Austria
Worker survives 12-metre fall
On Wednesday at premises on Mautner-Markhofgasse in the Simmering
district of Vienna a worker survived relatively unscathed following a
12-metre fall into an open ventilation shaft. Whereas in Tulln, Lower
Austria, two 23-year old workers were injured, one badly, in an
8-metre fall from a ladder on a scaffold.
31st March 2011
|
New Zealand
Fumigation container explodes at Wellington port
A fumigation container holding an imported car exploded yesterday
morning at CentrePort in Aotea Quay, Wellington, no injuries were
reported in the accident.
31st March 2011
|
USA
Californian window cleaner electrocuted
A Californian window cleaner was electrocuted yesterday while working
at the junction of Beach Boulevard and Newman Avenue in Huntington
Beach. He was on the ground and using an extension rod to reach upper
windows of a 3-storey building. When he moved around a tree to change
position electricity arced to his vertical extension rod from a 12Kv
overhead power line.
30th March 2011
|
Singapore
Confined space nitrogen accident at refinery
A subcontract maintenance worker has died and a colleague is listed in
critical condition following a confined space accident involving
nitrogen at the Exxon Mobil refinery in Jurong during a shutdown for
maintenance overhaul.
30th March 2011
|
Yemen
110 killed in Jaar munitions factory explosion
Around 110 people died in an explosion and fire at an ordnance plant
outside Jaar as looters entered the plant which held munitions and
explosives for road construction, a carelessly discarded cigarette is
thought to have caused the explosion.
29th March 2011
|
Pakistan
Ammonia gas cylinder explosion kills ice factory worker
A worker was killed and others were injured when an ammonia gas
cylinder exploded at the Sohail Ice factory in Barki, near Lahore.
29th March 2011
|
Spain
2 Basque fishermen clung to upturned boat, 3 others missing
Two fishermen were rescued but 3 other crew members of the Zirri were
missing after it overturned in conditions of wind and 1.5-metre high
waves 13 miles north of Zierbena. Both survivors were not wearing life
jackets but had clung to the upturned hull of the boat, known locally
as a "chipironera", and were admitted to Cruces hospital with severe
hypothermia. The search for the missing fishermen was focussed between
Rabanel point and Villan head.
28th March 2011
|
Austria
Steel falls on worker's foot during loading
A 59-year old warehouse worker has been hospitalised in Salzburg after
a 350-Kg steel section became unstable and fell on his foot during
loading on to a lorry at Bergheim, his condition was unknown.
28th March 2011
|
New Zealand
Roads worker killed by tar-spraying lorry
The Department of Labour is investigating a fatal accident which
occurred yesterday at a site on Woodlands Road, northeast of Hamilton,
where a roads worker died after being struck by a tar-spraying lorry.
25th March 2011
|
USA
Worker holding scaffold pole electrocuted by arcing electricity
A construction worker, believed to be an employee of AE Vinyl, was
electrocuted and a colleague was injured when a scaffolding pole they
were holding was blown towards arcing electricity from 7,200Kv power
lines in Colerain, Ohio.
25th March 2011
|
Serbia
Double fatality at manganese mine
Two miners aged 51 and 54 were killed when a structural collapse
occurred at the Sumadija Cacak manganese mine in Cacak, central
Serbia. 24th March
2011
|
USA
Airport electrocution accident
Investigation has been ongoing into a fatal accident at
Hattiesburg-Laurel Regional Airport, Mississippi, where an employee of
Woodall Electrical Inc was electrocuted, the company has been
contracted for runway lighting work.
24th March 2011
|
Germany
Fall from height accidents
A 53-year old construction worker died from head injuries in a 4-metre
fall from a wall at a site in Schliengen-Liel, Baden-Wurttemberg, his
head struck a large stone on the ground.
In Dillingen, Saarland, a worker sustained severe head injuries
yesterday in a 6-metre fall through a fragile roof light on a factory
roof in Dillingen.
23rd March 2011
|
Australia
Worker's ankle broken in auger
A Queensland worker broke his ankle yesterday after becoming trapped
in the auger of concreting machinery at Sapar Landscaping Supplies in
Raceview, his condition in hospital in Ipswich is
stable.
23rd March 2011
|
Pakistan
45 miners killed in methane explosion
At least 45 miners died in a methane gas explosion at the Sorange mine
of the Pakistan Mineral Development Corporation, 20 miles from Quetta.
More than 50 miners were working 2 miles underground when the
explosion occurred, many of the victims were severely burned.
It is alleged that the Corporation was warned a couple of weeks ago
that high accumulations of methane were being detected in the mine.
22nd March 2011
|
USA
Fatal accident at Louisiana gas well site
A 40-year old Louisiana worker died in a crush accident at a gas well
site on Moore Road, Beaumont, after becoming pinned between 2 pieces
of equipment being erected at the site.
22nd March 2011
|
Spain
6 firemen killed in helicopter crash
Six Aragon firemen died at the weekend when their fire-fighting
helicopter crashed on hilly ground between Cascante de Rio and Villel,
one person survived the crash but was hospitalised with serious
injuries. 21st March 2011
|
USA
Crush accident at Carolina composting facility
Investigation has been ongoing into a fatal accident at a municipal
composting facility in Toms River, New Jersey, where an employee
working alone was found dead under the hydraulic bed of a lorry during
the unloading of its contents.
21st March 2011
|
France
Parisian worker buried in collapsed trench
A construction worker died and a colleague was seriously injured when
an unstable excavation collapsed on Thursday at a highway in Cachan,
south Paris.
The two workers, from a company in Le Loiret, had entered the 2-metre
deep trench to take measurements in connection with the laying of
drainage pipes, a third worker managed to raise the alarm. The
condition of the survivor in Kremlin-Bicetre Hospital was not known.
18th March 2011
|
Austria
Worker's fingers severed in saw accident
A worker was admitted to hospital in Dornbirn yesterday following an
accident at premises in Schwarzenberg where he had 3 fingers amputated
in a saw accident.
18th March 2011
|
USA
Floor collapse kills forklift driver
A forklift operator died yesterday when a floor collapsed at Royal
Food Products on East Minnesota Street, Indianapolis. He was working
on the ground floor loading material with his vehicle when the floor
collapsed 5 metres into the basement, with barrels of vegetable oil
and rubble falling on him.
17th March 2011
|
India
Chittagong shipbreaker killed
An ARL Shipbreaking Yard worker died yesterday in Chittagong Medical
College Hospital from injuries sustained in an accident during the
dismantling of a section of scrap ship at Mahin Enterprise in
Shitalpur where a heavy steel section had fallen on
him.
17th March 2011
|
USA
Cable whiplash accident kills Rhode Island worker
A worker was killed in a whiplash accident yesterday at Compass
Circle, North Kingstown, Rhode Island, when he was struck by a
cable which snapped during the moving of equipment.
16th March 2011
|
USA
Florida theme park worker succumbs to injuries
A 52-year old Floridian worker died yesterday, succumbing to head
injuries he received while working on the Primeval Whirl ride at the
Animal Kingdom theme park. The ride was temporarily closed for
maintenance at the time, it is speculated that he may have been struck
by a moving vehicle.
16th March 2011
|
Spain
2 killed in confined space accident in Valencia
Two workers died on Monday in a confined space accident in Alcalde
Reig Street in Valencia when they were overcome by fumes in a
2x2-metre pipe in a trench. 15th March 2011
|
Germany
Crush accident setting up crane
A worker was hospitalised in Munster on Monday afternoon with
life-threatening injuries after becoming pinned between a crane and a
hydraulic support as he was attempting to assemble the crane at
premises on Schmelbachstrasse in Ahlen. 15th March 2011
|
The Netherlands
2 patients died in psychiatric unit fire
Two patients aged 59 died in a fire on Saturday at the GGZ
Rivierduinen psychiatric unit on Kasteellaan, Oegstgeest, another of
the 7 injured is listed in critical condition. The rest of the 50
patients were safely evacuated, no cause was immediately known for the
fire. 14th March 2011
|
USA
HGV driver killed by reversing lorry
A 26-year old driver of Prime Inc hauliers of Missouri was killed in a
crush accident at the Kroger warehouse in Roanoke, Virginia, where he
was crushed between a reversing and stationary vehicle. 14th March 2011
|
Canada
Heavy plate kills driver during loading in Nova Scotia
A lorry driver was killed yesterday at a work site in Nova Scotia when
a steel plate fell and hit his head as it was being loaded on to his
lorry near Timberlea, Halifax.
