Russia
Antonovs and bombers grounded after training flight crash
All Antonov AN-22's and Tu 95MS bombers were grounded for safety
inspections following the crash of an AN-22 during a training exercise
flight from Voronezh to Tver which crashed in Tula with the loss of
all 12 military pilots.
31st December 2010
|
USA
Gas leak explosion at Detroit furniture store
A gas leak is speculated as the likeliest cause of the midweek
explosion at the Wm C Franks Furniture premises in Wayne, Michigan,
which claimed the life of the proprietor and a female clerical worker.
31st December 2010
|
Colombia
Fatal accident at Antioquia mine
A maintenance worker died in hospital in Medellin from injuries
sustained in an accident at the San Fernando coal mine in Amaga where
a wagon derailed and struck a group of workers, 3 of whom were also
hospitalised with fractures.
29th December 2010
|
USA
Mason killed in scaffold collapse at Michigan airport
A scaffold collapsed at the site of a new maintenance building at
Pellston Airport, Michigan, killing a mason of Grand Traverse
Construction engaged on a wall construction.
29th December 2010
|
Egypt
8 Americans killed in bus crash
Eight American tourists were killed when their bus carrying 37
tourists to the Abu Simbel temples struck a lorry parked by the side
of the road 20 miles from Aswan, 4 of the injured were listed in
critical condition. 28th December 2010
|
Russia
Exotic animals perish in St Petersburg zoo fire
At least 50 exotic animals died when an electrical fire broke out in
an enclosure containing monkeys and snakes at a zoo/circus in St
Petersburg on Monday. 28th December 2010
|
Ecuador
35 killed in bus crash
At least 35 people died when an overcrowded bus crashed 350 metres
down into a ravine in foggy and rainy conditions on a mountain road in
Crespa, Manabi. Initial speculation is that mechanical failure caused
the accident. The number of fatalities is expected to increase as 6
bodies were still trapped under the bus.
25th December 2010
|
USA
Worker's body recovered at Florida mine
A recovery operation was ongoing yesterday at the Mazak Mine in
Bushnell, Florida, to retrieve the body of a missing worker who fell
into a flooded pit, probably when subsidence occurred at the edge of
the pit during blasting at the mine.
The missing man may have been
driving equipment at the time. 25th December 2010
|
Italy
Package explosions injure Rome embassy staff
Explosions occurred yesterday at the Swiss and Chilean embassies in
Rome when staff handled explosive devices in their mail. Another
suspect device was being investigated at the Ukrainian embassy.
A 53-year old mail worker at the Swiss embassy has badly burned hands
and amputation was a possibility. 24th December 2010
|
USA
2 Chicago firemen killed in roof collapse
Two firemen died in the roof collapse of a 1-storey abandoned laundry
building in which they had been fighting a blaze in East 75th Street
,south Chicago. Initial speculation yesterday was that the collapse of
the roof may not have been due to the fire but rather the poor fabric
of the roof. 24th December 2010
|
USA
Box culvert collapses on
Illinois roads worker
A construction worker has died in an accident at a roads site on Route
146 near McClure, Illinois, where road-widening is taking place. A box
culvert collapsed, trapping him under a metre of setting concrete.
23rd December 2010
|
Malaysia
Falling timber kills Sarawak seaman
A seaman was killed in an accident at Lanang Wharf, Sarawak, Borneo,
when cut timber sections which had just been loaded on to a boat
became unstable when rope ties failed, he sustained fatal head and
chest injuries.
23rd December 2010
|
India
Worker electrocuted in
storm drain
A
utilities maintenance worker has been electrocuted in a storm water
drain into which he had just descended in Tardeo, south Mumbai(Bombay), to deactivate a
submersible pump of which the wiring had not been adequately insulated.
22nd December 2010
|
USA
Wall collapse after
concrete pour
A 3-metre high wall
collapsed shortly after a concrete pour at the EOG Resources sand
plant construction site in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, killing a worker
of Lewis Construction and leaving 3 others with fractures.
22nd December 2010
|
China
5 killed in Gansu chemical plant accident
Five workers died and 2 others were injured in a confined space accident at the Xinchuan Chemical Plant in Jinchang, Gansu.
The accident happened in a workshop, initial reports of an
electrocution incident were later withdrawn when it appeared that a
confined space accident had occurred, 2 workers initially entering a
toxic environment, with others succumbing in an attempted rescue
effort.
21st December 2010
|
Uruguay
Girl dies in play accident at air base
The 4-year old daughter of 2 serving officers at the Cesareo Berisso
air base in the environs of Carrasco International Airport has died in a fall while playing on a
construction column which fell on her.
21st December 2010
|
Mexico
27 killed in Pemex pipe explosion
At least 27 residents in Pueblo died and another 52 were injured when
a Pemex (Petroleos Mexicanos) pipeline exploded in San Martin
Texmelucan, 45 miles east of Mexico City.
Police have set up a 3-mile safety zone and 210 residents were
evacuated to the Angeles Blancos sports centre. Initial speculation as
to the cause of the accident was a criminal act by youths at a section
of pipe near San Damian. 20th December 2010
|
Bangladesh
Ferry capsize after Surma river collision
At least 32 people died and more were missing when a ferry sailing
from Bholaganj to Itna capsized in the river Surma following a
collision with a sand-laden freighter. 20th December 2010
|
USA
Worker killed by reversing bin van
A Pennsylvania refuse collector was killed during his round in Milford
when he was struck by the reversing bin wagon as it negotiated the
tight cul-de-sac of Davis Court. 20th December 2010
|
Ukraine
Miners missing in Donetsk explosion
Two miners were missing following a gas explosion on Thursday at the
Vuhlehorska mine of Ordzhonikidzevuhillia in Donetsk. One hundred and
twenty one miners were safely evacuated, the missing 46- and 47-year
old miners are feared buried under rubble.
17th December 2010
|
USA
Landscaper drawn into wood chipper
A Californian landscape worker has died in an accident involving a
wood chipper in Fallbrook, San Diego, where he slipped while feeding
material into the machine and sustained major trauma injuries when he
was pulled into it.
17th December 2010
|
France
GRIMP rescues worker injured on windmill
GRIMP(Groupe de recherche et d'intervention en milieux perilleux)
attended an accident on Wednesday at a wind farm in Poulle-les-Coteaux
where a worker had fallen 3 metres into a gap and injured his back 98
metres up a windmill. He was rescued and later transferred to a clinic
in Nantes.
16th December 2010
|
Egypt
26 dead in Alexandria building collapse
On Wednesday 6 more bodies were discovered at the site of the
collapsed 6-storey clothes factory in Moharram Bek, east Alexandria,
bringing the total to 26 dead, a further 10 workers were injured as
well as one of the rescuers.
16th December 2010
|
Bangladesh
25 killed in textile factory fire
Fire broke out on the 10th floor of a textile factory of the Ha-Meem
Group in Ashulia, 15 miles northwest of Dhaka, killing 25 workers and
leaving another 100 injured. The death toll could still rise as
rescuers strove to get in to the 10th and 11th floors.
15th December 2010
|
USA
Collapsed Arkansas silo not inspected for 19 years
The grain silo collapse at Tyson Foods Inc in Nashville, Arkansas,
which last week claimed the life of a 48-year old worker, was
apparently a structure which had not been inspected by OSHA since
1991. The silo engaged around 30 workers, 10 fewer than the threshold
for sites on a regular visit roster.
