Israel
Scaffold collapse on Tel Aviv
site
A construction worker died and another was badly injured in a scaffold
collapse on Tuesday at a site in Tel Aviv, both workers were at 6th
floor level when the accident occurred.
30th September 2009.
|
Austria
Bin lorry reversing in 1-way
street kills pedestrian
A 51-year old pedestrian crossing the road behind a reversing bin
wagon was killed in Eisenstadt on Monday morning, the accident
occurred as the lorry was reversing in a one-way street.
29th September 2009.
|
USA
Rollover accident at Arizona
copper mine
A lorry driver has died in a rollover accident at the Ray copper mine of
Asarco, 50 miles north of Tucson, after his vehicle went over a safety berm
there. 29th
September 2009.
|
USA
Transport fatality on Oregon
highway site
A 51-year old construction worker has died in a fatal crush accident
during resurfacing work at a road site on Southwest 173rd Avenue,
Beaverton, Oregon, where he was struck by a reversing lorry.
28th September 2009.
|
Gaza
Contraband tunnel collapse on
Egyptian border
A tunnel collapse under the border wall between Gaza and Egypt killed
a Palestinian and injured 2 others on Sunday, a number of such
excavations used by smugglers are regarded as highly unsafe and have
led to numerous accidents.
28th September 2009.
|
France
Pilot missing after fighter jet
collision
A search and rescue operation was ongoing through Thursday evening for
the pilot of a Rafale fighter jet missing in the Mediterranean 20
miles east of Perpignan following the collision of 2 jets during a
test flight from the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, the other
pilot was rescued.
25th September 2009.
|
Austria
Cigarette ignited cleaning fluid
vapour
A 17-year old youth was hospitalised in Vienna on Thursday with 3rd
degree burns over 30% of his upper body when methanol vapour ignited
when he lit up a cigarette, breaching regulations, during cleaning
work at a city business.
25th September 2009.
|
India
Chimney collapse leaves 25 dead
The collapse of a chimney under construction at the power plant of
Bharat Aluminium Company in Korba, Chattisgarh, has killed 25 workers
and injured 70 others, many have been trapped under debris when the
chimney fell on a store room in which a number of workers were
sheltering from the elements.
Unconfirmed reports were also
circulating of the lynching of a management worker of the construction
company by a mob of angry workers. 24th September 2009.
|
Belgium
Boy,5, drowns on school trip
A 5-year old boy has drowned during a school activity at the Point
d'Eau swimming pool in La Louviere, the public prosecutor's department
in Mons has ordered the closure of the pool while an investigation is
undertaken. 24th September 2009.
|
Italy
Elderly patient dies in hospice
fire
An 88-year old female patient died in a fire on Tuesday which broke
out on the 3rd floor of the San Francesco Caracciolo hospice in viale
Tirreno, Rome, it is speculated that the cause was a candle for the
dead left by relatives of a deceased patient. The 88-year old woman
was in the throes of terminal illness and unable to move, 7 other
patients are being treated for burns. 23rd September 2009.
|
South Africa
Ground fall fatality at platinum
mine
All blasting has been suspended at no 8 Shaft of the Impala Platinum
mine in Rustenburg following a fall of ground in which a worker has
died. 23rd September 2009.
|
Philippines
Scaffold collapse at Quezon City
site
A construction worker has died and at least 9 others were injured when
scaffolding collapsed on Monday during work at 2nd floor level of a
new commercial building on Mauban Street, Quezon City.
22nd September 2009.
|
Australia
Forklift fatal accident
investigation
A fatal accident involving a forklift truck is being investigated at
premises on Golf Course Road in Horsham, Western Victoria, where a
64-year old worker died during a loading operation.
22nd September 2009.
|
France
Electrocution incident in
railway freight yard
A 23-year old man sustained critical electrical burns and a fractured
skull in a fall from a railway wagon after contacting a 25Kv power
source in the freight yard of Nantes Station. Someone was electrocuted
in a similar accident in Nantes last weekend, SNCF (French Railways)
warns of the risk of arcing within 3 metres of a power source.
