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China
55 miners trapped in flooded pits, 2 dead in 3 separate accidents
Rescuers are racing against the clock to reach 55 miners trapped in accidents at 3 separate mines. An explosion at the Yaotou mine in Chencheng has left 28 miners trapped in a shaft which caved in after an explosion and has flooded, ventilation is also poor. 36 miners were underground at the time of the explosion, only 7 escaped, the body of a dead miner was recovered on Thursday.
At the Qinghai Coal Mining colliery in Xiangning pumps have been removing water at the rate of 63m³  hourly but the 7 miners trapped there in the flooded shaft have been cut off for 30 hours.
At the Mazhuang Colliery in Jiyuan City 20 miners are also trapped in a flooded pit, 1 worker's body has been recovered. All mines had valid operational licenses. 31st October 2008.
The Netherlands
Explosion during tank cleaning at Dordrecht
A worker was injured in an explosion on Thursday at Den Hartog Cleaning on the Dordtsche Kil industrial estate in Dordrecht during the cleaning of a tank, it is speculated that a substance used in the process ignited. 31st October 2008.
China
Falling container kills 11 at mountainous bridge site
A steel cable attached to a crane container failed at the Furongjiang Bridge site in Haokou, Chongqing City, causing the container to fall on to the bridge deck and kill 11 workers, 12 others were injured in the accident which occurred in torrential rain at the site in the mountains. 30th October 2008.
Ghana
Transport fatality at gold mine
An underground transport accident has killed an employee of contractors MBC at the Anglogold Ashanti mine in Obuasi, southern Ghana, the Chief Inspector of Mines has been notified of the accident. 30th October 2008.
USA
 Virginia trench fatality
A worker died late on Tuesday in an unstable excavation at a dwellinghouse site on North Greenbriar Street in Arlington, Virginia. The exact circumstances of the accident have yet to be established but it appears he may have slipped into an inadequately shored excavation. 29th October 2008.
Canada
Rollover fatality on military training exercise
An investigation has been launched into a fatal accident involving a reservist of the 30th Field Regiment Royal Canadian Artillery at CFB Petawawa in Ontario where an MLWV (Medium Logistics Wheeled Vehicle) overturned in a training area west of Highway 17, 4 other personnel were injured in the accident. 28th October 2008.
Sweden
Ombudsman appeals school incident compensation
The Children's Ombudsman is expected to appeal to the Swedish Supreme Court a District Court verdict to award a pupil 5K Kronor (£399) in respect of an alleged assault by a technical department teacher at Grundstens School in Uppsala 2 years ago. The teacher at a wood work lesson was unhappy with the attitude of a pupil asked to clear sawdust with a vacuum cleaner and had physically subdued the pupil on a table and applied the vacuum cleaner to the pupil's face. The teacher subsequently acknowledged the unacceptable nature of his behaviour. The Ombudsman's appeal will be to secure a higher compensation, reflecting the introduction early in 2006 of legislation specifically aimed at discrimination and abusive behaviour in educational establishments. 28th October 2008.
Russia
 Military helicopter crashes in test flight
The Volga-Urals Emergency Situations Ministry has indicated that 4 people died and 1 was injured when an Mi-8 military helicopter crashed during a test flight near Kazan, 500 miles east of Moscow. 27th October 2008.
Hungary
 Lufthansa Airbus in emergency landing
A Lufthansa Airbus with 99 passengers flying from Bucharest to Munich made an emergency landing at Budapest's Ferihegy Airport at the weekend when instrumentation reported a serious technical error, the nature of the error has not been explained. 27th October 2008.
France
Italian military helicopter crash leaves 8 dead
All 8 occupants of an HH35-Agusta Bell helicopter of the Italian military were killed when it crashed in a field on Thursday between L'Isle-en-Barrois and Vaubecourt near Strasbourg, it was participating with another helicopter in a joint Franco-Italian training exercise. 24th October 2008.
South Africa
Fatal accident at Joburg demolition site
A Johannesburg demolition worker was killed on Thursday when a substantial section of concrete fell on him during the demolition of a property in the city's Houghton Estate. He was alive when rescuers arrived at the site but was pinned under the concrete and later succumbed to his injuries. 24th October 2008.
India
 2 dozen female farm workers drown in Ganges crossing
More than 24 female agricultural workers have drowned when their overcrowded boat capsized on the Ganges in the Khagaria district of Bihar where they were crossing for grass cutting work near Dudhela village, divers were recovering bodies throughout Wednesday. 23rd October 2008.
Hungary
 Worker impaled on metal rod
A workman became impaled on a metal rod after falling into a 2.5-metre deep excavation on a site in Budapest, the metal penetrated his thigh and the rod had to be cut on site to facilitate his transfer to hospital for treatment. 23rd October 2008.
Canada
Falling formwork kills Toronto site worker
Winds gusting to 45mph yesterday in Toronto may have contributed to a fatal accident at a site on Fleet Street where new housing is being erected on the site of a former brewery. A large concrete section of formwork became unstable during positioning and fell on a number of workers, 3 of whom fell into a deep excavation, 1 worker has died. 22nd October 2008.
Luxembourg
Separate fall accidents
Two serious fall accidents were reported in Luxembourg on Tuesday. In the city a workman installing an electric appliance in a house fell 3 metres into a cellar through temporary flooring cover.
In Ellange a worker was badly injured after falling out of a grille container in which he was standing which was being raised by a forklift truck to access high shelving. 22nd October 2008.
USA
Crane collapse kills welder at South Dakota school
A crane supported by 4 outriggers became unstable on Monday during work at the site of a new school on 53rd Street in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, the 2 front outriggers sank into soft ground and the swinging boom struck a 51-year old welder engaged on hot metal work on a wall, he fell 8 metres to the ground and died from injuries sustained in the accident. 21st October 2008.
France
CO incident in Nantes
A carbon monoxide incident is being investigated following the hospitalisation of 4 residents on Monday from a building in the rue de la Riviere in the Vieux-Doulon district of Nantes. 21st October 2008.
India
2 dead in bridge collapse at Delhi Metro site
At least 2 people died, a bus driver and a construction worker of AFCONS, when a 34-metre section of bridge fell on Sunday during positioning on a section of the Delhi Metro Rail on Vikas Marg in east Delhi. The prefabricated section was being raised by a launcher which developed mechanical failure, the section falling on a passing bus. 20th October 2008.