15th December 2010
|
New Zealand
North Island forestry worker killed
A 19-year old worker died
yesterday in an accident during tree felling in Wharerata Forest,
south of Gisborne. A tree stump was serving as an anchor point for a
log hauler and when it was pulled out the worker fell into the large
excavation it left. The tree stump then rolled back on to him,
inflicting fatal crush injuries. 14th December 2010
|
USA
California forklift driver impaled
A forklift truck driver was left with severe abdominal injuries when
he became impaled on a metal section after hitting a gate at Grimmway
Farms near Lamont, California. Fire crews had to saw a 3cm
section of metal protruding into his body then use jaws of life and
hydraulic equipment to free him from the vehicle's steering column and
cab. 14th December 2010
|
Germany
Cologne house reduced to rubble in gas explosion
A gas explosion destroyed a house on Pingsdorfer Street in Bruhl,
south Cologne, 2 adults died in the explosion and it is feared that a
daughter who is missing is also under the rubble. The family's 12-year
old son survived with only minor injuries, another son was not at home
at the time. Rescuers were using excavators on Sunday as hand digging
was too dangerous. 13th December 2010
|
Russia
Moscow TV studio fire
Fifteen members of staff were evacuated from the Ostankino building on
Akademik Korolyov Street, Moscow, when fire broke out in a TV studio
on the 5th floor of the building, no injuries were reported.
13th December 2010
|
Germany
Baby stolen from Frankfurt hospital
Two 28-year old women were arrested in Hattersheim on Thursday over
allegations that they stole a new-born baby from Hoechst Hospital,
Frankfurt, earlier in the day. The baby's mother was aware of her
newly born child being taken but assumed that they were members of
staff and raised the alarm after half an hour.
10th December 2010
|
Argentina
Cruise ship crippled in Drake Passage storm
The cruise ship Clelia 11 was expected in Ushuaia, Tierra del Fuego,
yesterday after experiencing engine and electrical problems during a
storm in the Drake Passage.
The ship had sailed for Antarctica on November 30th with 166 people on
board but encountered 7-metre high waves and 50-knot winds. A rogue
wave breached the bridge windscreen and the ingress of sea water
affected its communications.
10th December 2010
|
Australia
MEWP topples at cement plant
One worker died and another was seriously injured when a mobile
elevating work platform(MEWP) in which they were riding became
unstable at the Holcim Australia cement plant in Kalgoorlie-Boulder.
One of the contractors fell 20 metres from the basket, the other was
trapped and later released.
9th December 2010
|
Poland
Radioactive cobalt stolen from old iron factory
Polish authorities report concern over the theft of 7 lead containers
containing cobalt with radioactivity of between 9 and 20
Megabecquerels. The 40Kg containers may have been stolen from the
former cast iron factory simply for their scrap metal value.
9th December 2010
|
India
Delhi underpass collapses during box-push excavation
A construction worker has died and 2 others were injured in an
excavation collapse under a railway bridge near Narela Station,
northwest Delhi, where an 11-metre tunnel was being excavated for a
road underpass. The contractor was using a box-pushing technique using
large concrete boxes to slowly displace earth from the proposed
underpass below the bridge. 8th December 2010
|
Romania
Utility contests phone booth fatal accident
The Romtelecom utility company and one of its managers are to face
prosecution for alleged negligence over the death of a girl in June
2009 in Rasova, Constanta, where a post-mounted telephone booth fell
on her. The equipment is alleged to have been beyond serviceable age
while the company contends that the equipment was subject to robust
play by children and the accident was "due to factors external to the
company." 8th December 2010
|
Canada
Water pressure tank explosion kills Labrador worker
A worker died on Monday morning when a water pressure tank on which he
was working exploded at a Trans-Labrador Highway construction sit in
Forteau. 7th
December 2010
|
Italy
Fishermen find missing balloonists
Puglia fishermen found the remains of 2 American balloonists missing
since contact was lost over the Adriatic on 29th September while
participating in the Gordon Bennett Gas Balloon Race. The balloon
cabin with the bodies inside came into the nets of the Vieste
fishermen. 7th
December 2010
|
Russia
2 killed in Moscow air crash
Two people died and 40 were injured when a Tupelov Tu-154 aircraft
crashed at Moscow's Domodedovo Airport on Saturday, the authorities
are believed to be preparing a charge under Part 3 or Article 263 of
the Criminal Code pertaining to breaches of transportation safety.
The flight had left Moscow's Vnukovo Airport for Mineralniye Vody but
encountered engine failure, overshooting the runway during the
emergency landing.
5th December 2010
|
Canada
Worker injured in concrete pour accident
A construction worker is listed in stable condition with serious head
injuries and several fractures after a 5-metre fall from a scaffold
when a concrete column collapsed shortly after a concrete pour at the
new RCMP premises in Burnside Park, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia.
5th December 2010
|
Israel
Dozens of prison guards die in forest fire
At least 40 prison guards died yesterday when their bus was engulfed
in a fire raging in the Carmel forest, it was negotiating a narrow
mountain road between Atlit and Kibbutz Beit Oren en route to Damon
Prison to evacuate prisoners.
3rd December 2010
|
New Zealand
North Island tractor rollover fatality
A farm worker has died in a tractor rollover accident while ploughing
in a field on a gradient off Huia Hi Road, Pongoroa.
3rd December 2010
|
China
7 trapped in flooded Hunan mine
A rescue effort was ongoing yesterday to reach 7 miners trapped by
flooding in the Yide coal mine in Xiangtan county, Hunan. The flooding
occurred at a depth of 85 metres. Although 1,200 tonnes of water were
being pumped out hourly yesterday, rescuers were unable to announce
significant progress. 2nd December 2010
|
UAE
Unstable crane kills cladding workers
Two construction workers doing cladding on one of the upper floors of
the new Boulevard Plaza building in Downtown Dubai were killed when a
crane became unstable and collapsed, they were employees of
Multiforms, an Emaar subsidiary. 2nd December 2010
|
Spain
Nursing home worker admits to deaths of 11 patients
A 45-year old employee of La Caritat nursing home in Olot, Gerona, has
admitted to involvement in the deaths of at least 11 elderly patients
under his care. During his 5 years of employment there, 59 deaths
occurred, 27 during his shifts, notably at weekends and holidays. His
confession yesterday rendered him possibly culpable of 9 of 15 deaths
this year, in 2009 12 patients died, 5 during his shifts.
The judge suspected that doctors signed death certificates without
examining the bodies, which meant the crime continued unchecked. Some
patients were given drinks laced with bleach, others an overdose of
insulin or other medication.
1st December 2010
|
South Africa
Fatal accident at manganese mine
A worker has died in an accident at BHP Billiton's Wessels manganese
mine near Hotazel, North Cape, the mine is an underground operation
300 metres below the surface.
1st December 2010
|
|
USA
Kansas bin man run over by wagon
A refuse collector of Honey Creek Disposal has died after being run
over by a reversing bin wagon during a round in Tonganoxie, Kansas.
He had been riding on the rear of the wagon and had fallen as he
attempted to jump off, the driver unaware of his fall.
31st December 2010
|
USA
Pennsylvania worker's body recovered from quarry
Divers have recovered the body of a 61-year old worker who fell from a
ledge into the water at Swatara quarry in Pennsylvania.
31st December 2010
|
USA
Father killed, son survives trench collapse
An unstable excavation collapsed during sewer work in Jackson, Ohio,
trapping a father and son of Bontrager Excavating. The 50-year old
father was buried some 5 metres under the fine tilth soil and could
not be rescued but the 24-year old son was trapped at shoulder height
and was rescued quickly by hand digging.
