Japan
3 killed but student pilot survives Hokkaido training flight crash
The Civil Aviation College reported that 2 flight instructors and a
student died in a plane crash on Thursday in the mountains of Hokkaido
but another student survived the accident, being pitched from the
Beechcraft A36 aircraft upon impact.
The flight had departed from the Obihiro aviation school but
encountered technical problems which led to an engine fire.
29th July 2011
|
South Africa
Site worker killed in roof collapse
A roof collapse at a construction site at Camperdown, KwaZulu-Natal,
has killed a worker on a scaffold, a colleague has survived the
accident but with serious injuries.
29th July 2011
|
Poland
3 killed in runaway railway wagons accident
Three people died after 6 runaway railway wagons rolled 1 mile into
Zwierzyn station and derailed, ramming into houses. The wagons,
presumably unbraked, had been standing without a locomotive in a
siding beside an asphalt factory, it remains unclear what set them in
motion. 28th July
2011
|
France
Farmer killed in tractor accident
A farmer was found dead in his tractor yesterday morning at the Bois
Houdouis farm at Chemere-le-Roi in Moyenne, the tractor had fallen 300
metres down a gradient.
28th July 2011
|
Morocco
80 killed in military aircraft crash in Anti Atlas
A Hercules C-130- military aircraft carrying servicemen and families
crashed into a mountainside on Tuesday near Guelmin, 450 miles south
of Rabat. Eighty people were feared killed in the crash which occurred
in adverse weather conditions including fog in the southwest
Anti-Atlas range.
27th July 2011
|
USA
Falling steel injures workers at campus site
Three workers were injured, one may have a broken leg, after being
struck by a steel section which fell 13 metres from a vaulted ceiling
yesterday at the site of the new campus of the College of Sequoias in
Tulare, California.
27th July 2011
|
Thailand
Phuket trench collapse kills worker
A 40-year old worker died in a 3-metre deep trench collapse yesterday
during drainage work on a municipal contract in Wichit, Mueang Phuket.
The force of clay ingress broke the worker's neck.
26th July 2011
|
Austria
Farmer's wife badly injured by bullock
A farmer's wife sustained a serious head injury after being kicked by
a bullock while cleaning a byre on a farm at Raabs an der Thaya, Lower
Austria. 26th July
2011
|
Spain
Man gored to death by bull at Castile festival
A 62-year old man was gored to death in an accident at a temporary
arena in El Maderal, Castile and Leon, during preparations for a local
festival. He was standing behind a timber barrier which was charged by
the bull. As he fell to the ground the bull proceeded to gore him.
25th July 2011
|
Italy
Moroccan worker killed in fall from height
A 39-year old Moroccan construction worker has been declared
clinically dead in the Antonio Cardarelli hospital in Campobasso after
falling from a scaffold at a site in Riccia. 25th July 2011
|
Morocco
Bus collision leaves 14 dead
Fourteen people died and 39 were injured when 2 buses, travelling from
Agadir and Meknes, crashed in a head-on collision on the
Tinghir-Ouarzazate highway at Douar Ouaklim, 6 miles from Tinghir. Of
the 39 injured, 9 are listed in critical condition. Driver fatigue has
been speculated as a cause of the accident which occurred at 5 am.
22nd July 2011
|
Croatia
Waitress jailed over customer's detergent drink
A 22-year old waitress has been jailed for 2 years over an
accident which saw a customer receive a glass of detergent instead of
mineral water at the Orient Express cafe in Zagreb.
22nd July 2011
|
Sweden
Grounds worker killed in mower blades
A male municipal grounds worker in his 40's died in an accident on
Wednesday while cutting grass in Kungsbacka. The accident occurred on
an embankment near the station where his motorised mower overturned on
the gradient and as it came down on top of him he was caught in the
blades. 21st July
2011
|
USA
Vermont fair worker caught in generator fan
A Vermont carnival worker has died in an accident at the Lamoille
Field Days fair in Johnson where he became caught in a diesel
generator's fan.
21st July 2011
|
Australia
Farm worker dies in fall from forklift cage
A 44-year old farm worker died on Tuesday in a 3-metre fall from a
cage on a forklift vehicle during work to deposit fertiliser on a farm
at Yarrawonga, Victoria.
20th July 2011
|
Italy
Sicilian youth killed in tractor accident in Modica
A 16-year old youth was killed on Tuesday in an accident involving a
tractor in the Passogatta-Cozzo Lupi area of Modica, Sicily. It is
believed that he was assisting with work on a family farm and was
struck by the tractor's bucket. This was the second such accident in
Modica this summer, in May a 67-year old farmer died in a crush
accident involving a tractor in Zefira.
20th July 2011
|
New Zealand
Two divers die on last day of training course
Two divers participating on an Adventure Education course run by Helix
Training Ltd drowned on the last day of their 4-month dive course, a
third diver was hospitalised with hypothermia.
The accident occurred in Lake Pupuke on Auckland's North Shore, one of
the bodies was recovered 100 metres from the shore at a depth of 53
metres. 19th July
2011
|
Germany
Vintner injured in tractor rollover
A vintner sustained a serious leg injury yesterday when his tractor
overturned on a gradient in a vineyard between Heppenheim and Benshiem
in Hessen and pinned his leg.
19th July 2011
|
South Africa
12 Malawians killed in bus crash
Brake failure in an allegedly unroadworthy and unlicensed bus led to
the deaths of 12 Malawians and injured 49 others after it came off the
N1 near Louis Trichardt in Limpopo. 18th July 2011
|
Russia
Rock fall traps Komi miners
A fall of ground occurred at the Severnaya coal mine of the
Vorkutaugol Company in Komi on Saturday evening with 79 miners
underground. Three miners were trapped but by Sunday evening at least
1 had been rescued. 18th
July 2011
|
Australia
Victoria worker electrocuted in MEWP
A worker was electrocuted and another sustained severe burns when
their MEWP (mobile elevating work platform) contacted overhead power
lines and ignited during roof maintenance work in Spotswood, southwest
Melbourne, yesterday, this was the 9th workplace death in Victoria
this year. 15th July 2011
|
Spain
Cuban stowaway found dead in aircraft landing gear
A 23-year old Cuban stowaway was found dead in the landing gear
compartment of an Iberia flight landed at Barajas Airport, Madrid,
from Havana.
He would have been exposed to temperatures below -50ºC in the flight.
15th July 2011
|
Australia
Falling concrete kills rigger
A crane slinger was killed in a crush accident at the Pelago West
apartment site of builders Hanssen Pty Ltd and developer Finbar Group
Ltd in Karratha, Western Australia, when he was struck by a concrete
soakwell lid which fell 15 metres during hoisting.
14th July 2011
|
USA
Massachusetts binman dies in fall from wagon
A Massachusetts refuse collector was run over by his wagon and killed
during the waste collection run of the FW Russell & Sons Inc vehicle
in Bruce Street, Methuen. It appears that he was riding at the rear of
the wagon but fell and was run over.
14th July 2011
|
Romania
Pilot killed in training flight crash
A flight instructor died in an aircraft crash yesterday in Sirna,
southern Romania, his student survived the accident but is listed in
critical condition in hospital in Bucharest with burns over 80% of his
body. 13th July
2011
|
USA
Kentucky miner dies in crush accident
A crush accident has claimed the life of a Kentucky miner who became
pinned between a track locomotive he was operating and a beam at the
Voyager No 7 mine of the Martin County Coal Company in Pilgrim, the
3rd Kentucky mining death of 2011.
13th July 2011
|
Cyprus
12 killed in explosions at naval base
At least 12 people were killed and 60 injured in a series of
explosions at the Evangelos Florakis naval base in Zygi where
gunpowder containers had been stored after being taken from a ship,
the Monchegorsk, which had sailed from Iran in January 2009.
The explosions may have been
sparked by a bush fire.
12th July 2011
|
Italy
Scaffold fatality in Puglia
A worker died in a fall on Monday from 3rd floor level from a scaffold
at a site on via Oronzo Paolo Orlando in Ostuni, Brindisi.