USA
Fatal accident at Georgia limestone mine
The Mine and Safety Administration is investigating a fatal accident at the Talona(Ellijay) Mine of Carmeuse Lime, 50 miles north of Atlanta, Georgia, the body of a 45-year old worker who had been operating heavy machinery scaling rock off the walls 2 miles underground has now been recovered. 20th October 2008.
South Africa
Roodepoort new build collapse
A 3-storey new build structure collapsed on Thursday in the Little Falls district of Roodepoort, leaving at least 1 construction worker dead and another missing under the rubble, 14 others were injured. In all, 28 workers were on site when the upper 2 floors of the new office building on Van Staden Road collapsed. 17th October 2008.
New Zealand
Company fined over Otago farm trench death
Dunedin Department of Labour has completed its second trench fatality prosecution of the week, on this occasion fining KB Irrigation Ltd a total of $140K(£49,645) in respect of a fatal accident on farmland on North Otago where a worker died in July 2006.
The company pleaded guilty to failing to take all practicable steps to ensure the safety of its employees at work. The company had a policy where excavations deeper than 1 metre must not be entered but on this occasion the worker had gone into an unshored trench which became unstable. The fine levied on Thursday was $103K(£36,525), $37K(£13,121) having already been advanced by the company. 17th October 2008.
South Africa
Miner killed, another missing after tremor at gold mine
An earth tremor measuring 2.4 on the Richter scale led to the death of a miner at Shaft 5 of the Dreifontein Gold Fields mine yesterday, a rescue effort was ongoing through Wednesday night to reach another trapped miner. 9 other miners were injured, 1 was listed in critical condition. 16th October 2008.
Uganda
Kampala site collapse leaves 7 construction workers dead
At least 6 construction workers were killed when foundations and the basement wall of a new office  building collapsed at a site in Kampala on Tuesday, a further 5 workers were hospitalised and as many as 12 were left trapped under rubble 15 metres below ground level. 15th October 2008.
USA
Child killed by tractor on Missouri farm
A 3-year old child has been killed in a transport accident on a farm west of Bernie, southeast Missouri. The girl was in the company of her parents at work and had hidden under a tarpaulin being used to store cotton where she was run over by a tractor unloading cotton, dying later in hospital in Cape Girardeau from her injuries.15th October 2008.
Australia
Fatality after jack slips off axle at Queensland scrap yard
A fatal accident has occurred at Moss Street Motor Wrecks in Slacks Creek, south Brisbane, where a 42-year old worker removing springs from a scrapped car was crushed when a scissor jack supporting the vehicle slipped off its axle. 14th October 2008.
Canada
Malic acid inhalation fatal accident investigation
A fatal accident is being treated as a possible workplace death in Ontario following the death of a worker who reported ill at Hants Community Hospital where he indicated that he may have inhaled malic acid at Sepracor Canada Ltd's pharmaceutical plant in Windsor. He did appear to manifest the symptoms of such exposure and died the following day, 3 other workers possibly exposed to malic acid have been given a clean bill of health. 13th October 2008.
The Netherlands
Gouda rail collision investigation
The Inspectie Verkeer en Waterstaat investigation resumes this morning into the weekend collision of an Intercity train travelling between The Hague and Groningen and a Thalys international service between Paris and Amsterdam which collided and derailed in Gouda. All passengers managed to exit the trains uninjured, in the first instance the inspectorate will interview both drivers and the rail management in Utrecht. 13th October 2008.
Thailand
21 students and staff killed in bus crash at accident blackspot
At least 21 people died and 27 were injured when a bus of the Jaturong tour company carrying 51 students and staff of the Khon Kaen College of Agriculture and Technology crashed descending a gradient on Highway 304 in the Nadi district of Prachin Buri.
The bus had been travelling to the Khung Kraben Bay development, police are speculating that brake failure caused the driver to lose control of the vehicle which left the road after failing to negotiate a bend at what is regarded locally as an accident blackspot. 11th October 2008.
USA
Brooklyn manhole explosion kills utility worker
A Consolidated Edison utility worker was killed in a manhole explosion in Brooklyn on Thursday, the accident has also left a colleague with critical burns injuries in Brookdale Hospital. The workers were splicing cables in the manhole at the junction of Euclid and Sutter Avenue when the explosion occurred. 10th October 2008.
USA
Transport crush fatality in West Virginia mine
A contract worker for Mountaineer Labour Solutions was killed in a crushing accident at the Independence Coal Corporation's Justice No 1 mine in Boone County, West Virginia, where he became pinned between a mine wall and a vehicle.10th October 2008.
Canada
Rolling drum kills Alberta worker in trench
A construction worker died on Wednesday morning in a fatal crush accident in an excavation on a site in Spruce Ridge Drive, Spruce Grove, west of Edmonton, where a large drum rolled into a trench in which he was working. 9th October 2008.
France
Auxerre boy's fingers trap in moving escalator
A 4-year old French boy has been transferred to hospital in Paris with serious injuries after his fingers became trapped in an escalator in retail premises in Auxerre, he was in the company of his mother on Wednesday but fell headlong, his fingers trapping in the escalator's mechanism. 9th October 2008.
USA
Californian winery worker's leg severed in auger
A 20-year old Californian winery worker has had to have  a leg amputated at mid-thigh after it became caught in an auger in equipment for drilling holes in barrels at ASV Wines in San Martin, southeast of San Jose, the worker had apparently been attempting to open a tank when he lost his balance. 8th October 2008.
China
16 arrests in wake of major accident at Xinfeng mine
A number of arrests have been made in connection with an accident at the Xinfeng No 2 Coal Mine of Dengfeng City on September 21st in which 37 people died. The mine's investor, the managing director and 7 safety officers have been arrested , as well as 7 officials from the Dengfeng Municipal Coal Mine Bureau and Dajindian Town who were also detained in respect of dereliction of duty.
The accident occurred a week after a production suspension order had been issued. 7th October 2008.
New Zealand
Min Labour investigation of boy's death on farm
The Department of Labour is investigating an accident in which a 10-year old boy riding a motorcycle on a private road at a farm near Georgetown, Waitaki, died after colliding with a 4WD vehicle on a blind gradient. 7th October 2008.
South Africa
Aircraft  feared crashed on Tafelkop
A search was ongoing on Sunday evening for a missing twin-engine Britten-Norman Islander aircraft  which is feared crashed on the Tafelkop mountain near Barberton.
The flight from Kruger Mpumalanga International Airport to Bloemfontein became lost off the radar, mist and bad weather hampered the search on Sunday, mountaineers joined the search on Monday morning. 6th October 2008.
