Switzerland
Free diver dies in training accident
A 42-year old free diver died in a training accident at Davos on
Saturday during preparation for a world record attempt at the
108-metre record dive without oxygen. Three divers had gone through an
ice hole but the victim came back in 2 minutes and 45 seconds in some
distress and died later in hospital. 28th February 2011
|
Serbia
Serbian Railways investigates Vrbas accident
Two 15-year old girls were killed by an express train from Subotica as
they and a friend walking a dog crossed the tracks near an
overpass at Vrbas station at the weekend. 28th February 2011
|
Spain
5 soldiers killed in ordnance training accident
Five soldiers of the Academia de Ingenieros Militares died in
explosion yesterday when ordnance they were handling exploded
unexpectedly during a training exercise.
They were attaching detonators to a bomb prior to a controlled
explosion exercise at the army engineering academy in Hoyo de
Manzanares, Madrid, when the accident occurred. Three other soldiers
were injured, 2 are in serious condition. The soldiers were wearing
flak jackets and helmets but not full protective equipment worn when
defusing explosives in the field of action.
25th February 2011
|
USA
Utah quarry worker killed in conveyor accident
A Utah quarry worker was found dead yesterday, trapped under a large
industrial magnet on a conveyor belt taking rock to be crushed at the
crushing and sampling unit of Bolinder Resources Facility at Stansbury
Island, Great Salt Lake.
The un-witnessed accident saw his body travel 8 metres along the
conveyor belt. 25th
February 2011
|
South Africa
Worker killed in concrete mixer
Two workers fell into a concrete mixer during cleaning work yesterday
at a concrete plant in Vissershok, Cape Town. One worker died, the other was
severely injured. The equipment activated suddenly as they worked,
drawing them into the blade.
24th February 2011
|
Canada
Saskatchewan drilling worker went through thin ice
A worker of a Saskatchewan drilling company drowned in Cree Lake at
the CanAlaska Uranium mine, 700 miles northeast of Saskatoon, when his
D-6 bulldozer went through the surface ice.
24th February 2011
|
Mali
Crush accident in Bamako stadium
Thirty six people died and 74 were injured in a crush against metal
barriers at a religious festival in the Modibo Keita stadium, Bamako.
The majority of victims were women in the 25K capacity stadium which
was estimated to have been over-filled.
23rd February 2011
|
Belgium
Lab explosion hospitalises 4
Four people were admitted to Ottignies hospital, 1 listed in critical
condition, after an explosion yesterday morning in a lab at the
university on avenue Georges Lemaitre, Louvain-la-Neuve.
23rd February 2011
|
Austria
Salzburg funicular worker hit by carriage
An employee of Salzburg AG was killed yesterday afternoon when he was
struck in the back by a carriage of the funicular railway as it
descended from the castle.
Elsewhere, a construction worker was hospitalised in Schwarzach with
serious back injuries in a fall from a
ladder at a bridge site on the
motorway in Lungau. 22nd
February 2011
|
USA
Butanone flash fire at North Carolina works
A worker required treatment for facial and arm burns after butanone
(methyl ethyl ketone) vapours ignited in a flash fire at the
Sherwin-Williams plant on Stage Coach Trail, Greensboro.
22nd February 2011
|
Estonia
10 killed in orphanage fire
A fire at an orphanage in Haapsalu
killed 10 handicapped children at the weekend, quickly taking hold of
the timber structure and taking 2 hours to control. The central
section of the building collapsed. The orphanage houses 37 children, most of whom are confined to
wheelchairs. 21st
February 2011
|
The Netherlands
Worker crushed under load of sand
A 64-year old man died in an accident at the weekend
at a site on Schoonouwensweg, Stolwijk, where he was buried under an
unstable load of sand. 21st
February 2011
|
Australia
Abalone diver killed by sharks
An abalone diver was killed by 2 white sharks yesterday as he surfaced
from a dive south of Perforated Island, some 200 miles west of
Adelaide, this was the 11th shark attack death in South Australian
waters in the last quarter century.
18th February 2011
|
Vietnam
12 drown in cruise ship sinking
Twelve of the 26 people on board the Truong Hai cruise ship drowned
when it sank off Ti Top Island in Ha Long Bay, Kuangninh, north
Vietnam. Of the 11 tourists who drowned, one was a 30-year old British
male, and there were 2 American females aged 25 and 21. A Vietnamese
tour guide was also a victim.
18th February 2011
|
USA
Unbraked forklift ran down ramp
A 47-year old worker was crushed to death in a transport accident at
Steel Warehouse in South Bend, Indiana, where a forklift truck was
inadequately braked on a ramp and rolled backwards, pinning the victim
against a lorry. 17th February 2011
|
New Zealand
Unguarded conveyor belt accident
Silver Fern Farms were fined $60,500(£28,348) at New Plymouth over a breach of
the Employment Act 1992 in which a cleaning contract worker was
injured in an accident last January when her gloved hand was drawn
into the rollers of a conveyor she was cleaning at the meat processing
plant.
The New Plymouth Department of Labour manager described the accident
as preventable "if the conveyor was properly guarded...machine
guarding has been in legislation for over a century and
businesses still seem to be
forgetting about it." 17th February 2011
|
Belgium
Seaman missing in Antwerp harbour
Late on Tuesday evening the search for a Portuguese seaman missing
overboard in Antwerp harbour was abandoned in poor light and with
strong currents prevailing at Berendrechtsluis. Given that he had been
reported missing 15 hours earlier, it was felt that his survival
prospects were minimal. The skipper of the man's Dutch ship reported
him missing at 6am on Tuesday from the ship at Quay 704, divers and
helicopters with sonar cameras scoured the area throughout the day but
without success. 16th February 2011
|
Canada
Worker killed on Toronto site
A 25-year old construction worker died in an accident on a housing
site on Rivalda Road, Toronto, where he was struck by a heavy steel
beam while he was up a ladder.
16th February 2011
|
Honduras
14 killed in air crash
It was feared that 14 people died when a Central American Airlines
aircraft carrying 20 people from San Pedro Sula to Toncontin
International Airport in Tegucigalpa crashed on Monday morning at Las
Mesitas in Cerro de Hula.
15th February 2011
|
USA
Transport fatality at Erie Coke plant
A worker died in a transport accident at the Erie Coke Corporation
plant in northwest Pennsylvania when he inadvertently walked into the
path of a front-load vehicle.
15th February 2011
|
Nigeria
12 killed in crush after election address
Twelve people died in a crush accident
as they negotiated an exit from a sports ground following an election
address at a political rally in Port Harcourt. It was alleged
that a policeman had fired into the crowd to control order and panic
ensued. 14th February 2011
|
Pakistan
Explosion at Lahore gas-filling station
An explosion at a CNG gas-filling
station in Chung, Lahore, killed 3 people at the weekend, including a
station employee who was filling the gas cylinder in a van. A
further 12 people were injured, 3 of whom are listed in critical
condition in Jinnah Hospital.
The station owners have alleged that the
low-capacity cylinder being filled was substandard and that regulation
of gas cylinder quality should be mandatory.
14th February 2011
|
Turkey
Subsidence accident at mine
One person died and 4 others were missing when ground collapsed
yesterday at a coal production area for the Afsin-Elbiston Coal Power
plant in Kahramanmaras, the dead person is believed to have been
operating an excavator, the others were in a minibus.