11th March 2011
|
Israel
Security guard dies in fire
An investigation was ongoing yesterday into the death of a security
guard who died in a fire on a site in Petah Tikva, 7 miles east
of Tel Aviv. 11th
March 2011
|
UAE
Iranian seaman dies in ship's
propeller
An Iranian seaman died when he was caught in the propeller of a ship
from which he had jumped overboard following an outbreak of fire in
Deira Creek, Dubai. The fire spread to an adjacent Indian ship loaded
with cars and textiles for Somalia, it was unclear if all 10 crew of
that ship survived without injury.
10th March 2011
|
Canada
Falling material accidents on Ontario sites
A construction worker was hospitalised yesterday after being struck by
a heavy concrete section at a condominium site on Belmont Avenue West,
Kitchener, Ontario, his condition was unknown.
At Redmond & Associates site in Malton, Mississauga, a worker
sustained multiple injuries, including fractures to a hip and ankle,
when a section of portable wall being assembled fell on him.
10th March 2011
|
USA
Scissors lift accident at Indiana plant
Two maintenance contract workers were seriously injured on Tuesday
morning at Allegheny Ludlum in New Castle, Indiana, where a scissors
lift failed, pinning 1 of the workers under it.
9th March 2011
|
Canada
Sour gas explosion at Alberta site
Twelve workers were injured in a sour gas explosion at the Husky
Energy site 150 miles west of Edmonton, the accident occurred as rocks
were being broken to access gas deposits.
9th March 2011
|
Colombia
Quinchia gold miner killed in gas incident
A gas incident has claimed the life of a miner and another is reported
missing at a gold mine in Quinchia in the area known locally as La
Amapola, between Irra and La Felisa on the banks of the Cauca river.
8th March 2011
|
Gaza
South Gaza tunnel accident
An 18-year old man was killed on Monday when the roof of a tunnel
collapsed in the Rafah area on the Egyptian border.
8th March 2011
|
Russia
6 killed in AN-148 test flight crash
An Antonov-148 aircraft crashed
during a test and delivery flight to Myanmar(Burma) killing all 6
people on board, including 2 pilots from Myanmar. The flight came down
on garden ground in Garbuzovo, 100 miles from Belgorod.
The 3 flight recorders have been recovered and criminal proceedings
may be forthcoming regarding death by negligence in violations of
safety and the operation of
transport. 7th March 2011
|
Malaysia
Rubber worker killed by elephant
A rubber plantation worker in Gua Musang was killed by an elephant
which picked him up with its trunk and inflicted fatal injuries by
battering him against a tree. He had set off firecrackers to scare of
a herd of elephants just prior to the attack.
Three workers have now died in elephant attacks in Kelantan in recent
months. 7th March 2011
|
USA
2 workers killed dismantling Mississippi bridge
Two workers, aged 46 and 21, of Granite Construction were killed
during dismantling work on the old Mississippi River Bridge spanning
the river between Greenville, Mississippi, and Lake Village, Arkansas.
4th March 2011
|
Canada
CN rail worker's leg severed
A 23-year old Canadian National Railway employee had a leg amputated
below the thigh following an accident at the CN rail yard in Fort
Nelson, British Columbia. He was engaged in coupling work when he
slipped on ice and fell under a moving train.
4th March 2011
|
USA
New York lift engineer killed in fall down shaft
A New York lift engineer has been killed in a 6-storey fall down a
lift shaft during maintenance work at the Brooklyn Community
Correctional Centre in Bedford-Stuyvesant where he was working on the
top storey. 3rd
March 2011
|
India
Wall collapse kills Delhi site worker
A 32-year old worker was killed yesterday when a wall under
construction collapsed on a site in Rani Bagh, West Delhi, he was
removing rubble at the time of the accident.
3rd March 2011
|
France
Life jackets saved Breton fishermen
The Brest harbourmaster said yesterday that the wearing of life
jackets undoubtedly saved the lives of 3 crew members of the fishing
boat Vagabond which sank on Tuesday afternoon 14 miles north of
Finisterre, they were picked up by another Breton boat, the Steren
Mor, after 20 minutes in the sea. The cause of the sinking was not
immediately known, the sea was rough with wind gusting to 25mph.
2nd March 2011
|
Spain
Falling goal frame kills youth
A 15-year old Moroccan youth died yesterday when a football goal frame
fell on him at the El Viso ground in La Mojonera, Almeria, he had been
hanging from the crossbar when the frame came down on him.
2nd March 2011
|
Brazil
17 electrocuted at Minas Gerais parade
Seventeen people were electrocuted and another 50 were injured at a
pre-Carnival parade in Bandeiro do Sul, Minas Gerais, when fireworks
thrown in the air caused a high-power cable to fall on revellers who
were beside a lorry float. Fire crews and SAMU(Servicio de Atendimento
Movel de Urgencia) from Pocas de Caldas, 15 miles away, strove to
supply emergency medical assistance.
1st March 2011
|
Australia
Missing cave diver's body located
The body of a missing 29-year old female cave diver has been located
some 500 metres from the entrance to Tank Cave, a 5-mile long cave
midway between Millicent and Mt Gambier in South Australia.
Members of Cave Dive South Australia were preparing to dive to the
locus with a view to producing a video route for police divers to
subsequently undertake the recovery. The police would consider
tunnelling from the surface if the 3-4 hour dive would prove too
hazardous. The cave is described as "a complicated underground
cavern."
1st March 2011
|
|
Russia
Fire safety inspector jailed over negligence in care home fire
The head of a fire safety inspectorate and 2 fire safety inspectors
have been found guilty of negligence which resulted in the deaths of
23 elderly people in a fire at a care home in Podyelsk, Komi, on 31st
January 2009, only 3 residents survived the blaze.
The fire safety officials were found to have failed to foresee
potential evacuation problems in the event of a fire and their safety
checks of the establishment had found only minor infringements. The
head was sentenced to 2 years prison in a penal colony, the 2
inspectors received suspended prison sentences.
31st March 2011
|
Bermuda
Worker injured in forklift fall
A warehouse worker of Cycle Care was admitted to the King Edward VII
Memorial Hospital after a fall from a container in which he was using
a forklift truck to unload cycles to the warehouse.
31st March 2011
|
Spain
Madrid worker killed in fall down lift shaft
A 42-year old worker died yesterday in a 12-metre fall down an open
lift shaft at a building under construction on Fundidadores Street in
the Los Molinos barrio of Getafe, Madrid.
This was the 3rd fatal accident in Getafe this year and the 2nd this
month. Earlier in March a worker died in a 20-metre fall from a crane
in the Los Olivos industrial zone; and in February a worker died in a
fall into the hold of a scrap boat being dismantled.
30th March 2011
|
Germany
Ems oil tanker fire
A major fire broke out yesterday on an 80-metre long tanker
laden with 900K litres of oil at Lingen on the Ems river. Three
explosions occurred, engulfing the entire upper deck in flames.
Remarkably only one crew member required medical treatment.
30th March 2011
|
USA
Portsmouth port slinger killed by forklift
On Monday morning a 38-year old female longshoreman of Ceres Marine
Terminals was killed in a forklift accident at the APM Terminals of
Virginia Port Authority in Portsmouth. She was on the pier as a
slinger, guiding a crane operator by radio, when she was struck by the
forklift, the driver's view was obstructed by large steel bins he was
carrying on the forklift.
29th March 2011
|
Australia
Company fined over high pressure hose accident
At the Industrial Court of New South Wales Allied industrial Services
was fined $130K(£83,459) over a fatal accident at the Blue Scope plant
in Port Kembla where a worker died in an accident involving a high
pressure industrial hose.
On 22nd May 2008, a worker was operating the high pressure hose,
fitted with a steel lance to intensify the water stream, to clean
sediment from a settlement tank. A malfunction occurred and the lance
flew backwards and he was struck in the chest by a stream of water.
Another worker had been operating a foot-control valve for the flow of
water, guidelines indicated that the hose operator should also
control the flow of water. The victim was also not wearing any special
protective
clothing.
The company pleaded guilty to a
breach of the Occupational Health and Safety Act by failing to ensure
the safety of an
employee.
