Ghana
Scores trapped in collapsed
former gold mine
Scores of people are trapped and feared dead at the collapsed former
gold mine at Dunkwa-on-Offin, 125 miles from Accra, police have
arrested a man who allegedly hired 136 workers, including women and
children, to work the abandoned mine. Heavy rains at the weekend
contributed to the collapse, the lack of earthmoving equipment has
been protracting the rescue operation. 30th June
2010
|
USA
Cadet's injury suspends parachuting
programme
Air Force Academy has temporarily suspended the parachuting programme
run by the 306th Training Group after a Reserve Officer Training Corps
cadet was injured in a training jump and was listed in
critical condition in Penrose
Hospital, Colorado Springs. There have been no fatalities on the
airmanship programme since 1984.
30th June 2010
|
Pakistan
Gas cylinder triggers paint thinner blast
At least 18 people were killed in the suburbs of Hyderabad yesterday
when a gas cylinder in a welding shop exploded, triggering a secondary
explosion of paint thinner on an HGV in the Halanaka district of the
city. 29th June
2010
|
USA
Oregon farm worker gored by bull
A farm worker is listed in serious condition with abdominal injuries
in Oregon Health & Science University after being gored by a bull in a
field between St Helens and Warren, the intervention with firearms by
passing policemen almost certainly saved the worker's life at that
moment. 29th June 2010
|
The Netherlands
Helicopter crash at Rotterdam cycle event
A helicopter covering the Tour du Port cycle race in Rotterdam crashed
on Sunday, killing 4 people, coming down in the Maasvlakte district of
Rotterdam. The 5-year old Eurocopter EC130 of Heli Holland Airservice
was hired by the Port of Rotterdam and was carrying 3 jounalists and a
Port of Rotterdam employee in addition to the pilot.
The last such helicopter crash in the
Netherlands was in 1997 when 1 person died when a KLM helicopter
came down in the North
Sea. 28th June 2010
|
USA
Falling
branch kills baby at Central Park Zoo
A 6-month old baby died when a 1.2-metre long tree branch fell 8
metres and killed her and injured her mother close to the sea lion
exhibit in Central Park Zoo, New York. 28th June 2010
|
Spain
Rail accident highlights perils of crossing tracks
The Catalan Justice Minister told reporters that 13 people died in
Wednesday's accident in Castelldefels Playa station when a number of
passengers alighting from a local train were struck by an express
train as they took a short cut across the tracks. The RENFE chairman
has said that he is "almost certain" that the express was not speeding
(it was speculated to have been travelling at 87mph) and the driver's
alcohol test was negative. The station was refurbished last year, with
clear signage and tannoy warnings about not crossing over the tracks.
The victims were almost all Latinamericans and, although the underpass
was busy, they may have been less familiar with the hazards of
crossing the tracks, a local youth was killed crossing the tracks at
the same place in March last year.
Development minister Jose Blanco observed: "You never, never, never
cross the tracks."
25th June 2010
|
Canada
Fatal accident at remote BC logging site
A worker has died in an accident involving heavy equipment at a remote
logging site off Highway 97 C west of West Kolowna, British Columbia.
25th June 2010
|
USA
Worker pulled into drill at Alaskan gold mine
A worker of AK Drilling Inc of Montana was killed when his clothing
snagged and he was drawn into an industrial drill at the International
Tower Hill Mines gold mine site near Livengood, Alaska.
24th June 2010
|
Canada
Toronto bin van driver killed
The Ministry of Labour is investigating a fatal accident in suburban
Toronto where a refuse collector was run over by his wagon which
rolled back over him in Applewood Crescent, Vaughan.
24th June 2010
|
Congo
CFCO derailment leaves 60 dead
At least 60 people have died in a derailment on the CFCO(Chemin de Fer
Congo-Ocean) when 4 carriages came off the track and went down a
ravine between Pointe-Noire and Brazzaville. The 300-mile long CFCO
line has rolling stock and track which require upgrading.
23rd June 2010
|
Gaza
Contraband tunnel electrocution
A 22-year old male was electrocuted in a smuggling tunnel in Rafah
between Gaza and Egypt, in recent days a collapse killed another
person, the contraband tunnels are now believed to have claimed more
than 150 lives.
23rd June 2010
|
China
Powder magazine explosion leaves 47 Henan miners dead
An explosion in a powder magazine at Xingdong No 2 coal mine in
Weidong, Pingdingshan city, left 47 miners dead, mostly from carbon
monoxide poisoning. Although 26 managed to escape to safety it was
unclear if others had been trapped.
The privately owned mine's
operating license expired 2 weeks ago, police have detained the
proprietor.
22nd June 2010
|
Cyprus
Site worker killed by
heatstroke
A Romanian construction worker is listed in serious condition in
hospital with heatstroke, a 47-year old colleague, who was also
hospitalised, died at the weekend.
Temperatures had soared to 39°C, at least 5 degrees above seasonal
averages, Labour Inspection Department normally issues stop work
orders around these temperatures.
22nd June 2010
|
Cameroon
Chartered mining plane feared crashed near Djoum
A search was ongoing yesterday for the missing CASA C-212 twin
turboprop aircraft of Aero Service which left Yaounde on Saturday
morning at 09.15 for a 1-hour flight to a mining site in Yangadou,
Congo-Brazzaville. The aircraft was hired by mining company CamIron
and had 11 on board, including 6 Australians, 2 British, 2 French and
1 American person. Late on Sunday investigation was focussing on an
area near Djoum, 120 miles southeast of Yaounde. 21st June 2010
|
Canada
Overturned earth compactor kills worker
A Lacombe County roads worker was killed on Saturday when equipment he
was driving to compact earth overturned when he left the edge of the
road at a site north of Haynes, Alberta.
21st June 2010
|
USA
Worker killed in Wisconsin grain bin
A worker has died in a fall into a grain silo in Zachow, Wisconsin,
where he was scraping accumulations of corn from a side wall when a
large amount fell and caused him to lose his balance.
18th June 2010
|
Australia
Victoria vineyard worker killed by falling branch
A 42-year old female worker has died at Lone Star Creek vineyard in Woori Yallock,
Melbourne, where she was struck by a falling branch as she moved
under trees during stormy conditions.
The Vietnamese woman had been pruning
trees for a contractor.18th June 2010
|
USA
Missouri postie killed by lightning
In the wake of this week's accident in Ferguson, Missouri, where a
postwoman died after being struck by lightning while sheltering under
a tree, the US Postal Service has asked staff to review safety
procedures in severe weather, around 60 workplace and recreational
lightning strike deaths are recorded annually in America.
17th June 2010
|
Canada
Crush accident on Newfoundland dairy farm
A 45-year old employee of Headline Holsteins Ltd has died after being
crushed by 2 heavy hay bales at a dairy farm on Goose Arm Road, Deer
Lake. He was operating a bobcat at the rear of a barn and had
apparently alighted to cut ties when the two 400-Kg bales became
unstable and fell. 17th
June 2010
|
Mexico
Sinaloa train collision leaves 10 dead
At least 10 people died when 2 goods trains collided near Sufragio,
Ahome, in Sinaloa. A train from Guadalajara failed to stop and ran
into a stationary train, local police speculated that brake failure
caused the accident but there has also been speculation of a points
failure.
Most of the victims were central American immigrants riding the train
illegally, known in Mexico as "trampas", they ride the trains in
number seeking transit north.