11th February 2011
|
Cayman Islands
Electrical burns accident at hotel
A 40-year old electrician was hospitalised in George Town with burns
to his face and upper limbs when an electrical junction box exploded
during maintenance work at the Marriot Hotel on West Bay Road, Grand
Cayman. 11th
February 2011
|
South Korea
7 seamen drown in Sea of Japan
Four seamen of the Cambodian-flagged cargo ship Alexandra drowned and
7 others are missing when the ship went down 10 miles off Ulsan on a
journey from Japan to China. The Korean coastguard has speculated that
the Phnom Penh-registered ship was involved in a collision.
10th February 2011
|
USA
Workers killed in fall down New York lift shaft
Two workers died in a 5-storey
fall down a lift shaft at the construction site of a new community
centre of the Redeemer Presbyterian Church on West 83rd Street, New
York. They were working at 7th storey level without safety attachment
when a beam gave way.
10th February 2011
|
Sweden
Girl crushed in hospital hydraulic bed
A 6-year old girl sustained fatal crush injuries in an
electric-operated hydraulic treatment bed at a clinic in Salen, west
Sweden. She
was there along with a patient but not a patient herself and was
playing on the bed when the accident occurred. She died later after
being transferred to Mora Hospital. Police are understood to be
considering manslaughter charges.
9th February 2011
|
Austria
Apprentice mechanic injured in crush accident
A 15-year old apprentice motor mechanic was hospitalised in Dornbirn
yesterday for treatment for crush injuries to the head and chest after
becoming stuck between the cabin and tank of a fire engine being
serviced in a garage in Lustenau.
9th February 2011
|
Japan
Crane arm hits school bus
Twenty-one people were injured on Monday morning when the arm of a
lorry-mounted crane struck a school bus in Niimi, Okayama, local
police interviewed both drivers following the accident.
8th February 2011
|
India
Mumbai building collapse kills worker
A construction worker was killed when a 4-storey building collapsed in
Mumbai(Bombay), the accident is believed to have occurred shortly
after a concrete pour.
8th February 2011
|
Spain
Girl,6, killed in fairground ride
A 6-year old girl died in a crush accident on the "pista americana"
ride on Sunday evening at a fairground on the Resamblas in Moral de
Calatrava. She seemed to have became caught in a roller mechanism on
the ride, all the other children came off the ride but the girls
father realised an accident had occurred when she failed to appear.
She was later pronounced dead in hospital in Valdepenas.
7th February 2011
|
USA
Ethanol train derails in Ohio
A Norfolk Southern goods train with 62 wagons of ethanol travelling
from Chicago to North Carolina derailed in Hancock County, Ohio.
Eighteen of the wagons carrying 320K gallons of ethanol derailed, no
cause for the accident is known.
7th February 2011
|
Turkey
10 Ankara workers killed in separate explosions
At least 10 workers died in 2 separate explosions in Ankara on
Thursday.
Oxygen tanks exploded at the Ostim plant earlier in the day,
collapsing 2 floors and killing 6 workers, injuring 26 and leaving 5
missing.
In the evening a vehicle fire spread to a car-paint factory, an
accident which saw 4 workers killed and 15 trapped.
4th February 2011
|
USA
Texas grain silo collapse
A 31-year old worker was crushed to death when a grain silo collapsed
in Hereford, Texas, as he was unloading salt from a lorry.
4th February 2011
|
France
Irish psychiatric patient secured teaching job
A 26-year old Irishman has been taken into detention at the
Saint-Christophe unit in Digue-les-Bains following a Scotland Yard
tip-off to staff at the Aix-Marseille secondary school in
Digne-les-Bains where he had secured a post and had been teaching
German since early January.
He has allegedly absconded from a secure psychiatric unit in November
in Northern Ireland where he had been detained over a knife incident
in a lift in 2008, he was allegedly regarded as a dangerous
schizophrenic patient.
3rd February 2011
|
Poland
Red Berets probed over illegal training sessions
The Warsaw Military Prosecutor's Office is investigating a case
against 3 soldiers of the 6th Airborne Brigade arrested over
allegations regarding the sale of illegal parachute jump training
sessions between 2006 and last year.
3rd February 2011
|
USA
Painter survived 37-metre fall from water tower
A 21-year old painter of contractor Worldwide Industrial Corporation
survived a 37-metre fall while working at the North Kaufman Water
Supply tower in East Texas. He was listed in critical condition upon
hospital admission but this later improved to fair. He was wearing a
safety harness. 2nd
February 2011
|
USA
Worker crushed in pump jack at rural site
A worker died in an accident at a site in the Wells Draw area of Nine
Mile Canyon, East Utah, where he was crushed in a pump jack. Water was
being extracted from a pit, initial investigation suggests that he
climbed on to the pump jack but fell into it.
2nd February 2011
|
Australia
Worker standing near crane electrocuted
A worker standing on the ground beside a crane in Cloncurry,
Queensland, was electrocuted when the crane jib struck an overhead
power line. He was assisting with the movement of large steel
containers, the crane operator and a man on the other side of the
crane were unhurt in the incident.
1st February 2011
|
Spain
Man rescued from bin van compactor
A 43-year old Malaga man is listed in critical condition in Arnau de
Vilanova hospital in Lleida with fractures to both legs and an arm
after being rescued from the compaction unit of a bin van having been
deposited there with the contents of a large waste bin in which he had
been sleeping. The refuse collectors heard his shouts after the bin
had been decanted during the round in Cardenal Cisneros Street and
fire crews were called to extract him from the machinery. The victim
had been in Lleida to attend a detoxification clinic.
1st February 2011
|
|
Australia
Quad bike farm death
A Victoria farmer was killed in a quad bike accident at Rivendell Lane
farm in Forrest. He was spraying in ground covered in thick shrubbery
when the bike overturned. It is speculated that he had immediately
jumped clear but the bike came down on top of him. 28th February 2011
|
Spain
Woman dies in fall into septic tank
A 54-year old woman died in a fall into an abandoned septic tank near
a piggery in La Paca, Murica. Her 23-year old son who also fell in was
admitted to Rafael Mendez hospital in Lorca in critical condition. 28th February 2011
|
Antarctic
NZ Coast Guard searches for missing vessel
The New Zealand Coast Guard searched the McMurdo Sound yesterday for
the missing vessel, Berserk, and 3 crew on board. Two other crew
members of the expedition reported that they were safe on land
yesterday and were believed to have been 10 miles from Scott Base.
25th February 2011
|
Spain
2 injured in La Palma helicopter crash
Two workers were injured, 1 listed in critical condition, when a
helicopter contracted from Tragsa crashed yesterday morning in the Dos
Aguas area of the El Paso district in the Caldera de Taburiente
national park on La Palma.
It is believed that the accident involved private contractors
transporting materials for footpath construction in the park.
25th February 2011
|
France
Mont Blanc guide killed in fall
A 30-year old alpine guide of
the Compagnie des guides de haute-montagne based in Chamonix died in a
fall into a crevasse on Wednesday at an altitude of 3,400 metres in
the White Valley area of Mont Blanc.
