledge fails
A 30-year old joiner survived a 14-metre fall through 6 levels of
scaffolding on Wednesday at a work site in the Geidorf district of
Graz after a window ledge on which he and a colleague were standing
failed to support their weight, the property is a period building
undergoing renovation. The joiner's fall ended on a car parked below.
Although his injuries are extensive and a 30-cm long timber section
went through his hand, his condition in hospital is not listed as
life-threatening. His colleague managed to jump through an open window
just as the ledge cracked.
9th April 2009.
|
Canada
Crane overturns on unstable
surface at Toronto site
It is speculated that subsidence caused a crane to overturn on to Lake
Shore Boulevard, Toronto, on Tuesday during lifting work at a
condominium site. The collapse brought down power lines but the crane
operator is believed to have emerged uninjured from the accident.
8th April 2009.
|
South Africa
Falling nursery gate kills
toddler
A heavy steel gate fell on 2 children at a nursery school in the
Winchester Hills district of Johannesburg on Monday, killing 1 of the
children and leaving the other with life-threatening head injuries. It
is speculated that the electronically-controlled gates were off their
rail track when they fell on the children who were playing nearby.
7th April 2009.
|
Bulgaria
Fines over fatal site accident
Following an accident 5 years ago in which a construction worker died
under falling material after a building collapsed, a court in Sofia
has fined 6 of the 9 defendants BGN3K Lev(£1,396) each, as well as
directing that BGN3K compensation be paid to 3 surviving construction
workers. Those fined include architects, consultants and directors of
the construction company and the concrete supplier.
7th April 2009.
|
Italy
Plight of Afghan children under Rome station
The Head of Rome's Railway Police has described as shocking the
discovery of 24 Afghan children aged 10-15 discovered living
clandestinely in underground passages and manholes of Ostiense railway
station in Rome during the "clean stations" project being undertaken
by the authorities to tackle antisocial behaviour. It is speculated
that they came by lorry across Iran and Turkey and then by ferry
across the Adriatic.
On Sunday more than 62 Afghans were discovered dead in a 12-metre long
container of a lorry in Quetta, Pakistan.
6th April 2009.
|
USA
Renovation project accident in Los Angeles
A Californian construction worker was killed in an accident at the
weekend during the renovation of a timber car port which collapsed at
a site on East 51st Street, south Los Angeles.
6th April 2009.
|
Sweden
TV presenter cuts off fingertip
in kitchen accident
Arbetsmiljoverket (Work Environment Authority) has been informed of an
accident during transmission of the Andedraktsavlingen programme from
Sveriges TV’s Malmo studio where a presenter cut off a tip section of
a finger while chopping up a potato.
3rd April 2009.
|
England
Gloucs car park barrier death
ruled accidental
A Gloucestershire coroner has recorded a verdict of accidental death
in the case of a 79-year old woman struck by a car park barrier at
Cheltenham General Hospital.
3rd April 2009.
|
USA
Accident at paper mill
demolition site
A worker is listed in stable condition following an accident in which
he was pinned in his large plant vehicle by a fallen section of steel
pipe during demolition work at the former Ecusta paper mill site in
Brevard, North Carolina.
2nd April 2009.
|
India
Roof collapse fatality at ISRO
A roof section failed on Tuesday at the 5-storey newbuild Indian Space
Research Organisation campus near Thumba, Kerala, 1 worker died and 30
others were injured, 8 listed in serious condition.
1st April 2009.
|
Russia
Fire at MAI in Moscow
No cause is yet known for yesterday's fire at the Moscow Aviation
Institute on the M9 Volokolamskoye Shosse (Volokolamsk Highway),
northwest Moscow. The fire spread to an adjacent property but a safe
evacuation of personnel was achieved, fire crews having to contend
with exploding oxygen cylinders.
1st April 2009.
|
|
Australia
Record non-fatal Tasman accident
fine for worker's arm amputation
A record fine of $100K (£49,219) for a non-fatal workplace accident in
Tasmania has been awarded against Inco Ships in respect of an accident
in June 2007 which led to a worker losing an arm while working on a
ship at Bell Bay. He and a colleague were working under a crane when a
heavy duty cable broke loose and hit the men, the company pleaded
guilty to 3 charges of failing to take reasonable steps to ensure the
health and safety of employees.