12th July 2011
|
Russia
Scores drowned as Volga cruise ship sinks
Two people died and more than 90 are missing, feared drowned, after
the cruise ship Bulgaria sank in mid-stream in the Volga river near
Syukeyevo in Kansko-Ustinovsky, Tatarstan.
There were 33 crew and 140 passengers on the Bulgaria, another ship,
the Arabella, rescued 78 people The Bulgaria, built in the 50's in
Czechoslovakia, was sailing from Bulgar to Kazan. An absence of
partition bulkheads would have meant the vessel sinking very quickly
if it was holed. The ship is lying in
20 metres of water with a starboard list and divers were at the locus
on Sunday evening in the Kuibyshev reservoir in the river. Visibility
in the water was less than 1 metre.
11th July 2011
|
Russia
Krasnoyarsk helicopter crash
A 2-seater Robinson helicopter crashed on Sunday shortly after
take-off from Konny Island, Istok, the pilot's body was recovered from
the wreckage in the Yenisei river.
11th July 2011
|
India
38 killed in UP level crossing collision
A train and a bus collided on the unmanned level crossing no.209C in Addupura village, Uttar Pradesh, killing 38 people and injuring 31
others. 8th July 2011
|
Canada
Fisherman clouted by falling frozen fish
An 18-year old Newfoundland and Labrador fisherman is listed as in serious but
stable condition with a head injury sustained during the unloading of
cod at the Harbour International wharf in Bay Roberts.
He was in the hold of the MV Aqviq when a 40lb frozen fish fell 8
metres from a pallet and struck him on the head.
8th July 2011
|
Egypt
Bridge collapse leaves 4 workers dead
At least 4 workers were killed on Wednesday when a bridge under
construction in Maadi, south of Cairo, collapsed for reasons yet to be
ascertained. 7th July 2011
|
Vietnam
Tank explodes at shrimp factory
An oil tank exploded at a shrimp production unit in Kien Luong, Kien
Giang, killing 1 worker and injuring 12 others. The tank, alleged to
be home-made, was in an area where shrimp was being cooked, it was
also alleged that the workers were hired in breach of employment law. 7th July 2011
|
USA
Carnival worker electrocuted in Michigan
A 41-year old carnival worker was electrocuted on Tuesday in Sand
Lake, Michigan, when an arm of the Fireball ride on which he was
located during dismantling swung loose and contacted an overhead power
line. 6th July 2011
|
Laos
Mine excavator driver dies in landslide
A contract worker operating an excavator was swept to his death in a
landslide during off-site road clearing work at the Phu Kham mine of
PanAust Ltd, local rainfall in recent weeks has been double the normal
average. 6th July 2011
|
Taiwan
Structural collapse kills 2 on Taiwanese site
A steel floor collapsed at the new
28-metre high HTC Corporation plant in Taoyuan, north Taiwan, killing
2 construction workers.
5th July 2011
|
Germany
Fall from ladder accident at Biogas unit
A 56-year old worker sustained multiple fractures in a 6-metre fall
from a ladder into a silo at the Biogas unit in Unterpleichfeld,
Wurzburg.
5th July 2011
|
USA
Worker killed at Florida theme park
A maintenance worker died in an accident at the weekend while working
on the Star Flyers ride at the Magical Midway amusement park in
Orlando. He was some 30 metres up in the giant swing when he fell 2
metres and was left suspended in his safety harness. He was
unconscious when rescuers reached him and was pronounced dead shortly
afterwards. 4th
July 2011
|
USA
Bull kills Maine farm worker
A 55-year old Maine farm worker was killed by a bull which trampled
him to death as he attempted to herd it into a field at Sandy River
Farms in Farmington.
4th July 2011
|
Spain
Madrid butcher badly injured
A butcher was badly injured on Thursday in an accident at a shop on
Mayor street in Orusco de Tajuna, Madrid, he was found unconscious and
had fallen on equipment. It was thought that he may have been
suffering from a pre-existing health condition.
1st July 2011
|
Belgium
Fall from height accidents in Brussels and Louvain
A 45-year old construction worker died in a fall from scaffolding at
3rd floor level of a building on Paul Emile Jansonstraat, Brussels.
Yesterday a worker was also injured in Louvain(Leuven) where a balcony at 1st
floor level partially collapsed and a worker fell to the ground.
1st July 2011
|
|
Serbia
Passenger's head hits bridge through roof window
A 22-year old supporter of Slovakian football club Spartak Trnava died
on Thursday morning when his head struck the underside of a bridge on
the E75 close to the Belgrade Arena, having stuck his head through a
roof hatch on the bus as it approached the bridge. 29th July 2011
|
USA
Transport fatality in loading bay
A night shift supervisor died in a transport accident at the Pilgrim's
Pride poultry plant in Mount Pleasant, Texas, where he was struck by a
reversing lorry in a loading bay. 29th July 2011
|
Italy
Falling beam kills Lombardy site worker
A falling steel beam inflicted fatal head injuries to a 50-year worker
yesterday at the Transfluid plant in Gallarate.
28th July 2011
|
USA
Worker killed in frame collapse at Texas site
A pre-fabricated steel building frame collapsed at a building site at
Thermon Manufacturing Company in San Marcos, Texas, killing a
construction worker and injuring another.
28th July 2011
|
Belgium
US freight plane in emergency landing at Liege
A Boeing 747 freight aircraft of Cargo Airlines bound for New York had
to make an emergency landing at Liege airport on Tuesday with 1 of its
4 engines on fire, no injuries were reported as the landing was
accomplished safely.
27th July 2011
|
Uganda
Engineer killed in machine crush accident
An electrical engineer died in a crush accident at the Roofings
Rolling Mills works in the Namanve Industrial Area in central Uganda,
he was working under a cutting machine when piping fell on him.
27th July 2011
|
USA
Fatal crush accident in Chicago rail yard
Investigation has been launched into a crush accident yesterday which
claimed the life of a 40-year old worker found pinned between 2 wagons
in the Belt Railway Company yard in the Bedford Park district of
Chicago. 26th July
2011
|
Canada
Accident at Newfoundland car scrap yard
A Newfoundland worker's leg was badly injured when a strap slipped
during tightening at Rod's Auto Salvage on O'Connell Drive, Corner
Brook. 26th July
2011
|
South Korea
Seoul water surveyor dies in confined space accident
A worker surveying the water system in the Namyeong-dong district of
central Seoul has died in a confined space accident in a 3-metre deep
manhole. Two colleagues were also injured, one of whom remains in an
unconscious condition in hospital. 25th July 2011
|
China
Rail crash leaves 35 dead
A lightning strike was speculated as the possible cause of a train
accident at Shuangyu, Wenzhou, in which 35 people died and more than
200 were injured as 2 carriages came off a bridge. The lightning
strike was said to have de-powered an intercity train which was later
struck by a following train. 25th July 2011
|
Canada
Elderly volunteer roads worker killed
A 74-year old volunteer roads worker was killed on Thursday after
being struck by a pick-up vehicle on Shannon Lake Road, West Kelowna,
British Columbia, where he was working with a crew clearing litter.
22nd July 2011
|
USA
Ohio worker's arm crushed
A 43-year old Ohio worker was hospitalised on Thursday following an
accident in which his arm was badly injured in a crush accident
involving steel at premises on Phillip Parkway, Streetsboro.
22nd July 2011
|
Georgia
2 workers died in fall from height in Tbilisi
Two workers were killed in Tbilisi on Wednesday afternoon in a fall
from a scaffold at 6th storey level on a construction site.
21st July 2011
|
Denmark
Call for ban on hands-free mobiles while driving
The Accident Investigation Board is calling on parliament to introduce
a total ban on the use of mobile phones behind the wheel, extending
the present ban on using the phone while driving to cover hands-free
kits in holders.
21st July 2011
|
Turkey
Police chief killed in Istanbul-Teheran bus crash
A Turkish police chief was among 4 people killed when an Iranian bus
with 30 people travelling between Istanbul and Teheran crashed near
the boundary of Erzincan province in eastern Turkey on Tuesday, 20
other passengers were injured.