16th June 2010
|
Japan
Girl chokes to death on dental cotton
Police in Niiza, Saitama, are considering if there is an issue of
professional negligence following the death of a 2-year old girl who
choked on dental cotton at a dental practice there, a broken tooth was
being treated and the cotton was being used to stanch bleeding.
16th June 2010
|
Mexico
9 killed
in Cessna aircraft crash
The 9 occupants of a Cessna Caravan
single-engine light aircraft died when it crashed in woodland shortly
after take-off from Felipe Carillo Puerto in Quintana Roo, a technical
investigation is underway.
15th June 2010
|
South Africa
Rockfall accident at Free State gold mine
The Department of Mineral Resources is investigating a fatal accident
at the Harmony Gold mine in Tshepong where a miner died in a rockfall
1,843 metres underground.
15th June 2010
|
Canada
Worker crushed by heavy load during unloading
A 19-year old worker died in a crush accident when a large cabinet
being unloaded from a lorry with a pump jack became unstable and fell
on him during the unloading at premises on the Acheson Industrial
Park, west Edmonton. 14th June 2010
|
Belgium
Glider pilot killed
A glider pilot of Kempisch Aeroclub died in an accident on Sunday when
his glider came down in a field near the former military airfield at
Weelde, Antwerp, it is speculated that the connecting cable was
released too early, and the pilot lost control at an altitude of 500
metres.
14th June 2010
|
Austria
Sports glider pilot killed
On Thursday the wreck of the high-performance glider SZD-59 Acro was
found in a meadow between Kalwang and Mautern, the pilot had died of
multiple injuries.
The flight had taken off from Timmersdorf Sportflugplatz but was lost
from radar on the return
leg.
11th June 2010
|
New Zealand
Worker's head caught in unguarded machine
At Nelson District Court Nelson Pine Industries has been fined
$50K(£24,752) after pleading guilty to failing to take all practicable
steps to ensure a worker's safety in respect of an accident in which a
supervisor was injured when his head became trapped in a machine under
a stacker table on a line press.
He was investigating a problem with the automatic stacker table which
stacks fibreboard when the machine activated and his head was caught
between the table frame and the rear of the magazine arm.
Investigation found that the machine was not completely guarded on its
underside. 11th
June 2010
|
Borneo
Crocodile kills plantation worker
The headless body of an oil palm plantation worker has been found
after being taken by a crocodile in Sungai Kalumpang, Tawau. A leg and
a hand were also missing, bite marks on the body were consistent with
a crocodile attack.
The incident happened by a river 2 miles from the sea, a similar
incident occurred there 2 years ago.
10th June 2010
|
France
Python escapes from terrarium
Fire crews in Bourges, central France, were searching for a missing
1.2-metre long python which escaped from a terrarium there on
Wednesday. 10th June 2010
|
USA
Worker drawn into wood chipper
A Californian municipal grounds maintenance worker was killed in an
accident when he was drawn into wood chipping equipment during work
clearing shrubbery on Whiting Road, Watsonville.
9th June 2010
|
USA
Tractor rollover accident on New Jersey farm
A tractor rollover fatal accident is under investigation following the
incident at Turner Road Farm in Wantage, New Jersey, where a farm
worker died when
the tractor overturned in a field
with a steep gradient.
9th June 2010
|
USA
Texas gas pipe explosion
A natural gas pipeline explosion on Monday near Cleburne, 50 miles
southwest of Dallas, has killed 3 workers and left at least 10 others
missing. Fire crews were initially unable to use water to control the
blaze and were attempting to locate and switch off 2 valves supplying
gas to the locus. Power line poles were being erected in the area
recently and there was speculation that contractors may have breached
the gas line. 8th June 2010
|
Russia
Depressurisation blast kills worker at explosives mill
A machine which presses gunpowder at a factory in Tambov became
depressurised and caused a blast within an acid extraction centrifuge
at the premises 300 miles southeast of Moscow, killing 1 worker and
injuring another.
8th June 2010
|
Malta
Migrants leap to safety after gas explosion
Two Somali nationals sustained serious injury when they had to leap to
safety from the 2nd floor of the Marsa open centre, an asylum seeker
centre run by Fondazzjoni Suret il-Bniedem, after a gas appliance
exploded yesterday, another person sustained lesser injuries in the
jump. 8th June 2010
|
Spain
Worker's toes amputated in
police stables accident
A 35-year old worker is
listed in very serious condition in Hospital la Paz, Madrid, following
an accident while cleaning a vehicle at the Guardia Civil de Valdemaro
stables where his leg became trapped in a ramp, his left knee was
dislocated and the toes of one foot were amputated. 7th June 2010
|
Germany
Fire at handicapped
workshop
A fireman sustained
serious head injuries when a structure fell during fire-fighting at a
handicapped workshop in Goppingen-Holzheim on Sunday,17 others were
treated for smoke inhalation. 7th June 2010
|
Japan
Girl killed in fall from primary school window
A 6-year old girl has died in a fall from a library at 3rd floor level
in a primary school in Sasayama, Hyogo, the incident occurred during
an open day for parents.
4th June 2010
|
Austria
5 missing in St Polten gas explosion
Five people were missing, feared dead, after a gas explosion destroyed
a 2-storey house in St Polten yesterday.
4th June 2010
|
Germany
3 bomb disposal workers killed in Gottingen explosion
Three members of the Lower Saxony bomb disposal squad died and 2
others were seriously injured in an explosion while attempting
to defuse a SAP 1000 WW2 bomb uncovered at the site of a new
stadium in Gottingen.
The 500Kg US bomb featured a slow fuse and milling equipment is
usually used to cut and withdraw detonators. A new system has been in
use in the last year and one such bomb was successfully handled in
Gottingen in recent weeks. The explosion occurred during the
preliminary work for defusing.
3rd June 2010
|
Liberia
Many feared drowned in rubber workers' ship sinking
Scores of people are feared to have drowned following the sinking of
the MV Havia, a ship owned by the Rubber Planters Association of
Liberia, which sank off Harper.
The ship, which had left Monrovia at the weekend, had a manifest
showing 9 crew and 18 passengers but the authorities fear as many as
150 people may have been onboard. It remains unclear why it sank, 16
people are known to have been rescued.
3rd June 2010
|
Bermuda
Worker dies from ladder fall injuries
A 48-year old Malaysian national died in King Edward VII Hospital
yesterday from head injuries shortly after admission following a
5-metre fall from a ladder inside premises where he was working on
Tuesday in Appleby Lane, Paget.
2nd June 2010
|
Greece
Industrial diving fatality
A diver of Hellenic Petroleum has died in an accident after losing
consciousness during work on the repair of a large water tank at the
Aspropyrgos refinery in Attica.
2nd June 2010
|
New Zealand
Tractor accident at Hamilton yard
A worker sustained severe head and torso injuries at an industrial
yard in Melville, Hamilton, on Monday when he was run over by a
tractor, the accident appears to have occurred as he was starting the
vehicle and then lost control of it.
1st June 2010
|
Switzerland
Chemical waste water tank explosion
Four workers were injured yesterday when a tank containing production
waste water exploded at the CABB chemical plant in Pratteln/
Schweizerhalle, Basle, fragments flew 100 metres around the premises. 1st June 2010
|
|
Belgium
3 killed in explosion during gas leak investigation
Three people, including a gas inspector, were killed in an explosion
late on Tuesday afternoon at a house in Celestin Damblon Street,
Soumagne, where the inspector had been called to investigate a
suspected leakage from an underground propane gas
tank.