30th April 2009.
|
Dem Rep of Congo
Plane crash in Bandunu
Reports were being received on Wednesday of the crash of a Boeing 737
aircraft between Kenze and Nzasi in Bandunu province, 125 miles
southeast of Kinshasa, the flight had taken off from Bangui in the
Central African Republic and had landed at Brazzaville. It is believed
that there were only 2 or 3 crew members on board and it may have been
a test flight. 30th
April 2009.
|
Belgium
Tumble drier fire at East
Flanders care home
The authorities in Evergem, East Flanders, launched the emergency plan
when fire broke out at 3am on Tuesday at the De Molen care home in rue
Elslo, all residents were safely evacuated, later in the day it was
discovered that an electrical fault in a tumble drier had caused the
blaze. 29th April 2009.
|
USA
Falling concrete pump kills
Florida worker
A worker was killed on Monday upon being struck by the falling end of
a concrete pump which was attached to a crane during a concrete pour
at a site in Miami-Dade, Florida.
28th April 2009.
|
England
Worker jailed over recycling
plant transport accident
At Newcastle Crown Court a 50-year old worker has been jailed for 18
months, admitting manslaughter by gross negligence in an accident at
the Alex Smiles recycling plant in Sunderland in December 2007 where a
colleague was struck by the 20-tonne dumper truck he was operating.
When the accident occurred the driver's vision was considerably
impaired by a load of timber being carried on the vehicle's front
shovel which struck his colleague who was knocked over and then run
over by the truck.
At an earlier hearing Alex Smiles Ltd was fined £15K after pleading
guilty to a failure to ensure traffic management on its premises.
28th April 2009.
|
Taiwan
Crane falls from rooftop during
dismantling, hits tourist bus
A crane fell 110 metres during dismantling from the top of an office
building under construction on Sungkao Road, Taipei, hitting a bus
with 25 tourists from Guangdong, China, 2 of whom died in the
accident. A smaller crane was being used to dismantle the large one
when a section of boom of the latter became unstable and fell.
27th April 2009.
|
Australia
Worker pinned between containers in
quayside accident
A 29-year old Filipino worker was listed in critical condition in
hospital in Townsville after becoming pinned between two 10-tonne
shipping containers during unloading of a vessel in Mackay Harbour,
Maritime Safety Queensland were aware of the accident although formal
notification was allegedly not delivered promptly.
27th April 2009.
|
South Africa
Tractor rollover accident in
Western cape orchard
A 40-year old farmer was found dead on Thursday morning in a tractor
rollover accident in an orchard in Remhoogte (Rosselerf), Grabouw, 40
miles southeast of Cape Town.
24th April 2009.
|
England
Falling door hit maintenance men
at Corus, Cumbria
Two maintenance workers are recovering in hospital in Cumbria after a
2-tonne roller shutter door became unstable and fell on them at the
Corus plant in Workington, 1 of the workers who bore the greater
impact of the falling door has been treated for head injuries and a
broken leg. 24th
April 2009.
|
Australia
Church fined over camping stove burns accident
The Catholic Diocese of Port Pirie, which operates the Caritas College
of Port Augusta, has been fined $19,125(£9,219) after pleading guilty in an
Industrial Relations Court to breaches of the Occupational Health,
Safety & Welfare Act in respect of an accident 5 years ago when a
15-year old student sustained burns injuries at a camp in the Flinders
Ranges. Gas from a stove ignited, inflicting facial and limb burns, SafeWork South Australia found that the student had not been trained
or supervised in the assembly of the camp stoves.
23rd April 2009.
|
India
Worker run over by crane at Lucknow construction site
A 40-year old worker was killed
yesterday after being caught under the wheels of a moving crane at
the Ambedkar Memorial construction site on the Gomti embankment in Lucknow
while he was sleeping. This was the 2nd transport fatal
accident there in 2 days, on Monday a stone mason was also killed by a
vehicle. 23rd April
2009.
|
Belgium
Worker killed by falling barrier
during loading
A falling heavy barrier has killed a 26-year old worker during a
loading operation at Kant Constructies on Duitslandstraat, Temse, east
Flanders. 22nd
April 2009.
|
Fiji
Security guard killed at timber
mill robbery
A security guard has died from injuries during a robbery at the Han
Shine Enterprises Fiji Ltd timber mill in Savusavu, on the Fijian
island of Vanua Levu.