29th December 2010
|
India
Worker killed in new church roof collapse
A construction worker was killed when the roof of the new Fatema Rani
Church under construction collapsed in Bandarban Sadar, Chittagong.
29th December 2010
|
The Netherlands
Major fire at steel works
Fire crews were tackling a major blaze late on Monday evening at the
Tata Steel plant on Willem Bakkerweg in Beverwijk, the locus was in
one of the fabrication sheds.
28th December 2010
|
Turkey
Crew rescued from stricken Aegean freighter
Coast guards contended with very rough seas on Monday in the 5-hour
rescue of the 12-man crew of the freighter Serbest-K which grounded on
rocks off Turgutreis, Mugla.
28th December 2010
|
Australia
Workshop fatality at WA mine
A contract worker of Ausdrill Mining Services has been killed in an
accident during maintenance in a workshop at the Cloudbreak Mine of
Fortescue Metals Group Ltd in Pilbara, Western Australia.
25th December 2010
|
India
Alleged negligence over nitrogen lab deaths
Bolarum police in Hyderabad have registered a case under Section 304-A
of the Indian Penal Code, causing death by a negligent act, against
the management of Dr Reddy's Laboratories over a double fatality this
week in which a chemist and an assistant died of suspected nitrogen
poisoning during the micronisation of raw materials to produce
omeprazole in a 'clean room' at the labs. 24th December 2010
|
USA
Pennsylvania arboreal death
An employee of M & C Lumber was killed by a falling oak tree which he
was felling in Bethel, Pennsylvania. 24th December 2010
|
Canada
Thumb severed on rotary disc grinder
A worker severed a thumb while operating a rotary disc grinder at
Active Burgess Mould and Design on the Oldcastle industrial estate in
Tecumseh. It was unknown whether the severed thumb could be surgically
reattached. 23rd
December 2010
|
USA
Forklift fatality at Oregon works
A forklift accident has claimed the life of a worker at the Waste
Management site in Burlington, Oregon, the accident occurred in an
area where materials are loaded and unloaded.
23rd December 2010
|
Australia
Diesel fire at Queensland
rig site
Workplace Health and Safety petroleum and
gas inspectors are investigating a serious accident at a drilling rig
site in Eromang, southwest Queensland, where a 60-year old worker
sustained severe burns in a diesel fire.
22nd December 2010
|
Greece
Rough sleeper dies in fire in old Hellenic Railways store
A 76-year old man died in
a fire in a former OSE(Organismos Sidirodromon Ellados) store in Xylokastro,
northwest of Corinth, where he had been sleeping rough. 22nd December
2010
|
Czech Republic
Fatal accident at Darkov mine
A miner has died in an accident 800 metres underground at OKD's Darkov
mine at Site 9 kveten.
OKD is a subsidiary of New World Resources, this was the 3rd fatality
of the year at the OKD mine.
21st December 2010
|
South Africa
Worker killed in butchery mincer
An investigation has been ongoing into the death of a worker in the
butchery department of a store on West Street, Durban, where he
slipped and died when his head became trapped in a mincer.
21st December 2010
|
Austria
Man electrocuted in Vienna rail yard
A 21-year old man was electrocuted after climbing on the top of a
parked wagon in a railway yard in Vienna and contacted the15Kv
overhead line, he and 3 others were returning home from an outing. 20th December 2010
|
USA
Mechanics killed in work accidents
A 36-year old Utah mechanic died in an accident at the weekend while
servicing a lorry at Ron Osborne Trucking in Bluffdale. His clothing
snagged on a spinning power take-off, drawing him through and severing
an arm.
At Rancho Auto Service in Temecula, California, a 63-year old mechanic
died of blunt force trauma injuries when a vehicle came off a
hydraulic jack. 20th December 2010
|
Canada
Worker pulled out of subsidence hole
Quebec's Workplace Health & Safety is investigating an accident at a
site in Place d'Youville in Old Montreal where subsidence occurred and
a worker fell into an a excavation and was trapped up to the waist by
debris. He was dug out by fire crews but has serious leg injuries.
17th December 2010
|
Canada
Rig worker dies of head injuries
A rig worker of Precision Drilling died this week in University
Hospital, Edmonton, where he was admitted with severe head injuries
after being clouted by equipment as a drill pipe was being extracted
from a well at a Novus Energy site 20 miles northwest of Grande
Prairie. 17th
December 2010
|
Greece
Substation explosion
Three maintenance workers were hospitalised with eye injuries
following an explosion in a Public Power Corporation electrical
substation in Lavrio, southeast of Athens.
16th December 2010
|
France
Train/ school bus collision
One person was critically injured and 17 others were injured when a
school bus carrying 30 children collided with a TER service on a level
crossing at Jonches, north of Auxerre.
16th December 2010
|
USA
Falling fridge kills Milwaukee worker
A worker was killed on Tuesday when colleagues refurbishing a 4th
floor apartment in a Milwaukee building threw an old fridge out of the
window unaware of a colleague's presence on the ground.
15th December 2010
|
New Zealand
Electrician died in fall through fire mortar
Auckland District Court has fined Hawkins Construction Ltd
$36K(£17,159) and Firepel Kidd Ltd $25K(£11,916) in respect of a
fatal accident at the Britomart East Building in Auckland on 12th
November 2009 in which a worker died in a 10-metre fall through fire
mortar.
The employee of Tyco NZ Ltd was engaged in electrical work when he
fell, the area was neither secured by planks nor guard rail. Both
companies were found to have failed to identify the risk.
15th December 2010
|
Denmark
Freighter collision off Jutland
Navy vessels and a helicopter attended a collision yesterday 12 miles
west of Hirtshals, Jutland, where a bulk carrier and a container
feeder freighter collided. The carrier was holed and water ingress
occurred, the other ship was undamaged. 14th December 2010
|
India
Reversing lorry runs over sleeping worker
A worker who was sleeping in an improvised tent on the grounds of a
building site in Anna Nagar, Chennai, has been killed by a reversing
sand-laden lorry whose driver has been charged by police in
connection with the accident. 14th December 2010
|
France
Felled tree falls on worker's legs
A 44-year old worker was hospitalised in Brest at the weekend with
severe leg injuries when a tree he was cutting fell on his legs at
Saint-Igeaux.
13th December 2010
|
USA
Negligence alleged in farm transport accident
Police in Honolulu are preparing a 3rd degree negligence homicide
investigation following the death of a 70-year old farm worker struck
by a reversing lorry at Aloun Farms, Oahu, the Department of Labour
and Industrial relations has also launched an investigation.
13th December 2010
|
New Zealand
Worker airlifted
A worker was airlifted to Waikato Hospital yesterday following an
accident at Putaruru Domain where the 40-year old worker had sustained
serious head and spinal injuries.
10th December 2010
|
Finland
Swine flu strikes garrisons
Seven cases of the H1N1 virus have been diagnosed among members of the
Parola Armed Brigade, with a further 200 national servicemen
manifesting symptoms of swine flu. The health authorities are
expressing concern that it may also have spread to the Rovaniemi
garrison.10th
December 2010
|
Chile
81 die in prison fire
At least 81 inmates of San Miguel prison in south Santiago have died
in a fire reported to have begun during a gang feud.
9th December 2010
|
Japan
Ophthalmologist charged over lasik surgery negligence
The former director of the Ginza Ganka ophthalmology clinic in Ginza,
Tokyo, has been arrested over alleged professional negligence in which
patients contracted infectious eye disease from inadequately
sterilised equipment during lasik surgery from September 2008 until
January
2009.