20th July 2011
|
Austria
Apprentice badly injured in ladder fall
A 17-year old apprentice sustained multiple injuries in a 3-metre fall
from a ladder during work to install alarm cables in a warehouse in
Kalsdorf, Graz. 20th July 2011
|
England
Patient's drowning in hospital bath ruled accidental
A verdict of accidental death was recorded by a Cumbrian coroner in
respect of the death of a 22-year old student who drowned in a bath
while recovering from a brain tumour at Cumberland Infirmary,
Carlisle. It was assumed that he had fallen asleep in the bath and
that there was no reason that he had needed to be monitored "minute by
minute." 19th July
2011
|
Austria
Rolling hay bale injures farm worker
A 48-year Slovakian agricultural labourer has been hospitalised in
Linz after being knocked over by a rolling 200-Kg hay bale at a farm
in Bruck-Wassen, Upper Austria, during work to cover the bales with
plastic sheeting.
19th July 2011
|
Wales
Travellers' occupation of school grounds forces h & s closure
The headmaster of Ysgol Glan Clywyd school in St Asaph, Denbighshire,
announced at the weekend that his school would not open today (Monday)
over health and safety fears for pupils after travellers occupied a
section of school grounds. Because the travellers crossed the school
yard for vehicle access, he felt he had to close the school on health
and safety grounds for the children's protection. 18th July 2011
|
Italy
Industrial accidents in Terramo and Naples
A 51-year old construction worker was listed in critical condition
with head injuries yesterday after being struck by a metal section
while operating an excavator on a road site at San Nicolo'-Garrufo in
Campli, Terramo.
Elsewhere, a 42-year old worker was also listed in critical condition
in Naples' San Giovanni Bosco Hospital after falling from a scaffold
in the city's via Vecchia Sant'Erasmo.
18th July 2011
|
Bulgaria
Girl drowned in unguarded pool filtration system
A criminal negligence investigation was launched in Slatni Pjassazi
following the death of a 13-year old girl in the swimming pool of the
Berlin Golden Beach Hotel where the German tourist drowned upon being
drawn into an unguarded filter system on the pool's floor.
It is alleged that the hotel pool was operating without a licence, the
permit having been applied for in June and that the missing grill was
in fact broken. 15th July 2011
|
Canada
Rail worker killed by train
A CN railway engineer is reported to have been killed in Pickering on
Thursday by a VIA Rail train travelling from Montreal to Toronto,
details of the accident were not available. 15th July 2011
|
USA
New Hampshire logging accident
On Wednesday a New Hampshire logging worker died in an accident in
Sullivan when a tree came down on the cab of his tree-removal plant
vehicle.
14th July 2011
|
Canada
Ontario workplace accident
A fatal accident is under investigation following a workplace death in
West Lincoln, Ontario, where a man died on Wednesday at McFeeters
Enterprises, a horse and livestock bedding producer on South Grimsby
Road, after becoming trapped in a machine in a warehouse.
14th July 2011
|
Italy
Burns accident at Arezzo goldsmiths
Two workers, a 60-year old man and a 25-year old woman, were
hospitalised in Arezzo yesterday with 2nd and 3rd degree burns to the
face, arms, neck and shoulders following an accident in a goldsmiths
on via Ernesto Rossi, in the Pescaiola district of Arezzo.
13th July 2011
|
Croatia
Medimurje landfill fire
A carelessly discarded cigarette or lighter is speculated as the cause
of Tuesday's fire at the Cakom landfill site in Totovec, Medimurje (Medimurska),
fire crews strove to prevent the blaze reaching an adjacent petrol
station. 13th July
2011
|
USA
NJ Turnpike worker killed in crush accident
A New Jersey worker was killed on Monday when a concrete barrier being
moved fell on him just south of Exit 7 on the New Jersey Turnpike in
Bordentown. 12th
July 2011
|
Australia
Queensland level crossing collision
Both occupants of a lorry were hospitalised on Monday after their
vehicle was involved in a collision with the Sunlander train of
Queensland Rail on a level crossing at Bambaroo, near Ingham.
12th July 2011
|
India
35 dead in Uttar Pradesh train crash
Investigation was ongoing yesterday into a rail crash 100 miles south
of Lucknow in which 35 people died and 150 were injured when a
13-carriage train
travelling from Howrah to New Delhi derailed just beyond Malwan. 11th July 2011
|
USA
Idaho worker drowns as heavy plant overturns
A worker drowned in a pond at the weekend at the Agrium Inc plant near
Soda Springs, Idaho, when heavy equipment he was operating overturned.
11th July 2011
|
The Netherlands
Structural collapse kills worker at stadium
A construction worker was killed and 10 others were injured when a
roof section collapsed during refurbishment work at the Twente stadium
in Enschede. It has been alleged that a crane on site ran into the
structure. 8th July 2011
|
USA
Welder dies in fall from scaffold
A contract welder of Matrix Service Company was killed in a 16-metre
fall from a scaffold during hot metal work on a tank at the Wood River
Refinery of Conoco Phillips in Hartford, Illinois. 8th July 2011
|
India
Welder killed in gas pipe explosion
A welder was burned alive when a gas pipeline exploded during hot
metal work at Chaticara, 10 miles northwest of Mathura, Uttar Pradesh. 7th July 2011
|
Poland
Government aircraft aborts flight to Kiev
A Polish government Yak-40 aircraft operated by the Air Force carrying
prominent political figures to a meeting in Kiev had to turn back to
Warsaw following an issue with cabin pressure on account of faulty
airtight seals. 7th July 2011
|
Philippines
Unstable crane kills worker during hoisting
A crane became unstable during the hoisting of a bucket with a
concrete mix at a newbuild site on Tuesday in the Eastwood area of
Libis, Quezon City, where a worker on the 19th floor died after being
pinned by the crane.
6th July 2011
|
Australia
Amusement ride operator fined over accident
A court in Adelaide has fined TPA Shows $36K(£23,945) over an accident
5 years ago in which 2 teenage girls were injured when the Twin Flip
ride crashed at the Royal Adelaide Show.
The court found that the company did not have sufficient technical
expertise to control the machine, the magistrate opined that the
company had disregarded safety obligations.
6th July 2011
|
Japan
3 boys drown in Akashi pond
Three schoolboys drowned yesterday in the
Nonoike lake in Akashi, Hyogo. The area is enclosed by a 1.5-metre
high fence but locals indicate that youngsters can scale it easily.
5th July 2011
|
Russia
Policeman drowns rescuing man from river
A police sergeant drowned in the Selenga river in Ulan Ude, Buryatia,
in action to rescue a man drowning in the river's strong currents, the
latter survived the incident. 5th July 2011
|
Saudi Arabia
7 workers die in Riyadh dormitory fire
Fire raged through a dormitory in a building adjacent to a
supermarket in the Batha district of Riyadh, killing 7 retail worker
residents there. The locus of the fire is believed to have been a
kitchen area. 4th
July 2011
|
Austria
Vienna cable installer dies in fall
A cable installer died on Saturday in a 15-metre fall from a platform
after losing his balance at a site in Steindlgasse, Vienna.
4th July 2011
|
Australia
Conveyor accident at Queensland plant
A Queensland worker died in a crush accident on Thursday under a
conveyor belt system at a factory in Yarwun, 6 miles northwest
of Gladstone. 1st
July 2011
|
China
Macau workplace deaths double
The Labour Affairs Bureau has reported that workplace deaths in Macau
doubled in 2010, up from 6 in 2009 to12; however, workplace accidents
at 5,644 represented a drop of 4.5%. Falls accounted for 19.4% of
accidents and 17.4% involved
crush accidents.
1st July 2011
|
|
England
Worker's arm severed in auger
during repair work
At Aylesbury Crown Court London Concrete was fined £16K plus £9,397 in
costs over an accident in May 2008 at its factory in Oxford Road where
a manager's arm was severed above the elbow in an auger accident.