29th March 2011
|
Zambia
5 killed in copper mine accidents
A fall of ground accident at the new East Mill site of the Nchanga
Konkola copper mine of Vedanta Resources killed 4 workers of
contractor ZCon.
In a separate incident at the Cmabishi copper mine last week a miner
was killed in a vehicle accident 150 metres below the surface. 28th March 2011
|
Germany
Forestry worker hit by falling tree
A Lower Saxony forestry worker was hospitalised in Wolfsburg with
serious facial injuries including a broken nose when he was struck by
a tree being felled in Waldhof. 28th March 2011
|
Switzerland
Child killed by reversing lorry
A 5-year old child was struck by a reversing lorry yesterday behind a
washing bay at premises in Gamsen, Sitten, he died later in hospital
in Visp. 25th March
2011
|
USA
MEWP topples at Idaho site
A lorry-mounted crane with 2 workers in the basket toppled and came to
rest against a building at a 45º list at St Luke's Magic Valley Centre
in Twin Falls, Idaho, no injuries were reported.
25th March 2011
|
Germany
Railway worker's leg severed
A railway worker has been left with life-threatening injuries after a
train ran over his leg during shunting work in Stuttgart. He was
shunting a train, standing on the running board and using a remote
hand control when he was struck by a projecting screen on a passing
goods train, causing him to fall on the track and under his train.
24th March 2011
|
The Netherlands
Lorry driver run over by loading digger
The Work Inspectorate is investigating a fatal accident which occurred
at premises on Heskamperweg, Blije, where a lorry driver who had left
his vehicle prior to loading was killed by a digger with a front
shovel which was preparing to load his lorry. The driver was given
first aid but died later in hospital in Leeuwarden.
24th March 2011
|
The Netherlands
Patient arrested over another patient's death
A patient was arrested and placed in the psychiatric unit of
Hasselt prison yesterday in connection with the death of a 48-year old
female handicapped patient who was found dead in her room on Monday at
the Intesa care facility in Hoepertingen. The victim's body showed
signs of violence and strangulation.
23rd March 2011
|
USA
Connecticut arborist killed by reversing lorry
A 58-year old Connecticut arborist has been killed in a crush accident
at a site in Old Lyme where he was struck by a wood chipper attached
to a reversing lorry.
23rd March 2011
|
Spain
Overloaded scaffold collapses in Barcelona
During refurbishment work on Monday at a 9-storey building at 419
Provenza Street in Eixample, Barcelona, a scaffold collapsed, initial
investigation pointed to the structure being overloaded with bags of
cement. No injuries were reported.
22nd March 2011
|
Rep of Congo
Cargo aircraft crash
An Antonov-12 cargo aircraft of Trans Air Cargo crashed in the Mvou
Mvou residential area of Pointe-Noire, at least 17 people died and the
casualty figure was expected to rise as firemen fought the blaze. The
aircraft had aborted its flight path to land and veered out to sea
before
later crashing in the city.
22nd March 2011
|
Austria
Flying metal from press kills steel worker
On Saturday a worker was killed at the Mitterdorf steelwork in Murztal,
Steyr, when he was struck by a metal section which penetrated his
liver and lung when it flew out from a press with which he was
working. 21st March 2011
|
China
Gold mine owner accused of accident cover-up
The arrest has been made of the owner of the suspended gold mine of
the Xiangshun Mining Company Ltd in Weinan City, Shaanxi, where 9
workers died in a gas or toxic fumes incident which he allegedly
covered up. Initially 2 miners had entered the mine and were overcome,
the other 7 died apparently attempting a rescue. 21st March 2011
|
USA
Utility worker virtually decapitated in MEWP accident
A utility worker of Century Lighting & Electric was virtually
decapitated in an accident in the basket of a MEWP (mobile elevating
work platform) at a Staples store in Natomas, north Sacramento, where
he was working on lights.
It is believed that he was raising the box with his back to the
building when he became pinned between an overhang and a bar on the
box.18th March 2011
|
Belgium
Conveyor death investigated
An investigation has been launched into an accident at Saint-Gobain
Autover in Bastogne where a worker died in a conveyor belt accident,
initial investigation suggested an electric shock at his neck as he
worked close to a packing machine.
18th March 2011
|
The Netherlands
Seaman missing in Ems
Dutch and German coastguard crews combined to search the Ems(Eems)
estuary yesterday afternoon for a seaman missing overboard from the
Antigua-flagged freighter Annegret which had sailed earlier from
Eemshaven, Holland. The coastguard in Den Helder picked up the mayday,
the man was believed missing 3 miles northwest of Borkum.
17th March 2011
|
New Zealand
Company fined over unstable crane accident
Taslo Steel Security Ltd was fined $22K at Hamilton District Court
over an accident in which a crane collapsed over a footpath and
highway in Hamilton at the old Braemar Hospital site. No injuries
occurred but the company pleaded guilty to a failure to take all
reasonable steps to ensure that the crane operated safely.
Steel purlins were being unloaded with the boom fully extended when
the instability occurred. The crane was sited on unstable sandy ground
when a stabilising leg and support failed.
The judge found that the crane operator had not been formally trained
in the machine's operation and that the operator was unaware of the
New Zealand Crane Association's safety practice in which lifts would
never be attempted from soft or unstable
ground.
17th March 2011
|
USA
Roads worker killed in highway accident
A municipal worker was killed yesterday while undertaking highway
work, inspecting and marking the road in Gilroy, California, where he
was struck by a car in Farrell Avenue, an accident not being treated
by police as a hit-and-run incident.
16th March 2011
|
Nigeria
9 workers survive Lagos building collapse
Nine construction workers escaped death after a 4-storey building
under construction in Ikeja, Lagos, collapsed around them. The nature
of the collapsed rubble meant that heavy plant could not be used to
extricate trapped workers who were located by DELSA equipment. The
last trapped man emerged after 24 hours, having been supplied with
oxygen throughout his ordeal.
16th March 2011
|
Germany
Farmer dies in chain saw accident
A 75-year old Swabian farmer died from massive blood loss on Monday
when he virtually severed his left arm while cutting trees with a
chain saw on his land in Grunenbach. He managed to walk several
hundred metres immediately after the accident but lost consciousness
from the extent of his injury.
15th March 2011
|
South Africa
Gold miner killed
A fall of rock from a tunnel roof killed a miner at level 33
underground at the Ezulwini gold mine of First Uranium Corporation.
15th March 2011
|
Germany
Hamburg railway worker's legs severed
A shunter in a marshalling yard in Hamburg had both of his legs
severed in an accident in Waltershof. He was on a wagon of a goods
train which collided with an engine on a level crossing, the impact
pitched him off. 14th March 2011
|
Canada
PEI mechanic killed under lorry
A 24-year old motor mechanic died in a crush accident under a lorry in
a garage at the former Con Mine site in Yellowknife, Prince Edward
Island, he was working alone at the time. 14th March 2011
|
Philippines
Hot metal work sparks chemical explosion
A construction worker of RF CATLI died from massive chest trauma
yesterday when a container exploded as a welder was cutting the top
section off with his welding torch. The container had previously held
Methyl Methacrylate Monomer and sparks from the hot metal work ignited
prevailing chemicals, the victim was holding the bottom of the
container when the accident occurred on the 21st storey of a building
under construction at the junction of Junquera Extension and Ramos
Street, Cebu City.
11th March 2011
|
New Zealand
Woman injured in fall from water tower
A 20-year old woman has been hospitalised in Waikato with back, neck
and chest injuries following a 4-metre fall from a water tower at
Springdale as she was back flushing the tank.
11th March 2011
|
Serbia
Gas storage facility explosion kills worker
An explosion occurred on Wednesday morning at a gas storage facility
in Divci, central Serbia, one person died in the accident of which the
cause was not
immediately known.
10th March 2011
|
China
Falling metal bar pierced worker's skull
A female construction worker, aged 48, is listed in serious but not
life-threatening condition following surgery to remove a 4-metre long
metal bar which lodged 8cm in her skull after it fell from the roof of
a 3-storey building in Anqing, Anhui
province.
10th March 2011
|
Australia
MEWP topples on to naval ship
A worker has been hospitalised in Fremantle with a serious leg injury
after a MEWP(mobile elevating work platform) fell on to HMAS
Warramunga undergoing maintenance work at the Tenix Defence Pty yard
in Henderson,
Perth.