24th February 2011
|
Rep Ireland
Dublin hotel fire
Fire broke out in a 3rd floor room at the Tara Towers Hotel, Dublin,
on Wednesday. Considerable smoke logging occurred at 3rd and 4th floor
levels but no injuries occurred, the cause of the accident was not
immediately known.
24th February 2011
|
English Channel
Ferry passenger lost overboard
A search for a passenger missing overboard in the English Channel from
the car ferry Normandy was abandoned yesterday, the ferry had left
Portsmouth on Monday night for Caen-Ouisteham where there was a 3-hour
delay prior to the disembarkation of the 323 passengers.
23rd February 2011
|
China
Marathon online session ends in death
An internet gamer has died after a marathon 3-day session without
respite in an internet cafe in the suburbs of Beijing where he lapsed
into a coma. 23rd
February 2011
|
Canada
Province launches forklift safety inspections
Today marks the launch of a forklift safety blitz in Alberta,
inspectors will focus on aspects of worker training, competency,
supervision, the modification and maintenance of forklifts, especially
flat tyres and cracked forks.
Later this year an inspection campaign will focus on young workers and
residential construction.
22nd February 2011
|
USA
Worker struck by lorry at meat plant
A transport accident which occurred outside the Washington Beef plant
in Toppenish is being investigated as a workplace accident, a worker
died after being struck by a lorry.
22nd February 2011
|
USA
Worker's legs severed in compaction machine
A recycling contract worker of Triple P
Farms was listed as being in stable condition in North Mississippi Medical Centre,
Tupelo, following an accident at the MTD grounds in Verona,
Mississippi, where his legs were severed when he lost his balance and
fell into equipment for the compaction of timber and cardboard. He
may have been attempting to clear a blockage.
21st February 2011
|
Turkey
Electrical fire at Istanbul mosque
An electrical fire caused extensive
damage to the timber section of the garden at the Hunkar Pavilion at
the Beyazit Mosque in the Fatih district of Istanbul. This was the
second such electrical fire in the city in the past week, where a roof section
burned at the Kilic Ali Pasa Mosque in Beyoglu.
21st February 2011
|
South Africa
Explosion accident at gold mine
A worker died and another was badly injured yesterday in an accident
involving explosive material at No 7 shaft of Simmer & Jack's
Buffelsfontein gold mine.
18th February 2011
|
Argentina
Worst rail accident in 15 years
Argentina's worst rail accident in 15 years occurred at San Miguel
station, 12 miles west of Buenos Aires, where a Ferrobaires train from
Retiro station ran into the rear of a stationary train on the San
Martin track, 4 people died and at least 120 were injured, with 14
listed in critical condition. A judge will interrogate the 2
Ferrobaires drivers on Friday morning, both were taken into custody.
In a preliminary statement, the judge alleged that 2 of 4 brakes on
the Ferrobaires train were malfunctioning, 1 blocked, the other locked
and nailed down. Yet he also hinted that human error may have played a
part in the collision.
18th February 2011
|
South Africa
Vine harvesters killed in transport accident
A lorry transporting 14 workers to harvest grapes at a Paarl vineyard
was involved in a collision with a tractor, 3 of the workers died and
2 women aged 18 and 39 have serious head injuries.
17th February 2011
|
USA
Timber worker's clothing snagged in auger
A timber worker at Eastern Wood Products in Old Lycoming,
Pennsylvania, was killed after becoming drawn into an auger in which
scrap wood was being ground down. He was apparently trying to clear a
blockage when his clothing became snagged in the equipment.
17th February 2011
|
Australia
Man overboard swims 5 miles to safety
A 25-year old fisherman managed to swim 5 miles ashore following a man
overboard accident off Kirra Beach. He came ashore at Fingal Head and
alerted the authorities to his safety after 6 hours in the water. His
boat was found drifting off Snapper Rocks, Queensland, and the police
search had been temporarily suspended. 16th
February 2011
|
The Netherlands
Gas leak at Limburg care home
A partial evacuation of residents of the Beukenrode care home in
Venray took place when a gas leak was suspected on the first floor of
the home, the evacuation stalled when the lift broke down and some
residents were moved to the rear of the building away from the locus. 16th
February 2011
|
Russia
Trawler and 23 crew missing in Sea of Okhotsk
The search was ongoing
yesterday for the missing trawler Amethyst which was crab fishing with
a crew of 23 in the Sea of Okhotsk. The boat, belonging to the
Kamchatka Fisheries and Oceanography Research Institute had not issued
a mayday and its last known positions were 58º30N, 155º32E. Local
weather conditions were storm force winds and snow.
15th
February 2011
|
Australia
Queensland electrocution investigation
Workplace Health & Safety Queensland is investigating the
electrocution of a 67-year old man during electrical work at
commercial premises on Pacific Highway Service Road, Loganholme, south
Brisbane. He died in Princess Alexandra Hospital shortly after the
accident.
15th February 2011
|
Russia
2 Seamen missing in Black Sea
Two seamen were missing in the Black
Sea off Sochi when a Tanzanian-flagged dry cargo ship broke in two on
Sunday as it attempted to ride out a storm off the coast. As the ship
split and the bow sank, the crew of 12 moved to the stern which
drifted towards the shore. Ten of the crew were safely rescued.
14th February 2011
|
USA
Worker's legs severed in auger
A 30-year old Californian worker died
in an accident at the Setton Pistachio plant in Terra Bella, Fresno,
shortly after his legs were severed in an auger. 14th February 2011
|
Russia
8 killed in chemicals fire
Eight people died and 2 others were hospitalised yesterday when fire
broke out at a factory and warehouse for household chemicals in Perm.
11th February 2011
|
Indonesia
Worker dies in sand mine subsidence
An accident at a quarry in Dadang, 12 miles west of Jakarta, led
to the death of a worker at a sand mine there when heavy rain caused
subsidence. 11th
February 2011
|
New Zealand
Aircraft nose wheel failed
A Bombardier Dash 8 aircraft of Air Nelson with 46 passengers and 3
crew flying from Wellington
had to make an emergency landing yesterday at Blenheim airfield when
it reported that its nose wheel failed. The aircraft circled the
airfield several times then managed to land safely on its main
undercarriage, this is the second such problem involving nose gear in
a Dash aircraft in the last 5 months. 10th February 2011
|
Canada
Crush accident at Alberta site
A 58-year old worker of Willbros Pipeline Construction died in a crush
accident at a site 40 miles south of Fort McMurray after becoming
pinned between 2 pieces of equipment.
10th February 2011
|
Armenia
Gold miner killed
A 34-year old miner was killed yesterday in an accident at the
Shahumian mine of Deno Gold Mining in Syunik, it was unknown whether
the accident involved machinery or a fall of ground.
9th February 2011
|
Australia
Seeping fuel ignited by exhaust gas
A construction worker was listed in stable condition in The Alfred
Hospital in Melbourne where he was admitted with 15% burns when his
trousers caught fire at a site in Melton West where he was operating
an excavator. The vehicle reversed against a gate, severing the fuel
line, causing ignition from the hot exhaust gas.
9th February 2011
|
USA
New York timber yard death
A New York worker died in an accident on Monday involving cutting
machinery at B & B Lumber in Solway Road, DeWitt. The worker was
servicing the machinery and changing the blades when a colleague
inadvertently activated the equipment. 8th
February 2011
|
Indonesia
Sumatran plantation worker mauled by tiger
The body of a 52-year old Sumatran plantation worker was found in
Banyung Lincir, Jambi, where the injuries were consistent with an
attack by a tiger.