9th December 2010
|
France
Unstable HGV crane kills driver
An HGV driver has been found dead on his lorry near Argentan where a
crane mounted on the vehicle became unstable and fell on him at a site
where he was preparing to collect felled timber. 8th December 2010
|
Wales
Worker left paraplegic after crush accident
At Mold Crown Court SCA Hygiene of Oakenholt, Flint, has been fined
£120K plus £18,514 costs over a disabling accident in which a worker
was crushed under a 2-tonne reel of paper on July 29th 2007.
The court heard that a reel was being manoeuvred by workers using
their shoulders at the end of a production line, the 38-year old
worker slipped and was crushed by the falling reel, sustaining spinal
fractures which rendered him paraplegic.
8th December 2010
|
Portugal
Aircraft sections fall over Lisbon
Sections of aircraft measuring 5x15 cms were found in the Almada
suburb of Lisbon yesterday, some having struck cars and a house roof
light. Earlier, a TAAG Angola Airlines had to abort a flight to Luanda
shortly after take-off from Lisbon, there has been speculation that
the sections may have fallen from the Boeing 777 TAAG flight
which completed an emergency landing in Lisbon.
7th December 2010
|
Germany
TV stunt show victim brought out of coma
On Monday doctors brought a 23-year man out of a medically induced
coma after an accident which has left him with multiple spinal
injuries while participating in a stunt to jump over a car on
spring-powered stilts on the live Wetten Dass television show.
7th December 2010
|
Canada
Alberta's grey area over farm workplace deaths
The double electrocution of 2 workers on an Alberta farm has raised
the issue of extending workplace safety legislation to cover farm
accidents, Alberta being the only province without such cover. The
workers were killed when a grain auger being transported on a farm
leased from B & R Ranch Ltd contacted an overhead high power line near
Ellerslie Road, Edmonton.
5th December 2010
|
USA
Contractor killed removing utility pole from railway embankment
A 58-year old worker from a tree-removal company was killed when he
was struck by a telephone pole he was removing under contract on a
railway embankment at South Cicero Avenue, Chicago.
5th December 2010
|
USA
Wisconsin scaffold accident
A worker has died and another was severely injured in a 10-metre fall
from a scaffold yesterday at the Hattiesburg Paper Company in Howard,
northeast Wisconsin.
3rd December 2010
|
Russia
Level crossing accident in Oryol
An investigation was ongoing yesterday into a bus/train collision on a
level crossing near Mokhovoye station, Oryol, which left 2 dead and 15
injured. 3rd
December 2010
|
Australia
Tasmanian miner injured
A miner was admitted to Launceston General Hospital on Wednesday after
being injured when rock fell from the roof of the Cornwall Coal mine
in northeast Tasmania. At the time of the accident a Workplace
Standards inspector was on the premises on a routine visit and was
able to launch an immediate investigation. 2nd December 2010
|
USA
Farmer killed as old windmill falls on tractor
An employee of Langmo Farms near Litchfield, Minnesota, was killed
when a disused windmill fell on his tractor during snow clearing work.
The tractor appeared to have struck the 14-metre tall windmill which
subsequently fell on the tractor as it began to reverse. 2nd December 2010
|
India
5 killed in leaking tanker explosion
A site manager and 4 workers were killed in an explosion on Tuesday at
the Euro Pratik steel facility in the Siltara industrial area of
Raipur. A leaking oil tanker was undergoing maintenance when the
explosion occurred.
1st December 2010
|
Canada
Manitoba company fined after teen worker buried under asphalt
The proprietor of Interlake Asphalt Paving has been fined
$33,500(£20,975) over a fatal accident in which a 15-year old worker
died when he was buried under asphalt at a site in Stony Mountain, 8
miles north of Winnipeg. The youth had been shovelling asphalt from a
raised trailer box into a backhoe scoop when the rear gate failed and
he lost his balance, falling under the accumulating asphalt.
The employer pleaded guilty to failing to keep a safe workplace,
employing an underage worker and failing to keep proper business
records. 1st
December 2010
|
|
Wales
Laleston CO incident
A pensioner couple and a paramedic were hospitalised following a
carbon monoxide incident at a house in High Street, Laleston. The
paramedics had been summoned to a suspected stroke case but became
aware of the presence of carbon monoxide. Fire crews ventilated the
house, having attended a similar CO incident yesterday in Litchard.
31st December 2010
|
Serbia
Human error in Sloboda explosion
Preliminary investigation of the explosion at the Sloboda factory in
Cacak has cited human error as the cause, during storage impact to a
fuse ignited a grenade's pyrotechnic filler.
31st December 2010
|
England
Contractor fined over fall from height death
Open Contracts of Cardiff were fined £60K plus £29,757 in costs at
Southwark Crown Court over a fatal accident in July 2007 at premises
on the Fairview Industrial estate, Hayes, where a 57-year old worker
died in a 7-metre fall while replacing a rooflight. A subcontractor
was fined £2K. The company pleaded guilty to a breach of r.6(3)
of the Work at Height Regulations 2005, HSE investigation found that
the contractor had little knowledge or experience of this type of work
and the task had not been adequately planned.
29th December 2010
|
Austria
Bogus Red Cross doctor arrested
Police have arrested a 38-year old man and charged him with causing
death by negligence, it is alleged that he was hired by the Red Cross
in Lower Austria after posing as a registered doctor and failed to
save the lives of patients in transit to hospital.
29th December 2010
|
Malta
British tourist drowns in jacuzzi
A 77-year old British woman tourist drowned on Monday in a jacuzzi in
the Riza Aparthotel in Qawra, initial speculation ruled out foul play.
28th December 2010
|
England
Company fined over Suffolk ladder accident
At Ipswich Crown Court ECO2 BV(the UK trading name of Bergwerff
Numansdorp BV) was fined £60K plus £21,709 in costs over an accident
at Anchorage Storage Ltd in Kenton, Suffolk, in which a Polish
electrician fell while descending a ladder during the installation of
fumigation units. HSE investigation found the work not properly
planned or supervised.
25th December 2010
|
Scotland
Fatal accident forklift poorly maintained
At Inverness Sheriff Court Hochtief Construction AG was fined
£226K over a fatal accident at the Glendoe Hydro Scheme where a
46-year old Czech worker died in a forklift accident in September
2008.
The court heard that subcontractor Tubau was responsible for 3
forklift trucks, the one involved in the accident was inadequately
maintained. The defects included a missing cab window, oil leakage at
the water pump, the automatic levelling mechanism was not working, nor
were the windscreen wipers; there was oil seepage at the offside
steering ram and a bent nail was being used to start ignition. The
absence of the window was deemed crucial in the un-witnessed accident,
the victim may well have been leaning out of the space and
inadvertently activated the joystick, causing him to be struck by the
lowering telescopic arm.
24th December 2010
|
Scotland
Worker broke leg clearing timber jam
At Haddington Sheriff Court Windymains Timber was fined £20K over an
accident in April 2008 in which a Polish worker sustained a multiple
fracture of the leg involving timber processing machinery. He was
using a drop sorter to process the logs into cut sections but
blockages occurred on a daily basis and he had mounted the conveyor to
kick wood clear. As the machine had not been deactivated it started as
the blockage cleared, drawing him in.
The company was deemed to have failed to assess risks involved when
employees operated the drop sorter and failed to identify a safe
procedure for dealing with blockages. The machine was also
inadequately guarded.