9th March 2011
|
England
Bin lorry reversing alarm inactive at time of pedestrian accident
At Carlisle Crown Court a Cumbrian municipal worker was given a
9-month jail sentence suspended for 12 months over a fatal accident
outside Grasmere in the Lake District in which a pedestrian was killed
when struck by his reversing bin lorry.
The worker pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving,
admitting to using just 1 of 3 vehicle mirrors available and that the
reversing alarm was switched off, although he did not realise this. He
was also ordered to resit his driving test after an 18-month
disqualification and was given a community work order.
9th March 2011
|
Spain
Madrid museum cleaner killed in lift accident
A 40-year old female cleaner was killed on Monday in an accident
involving a lift which came down as she worked in the shaft at the
Museo Nacional de Antropologia on Alfonso X11 Street in Madrid.
The lift was new and had not malfunctioned, initial investigation
spoke of an absence of a work assessment.
8th March 2011
|
India
Digger knocks over retaining wall
Two female labourers were buried alive when a 5-metre high retaining
wall fell on them at a factory site under construction at Kala Amb
Nahan, Himachal Pradesh, police have filed charges against a plant driver in connection
with the accident.
8th March 2011
|
USA
Worker's foot severed in hopper accident
A 38-year old worker had a foot amputated in an accident at the
Ironics plant on Main Street, Niles, Ohio, where his legs became
pinned in a hopper as he was trying to clear
a blockage. Fire crews managed to
release him within 30 minutes by reversing the machine operation by
hand, he was listed in satisfactory condition in St Elizabeth Health
Centre.
7th March 2011
|
USA
Wisconsin farm worker trampled by bull
A 23-year old farm worker was trampled to death by a bull as cattle
were being moved from a barn to a byre in Farmington, Wisconsin, the
victim had 2 years experience of handling stock.
7th March 2011
|
England
MAIB's observations over cadet's fall from height accident
The MAIB has made recommendations to the Marine Society & Sea Cadets
and the Royal Navy following investigation of the circumstances of the
death of a 14-year old sea cadet who died in a fall on the sail
training ship TS Royalist. He fell 8 metres from the yard on the fore
mast having unclipped his belt harness from the wire jackstay on the
fore course yard, contrary to training.
The MAIB investigation highlighted concerns over the supervision of
cadets on masts and rigging and the suitability of belt harnesses
provided. 4th March
2011
|
Libya
Blow-out led to Tripoli tanker accident
An oil tanker driver was badly injured when his lorry experienced a
tyre blow-out and overturned and exploded in Bab Ganshir on the road
to Tripoli International Airport.
4th March 2011
|
Belgium
3 fishermen missing in north Sea
A search was ongoing yesterday for the 3-man crew of the fishing boat
Mooie Meid, from Nieuwport, which capsized 15 miles off Dunkirk.
CROSS(Centres Regionaux Operationels de Surveillance et de Sauvetage) at Gris-Nez
picked up a mayday signal from the boat, helicopters and divers have
been involved in the rescue.
Divers were unable to search the upturned boat completely on their
first attempt, it was hoped that the fishermen may have taken refuge
there. Water temperatures are 8ºC, in survival suits the men
could last a maximum of 5 hours in the sea.
3rd March 2011
|
Gaza
Man killed by barrel in Gaza tunnel
A man died in Abu Yousif Al-Najjar Hospital, Rafah, from head injuries
sustained in an accident when a barrel fell on his head in a tunnel.
3rd March 2011
|
USA
Maintenance worker killed in Texas warehouse
A worker has died in an accident in a warehouse at Brookshire Brothers
in Lufkin, Texas, when metal fell on him during maintenance work.
2nd March 2011
|
USA
Subsidence caused tractor to fall on NC farmer
A 91-year old North Carolina farmer died in a subsidence accident on
Indian Grave Road, 5 miles northwest of Lexington. Felled timber was
being prepared for transport by tractor but frost heave is speculated
to have caused instability on the embankment and subsidence occurred,
the tractor rolling over on to the farmer and into Indian Grave
Creek.
2nd March 2011
|
USA
Californian worker killed in meat processor
An investigation is underway into a fatal accident on Monday morning
at Valley Meat Company, Hanford, California, where a 72-year old
worker died in a fall into meat-processing equipment.
1st March 2011
|
New Zealand
Iriquois helicopter crash
The Civil Aviation Authority is investigating a helicopter crash at
Hokio Beach where a former military Iroquois helicopter came down in a
flight from Blenheim to Rotorua, the 60-year old pilot was rescued by
a passer-by and is listed in serious but stable condition in hospital.
1st March 2011
|
|
England
Tesco fined over accident and reporting
At Bracknell Magistrates' Court a prosecution brought by Bracknell
Forest Council led to a £48K fine plus £25K in costs against Tesco
over a failure to operate a safe system of work in relation to the
unloading of vehicles and properly report 3 accidents at work at its
Warfield and Sandhurst stores and an issue with the loading and
unloading of lorries at its Warfield store.
31st March 2011
|
England
Worker's hand was severed in unguarded blender
At Knowsley Magistrates' Court Matrix Polymers of Northampton was
fined £33,500 plus £3,500 in costs over an accident over an accident
in April 2009 in which a worker's hand was severed in a blender.
Although the hand was surgically reattached, the fingers and thumb
could not be saved.
The worker was emptying plastic granules through a hatch when his hand
contacted moving parts. HSE investigation found the blender to be in
dangerous condition, with a safety wire mesh over the guard tied back,
the safety mechanism would have prevented the machine operating
without the guard in place. The company pleaded guilty to a breach of
r.11(1) of the Provision & Use of Work equipment Regulations 1998 by
failing to prevent access to dangerous machine parts.
30th March 2011
|
Belgium
Machine accident at metal works
A 48-year old worker analysing oxalic acid where metal is treated in a
chemical bath at the Fem Staal works in Willebroek was killed when an
arm of the machinery struck him on the head.
30th March 2011
|
England
Police dog died in fall from height accident
A 6-year old Alsatian dog working for Northumbria Police died in a
fall from a roof in Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, during a burglary
investigation. The accident occurred shortly before the dog's
retirement from work date.
29th March 2011
|
Kyrgyz Republic
Work negligence cited over Chygysh mine incident
The Mining Emergency Situations Department has cited work negligence
by management over the fire at the Chygysh coal mine of Suluktacomur
OJSC, the working licence had been suspended due to unsafe work. Gas
is still leaking and accumulating at the mine.
29th March 2011
|
Scotland
Rig worker's compensation increased
At the Court of Session a worker has been awarded £160K in
respect of an injury which occurred in May 2006 when 2 fingers were
amputated when his hand was crushed on a Transocean semi-submersible
rig in the North Sea. Liability was admitted by the company, last year
the worker received an interim award of
£40K. 28th March 2011
|
England
Concrete mixer overturned in Wolverhampton
A Tarmac concrete mixer overturned and lost its load on the Penn Road
traffic island in Wolverhampton, the driver escaped serious injury in
the accident which saw the vehicle's load shed. 28th March 2011
|
England
Sussex company found guilty over bin lorry/pedestrian death
At Lewes Crown Court Team Waste Southern Ltd has been found guilty of
a failure to ensure the safety of a person not in their employ in
respect of a fatal accident on 5th March 2007 when a 61-year old woman
was knocked down and killed by a bin lorry reversing in Cranbourne
Street, Brighton.
The jury heard that the reversing alarm was not activated and cctv
cameras covering a blind spot were not working. The managing director
was cleared of the same charge, the lorry driver was fined £2,500 in
2008 on a charge of driving without due care and attention.
The company will be sentenced on the 4th of April.
25th March 2011
|
Luxembourg
Workplace deaths double
The 20 workplace deaths recorded last year was double the figure for
2009, although the total accident figure of 19K was unchanged. Concern
was expressed over agricultural accidents.
25th March 2011
|
Indonesia
Van unlicensed for passenger transport
A woman died and 3 people were injured when a tyre exploded on a van
transporting 12 people from east Jakarta to Bogor, West Java. The
vehicle was not licensed for passenger transport and the driver
absconded the scene of the accident.
24th March 2011
|
New Zealand
Reversing bin lorry accident preventable
In court at Auckland Alpha Refuse Collections Ltd was fined
$32,400(£14,778) plus $60K(£27,363) in compensation over a fatal
accident in Mangere in which a worker was killed by a reversing bin
lorry.