8th February 2011
|
Russia
2 killed in Rostov helicopter crash
A pilot and mechanic died when a Mi-2 helicopter of the Russia Defence
Sports Technical Organisation crashed upon take-off in Klamykia. The
accident occurred at an unusually late hour in the evening for
helicopter flights.
7th February 2011
|
New Zealand
Girl,3, drowns in Auckland pool
A 3-year old girl has drowned at the Waiwera Thermal resorts pool
north of Auckland where she was visiting with her family. Unseen by
relatives she had entered a 1.6-metre deep pool where she was pulled
out by life guards but could not be resuscitated.
7th February 2011
|
USA
Norfolk refuse collector killed
On Thursday morning Norfolk Fire & Rescue attended an accident at West
Little Creek Road, Norfolk, Virginia, where a worker of Waste
Management sustained fatal injuries in an accident in the vehicle's
compaction unit.
4th February 2011
|
England
Electrician burned by unearthed box
At Cheltenham Magistrates' Court Powersystems UK Ltd was fined £15K
plus £8K in costs over an accident on September 18th 2009 in which an
electrician sustained burns to his hands, arms and chest from a live
connection box.
He was working under the supervision of another electrician and while
connecting cable between a circuit breaker on a ring maintenance unit
and a transformer he was wrongly advised that the box was isolated and
earthed. 4th
February 2011
|
USA
Worker killed in fall from ladder
A worker of Bobby Jackson Electrical died in a fall from a ladder
yesterday at the South Carolina School for Deaf and Blind in
Spartanburg. 3rd
February 2011
|
South Africa
Mechanic killed by lightning
A subcontract mechanic was killed by lightning while working on a
vehicle at the West Wits mine of Anglo Gold Ashanti in Gauteng.
3rd February 2011
|
Austria
Coke container falls on steel worker
An accident in which a heavy coke container fell and struck a worker
yesterday at the Donawitz Steelworks in Leoben has left him badly
injured in hospital in Leoben. The empty container was being lifted by
crane when a hoisting cable failed.
2nd February 2011
|
USA
Worker's arm trapped in limestone conveyor
Fire crews worked for 2 hours to free a worker whose arm was badly
injured when it became trapped in an underground conveyor at Colona
River Service, Monaca, Pennsylvania, where limestone was being loaded
onto a conveyor for barge transportation on the Ohio River.
2nd February 2011
|
Norway
Passing crane unhooks chairlift
A young Danish tourist survived a 15-metre fall on Monday at an alpine
sports centre in Hafjell where a crane in transit struck chair lift
cables and effectively unhooked his gondola. He was transferred to
hospital in Lillehammer for scans for back and pelvic injuries.
1st February 2011
|
Japan
Tokyo fair ride accident
A 34-year old man died in an 8-metre fall from the Spinning Coaster
Maihime ride at the Tokyo Dome City Attractions fairground.
1st February 2011
|
|
Rep Ireland
Sulphuric acid spillage in county Clare
A sulphuric acid spillage on Saturday at the Organic Lens
Manufacturing plant on the Gort Industrial Estate, Ennis, led to the
evacuation of 50 staff, no injuries were reported.
The accident occurred when a 250-ltre drum of sulphuric acid fell from
a pallet and burst during transportation. 28th February 2011
|
Northern Ireland
Contractor fined over slurry tanker deaths
At Belfast Crown Court a 53-year old contractor, declared an
un-discharged bankrupt, was fined £3k over a double fatality in June
2005 at a farm near Katesbridge where a slurry tanker being emptied
burst open, killing 2 workers.
The contractor had failed to provide a safe workplace, in his defence
it was argued that a technical fault with the Dutch-manufactured
slurry bag contributed to the accident. 28th February 2011
|
England
Tyneside care home fined under Fire Safety Order
At Newcastle Magistrates' Court the owner and a manger of the Bowland
Lodge care home of Tirsul Ltd were fined after pleading guilty to 5
breaches of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 following
inspection after a fire there in
18th August 2009. The owner was fined £18,750 plus £1,600 in costs
over failing to conduct a suitable risk assessment, a lack of
compartmentation to prevent fire spreading, an unsafe external escape
route due to building work and floors, walls and ceiling also found to
be inadequately maintained to prevent fire.
The manager was fined £2K plus £400 in costs over a locked fire exit
which was chocked, nailed shut and padlocked.
25th February 2011
|
Canada
Ontario worker crushed as house frame slips off supports
An employee of HK Contracting was killed in a crush accident yesterday
at McDiarmid Lumber Ltd in Sioux Lookout, 275 miles northeast of
Winnipeg, when a timber frame home slipped off its support as it was
being setup on display. A colleague sustained 2 broken legs in the
accident. 25th
February 2011
|
Wales
Customer fell down open trap door
At Wrexham Magistrates' Court Boots were fined £10K plus £1,240 in
costs over an accident at its store on Broad Street, Welshpool, where
a 76-year old customer injured a leg in a fall down an open trap-door.
The electricity meters are located in the basement and when the meter
reader arrived a member of staff was assigned the task of opening the
trap and standing there. However, the latter was distracted by another
customer just prior to the accident.
24th February 2011
|
England
2 killed during demolition work
Two men aged 45 and 21 were killed when a roof collapsed during
dismantling work at a site on Langholme Road, Thurnby Lodge, Leicester. They had
been using sledgehammers to break up the concrete sections which fell
suddenly and trapped them.
24th February 2011
|
Scotland
Farmer injured in stock accident
A 46-year old Grampian farmer was hospitalised in Aberdeen with a broken
knee and ribs after being crushed against a wall by cattle during the
moving of stock at Wester Milltown Farm in Auchterless.
23rd February 2011
|
England
Girl's death at showjumping event ruled accidental
At Cheltenham Coroner's Court a jury returned a verdict of accidental
death over an accident on 30th October 2008 in which a 15-year old
girl was crushed by a horse while jumping a fence at a cross country
rally in Redmorley, Gloucestershire.
The girl's club, the South Hereford and Ross Harriers Pony Club, had
hired the course, but as the girl's horse approached a jump it
hesitated and then failed to clear it, somersaulting with the girl
still seated in the saddle. A Forest of Dean District Council health &
safety inspector observed that the fence was movable and should have
been secured to the ground. However, although this fell short of best
practice, it did not contribute to the cause of the accident which
featured no breaches of health & safety regulations.
22nd February 2011
|
Singapore
Cracked window forces return of aircraft
A Boeing 747 of Singapore Airlines flying to Melbourne had to return
to Singapore within an hour of take-off when a crack was noticed in a
cockpit window, the return and landing passed safely.
22nd February 2011
|
Rep Ireland
Divers search for missing fisherman
Navy divers were being deployed at the
weekend to search for the missing 64-year old fisherman at the wreck
of the Na Buachailli, lying in 17 metres of water in the Suir estuary
100 metres northeast of Duncannon.
The boat had sailed from Ballyhack
and conditions were good when the capsize occurred, the skipper
managed to swim ashore and raise the alarm. It is speculated that a
cable winching lobster pots snagged and then recoiled, causing a
violent movement.