21st April 2009.
|
Sweden
Concern over girls' exposure to
sun bed radiation
The Stralsakeretsmyndigheten (Radiation Safety Authority) is expected
to propose banning teenage girls under the age of 18 from using
tanning salons in the wake of figures indicating that as many as a
third of users in the 18-24 age group experience radiation burns.
The concern is that teenage girls' skin is more sensitive to
UV-radiation from tanning beds, exposing them to an increased risk of
skin cancer in later life. Customers cannot ascertain when certain
bulbs are stronger.
21st April 2009.
|
Malaysia
Worker killed in furnace
explosion
The door of a furnace blew out at a
waste disposal facility on Kerubung Industrial Park in Melaka where a
worker who had been feeding tyres into the furnace was killed, a
colleague was injured in the blast.
20th April 2009.
|
Serbia
Search for
student missing in Danube
Divers were searching the Danube on
Sunday at Kladovo, eastern Serbia, for a student on a university
excursion from Novi Sad who fell into the river at a quay in Kladovo.
20th April 2009.
|
England
Boy burned in fall into caustic
liquid tank
A 9-year old boy is being
treated for severe burns sustained in a fall into a tank of caustic
liquid at a former workshop in Bear Tree Street, Rawmarsh, Rotherham.
He had gone on to the roof of the disused workshop to retrieve a ball
but the roof failed to bear his weight.
17th April 2009.
|
Wales
Machine toppled on to worker
An attempt to move a swarf crusher using skates positioned under its
legs went badly wrong when the 880kg item of equipment toppled over on
top of one of the employees of Pullman Design and Fabrication Ltd at
premises in Leckwith, Cardiff, in September 2006.
The injured man sustained multiple major injuries, the company was
fined £30,000 with £27,500 costs at Cardiff Crown Court. A lack
of an adequate risk assessment placed those in the vicinity of the
operation in danger of just such an event, an HSE official commented:
"There is a legal requirement for employers to carry out full risk
assessments in situations where employees are exposed to greater
danger."
17th April 2009.
|
USA
Petrol saw accident on Wisconsin
site
A Wisconsin construction worker of A-1 Excavating has been killed in
an accident in an excavation while using a petrol-operated saw to cut
a water main, the saw kicked back and caught him in the throat area.
The accident occurred on North 2nd Street, New Richmond, where a water
pump station project is underway.
16th April 2009.
|
Japan
Flying pile driver hits 6 people
at Tokyo site
A woman in her 60's sustained a heart attack and is listed in
life-threatening condition in hospital following an accident at a Toa
Corporation construction site in Chiyoda, Tokyo, on Tuesday when
the 28-metre long arm of a heavy duty pile driver struck her as she
was passing the site. In all 6 people were injured, including 3 people
in a lorry, when the pile driver of Tokyo civil engineers Taiyo
Foundation Company failed during the lifting of a 6-tonne cylinder.
The 38-year old pile driver operator is also listed in serious
condition.
15th April 2009.
|
Luxembourg
Worker killed by heavy steel
plate
A worker died from injuries sustained when an unstable 600-Kg steel
plate struck his back at a site on the Ulflingen Industrial Estate.
15th April 2009.
|
Ukraine
Miners rescued after cave-in at
Donetsk pit
A successful rescue of 2 miners trapped for 2 days after a roof
cave-in at the Poltavska coalmine in Yenakieve, Donetsk, was completed
on Monday morning, both men had been trapped since the accident on
Saturday. The collapse occurred at a depth of 477 metres, it is
believed that both men were able to make substantial progress on their
own towards the surface.
14th April 2009.
|
England
Devon company fined over
transport accident
Both partners of RT Trailers and Farm Buildings Ltd of Kingsbridge
have been fined £25K each plus £5K costs each after pleading guilty at
Exeter Crown Court to breaching S.2(1) of the Health and Safety at
Work etc Act 1974 in respect of an accident in February 2007 at Pithayes Farm in Whimple, Devon, in which a driver sustained crush
injuries which led to a leg being amputated.
The company uses steel shuttering panels in the erection of
manufactured steel framed industrial buildings. On the day of the
accident high winds prevailed, and instead of the normal
transportation by flat-bed lorry, a tractor and grain trailer were to
be used. At some stage during the loading, instability occurred and
one or more of the shutters fell and crushed the driver who was in the
trailer guiding the operation.