30th June 2010.
|
Sweden
Customer's
finger severed in serving hatch
incident
Police are investigating an accident at a drive-through fast food
restaurant in Mora where an allegedly aggressive customer had a
section of finger severed in a serving hatch incident, the severed
section was successfully reattached by surgery.
30th June 2010.
|
USA
Crush accident at Utah fair site
A carnival worker has died in a crush accident, becoming caught
between drive wheels and a cross member or rail during the dismantling
of a Ferris wheel at the Westfest site in West Valley City, Utah.
29th June 2010.
|
Indonesia
Water heater explodes at paper works
A large coal-fired water heater exploded yesterday at the paper
manufacturer PT Pos Prima in the Bundar Industrial Plant zone,
Tangerang, killing one worker and injuring 3 others.
29th June 2010.
|
Senegal
11 killed
in
house
collapse
The collapse of a house in the Nawel district a mile from the centre
of Matam, 415 miles north of Dakar, killed 11 of the 13 occupants on
Saturday.
28th June 2010.
|
Thailand
Speedboat collision in Surat Thani
The collision of 2 speedboats in the Gulf of Thailand left 43 people
injured, 2 in serious condition, as they took tourists to Koh Phangan
island, 450 miles south of Bangkok.
28th June 2010.
|
USA
Carnival worker's leg severed by roller coaster
A carnival worker's leg was severed when he was struck from the rear
by the Wacky Worm roller coaster ride as he was standing on the track
on the opening day of the Sonoma-Marin fair in Petaluma, California.
25th June 2010.
|
USA
Air conditioning installer electrocuted
An employee of Maxwell Heating and Cooling has been electrocuted after
contacting a live source while installing
a heating and air conditioning unit
in the loft of a property in Carrollton, west Georgia.
25th June 2010.
|
Austria
Linz Uni chemistry lab explosion
Three students were injured yesterday in an explosion during a lab
experiment at the Institut fur Organische Chemie in Linz University
when a volatile reaction occurred upon the mixing of tetrahydrofuran
and natrium. 24th
June 2010.
|
USA
Transport accident at Arizona copper mine
A mechanic died and his colleague was severely injured when their
vehicle was struck by a large ore transporter at Asarco's Ray copper
mine, 20 miles south of Superior, Arizona.
24th June 2010.
|
Japan
Ex-employee drives car into Mazda workers
A Mazda Motor Corporation worker was killed and a number of others
were injured when a car being driven by a former employee struck them
on Tuesday after being driven in through the east gate of the Ujina
plant in Hiroshima. The driver, who had worked for a week in the
plant's plastic division earlier this year, absconded but was later
arrested in Fuchu. 23rd June 2010.
|
Taiwan
Surgeon operated on wrong leg
The Health Ministry has asked for a full investigation into an
accident in which a patient at the Chang-Gung Memorial Hospital,
Linkou, had surgery for a sports injury undertaken on the wrong leg.
Initial investigation speculates a typing error in medical records,
the surgeon in question was suspended on Tuesday.
23rd June 2010.
|
Australia
Falling water tank kills Queensland worker
A 3-metre x 8-metre water tank fell and killed a worker on Monday at
Bundaberg Sandblasting in Queensland, colleagues had to deploy a
forklift truck to lift it clear of the victim, the reason for it
falling was unknown. 22nd June 2010.
|
South Africa
Gold mine fatality
A rock fall 2,100 metres underground led to the death of a miner at
Harmony's Phakisa gold mine in the Free State.
22nd June 2010.
|
Japan
Schoolgirl drowns as boat under tow capsizes
A 12-year old schoolgirl drowned when a rowing boat with 18 pupils and
2 teachers capsized under tow on Lake Hamanako in Shizuoka. The party
from Toyohashi was staying at a local youth hostel and had become
unable to row the 7-metre long boat when the weather became stormy and
had requested a tow from a motorboat.
21st June 2010.
|
USA
Motor mower crush accident in cemetery
A 44-year old Washington cemetery worker died when a motorised
lawnmower he was operating overturned and went over an embankment at
Greenwood Memorial Terrace, Spokane, initial investigation of the
accident by a local sheriff alleged that only push mowers were to be
used at the locus.
21st June 2010.
|
Rep Ireland
Farm deaths double in number
The death of a 21-year old Laois farm worker who was struck by a
tractor during harvesting in a field at Cremorgan, Timahoe, has raised
Irish farm fatalities to 13 for this year, 11 people were killed on
farms in the whole of 2009.
Farm deaths now account for more than 50% of Irish workplace accidents.
18th June 2010.
|
USA
Unstable mower falls on grounds worker
A fatal accident investigation is ongoing at Lower Pottsgrove
Elementary School, Pennsylvania, where a grounds maintenance worker
was killed when a large mower he was working on fell on top of him.
18th June 2010.
|
USA
Mechanic
killed in aircraft wheel gear housing
A Delta aircraft mechanic died from severe head injuries in an
accident at Gate G14 of Minneapolis-St Paul International Airport, he
was found unconscious inside one of the gear doors which house the
airliner's wheels.
17th June 2010.
|
Austria
Brake failure derailed car train
Brake failure has caused the derailment of a goods train in Braz,
Vorarlberg, the failure occurred towards the rear of the 548-metre
long train which was carrying cars from Curtici in Romania to France.
The accident occurred in the "Brazer Bogen", a bend where speed should
be 37.5mph but on which the train travelled at 75mph, the locomotive
came to rest just a few metres from a house. No injuries were
reported.17th June 2010.
|
France
Plumber killed in ladder fall
A 48-year old worker died on Tuesday in a 3-metre fall from a ladder
at the CBS plumbing workshop in Landivisiau, Morlaix.
16th June 2010.
|
Finland
Demolition squad find body in chimney
The mummified body of a 57-year old male has been found by demolition
workers in a chimney at a factory at Valimotie 33 in the Veromies
district of Vantaa, north Helsinki. The victim, who was known to
Finnish police, had been listed missing in 1991 and declared dead in
2002. The abandoned property was under the service maintenance of
Lassila & Tikanoja.
16th June 2010.
|
China
Zoo visitor mauled by tigers
A 45-year old visitor to the Qingling Wildlife Park in Xian, Shaanxi,
has been mauled to death by tigers after entering the animals'
enclosure through a gate apparently left open by mistake.
His 17-year old son survived the incident with minor injuries when zoo
keepers drove vehicles to disperse the tigers. The enclosure gates
have warning notices, as do the admission tickets.
15th June 2010.
|
USA
Minnesota worker killed in fall from ladder
A subcontract worker was critically injured in a 16-metre fall from a
ladder on top of a work platform at the Unimin plant in Ottawa Road,
Le Sueur, Minnesota, he was transferred to hospital where he died from
his injuries. 15th June 2010.
|
Ukraine
Iron ore pit subsidence
A worker died in an accident at the weekend when his vehicle fell into
a large pit at the Ordzhonikidze iron ore mine of Metinvest in Kryvy
Rih where an underground pit collapse led to topographical subsidence.
14th June 2010.
|
Philippines
Iranian medical students killed in bus crash
Sixteen Iranian medical students and nurses and 2 Filipinos were
killed when their bus experienced brake failure and ran 30 metres down
into a ravine in Balanban, Cebu Island, most of the 50 passengers were
Iranians. 14th June 2010.
|
Rep Ireland
Crush accident on Clare farm
A Clare farmer has died in a crush accident on his property at
Tullabrack, west Clare, becoming crushed between a wheel on the ground
and machinery attached to a tractor. It is speculated that he was
attending to a technical problem when the accident occurred, the 21st
workplace death in the Republic this year. 11th June 2010.
|
Rep Ireland
Bill to ban sunbeds for U-18's
The Health Minister is proposing the Public Health (Sunbeds) Bill
which includes a ban on the use of sunbeds by under-18's; a ban on the
sale or hire of sunbeds to anyone under-18; and a ban on the use of
sunbeds in unsupervised premises.