21st February 2011
|
England
Former Essex H &S manager fined
At Chelmsford Crown Court a 41-year old former Health & Safety manager was fined £5K and given a suspended prison
sentence over an accident in which he was badly injured burning waste
material on February 3rd last year at a site of South Essex
Stockholders in Shoebury.
He had
introduced highly flammable cleaning fluid, the heat from the blaze
warped his safety helmet and his injuries required 3 months
hospitalisation in intensive care.
21st February 2011
|
England
Paint thinner ignited on worker's trousers
At Sevenoaks Magistrates' Court O'Keefe Construction Ltd was fined
£20K plus £6,329 in costs over a burns accident at its Sundridge depot
where an 18-year old worker sustained serious burns to his legs and an
arm.
On 26th October 2009, he had been spray painting a lighting tower but
paint thinner he had been using spilled on his clothes. When he later
passed close to a gas burner his clothing ignited, his 16 days
hospitalisation included 6 in intensive care.
18th February 2011
|
USA
Offshore worker drowned in transfer from ship to platform
The Bureau of Ocean Energy Management Regulation and Enforcement is
investigating a fatal accident on the Apache Corporation's WC575A
natural gas production platform in the Gulf of Mexico where an
offshore worker fell into the water during transfer from ship to
platform. 18th
February 2011
|
Denmark
Firemen injured at pharmaceutical plant
Ten firemen were detained overnight in hospital in Copenhagen after
being exposed to poisonous fumes while fighting a fire at the Lundbeck
pharmaceutical company in Valby. Although they were wearing
respiratory equipment, investigation is focussing on possible spillage
of fluid from glass containers which may have contaminated their
gloves and clothing.
17th February 2011
|
USA
Idaho worker crushed in hay baler
A 40-year old farm worker was crushed in a hay baler which he was
trying to activate at a farm in Middleton, Idaho. It is believed that
his clothing caught in the drive shaft as he was disconnecting leads
to jump-start the machinery.
17th February 2011
|
England
Archway collapse on Newcastle site
An accident occurred yesterday on a building site on Newcastle's City
Road where 2 men were injured when a brick archway collapsed, the
injuries were not believed to be life-threatening. 16th
February 2011
|
Serbia
Hydrochloric acid leak at Belgrade station
The authorities in Belgrade had to deal with a potentially serious
incident yesterday in the central station where 50 tonnes of
hydrochloric acid had been leaking overnight from the wagons of a
stationary Romanian goods train. 16th
February 2011
|
Germany
5th rail track worker death in 8 weeks
A 21-year old track worker was killed when he and a colleague were
struck by a goods train while working on the line near Rethen station,
north of Braunschweig, the 50-year old colleague was hospitalised with
serious injuries.
This was the 5th fatality involving a rail track worker in the last 2
months; 2 were killed in Cologne, 1 in Berlin and 1 at Wunstorf.
15th February 2011
|
Japan
Boy uninjured in fall from bullet train test run
A 3-year old boy survived a 2.6-metre fall from a slow-moving bullet
train in Kumamoto station, the train was undergoing trial runs on an
as yet unopened stretch of line between Kyushu and Kagoshima. He fell
through a 16cm gap between the train and platform as he was
disembarking, train staff immediately activated emergency braking.
Bullet train platforms feature a 9-17cm gap between train and
platform, warning signs on trains advise passengers to be mindful of
the gap.
15th February 2011
|
Germany
Body recovered from capsized Waldhof
On Sunday the body of one of the missing crew men of the Waldhof was
recovered from a cabin of the ship which capsized in the Rhine on
January 13th near Sankt Goarshausen. The other missing crew man was at
the wheel when the capsize occurred near the Loreley and his body may
have been carried away in the strong currents.
The Waldhof had loaded with 2,400 tonnes of sulphuric acid at BASF in
Ludwigshafen and was making for Antwerp. 14th February 2011
|
USA
Worker choked as clothing snagged on
conveyor
A New York worker was strangled to
death when his hooded sweatshirt caught on a conveyor system for
recycling roofing shingles at the Green 46 recycling plant on
Washington Avenue, Rochester.
14th February 2011
|
Rep Ireland
Cork aircraft crash in fog leaves 6 dead
An 18-seater Fairchild Metroliner aircraft of Manx2 crashed during
landing in foggy conditions yesterday at Cork, killing 6 people. The
flight from Belfast with 10 passengers and 2 crew was making its 3rd
attempt to land when it overturned and caught fire.
11th February 2011
|
Austria
Boy critically injured by falling metal plate
An 8-year old boy has been admitted to hospital in Vienna with
life-threatening crush injuries after a 190x70cm heavy metal plate
sealing a stairwell room in flats in the Simmering district of the
city fell on
him.
11th February 2011
|
Malaysia
Factory fire kills workers in dorm
Four workers died in residential accommodation above a furniture
factory in Kuala Lumpur yesterday when fire broke out in a lower floor
of the premises, 3 others were safely rescued.
10th February 2011
|
USA
Clothing dragged Colorado worker into drill machinery
A worker's sleeve snagged in the moving parts of oil drilling
machinery at Power Zone Equipment, 3 miles northwest of Center,
Colorado, causing him to be drawn into the machinery and sustaining
fatal injuries.
10th February 2011
|
Belgium
Pilot and instructor survive crash
A trainee pilot and instructor were fortunate to escape serious injury
yesterday when their light aircraft crashed 100 metres off the runway
yesterday at Kiewit airfield, Hasselt. The trainee was undertaking an
emergency landing as part of his preparation for his pilot
examination, it was unclear whether the accident was down to human
error or technical fault.
9th February 2011
|
Malaysia
Lightning kills worker under zinc roof
A 40-year old plantation worker was electrocuted and another was
admitted to Tawau Hospital with severe burns when lightning struck a
zinc-roofed building in which they were sheltering on the plantation.
9th February 2011
|
Belgium
SPADS rise 11%
SPAD(signal passed at danger) incidents rose by 11% last year compared
to 2009, of the 130 incidents 86 involved NMBS(Belgian Railways), 3 higher than 2009.
Following such incidents, train drivers undergo psychological, medical
and cognitive testing.
8th February 2011
|
Romania
Schoolboy injured in jump from window
A schoolboy was hospitalised in Arad with a double fracture of the leg
following a fall from a 1st floor window of a local school where
jumping from the window was a dare.
8th February 2011
|
South Africa
Youth run over in KZN cycle race
A 14-year old youth participating in the Lassen Road Cycle Race was
killed on Sunday afternoon when he was run over by a lorry near
Camperdown, KwaZulu Natal.
Cycle races are held on public roads, full closure of which is not
permitted. The races are usually staffed by their own marshals
although Road Traffic Inspectorate has trained staff for this purpose.
However, race organisers feel that RTI charges are too steep.
7th February 2011
|
England
Notts road worker trapped under digger
A 46-year old worker was hospitalised in Nottingham on Saturday with
serious leg injuries after becoming trapped under a digger at a
site near Kneeton, off the A46, where road-widening work is taking
place between Bingham and Newark.
7th February 2011
|
Rep Ireland
Tipperary zinc mine explosion
A worker in his 40's was killed and another was injured in an
explosion at the Lisheen Mine which works zinc between Moyne and
Templetuohy, county Tipperary.