Austria
Divers' bodies recovered from upper Austria lake
Divers from the specialist Cobra unit recovered the bodies of 2 divers, a male and female, on Sunday from the Gosausee, upper Austria, they had undertaken a dive on Saturday from near the Bootshutte, 1 of 2 diving stations on the lake. An alert was raised when someone on a chairlift spotted a proliferation of bubbles on the lake's surface, the bodies were recovered at a depth of 55 metres. 6th October 2008.
USA
Joiner crushed by lift in New Jersey undertakers
A joiner has died in a crushing accident at the Krowicki-McCracken Funeral Home in Linden, New Jersey, where he became trapped between a wall and an elevator platform used to move coffins. He was discovered unconscious on the platform in the basement but he had not been working on this equipment. 3rd October 2008.
Zimbabwe
Conference hears of too many workplace deaths in "informal sector"
This week's national health and safety conference in Harare has heard delegates being urged to nurture a culture of accident prevention, with senior management being urged to implement effective accident management systems, all in a legal framework with necessary enforcement action.
The National Social Security Authority occupational health and safety manager expressed disappointment with last year's figures of 72 workplace deaths and 6,000 workplace accidents, the majority occurring in the "informal sector", followed by agriculture, plantations, mining and manufacturing. 3rd October 2008.
Russia
5 children killed as school structural wall collapses
A partial collapse of the Belyayavskaya school building in Orenburg yesterday killed 5 pupils, a principal load-bearing wall failed, trapping a number of children under the rubble. A criminal investigation is to be launched to ascertain if building regulations have been breached. Roof maintenance and window replacement have recently taken place there, cracks are visible on the walls near where some windows have been replaced. 2nd October 2008.
Canada
Falling material hits worker on scaffold
A worker sustained undetermined injuries after being struck by a section of timber formwork or concrete while working on scaffolding suspended 25 metres above ground under the Garden City Skyway in St Catherines, Ontario, renovation work has been undertaken there and moulds were being removed from a bridge at the time. 2nd October 2008.
India
170 pilgrims killed in Rajasthan temple crush accident
A crushing accident has claimed the lives of more than 170 Hindu pilgrims participating in the Navratra festival at a temple in the Mehrangarh fort in Jodhpur. Panic ensued when a false rumour of a bomb scare went around. Pilgrims rushing out had to negotiate narrow approaches packed with others arriving and a surface which became slippery with spilt liquid.
Around 12K pilgrims were estimated to be in the immediate environs of the temple, the frequency of such accidents reflects the lack of facilities for coping with such large numbers of pilgrims. 1st October 2008.
USA
Fatal accidents on Illinois and Iowa farms
A 27-year old male has died from suffocation inside a grain silo at farm near Addieville, Illinois, where he and another worker had been engaged atop the corn levelling the mass. It is speculated that he had ventured towards the central area which failed to bear his weight. Fire crews recovered his body after an hour, cutting out sections of the bin. Investigators are also studying the death of an 81-year old Iowa farmer who died after becoming caught in the rear of a manure spreader on farmland near Orange City. 1st October 2008.

 

  
Germany
Electrician electrocuted at Stuttgart factory
An electrocution occurred on Thursday at a factory in the Feuerbach district of Stuttgart when a 58-year old electrician contacted a live cable while undertaking maintenance work. 31st October 2008
USA
Machine fatality on Louisiana oil rig
A 23-year old oil worker was killed early on Thursday after becoming caught in machinery at the Fran Oil Inc's rig at Shongaloo, northwest Louisiana. 31st October 2008
Belgium
Expert appointed over swimming pool chlorine accident
The public prosecutor's department has indicated that an expert be appointed to assess a recent accident at a swimming pool in Embourg where 20 people were affected by a chlorine release after a handling error. 30th October 2008
USA
Transport fatality at LA site
A middle-aged male has died after being struck by a lorry at a construction site at the junction of Occidental Boulevard and Hoover Street in Westlake, Los Angeles, it is not clear whether the victim was a construction worker or a pedestrian. 29th October 2008
Austria
Boy badly injured in climbing park fall
A 9-year old boy has sustained a fractured skull and a broken arm in a 5-metre fall while on climbing apparatus at a climbing park on Hilmteich Street, Graz. He was wearing a safety helmet and safety belt and was switching climbing stations when the fall occurred, it is speculated that an error occurred while engaging a snap/spring lock, the site's equipment was being checked on Monday. 28th October 2008.
France
Arm stuck retrieving phone from train toilet
Fire crews were summoned to Surgeres station in Charente-Maritime where a passenger on a TGV from La Rochelle to Paris had   become stuck in a toilet after his arm became wedged in the u-tube of the bowl trying to retrieve his dropped mobile phone. The train was stopped for 2 hours, eventually he was transferred on a stretcher, his arm still stuck in the u-tube which had been cut away from the toilet system. 28th October 2008.
Japan
 Heat stroke kills instructor in WW2 bunker on Iwo Jima
A 45-year Japanese military instructor of the Ground Self Defence Forces Fuji School has died of suspected heat stroke while working at the Senda Bunker on Iwo Jima where he and other instructors were conducting an inspection prior to school history visits next month. He was discovered unconscious where he had been working near the entrance. An unknown number of soldiers of the Japanese Imperial Army were believed to have died of heat stroke in the tunnels dug during WW2 to resist the American landings. 27th October 2008.
Belgium
 Major fire at industrial bakery
The authorities in Ninove, west of Brussels, launched the "plan catastrophe" on Sunday when a major fire destroyed La Lorraine industrial bakery on Elisabethlaan, hundreds of local residents were evacuated in anticipation of an escape of ammonia vapour. The fire is believed to have begun in a kiln under maintenance when an escape of fuel occurred which saw 3 other kilns ignite. 27th October 2008.
USA
Fork lift accident at New Jersey port
A New Jersey worker is listed in stable condition after being struck by a forklift at the Cape Liberty cruise port, the accident on Thursday morning saw him sustain major injury to his legs and lower abdomen. 24th October 2008.
India
Illegal fireworks factory explosion kills 27 in Rajasthan
The explosion of an illegal fireworks factory operating from residential premises in Deeg, Rajasthan, has killed 27 people, many were children working there, police have made 10 arrests locally in connection with the incident. 24th October 2008.
Austria
Corvus Phantom crashes in fog into building
A Corvus Phantom light aircraft crashed on to the roof of the Cobra building in Wiener Neustadt, south of Vienna, both occupants of the flight bound for Hungary died in the accident, no injuries were reported of 20 people inside the building. The flight was lost from radar 15 minutes prior to the crash, the pilot was attempting an emergency landing in dense fog and was only 200 metres from the Neustadt-West military airfield.