Department of Labour investigation found the vehicle lacked reversing
lights and an audible signal. Nor was there a traffic management plan,
with no employees standing to the rear of the vehicle or on its rear
tray during reversing, with the driver only reversing when the entire
crew was in sight, which could have made the accident preventable.
24th March 2011
|
England
Manx govt fined over harbour accident
The Department of Infrastructure was fined £16K at court in the Isle
of Man after pleading guilty to 2 charges in a case brought by the
Health & Safety Work Inspectorate. Last August a worker of the Steam
Packet Company sustained a badly gashed leg when he fell partially
through a metal grating on Edward Pier, Douglas, as he was casting off
ropes for a Seacat ferry. The failed grating had passed a safety
inspection some 5 months earlier.
23rd March 2011
|
Argentina
2 drown in tourist raft accident at Iguazu Falls
An English female tourist was one of 2 persons drowned and 8 others
were injured when an inflatable raft of the Jungle Explorer company
capsized after striking rocks near Salta San Martin at the Iguazu
Falls. 23rd March
2011
|
New Zealand
Southland farmer killed in baler accident
The Department of Labour is investigating a fatal accident at a farm
between Te Anau and Mossburn in South Island where a farmer became
trapped under the rear of his hay baler.
22nd March 2011
|
Germany
Natrium cyanide leakage; worker killed by digger
A 60-year old worker was killed yesterday when he was knocked down by
a digger at a DSL site in Burgheim, Bavaria. In Rossdorf, Hessen, 2
workers were injured when a leakage of natrium cyanide occurred when a
receptacle broke during maintenance work at a plant which was
immediately evacuated.
22nd March 2011
|
USA
One dead in miniature rail accident
One person was killed and thirty were injured when a miniature train
for children derailed and overturned by the bridge on the Asheville
Highway at Cleveland Park, South Carolina, the accident occurred
during its first hour of operation this season. 21st March 2011
|
Mexico
Pilots and hostess suspected of alcohol abuse
Two pilots and a hostess of Aeromexico allegedly smelled of alcohol
when checked at security upon arrival in Mexico City after a flight
from Jalisco. Both pilots then absconded the scene, the hostess was
arrested.
Earlier this month 2 pilots were prevented by other crew members from
flying from Costa Rica when it was suspected that they had been
drinking. 21st March 2011
|
Scotland
Farm fined after worker loses toe in liming accident
At Stonehaven Sheriff Court Burton Farms was fined £8K in respect of
an accident in which a worker had a toe amputated during liming work.
He had been asked to stand in the hopper of a spreading machine and
use a broom handle to ensure free flow of the lime but lost his
balance on uneven ground.
The company pleaded guilty to a breach of S.2(1) of the Health &
Safety at Work etc Act 1974.
18th March 2011
|
The Netherlands
Worker's legs pinned in conveyor accident
A Brabant worker sustained serious leg injuries yesterday in an
accident at a company on Marga Klompeweg, Tilburg, where he became
pinned between a pallet and screen on a conveyor system. Colleagues
managed to deactivate the system quickly, he was later admitted to
Tilburg's Elisabeth Hospital.
18th March 2011
|
Rep Ireland
Confined space accident in Cork
A confined space accident claimed the life of a 27-year old worker of
Munster Drain Services on Wednesday afternoon during removal of sewage
from a septic tank in Garryvoe, east Cork, a 32-year old colleague was
hospitalised. 17th March 2011
|
Germany
Mannheim welding accident
A welder is in hospital in Ludwigshafen with severe facial burns after
an explosion during hot metal work yesterday in Mannheim, initial
investigation of the accident points to an air lock during the welding
process.
17th March 2011
|
England
Driver electrocuted when crane contacted 11Kv cables
At Southampton Crown Court Blackford (Newbury) Ltd, previously trading
as Harris Roofing Supplies, was fined £50K plus £20K in costs over an
accident in which a driver/warehouseman was electrocuted delivering
material on the West Horton Farm industrial estate. He had not been
instructed by a competent person in the use of the Hiab crane, and he
parked his vehicle under 3 overhead 11Kv cables, warning signs of
which had been removed by the site owners a few weeks earlier. The
company pleaded guilty to breach of S.2(1) of the Health & Safety etc
at Work Act 1974.
16th March 2011
|
Canada
Newfoundland drill rig fire leaves workers burned
A worker was hospitalised in the intensive care unit of the Health
Care Centre, St John's, with 3rd degree burns following a fire on a
surface exploration drill at the Cabo Drilling site, a mile from the
entrance to the Duck Pond copper and zinc mine in central
Newfoundland, a colleague sustained lesser injuries in the accident.
16th March 2011
|
USA
Contract worker killed in fall
at NASA site
Work was suspended for the day
yesterday at NASA's Kennedy Space Centre's Launch Pad 39A following
the death of a United Space Alliance worker who died in a fall from
height accident during work on the Endeavour shuttle due to launch on
April 19th. 15th March 2011
|
South Africa
Cleaning worker crushed in cement mixer
An investigation is ongoing into the death of a 41-year old worker who
was crushed in a large industrial cement mixer at Denken Concrete, the
machinery was inadvertently activated by a colleague while the worker
was in the act of cleaning the concrete pan mixer.
15th March 2011
|
England
Over inflated tyre led to quad bike accident
Flax Bourton Coroner's Court in Avon recorded a verdict of accidental
death in respect of a farmer of Hinton Blewitt who was thrown from his
quad bike on a downhill gradient and bend on Shortland Common last
June.
He died of multiple fractures and head injuries, he was not wearing a
helmet or protective clothing but over-inflation of a front tyre was
believed to have contributed to the accident. The bike was also found
to have been in need of maintenance, with some parts worn. 14th March 2011
|
Austria
Unsighted worker killed in forklift accident
A 53-year old worker died in a forklift accident in Vorchdorf, Upper
Austria, where he was unsighted and run over by the vehicle. 14th March 2011
|
England
Poly aluminium chloride incident at Essex school
Around 900 people were evacuated from Shenfield High School in Hutton
after a 5-litre tank of poly aluminium chloride accidentally mixed
with chlorine in a plant room at the school, 3 members of staff were
treated for chlorine inhalation.
11th March 2011
|
England
Hydrochloric acid incident
A fire crew and paramedics attended an incident in Randlay, Telford,
where a man experienced breathing difficulties after hydrochloric acid
and a toilet cleaner were mixed.
11th March 2011
|
Rep Ireland
Supreme Court upholds drover's appeal over mart accident
The Supreme Court has overturned a High Court verdict in respect of an
accident in which a drover was injured in October 2003 at a mart where
he was kicked in the groin by a Limousin bullock, the farmer is now
entitled to damages against his employer, Binnacle Ltd, known as Cavan
Co-op Mart. The Supreme Court ruled that the company was 2/3rds
liable, the drover 1/3rd.
Three drovers were handling stock at the mart, positioned at different
points, but 2 drovers had left their positions. The victim had then
entered pens occupied by the animals to carry out the task normally
done by the three of them. The mart had estimated a safe system of
work with three drovers but it was unsafe with one. The company was
deemed vicariously liable for the actions of the 2 drovers who
absented themselves, rendering the safe system of work unsafe,
exposing the remaining drover to injury. The case was returned to the
High Court, where the victim's case was originally dismissed as 'the
author of his own misfortune', for assessment of damages.
10th March 2011
|
Scotland
Crane lifts worker out of Leith dock
A crane and cage were deployed to effect the rescue of a 49-year old
worker who fell 10 metres into Edinburgh's Imperial Dock, an accident
now under investigation.
10th March 2011
|
Rep Ireland
Roscommon farmer killed in trailer rollover
HSA is investigating a fatal accident at Kiltoom, County Roscommon,
where a farmer in his 60's died when a feed trailer he was operating
overturned. 9th
March 2011
|
England
Scaffold pole as improvised plumb line led to disabling accident
A 53-year old worker of Hoistway Ltd sustained disabling injuries in
July 2008 when he was struck on the head by a falling scaffold pole
being used as an improvised plumb line in the lift shaft at the site
of the new Radisson Blu hotel in Bristol. HSE investigation found that
his employer failed to provide adequate risk assessments and did not
identify hazards. The scaffold pole which fell 15 storeys was an
improvised technique, there was inadequacy in site management and
supervision, and inadequate fall protection and prevention of falling
objects.