The injured worker is listed in satisfactory condition in Cork
University Hospital.
4th February 2011
|
England
Potato crate fell on worker
At Kings Lynn Magistrates Court QV Foods of Manor Farm, Holbeach Hurn
was fined £15K plus £4,606 in costs over an accident in which a
43-year female employee broke a knee and sustained severe bruising to
her back when a crate of potatoes fell from a forklift.
The company pleaded guilty to a breach of Section 2(1) of the Health
and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.
4th February 2011
|
Wales
Company fined over electrocution
At Cardiff Crown Court Celsa Manufacturing (UK) Ltd was fined £80K
plus £16,600 in costs over a worker's burns injuries in July
2008 in an accident at its Castle Works plant.
The electrician was cleaning conductors and circuit breakers in a
control room when the accident occurred, the company pleaded guilty to
a breach of S.2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act
1974.
An
HSE inspector said: "Had Celsa
Manufacturing (UK) ensured correct and safe working practices were in
operation, the serious injuries the accident victim suffered may have
been avoided. This incident need not have occurred, and must serve as
a notice to other employers of the need to control risks from high
voltage electrical equipment."
3rd February 2011
|
South Africa
Trench collapsed at hospital site
The Department of Labour launches an investigation today (Thursday)
into a fatal accident at the new Mantsopa Hospital site in Ladybrand
where an engineer died in an unstable excavation. He had been taking
measurements of soil levels in a 3-metre deep trench when an ingress
of excavated soil of fine tilth occurred.
3rd February 2011
|
Malta
Scaffold dismantling accident
A 30-year old scaffolder was injured yesterday in a 5-metre fall
during dismantling of a scaffold in I-Imdawra Street, Burmarrad, St
Paul's Bay, his injuries are not life-threatening.
2nd February 2011
|
England
Herder probably crushed by falling cow
An inquest in March, Cambridgeshire, into the death of a man who was
herding Friesian cows at Leechmore Farm has returned a verdict of
accidental death, multiple traumatic injuries were consistent with a
crush accident, as if cattle may have fallen on him as opposed to
trampling. 2nd
February 2011
|
England
Crewman missing in Plymouth Sound
Divers continued their search yesterday of Plymouth Sound for a
crewman missing from the Yarmouth Navigator, a former navy motor
fishing vessel, which sank there after taking in water as it was
moving from Dart Harbour for renovation work. Three other crew members
jumped to safety and were rescued near Plymouth Yacht Haven, the
missing man may have returned to the ship's wheelhouse to retrieve
navigational equipment and was not wearing a lifejacket.
1st February 2011
|
USA
Serious accident at NJ water plant
Emergency services attended a possible electrocution on Monday
following reports of an electrical accident at the Hamilton Water
Pollution Control plant in Hobson Avenue, Hamilton, New Jersey.
1st February 2011
|
|
Norway
Company fined over wall dismantling
accident
Bergen Group BMV was fined NKr1 mio(£109,909) over the death of a
Romanian worker who was severely injured in an accident on 2nd January
2010 when an 800Kg steel wall fell during dismantling as a clip was
loosened, the worker died 19 days later in hospital in Haukeland.
28th February 2011
|
Wales
Worker crushes hand
Intertissue Ltd of Neath has been fined
£10,000 plus £1,365 costs in connection with an industrial accident in
which an employee of the toilet roll manufacturer crushed 3 fingers of
his hand in the rollers of a machine. The company pleaded guilty to
breaching r.11(1) of the Provisions and Use of Work Equipment
Regulations 1998, it had not prevented access to the dangerous parts
of the machine involved.
28th February 2011
|
Scotland
Requirement to supervise
contractors
A 32-year old man died when he fell
through a fragile roof at Tullis Russell Papermaker Ltd’s warehouse in
Markinch, Fife, on 29th September 2008. One of a number of men working
for a contractor, the deceased fell to the concrete below where he
died immediately.
The contractor had informed its client, Tullis Russell, that crawling
boards would be used on the fragile roof, but they did not do so and
workers were obliged to access the roof by stepping onto it.
Tullis Russell did not check that crawling boards were being used and
failed to bring the unsafe work practices to a stop, even though its
own procedures required that work carried out by contractors should be
monitored on a daily basis.
The company was fined £260,000.
25th February 2011
|
England
Drill had no guard
Jex Engineering Company Ltd of Wakefield has been fined £4,000 plus
£3,250 costs having pleaded guilty to breaching r.11(1)(a) of the
Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 by failing to
prevent access to dangerous parts of a drill.
An employee suffered an injury when his hand became entangled in a
drill as he installed a machine at a site in Leyland. Investigation
found the company failed to notice the guard was missing when it
received it on hire and when it was given to the accident victim to
use. 25th February
2011
|
England
Fire at Birmingham factory
Sixty firefighters tackled an outbreak of fire yesterday morning at a
textile factory in Sparbrook, Birmingham. The incident caused
widespread disruption with dozens of neighbouring workplaces being
evacuated.
In Edinburgh an outbreak of fire in commercial premises in Buccleuch
Street ignited a 6-storey building. Emergency services, including 50
firefighters, were deployed and turntable ladders were used to rescue
people from windows.
24th February 2011
|
England
Crown censure for MOD
The Health and Safety Executive has completed a Crown Censure with the
Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) in connection with an
incident on 14th August 2002 which occurred as employees carried out
tests on explosives at an MOD laboratory in Shoeburyness operated by
QinetiQ Ltd.
An employee died after a mixture ignited and he suffered extensive
burns. He and his colleagues were not protected by a screen or
personal protective equipment, inadequacies existed in dynamic risk
assessment and communication issues were shown to have impeded safety
procedures.
24th February 2011
|
England
Farmer prosecuted after death
A farmer has admitted breaching S.3(1) of the Health and Safety at
Work etc Act 1974 at Market Harborough Magistrates' Court and been
fined £20,000 with £5,076 costs in connection with the death of a man
who was helping him move silage bales on 20th January 2009.
Three bales fell and crushed the family friend who died of head and
chest injuries. Investigation found that the bales were stacked in an
unstable fashion. The farmer had failed to remove the bales in reverse
order to which they were stacked, which would have prevented the
structure collapsing.
23rd February 2011
|
England
Workplace death
It is reported that the HSE is
investigating the death of a man in a work-related accident on
February 11th at the premises of S Walker Transport in Redditch,
Worcestershire.
23rd February 2011
|
England
Worker's hand caught in blades
A 22-year old building worker sustained a serious hand injury as he
cleaned a screed pump on a site in Westminster. A hose he was using
caught in the rotating blades of the mixer, pulling his hand into the
dangerous parts, permanently damaging his hand.
The screed pump had no safety grill to stop the blades when it was
lifted, and HSE investigation discovered that a few months earlier
another grille had broken off a pump but was not replaced despite a
written procedure being in place.
Kent Commercial Finishings Ltd of Heathfield, East Sussex, a
contractor who hired the pump, admitted breaching r.11 of the
Provision and Use of work Equipment Regulations 1998, and was fined
£3,000.00 with costs of £2,000.00 at an earlier sentencing.
LCS Interiors Ltd of Welwyn Garden City, responsible for the weekly
inspection of the plant and machinery, was found guilty of breaching
r.11 of the Provision and Use of work Equipment Regulations 1998 and
was fined a total of £10,000 with costs of £30,000.