The manager had accidentally activated the auger during repair,
although the company had trained staff on safety and the isolation of
power to the machine during maintenance, it had failed to provide the
injured worker with training or information about the equipment. 29th July 2011
|
USA
Welder electrocuted at W Virginia coal plant
A 39-year old employee of Mike Dover Corporation was electrocuted
during hot metal work at the Superior Processing coal preparation
plant in Maitland, West Virginia.
29th July 2011
|
England
Worker survived compaction in 125 mm gap
Sheffield Crown Court heard how a 23-year old worker survived being
dragged through a 125mm-wide aperture on a computer controlled
conveyor system for moving steel beams as he peered into it to check
the line of work at Compass Engineering Ltd in Barugh Green, Barnsley,
on 19th December 2008. He ruptured his stomach and bowel, broke his
back in 2 places, broke his pelvis, hips, an arm and ribs. The court
heard that although he was inexperienced in this area of work, the
crucial factor was the lack of a machine guard, for which the court
held Compass Engineering Ltd and Kaltenbach Ltd jointly responsible
for ensuring a guard was in place. Compass was fined £45K plus £24K in
costs after pleading guilty to a breach of S.2(1) of the Health &
Safety at Work etc Act 1974; machine installer Kaltenbach was fined
£30K plus £16K in costs after pleading guilty to breaching S.6(1)(a)
of the Health & Safety at Work etc Act 1974.
28th July 2011
|
England
School placed employees in danger
An independent school has been prosecuted after an employee fell 2.5
metres from a loft down into a swimming pool changing room. She
fractured her wrist in the fall when accessing the loft with the pool
manager to retrieve paperwork and had been negotiating a beam placed
within the unboarded loft when she fell.
Kimbolton School near Huntingdon admitted breaching r.9(1) of the Work
at Height Regulations 2005 and was fined £6,000 plus costs of £2276.
28th July 2011
|
Germany
Textile worker's hand trapped in roller
A machine operator was hospitalised on Tuesday after his hand became
trapped in a roller at the Grenzlandfarberei textile factory in
Bocholt, North Rhine-Westphalia.
27th July 2011
|
Scotland
Men trapped under unstable harvester
A Borders worker was hospitalised last night following an accident in
Lauder where a combine harvester was being loaded on to a lorry.
The lorry had a puncture but the 2 men changing the flat tyre became
trapped by the harvester which became unstable during the work.
26th July 2011
|
Australia
Portable toilet explosion injures serviceman
A serviceman of the Royal Australian Air Force, participating in the
Talisman Sabre joint military exercise, has been hospitalised with
burns following an explosion in a portable toilet at Rockhampton
airport, it was speculated that the lighting of a cigarette caused the
explosion. 26th
July 2011
|
Malta
Air Force rescues diver off Gozo
An Armed Forces helicopter was called to the rescue of a diver who got
into difficulties yesterday in rough seas off Dwejra, Gozo, another
diver managed to make it back to shore by himself.
26th July 2011
|
England
Helicopter crashes near Bude
The Air Accident Investigation Branch attended a fatal accident
yesterday between Marhamchurch and Week St Mary, Cornwall, where a
helicopter crashed on Sunday. The pilot died in the accident but it
was initially unclear whether there were any other passengers or
casualties. 25th July 2011
|
Scotland
Seamen arrested over alcohol offence
Northern Constabulary in Lerwick have made 3 arrests for allegations
of alcohol-related offences while in charge of a vessel, "for acting
in a professional capacity on a vessel whilst over the prescribed
(alcohol) limit." 25th July 2011
|
England
Patient jailed over nurse assault
A hospital patient received a 3-month custodial sentence at Carlisle
Magistrates' Court after pleading guilty to assaulting a nurse after
admission on 7th July to the accident and emergency unit at Cumberland
Infirmary, Carlisle. 25th July 2011
|
England
Asbestos implicated in Cumbrian worker's death
A North & West Cumbria coroner has returned a verdict of death from an
industrial disease in respect of the passing of an 88-year old
Maryport woman who died of mesothelioma.
The court heard that the woman had worked at the Tom Handle builders'
merchant premises in Maryport and Cockermouth and had often handled
asbestos sheeting.
22nd July 2011
|
USA
Maryland utility worker electrocuted
A BGE contract worker was electrocuted on West Bayfront Road, Lothian,
Maryland, after contacting a live source as he worked up a utility
pole close to the wires.
22nd July 2011
|
England
Northumbrian farmer injured in fall through roof
A Northumbrian farmer sustained serious head and spinal injuries
yesterday in a fall through the roof of a barn at a farm near Stanley,
County Durham, the 2-metre fall saw him land on a metal gate.
21st July 2011
|
France
North American T-6 crash at Lyons aerodrome
Air accident investigators have been studying the crash of a North
American T-6 aircraft in which 2 people died in the accident at Bron
aerodrome, 6 miles east of Lyons, the aircraft crashed on take-off in
a field at the end of the runway.
21st July 2011
|
England
Glass company fined over accident
At Luton Magistrates' Court Nicholls and Clarke Glass was fined
£11,200 plus £3,977 in costs over an accident in the glass toughening
section of its factory on the Woodside Industrial Estate, Dunstable.
On 20th October 2009, a worker was handling a large pane of glass
which suddenly shattered, shards of glass pierced arteries, nerves and
the muscle above his wrist guard. HSE investigation found that the
protective equipment was inadequate and that the company had failed to
report a similar accident in June 2008.
The company pleaded guilty to a breach of S.2(1) of the Health &
Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and r.3(2) of the Reporting of Injuries,
Diseases & Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995.
20th July 2011
|
Germany
Heavy weight falls on welder's feet
A 54-year old welder was listed in critical condition in hospital in
Leipzig after a 5-tonne weight fell on both his feet during hot metal
work in Plagwitz.
20th July 2011
|
Rep Ireland
Boy,5, drowns in hotel pool
A 5-year old boy drowned on Monday in the swimming pool at the
Gleneagle Hotel, Killarney. Efforts to resuscitate him were
unsuccessful and he died in Tralee General Hospital.
19th July 2011
|
England
Girl charged by cattle on public footpath
The HSE investigated an accident recently in which a 16-year old girl
and her dog were seriously injured when they were rushed by a bull and
cows while cycling on a public footpath in Charvil.
19th July 2011
|
England
Diver dies off Northumberland
A female diver died in Wansbeck Hospital, Ashington, after surfacing
unconscious to a dive boat off Seahouses on Sunday.
Humber Coastguard contacted Seahouses Coastguard Rescue Team who met
the dive boat prior to her transfer to hospital. 18th July 2011
|
Rep Ireland
Landing gear incident at Shannon
A suspected failure of nose wheel landing gear appeared to lead to an
incident in the landing of an Aer Arann flight of Aer Lingus yesterday
involving a flight from Manchester to Shannon. The flight came off the
runway and into grass on landing during its 2nd approach to land, no
injuries were reported. 18th July 2011
|
Rep Ireland
DIY company pleads guilty over customer death
At Dublin Circuit Criminal
Court B & Q Ireland has pleaded guilty to a breach of health and
safety legislation by failing to ensure a safe workplace at its
Tallaght store where a customer died in March 2009 when a 0.5-tonne
fence panel bundle fell 4.3 metres on to him, sentence was adjourned
until a later date. 15th July 2011
|
Canada
Company fined over salt dome death
Sifto Canada Corporation was fined $140K(£90,393) at Ontario Court of
Justice in Sarnia after pleading guilty to a breach of Ontario
Regulation 854, Section 59(1) over a fatal accident on August 25th
2009.
In a large salt storage dome a worker had stepped down from his
excavator, which had broken down, to clear salt from his machine.
However, a conveyor under the dome activated and salt began to be
drawn through a grate in the dome's floor. The worker was drawn down
and died. 15th July 2011
|
Italy
Romanian site worker killed in cement mixer accident
A 36-year old Romanian worker was killed on Wednesday during
refurbishment work at a property on the outskirts of Cassino in a
crush accident involving a cement mixer.
14th July 2011
|
Belgium
Bruges worker pulled to safety from collapsed trench
A construction worker had a fortunate escape when an unstable
excavation collapsed on him at the new bus station site on
Chanterilleweg, Bruges. Fellow workers managed to pull him out and he
was taken to St Jan hospital with a leg injury.