21st September 2009.
|
New Zealand
Worker crushed by falling
granite
The Department of Labour is investigating a fatal crush accident at
Quaystone Ltd in Motueka, where a worker died when 1.5 tonnes of
granite sections fell on him during unloading from a lorry.
21st September 2009.
|
Vietnam
Tiger springs low zoo wall and
kills forestry worker
The death of a forestry worker
mauled by a tiger could have been prevented if a boundary wall had
been double its height. At Dai Nam Zoo in Binh Duong Province a
forestry worker planting trees was fatally attacked yesterday by a
180Kg 5-year old male tiger which sprang over a 2.5m boundary wall.
The Forest Management Department had intimated a couple of years ago
that the wall was too low to retain larger tigers, the zoo was 1 of 3
licensed in the province in 2006 to raise tigers under a pilot
project. Following the incident fences of 5m in height are to be
erected.
18th September 2009.
|
Greece
Fatal accident during fair site
dismantling
A 51-year old Georgian national was killed in an accident yesterday at
the site of the Thessaloniki International Fair during the dismantling
of wooden stands, another worker was transferred to Ippocratio
Hospital with serious injuries.
18th September 2009.
|
Portugal
Air cadets and instructor killed
in training flight crash
Two Dutch air cadets of the Nationale Luchtvaartschool in Hoofddorp
and a Spanish flight instructor died during a training flight from
Seville to Evora in Portugal, the plane crashing in Beja.
17th September 2009.
|
USA
Worker fractures leg in fall on
Michigan site
A Michigan construction worker broke a leg in a fall into an
excavation on Wednesday at a sewerage site on 32nd Street, Kentwood,
colleagues deployed rope equipment to effect his release.
17th September 2009.
|
New Zealand
Undrained fuel tank explodes
during scrap work
The Department of Labour is investigating an accident where a man died
in an explosion while working on an old 5K-litre petrol tank at the
Petroleum Services' dangerous goods depot in Hamilton, the yard stores
several former petrol station tanks, the tank which exploded was
marked "cut for scrap" but had not been completely drained of fuel.
16th September 2009.
|
USA
Conveyor accident on Virginia
site
A Virginia construction worker was hospitalised with serious injuries
on Tuesday morning after becoming trapped in a conveyor belt system on
a construction site close to the air base on Armistead Avenue,
Hampton, he sustained arm injuries and possible internal injuries.
16th September 2009.
|
Pakistan
20 die in crush accident at
Karachi charitable distribution
The Civil Hospital of Karachi has reported that 20 women and children
have died and dozens more were injured in a crushing accident while
attending a charitable distribution of flour in the Kohri Garden area
of Karachi.
Around 400 people had assembled for the distribution from a charity
office on the first floor of a building, the worst crushing occurred
in the stair well and adjacent alley. It is speculated that an
intervention by a private security guard may have sparked panic in the
crowd of women.
15th September 2009.
|
South Africa
Miner killed in drilling
accident
A fatal accident has been reported from AngloGold Ashanti's Great
Noligwa mine where a worker was killed during drilling work.
15th September 2009.
|
China
6 workers killed in Hong Kong
lift shaft fall
A work platform failed in a lift shaft in the International Commerce
Centre in Tsim Sha Tsiu in the Kowloon district of Hong Kong on
Sunday, 6 workers died in a fall from the 30th to the 10th storey of
the 118-storey building being developed by Sun Hung Kei. 14th
September 2009.
|
Russia
Military base fire kills 5
soldiers
Fire in the administration unit at a military base in Tambov, 300
miles southeast of Moscow, killed 5 soldiers and left 7 others injured
on Sunday, the cause of the incident was unknown. 14th
September 2009.
|
South Africa
Argon gas explosion leaves 3
dead
An explosion, believed to be argon gas, killed 3 workers and injured 5
others on Thursday morning at the Sincor factory in the suburb of
Struisbult in Springs, southeast Johannesburg, no fire ensued from the
explosion.11th
September 2009.
|
Belgium
Genk crane collapse leaves
worker critically injured
A crane partially collapsed during the lifting of materials to 1st
floor level at a housing site on Schaapsdreef, Genk, on Thursday, of 4
people injured, one is believed to have life-threatening injuries.