Miller Construction, principal contractor, was found to have failed to
carry out sufficient risk assessments and had left openings unguarded.
Both companies pleaded guilty to the charges at Bristol Magistrates'
Court and sentencing was passed to Bristol
Crown Court.
9th March 2011
|
USA
Louisiana refinery hydrogen sulphide incident probe
An investigation was launched into a fatal accident at the Valero
Energy Corporation's refinery 25 miles west of New Orleans where a
worker died and another was injured. Both contract workers were
grinding metal at the time and one fell from a ladder the other
managed to descend as a hydrogen sulphide atmosphere was noted.
It was unclear whether the fatality was due to a fall from the ladder
or hydrogen sulphide of which some level was later detected by meters.
8th March 2011
|
UAE
Roof collapse during concrete pour
Seven workers were hospitalised when a roof collapsed during a
concrete pour at 3rd storey level of a site in the Al Seerat area of
Umm Al Qawain, the last of the workers is expected to be discharged
from hospital later in the week.
8th March 2011
|
English Channel
Fisherman's serious head injury
A fisherman was airlifted from the fishing boat Sagittaire with head
injuries 30 miles south of Falmouth at the weekend, he was admitted to
the Cavale Blanche hospital in Brest on Saturday where he is in
intensive care.
7th March 2011
|
Malta
Wall collapse at Sliema site
A wall at a site under construction collapsed on Saturday in Bisazza
Street, Sliema, the debris fell on 2 shops and a roof collapsed.
Initial speculation of the accident, in which no injuries were
reported, is that gusting wind contributed to the collapse.
7th March 2011
|
England
Rugby posts contacted overhead power line
At Ely Magistrates' Court King's School Ely was fined £6K plus £4,272
in costs over an accident in which 4 groundsmen at the Brand Field
playing ground sustained burns injuries during the erection of rugby
goal posts in the vicinity of a 33kV overhead power line.
The school pleaded guilty to a breach of S33(1)(c) of the Health &
Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and r.4(3) of the Electricity at Work
Regulations 1986.
4th March 2011
|
England
Car reversed by accident into classroom glass wall
HSE was advised of an accident at Corby Business Academy in which 4
members of staff were injured when a pupil accidentally reversed a car
into a classroom glass wall.
4th March 2011
|
Wales
Flintshire packaging unit fire
It is speculated that a build-up of ink in a printing machine caused a
fire at Excelsior Technologies on Deeside Industrial Park, Flintshire,
8 workers were admitted to Countess of Chester Hospital for treatment
for smoke inhalation.
3rd March 2011
|
England
Illness may have led to guard's death at coal mine
A
Northumberland coroner returned a verdict
of accidental death in the case of a security guard of RT Executive
Services who fell and drowned in a stream at the UK Coal's Maidens
Hall open-caste site at Chevington. Comments by colleagues appeared to
indicate that the victim may have been unwell prior to the accident.
3rd March 2011
|
England
Missing worker ruled crushed in recycling chamber
A jury at North London Coroners' Court returned a verdict of death by
asphyxiation in respect of a fatal accident on January 31st 2003
at European Metal Recycling in Willesdon in which a worker died in an
accident.
His body was never found, it was believed that he became trapped and
crushed in a 40-tonne fridge recycling chamber containing
nitrogen gas and a crusher.
2nd March 2011
|
Germany
Welding fire on station roof
Fire broke out yesterday during hot metal work on the roof of the
former goods railway building at Unkel station near Koblenz, no
injuries were reported although the blaze caused considerable damage.
2nd March 2011
|
Holland
Maas ship collision
Two ships collided yesterday at Kinderlijk near the junction of the
Lek, Noord and Nieuwe Maas waterways. One of the vessels was carrying
oil and a leakage occurred, the other was unladen.
Two seamen were hospitalised with
knee and head injuries.
1st March 2011
|
Sweden
Tourist skaters rescued from drifting ice
Sjoraddningscallskapet, the Swedish Sea Rescue Society, co-ordinated a
rescue of a party of 6 Dutch skaters who were adrift on an ice floe
which broke away on Lake Vattern. The lake is deep and in high winds
channels can open in the ice. Svenska Livraddningsscallkapet, the Life
Saving Society, estimates that 10% of winter ice drowning involve
tourist skaters.
1st March 2011
|
|
England
Dismantling work was not planned
A farm business has been prosecuted and fined for failing to
adequately plan the work involved in dismantling a farm building at
Kelham in Nottinghamshire in May 2009. A workman stepped onto a
fragile roof panel and fell 4 metres to the ground, sustaining major
injuries during the work.
James Miller (Kelham) Ltd admitted contravening r.29(1) and r.29(2) of
the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007. It was
fined a total of £4,000 and plus full costs of £2,114.
31st March 2011
|
Scotland
Companies let down deceased
A 58-year old lorry driver died in an August 2008 industrial accident
at Simpson's Garden Centre in Inverness after he was struck by steel
gates being unloaded from his vehicle by forklift truck.
Prior to the incident the deceased had removed the securing straps
from his load and ensured the forks were positioned correctly before
moving from his position behind his lorry, but 4 of the gates fell off
the lorry as they were being unloaded and two of them hit him.
An HSE official described the accident as 'entirely avoidable'.
He added: "Those involved in arranging and carrying out deliveries
should exchange and agree information to ensure lorries can be loaded
and unloaded in a safe manner. They must make sure a safe way of
working is in place and that workers have clear responsibilities so
everyone involved in the lifting operation knows what everyone else is
meant to be doing and where they are meant to be. They must also make
sure that, when loading and unloading is taking place, adequate
measures are taken to keep workers away from this work."
At Inverness Sheriff Court the deceased's employer, James Paterson
Haulage Ltd, admitted breaching S.2(1) of the Health and Safety at
Work etc Act 1974 and was fined £13,300.
Mackay Steelwork and Cladding Ltd of Inverness admitted breaching
S.3(1) of the Principal Act and was fined £40,000.
31st March 2011
|
England
Workers affected in chemical incident
Two male workers and a female colleague experienced breathing
difficulties for some time at the premises of Sealine International in
Kidderminster, Worcestershire, following a chemical incident yesterday
morning.
According to Hereford & Worcester Fire and Rescue Service the chemical
spill, believed to have involved Styrene Monomer mixed with Butanox,
is thought to have been caused by the liquids reacting inside a drum.
30th March 2011
|
England
Worker died after trolley collapsed
Two aerospace employees pushing a trolley holding more than 2 tonnes
of steel were injured, one fatally, when it collapsed on them. The
accident occurred as 5 workers pushed the trolley into a large
industrial autoclave when one of the pedestrian walkway panels under
it collapsed on 17th December 2008.
The trolley was not wide enough to fit on both the load-bearing rails
inside the autoclave, and this resulted in the wheels on the
right-hand side of the trolley going along the pedestrian walkway in
between the rails. The panels were not designed to carry this weight,
the panel that collapsed had been poorly repaired by Brookhouse
Tooling Ltd a month before the incident after becoming misshapen.
Brookhouse Tooling Ltd, charged with breaching S.2(1) of the Health
and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, was fined £25,000 with costs of
£35,000.
Brookhouse Composites Ltd of India Mill in Darwen, owners of the
factory, was in breach of S.2(1) and 3(1) of the Health and Safety at
Work etc Act 1974. The company, now trading as Kaman Composites-UK
Ltd, was fined £50,000 and ordered to pay £35,000 in costs.
30th March 2011
|
Scotland
Forklift truck fatality in
Aberdeenshire
A man died in a forklift truck accident yesterday morning on a farm
near Turriff. One account states he became trapped under the forklift
during the incident.
29th March 2011
|
England
Fatal industrial accident in Yorkshire
It is reported that an employee of Gardiner Colours died following an
accident at its Normanton premises on Friday.
29th March 2011
|
England
Lift engineer killed in Croydon
A man in his 30's died in an industrial accident at Croydon College
last week as he worked on a lift as part of a project to extend the
College. 29th March
2011
|
England
Bus roof removed at Cheshire bridge
Passengers on a double-decked bus escaped serious injury when the roof
of their bus was removed as it passed under a bridge on Silk Road,
Macclesfield, on Friday afternoon.
28th March 2011
|
Scotland
Roads worker injured
Following an accident a construction worker in his 20's was airlifted
to hospital on Friday from works on the A9 south of Newtonmore. One
account states he was digging a ditch at Crubenmore at the time.