The company pleaded guilty to a breach of S.2 of the Health & Safety
at Work etc
Act 1974. 24th December 2010
|
Wales
Guttering collapse injures passer-by
A man in his 50's was struck on the head by a snow-filled guttering
that collapsed outside retail premises on to the footpath in
Caerphilly High Street on Tuesday afternoon.
He is described as in critical but stable condition.
23rd December 2010
|
Canada
Municipal supervisor fined over transport accident
At Ontario Court of Justice in Bracebridge a supervisor at the Lake of
Bays publics works garage was fined $15K(£9,617) over a fatal accident
in which a snow plough he was reversing into a garage inadvertently
struck a colleague who was guiding him in.
On March 19th 2008, he was being guided into the garage but lost sight
of the colleague who was struck by the reversing vehicle. The
supervisor was found guilty of breaches of Ontario Regulation 851
Sections 56(a) and (c) in failing as a supervisor to ensure the worker
stayed clear of the intended path of travel of the plough and in full
view of its driver.
23rd December 2010
|
Austria
10-m fall at Graz site
A construction worker is listed in
critical condition in hospital after a 10-metre fall down a shaft from
2nd storey level to basement on a housing site on Scheidtenbergergasse
in the Geidorf district of Graz.
22nd December 2010
|
Australia
Crush accident on mango
farm
A worker has died in a crush accident when
a heavy tree branch fell on his tractor on the Humpty Doo mango farm
near Darwin. 22nd
December 2010
|
Serbia
Belgrade tram collision
Thirteen people were hospitalised in Belgrade with head injuries on
Monday following the collision of 2 trams of Lines 12 and 13 near the
Hippodrome during the morning rush hour.
21st December 2010
|
USA
Crush accident in Michigan
A 65-year old worker was killed in a crush accident in William
Township,
Michigan, when he was moving between a lorry trailer and a
counterweight on the back of an excavator and the latter began to
rotate. 21st
December 2010
|
Rep Ireland
Fatal fire at oil depot
A 24-year old man died in a fire at a small oil depot in Castleroche,
Louth. The blaze destroyed 3 tankers and fire crews had to exercise
caution given the fuel stored there. 20th December 2010
|
Rep Ireland
Girl killed in sledge accident at golf club
A 15-year old girl died in Cork University Hospital from injuries
sustained when a sledge on which she was riding hit a tree at
Fairfield Golf Club in Cork, 3 others were injured, 2 listed in
serious condition. 20th December 2010
|
England
Accidental death verdict in hay bale accident
A Lancs inquest jury returned a verdict of accident death in respect
of an accident at Upperwood House farm in Greenfield, where an
unstable 200Kg bale of hay fell from a lorry and injured an 81-year
old farmer, who fractured ribs and later died of complications.
HSE investigation found that although recommended methods for
loading/unloading were not being adhered to there was no evidence to
suggest an unsafe system of work.
17th December 2010
|
USA
Hand shredded in machine accident
A worker lost a hand in an accident at Advanced Fluid Containment LLC
in Ogden, Utah, when his glove caught and drew his hand into
metal-forming equipment. The shredding effect of the accident meant
surgical attachment may not have been possible.
17th December 2010
|
Scotland
Bakery fined over dough machine accident
At Perth Sheriff Court Tower Bakery was fined £4K over an accident at
its premises on Shore Road, Perth, where a worker's hand was injured
in a dough sheeter machine he was attempting to clean with a metal
spatula.
On March 23rd 2008, he was cleaning the machine which features 2
rollers and a conveyor and in attempting to put the machine into
neutral he in fact put it into reverse, drawing his hand into it. The
court heard that the task lacked risk assessment and could have been
prevented with training, information, instruction and supervision.
16th December 2010
|
Wales
Scrap worker failed by chain of events
At Caernarfon Crown Court Jeyes were fined £330K plus £50K in costs
over a fatal accident at Deeside Metal Company in Saltney where
a worker was killed in 2005 when air freshner canisters which had not
been properly de-gassed exploded on crushing in a baler and killed a
37-year old scrap worker. The canisters had been taken from Jeyes in
Mold where there was a lack of a competent system to segregate
hazardous waste. The company pleaded guilty to failing to ensure that
non-employees were not exposed to risk. An untrained carrier assumed
wrongly that the canisters were empty.
Deeside Metal Company was fined £100K plus £10K in costs, the company
assuming the carrier's assurances that the canisters were empty. A
manager at Deeside Metal was also fined £10K after admitting a failure
to take reasonable care for the safety of others. The worker who
died in the accident had not been briefed that the baler manual warned
that volatile items should not be compacted.
15th
December 2010
|
England
Company fined over banksman's death
At Milton Keynes Crown Court Trevett Engineering Ltd of Bletchley,
Bucks was fined £30K plus £11,630 in costs over a fatal accident in
which an untrained banksman guiding a reversing HGV became pinned
between the vehicle and a wall.
The company pleaded guilty to a breach of Section 2(1) of the Health
and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, HSE investigation found that a
banksman was not required in that area for the task.
15th December 2010
|
Turkey
Contractors strive to recover missing miners
Ten Chinese workers of Sino Steel Industry Trading Group have begun
work this week in the recovery of 2 bodies still missing from a gas
explosion in May at the Karadon Mine in Zonguldak.
Thirty miners died in the accident at the mine owned by TTK of China,
28 were initially recovered from the 735m-deep mine. The missing
miners are believed to have fallen into a well, the mine is flooded
with water, and recovery work is expected to last 6 weeks.
15th December 2010
|
Australia
WA farmer killed in quad bike accident
A 68-year old Western Australia farmer has been found dead under his
overturned quad bike, he had been moving stock when the accident
occurred at Crooked Brook,15 miles from Bunbury. 14th December 2010
|
Indonesia
Borneo agricultural accident review
At an agricultural workplace safety seminar in Sabah it was announced
by a Ministry official that national workplace industrial accidents
for the first 9 months of the year came to 42,657(compared with 55,186
for all of 2009). with 1,929 accidents being agricultural(2,696 last
year). However, safety audits of plantations in Sabah, north Borneo,
found only 10% to be safety compliant. 14th December 2010
|
Egypt
2 workers killed in weather related accidents
Gales and heavy rainfall led to 2 accidents in Rami, Alexandria, in
which 1 person died in a partial building collapse and another died
when a metal post fell on him.
13th December 2010
|
US Virgin Islands
Rusted safety cable fails worker on tower climb
A Choice Communications employee has been fortunate to survive a fall
while climbing the 62-metre tall Mountain Top tower, owned by SBA
Communications of Florida, on Saint Thomas island. His safety line,
allegedly rust encrusted in places, failed him, he spent 3 days in
hospital for treatment for a broken jaw.
13th December 2010
|
Scotland
Steel company fined over lifting accident
Forth Steel Ltd of South Gyle Street, Edinburgh, has been fined £50K
after pleading guilty to a breach of Section 2 of the Health & Safety
at Work etc Act 1974. On 21st August 2009, a worker's arm was badly
injured when a metal plate fell on it. A crane usually lifted plates
using bare hooks and a wooden baton was inserted in between them to
allow the worker to mark the lower plate. On this occasion the upper
plate slipped off the hook on to his arm. Investigation by HSE
established that no suitable risk assessment was in place when
employees were under a suspended load and the crane operator had not
received any formal lifting training.
10th December 2010
|
Rep Ireland
Judge critical of Offaly care home
Tullamore District Court declined to lift the temporary
de-registration order on Upton House, Clara, Offaly, with the judge
highly critical of the 72-year old proprietrix and her management of
the care home. There was an issue over residents with falls, a failure
to summon an ambulance immediately when a male resident fell from his
bed was deemed to have placed his life at risk.