14th July 2011
|
Norway
Oil supply vessel rescues stricken sailor
A Gjoa Oil Field offshore supply and service vessel came to the rescue
of a sailor adrift in his boat 150 miles from Stavanger. He had
apparently been unwell and his boat had later run out of fuel, his
condition in hospital in Floro was listed as fair.
13th July 2011
|
Spain
Fall from height death on Cadiz irrigation work
A fall from height fatality is being investigated in Cadiz where a
worker engaged in irrigation work has died in a fall in Valgrande, San
Roque. 13th July
2011
|
Rep Ireland
Killarney hotel lift accident
The HSA is investigating an accident at the Killarney Plaza Hotel and
Spa of the O'Donaghue-Ring group where 5 people were injured when a
lift travelling from 2nd floor level to a basement garage dropped
quickly.
The lift had been inspected and serviced recently, some of the injured
may have fractured bones.
12th July 2011
|
Belgium
Man dies in Antwerp sauna fire
Investigators are studying the circumstances of the death of a man in
a fire on Monday in a sauna in a 3-storey property in Merksem,
Antwerp. 12th July
2011
|
England
Crown court to sentence Sheffield fork lift accident
At Sheffield Magistrates' Court
the Davy Markham company pleaded guilty to a failure to provide a safe
workplace over a fatal accident involving a forklift truck in which a
worker was crushed during the unloading of a 5-tonne crate from a
shipping container at its factory in Darnell, Sheffield.
Sentence will be delivered at Sheffield Crown Court at a later date. 11th July 2011
|
Ghana
Engineer drowns in crude oil tank
An engineer died in a confined space accident in a tank on the
Bonsu-Q, a crude oil storage vessel belonging to Saltpond Offshore
Producing Company Ltd. He was attempting to couple a hose to a
diaphragm pump and had already completed some of the task before
becoming overcome in the oxygen-deficient atmosphere and falling from
a ladder and drowning in the crude oil. 11th July 2011
|
England
Hants farmer trapped under lorry
A 74-year old Hants farmer is listed in stable condition in hospital
in Bournemouth following an accident at Ogdens Dairy Farm near
Fordingbridge where his legs were trapped under a 24-tonne tipper
lorry. 8th July 2011
|
England
Better training may have prevented severed hand accident
At Truro Magistrates' Court Frame Homes UK was fined £20K plus £13,723
in costs over an accident in which a worker cut off part of his hand
while using a Striebig vertical panel saw at work on the Cardrew
Industrial Estate.
Surgical reattachment of the hand was largely successful but one finger
could not be saved.
HSE investigation found that his "training was not to the required
standard." 8th July 2011
|
USA
Utah roads worker killed by unsighted digger driver
A construction worker has been killed in a vehicle plant accident at a
road site near St George, Utah. An excavator was being driven with its
bucket raise, limiting the driver's sight. The construction worker was
struck on the back of the head by the raised bucket and subsequently
run over by the excavator. 8th July 2011
|
Northern Ireland
Boy falls through school roof
A 10-year old boy is listed in critical condition in hospital in
Belfast after falling through the roof of St Colm's High School in
Dunmurry and fracturing his skull. 7th July 2011
|
England
Norfolk camper dies in oxygen deficient atmosphere
The focus of the investigation into the death of a female camper in a
tent on a site at Clippesby Hall, Great Yarmouth, is now switching
towards a confined space accident, with the victim succumbing to CO
fumes from a charcoal barbecue inadequately ventilated. The
investigation by a Norfolk and Suffolk Police Major Investigation Team
is ongoing. 7th July 2011
|
England
Yorks worker falls on to farm machinery
A 30-year old agricultural worker was hospitalised yesterday in
Middlesbrough with serious back injuries after falling on to machinery
at Brian Robinson Machinery Ltd in East Cowton, north Yorkshire. Fire
crews took 30 minutes to free the worker whose condition was listed as
stable. 6th July 2011
|
England
Youth electrocuted at Leeds substation
A 16-year old youth was electrocuted in the Stourton district of Leeds
while allegedly attempting to steal copper at the CE Electric UK
substation where he contacted a 275K-volt power cable at the bulk
supply point. 6th July 2011
|
England
Grass cutter fell into drainage outlet
A worker was rescued by fire crews and
hospitalised after falling 2 metres into a drainage outlet while
cutting grass on an embankment in Tarraby, Carlisle. 5th
July 2011
|
Rep Ireland
US tourist killed by lorry on Dingle surf beach
Investigation is ongoing into a fatal
accident at Inch in Dingle Bay where a female American tourist was
killed in an accident after being struck by a reversing lorry on the
beach. The lorry was transporting surfing equipment and is believed to
have had a valid council permit for this activity on the beach.
5th July 2011
|
Northern Ireland
Fisherman's body recovered
The body of a fisherman was recovered from the Irish Sea between
Ballycastle and Rathlin Island after an alarm was raised on Saturday
evening by a ferry crew. The man from Rathlin Island was well known
locally as a fishing trip organiser and is thought to have fallen
overboard after a rope caught in his propeller. Sea conditions were
good at the time.
4th July 2011
|
The Netherlands
Overloaded boat sinks in Ijsselmeer
Five people were rescued from the Ijsselmeer near the Muziek building
in Amsterdam on Sunday after their boat sank. Police reported that
their craft was overloaded, the passengers were hospitalised with
hypothermia. 4th
July 2011
|
England
Notts snake breeder dies from bite
A 45-year old man died after being bitten by a king cobra snake, 1 of
24 he had bred at premises at his home in Eastwood, Nottinghamshire.
He had been bitten a couple of times before, but on this occasion the
venom caused cardiac arrest.
1st July 2011
|
Wales
Tractor rollover investigation
The HSE is investigating a tractor rollover accident which occurred on
a gradient at Duffryn Court Farm, Bassaleg, where an elderly farmer sustained
multiple injuries and died later in Royal Gwent Hospital.
1st July 2011
|
|
England
Work planning failure permitted death
A fatal accident in which a man fell from a wall as he worked on
CCTV cameras above the M5 could have been prevented but for major
failings in the way his work was planned, says the HSE.
An HSE official commented after the deceased's employer, Serco Ltd of
Hook, Hampshire, and principal contractor, Birse Civils Ltd of
Tadcaster, North Yorkshire, were prosecuted for failing to protect him as he worked at the site near Junction 20 Northbound, between Clevedon and Gordano, during January 2006. He had not been warned of
the 12-metre drop before he fell off the wall into bushes.
Serco Ltd admitted breaching r.4(1) of the Work at Height Regulations
2005 and r.11(i)(a) of the Management of Health & Safety at Work
Regulations 1999 for which it was fined a total of £200,000 plus costs
of £36,186.
Birse Civils Ltd pleaded guilty to breaching r.11(i)(a) of the
Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations 1999 and was fined
£100,000 with costs of £180,093.
The companies had also failed to cooperate with each other to make
sure workers at the site were not placed in danger.
1st August 2011
|
Scotland
Girl, 10, loses foot
It is reported that a girl has lost a foot as a result of an
industrial accident yesterday morning at a farm near Aberfeldy.
Accounts state she was walking alongside a tractor-driven mower when
she slipped. 29th July 2011
|
Scotland
Company knew guardrail had been removed
A workman broke his ribs when he fell 3 metres through an opening
after a guardrail was removed by a colleague on a central Scotland
building site. Its removal was recognised by a manager before the
labourer fell as he carried doors up a staircase of a
new residential property in Ravelston Dykes, Edinburgh.
The temporary staircase with half landings had been put in during
construction, but there was a gap between one of the half landings and
the wall, with a feature window behind it. Only 2 days prior to the
accident the gap had been protected by a guardrail, but this was
removed by a joiner to allow him to fix plasterboard to the wall, but
he neglected to replace it.
Investigators deemed that a deficiency in work planning had led to
inadequate risk assessment.
At Edinburgh Sheriff Court yesterday Walker Group (Scotland) Limited
admitted breaching r.4 of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 and was
fined £8,000.