11th June 2010.
|
USA
Machine accident in Louisiana
A worker was hospitalised following an accident on an industrial
estate in Homer, Louisiana, on Wednesday morning when his hands were
caught in machinery.
10th June 2010.
|
Canada
No conviction in Alberta forklift death
A
health and safety investigation into a
forklift truck fatal accident in St Albert, 5 miles northwest of
Edmonton, 2 years ago has concluded that there is insufficient
evidence to secure a conviction.
A 17-year old was allegedly operating the forklift truck when it
overturned and crushed a 16-year old worker at the Rona store in the
town. The owner reported that neither teenager was trained nor
permitted to drive the vehicle which had keys left in the ignition.
10th June 2010.
|
Pakistan
Miner killed in gas explosion
A gas explosion which caused a substantial pit collapse killed a miner
and injured 5 others at a Marwar coal mine, 15 miles from Quetta.
9th June 2010.
|
USA
Trench collapse kills Nebraska water worker
An unstable excavation claimed the life of a Lewis and Clark Rural
Water District employee in the Devil's Nest area near Crofton,
Nebraska, a colleague was able to be rescued from the collapsed trench.
9th June 2010.
|
Belgium
Roof collapse kills disabled man
An 82-year old disabled man has died in a roof collapse at a
dwellinghouse in Dworp, south of Brussels, his daughter and 3
grandchildren survived the accident.
8th June 2010. 8th June 2010.
|
Russia
Landing gear fire forces emergency landing
A Boeing 737-400 of OJSC Transaero Airlines of Moscow had to make an
emergency landing at Tolmachevo airport in Ob, 10 miles from Novosibirsk, yesterday when
its landing gear caught fire shortly after take-off for Moscow, no
injuries were reported of the 120 passengers and 6 crew. members.
8th June 2010.
|
|
West Bank
Bulldozer worker killed in rock slide
A Hebron bulldozer
operator was killed on Sunday in a rock slide at a quarry in Yatta
where he was excavating rock sections for slate work.
7th June 2010.
|
France
Camp site gas cylinders explode
A building storing gas
cylinders exploded at Les Almadies camping site in La Tranche-sur-Mer
at the weekend, no injuries were reported but the site reception
building was also destroyed. 7th June 2010.
|
Serbia
Air Force training flight accident
A technical malfunction forced a Serbian Air Force pilot to eject from
his aircraft during a training flight on Thursday from Ladevci
airport, Kraljevo, he is listed in stable condition in a Belgrade
military hospital.
4th June 2010.
|
USA
Fatal accident on gas well tower
A worker died in an accident at the XTO Energy natural gas well site
near Azle, Texas. He had been working on the 50-metre high tower when
he was apparently struck by a tool or equipment with which he was
working. He lost his balance and was left hanging from the tower by
his safety harness. Fire crews arrived and lowered him to the ground
but he had already died from his injuries.
4th June 2010.
|
Russia
Dust explosion at Siberian ferroalloy plant
One worker died and 17 were injured, 2 listed in critical condition,
following an explosion on Wednesday in a metal crushing unit at the
Novokuznetsk ferroalloy plant. Initial speculation suggests a
ferrosilicon dust explosion as a result of errors in the technological
process which could lead to charges of violation of labour safety
regulations resulting in death.
3rd June 2010.
|
USA
Transport fatality in Kearny shunting yard
The US Federal Rail Administration is investigating a fatal accident
in the Meadows Maintenance Facility yard in New Jersey where a 63-year
old New Jersey Transit worker was killed after being struck by a
locomotive. The worker was engaged in traffic movement in the yard and
had just fuelled an engine when he was struck. Preliminary
investigation suggests a locomotive's braking system had not been
engaged. 3rd June 2010.
|
USA
Oxygen therapy patient dies in Denver fire
An elderly resident of the Francis Heights Apartments in Osceola
Street, Denver, died in her room yesterday following a fire on the
10th floor of the
sheltered housing complex, it is
believed that she was an oxygen therapy patient.
2nd June 2010.
|
Bulgaria
Shepherd killed in lightning strike
A shepherd has died in a lightning strike in the village of Ovcharavo,
his body was found in woodland along with 9 sheep killed in the
strike. 2nd June
2010.
|
France
Another fire at electrical recyclers
A major fire broke out at the Veolia electrical equipment recycling
centre on Boulevard Chanterie in the Saint-Barthelemy industrial
estate, Angers, the second such fire at the facility in May.
1st June 2010.
|
Belgium
Engine room fire at Antwerp berth
A technical problem led to an engine room fire on the tanker Purple
Beach berthed at quay 332, Dock 6, Antwerp, all crew members were
safely evacuated. 1st June 2010.
|
|
India
2 miners killed when man rider cable snaps
A failed cable on a worker transportation car has led to the deaths of
2 miners at the GDK(10A) mine of Singareni Collieries in Godavarikhani.
The car was carrying 40 miners when the steel cable snapped 350 metres
underground, of the 25 injured one worker is listed in critical
condition after surgery to remove an iron rod on which he became
impaled. 30th June 2010.
|
France
WW2 British bomb uncovered at road site
A 450Kg WW2 British bomb containing 200Kg of explosives was uncovered
at the site of the upgrading of the RN21 highway at Lanne, between
Tarbes and Lourdes, a 200-metre exclusion zone was established as the
incident was graded "danger élevé." 29th June 2010.
|
Australia
NSW bulldozer
rollover accident
WorkCover NSW was advised yesterday of a fatal accident at a site in
Tyalgum where a worker died when a bulldozer overturned. It is
speculated that the worker had alighted and left the unbraked vehicle
which then rolled forward, he may have attempted to climb back on
prior to it going down an embankment. 29th June 2010.
|
Greece
Eye surgery suspended over infection fears
The Health Ministry ordered a suspension of surgery at a private
ophthalmic clinic in Serres after 6 of 13 patients required further
surgery following infection during cataract surgery, an investigation
is planned for early this week. 29th June 2010.
|
Austria
Hospital patient dies in fall from window
A 73-year old dementia patient died at the weekend from injuries
sustained in an 8-metre fall from the window of a ward into a light
shaft at Ried Hospital, Upper Austria. 28th June 2010.
|
Scotland
Structural collapse injures
workman
A 40-year old contractor's employee suffered a major injury at the
premises of Diageo near Elgin, Moray, when a water tank collapsed on
Thursday morning. His injuries are not reported as life threatening.
28th June 2010.
|
India
Unstable crane load accident at Chennai Airport
A worker guiding a crane operator has died when a 26-tonne steel truss
being hoisted by the crane fell at a new terminal site in Chennai
(Madras) Airport. The steel fell onto an adjacent Air India building
but the crane's boom fell on to the worker. 25th June 2010.
|
England
Worker's finger section severed in paper shredder
A retail worker lost a section of a finger in an accident while
attempting to clear a blockage in an industrial paper shredder at the
Specsaver store in Minehead, she was hospitalised for 2 days after the accident.