The Hungarian manufactured ultralight Phantom measures 6.5 m with a wing span of 9.6m and has a maximum flying time of 6 hours. 23rd October 2008.
USA
Connecticut printer's hand caught in press
A Connecticut worker sustained a serious hand injury after his hand and wrist became caught in a printing press at the Thames Printing Company in Norwich, at first it was feared that his hand may have to be amputated. 22nd October 2008.
Malta
Farmer's foot severed in machine accident
A 72-year old farmer's foot was severed in the blades of machinery attached to his tractor in fields at Triq il-Port Hieles at his property in Birzebbuga, in south-east Malta.  21st October 2008.
China
3 miners killed in cable car crash
A pulley failed on a cable car transporting miners from the coal face to the surface at the Shenzhou Mining Company's pit in Luliang City on Sunday, causing 3 deaths and leaving dozens of others with fracture injuries. 20th October 2008.
Sweden
Railing collapse at Gothenburg football match
A railing fence failed during pressure from fans celebrating a goal at the Oergryte-Vaesby match in the Valhalla Stadium in Gothenburg on Sunday, around 40 fans fell an estimated 2 metres from a stand, at least 1 was hospitalised. 20th October 2008.
Spain
Patient dies in Seville hospital fire
A newly admitted patient to the psychiatric unit of Seville's Virgen del Rocia hospital died on Thursday in a fire in room 237 of the hospital. He had been a particularly aggressive individual requiring significant restraining but apparently had managed to set fire to his mattress. The building became rapidly smoke-logged and nursing staff had to await the arrival of fire crews to transfer 29 other patients to San Lazaro hospital. 17th October 2008.
Canada
Unstable gravestone kills Quebec lair owner
A falling grave stone has killed a lair owner conducting maintenance work on his lair at St Gregoire Cemetery in Buckingham, 100 miles west of Montreal. The 77-year old victim had removed a 2m-long base stone and had excavated under the monument which became unstable and toppled. It is believed that lair owners are permitted to undertake such work but only under direct supervision of cemetery staff who would have provided the necessary formwork to support the excavation. On this occasion the owner was working alone. 16th October 2008.
India
 Renovation work implicated in collapse at former bus company offices
Substantial structural collapse occurred during renovation work on Tuesday at the site of the former RTC bus company offices in Vijayawada where the 1st and 2nd floors collapsed.
The premises had been leased to a private company from Hyderabad, it is believed that the new tenant was adding partitions when the load failed.15th October 2008.
Kazakhstan
 Press conference and charges in wake of Satpayev mine accident
Following the fatal accident at mine 65 of the Kazakhmys Corporation on October 12th in Satpayev, the Kazakh Emergencies Ministry is holding a press conference today (Wednesday) in Asanta, legal proceedings are being prepared under Article 152 of the Criminal Code of Kazakhstan regarding violation of safety rules resulting in death by negligence. 15th October 2008.
New Zealand
 Coy fined $80K for Nelson trench accident
A court in Nelson has fined Burgess Crowly Civil Ltd $80K(£27,778) in respect of a fatal accident in which a worker was crushed in the collapse of an unstable excavation in December last year.
The Department of Labour prosecution was based on a failure to take all practicable steps to provide a safe workplace for an employee under the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992. During the excavation of a drainage trench, a driver/ labourer had been inside a shored trench but had later moved into an unshored excavation, into which a sudden ingress of 0.5m³ of wet clay occurred. 14th October 2008.
Canada
 Accident investigation at Alberta drilling site
Investigation of a fatal accident is ongoing at a drilling site 25 miles northwest of Grande Prairie where a 22-year old worker was pinned between 2 tanks, he was transferred to hospital in Grande Prairie where he was pronounced dead. 14th October 2008.
USA
Steelworker killed in fall at Californian church site
A 22-year old Californian steelworker has died in a 15-metre fall from a beam at the site of St Mary's Church in Vacaville, northwest of san Francisco, which is subject to renovation work. 13th October 2008.
France
Emergency rescue after CO build-up in apartments
Emergency intervention by fire and medical crews saved the lives of a number of residents rescued from an apartment complex on rue Jules Lebrun, Rennes, where a malfunctioning heating system led to a carbon monoxide build-up at the weekend, the residents having reported symptoms of severe headaches. 13th October 2008.
China
Falling crane kills 5 nursery children in east China
A crane on a construction site collapsed on to the roof of a nursery school in Zibo City, Shandong, on Friday, falling bricks and masonry killed 5 children who were outside the building, 2 other children and the crane operator were injured, police have detained some of the construction company officials. 11th October 2008.
Sierra Leone
 HGV accident in Freetown
At least 4 people died and many others were injured following a lorry collision early on Thursday at the Jui junction on the Waterloo Highway, east Freetown. Mechanical failure saw an advancing lorry fail to brake, and then collide with a stationary lorry, laden with coal and timber, awaiting fuel. Neither lorry was displaying lights and most of the dead and injured were travelling on the back of one of the lorries. 10th October 2008.
USA
 Maintenance worker electrocuted at Californian mushroom plant
A maintenance worker was electrocuted after contacting a 480-volt power line while working on a cold-storage unit at Premier Mushrooms in Marysville, California. 10th October 2008.
Cyprus
Worker killft a colleague with critcial injuiries in Brookdale Hospitals
A 45-year old Romanian worker has died in a 5-metre fall at the Vassiliko cement plant in Nicosia, the accident occurred during the positioning of a new flue. 9th October 2008.
Philippines
Shipyard welder killed by falling ramp
A welder of RS and Sons Shipbuilders Inc has been killed after being struck on the head by a 200Kg ramp while working on the MV Filipina Princess of Sulpicio Lines Inc at Pier 5 in Cebu City, he had been working on braces for securing the ramp when it failed. 8th October 2008.
Austria
Allegedly drunk school bus driver
Police in St Polten arrested the driver of a school bus on Tuesday with a blood alcohol count of 2 promille, he had earlier been observed undertaking an allegedly irregular traffic manoeuvre near the railway in Purgstall. 8th October 2008.
Hungary
Train collision leaves 4 dead
A train collision at Monorierdo station, 25 miles southeast of Budapest, killed 4 people on Monday and left 26 others injured, 3 in life-threatening condition.
It is speculated that a signal failure caused a regional passenger train to run into a stationary intercity travelling from Debrecen to Budapest, it is believed that the Transport Minister and MD of MAV(Magyar Allamvasutak) (Hungarian Railways) are offering their resignations. 7th October 2008.