29th July 2011
|
England
Worker killed in Wednesbury accident
A worker in his 50's has died following an
industrial accident yesterday morning at Roberts Gordon Europe Ltd
premises in Darlaston Road, Wednesbury.
One account states he was crushed under steel tubing.
28th July 2011
|
England
Lorry driver killed in accident
It is reported that an HGV driver was killed in an accident on 13th
July at industrial premises on Tanhouse Industrial Estate in Widnes.
The deceased, in his 50's, was employed by a haulage company. The
accident involved another HGV.
28th July 2011
|
England
Council fined over 20kV incident
On 19th February last year, shortly after a wagon was unloaded at
Northumberland County Council's depot in Choppington, the driver drove
off with his crane jib raised when it contacted an overhead live power
line. The line was brought down in the vicinity of other workers.
Investigation found an alarm on the crane warning that the jib was
raised had been disabled. The driver had never visited the Stakeford
Depot in East View, Choppington, before, and only small indistinct
warning signs regarding the existence of the power line were in place.
The Council admitted breaching r.4(3) of the Electricity at Work
Regulations 1989 and was fined £13,400 plus £8,364 costs.
The Council has since re-routed the power line underground around the
perimeter of the depot.
27th July 2011
|
Northern Ireland
Fatal maintenance accident
The man who was critically injured in an industrial
accident on Monday at the premises of cigarette manufacturers JTI in
Ballymena, County Antrim has since died. One account states that he was crushed when
part of the equipment he was servicing detached.
27th July 2011
|
England
Prosecutions follow fire
Greenway Environmental Ltd of Crewe and waste shredder manufacturer
Pakawaste Ltd of Preston have been fined following an investigation
into the explosion and fire at Aztec Aerosols on the Gateway
Industrial Estate in Chesteron during June 2007.
The fire started following an explosion in an aerosol-shredding unit,
designed, manufactured and supplied by Pakawaste, which was being used
on Greenway’s premises.
The machine had not been designed to safely shred waste containers
containing residues of flammable liquids and gases. Unsafe operating
procedures were used and it should have been operated in a segregated
area away from where flammable substances were being stored. Greenway
admitted breaching S.2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act
1974. Pakawaste admitted breaching S.6(1)(a) of the Health and Safety
at Work etc Act 1974 by failing to ensure the shredding unit was
designed and constructed to be safe.
Sentencing takes place on 28th July.
27th July 2011
|
England
Worker plunged through rooflight
An employee of Brighouse, Yorkshire, company Ploughcroft Building
Services was on the roof of Reddish Vale Technology College on 14th
June last year when he tripped on cables and fell through a fragile
skylight. He fell 2.6 metres to the concrete floor, sustaining back
and neck injuries so severe that he has been unable to return to work.
The company had neglected to provide cover for the fragile rooflights,
despite being advised to do so by an independent safety adviser.
It was in breach of r.9(2)(a) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005
and was fined £10,000 plus £10,937 costs.
26th July 2011
|
England
Tyre exploded like a bomb
Skip hire business C Bialek Ltd (CB Skips) of Salisbury has been fined
£150,000 plus £55,000 in costs in connection with a fatal industrial
accident in which a 33-year old employee was struck by metal
components propelled by compressed air exploding from the tube of a
large tyre from a loading shovel he was repairing at its Salisbury
waste-sorting yard.
The wheel was split-rimmed and required training and experience to
fix, but the deceased was employed primarily to sort waste.
An absence of training or supervision had led to the dangerous
practice of workers welding the wheel components into place, but the
old welds and existing mechanical damage prevented the components of
the wheel locking together and the welds failed, causing the
inner-tube to rupture.
The company had no risk assessments for tyre repair, did not train
anyone in this work and did not supervise it.
An HSE official commented: "Workplaces using split-rim wheels need to
appreciate that if these wheels are not in perfect condition and
people are not fully trained in their repair, their workers could be
working near a bomb waiting to go off at any moment. It was pure
chance that nobody else was near the wheel when it exploded as this
incident could have easily led to more deaths and injuries."
If the interlocking components of
split-rim wheels are not secured exactly into place before the
inner-tube is inflated, they can later separate, allowing the
inner-tube to burst explosively.
26th July 2011
|
Northern Ireland
Council worker killed at
recycling depot
An employee of Coleraine Borough Council has died in an industrial
accident at its Loughanhill recycling site in County Londonderry. One
account states he was crushed in Friday's incident that involved a
lorry and skip.
25th July 2011
|
England
Worker lucky to be alive
An employee of Newcastle-under-Lyme mineral company Dupre Minerals Ltd
received multiple injuries in an industrial accident after which he
was considered
fortunate to be alive.
The employee climbed onto the grill of a feed hopper to empty
a bag of the mineral vermiculite into it, but he fell and impaled
himself on spikes on the hopper grid used to rip open the bags.
The accident victim and his colleague worked without a safe system of
work derived from a risk assessment and they had been left to devise
their own systems, as a result of which there were inadequate control
measures to prevent them from climbing onto the hopper.
Dupre Minerals was in breach of r.3(1) of
the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 and
S.2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and it was fined
£8,000 plus £5,236 costs.
25th July 2011
|
England
Oil refinery fatal accident
An industrial accident yesterday morning at the Exxon refinery in
Fawley, Hampshire, resulted in a contracted worker being taken to
hospital where he subsequently died.
One account states he was trapped for some time beneath pipes.
22nd July 2011
|
England
Explosion at travellers' site in London
Two woman were badly injured yesterday when a suspected LPG gas
explosion occurred at Hillingdon Council's travellers site in West
Drayton. A small building and 2 mobile homes were reported to be
destroyed. 22nd
July 2011
|
England
Fatal accident in Oxfordshire
A man in his 40's has died in an incident at a Costain development in
Newbury. He died when a loaded forklift truck overturned yesterday
morning.
21st July 2011
|
England
Explosion after plumber removed gas
equipment
A plumber from Wolverhampton received a 10-month suspended prison
sentence after his work at a house resulted in a gas explosion and a
serious burns injury to a 66-year old man.
He admitted breaching r.3(3) of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use)
Regulations 1998 and must also carry out 150 hours' unpaid work. He
must also meet £2,000 prosecution costs.
He removed the gas meter at the
property to access a water stopcock he was repairing in December last
year despite not being on the Gas Safe Register.
21st July 2011
|
England
Retail giant put customers at risk from
asbestos
Marks and Spencer plc and 2 of its contractors have been convicted and
fined for putting members of the public, staff and construction
workers at risk of exposure to asbestos-containing materials. The
prosecutions stemmed from the poor manner in which refurbishment work
was carried out at stores in Reading and Bournemouth during 2006 and
2007.
Examining the safety failings, it became clear to HSE that Marks and
Spencer did not allocate sufficient time and space for the removal of
the asbestos-containing materials at the Reading store. The
contractors had to work overnight in enclosures and finish before the
shop opened to the public each day. Although the company had its own
guidance on how asbestos should be removed inside its stores, this
guidance was followed by contractors "inappropriately" during major
refurbishment.
At the Bournemouth project the principal contractor failed to plan,
manage and monitor removal of asbestos-containing materials. It did
not prevent the possibility of asbestos being disturbed by its workers
in areas that had not been surveyed extensively.
An HSE official commented: "This prosecution exposed serious failures
by Marks and Spencer and its contractors that we hope others will
learn from. Client accountability and responsibility is at the heart
of this case, because asbestos can and does kill."
Marks and Spencer plc of Westminster was found guilty of breaching
S.2(1) and 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 in
relation to the Reading store from 24th April to 13th November 2006.
Contractor Willmott Dixon Construction Ltd of Hertfordshire was found
guilty of contravening the same Sections of the same Act between 5th
February 2007 and 28th February 2007 at the Marks and Spencer store in
Bournemouth.
PA Realisations Ltd (formerly Pectel Ltd) of Manchester was found
guilty of contravening r.15 of the Control of Asbestos at Work
Regulations 2002 between 5th May 2006 and 12th November 2006 at the
store in Reading.