A principal HSE inspector commented on the hazards of using
inappropriate workplace transport. "This accident demonstrates the
serious and sometimes very personal life-changing consequences of
failing to assess risks and properly planning work activity when
lifting and transporting heavy components.
In this particular case, the decision to use the trailer to transport
the panels and the system of work adopted were both flawed. What
initially appeared to be a simple job ended in tragedy. Employers have
a duty of care towards their employees and the partners in this
company manifestly failed in theirs." 10th April
2009
|
Australia
Worker's arm trapped in poultry
plant machinery
Rescuers worked for more than an hour dismantling chicken processing
machinery on Wednesday to free a teenage worker whose arm had been
drawn into the equipment at La Ionica Poultry in Thomastown,
Melbourne. 9th April 2009.
|
Malta
Worker fights for life after
fall at quarry
A 32-year old construction worker is listed in critical condition
after a fall at work on Wednesday in a quarry at Lapsi, on the
southeast coast of Malta. 9th April 2009.
|
USA
Electrician injured in panel
fire in Kansas hotel
A Kansas electrical contractor was hospitalised on Tuesday with
serious burns after a fire broke out in an electrical panel on which
he was working in the Fairfield Inn, Overland Park, southwest of
Kansas City.
8th April 2009.
|
Scotland
Fisherman dies following harbour
incident
A 60-year old commercial fisherman has died after apparently falling
between boats and in to the water of Mallaig Harbour
in the early hours of Monday morning. 8th April 2009.
|
Ukraine
Miner killed during dismantling
work
A miner was killed in an accident on Monday at the Vidrodzhennia
coalmine of the Lvivvuhillia state enterprise, the accident occurred
during the dismantling of a part of the pit shaft support system, the
miner died during transportation to hospital.
7th April 2009.
|
England
Teenager killed in Shropshire
cave roof collapse
HSE is investigating the accident which occurred at the Hermitage
caves near Bridgnorth, Shropshire, where a partial roof collapse
killed a teenager and left another with serious injuries.
7th April 2009.
|
France
Migrant's body found in Channel Tunnel
The body of an illegal immigrant, possibly a stowaway on a lorry, was
found in the Channel Tunnel 5 miles from the Sangatte entrance by
maintenance crews in the early hours of Sunday. The public
prosecutor's office in Boulogne has reported that the person had no
identification papers and presumably fell from 1 of the tunnel's
shuttle services.
6th April 2009.
|
Austria
Rod pierces worker's hand in manual handling accident
A sharp rod penetrated a 36-year old worker's hand during a manual
handling accident involving material for the erection of a lift at a
site in Scharnstein, southwest of Linz, at the weekend. The material
featured several protruding rods and was being lifted by 3 workers but
it proved too heavy for them, and as 1 of them stumbled a sharp point
drove through his hand.
6th April 2009.
|
Scotland
Worker dies after support vessel accident
A man working on Technip's diving support vessel Well Servicer died on
Wednesday following an accident as it underwent sea trials off
Aberdeen
3rd April 2009.
|
Canada
Worker's saw slices his thigh
The Ministry of Labour is investigating an accident in Orillia where a
joiner sustained a severe saw cut to his thigh and has since undergone
surgery. 2nd April
2009.
|
Russia
Vessel sinks at Kamchatka berth
The Basalt research vessel of the Russian Academy of Sciences,
currently being leased to a Kamchatka fisheries company in the Far
East, has sunk at a quay in Avacha Bay, no injuries were reported.
2nd April 2009.
|
Yemen
Dutch workers kidnapped in Sanaa
The Dutch Foreign Ministry has confirmed that 2 Dutch workers have
been kidnapped in the southern district of the Yemeni capital, Sanaa.
The probable abductors, Al-Seraj, would have taken them south to Bani
Dhabyan.
Earlier on Tuesday following a separate incident, a businessman, who
had been kidnapped over a land dispute, was released.
1st April 2009.
|
Bulgaria
Excessive sulphur dioxide
emissions in Dimitrovgrad
Sulphur dioxide emissions in excess of permitted levels of
350micro.g/m³ were recorded late yesterday afternoon in Dimitrovgrad,
the emissions believed to have been generated by the Maritza-Iztok
Complex. 1st April
2009.
|
|
England
Fatal industrial accident at paper mill
An employee of Arjo Wiggins has died in an industrial accident at its
Stowford Mill premises in Ivybridge, Devon. The accident occurred on
Tuesday evening and involved machinery.