25th June 2010.
|
England
Boy survives fall through glass roof
Fire crews in Bolton have expressed how fortunate a 10-year old boy
was to survive with only minor injuries a 7-metre fall through the
glass roof of an industrial mill at the Albert Street Business Park in
Horwich where he had playing with a group of boys. His fall was broken
by a steel pipe and there was no machinery in the vicinity.
24th June 2010.
|
Turkey
Shipyard worker dies of injuries
A Tuzla shipyard worker died in hospital yesterday from injuries
sustained in an accident 9 days ago when material fell on him from a
forklift truck at the Selay Shipyard in Istanbul.
24th June 2010.
|
USA
Shooting accident at NC military firing range
A civilian contractor who managed operations at the firearms training
ranges in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, was killed in a small arms
training accident on Tuesday, 2 other people, a contractor and a
soldier, were also injured. 23rd June 2010.
Rep Ireland
Fire at Cork food factory
An investigation was ongoing on Tuesday into a fire at the Irish Bacon
Slicers plant on an industrial estate in Ballincollig, Cork, no
injuries were reported. 23rd June 2010.
|
|
Germany
Fire
kills
4 at special housing unit
Four residents of a housing unit for alcoholics died in a fire at the
premises in Bohmte, Osnabruck. One person survived by climbing out on
to the roof where he was rescued by helicopter. 22nd June 2010.
|
Greece
Lightning ignited tyre depot
Initial investigation of yesterday's major fire at a tyre depot in
Drama which took several hours to control found that it was probably
caused by a lightning strike. 22nd June 2010.
|
England
M6 road worker's death investigated
HSE was advised of a fatal accident at Garstang, Lancashire, where a
contract roads worker, aged 26, was killed in an accident involving a
mobile digger on the hard shoulder of the M6 northbound.
21st June 2010.
|
Austria
Falling tree kills
forestry worker
A 44-year old forestry worker was killed by a falling tree at Altheim,
Upper Austria. 21st June 2010.
|
England
Injured worker rescued from Yorks cliff
Humber Coastguard rescued a man who was seriously injured yesterday
while undertaking geological survey work as a member of a rope access
team at Boulby potash mine. A doctor had been lowered down the cliff
to attended to the injured man but he could not be brought up.
A helicopter had to return to base with technical problems, the
coastguard completed the difficult rescue of the man from his harness
suspended by rope to their stretcher. 18th June 2010.
|
Scotland
Council fined
East Ayrshire Council has been fined £56,000 for safety failures that
contributed to an industrial accident at Kilmarnock Academy last year
following which an electrician succumbed to injuries.
The deceased fell several metres to his death from a mobile
elevated work platform which was being moved at the time.
Investigation found that the electricians working for the council had
received no formal training for the equipment. 18th June 2010.
|
The Netherlands
Fatal accident at BP Rotterdam
A 22-year old contract employee of Mourik was killed on Wednesday
after being struck by a falling concrete section at the BP refinery on
Darcyweg, Europoort, Rotterdam, it was unclear whether the section
fell from a crane or during its positioning. 17th June 2010.
|
USA
Memphis utility worker killed
A Memphis Light, Gas and Water employee was killed when a section of
utility pole on which he was working broke and he died in the
resultant fall, another employee was injured in the incident.
17th June 2010.
|
England
Legionella risk in windscreen wash reservoirs
A UK Health Protection Agency report has suggested that water in
windscreen reservoirs without the addition of bacteria-killing
screenwash may be linked to an increased risk of Legionnaires'
Disease, with professional drivers in vans and in industrial areas at
5-fold risk. 16th June 2010.
|
Italy
Latina MEWP accident investigation
Investigators have been studying the circumstances of the collapse of
a MEWP (mobile elevating work platform) on via delle Querce, Itri,
which led to the deaths of 2 construction workers aged 50 and 55 in a
15-metre fall during refurbishment work on the fascia of a building.
16th June 2010.
|
USA
Hydraulic platform became unstable
Three Californian workers were injured when a hydraulic scissor-lift
on which they were standing became unstable during upper extension
near Glendale Galleria, Los Angeles, at least 1 of the workers is
believed to have sustained fractures and another may have
life-threatening injuries. It was speculated that the platform may
have been graded for 2 workers only. 15th June
2010.
|
USE
Worker dies in 12-storey fall
An investigation is underway into the death of a worker who was killed
on Monday in a fall from the 12th floor of a building in Hamdan
Street, Abu Dhabi. 15th June 2010.
|
Malta
British woman dies in hotel pool
An investigation has been launched into the death of a 68-year old
British woman who died in an accident at the weekend in the swimming
pool of a hotel on Triq il-Merluzz, Qawra. 14th June 2010.
|
France
Freediving accident
A freediver died after getting into difficulties on Saturday some 100
metres off the coast at Plogoff, 2 other divers and the Samu (Service
d'Aide Medicale d'Urgence) from Quimper tried in vain to save him.
14th June 2010.
|
England
Accident at Hartlepool scrap yard
HSE has been advised of an accident at European Metal Recycling on the
Longhill Industrial Estate, Hartlepool, where a worker sustained
serious facial injuries, including a broken jaw, after being struck by
a flying metal section while cutting metal. 11th June 2010.
|
Northern Ireland
Sail training ship sinks off Antrim
The sail training ship Lord Rank, owned by the Ocean Youth Trust, ran
aground and sank on Carrickmannon Rock off Kinbane head. In the
incident responded to by Portrush RNLI among others, all 6 crew were
safely rescued. 11th June 2010.
|
Germany
Roofer falls through roof light
A 25-year old roofer sustained severe injuries in a 7-metre fall
through a fragile roof light on Wednesday while working on a barn in
Roggenberg, Neu-Ulm. 10th June 2010.
|
Cyprus
Worker severely injured on Paphos site
A 31-year old construction worker is listed in critical condition in
hospital with head injuries following an accident on a site in Paphos
where he was found under an overturned wheelbarrow laden with tiles,
it remains unclear if the incident involved a fall from height.
10th June 2010.
|
England
Airline fined over Heathrow transport accident
At the Old Bailey in London American Airlines was fined £70K plus
£10,581 in costs over an accident at Heathrow Airport's Terminal 3
where a worker's leg was run over in a transport accident and
subsequently amputated.
He was struck by a reversing pushback tug used in the movement of
aircraft, HSE investigation found the vehicle lacked suitable
reversing lights for work in darkness and an audible reversing alarm.
The judge noted that 2 similar incidents had occurred in the US.
9th June 2010.
|
England
Cactus sap accident leads to fine
Rentokil Initial UK Ltd was fined £12K plus £3,967 in costs over an
accident in which a worker of subsidiary, Ambius, was injured while
pruning cacti at the Milton Keynes centre. Liquid sap squirted into
his eye and also left a skin rash, subsequently the worker has had to
wear spectacles with an anti-glare lens.
Investigation established that the company had failed to provide
adequate information, instruction and training to ensure the safety of
staff carrying out work. It pleaded guilty to a breach of S.2(1) of
the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974; a breach of r.3 of the
Management of Health and Safety at Work Regs 1999; and a breach of
r.3(1)(b) the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous
Occurrences Regs 1995 (RIDDOR) as it failed to notify the Local
Authority of the accident in the required time. 9th June 2010.
|
England
Wood worker's foot caught in machine
At Penrith Magistrates' Court the proprietor of AW Jenkinson Forestry
Products was fined £20K plus £6,146 costs after pleading guilty to a
breach of health and safety legislation in respect of an accident in
Clifton last June where a worker's foot was caught in wood processing
machinery. A timber section was stuck in the base of a log box at the
end of a conveyor and in trying to deal with it a worker lost his
balance and his foot caught in the machine's 48 revolving blades.