The Health Information & Quality Authority(Hiqa) was not always
informed of fall incidents, becoming aware of them only during
inspections. There were failings to implement changes subsequent to
inspections, a failure to keep records and failure to instigate
independent investigations into allegations of abuse and rough
handling by staff.
10th December 2010
|
Australia
Fingers severed in forklift accident
A worker's fingers have been severed in an accident involving a
forklift truck yesterday at premises on Central Street, Bennetts
Green, Newcastle. He is listed in stable condition in hospital, it was
not known if surgical reattachment was possible.
9th December 2010
|
New Zealand
Worker's fingers severed in unguarded machine
At New Plymouth District Court Fletcher Steel was fined
$78,500(£37,060) regarding a breach of the Health & Safety in
Employment Act 1992 in which a worker lost 3 fingers in a heavyweight
sheet metal folding machine. The machine was unguarded and could have
had a photoelectric safety device fitted that would have deactivated
it in the event of a light beam being broken.
9th December 2010
|
Malta
British diver dies in accident
A 44-year old British national has died in a diving accident at
Cirkewwa. He was experiencing difficulties as he emerged from the
water and was given assistance by another diver and transferred to
Mater Dei Hospital where he later died.
8th December 2010
|
England
Restaurant fined over caustic burns accident
Following prosecution brought by Wandsworth Council over an accident
in June 2008 at its Wandsworth Bridge drive-thru restaurant, McDonalds
has been fined £5K plus £15,744 costs over an accident in which a
maintenance worker was left with only 60% vision in his left eye and
97% in the other after sustaining burns to his face and eyes. The
worker had been using a sulphuric acid-based drain cleaner to clear a
waste pipe blockage but a blow-back occurred as he applied the liquid.
The investigation found that the worker had been given money by the
outlet manager to buy a very hazardous product and the maintenance
task lacked a risk assessment, appropriate supervision, training and
protective clothing. 8th December 2010
|
Rep Ireland
Elderly Mayo farmer dies in fall
An 85-year old Mayo farmer has died in a fall while attending
livestock on his farm at Derryhillagh, Castlehill, Ballina, the
current icy conditions are believed to have caused the accident.
7th December 2010
|
Italy
7 cyclists killed by unlicensed driver
A 21-year old Moroccan driver has been charged with driving without a
licence and under the influence of cannabis following an accident in
which he struck and killed 7 cyclists of an amateur cycle club in
Lamezia Terme, Calabria. The accused had lost his licence earlier this
year on account of careless driving.
7th December 2010
|
Canada
Unstable lifting operation killed New Brunswick worker
An investigation was ongoing through the weekend into a fatal accident
in Blacks Harbour, New Brunswick, where a 25-year old worker of
Dominion Refuse Collectors died when an industrial skip being loading
on to a lorry became unstable and swung sideways, inflicting fatal
injuries. 5th
December 2010
|
France
CO incident
Eight residents of a house in the centre of Quimperle, southwest
Brittany, were hospitalised on Saturday manifesting varying degrees of
carbon monoxide poisoning, fire crews indicated a malfunctioning
heater. 5th
December 2010
|
Rep Ireland
Helicopter issues Pan-Pan during fisherman's rescue
An Egyptian crew member of the fishing boat Corona Gloria is listed in
comfortable condition in Cork University Hospital after being
airlifted from the boat where he sustained head, arm and leg injuries
after being struck by a steel hawser. The Irish Coast Guard helicopter
from Shannon had to issue a Pan- Pan urgency alert when it entered a
snowstorm close to the boat 70 miles south of Youghal.
Two centimetres of ice formed on the windscreen of the Sikorsky S-61
which does not have rotor ice protection.
3rd December 2010
|
Scotland
Sheriff stresses merit of audible warnings on hydraulic tailgates
At a fatal accident investigation at Perth a sheriff has commented
that an audible beeping system on a hydraulic tailgate may have
prevented it.
On September 8th 2009, an 80-year old retired farmer sustained fatal
internal crush injuries when such a tailgate on a trailer preparing to
tip grain descended on him at Dalbeathie Farm, Dunkeld. The sheriff
found that there was no reason for the farmer to have put himself in
the vulnerable position between the tailgate and trailer platform and
described it as a "split-second decision" for him to stand where he
did when the tailgate came down. The inquiry found no wrongdoing on
anyone's part in the circumstances of the death.
3rd December 2010
|
Canada
OHS investigates Saskatoon accident
Occupational Health & Safety has been advised of an accident on
Wednesday at premises on Wakooma Street, Saskatoon, where a 22-year
old worker sustained head injuries, his condition was not immediately
known. 2nd December 2010
|
Austria
Worker killed by falling concrete
A construction worker has died at a site in Floridsdorf, Vienna, where
he was struck by a falling concrete section. 2nd December 2010
|
Canada
Ontario highway flagman killed
A workman controlling traffic by flag at a highway construction site
on Nebo Road, south of Rymal, Ontario, was killed in an accident
yesterday. Police have arrested a driver in connection with the
accident which is under investigation by the Ministry of Labour.
1st December 2010
|
New Zealand
Coroner rules farm bike death accidental
A Wellington Regional Coroner has given a verdict of accidental death
in respect of an accident in which a 15-year old youth died on July
21st 2009 when he was blown by a gusting wind and fell from the rear
of a farm quad bike near Masterton, Wairarapa, while holding down an
item of furniture. The driver was convicted of operating a vehicle
carelessly, causing death. The coroner described it as a "tragic
accident" and stressed the unsafe practices which led to the death.
1st December 2010
|
|
England
Roof fall death
A man has fallen to his death while working on the roof of a building
on the Fauld Industrial Estate in Tutbury, Staffs, he died shortly
after yesterday morning's incident.
31st December 2010
|
England
Chemical incident in Oxfordshire
A leakage of ammonia from a laboratory fridge is speculated as the
cause of an incident on Wednesday afternoon that required fire and
rescue services to attend the Witney Health Centre. The centre was
reopened several hours later.
31st December 2010
|
Scotland
Worker seriously injured
A bus mechanic was badly injured on Monday evening when he was trapped
under the wheel arch of a Stagecoach bus he was checking at the Guild
Street bus depot in Aberdeen. He has head and upper body crush
injuries. 29th
December 2010
|
UK
Retail workers face up to
weapons
Two men, one with a crossbow, have assaulted and injured a shop owner
in a robbery at the Efford Road Post Office in Plymouth.
In Currie, Edinburgh, a shop assistant was held at knifepoint by two
assailants outside the Co-op, but was uninjured in the robbery.
Both robberies occurred around 6am.
29th December 2010
|
England
Worker dies in oven
A man in his 50's has died in an industrial accident at the Cheshire
premises of Pyranha Mouldings. He was discovered in an oven at the
canoe manufacturer's Runcorn site on Thursday, one report states he
had been cleaning the oven.
25th December 2010
|
England
Waste industry fatal accident
It is reported that a man in his 30's has died following an accident
at the Gaskells Waste Services premises in Liverpool yesterday
morning.
24th December 2010
|
England
Takeaway owner had no insurance
The proprietor of The Raj curry house in Bradford has been prosecuted
and fined £2,500 for failing to acquire Employers' Liability
Compulsory Insurance covering his employees against work-related
injury or ill-health. He also faces a further £1,000 penalty for
failing to producing an insurance certificate and was also ordered to
pay full costs of £2,585.