28th March 2011
|
England
Fatal fall in Sheffield
It is reported that a man in his 40's died on Tuesday after he fell
from height within a building he was renovating in the Darnall area of
Sheffield. 25th
March 2011
|
England
No safe system of work for accident
victim
A construction company's failure to plan a safe system of work for a
job at height, assess the risk, properly supervise it and provide fall
prevention equipment, resulted in a fall of more than 4 metres from
the edge of a flat roof for an accident victim who sustained a
disabling wrist injury, concussion and facial injury.
The 36-year old worker and a colleague had been moving ducting using a
ladder on the roof of a youth centre in Solihull in November 2009, his
employer, Dodd Group (Midlands) Ltd of Telford, admitted breaching
r.4(1) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 and was fined £20,000
with £3,511 in costs.
25th March 2011
|
England
Shop worker dies following attack
A 43-year old male shop worker has died 2 days after an incident at a
shop in Stanningley Road, Leeds, on Saturday.
24th March 2011
|
England
Three died in hotel fire
O&C Holdsworth Ltd of Halifax, the owners of the Penhallow Hotel in
Newquay at which 3 people died in an outbreak of fire in 2007, has
admitted failing to meet the requirements of fire safety legislation
in connection with the incident.
Its failures were in respect of risk assessment and fire detection and
alarms. Sentencing will take place in May.
24th March 2011
|
England
Safety failures led to asbestos
exposures
A failure by a retailer and a project principal contractor to follow
the requirements of the law led to 45 workmen being exposed to
asbestos fibres at a Topshop outlet in Liverpool.
The refurbishment project work was commenced despite a survey
identifying the presence of asbestos. Attempts were initially made to
seal off access to the first floor of the building when sprayed
asbestos on the ceiling beams was disturbed, but work was allowed to
continue elsewhere in the building, resulting in a total of 45
construction workers being exposed when the asbestos spread outside
the sealed area.
Vincents (Shopfitters) Ltd admitted breaching r.22(1)(a) and 23(2) of
the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007 having
failed to properly plan, manage and monitor the project, and not
addressing the asbestos risks. It was fined £10,000 plus £10,769
costs.
Arcadia Group Ltd, of Berners Street, London, was fined £5,000 with
costs of £10,769 having breached r.16(a) of the above Regulations.
23rd March 2011
|
England
Work equipment was not adequately
maintained
UK Hops Ltd of Sutton Bonington, Leicestershire, has been prosecuted
in connection with an accident at a farm near Saxmundham, Suffolk.
A farm worker and a colleague were making a bale of hops when the
plunger which compresses them shot upwards, trapping his right hand
between the plunger and the side of the machine, inflicting a serious
hand injury.
The company, which grows and harvests hops, had failed to adequately
maintain the equipment, placing it in breach of r.5 of the Provision
and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 and it was fined £3,500
with £4,019 costs and a £15 victim surcharge.
23rd March 2011
|
England
Shropshire employer had no ELCI
The proprietor of a recycling company has been prosecuted and fined
£2,500 plus £1,000 for failing to obtain Employers' Liability
Compulsory Insurance cover for his operation in Lilleshall, Newport,
between 17th August and 13th October 2010.
Although he had a certificate on display, he failed to meet payment
for the policy and this was cancelled, placing him in breach of S.1(1)
of the Employers' Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act 1969.
22nd March 2011
|
England
Contractor injured in electrical
explosion
A workman in his 20's is recovering from injuries sustained in an
electrical explosion last week as he repaired a collapsed sewer on
behalf of Thames Water in Kingston Road, New Maldon, Surrey.
His injuries are now reported to be no longer life-threatening.
22nd March 2011
|
England
Fatal accident in playground
A 58-year old woman has died following an incident last Thursday in
which she was struck by a Lakeland District Council recycling vehicle
in the playground of St Mary's C. of E. Nursery and Infant School in
Windermere. The deceased is believed to be an employee of the District
Council.
21st March 2011
|
England
Fall from height death
It is reported that a workman in his 40's has died after falling from
the roof of a residential property in Toller Lane, Bradford.
21st March 2011
|
England
Roads worker injured
A man in his 30's was badly injured yesterday as he worked on the
highway at Ketteringham, Norfolk, on the A11.
One report states he received crush injuries when he was struck by an
item of plant.
18th March 2011
|
England
Boy dies on Devon farm
An 11-year old boy has died in what is believed to be a quad bike
accident on a farm near Tavistock on Wednesday.
18th March 2011
|
Wales
Fatal industrial accident in North
Wales
A 62-year old worker died of crush injuries in an industrial accident
at the premises of Sanders Machinery Ltd in Denbigh on Monday morning.
17th March 2011
|
England
Scaffolding collapsed on passer-by
A 68-year old woman received major injuries when she was struck by a
falling scaffold structure in Byker, Newcastle.
The scaffolding company involved had reduced the structure in height
to a single working platform with the wooden hoardings and sheeting
still attached, but it also removed the arrangement that retained the
scaffold to the building. It fell on the passer-by in high winds on
14th March 2009.
Skyline Scaffolding of Birtley was found guilty, in absence, to one
breach of S.3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and of
breaching r.8(b) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 and was fined
£10,000 with costs of £4,182.
Ashbrook Construction Services Ltd of Billingham admitted breaching
S.3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and was fined
£3,000 plus costs of £2091.
Ashbrook failed to ensure that the
scaffolding was inspected both before work began and at regular
intervals as it progressed.
17th March 2011
|
England
Derbyshire school bus loses roof under
rail bridge
Eighteen schoolchildren were injured
yesterday morning when the bus carrying them to school in Chesterfield
struck a bridge in Hollingwood, Chesterfield.
Eleven required hospital treatment, one pupil was more seriously
injured than the others.
16th March 2011
|
England
Dangerous behaviour on roof
The employer of a man observed
during a routine HSE inspection to be power washing at the edge of a
pitched roof has been fined £10,000 plus £7,269 costs. The man worked
without any edge protection whatsoever at the residential property in
Lymm, M & D Roof Coatings Ltd of Sale, Cheshire, was in breach of
r.4(1) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005.
16th March 2011
|
England
Ordnance scare at recycling centre
A shell left in a skip at a Suffolk County Council recycling centre in
Newmarket on Sunday was disposed of safely by explosives experts.
The bomb disposal squad established that the shell had been fired and
posed no threat.
15th March 2011
|
England
Concrete fell from vehicle and
killed worker
During a demolition project in West Thurrock a 31-tonne concrete beam
from a railway bridge was removed and placed on the back of a low
loader lorry. The chains securing the beam were removed from the crane
before it was secured to the low loader and the beam fell, fatally
crushing a 43-year old worker.
Two companies were prosecuted in connection with the accident, Micor
Ltd, the main demolition contractor, admitted breaching S.2(1) and
3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. It was fined
£100,000 with costs of £20,000 at Basildon Crown Court.
Crane and Transport Services Ltd, subcontracted to provide staff to
supervise the lifting procedure, admitted breaching r.8(1) of the
Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998, for which
it was fined £30,000 with costs of £10,000.
15th March 2011
|
England
Passing inspector issued prohibition
notice
A passing HSE inspector observed employees of BRC Industrial Roofing
Specialists Ltd of Long Ditton, Surrey, working atop a fragile roof
without safety equipment despite being 8.5 metres off the ground. He
issued a prohibition notice stopping any further work and an
improvement notice to ensure a risk assessment and correct procedures
were in place before recommencing work. BRC was contracted to
'oversheet' a roof at Independent Business Park in East Grinstead, it
was fined £2,500 plus £1,000 costs. Its managing director admitted
breaching r.4 of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 and was fined a
total of £3,500 with costs of £1,653. 14th
March 2011
|
England
Unsafe system of work with isocyanate
An agency worker contracted to work for Laing O'Rourke Utilities Ltd
suffered skin problems while repainting joints along a raised gas
pipeline near Ivybridge, Devon. The exposure resulted from weeks of
driving an open-cabbed vehicle with an attached sprayer which was
spraying paint containing isocyanate. The accident victim currently
requires dermatological treatment for the complaint.
Laing O'Rourke Utilities Ltd admitted breaching r.7(1) of the Control
of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 for which it was
fined £4,000 with £15,062 costs. Laing O'Rourke had failed to provide
him with suitable protective equipment, HSE believes he was likely to
have been exposed to up to ten times the workplace exposure limit for isocyanate.