8th June 2010.
|
Australia
Worker dies in fall from unsafe scaffold
A 59-year old construction worker has died in hospital in Melbourne a
few days after an accident at a site in Northcote, north Melbourne.
It is believed that he lost his balance on a plank loosely attached to
an improvised scaffold and fell 3 metres. 8th June 2010.
|
Rep Ireland
Bus driver wins award over
suspension accident
At the High Court in
Dublin a driver of Dublin Bus has been awarded €75,911 in respect
of a claim he made following an incident in which the pneumatic
suspension of his bus failed while negotiating speed ramps on the Tallaght-Bohernabreena
Road in September 2005. His claim over neck and lower back injuries
was successful against the bus company but not the municipal
authority, the judge ruled that the former had failed in its statutory
duty to ensure that necessary measures were taken so that equipment
used was suitable or properly adapted for the purpose. The damages
reflected €25K
for pain and suffering to date, €20K
for future pain and suffering and €30,911
for specific damages. 7th June 2010.
|
South Korea
Burns claim life of exhaust factory worker
A 25-year old Indonesian national has died of his burns injuries in a
hospital in Seoul a couple of weeks after an accident at a car exhaust
plant. 7th June
2010.
|
Northern Ireland
Italian ship detained for ISM audit
The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) has detained the
Italian-flagged passenger ship Vistamar in Belfast over a number of
failings with regard to the International Safety Management (ISM)
code.
The MCA inspection found fire doors were missing, broken or lacked
latches and PA systems and emergency lights for life rafts were not
working.
The seriousness of the deficiencies means that the inspection has been
suspended pending an ISM audit. Once the latter is complete, the MCA
inspection will resume. 4th June 2010.
|
Bangladesh
Dhaka building fire leaves 85 dead
At least 85 people were known to have died yesterday in a fire in a
7-storey property in the Kayettuli district of Dhaka. The fire master
speculated that an electrical fault caused the blaze which was
aggravated by the storage for retail purposes of chemicals in a ground
floor area and by the narrowness of the building's stairways.
4th June 2010.
|
France
Fisherman injured climbing over boats
A 48-year old fisherman was admitted to hospital in Granville with
serious head injuries on Wednesday after falling on a boat while
attempting to climb across to his own berthed at the town's harbour.
3rd June 2010.
|
Austria
Worker survives unshored trench accident
A Steier worker was fortunate to survive an accident when an unshored
excavation became unstable and trapped him waist-deep in earth at a
site in Liezen. Fire crews rescued the worker who was hospitalised
with hypothermia and severe bruising.
3rd June 2010.
|
Swaziland
Ex-pat farmer found dead
The Shiselweni Lukhozi Serious Crime Unit is investigating the death
of a 52-year old farmer who was found dead in an apparent attack by
assailants in his farmhouse in Thunzini, the former Gloucestershire
farmer had been contending with cattle rustlers in recent times.
2nd June 2010.
|
England
Villa fined over fall through fragile roof light
Aston Villa Football Club and a building contractor have been fined at
Stratford on Avon Magistrates' Court over an accident at its Bodymoor
Heath training ground where a contract worker broke heel bones in a
fall through a fragile roof light.
The worker had been draining fuel tanks on the roof of a building
prior to demolition and as an internal ladder to the roof was blocked,
a ladder was used at the front of the building for access to the roof
plant room. Aston Villa pleaded guilty to a breach of r.9(1) of the
Work at Height Regulations 2005 for which it was fined £1,350 plus
£1,610 costs. Mechanical Cleansing Services Ltd of Aston, Birmingham,
was fined £1K plus £1,610 costs after pleading guilty to a breach of
r.3(6)(a) of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations
1999.
A director of the contractor was fined £1K plus £1,610 costs after
pleading guilty to breaching S.37(1) of the Health and Safety at Work
etc Act 1974 by failing to provide adequate information regarding
access to the site for workers. 2nd June 2010.
|
England
Airport crush death ruled accident
A 2-day inquest at
Newcastle Civic Centre into the death of a worker at Newcastle
International Airport in January 2009 has returned a verdict of
accidental death.
The worker was standing on a platform at the rear of
a reversing tractor during de-icing work and was crushed against a
stationery aircraft. It was not clearly established whether the
braking system which required excessive force contributed to the
accident. HSE investigation found that the worker should not have been
standing on the rear of the vehicle. 1st June 2010.
|
France
Rally driver killed
The driver of a Ford Sierra Cosworth died in a crash on a winding road
in Saone-et-Loire while participating in stage 5 of the Vins de Macon
rally, his co-driver was seriously injured in the accident.
1st June 2010.
|
|
England
Guarding failure at carpenters
Prospect Joinery Limited of
Stourbridge has been fined £3,000 plus £1,000 costs after an employee
was injured whilst hand feeding wood into a machine which was not
properly guarded.
The accident victim has long-term disability after his finger was
amputated. 30th
June 2010.
|
England
Dorset accident
A workman fell from scaffolding on a site in Portland on Monday. He
sustained head and back injuries and was airlifted to hospital after
he was rescued by coastguard specialists from a tunnel.
30th June 2010.
|
England
Roof fall in Plymouth
A 17-year old youth has fallen through the fragile roof of a disused
industrial building in Plymouth, sustaining head injuries which have
left him in a critical condition.
He fell at the former Imerys china clay site on Sunday afternoon.
29th June 2010.
|
England
Developer ignored HSE notices
A developer who ignored 2 improvement notices relating to a dangerous
excavation at a site in Oldham has been fined £2,000 plus £1,725
costs. The excavation was 1.8 metres deep for a house extension
foundation adjacent to a public footpath. 29th June 2010.
|
England
Fatal accident at bike track
A 17-year old male biker died of injuries following an accident on
Thursday afternoon at the BMX circuit in Queens Park, Heywood, near
Rochdale. 28th June 2010.
|
Scotland
Load was not secured adequately - FAI
A sheriff at a Fatal Accident Inquiry has determined that the accident
in which a young woman was killed in July 2006 when the car she was
travelling in was struck by a shovel loader could reasonably have been
prevented.
The wheeled shovel detached from the trailer upon which it was secured
and rolled downhill towards the A9 between Inverness and Scrabster,
because the chains used were inadequate in strength and number for the
load.
The company transporting the plant, Munro & Sons (Highland) Ltd, had
not carried out a risk assessment as required for loading and
transporting and had not provided suitable restraint equipment for the
shovel, the weight of which had not been ascertained. The company had also
relied upon a parking brake which it had not tested to the
manufacturer's instructions. 28th June 2010.
|
Wales
Fatal accident at Glamorgan factory
A 24-year old engineer died at the weekend
following an industrial accident on the 16th June at the premises of
Gerber Ltd in Llantrisant. 25th June 2010.
|
England
Conveyor fatal accident
An employee of a brick manufacturing company died when his head was
crushed between concrete blocks on a moving conveyor and a metal
platform. He was standing next to a low bridge over the conveyor when
he leaned forward to remove some blocks for inspection just as the
conveyor changed direction, crushing his head.
A suitable and sufficient risk assessment would have provided a safe
system of work for removing blocks, and HSE criticised the company for
failing to supervise the deceased adequately.
Hanson Building Products Limited of Maidenhead admitted breaching
S.2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and was fined
£280,000 with costs of £29,204. 25th June 2010.
|
England
Chemical spill workers in hospital
Ten employees, 3 of whom were taken to hospital, required treatment by
ambulance personnel after a chlorine incident at the premises of
Brookfield Foods Ltd on Deeside Industrial Estate in Flints.