Georgia
Tskhinvali project worker shot
An employee of the Chechen-Stroy Construction Company has died after a vehicle he was operating came under fire in the village of Nikozi where the company is undertaking Tskhinvali renovation work, a colleague in the vehicle managed to escape the incident.  7th October 2008.
Egypt
13 dead in overtaking bus crash
An intercity coach crashed during an overtaking manoeuvre near Beni Suef, 75 miles south of Cairo, killing 13 people and leaving 23 others injured on Sunday, the bus was travelling from Giza to Beni Suef. 6th October 2008.
Bahrain
Leg almost severed at Hidd roadworks site
Surgeons in Salmaniya have saved the leg of a worker who was injured when he tripped in front of an excavator he was guiding at the Bahrain Investment Wharf in Hidd where the Bahrain Motor Company is undertaking roadworks. The excavator's bucket broke his leg, almost severing it. 6th October 2008.
New Zealand
Arborist injured by falling tree
A 38-year old arborist was airlifted to Wellington Hospital on Thursday after being struck by a falling tree at Waikanae, colleagues managed to free him from under the tree. 3rd October 2008.
Iceland
Electric fire in byre kills cattle herd
An electrical malfunction in the power system in a large stock byre in Vestra-Fiflholt farm in Rangarthingeystra, south Iceland, saw 150 cattle killed in the blaze, the principal farm buildings half a mile from the byre were unaffected. 2nd October 2008.
Austria
Driving school car in level crossing accident
A driving school car was struck by a local train on a level crossing at Prambachkirchen, upper Austria, on Tuesday morning, the car was propelled 20 metres up the track and was a write-off, the 36-year old instructor and 30-year old female pupil were hospitalised, their condition remains unknown. 1st October 2008.
Sweden
Ceremonial canon explosion fractures wedding guest's leg
A ceremonial canon exploded during a wedding party salute on Saturday  in Solna, a flying fragment struck a guest, breaking her thigh as well as inflicting burns injuries. 1st September 2008.
 
Belgium
Apnoea swimmer drowns
The death of a 39-year male swimmer yesterday in the Rhode- Saint-Genese (Sint-Genesius-Rode) community swimming pool is being linked to the apnoea sleep disorder, according to Thursday's post-mortem in Brabant. 31st October 2008
Argentina
CO accident in Buenos Aires house
A 15-year old youth has died from carbon monoxide poisoning in a house on Miller 2750 in Villa Urquiza, Buenos Aires, his 20-year old sister and 45-year old mother were admitted to Hospital Pirovano on Thursday, no statement of their condition has been released. 31st October 2008
Russia
Leningrad bus driver charged with negligent homicide
A prosecution under Article 264, part 3, of the Russian Criminal Code is being preferred against the driver of a bus which was involved in an accident at the weekend in Gorelovo, in the Leningrad Region, which saw 6 people killed at a bus stop, the allegations involve violations of traffic regulations and negligent homicide. 30th October 2008
England
Channel collision
The hull of the 91-metre long British cargo vessel, Scot Isles, was breached in a collision on Wednesday morning with the 184-metre long Egyptian tanker, Wadi Halfa, 25 miles northwest of Dunkirk, no crew injuries were reported and the Wadi Halfa was able to continue its journey from Alexandria to Bremen. 30th October 2008
USA
Agency worker suffocated at composting unit
A recruitment agency job placement worker was suffocated while working at the Organic Technologies recycling/composting unit on Washington Avenue North, Minneapolis, after falling into an accumulation of bagged leaves prior to its reduction to leaf-mould. 29th October 2008.
Luxembourg
HGV customs checks find shortcomings
In the last week HGV technical inspections at the Mertert customs check point in eastern Luxembourg have revealed 21 vehicles with 34 mechanical failings, primarily brakes, steering and suspension.
The deficiencies of 3 German lorries saw them immediately banned and towed back to Germany. One lorry with 54 tonnes was 37% over its legal capacity, another notable finding was the number of drivers failing to adhere to mandatory rest periods. 29th October 2008.
Germany
Gas release from cash box injures bank staff
Eight employees of the Bundesbank branch on Willy Brand Street in Hamburg were hospitalised on Monday after inhaling a gaseous substance after opening a cash container with old D-marks which had arrived from China. 28th October 2008.
France
 Search for Parisian legionella source
The authorities in Paris are stepping up their search for the source of a legionella outbreak in the 8th district of the city where around 100 refrigeration systems operate between la Madelaine Street, Grand-Palais and Saint-Philippe-du-Roule, 7 patients who frequent the area have been diagnosed with legionnaires' disease in the last month, 41 units have now been checked.  27th October 2008.
Canada
Montreal binman killed by reversing wagon
A teenage refuse collector was killed during his round on Thursday morning after the wagon from which he was operating reversed over him at Lacordaire Street and Leonard Boulevard, Montreal. This was the 19-year old's first week in the job, it is believed that he was on the rear of the wagon and may have fallen. He sustained fatal head and leg injuries. 24th October 2008.
England
Crush fatality at Derbyshire farm
A man has died after being crushed under a 5-tonne excavator at a farm on Park Lane, South Wingfield, HSE is to investigate this accident. 24th October 2008.
Switzerland
Zurich Airport accident
A  Cirrus SR22 tourist aircraft flying from Geneva to Schonhagen, near Berlin, crashed on Wednesday afternoon 100 metres from runway 14 at Zurich airport, 2 of the occupants died and 3 others were badly injured. BFU (Buro fur Flugunfalluntersuchungen) has already begun its investigation, it remains unclear why it was attempting to land. 23rd October 2008.
Canada
Fatal accident involved unmonitored pressure
At the Ontario Court of Justice in Hamilton, National Steel Car Ltd was fined $200K(£97,087) after pleading guilty to safety breaches in respect of a fatal accident in September 2004 at its Hamilton depot where a worker was welding the sides of a gondola car using a hydraulic pump and a spacer bar for alignment. He was located at the rear of the car when the spacer bar failed and struck him on the head. Ministry of Labour investigation established that the pump exerted excessive pressure for the spacer bar, and that the pressure could have been monitored if a hand pump had been deployed, in which case the bar might not have failed.
The company was fined $200K(£97,087) for failing as an employer to take every precaution reasonable in the circumstances for the protection of a worker, contrary to section 25(2)(h) of the Occupational Health and Safety Act. 22nd October 2008.