22nd February 2011
|
England
DSEAR prosecution
A failure to undertake and act upon a
proper risk assessment for a work task permitted an accident in which
an employee of SMP Security Ltd of Telford suffered second degree
burns to his hand and wrist.
The accident victim was fitting an underfloor safe and operating a
flocking machine to create a lining to the safe. He used an adhesive
to apply the nylon flock lining, generating a flammable atmosphere
inside the safe which then ignited.
The accident was preventable with the use of a water based adhesive or
the use of equipment designed to be safe in flammable atmospheres.
SMP Security admitted breaching r.5(1) of the Dangerous Substances and
Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002 and was fined £2,000 plus
£6,000 costs.
22nd February 2011
|
England
Workers' dangerous roof walk
prosecution
Spanclad Construction Ltd of Birmingham has been fined £15,000 with
£5,271 costs for placing its workers in unacceptable danger on a
commercial site in Worcester.
A visiting HSE inspector observed
workers replacing skylights by walking on staging boards with no
handrails on a 5m high fragile roof and near fragile skylights without
bags, nets or other fall protection or prevention measures.
21st February 2011
|
England
Demolisher fined for asbestos failure
Libra Demolition Limited of Cleckheaton, Yorkshire, has admitted
breaching r.22(1)(a) of the Construction (Design and Management)
Regulations 2007 and been fined £1,500 with costs of £10,000 for
failing to manage asbestos on a site in Worksop, Notts.
Libra was the principal contractor for the demolition project and had
control of the site, however it neglected to manage and monitor the
project so as to ensure the notifiable asbestos was removed safely
under licensed conditions by a licensed contractor.
21st
February 2011
|
Northern Ireland
Worker crushed
A farm worker in his 30's died on Wednesday in an accident in Co Down
after a slurry tank fell on him. One account states he was
transporting the slurry and the accident occurred as he changed a
wheel on a road in Banbridge.
18th February 2011
|
England
Plastics factory blaze
More than 60 firefighters fought to bring
a fire under control at the premises of Plasgran in Wimblington, Cambs,
from Wednesday afternoon to Thursday morning.
The factory was severely damaged, the cause of the fire was not
immediately apparent.
18th February 2011
|
England
Vulnerable resident drank toilet
cleaner
Palms Row Healthcare Ltd of Sheffield has been fined £15,000 plus
£14,472 costs having breached S.3(1) of the Health & Safety at Work
etc Act 1974 in connection with the death of an 80-year old resident
at the Newfield Care Home in Sheffield who inadvertently drank from a
bottle of toilet cleaner left in his room.
The deceased was frail, registered blind and had symptoms of dementia,
the company had failed to adequately manage the use of cleaning
fluids.
17th February 2011
|
England
Security lapse left worker vulnerable
A 39-year old oil worker was killed by assailants as he undertook a
geological survey in the Ogaden region of Ethiopia in April 2010.
An inquest into his death held in Portsmouth concluded that he was
unlawfully killed and that his security, one driver and one soldier,
had been inadequate for such a dangerous area.
The deceased was shot dead, his driver and guard survived with serious
injuries. He was employed by Tesla IMC Geophysics International,
contracted to a Malaysian oil company.
17th February 2011
|
England
Worker fatal crushing
A worker in his 40's has died following an accident at Watsons Glass &
Mirrors premises in Wolverhampton.
One account states he was crushed under a quantity of glass yesterday
morning. 16th
February 2011
|
England
Boy fell through staircase gap
A public house operator has been fined £10,000 plus costs of more than
£4,000 in connection with an incident at its lounge bar in Neville
Street in Newcastle. A 6-year old boy sustained a fractured skull
after falling through an opening created by a damaged side rail on a
staircase in April last year.
Ladhar Leisure LLP was in breach of S.3(1) of The Health and Safety at
Work etc Act 1974 and r.3(1)(b) of the Management of Health and Safety at
Work Regulations.
16th
February 2011
|
England
Firm continued to allow safety devices to
be defeated
Hendry Hydraulics Ltd of Elgin has been
prosecuted after HSE inspectors discovered serious safety failures at
its Hendry Eurohoist Cylinders premises in Ashington, Northumberland.
Inspectors initially served 2 Prohibition Notices because the locking
mechanism on the doors to two CNC lathes had been deliberately
bypassed, the company had provided workers with a spare interlock key
to do so.
Hendry Hydraulics Ltd of Elgin, Morayshire, admitted 2 breaches of
r.11(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998
and was fined a total of £20,000 plus costs of £6,621.
15th February 2011
|
England
Concrete pump boom contacted 22kV
cable
A concrete pump operator was badly injured
when the concrete pump he was operating contacted an overhead power
cable as he cast a sewer chamber lid in a site compound near Cockburn,
County Durham
Investigation revealed that Lumsden
& Carroll Construction Ltd, which was undertaking the work to modify
sewers, could have either located the work compound away from power
lines or used different equipment. Where work near power lines cannot
be avoided then the precautions such as physical barriers and warnings
are deemed necessary.
Lumsden & Carroll Construction Ltd, of Bowburn, Durham, admitted
breaching r.22(1)(a) and r.34(2)(c) of the Construction (Design &
Management) Regulations 2007 and was fined £5,000 with £3,643 costs.
Pump equipment hirer James Kennedy, of Washington, admitted breaching
r.13(2) of the Construction (Design & Management) Regulations 2007 and
was fined £2,000 with £1,821 costs. 15th February 2011
|
England
Tree surgeon killed in chainsaw
accident
A 27-year old tree surgeon has died in an accident as he worked in
Mitcham, Surrey.
The deceased was working at height last Wednesday when, it is
speculated, he lost control of his chainsaw, causing him to fall 6
metres.
14th February 2011
|
England
Inquest determines recycling death was
accidental
A 43-year old employee of UK Wood
Recycling died in an industrial accident at its Redcar plant in
December 2008.
He was struck and killed by a loading shovel as he inspected loads of
wood, the inquest jury at Teesside Coroner's Court determined
accidental death.
14th February 2011
|
Scotland
Lift accident
A workman sustained major injuries in an industrial accident at the
Iceland retail outlet in Dumfries.
One account states the injured lift engineer was conducting a routine
inspection at the time.
11th February 2011
|
England
Builder disregarded safety
A builder from Lincoln permitted workers to remove structural parts of
a building being refurbished in the city, leaving it without required
temporary supports. The structural inadequacy placed both workers and
the public at risk. Deficiencies in the measures taken to prevent
falls from height were also apparent to HSE inspectors between 10th
and 17th February last year.
The builder was fined £2,000 plus £1,051 having breached r.28(1) and
28(2) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007.
11th February 2011
|
Scotland
Amputation at Ayrshire recycling
plant
A worker's arm was amputated at
the shoulder on Tuesday morning in an industrial accident at Lowmac
Alloys in Irvine. It is unclear whether surgeons can successfully
reattach the limb, one account states the worker was repairing
conveyor equipment at the time.
10th February 2011
|
England
Severe arm injury inflicted by conveyor
Soleco UK Ltd, trading as Florette, of Lichfield, has been fined
£10,000 with £2,587 costs in connection with an industrial accident in
March last year. Soleco, supplier of prepared salad, admitted
breaching r.11 of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations
1998 in the circumstances of the accident which HSE described as
'preventable'.