The spillage incident, which occurred yesterday morning, was described
by emergency services as 'small'. 24th June 2010.
|
Wales
Worker shot
An employee of Swansea Council was shot in the shoulder by someone
with an air rifle as he repaired a fence on Tuesday afternoon.
The incident occurred in the Waunarlwydd area, police have made an
arrest in connection with the incident. 24th June 2010.
|
England
Worker dragged into machine by overalls
In January 2008 an employee of ADA Machining of Ashton-under-Lyne was
dragged into the inadequately guarded rotating parts of a metal
forming machine and suffered multiple major injuries.
ADA was fined £26,000 for breaching r.11(1) of the Provision and Use
of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 and must pay £6,220 towards the
costs of the prosecution. 23rd June 2010
|
England
Women flung from fairground ride
An incident in which 2 women were injured, one seriously, after a
malfunction caused them to be thrown from the Orbiter ride at Bilston,
West Midlands, in May 2006 has led to the prosecution of its owner and
an inspector.
The operator, based in Cradley Heath, admitted breaching r.5 of the
Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 and was fined
£15,000 with £5,000 costs.
Fairground Inspection Services, who carried out safety tests on the
ride, were ordered to pay £35,000 compensation to the more seriously
injured woman after pleading guilty to breaching S.3(1) of the Health
and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. There had been a failure of a weld
that held the car to the ride occupied by the women despite receiving
an annual inspection just weeks before the incident.
23rd June 2010.
|
England
Worker fell through rooflight
Woodgate Sawmills Limited, and one partner of The Longhope Welding
Company, have been fined after a joint project went badly wrong when a
roofing contractor fell through a fragile skylight while working on
the roof of a sawmill building at Mile End, Coleford, Gloucestershire,
in June 2007. He fell 5 metres onto a concrete surface and suffered
serious head injuries.
Woodgate Sawmills Ltd of Lydney, Gloucestershire, admitted 4 breaches
of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 1994 and 2007
and was fined a total of £13,320 with costs of £14,443.
The partner of the welding company from Longhope, Gloucestershire,
admitted breaching S.2(1) and 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work
etc. Act 1974 and was fined a total of £26,660 with costs of £14,443.
.22nd June 2010
|
England
Waste company failed to separate
workers from vehicles
WSR Recycling Ltd of Cheshire has admitted breaching r.17 of the
Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 in connection
with an industrial accident at its Ditton Road site in Widnes last
year. The company was fined £10,000 plus costs of £6,338.
The accident victim, who had a part of his leg amputated, was working
in a tipping bay when he was struck by a shovel loader.
22nd June 2010.
|
Scotland
Garage worker dies after incident
A 24-year old motor mechanic sustained a serious head injury in
an explosion at Pitmachie Garage in Pitmachie, Aberdeenshire, on
Friday afternoon and has since died.
Reports state that an explosion occurred and this involved an oil
container. 21st June 2010.
|
England
Petrol vapour explodes in sewer
Two persons were injured when petrol vapour drained into the sewer
system from a vehicle
being worked on and exploded in Edward Street, Preston, last Thursday
evening.
One of the men involved has serious burns, the force of the
explosion blew a manhole off and damaged nearby houses internally.
21st June 2010.
|
England
Death at Yorkshire foundry
A worker died yesterday following an industrial accident on Wednesday
evening at Sheffield Forgemasters. Accounts state he was crushed when
a lifting operation went badly wrong. 18th June 2010.
|
England
Recycling worker seriously injured
An employee of Severnside Recycling has
sustained serious arm and leg injuries in a counterbalance truck
accident at the Somerfield and The Co-operative Group's Huntworth
depot in Bridgewater, Somerset. 18th June 2010.
|
England
Incident at Cheshire airbags factory
A 24-year old female employee of Airbags International in Congleton
has been hospitalised after suffering a serious injury that required
her to be freed from a machine on Saturday afternoon.
17th June 2010.
|
Scotland
Bull killed farm worker
A Fatal Accident Inquiry at
Kirkcudbright Sheriff Court has concluded that a 49-year old man who
sustained a fatal chest injury last December did so most likely as the
result of an attack by a bull.
He had entered a field on the farm near Castle Douglas on foot. It
contained 36 heifers and his job was to feed them, but had he used a
tractor, he would have reduced his risk considerably.
17th June 2010.
|
England
Nursing home bath had no thermostat
A 72-year old resident at West House Nursing Home in Southend suffered
first degree burns to his feet and was kept overnight at Southend
Hospital after being lowered into a bath by care assistants in May
2009.
Operators Rootcroft Ltd of London admitted breaching S.3(1) of
the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and were fined £5,000 with
£5,989 costs plus victim compensation of £500.
The water supply had no thermostatic mixing valve to prevent the
temperature exceeding 44°C. Staff had been instructed to check the
water temperature with a thermometer before bathing but no checks were
made by management to ensure this was taking place.
Water storage temperatures were also found to be in a range which
could allow legionella bacteria to grow. 16th June 2010.
|
Wales
Dangerous gas work by
illegal fitter
A man from Tywyn, Gwynedd, has been fined £38,000 plus £15,711 costs
after being convicted for breaching a prohibition notice and gas
safety regulations.
The man was only registered with the former trade regulator CORGI to
work on natural gas, not LPG Propane.
An HSE official commented: “His work has given rise to a number of
immediately dangerous situations and his incompetent work has had the
potential to endanger householders, including children, from the risk
of fire or explosion or carbon monoxide poisoning.”
16th June 2010.
|
England
Stowaway missing overboard in Portsmouth harbour
A search for a man overboard was called off as night fell in
Portsmouth on Monday after 2 suspected stowaways jumped overboard from
the Geest-owned cargo ship Timor Stream.
One was rescued from the water, both men, believed to be from the
Dominican Republic, were refused entry by immigration officials and
had been returned to the ship which was due to sail today (Tuesday)
for the Caribbean. 15th June 2010.
|
England
Incident at Somerset quarry
It is reported that an explosion involving an HGV carrying gas
cylinders has injured 2 men working on LPG tanks at Stancombe Quarry,
Flax Bourton, yesterday afternoon. Both persons are being treated for
first and third degree upper body burns. 15th June 2010.
|
England
Fairground worker injured
A 17-year old fairground worker was injured at a Barnard Castle,
County Durham, fairground ride last week. He sustained a fractured
skull last Monday after falling from the ride. 15th June 2010.
|
England
Failures at Beds bakery
Two directors of a bakery business in Bedford have been prosecuted for
failing to respond to an improvement notice and breaching health and
safety law.
An unexpected visit by HSE inspectors in January 2009 found exposed
live conductors on a conveyor belt. Prohibition and improvement orders
were served to prevent access to dangerous parts of the bread conveyor
belt; to prevent access to dangerous parts of a bread dough mixer; to
arrange for electrical testing and to carry out a risk assessment for
exposure to flour dust. The terms of an improvement notice requiring a
risk assessment to be carried out were not complied with.
The two directors admitted breaching r.4(2) of the Electricity at Work
Regulations 1989 and S.33(1)(g) of the Health and Safety at Work etc
Act 1974 and were fined a total of £5,500 with £1,000 costs.
14th June 2010.
|
England
Forklift truck arrangement fails
teenager
A 17-year old worker at Sub Surface Engineering Ltd in Fareham was
standing beside a forklift truck with an arm extension being used to
move sheet steel when the arm and its load fell and broke his ankle.