Rescue crews had to lift concrete and debris to reach the trapped
workers.11th
September 2009.
|
China
13 died in fire at gold mine
A cave-in has led to an electrical fire at a gold mine in Henan
province where 13 people have died.
Of 12 miners underground, 6 managed to flee to safety, the remaining
casualties were 7 rescue workers who became trapped underground.
10th September 2009.
|
USA
Fatal accident at Alaska dock
A worker has died in hospital in Klawock, Alaska, following an
accident at the Northland Barge Services dock in Thorne Bay, details
of the accident are unknown.
10th September 2009.
|
China
Unauthorised production incident
kills 35 miners, traps 44
At least 35 miners have died and a further 44 were trapped in Xinhua
No 4 Pit in Pingdingshan City, Hunan, where an explosion occurred
during maintenance overhaul work when the Henan Provincial Bureau of Workplace
Safety had banned production.
9th September 2009.
|
Australia
Joiner extracts flying nail from
eye
It is hoped that the sight of a joiner has been saved after the worker
himself extracted a 40mm nail from his eye following an accident at a
housing site in Truganina, west Melbourne. He was later treated at the
Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital where the advice was that it would
have been best to leave such an object in the eye and have it removed
in hospital. 9th
September 2009.
|
North Korea
6 campers drown after water
discharge from dam floods riverside site
A substantial discharge of water from the Hwanggang Dam into the Ijmin
River at the border with South Korea led to flood inundation at a
campsite south of the border where 3 persons drowned and 3 others are
missing.
A water level surge from 2.3m to 4.6m may have precipitated the water
release but it remains unclear why the flood warning system failed.
8th September 2009.
|
South Africa
Subsidence fatality closes gold
mine
Work was suspended at the Mponeng mine of AngloGold Ashanti Ltd where
a ground fall incident led to the death of a 27-year old winch
operator. 8th
September 2009.
|
Austria
Mountain guide faces negligence
charges over hiker's death
Police in Innsbruck are preparing a report with charges of causing
death by negligence against a Tyrolean mountain guide following a
fatal fall on Sunday in which a 61-year old German woman in a group of
12 fell 150 metres off a cliff, losing her balance during a rest stop
on a 1.5-metre wide path while ascending the 2,552-metre Ellbogner
summit from Steeg.
7th September 2009.
|
Spain
Valencian bull runner gored to
death
During bull running in the streets of Massamagrell in Valencia on
Saturday a 27-year old man was badly gored in the abdomen and leg,
puncturing of a major artery proved fatal, he died later during
emergency surgery.
7th September 2009.
|
Russia
Body recovered from collapsed
Moscow car park
Criminal proceedings regarding a breach of building safety
regulations, resulting in loss of life, are being prepared following a
structural collapse on Thursday at a multi-storey car park in
Kozhevnicheskaya Street, central Moscow.
A body was recovered in an underground level late in the afternoon,
earlier 3 other people were rescued from the site where 600m² had
collapsed. 4th
September 2009.
|
USA
New York farm worker killed by
exploding tyre
An exploding tyre has killed a 37-year old New York farm worker during
inflation, its flying rim inflicting fatal head injuries at the site
on Onthank Road, Portland.
4th September 2009.
|
China
Chemical explosion kills 18 at
Shandong warehouse
An explosion during the unloading of chemicals from a lorry at a
warehouse in Linyi, Shandong, killed 18 workers, 7 at the locus, the
other 11 died later in hospital where 10 others are being treated for
injuries. The nature of the chemicals was not initially apparent.
3rd September 2009.
|
Australia
Fatal fall at Western Australia
aluminium refinery
The Department of Mines and Petroleum is to investigate a fatal
accident at the Alcoa Wagerup aluminium refinery, 75 miles south of
Perth, where a contractor, 50, of Trans Pacific Industrial Solutions
fell to his death on Wednesday.