USA
Worker killed by ride at South Carolina Fair
An employee of North American Midway Entertainment has been killed at the South Carolina State Fair where he was struck by the Inverter roller coaster ride, the accident's details remain imprecise but it occurred in an area away from public access. 21st October 2008.
England
Utd Airlines pilot arrested at Heathrow over alleged alcohol abuse
United Airlines has indicated that a pilot has been suspended following allegations of alcohol abuse after police at London's Heathrow Airport boarded a flight at Terminal One and arrested the pilot who failed an alcohol test. 21st October 2008.
France
1 diver dead, 2 injured in decompression accident
A diving accident occurred on Sunday at Paulus (Plouha) on the Baie de Saint-Brieuc which saw 1 diver fail to be resuscitated and 2 others transferred by helicopter to Brest for decompression treatment. 20th October 2008.
Russia
MiG pilot ejects in Siberia
A Russian Air Force pilot managed to eject safely from his MiG-29 fighter aircraft after it encountered technical problems 40 miles from Domna airfield in Chita, his condition in hospital is listed as satisfactory. 20th October 2008.
France
Tar sprays worker's face after pump seal fails
A worker was hospitalised in Lorient on Thursday after being sprayed in the face by hot tar when a pump seal broke at a site on the Parco estate in Hennebont, northeast of Lorient. 17th October 2008.
Sweden
Nursery pupil's fall prompts Skolverket investigation
The National Education Agency (Skolverket) is investigating an accident in which a nursery school pupil fell from a climbing frame and lay unconscious and unnoticed for some time by staff at the nursery in Laholm, south of Halmstad. Staff training was being undertaken and assistants were supervising the children at the time of the accident. The girl has completed a full recovery and has resumed attendance at the nursery. 17th October 2008.
Philippines
Zero accidents target
Delegates at the 11th National Occupational Safety and Health Congress heard OSH specialists, academics, management and  government members aim to strive for minimal accidents in the workplace.
"Zero Accident Programme: Key to safe, healthy and productive workplaces" was the theme of the 3-day event aimed at boosting national efforts to raise awareness of employers and labour of the need to ensure zero accidents in their workplace. 16th October 2008.
China
 2 killed in Shanghai crane inspection collapse
Shanghai's work safety bureau is investigating a crane collapse which occurred on Tuesday at the Shidongkou power plant in Baoshan District where 2 crane operators died when the crane collapsed during post-delivery inspection. 15th October 2008.
Switzerland
 Machine crushes worker at Aargau plant
Around 10am on Monday a worker was killed while maintaining machinery at the ABB factory in Baden, Aargau, where a heavy section of machinery moved and pinned him, fire crews had to be called to recover his body from the locus. 14th October 2008.
England
Construction death in Yorkshire
A man in his 30's died in a site accident on Friday at Luddenden, West Yorkshire. One account speculates that he died after becoming trapped beneath an item of earthmoving plant. 13th October 2008.
USA
Crush fatality on Virginia warehouse roof
A industrial air conditioning unit became unstable during its removal from the roof of a warehouse in Martinsville, Virginia, leading to a fatal crush accident when a 54-year old subcontractor became pinned between the unit and a wall. 13th October 2008.
USA
MEWP accident at Massachusetts site

A MEWP (mobile elevating work platform) overturned during facia panelling installation at the Astra Zeneca site in Waltham, Massachusetts, this accident on Friday left 1 worker of Lymo Construction Coy of New Hampshire dead and another critically injured after falling from the bucket 8 metres above ground. Initial speculation suggests the MEWP may have been located on a slight gradient by the building. 11th October 2008.
Austria
CO fatality in Vienna from unmaintained gas boiler
A resident in a block of flats on Pernerstorfergasse in the Favoriten district of Vienna died of carbon monoxide poisoning on Friday from an inadequately vented gas water heater, initial investigation of the 40-year old apparatus indicated that it lacked maintenance, 50 other residents were evacuated due to the high levels of carbon monoxide in the building. 11th October 2008.
China
 4 dead in shaft collapse at Yunan mine
A shaft collapsed on Thursday at the Zhenxing mine in Laibling Town, Xuanwei City, with 8 workers underground, 4 are known to have died, 1 is being treated for injuries. 10th October 2008.
USA
Welding explosion at Hawaiian waste oil processing plant
An explosion during hot metal work has killed a Hawaiian welder and left 3 other workers injured, the accident occurred at a waste oil processing plant on Campbell Industrial Park, Honolulu. The 9,500-gallon tank contained waste oil awaiting process, 1 of the contract workers of Philip Services was in the process of welding the tank when it exploded, blowing him 30 metres away. 9th October 2008.
France
Cargo ship and yacht collision off Le Havre
A maritime investigation has been launched following the collision 8 miles northwest of Le Havre on Tuesday of the 200-metre long Liberian cargo ship Nordic Spirit and the 18-metre long yacht Idefix 2 which later sank in 30 metres of water in the Le Havre Antifer approaches, all 6 crew were rescued by the yacht Tourville. 8th October 2008.
Singapore
Soft fabric footwear hazard on escalators
The accident in which a 4-year old Japanese girl lost a toe while travelling on an escalator wearing rubber clogs has further highlighted hazards linked with certain footwear and escalators. Singapore has recorded 6 such accidents involving children wearing sandals or rubber clogs within the last 2 years. The US Consumer Product Safety Commission has investigated 77 escalator entrapment cases since January 2006, of which 75 involved soft-fabric flexible clogs and half of the incidents resulted in injury. In the most recent case, surgical reattachment of the 4-year old girl's toe proved unachievable. 8th October 2008.
France
Wall collapses at Tarn village renovation site
The collapse of a wall at the site of a house under renovation in the Tarn village of Peyrole on Monday left 2 workers trapped under the rubble, their rescue was effected by fire crews who reported both men conscious but the state of their injuries remains unknown. 7th October 2008.
Canada
Forklift crush fatality in south Calgary
An Alberta worker died in a forklift accident on Sunday morning in south Calgary, where a forklift was being transported in a lorry trailer, the victim may have been operating the forklift when a crush accident occurred. He was transferred from the locus at 72nd Avenue with severe head injuries but died in hospital. 6th October 2008.
Iraq
Blackhawk helicopter collision
Two Blackhawk UH60 helicopters crashed in midair while landing at Adamiyah, north of Baghdad, in an apparent workplace accident, 1 Iraqi soldier died while 2 Iraqis and 3 Americans were injured. 6th October 2008.
Russia
Emergency landing in Kaliningrad
A KD-Avia Boeing 737-300 aircraft flying from Barcelona had to make an emergency landing at Kaliningrad when it became apparent that its landing gear had failed. Other technical problems had become apparent during the flight but it managed to land safely on its fuselage, no injuries were reported. 3rd October 2008.