The general manager of Sub Surface, who was operating the forklift
without adequate training, was fined £2,500 plus £1,000 costs.
An HSE official commented that "adequate planning of the lifting
operation and the use of suitable equipment would have avoided this
injury to a young trainee."
14th June 2010.
|
Scotland
Recycling transport accident
A worker at the Scottish Borders Council recycling centre in Eshiels
was injured on Tuesday in an accident involving a refuse collection
vehicle. His injuries are not reported as
life-threatening. 11th June 2010.
|
England
Passer-by killed in refuse collection
incident
A woman in her 50's has been fatally injured in an incident involving
a South Lakeland District Council refuse collection vehicle in a
street in Grasmere, Cumbria. 11th June 2010.
|
England
Accidental death of boy at farm
An inquest jury has determined accidental death having considered
evidence given concerning the death of a 7-year old boy who drowned in
a slurry pit at a farm near Broseley, Shropshire, on 26th July last
year. 10th June 2010.
|
England
Bed rail death hospital fined £50,000
Basildon and Thurrock University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust has
been fined £50,000 with £40,000 costs following the death of a
severely disabled 20-year old man at Basildon University Hospital on
12th October 2006. He asphyxiated when his head became trapped between
the bottom rail surrounding his bed and the edge of the bed itself.
Earlier in the night he had been repositioned after he wedged his head
between the rails but the danger was not recognised by staff. Had the
correct spacing rails been used on his bed the accident could not have
happened.
There was no system in place to alert staff to his particular needs or
habits, instead staff were relied upon to remember him from previous
visits or to retrieve records to read through his past medical notes.
Staff did not formally share knowledge of individual patients.
10th June 2010.
|
England
Essex fatal industrial accident
A man in his 20's died last Thursday at the Marks Tey, Colchester,
premises of Great Tey Metalcraft in an industrial accident involving a
metal skip which was being unloaded at the time.
9th June 2010.
|
Northern Ireland
Crown censure for prison service
The Northern Ireland Prison Service has accepted Crown Censure for
failing to control legionella bacteria in its water systems at one of
its establishments, resulting in the death in February 2007 of a
patient in its healthcare unit.
Head of HSENI’s Major Investigation Team
commented: "The system for managing
health and safety at H.M.P. Magilligan had not been effective in
controlling this well-known risk. The standard was far below what is
appropriate for a Prison." 9th June 2010.
|
England
Teenager serious after cable
incident
An 18-year old man is in a serious condition after he was badly burned
in an incident involving a live 11Kv conductor at disused premises in
Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, on Saturday afternoon. 8th June 2010.
|
England
Risk assessment failure at motor
parts company
Federal Mogul Bradford Ltd has admitted breaching r.3 (1) of the
Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 and r.11(1)
of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 in
connection with an incident in March last year in which an employee
severed a finger tip as he attempted to free a mechanical jam in a
machine.
The company had failed to adequately guard the equipment and was fined
£10,000 with £5,000 costs. 8th June 2010.
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Scotland
Explosion injures worker
A female employee at a pheasant hatchery has been injured in an
explosion.
The incident occurred on Thursday evening at Clarencefield, 10 miles
east of Dumfries, her condition was reported as serious.
7th June 2010.
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Scotland
Security guard poisoned in flat
A housing association and a security contractor have been fined after
a guard was killed by carbon monoxide poisoning on a construction site
in Hamilton, Lanarkshire.
The flat was used as a base for employees and a petrol generator was
operated inside the flat without appropriate ventilation on 6th
February 2008. The deceased had not been provided with instructions
for its safe use.
Clyde Valley Housing Association Ltd, which subcontracted Alpha Group
Security Ltd, was fined £70,000 under S.3(1) of the Health and Safety
at Work etc Act 1974.
Alpha Group Security Ltd was fined £7,000. 7th June 2010.
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England
Council's asbestos failings
City of Lincoln Council and County Waste (Lincs) Ltd has been fined
after allowing asbestos insulation boards to be incorrectly removed.
In June 2008 the Council was refurbishing the bathroom of a
residential property and appointed County Waste (Lincs) Ltd to
investigate the fixing of asbestos insulation boards prior to removal.
Unfortunately County Waste was not licensed to work with asbestos and
its employee spread asbestos fibres after broken panels and pieces of
asbestos debris were left on the bathroom floor.
Council employees visited the property but failed to tell the tenant
of the problem and did not move the family to another property for 3
days.
City of Lincoln Council was fined £10,000 with £12,000 costs and
County Waste (Lincs) Ltd of Lincoln, was fined £4,250 with £6,000
costs. 4th June 2010.
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England
Machine severed finger
A man working at a spice mixing machine suffered a serious hand injury
while working at the poorly guarded equipment.
His employer, Arcadia Food Industries Limited of Bradford, admitted
breaching r.11(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment
Regulations 1998 and was fined £4,000 with £3,080 costs. HSE had
previously warned the company about its safety standards.
4th June 2010.
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England
Companies must control vehicle
movements
S.H.B Hire Ltd of Romsey, Hampshire, has been fined £5,000 with £2,815
costs for failing to properly manage the risks and control the
movement of its vehicles at its Southall site, a failing that
permitted an industrial accident in which a worker suffered bruising
and swelling to both his lower legs.
On 29th January 2008, an S.H.B Hire Ltd mechanic was asked to repair a
vehicle at the site, and to get the vehicle from the yard he needed to
move another parked vehicle, so he reversed a Ford Transit 350 tipper.
The accident victim was cleaning a vehicle when he saw the
reversing tipper coming towards him but could not escape and his legs
were trapped by the tipper. 3rd June 2010.
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England
Sign company fined after pair fall from
height
The proprietor of Harris Signs of Seaham, Co Durham, has been fined
£1,000 plus £1,000 costs after he and a colleague fell whilst
repairing a sign at the Metro Inn in Stockton in November last year.
The men worked from a 4.5 metre-high scaffolding platform without edge
protection, but the sign was a further 4 metres higher, and a ladder
was used to access this. The platform failed and both fell and
fortunately escaped serious injury. 3rd June 2010.
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England
Fall likely cause of fatal injury
An inquest jury has determined accidental death having considered the
evidence concerning the death of a construction site manager who was
found slumped in his office with a head injury that proved fatal days
later.
His cause of death was a fractured skull and it is speculated that
this was most likely resulting from a blow to the head when the Team
Northern Construction Ltd employee fell on 22nd October last year
somewhere on the site in Milnthorpe, Cumbria.
2nd June 2010.
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Scotland
Milk boy killed accidentally
A 16-year old milk boy who ran into the path of a minibus and was
fatally injured died as the result of an accident, a Fatal Accident
Inquiry has concluded.
He left the milk float in Cleghorn, Lanarkshire, just before he ran on
to the A706.
An employee of Miller's Dairy Limited, he was not wearing a high
visibility garment, although the minibus driver was deemed to have no
opportunity to avoid him. 2nd June 2010.
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England
Nightclub sign clouts passer-by
A woman walking along
Plymouth's Union Street on Saturday was struck and injured by a large
signboard that had detached from a nightclub frontage. She was knocked
unconscious and taken to hospital where she was treated for a head
injury. 1st June
2010.
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Scotland
Soldier killed in quarry fall
A man in his 30's has died in a 10-metre fall at a quarry in
Collieston, Angus, while participating in a climbing exercise with the
army on Friday afternoon. 1st June
2010.
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