This was the 6th mining death in
Western Australia this year.
3rd September 2009.
|
USA
Welding sparks fire at Texas
demolition plant
A worker at the Robles Demolition plant on North Main Street, Cibolo,
Texas, was badly burned on the face and body when sparks from
equipment he was using during hot metal work on Tuesday morning led to
an explosion, the fire burned out the roof of the premises.
2nd September 2009.
|
Canada
Exploding tyre killed Alberta
site worker
An exploding giant tyre killed an employee of Cow Harbour Construction
at the Suncor oil sands facility in Fort McMurray, Alberta.
2nd September 2009.
|
Romania
3 killed in Timis level crossing
collision
Three people died when a car was struck by a train in the Timis region
on Monday morning, the driver, a 52-year old Italian male, survived
the accident and is reported in non-life-threatening condition in
hospital in Timisoara. Following the collision the locomotive ignited
when oil leaked from the hydraulic system, no other injuries were
reported. 1st
September 2009.
|
Poland
Bird strike speculated in Radom
air show crash
Russian aircraft manufacturer Sukhoi is offering technical assistance
if required for the investigation of the accident at an air show in
Radom on Sunday in which 2 Belarusian pilots died when their SU-27
aircraft crashed 100 metres from a village.
The pilots had indicated that they were about to eject but elected to
attempt to steer to a safer position given the proximity to the crowd
and housing. A bird strike is speculated as the likeliest cause of the
engine failure. 1st
September 2009.
|
|
Greece
Soldier dies of heart attack on
PT exercise
A 23-year old soldier has died in hospital in Rethymno, Crete, after
becoming ill and sustaining apparent heart failure during a physical
training exercise on the island.
30th September 2009.
|
England
Kinetic energy and trampoline
accidents
ROSPA has been expressing its concern over trampoline accidents, and a
report by Kingston Hospital doctors suggests that provision of netting
and padding may induce a false sense of security and safety with
enhanced risk taking. They note a rise in injuries and are concerned
where a number of children are on a trampoline engaged in asynchronous
jumping, with the smallest or lightest person absorbing the kinetic
energy and perhaps achieving the maximum and most erratic propulsion,
and be up to 15 times more likely to be involved in an accident.
The commonest injuries have been soft tissue sprain, fractures and
head injuries. 30th
September 2009.
|
Serbia
Traffic policeman succumbs to
injuries from drunk driver
A traffic policeman died in hospital in Belgrade on Monday, having
lain in a coma for 2 months after being struck by a drunk driver while
on points duty in the city. The driver tested alcohol-positive with
2.2 promilles in his blood, Serbian drink-driving limits are 0.5
promille. 29th September 2009.
|
Iceland
Fire at historic Hofdi house
It is speculated that an electrical malfunction caused the fire which
produced extensive damage to the Hofdi house, the City of Reykjavik's
reception house in Borgartun which hosted the 1986 Reagan-Gorbatchev summit. The extent of damage to historic artefacts in the house
remains unclear but no injuries occurred in the incident. 29th September 2009.
|
Japan
Sunken trawler raised from
seabed
Following the raising of the sunken fishing boat Daiei Maru No 11,
lying 80 metres down on the seabed off Hirado, Nagasaki, where it sank
on 14th April after being struck by a rogue wave, 2 more bodies have
now been recovered, leaving 4 of the 12-man crew still missing. 28th September 2009.
|
USA
Man accesses San Francisco Zoo
bear enclosure
A 21-year old man survived a close encounter with 2 grizzly bears
after allegedly scaling a wall and swimming a moat to access their
enclosure at San Francisco Zoo, local police arrested the man who they
say is the subject of other outstanding arrest warrants. 28th September 2009.
|
USA
Unsecured worker killed in fall
at new mine site
The US Mine Safety & Health Administration has recorded its 12th
national fatality of the year following a fatal fall at a new mine
site in Franklin County, southern Illinois, where contractor Cowin
Company is sinking the shaft for the new Sugar Camp Mine.