24th December 2010
|
England
Incident on Somerset roof
An injured workman required to be rescued from the roof of a property
being refurbished in Portishead High Street on Tuesday afternoon. He
sustained a leg injury in a fall and was rescued by an Avon Fire and
Rescue aerial
appliance.
23rd December 2010
|
England
Deadly maintenance
A maintenance worker was fatally injured when a packaging machine he
was maintaining was activated by an employee. The 50-year old deceased
employee sustained head injuries when struck by the bars that transfer
cardboard through the cut and crease machine.
At an earlier hearing at Chesterfield Magistrates' Court, Glossop
Carton and Print Ltd admitted breaching S.2(1) and 3(1) of the Health
and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and was fined £50,000 with £76,150
costs. 23rd
December 2010
|
England
Patient died after application
of dangerous technique
In October 2004, a vulnerable 42-year old man in the care of the Old
Vicarage nursing home in Stallingborough died after he was the
recipient of restraint techniques described in a court case as
inappropriate and dangerous.
The deceased was physically restrained by staff for 90 minutes at the
Health and Care Services (UK) Ltd home and on release crawled to his
room where he died a short time later.
Investigation showed that the Commission for Social Care Inspectorate
highlighted an urgent need for safe restraint training for staff 5
months before and senior management at Health and Care Services said
they would remedy this and that improvements would be made. However,
no training was given for staff who had to deal with the deceased who
had learning and behavioural difficulties.
Health and Care Services UK Ltd was fined £80,000 with £40,823 costs.
22nd December 2010
|
England
Agency worker killed on his
first day
A 29-year old Lithuanian worker was crushed to death by a stack of
glass which fell on him as it was being removed from a shipping
container. The accident occurred at Arken PoP Ltd premises in St
Neotts, the task involved unloading several sheets of glass
weighing more than 100kg.
An HSE official commented: "It should have been planned properly and
staff should have been fully trained in what to do. If there had been
a safe system of work for this job this tragic death may not have
happened."
Arken pleaded guilty at Peterborough Crown Court to breaching S.3(1)
of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 at an earlier hearing
and was fined £80,000 with £16,914 costs.
22nd December 2010
|
England
Pharmaceutical company's COSHH failures
Employees of Catalent UK Swindon
Zydis developed a dermatitic condition caused by their exposure to a
potent substance.
At least 10 employees exhibited allergic contact dermatitis derived
from exposure to Olanzapine which the company were aware was a
potential cause of the condition but it did not review its risk
assessment.
Catalent admitted breaching r.6(3), 7(1), 11(1) and 11(3) of the
Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH),
S.2(1) of the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 and was fined £50,000
plus £50,123 costs.
21st December 2010
|
England
Roof fall worker's health ruined
A roofing contractor in his 40's fell through the rooflight of a
building extension in southwest London as he removed a tarpaulin
placed there for weather protection. He had stepped on to some
insulating board but this failed and he fell 3 metres and fractured
his back.
The proprietor of a carpentry and building company from Wallington,
Surrey, supervising the
work admitted breaching r.6(3) of the Work at
Height Regulations 2005 and was fined £10,000 with costs of £7,000. He
had failed to undertake the few simple measures that would have
prevented the accident.
20th December 2010
|
England
Subcontractor contacted live conductor
A mechanical fitter contracted to repair an overhead crane at the
premises of timber merchants Ridgeons Ltd in Sudbury, Suffolk, fell 6
metres from the crane's ladder after contacting an unmarked 415v cable
which had not been isolated. The man, in his 60's, sustained multiple
injuries and burns. He was employed by Graham Parish Engineering which
had been subcontracted by Ridgeons who admitted breaching r.4(3) of
the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989, failing to ensure work was
carried out in such a manner as to not give rise to danger. It was
fined £5,000 with £4,344 costs. Ridgeons handed over the work without
discussion as to the way it was to be undertaken or any precautions
required before commencement of the work.
20th December 2010
|
England
Gas engineer dies at work
The gas engineer who died on Monday at a residential property in
Macclesfield probably died of carbon monoxide poisoning.
Police entered the property where he was working and discovered his
body after colleagues had no contact from him.
17th December 2010
|
England
Garage explosion injures 3
Three persons are in hospital following an explosion yesterday
afternoon at the premises of Pullman Fleet Services on the Kingsway
Business Park in Gloucester.
17th December 2010
|
Scotland
2 injured at Berwickshire farm
Two farm workers were injured and taken to hospital with serious
injuries following an accident as they worked with an item of farm
equipment, one man required to be freed by emergency services in
Tuesday's incident at a farm near Eyemouth.
16th December 2010
|
England
Worker's fatal ladder fall
A 50-year old engineer fell and suffered what later proved to be fatal
head injuries as he worked standing on a wooden ladder at the
Canonbury Telephone Exchange in London in October 2006. The BT
employee is believed to have been working at around 4 metres
installing distribution boards, 2 wooden ladders found at the scene
had not been subject to an annual inspection as required by BT’s own
health and safety policy.
British Telecommunications Plc was found guilty of breaching
S.2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and was fined
£300,000 with costs of £196,150.
16th December 2010
|
Scotland
Council at fault for child's
injury
East Lothian Council has been fined £6,000 because of its failure to
ensure that a sculpture in its ownership that fell over and injured a
child was routinely inspected and maintained.
During January 2009, the 5-year old was playing near the 81Kg Nungate
Wheel sculpture in Haddington when it fell over, fracturing his foot.
Specialist examination of the sculpture determined that it had become
weakened through a fatigue fracture that was consistent with it being
rocked.
The Court accepted HSE's view that
the Council should have carried out a simple risk assessment and
thereby have identified it was possible that children would climb and
play on the sculpture given that it was positioned only a few metres
away from a play area.15th
December 2010
|
Scotland
Electrocution of dog in Borders
town
A dog was electrocuted on Sunday afternoon as it walked past a
building in the High Street, Galashiels.
The building was made safe by engineers and the incident subject to
further investigation.
15th December 2010.
|
England
Welfare issues at Lancs site
A failure to provide basic amenities for workers led to prosecution
and fine for the proprietor of a building company from Burnley.
HSE inspectors originally served the builder with 3 improvement
notices and 2 prohibition notices after finding no toilets or hot
water for washing facilities, unsafe scaffolding and live wires
protruding from sockets at the Littleborough site. Having failed to
respond to the satisfaction of the HSE he was taken to court and fined
£400 plus £1,000 costs. 14th December 2010
|
England
Drill had no guard
An employee of Komatsu UK Ltd lost 2 fingers after an accident
at the company's premises in Birtley, Tyne and Wear.
The accident victim was wearing gloves while making storage racking
and this required him to use drilling equipment with which he was
untrained and unfamiliar. The gloves became entangled in the drill
which had rotating parts exposed and unguarded.
Komatsu UK Ltd, of Birtley admitted breaching S.2(1) of the Health and
Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and was fined £6,000 with costs of £3,421.
14th December 2010
|
England
Lincs chemical incident
Two persons required hospital treatment following an incident at
industrial premises in Holbeach St Marks on Saturday evening.
It is speculated that the pair experienced respiratory problems during
a cleaning operation involving a chemical.
13th December 2010
|
England
Fire safety flouted at property
A list of fire safety misdemeanours at a property in Manchester
brought a court appearance for Music Box Karaoke Ltd.
The company, the proprietors of the K2 nightclub in George Street, was
fined £6,000 with costs of £3,313 for breaching r.14(1), 16(a) and
21(1) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007.