An HSE inspector commented: "If Soleco UK had operated a more rigorous
purchasing policy system for checking and commissioning new equipment,
its supplier could have fitted the guards before the machine was put
into use. Once Soleco UK had discovered that the conveyor was not
properly guarded, nobody should have used the machine until the fault
had been corrected."
10th February 2011
|
England
One dead, three critical after docks
accident
Four crewmen fell into the waters of the
Royal Portbury Dock near Bristol on Monday afternoon during a routine
drill onboard the vessel MV Tombarra.
All four suffered extreme hypothermia and this condition claimed the
life of one 23-year old man.
9th February 2011
England
Two dead after lorry sheds load
A man and a woman, both in their 20's, have died following an incident
on Monday morning in which an HGV shed its load of timber trusses on
Belmont Road in Hereford.
One account speculates that the vehicle struck a railway bridge during
the accident. 9th
February 2011
|
|
England
Charity workers inadequately
trained
An 88-year old woman died 2 months after she was thrown from her
wheelchair as she was transported in an Age Concern
Westminster minibus which performed an emergency stop on Shirland Road,
London, on 20th September 2006. Post mortem examination confirmed the
injuries sustained were a contributing factor in her death.
Age Concern Westminster employees had not secured her in her
wheelchair, it emerged through investigation that its workers had not
been given adequate training to ensure wheelchair users were safe
while travelling.
The charity was in breach of S.3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work
etc Act 1974. It was fined £10,000 plus costs of £5,000.
An HSE Inspector commented: "This fatal incident was foreseeable.
There was guidance easily available to Age Concern Westminster on how
to transport wheelchair users safely. This organisation fell well
below expected standards. The seatbelt laws have long been established
in British law. Age Concern was aware that people transported in
wheelchairs should have these effectively secured and the wheelchair
user should have an adequate seatbelt."
8th February 2011
|
England
Failure to maintain ladder
The proprietor of M Wilson Commercials has been fined £4,000 plus
£2,000 costs for breaching r.5(1) of the Provision and Use of Work
Equipment Regulations 1998 in connection with their failure to ensure a
ladder was well maintained.
The ladder featured in an accident in which an employee broke his back
when he fell from it at the Roadferry Transport Yard in Farington,
Leyland, on 3rd March 2010.
The ladder had missing feet at both ends, its bottom rung was damaged
and it appeared to have been cut off at the top. The accident victim
had used the ladder to access the release mechanism for a lorry cab,
but he had not received any training on working at height or with
ladders. 8th
February 2011
|
Scotland
Fatal industrial accident in
Highlands
A 33-year old workman died on Saturday morning at the premises of
Harbro Ltd on the Longman Industrial Estate in Inverness.
Accounts state he was crushed by a falling load of animal feed and
died at the scene.
7th February 2011
|
England
Young worker killed in forklift
accident
A 17-year old employee of Pioneer International Logistics was killed
in an industrial accident on Thursday afternoon at its Trafford Park
warehouse. One account states he sustained fatal crush injuries from a
forklift truck. 7th
February 2011
|
England
Worker airlifted
A workman required to be
rescued from a roof by an on-site crane after sustaining chest and
back injuries.
The incident occurred on Wednesday at a site in Essington, Staffs, one
account states he was struck by material.
4th February 2011
|
Scotland
Scaffolder fell to his death
through corroded grating
A fatal accident Inquiry at Tain Sheriff Court has declared a man's
death in an incident as a tragic accident when he fell through a
grating.
The 35-year old climbed over a barrier to access the grating, but it
failed to bear his weight and he fell almost 40 metres. He had been
working on the Ocean Princess at Queen's Dock in Invergordon.
4th February 2011
|
Northern Ireland
Unsafe practices at landfill
site
A 22-year old worker was discovered dead at the Biffa Waste Services
Ltd landfill site at Mallusk, Northern Ireland, in August 2008.
It was not possible for investigators to fully establish the events
that preceded his death, but a number of unsafe practices were taking
place at the time and unsafe arrangements for the separation of
pedestrians and vehicles were noted.
Biffa was fined £60,000 plus £20,000 costs after it admitted
permitting an unsafe system of work whereby large vehicles operated in
the vicinity of pedestrians.
3rd February 2011
|
England
Driver injured at Lancs
development site
An HGV driver was badly injured on Tuesday morning when an item of
plant being delivered at a site in Nelson fell on to him. He was air
lifted to hospital in Blackburn with upper-body injuries.
3rd February 2011
|
England
Welder crushed
It is reported that a man in his 30's suffered crush injuries when a
steel section fell on him yesterday.
The incident occurred at Elland Steel Structures in Halifax, the
accident victim's condition is described as stable.
2nd February 2011
|
England
Magistrates brand contractor "reckless"
Coventry Magistrates' Court has
branded a Birmingham company "reckless and naïve" following its
prosecution and fine in connection with its work at the launch party
for the film release of the film 'Nativity' in November 2009 in the
grounds of Coventry Cathedral ruins.
Two employees of Crest Marquees Ltd were injured when the marquee
collapsed partially during erection. Inspection by the City Council's
environmental health officials revealed the marquee had been
incorrectly erected, rendering it unsafe and liable to possible
re-collapse. Furthermore, electrical faults termed by them as
'serious' were discovered, including a cable which was shorting out on
to the metal frame of the marquee with the potential to shock or
ignite nearby material.
Crest Marquees Ltd of Small Heath, Birmingham, was fined £10,000 with
£5,000 costs for breaching S.2 and 3 of the Health and Safety at Work
etc Act 1974 and 3 charges under the Electricity at Work Regulations
1989.
The party organisers and Cathedral staff re-arranged the event in the
main Cathedral building, a City Councillor, the Cabinet Member for
Corporate and Neighbourhood Services commented: "There is no excuse
for not properly training and supervising staff to perform their
duties effectively, and ensuring all equipment is safe to use.
Thankfully, there was no fatality. The Council will continue to take
action against negligent bosses who put safety second."
2nd February 2011
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Scotland
Double farm fatality in
Aberdeenshire
Two men have died in separate
farming accidents on Sunday in the northeast of Scotland.
A 62-year old man was killed when he was struck by a reversing tractor
as he worked on another on a farm near Dunecht.
A man in his 80's died at a farm near Maud. He was discovered in a
farm building. 1st
February 2011
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England
Council in HAV prosecution
Cheshire East Council has been prosecuted in connection with
an employee's permanent loss of movement in his hands, derived from
a severe form of hand arm vibration syndrome.
The employee, a maintenance worker aged 56, joined Crewe and
Nantwich Borough Council as a mechanic in 1984 and regularly used
heavy-duty vibrating equipment, including pneumatic drills and
hand-held grinders. This council became part of Cheshire East Council
in April 2009, the first stages of the condition were identified in
July 2005 after which the worker was recommended for annual
assessments, but despite being reassessed in 2006, he was not seen
again until 2009. Today he has difficulty picking up small objects,
such as coins, and his hands become very painful in cold weather.
Cheshire East Council admitted 2 breaches of the Control of Vibration
at Work Regulations 2005 at South Cheshire Magistrates Court for which
it was fined £5,300 with £5,860 costs.1st
February 2011
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