Earlier, Styles & Wood Limited of Altrincham, Cheshire, admitted
contravening S.2(1) and 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act
1974 between 24th April and 13th November 2006 at the Reading store.
Sentencing will take place in September.
20th July 2011
|
England
Norfolk farm accident
A worker in his 60's was taken to hospital in Cambridge by air
ambulance on Monday afternoon after an accident at a farm at Great
Ellingham.
One account states he sustained head and abdominal injuries when he
was struck by a bale of hay as he operated a tractor.
20th July 2011
|
England
Workman paid heavy price for
management error of judgement
Two electricians were engulfed by
an explosion when they started to clean debris from a damaged fuse box
at Innovia Films Ltd in Wigton, Cumbria, on 13th September 2006. Their
clothes burst into flames and one of them suffered almost 50% burns
which put him in a coma for 4 weeks.
There had been an earlier fire in the fuse box but a live power supply
had been routed through it to supply cooling equipment to avoid a
36-hour loss of production. No risk assessment had been undertaken for
the work entailed in removing the debris and plating it over to
prevent access.
Innovia Films Ltd of Wigton admitted breaching S.2(1) of the Health
and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 by putting workers’ lives at risk. It
was fined £90,000 plus £26,790 costs.
19th July 2011
|
Northern Ireland
2-year old dies at industrial
premises
It is reported that HSE is investigating the death of a 2-year old boy
which occurred last Wednesday at the premises of Uvarov Smoked
Products Ltd in Dungannon, County Tyrone.
One account states he was the son of an
employee. 19th July
2011
|
England
2 dead in slurry pit accident
Two men have died at a farm in Essex after they apparently could not
escape from a slurry pit.
The incident occurred on Friday afternoon at the property at
Stapleford Tawney where firefighters had to drain the slurry, a
further 2 men were taken to hospital for treatment.
17th July 2011
|
Wales
Hotel prosecuted for worn carpet trip
and fall
A guest at the Fishguard Bay Hotel in Goodwick in January 2010 tripped
and fell over the raised carpet edge in a key walkway. The carpet was worn,
with fraying and unsecured edges, the woman was holding a glass which
caused a serious hand wound requiring surgery.
A Pembrokeshire County Council investigation led to Haverfordwest
Magistrates' Court where Fishguard Bay Hotel Ltd admitted breaching
S.3 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and was fined £2,000
plus £2,000 costs.
Councillor for Pembrokeshire County Council Cabinet and Member for
Environmental and Regulatory Services commented: "This case
highlighted the importance of controlling tripping hazards within the
workplace. There are many reports in the press and media that health
and safety legislation is used overzealously, preventing many
enjoyable activities. This case clearly shows that there is an
important role for health and safety in preventing such accidents."
18th July 2011
|
England
Work equipment unsuitable for terrain
An employee of Revelholme Marketing Ltd sustained multiple injuries
when his powered industrial truck toppled on top of him at premises in
Nottingham in January 2009. The accident resulted in his impaired
vision.
The accident occurred as he was helping load a lorry using a
semi-electric stacker truck. The truck was pulled over a kerb and fell
onto the employee.
An HSE official commented: "The stacker truck was mainly used in the
factory and car park but on occasions employees used the truck to load
lorries in the road. A slope between the 2 surfaces and the lip of
the dropped kerb made the terrain unsuitable for this type of
equipment to be used. Companies need to ensure that the work equipment
they use, such as stacker trucks, is suitable for the task, and for
the conditions in which it is used."
The company was in breach of r.4(3) of the Provision and Use of Work
Equipment Regulations 1998 and was fined £5,000 plus costs of £18,000.
15th July 2011
|
England
Vauxhaul worker badly injured
It is reported that an employee at the Luton van plant suffered
serious crush injuries last week and was air lifted to hospital in a
critical condition.
One account states he is a crane operator, he remains in hospital.
15th July 2011
|
England
5 killed in explosion at Lincs
industrial unit
A major industrial accident occurred on
Wednesday evening at an industrial unit on Broadfield Lane, Boston,
where 5 people died in an explosion, the cause of which is under
investigation.
14th July 2011
|
England
HSE investigates electric shock at
fairground
HSE has been investigating the incident which occurred at a fairground
sited near West Hartlepool Rugby Club in which a 14-year old girl was
rendered unconscious after apparently suffering an electric shock at a
kiosk on Saturday. She was released from hospital on Sunday evening.
14th July 2011
|
England
Foreman crushed by excavator bucket
An excavator bucket filled with concrete fell and killed a worker at a
London construction site because a pin into the 'quick hitch', a
device attached to the excavator arm to allow attachment interchanges
to safely lock the excavator bucket in place, was not inserted.
The foreman was an employee of Euro Earthworks Ltd of Hounslow, his
employer was convicted of a breach of S.2(1) of the Health and Safety
at Work etc Act 1974 and fined £20,000 plus costs of £13,000. Euro
Earthworks had failed to adequately plan, manage and monitor the
construction work on site. Reasonable care was not taken by
positioning the bucket directly over the deceased and a colleague who
was narrowly missed by the bucket.
Euro Earthworks Ltd was aware of advice issued by HSE concerning the
safe use of quick hitches on excavators issued in March 2007 and
amended its risk assessment, but nevertheless failed to take the
reasonably practicable steps required.
Hydro Plant Ltd of Brent and the excavator operator were prosecuted
and sentenced for separate breaches in May 2011.
14th July 2011
|
England
School worker used unguarded platform
A 54-year old school caretaker was working with a colleague on an
unguarded work platform at Shenfield High School in Essex when he lost
his footing and fell almost 2 metres to the ground, breaking 2 ribs
and an arm.
The school pleaded guilty to breaching S.2(1) of the Health and Safety
at Work etc Act 1974 and was fined £6,500 plus costs of £2,243.
13th July 2011
|
England
Workers were exposed to asbestos
Rotherham Council engaged an asbestos surveyor who observed damaged
asbestos-containing materials on the floors where forklift trucks were
operating at the premises of storage company Rotherham Bonding Company
Ltd and he advised the council of his findings. The council notified
the storage company and a sister company, Fosters of Thrybergh, about
the asbestos, but work continued. An HSE Prohibition Notice
banning entry was issued, and only then were employees removed from
danger.
The Council acquired the 2
warehouses from Fosters in July 2009 and arranged for the professional
asbestos survey before demolishing them. Rotherham Bonding Company,
which ran the warehouses, used staff from Fosters to empty them of
their stock of wine and spirits.
Fosters of Thrybergh Ltd, admitted
2 breaches of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006 and was fined
£5,500 with £6,250 costs.
An HSE official commented: "Fosters of Thrybergh was prosecuted
because it was directly responsible for the exposure to asbestos of
about 6 of Fosters' employees. This breach could and should have been
avoided by straightforward safety precautions. This is a particularly
shocking incident as not only did this firm not undertake an asbestos
survey, they completely ignored the advice given by the council and a
specialist surveyor."
13th July 2011
|
England
Child, 20 months, drowns in pool
A 20-month old girl has died after she entered a pool at the Esporta
Club in Salford Quays, Greater Manchester, on Sunday afternoon.
12th July 2011
|
England
Company failed to follow its own
procedures
A female worker suffered a serious finger injury while working at
ThyssenKrupp Tallent Ltd in Cannock, Staffs, last August. She was
using a machine to weld nuts onto car parts when her left hand middle
finger became trapped between the electrode and another part of the
machine. The machine had no jig fitted to hold the work piece in place
and was set to single hand operation control, meaning the agency
worker had to hold the work piece in place with her left hand, while
using her right to operate the control button.
ThyssenKrupp Tallent Ltd, of Aycliffe Trading Estate, Darlington,
admitted breaching r.11(1)(a) of the Provision and Use of Work
Equipment Regulations 1998 and r.3(1) of the Management of Health and
Safety at Work Regulations 1999 for which it was fined £16,000 with
£5,972 costs.
An HSE official commented that the accident was entirely preventable
and the company had failed to follow its own procedures. The company
was also prosecuted the previous year for machine guarding failures.