30th April 2009.
|
North Sea
Oil worker missing; fisherman
lost overboard
An oil worker missing from the Beryl Alpha
Offshore Platform 90 miles southeast of Shetland is the subject of a
helicopter and vessel search after he was reported missing at 3am
yesterday.
On Sunday, a fisherman was lost
overboard from the trawler Ryanwood 15 miles off Fraserburgh. 29th April 2009.
|
England
Acetylene leaked from perished hose and
ignited
Last July, a workman using an oxy-acetylene welding torch as he lay
underneath a vehicle sustained arm and facial burns when its acetylene
hose leaked and ignited. An HSE official described the hoses as being
"in an absolutely appalling state, totally perished and had been
shortened each time that a bend split the hose allowing highly
flammable gas to escape."
Employer A1 Rewinds Ltd of Aston, Birmingham, was fined £2,000
plus £1,500 costs.
28th April 2009.
|
England
Window review possible after
hospital fatality
A coroner is to to take steps to inform those responsible for guidance
on hospital window restrictions of the circumstances of the death of
an 86-year old patient at Cardiff Royal Infirmary who fell from a 3rd
floor window fitted with a restrictor. It is believed the disoriented
patient was able to force open the window to a width well in excess of
the recommended 100mm. 27th April 2009.
|
England
Geologist's death to be
prosecuted under Corporate Manslaughter Act
Cotswold Geotechnical Holdings will be charged under the 2007
Corporate Manslaughter Act, a company director being charged with
gross negligence manslaughter, following the death of a 27-year old
geologist in a pit collapse last September, the case being heard at
Stroud Magistrates' Court on 17th June.
24th April 2009.
|
England
Risk assessment failed employee
An employee sustained a thumb injury made possible by a failure by his
employer, Trucast Ltd of Derby, to properly assess risks at its
factory in Ryde, Isle of Wight.
The employee suffered crush injuries to his left thumb in August 2007
when it became trapped in the closing clamp mechanism on the machine
he was operating for which the risk assessments and subsequent
controls were not suitable, allowing easy access to the dangerous
parts of the machinery.
Trucast was fined £5,000 in total plus costs of £9,000.
24th April 2009.
|
Scotland
Woman killed by reversing
vehicle
A 77-year old woman died on Tuesday
afternoon when she was struck by a reversing delivery van in the
grounds of the Western General Hospital in Edinburgh. The incident
took place on an access road.
23rd April 2009.
|
Wales
Workman fell through fragile
roof
An inquest jury determined that a
29-year old worker who fell through the fragile roof of a farm
building in Bwlchgwyn, Denbigh, in April 2008 died accidentally.
The deceased and a colleague worked without the benefit of fall
protection or prevention equipment such as netting, boarding, a
platform with a handrail and harnessing. He sustained fatal head
injuries in a 6-metre fall on to a concrete floor.
23rd April 2009.
|
England
£250K fine over London care home
choking death
The Robinia Care Group Ltd has been fined £250K after pleading guilty
to breaching its health and safety duties in respect of the November
2005 death of a 26-year old male patient who choked to death on a
sandwich at the Chine care home in Winchmore Hill, London. The patient
had a complex medical condition which featured a history of choking
and was under the care of 2 agency workers when the accident occurred.
The judge was critical of the care home manager who had earlier been
fined £1,200 for breach of health and safety duties and deemed the
whole incident "a case of profit before safety."
HSE described the fine as "substantial" for its kind.
22nd April 2009.
|
England
Man fell through opening in floor
Drax Power Ltd of Selby, Yorkshire, has been fined a total of £2,000
plus costs of £2,800 for breaching r.6(3) and r.11(b) of the Work at
Height Regulations 2005 in connection with an industrial accident in
which a man fell through a gap created by the removal of a floor
plate as he undertook a tour of plant and equipment. He sustained
serious injuries in the 3-metre fall.
A fixed scaffolding barrier had been erected to prevent access to the
area, the floor plate had been removed so that cleaning work could
take place, but no hazard warning sign had been attached to the
barrier to indicate the risk of entering, and the man went in via the
entry gate.