USA
Rhode Island crane collapse
A crane of Greystone Equipment collapsed during its initial manoeuvres at the new school site of Gilbane Inc in Woonsocket, Rhode Island. The crane, with an 80-metre boom, was being moved forward by the operator but its forward movement could not be arrested, falling over a section of the new school, no load was being borne and no injuries reported. 2nd October 2008.
Austria
Too hot sauna in Vienna
Fire caused extensive damage at the Brigittenauer baths in Vienna early on Wednesday morning, a sauna in the Wellness area overheated, people on the premises managed to control the blaze but the premises are out of commission for the time being.   2nd October 2008.
France
Roads worker struck by car
A worker was hospitalised with serious injuries on Tuesday after being struck by a car at a highway work site by the Ponant roundabout, Pace, northwest of Rennes, where he was pushing a wheelbarrow with concrete when the accident occurred. 1st October 2008.
 
England
Dangers of work at height
It is reported that a workman, believed to be an engineer, has fallen 7 metres, sustaining head injuries at industrial premises at the Elean Business Park in Sutton, Cambridgeshire.
Also on Wednesday, a man abseiling within York Minster has fallen 15 metres while helping to hang a very large graphic before a window. Described as a steeplejack, the injured man's fall was reportedly slowed by his descent equipment. 31st October 2008
UK
UK provisional fatal workplace accident figures published
The latest work accident statistics for the UK (2007/8) show little change in the rate of fatal accidents (0.75 per 100,000 workers) compared with the previous 5 years.
229 people died while at work in this period (230 average for the last 5 years) although it appears that these figures represent the lowest fatal injury rate amongst the 5 largest EU states.
Agriculture and construction have the highest rates of fatal injury at 9.7 per 100,000 and 3.4 per 100,000 respectively, accounting for approximately half of all fatalities. Excluding railways-related incidents, 70 members of the public were fatally injured in 2007/08 in connection with work activity. 30th October 2008
Scotland
Silo accident worker looses foot
A man in his 50's is seriously ill after sustaining multiple injuries to both legs on Monday afternoon in an industrial accident involving silo equipment at the premises of Pauls Malt Ltd in Burrelton, Perthshire. Emergency services required some considerable time to free the man and take him to hospital where it later became necessary to amputate a foot. 29th October 2008.
Wales
Explosion hit joiner with full force
A contracted joiner working in a culvert at a water treatment works in Holyhead sustained multiple injuries to his legs when an over-inflated pipe stopper exploded in the confined space.
The pipe stopper had a maximum inflation pressure of 1.5 bar, but the device inflating it was not compatible and had a higher pressure safety cut-off. The pipe stopper burst, resulting in a compound fracture of the tibia and fibula, and hearing damage for the unfortunate workman.
Galliford Try Construction Limited of Uxbridge, Middlesex, was fined £15,000 with costs of £8,788. The provider of the pipe stopper and inflation equipment, Selwood Ltd of Eastleigh, Hampshire, admitted a breach of S.23 of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 for which it was fined £3,000 with costs of £8,798.
An HSE official commented: "There were a catalogue of errors that led to the incident - incompatible equipment was used, the pipe stopper wasn't used correctly, and Galliford Try did not exercise proper control over the work to be done, resulting in confined-space rescue equipment also not being available." 28th October 2008.
England
Bucket struck and killed pedestrian
The operator of an item of construction plant has been fined £2,500 with costs of £1,500 after admitting a breach of S.7 of the Health and Safety at work etc Act 1974 in connection with the death of an 81-year old man outside a Maida Vale building site in February 2007.
The operator, although situated within a fenced-off area, was riding an excavator with a number of buckets stored in the front bucket of the machine and while turning the excavator with the front buckets projecting over the site fence the stored buckets fell and struck the pedestrian. 27th October 2008.
Wales
Worker run over by lorry
A German worker was run over by an articulated lorry as he guided it along a narrow road towards a windfarm site at Ponterwyd, mid Wales, in March this year.
The driver was unaware that his colleague, also an employee of  KVN Autokrane of OsnabrÜck, had become trapped by the foot in a cattle grid, the inquest in Ceredigion determined a misadventure verdict. 24th October 2008.
Scotland
Widespread violation of safe working practices in electrical contracting
A fatal accident has prompted the HSE to comment that it has found that across the UK electrical contracting industry there is 'widespread violation of safe working practices'.
Such unsafe practices cost the life of a workman in August 2005 when he came into contact with a live conductor in a cable on which he was working at the JJB Sports Centre and Retail Outlet, which was under construction at the Gallagher Retail Park in Dundee. Despite being labelled 'not in use', the cable was live, it had not been safely and securely isolated from the electricity supply. The deceased workman was not provided with  test equipment to prove the cable was dead, nor the means to securely isolate the circuit.
Employer Mitie Engineering Services (Edinburgh) Ltd, was fined £300,000 at Dundee Sheriff Court after being found guilty of charges under S.2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. 23rd October 2008.
Scotland
Diving fatality in Orkneys
A woman aged 52 has died following a recreational diving incident on Monday in Scapa Flow. One account states that she was participating in a dive as part of a school trip when she became ill on resurfacing. 22nd October 2008.
England
Paralysis outcome of fall incident
On 11th January 2007, work to convert two buildings into one was underway at a site in Grosvenor Street, London W1. This required a steel structure to be installed to support the building, this being lifted into place by a hoist from the ground floor. Whilst part of the structure was being moved, it became stuck and when freed moved very quickly, dragging a workman into a hole in the floor through which he fell more than 7 metres down two storeys to the ground floor, causing him injuries that resulted in paralysis from the waist down.
T. J. Myles & Co (Contractors) Ltd of Hillingdon was fined £20,000 with costs of £7,339, Crispin & Borst Ltd, of Watford, was fined £10,000 with costs of £7,155 having breached safety law in connection with the accident. 21st October 2008.
England
Roof fall kills workman
A workman in his 50's has died after falling from height as he was fitting windows at a residential property. The incident occurred on Thursday in the Kenton area of Newcastle. 20th October 2008.
Wales
Hospital window fall at Welsh hospital
An elderly male patient has fallen to his death from a hospital window. The man in his 80's fell from the 3rd floor of a building at Cardiff and Vale NHS Trust's Cardiff Royal Infirmary. 20th October 2008.