12th July 2011
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England
Workman dies after accident
A 26-year old shop-fitter succumbed to injuries following an accident
last Wednesday afternoon at the Potteries Shopping Centre in Hanley,
Staffs.
One account states he suffered a head injury when he was struck by
falling debris.
11th July 2011
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England
Concrete pour injured
workmen
Bridgford Interiors Limited of Lichfield, Staffordshire, has
been fined £25,000 plus costs of £23,392 in connection with an
industrial accident during September 2006 which occurred as 3 workmen
carried out refurbishment work at the TK Maxx retail unit in Hounslow.
As the men commenced pouring concrete to fill a void the temporary
propping erected to support the underside of the decking collapsed and
they fell almost 5 metres to the floor below. Two of the men sustained
injuries, one of them fracturing his pelvis and elbow.
An HSE official commented: "This prosecution arises as a result of Bridgford's failing in their duty as the company responsible for the
temporary work. Whilst they had appointed a structural engineering
company to execute the permanent works, they had not appointed a
temporary works engineer and, as such, this duty fell to them."
11th July 2011
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England
Appalling accident was avoidable
A demolition worker in his 20's was hit by a girder being moved on a
demolition site in Rossington, near Doncaster, and suffered extensive
head injuries and fractured vertebrae, injuries which proved to be
life-changing.
He and his colleagues worked during November 2008 at the All Saints
School site, and for much of the time they were positioned close to
excavators moving materials around when he was struck by a 20-metre
long girder. There were no safeguards in place to keep the men a safe
distance from the machines and their loads.
Employer James Hudson Demolition Ltd of Halifax admitted breaching
S.2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and was fined
£7,500 plus £20,000 costs.
8th July 2011
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England
Collective failures led to fatal
fall
A 42-year old workman contracted to replace rooflights on a building
in Bournemouth during December 2007 died after he
fell 6-metres through one.
Although a risk assessment and method statement had been produced,
HSE deemed these to be inadequate. As a consequence the work proceeded
on a fragile roof, with no means of fall prevention or fall mitigation
in place.
Prosecution of the companies involved, Bournemouth-based cladding
refurbishment company Cladcoat UK Ltd of Longham who contracted the
deceased, TRN Electrical Ltd of Bridport who contracted Cladcoat
for the roof work, resulted in fines at Southampton Crown Court.
Cladcoat UK Ltd pleaded guilty to breaching S.3(1) of the Health and
Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and was fined £10,000, with no costs. TRN
Electrical Ltd admitted breaching the same Act and was fined £30,000,
with costs of £14,850.
A Director of Cladcoat Ltd admitted breaching S.3(1) and 37 of the Act
but was given a conditional discharge.
An HSE official commented: "Had a suitable risk assessment been
undertaken, for risks that were known to all parties, and a safe
system of work established, this tragic incident would not have
happened. The two companies involved, whilst being aware of the risks,
did not fully understand their duties and responsibilities under the
law." 8th July 2011
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Scotland
Company fined for oil release
An over-pressurised pipeline resulted in an uncontrolled release of
oil at the INEOS site in Grangemouth in May 2008. Thermal expansion
resulted in the increase in pressure and the failure caused the
flammable oil to spray out widely.
The company was aware of the need to cater for the expansion but
relied upon employees to manually drain oil from the lines rather than
provide an engineering solution. Furthermore, crude oil drained from
the pipeline was stored in a metal skip not designed for the risk of
fire and explosion.
INEOS Manufacturing Scotland Ltd, of Grangemouth was fined £100,000
after admitting breaching S.2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc
Act 1974.
7th July 2011
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England
Defective work platform led to fall
An unsafe working platform led to a 3-metre fall and injury to a
60-year old carpenter as he worked on a house extension in Poole.
The extension, constructed above an existing garage, protruded beyond
the face of the main building, causing a step in the scaffold at the
roof level of the garage. The carpenter fell as he descended a ladder
and stepped backwards over the open edge, falling and fracturing his
spine and ankles. The platform had no guardrails, and the ladder used
to access the working platform faced outward, obliging users to
stand backward at the unguarded edge.
P O Sharps Landscapes Ltd of Poole, who contracted the carpenter for
the work, admitted breaching r.4(1) of the Work at Height Regulations
2005 and was fined £4,000 plus costs of £4,000.
7th July 2011
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Scotland
Workers died in confined space
accident
Scottish Sea Farms and Logan Inglis
Limited of Cumbernauld have been fined in connection with the deaths
of 2 workers in an industrial accident on a barge moored at a salmon
farm on Loch Creran, Argyll & Bute, during May 2009.
The men were fixing a hydraulic crane on the barge and went
below deck to find cabling and pipework where the oxygen levels were
very low. One man passed out, his colleague managed to climb back
out. An attempted rescue was made by 2 colleagues who entered the
small chamber, but they also lost consciousness almost immediately.
All 3 men needed to be rescued by emergency services but only one
recovered, his colleagues died at the scene.
Investigation established that Scottish Sea Farms had not provided
suitable information, instruction and training for employees working
in the small sealed chambers on the Loch Creran barge or a safe way
for them to work. Logan Inglis Limited had not provided information,
instruction or training for their engineers on working in these
confined spaces.
Scottish Sea Farms was fined £600,000 after pleading guilty to
breaching S.2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.
Logan Inglis Limited admitted breaching the same legal requirement and
was fined £40,000.
6th July 2011
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England
Harbour death incident
A man has died after he sustained a severe head injury when he was
struck by a boat's propeller in Chichester Harbour on Friday evening.
The 21-year old initially fell from the boat which is believed to be
owned by a charity, HSE is reported to be investigating the incident.
6th July 2011
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UK
Young lives lost
Two teenagers have died in separate drownings. A 15-year old boy died
after jumping into Cochno Loch in Dunbartonshire.
A 13-year old boy drowned at Hilltop Quarry near Chorley Lancs.
A 16-year old boy died on Sunday after venturing onto the electrified
track between Rock Ferry and Green Lane stations in Merseyside. He
contacted the live 3rd rail when he attempted to retrieve a ball.
5th July 2011
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England
Glove policy was wrong
A company that ignored published guidance and introduced a policy
requiring workers to wear gloves for work on metalworking lathes has
been prosecuted. The matter came to the attention of HSE after an
employee in his 50's lost a finger and suffered damage to other
fingers after his gloved hand was pulled into the machinery.
Ineos Enterprises Ltd introduced the policy at its Runcorn site making
wearing protective gloves mandatory for most workers there,
indeed several employees were reprimanded for not wearing gloves. Ineos failed to assess whether its glove policy could create additional
hazards or increased risks. Inspection revealed that the metalworking machine and
2 pillar drills had not been fitted with safety guards.
Ineos Enterprises Ltd admitted breaching S.2(1) of the Health and
Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and was fined £12,000 plus £6,607 costs.
5th July 2011
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England
Cornwall farming death
It is reported that a man in his 20's has died after an accident on a
farm at Kergilliack, west of Falmouth.
One report states that he may have contacted a power cable while using
equipment. 4th July
2011
|
England
HSE investigates Cambs branch fall
death
Investigation is underway in to the incident in which a 13-year old
girl died after being struck by a falling tree limb at Middletons Road
Recreation Ground, Yaxley, on Thursday. 4th
July 2011
|
England
Systemic failure at housing association
Gentoo Group Ltd, formerly Sunderland Housing Company Ltd, has been
prosecuted in connection with the death through carbon monoxide
poisoning of an 80-year-old man in his Penshaw home in 2007.
Gentoo was charged with failing to adequately maintain his coal fire
and admitted breaching r.5(1) of the Management of Health and Safety
at Work Regulations 1999 and was fined £40,000 with £25,000 costs at
Newcastle Crown Court.
Although the death was not a direct result of the breach, it
was not an isolated one, an HSE official described a 'continuing
systemic failure.' 1st
July 2011
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Northern Ireland
Woman killed by livestock
A 64-year old woman died
following an incident at a farm at Cookstown, County Tyrone, on
Tuesday. One account states she was rounding-up cattle which had
escaped at the time.
1st July 2011
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