An HSE official commented: "This accident could have been prevented if
the danger had been eliminated at the first opportunity, by simply
replacing the floor plate once the cleaning had been done - some 10
days prior to the accident."
22nd April 2009.
|
England
HGV driver dies in fall
It is reported that the driver of a lorry fell from a flyover at Eaton
Socon, Bedfordshire, onto the A1 below, sustaining fatal injuries.
The incident occurred on Monday, there has been speculation that he
was checking the vehicle or its load at the time.
21st April 2009.
|
England
Incident at supermarket
An employee of Morrisons supermarket at its St Helens outlet has died
following an incident on Saturday which involved a shopper. She died
after becoming unwell on Sunday.
21st April 2009.
|
England
Council failed to maintain floor
Stockport Council has been fined in excess of £23,000, including
costs, for a breach of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 that
may have caused the death of an 81-year old woman in a trip accident
at its Houldsworth Park Bowling Club.
The deceased, it is believed by her daughters, tripped on a defect in
the floor covering there in September, and died after becoming unwell
a short time later, having reportedly sustained a head injury in the
fall. 2006.
20th April 2009.
|
Scotland
Council fined over refuse
collection accident
East Dunbartonshire Council has been fined £13,500 at Glasgow Sheriff
Court in connection with the death in January 2007 of a 35-year old
employee who was struck and killed by a Council waste recycling
vehicle as it reversed in a street in Torrance.
An HSE official explained: "Employers of waste collectors should
ensure that their kerbside workers are fully trained to safely assist
their drivers to reverse and avoid collision with pedestrians. A safe
system of work should be drawn up setting out how communication and
control between kerbside collectors and the driver can be reliably
achieved.
I cannot stress enough, how challenging a work environment the streets
of our towns and cities are for this important group of workers and
how a simple mistake can have tragic consequences."
17th April 2009.
|
England
Transport fatal accident in
Bucks
It is reported that a man died last week when he was crushed against a
wall by a reversing vehicle at premises on the Denbigh West Industrial
Estate, Bletchley.
16th April 2009.
|
England
Unsafe system of work led to
serious entanglement injury
FW Mason & Sons Ltd of Colwick Industrial Estate, Nottingham,
has been fined £4,000 with £2,497 costs for failing to ensure safe
systems of work at its premises in relation to equipment failures.
During June 2007, an employee was attempting to repair wood handling
equipment by replacing a drive belt when he suffered lacerations and
damage to tendons and muscles and bone in his lower leg.
16th April 2009.
|
Wales
Passengers on boat injured after wave encounter
A passenger on board a large rigid water
jet-powered passenger- carrying vessel sustained a serious back injury
after it landed heavily off a large wave.
The incident occurred off St Davids, southwest Wales, several other
passengers sustained back injuries and required hospital treatment.
The sea was slight to moderate at the time, the vessel is operated by
Thousand Island Expeditions.
15th April 2009.
|
England
Former landlord could be jailed
A former landlord from Colchester will face a 1-year custodial
sentence for gas safety offences if he fails to meet a fine, including
costs, of £20,000 for 5 breaches of the Gas Safety (Installation &
Use) Regulations 1998 relating to competence to work on systems,
maintenance of gas systems and record keeping, the offences took place
in 2006 at more than one property.
15th April 2009.
|
England
Bakery
explosion killed worker and injured 6 others
A 37-year old employee of Andrew Jones Pies of Huddersfield was killed
in Friday afternoon's explosion at its bakery. One colleague received
serious injuries, 5 others were treated for relatively minor injuries.
The blast partly destroyed the building.
14th April 2009.
|
UK
Fairground accidents
A woman, aged 27, sustained a
fractured spine when a fairground ride malfunctioned at the Chapelfield Gardens fair in Norwich.
A girl, aged 8, fractured her pelvis in a fall from a ride at
Edinburgh's Ocean Terminal last Wednesday.
14th April 2009.
|
England
Unloading trailers requires proper risk
assessment
Two incidents at the same company, resulting in serious injury to
employees, illustrate the dangers of unloading trailers.
SDC Trailers Ltd of Mansfield and SDC Parts and Services Ltd were
fined £3,300 and £2,600 respectively, both with costs of £1,824,
having breached health and safety legislation.