An HSE official commented: "Although the type of work meant there was
no alternative to the type of paint being used, it could have been
applied with a brush, instead of by spraygun, thereby removing the
risk of exposing him to an air contaminant containing isocyanate."
14th March 2011
|
England
Unsafe system of work with forklift truck
A worker was injured while he and a colleague were being lowered to
the ground from the top of a lorry. He was struck by a forklift truck
after both men had stepped on to a cage supported by the forklift
truck's forks, but the cage snagged on the side of the vehicle, and in
an attempt to stop it falling the operator pierced it with the forks.
One of the forks injured the man, fracturing his ribs.
Employer Polypipe Ltd of Doncaster admitted breaching r.4(1) of the
Work at Height Regulations 2005 and was fined £20,000 plus
compensation of £5,000 to the injured person and £4,765 prosecution
costs.
An HSE official described the system of work used as "fundamentally
unsafe" and that employees should have been given a system that did
not necessitate work at height.
11th March 2011
|
England
Chemical incident at Midlands factory
A worker was treated for a burn injury following a chemical spillage
at the premises of Technic UK in Nuneaton on Tuesday. One account
states that the escape of nitric acid, which was attended to by
emergency services and a specialist contractor, was caused by a valve
failure on a mixing tank.
11th March 2011
|
England
Machine had inadequate guarding
Coolrec Group BV was fined £60,000 with £22,000 costs by Basildon
Magistrates having admitted breaching S.6(1)(a) of the Health and
Safety at Work etc Act 1974 after a process operator at Coolrec UK Ltd
lost part of his arm to a conveyor belt.
The industrial accident at the company's site in Basildon occurred as
the operator picked plastic off a recycling line. As he cleared some
wire from the ground, the glove caught in an unguarded conveyor
underneath.
10th March 2011
|
England
Error of judgement over Christmas
lights
The poor selection of anchorage points led to the collapse of 50kg of
suspended festive decorations in St Neotts during November 2007. The
anchorages failed and falling masonry injured two women. No survey of
the buildings for suitability had been conducted before the bolts were
fixed and one was fixed in an unsafe part of the building where the
mortar was weak.
Broadlands (Builders) Ltd of London was contracted for the work and it
was fined £12,000 plus £4,250 costs having breached S.3 of the Health
and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.
10th March 2011
|
England
Workmen disturbed asbestos
During the course of conversion work at a shop in Castle Donington,
Leicestershire, workmen disturbed asbestos-containing material and
placed it in a skip without knowledge of its presence. This was
reported by a member of the public who alerted the authorities and
this led to the prosecution of Shengxuan Company Ltd of Wolverhampton
for breaching r.11(1)(a) and r.16 of the Control of Asbestos
Regulations 2006. It was fined £4,000 plus costs of £2,100.
9th March 2011
|
England
Tractor overturned on slope
A 22-year old man died when his tractor overturned on top of him as he
assisted with the removal of trees at a property in Oake Park,
Doddiscombsleigh, in Devon. In the opinion of an expert from the HSE
offered at the inquest into the accident, it occurred through driver
error, the deceased was described as being inexperienced as a tractor
driver. A verdict of accidental death was recorded by the Coroner.
9th March 2011
|
England
Worker fell down unguarded lift shaft
Brighton Construction Ltd of Brighton has been fined a total of
£25,000, with costs of £15,000,
after pleading guilty to breaching r.22(1) of the Construction (Design
and Management) Regulations 2007 in connection with an industrial
accident in which a 53-year old worker fell 6m down an unguarded lift
shaft while delivering a kitchen unit to a block of flats in Roedean
Road, Brighton, in November 2009. He fractured his spine.
Brighton Construction, principal contractors for the project, had been
advised by HSE 5
months before the incident that any openings in
the floors were to be protected with guardrails.
8th March 2011
|
England
Poor standards prevail on some sites
Recent inspection activity on construction sites by HSE officials in
the Newcastle area found safety standards to be unacceptable, with 1
in 4 sites deemed to be putting workers' lives at risk.
Officials visited 37 refurbishment sites, 9 required the issue of
enforcement notices (8 prohibition, 6 improvement), the matter being a
disappointment to HSE given this is the 5th year of its campaign.
8th March 2011
|
England
COSHH prosecution of maintenance firm
An attempt to unblock a sink at a residential property in Heywood,
Manchester, resulted in serious acid burns for an employee of City
Response Ltd of Chadderton.
He was using a solution of 96% sulphuric acid for the task and having
applied the chemical, as he turned on the tap, there occurred an
exothermic reaction which showered him in acid.
City Response Ltd was in breach of r.7(1) of the Control of Substances
Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002. It had not adequately controlled
the exposure of workers to hazardous chemicals and was fined £5,000
with £2,965 in costs.
An HSE official commented: "The company should have made sure he used
appropriate protective clothing, instead of the paper overalls which
were dissolved by the acid. He should also have received training on
using the chemical. Property maintenance firms must carry out regular
checks on the work their employees are doing while they’re away from
their normal base, especially if they’re expected to work with
dangerous chemicals."
7th March 2011
|
England
Bus strikes mobile elevating work platform
A workman is in serious but stable condition following a road traffic
accident on Friday morning in which a passing double-decked bus struck
the boom and platform of his mobile elevating work platform positioned
in Euston Road outside St Pancras Station. The man fell to the ground
and was himself struck by the bus.
7th March 2011
|
England
Farmer killed at auction mart
An 83-year old farmer died last month, one week after an incident
involving cattle at Middleton-in-Teesdale Auction Mart.
4th March 2011
|
England
Patient killed by train
A 76-year old dementia patient
was struck and killed by a train at Marston Station in Birmingham last
Saturday after absconding from a care home.
The man was under the care of Southern Cross Healthcare-owned
Heartlands Care Home in Yardley.
4th March 2011
|
England
Fatal IOW scaffolding fall
A man in his 40's has died after falling from a scaffolding structure
in Lind Street, Ryde, Isle of Wight, yesterday afternoon.
3rd March 2011
|
Scotland
Partial collapse of ceiling
An employee at Gelndinning Terrace Primary School in Galshiels
sustained a head injury requiring hospitalisation when she was struck
by falling debris when part of the ceiling in the kitchen fell on her.
3rd March 2011
|
Scotland
Basic safety failures at
hauliers
Harpers Transport of Insch, Aberdeenshire, has pleaded guilty to a
breach of S.2 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 in
connection with health and safety standards at its Cowie,
Stirlingshire, site.
A trailer used to transport timber around the site was unsafe and it
was being loaded in a manner that made the load unstable. There was no
safe system of work in place and the employees were inadequately
trained.
Harpers was fined a total of £8,000 at Stirling Sheriff Court.
2nd March 2011
|
England
Council failed to manage
asbestos
Nottingham City Council has been fined £30,000 after pleading guilty
to breaching r.4(10) of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006 and
r.5(1) of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations
1999. It was ordered to pay costs of £12,000.
The prosecution followed the discovery of asbestos-containing debris
on the floor of a building at its Woolsthorpe depot in Bilborough in
2009.
The Council purchased the depot in February 2005 and an asbestos
survey was carried out and the majority of the asbestos removed.
Because of the design of the building there was no guarantee that all
the asbestos had been removed, and the Council decided to contain any
remaining asbestos in the building by painting the affected areas. The
asbestos surveyors gave the City Council a plan which told them where
any remaining asbestos was located and how to manage its condition,
but the Council failed to follow this plan, the Council’s own policies
on the management of asbestos were not implemented.
2nd March 2011
|
England
Steeplejack survived 8-metre
fall
A 40-year old man fell from the roof of Holy Trinity Church, Hanley,
Stoke-on-Trent, on 21st October 2009 after an anchor securing his
ladders to the church masonry suddenly failed.
He sustained multiple injuries and has been unable to work since.
Investigation discovered that his employer, Alliance Technical
Services Ltd, of Hanley had failed to provide the necessary training
and instruction to their workforce to allow them to install and test
the anchors correctly.
Alliance was fined £3,334 plus £4,000 costs.
1st March 2011
|
England
High voltage cable incident in
Devon
A man is in a serious but stable condition after contacting what is
reported to be a downed 11Kv cable at Dunstone Cross on Saturday.
Reports state that the overhead cable may have been struck by
lightening. 1st
March 2011
|
|