Northern Ireland
Fatal industrial accident in Northern Ireland
A maintenance worker at FG Wilson Ltd in Larne, Co Antrim, died following an industrial accident last Thursday. The deceased was aged 55, no details of the incident are available. 17th October 2008.
England
2 Hackney residents suffered CO poisoning
Two people were poisoned by carbon monoxide after a landlord failed to ensure a boiler in their flat was properly maintained.
The victims lived in a block of flats in Hackney, the incident also required all residents and guests there, plus attending paramedics, to be treated for the effects of CO poisoning.
The landlord was fined £4,000 with £1,500 costs, 3 separate boilers and flues in the flats at Mare Street had not been checked for safety in the previous 12 months. 16th October 2008.
England
Care homes must address weaknesses
A recent inspection by HSE of care homes in Somerset identified a number of issues of safety that require the attention of home operators. 20 homes were visited and 12 of these were served with Improvement Notices concerning the management of legionella, falls from windows, bed rail management, hot surfaces and hot water.
An HSE inspector commented: "On the issue of Legionella, many of the homes we visited lacked a specific risk assessment, management system or knowledge of the controls required and it was this area which notched up the largest number of Improvement Notices". 15th October 2008.
England
Landlord who ignored improvement notices heavily fined
A landlord from Keston in Kent has been fined £24,840 with £13,481 costs after pleading guilty to multiple breaches of gas safety legislation concerning properties in Great Yarmouth. He neglected to comply with notices requiring him to obtain written gas safety records for each of 12 premises in the town. 14th October 2008.
England
Open lift shaft posed obvious risk
A school teacher acting as stage manager for a production at the Urdd Eisteddfod in May 2007 stepped backwards on stage and fell 2.5 metres into an open lift shaft, sustaining multiple injuries.  Investigation established that the lift at Carmarthen's Lyric Theatre was defective and that no safety barriers and board were in place at the time, even though it was not in use.
Carmarthenshire County Council, owners of the theatre, admitted breaching the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and the Lifting operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLER) 1998 for which it was fined a total of £45,000 with costs of £7,712.
An HSE inspector commented: "Our investigation showed that whilst the council has a corporate health and safety policy, the system in place at the theatre was extremely informal, with no written system in place, and reliant heavily on employee experience and common sense. This was an obvious risk for a theatre space and the simple systems needed to prevent incidents such as these should have been in place." 13th October 2008.
England
Printing industry fatality
A man in his 40's died on Monday when he was crushed by a folding machine at a printers in Peterborough. The man died in hospital after being taken there from the premises of St Ives Web, he is reported to have been maintaining the equipment at the time. 11th October 2008.
Scotland
North Sea lifting operation death
Two men were struck and injured, one of them fatally, by falling steel clamps on the Bleo Holm floating production, storage and offtake installation in the outer Moray Firth, northeast Scotland, as the objects were being lifted by a pneumatic hoist on 6th January 2007. Various items were being lifted out of the tank the men were standing in, being raised through a small hatch at main deck level, but 2 steel beam clamps weighing 21.5 kilograms fell from the load.
Talisman Energy UK Ltd and the deceased's employer, Aker Kvaerner Offshore Partner Ltd, were fined a total of £1.2 million, an HSE inspector commented on managing lifting operations - "the system of work must include methods to prohibit personnel from entering the danger zone while the lifting operation is taking place. It must also include an effective and agreed system of communication among the personnel involved. This system must include the final confirmation that the lifting operation has been completed and only then is it safe to allow personnel to enter the designated danger zone. In this case visual signals were being used in conditions which made that inappropriate and when the permit-to-work stipulated the use of radios. The companies involved had not ensured that radios were supplied and used." 10th October 2008.
England
Risk assessment failures by Lincolnshire company
G.B. Logan Fabrications Ltd of Lincoln has been found to be in breach of the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 for failing to reduce the noise exposure of employees from a computer numeric control punch press. Lincoln magistrates fined the company £5,000 with costs of £3,390, G.B. Logan was aware of the high levels of noise, but took no practical action to reduce workers' exposure, relying on the workers using personal hearing protection. It also failed to provide any training in the use of this protection.
An incident in which an employee dropped a machine's spoil drawer on his foot also revealed a failure to assess risks generally as required by r.3(1) of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. 9th October 2008.
England
Unsafe work on Wearside roof
Abercorn Homes Ltd of  Burnopfield, Tyne and Wear, has been fined £6,000 with costs of £17,028 in connection with roof working under its control during November 2006 which was conducted in an unsafe manner.
The work at Rainton Bridge was observed by HSE officials who noted 3 workers carrying out cladding work on the roof about 4 metres from ground level. Edge protection had not been provided for the eaves of the building although it had been provided on the gable ends. A scissor lift had been inappropriately used to gain access to the roof and modified to carry materials.
The company, as a consequence, was in breach of r.4(1)(c) and 6(3) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005. 8th October 2008.
England
Lancs company ignored HSE warnings
Chelford Properties Ltd of Chorley, Lancashire, has been fined £6,000 with £4,500 costs for breaches of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations and the Construction Regulations arising from a failure to address the need to maintain a site boundary fence to keep children from accessing its development site in Blackpool, and also to make arrangements for controlling vehicle and pedestrian movements there. Both failings were brought to the company's attention with the serving of Improvement notices in the Spring of 2007. 7th October 2008.
England
Unsafe practice led to farmer's death
The inappropriate use of an ordinary trailer as an animal feed trailer resulted in an accidental death when rotten and split timbers supporting it failed, crushing a 36-year old farmer beneath it on a farm in Sibbertoft, Northamptonshire, in January this year.
An inquest coroner returned a narrative verdict urging farmers to assess risks and not rely on previously trusted but flawed systems of work. 6th October 2008.
England
Man dies at logistics premises
A workman has died following an accident at the Doncaster warehouse of DHL in Tickhill. One account states the DHL employee was struck by pallets early Wednesday morning. 3rd October 2008.
England
Illegal asbestos work
A Director of two Eastbourne companies, Sussex Asbestos Solutions (South East) Ltd and Sussex Asbestos Solutions Ltd, has been fined £36,000 with £4,000 costs for breaching The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006 plus £4,000 compensation to the shop owner who employed him to remove asbestos insulation board from his shop in November last year.
He undertook the work without the required licence for work with asbestos, and without notifying the HSE.  2nd October 2008.
Scotland
Fatal fall in Fife
A worker has died after falling through the roof of an industrial building used by Tullis Russell on the Southfield Industrial Estate in Glenrothes. Reports state the man was contracted for cleaning work when he fell some 30m on Monday. 1st October 2008.