On 4th June 2007, an employee of SDC Parts and Services Ltd was
injured whilst unloading lorry wheel and tyre assemblies from a
curtain-sided trailer. The trailer had been loaded by SDC Trailers Ltd
at their factory in Northern Ireland, the goods were being manually
palletized when one fell from a stack and fractured his knee.
Five weeks later, an employee of SDC Parts and Services Ltd received
crushing injuries when preparing to unload lorry tyres from a
curtain-sided trailer, also loaded by SDC Trailers Ltd. Upon releasing
the trailer curtain an unsecured stack of tyres fell from the trailer,
pinning him against an adjacent vehicle and causing crush injuries.
10th April 2009.
|
England
Pool chlorine escape affects
public
A suspected leakage of chlorine at a West Midlands swimming pool
yesterday afternoon affected around 50 members of the public. The
incident occurred at Dudley Council's pool in Cosely in the West
Midlands, those affected reported a range of respiratory irritation,
some were taken to a number of surrounding hospitals for treatment.
9th April 2009.
|
England
Toxic gas exposure claims life
A man has died following exposure to a gas said to be used for vermin
control. Accounts state that the deceased was overcome on Monday by
escaping gas in his vehicle parked near Berwick and died en-route to
hospital in Edinburgh. Attending emergency services personnel required
decontamination procedures and treatment in hospital. 8th April 2009.
|
England
Catalogue of errors and
omissions led to chemical release
Millennium Inorganic Chemicals
Ltd of Stallingborough, Lincs, has been fined £40,000 with costs of
£25,000 for lapses that permitted a leakage of 82 litres of titanium
tetrachloride into the atmosphere during the routine draining of a
vessel on its Base Pigment Production Plant in preparation for routine
maintenance on 29th October 2006. The resultant toxic and corrosive
cloud of
vapour drifted towards the Humber,
requiring the estuary to be closed to traffic until the immediate
danger had passed.
Investigation revealed a catalogue of errors and omissions by the
company, including design issues, failure to adequately assess the
risk, safety management failures and inadequate supervision.7th
April 2009.
|
England
Site 'sleepover' placed lives at risk
The principal contractor undertaking work during February last year at
a site in Edgecumbe Street in Hull has been fined £1,000 plus £1,149
costs for permitting 5 migrant workers to use accommodation there for
sleeping overnight.
An HSE official commented:
"These 5 construction workers were allowed to sleep on the site at
night, which exposed them to fatal injuries in the foreseeable event
of a fire. One carelessly discarded cigarette could have had serious
and possibly fatal consequences, not only for them but also for local
residents.
Generally, standards of work and preparation on the site fell far
short of the industry norm. The risks were foreseeable and
straightforward to avoid."
6th April 2009.
|
England
Fatal industrial accident
A 19-year old trainee engineer has died following an accident at the
Windsor premises of Grundfos Control Solutions.
3rd
April 2009.
|
England
Unloading fatality at Devon site
A fatal accident occurred on the Yelverton Business Park, Crapstone,
Devon, when a number of pallets laden with dry plaster fell on a
worker during their unloading from a lorry, the victim was not
directly involved in the unloading.
2nd April 2009.
|
England
Companies await sentencing over
workers' deaths
Eurolift (Tower Cranes) Ltd has
pleaded guilty to breaching S2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc
Act 1974 and r.8(3) of the Construction (Health, Safety and Welfare)
Regulations 1996 in connection with an incident on a construction site
at a school in Durrington, Worthing, on 11th February 2005 in which 2
men died. The deceased men had been working on the jib of a crane, a
3rd man, who escaped with serious injuries, was working on the mast of
the crane de-torquing the mast bolts. He should have slacked off the
bolts one-by-one, and then re-tightened each bolt in turn, but he was
not trained in this job and he failed to re-tighten the bolts, leaving
them partly un-done. This caused the crane to collapse as it was
turned.
At Chichester Crown Court WD Bennett's Plant & Services Ltd pleaded
not guilty to breaching safety legislation but a jury returned a
guilty verdict on both counts, it being found that it had breached
S.3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and r.8(3) of the
Construction (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1996.
1st April 2009.
|
England
Yorks joiner wins out-of-court
settlement
A Yorkshire joiner has been granted an out-of-court settlement of £5K
by George Wimpey UK in respect of an accident in which he drilled
through his hand while assembling a staircase on a housing site, his
claim based on not having received the correct tools and materials for
the task. 1st April
2009.
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