Its site manager pleaded guilty to breaching r.38(a), 39(1) and 41(1)
of the same legislation and was fined £450 with costs of £2,710.
Acting on a report, HSE inspectors made a site visit and discovered
flammable materials piled ceiling high in a basement, escape routes
not marked and in some cases blocked. The building alarm system was
switched off and fire extinguishers had not been tested for 7 years. 13th December 2010
|
England
Death at logistics company
It is reported that a worker in his 40's died on Tuesday evening at
the Earls Barton, Northamptonshire, premises of Nightfreight.
The company said that the accident occurred while he was attaching a
tractor unit to a trailer.
10th December 2010
|
England
Incident at recycling company
The driver of an HGV was knocked unconscious in his cab when it
overturned during the loading of scrap metal at Able UK's premises in
Hartlepool on Wednesday afternoon.
The driver was cut from the cab by emergency services but is not
reported to have life-threatening injuries.
10th December 2010
|
England
Crane operator killed
The operator of a crane being used to dredge a watercourse near Mepal
in Cambridgeshire has died following an incident yesterday morning in
which the crane upended and plunged into the water, trapping him under
the surface. 9th
December 2010
|
England
Double fatality at Kirkby site
Two workers in their 20's have died following an industrial accident
on Tuesday afternoon at the chipboard manufacturer Sonae UK's premises
on Merseyside.
One account states that both were employed by maintenance contractor
Metso and the incident resulted in the deceased being caught up in
machinery. 9th
December 2010
|
Scotland
Farm buildings danger
The recent heavy snow falls have resulted in the collapse of scores of
farm buildings throughout those parts of the east and northeast of
Scotland worst affected by the weather.
These events put farmers at risk,
last winter thousands of farm building roofs collapsed under their
burden of snow and last week livestock was killed in a collapse in
Tayside.
The National Farmers Union advises farmers to clear snow from roofs
only where it is safe to do so and no risk to anyone.
8th December 2010
|
England
Aircraft maintenance company had no
safe system of work
Messier Services Ltd of Gloucestershire has been fined £7,200 plus
costs of £11,820 after an industrial accident occurred as employees
were replacing the landing gear at the front of an A340 aircraft.
A forklift truck was deployed to align the barrel of the main landing
gear fitting with the socket on the underside of the aircraft, and one
employee was required to kneel down on an unsecured pallet designed to
support the landing gear, two metres above the floor. However, the
forklift truck supporting the pallet reversed suddenly and the pallet
and the employee fell, resulting in leg and facial injuries.
HSE maintained the company did not plan the work properly and it
should have had the work done at ground level or provided a safe way
of working at height using the correct equipment.
8th December 2010
|
Scotland
Farm death in Ayrshire
It is reported that a man in his 60's has died following an incident
at a farm near Sorn. One account states he was crushed by a tractor in
Saturday afternoon's incident.
7th December 2010
|
England
University failed to meet requirements
of asbestos regulations
Aston University and its contractor Access Fire and Security Ltd have
been fined for breaching safety legislation in the circumstances of
exposure to asbestos of 2 workers, one a teenager, installing CCTV
cameras at its recreation centre in Birmingham.
The university failed to follow its own procedures on managing,
planning and preparing for the installation and the arrangements were
unclear and not widely known within the university, says HSE. Surveys
for asbestos were undertaken but no procedure existed for passing the
details to contractors.
Aston University admitted breaching r.5(1) of the Management of Health
and Safety Regulations 1999 and r.4(9)(c) of the Control of Asbestos
Regulations 2006 and was fined £4,000 with £2,000 costs.
Access Fire and Security Ltd of Henley-in-Arden pleaded guilty to
breaching r.5(a) of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006 and was
fined £1,000 with £1,000 costs. 7th
December 2010
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England
Fatal accident in Fulham
A building worker died last
Thursday afternoon as he worked to create a basement in a residential
property in Ellerby Street, Fulham. One account given suggests he was
buried by rubble falling after a structural collapse.
5th December 2010
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Wales
Recycling death in South Wales
It is reported that a worker in his 20's died following an industrial
accident at the Nolan Recycling facility in Bridgend.
One account states the incident on Thursday afternoon involved a skip
lorry. 5th December
2010
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England
Vulnerable patient fell from window
A care home company has been fined a total of £41,500 for safety
failures that permitted a 93-year old woman to fall from the first
floor window of her bedroom at the Lawns Nursing Home in Kempsey,
Worcestershire, suffering fatal injuries. The window, and others at
the premises, could be opened fully.
Heritage Manor Ltd of Kempsey
failed to maintain its method of restricting the opening of the
windows adequately, thus putting residents at risk.
An HSE official commented: "The fitting of chain restrictors that
physically prevent windows from opening further than 100mm is a
straightforward and inexpensive method of protecting people who are
dependent upon others for their safety."
3rd December 2010
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England
Worker sustained inevitable accident
A worker severely injured his hand while reaching underneath a large
circular saw. He and his colleagues had been instructed to reach
underneath the saw blade guard to stop laminate, which was being cut,
from being damaged, a system of work used for more than 9 years.
Employer Universal Mouldings of Aintree was fined £5,000 plus £7,500
costs.
An HSE official commented: "The machine was simply the wrong one for
the job. The only way of ensuring the laminate material wasn’t damaged
when the blade retracted was for workers to reach under the guard to
remove it. The company should have realised it was putting its staff
in danger every day they worked on the machine, and found another way
of carrying out the work. It has now installed a more suitable
machine." 3rd
December 2010
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England
Arborists injured
Two men in their 20's have been badly
injured when the mobile elevating platform they were using in their
work as tree surgeons overturned.
The incident occurred yesterday morning in Milborne St Andrew, Dorset,
both men were airlifted to hospital. 2nd December 2010
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England
Teenager blinded for want of eye
protection
The employer of a 19-year old demolition worker has been prosecuted
and fined after he lost the sight of one eye when he was hit in the
eye by a wood splinter as he levered floorboards with a pickaxe at a
property in Hyde, Cheshire.
Dovestone Contractors Ltd of Southampton admitted breaching r.4(1) of
the Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992 by failing
to provide eye protection for its employees and was fined £8,000 plus
£4,000 costs. 2nd December 2010
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England
Asbestos exposure for maintenance
workers
Mitchells & Butler Retail Ltd of Birmingham has been fined £14,001
plus £11,781 costs after 3 electricians and 2 plumbers received
exposures to asbestos at a public house being refurbished in
Darlington.
Although the company commissioned an asbestos survey, this was
restricted to only those areas where the proposed works were to be
carried out. Unfortunately the refurbishment plans were changed
before work started and, because ceiling tiles in the kitchen
contained asbestos, the workmen were exposed to dust generated by
their power tools.
The company was in breach of S.3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work
etc Act 1974 and r.5 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006.
One of the workmen commented: "Because the effects of asbestos take a
long time to show up, the worry of whether the asbestos has caused
lasting damage to my health will stay with me for years to come. And
it’s not just me - it’s a huge worry for my partner also, as there is
a chance that she might have been exposed to fibres that were brought
home on my work clothes."
1st December 2010
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UK
HSE backs chemical campaign
The HSE is supporting the European Chemical Agency's (ECHA) campaign
to remind companies that new rules on classification, labelling,
packaging and notification of chemical substances come into force
today.
Now, within one month of placing a chemical substance on the market,
all companies involved in their manufacturer or import will need to
notify the ECHA for their inclusion in the new Classification and
Labelling Inventory.
1st December 2010
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