A concrete pour had been taking place and a metal grate platform was
moved to facilitate the withdrawal of the concrete pouring tube from
the shaft. A worker, at that moment un-harnessed, fell through the
opening. 25th
September 2009.
|
Romania
Structural integrity
investigation at castle
The Romanian Culture Ministry is investigating the 2nd structural
collapse this year at Rasnov Castle, in the Carpathian mountains,
where a section of wall and balcony collapsed, the latter added in
recent years. In the spring two sections of parapet fortifications had
also fallen there.
25th September 2009.
|
Russia
Voronezh pyrotechnics warehouse
explosion
An explosion at a warehouse holding pyrotechnic goods and fireworks in
Voronezh on Wednesday has led to 1 fatality and injuries to 25 others,
4 of whom are in intensive care. Flying glass and collapsing walls led
to the injury of 5 military personnel in adjacent premises.
24th September 2009.
|
Iceland
Rafting accident investigation
Occupational Health and Safety and the Icelandic Maritime Association
are investigating a river rafting accident which occurred on the
Austari-Jokulsa(East Glacial River) in Skagafjordur, north Iceland,
where a raft overturned, pitching a group of rafters into the water.
One of the group almost drowned, allegations have been made that the
activity was under-resourced from a safety perspective and re-issue of
an operating permit will be conditional on a satisfactory outcome of
the investigation.
24th September 2009.
|
Germany
5 killed in NRW bus crash
Divers were still in attendance on Tuesday evening at the site of a
bus crash in Radevormwald, north Westphalia, where 5 people died and 7
were badly injured. The Line 626 bus was new and the driver
experienced but it failed to negotiate a left hand bend 400 metres
beyond the Wuppermakt stop and tumbled down an embankment. 23rd September 2009.
|
Romania
Arrest over train derailment
The derailment of a Timisoara-Bucharest express train in Carcea, 150
miles west of Bucharest, saw 15 people hospitalised, a former railway
worker was arrested on Tuesday over the accident described by
Transport Minister Radu Berceanu as " a deliberate act of foul play." 23rd September 2009.
|
The Netherlands
Youth critically burned in
garage accident
The Dutch Arbeidsinspectie (work inspectorate) is investigating
a serious accident which occurred on Monday at a garage on Veerstraat
in Standdaarbuiten where a 16-year old was badly burned in an accident
at the family business, he was listed in critical condition in
hospital in Rotterdam.
22nd September 2009.
|
Mediterranean
Romanian sailor airlifted to
hospital
A 45-year old sailor was lifted by winch hoist to an air ambulance
helicopter yesterday from the tanker Conti Humboldt, 20 miles
east of Malta, it is not known if his condition was attributed to an
accident or illness.
22nd September 2009.
|
Switzerland
Diving fatality in Thunersee
An experienced 43-year old diver in a party of 10 divers died in an
accident at the weekend at Fischbalmen on the Thunersee, the group was
using trimix equipment in an attempt to dive to 190 metres.
21st September 2009.
|
USA
Bulldozer runs over operator on
Ohio site
A transport fatal accident occurred at the weekend during earthworks
at the Austin Pike interchange site in Miami, Ohio, where an employee
of Kelchner Company died in a fall from his bulldozer which
subsequently ran over him.
21st September 2009.
|
Romania
Fatal accident at Bucharest site
A workman died in an accident on Thursday morning at the Mayoralty
building in Bucharest where a section of ceiling collapsed during
refurbishment work, his injuries triggered cardiac arrest.18th September 2009.
|
Japan
Pupil hit by shot put during gym
class
Charges of professional negligence resulting in injury are being
considered by police in Okayama following an accident at Kasaoka
Technical High School where a 17-year old pupil was clouted on the
head by a 4Kg shot put during a gym class. The pupil struck was taking
measurements from a previous throw when the shot was inadvertently
thrown again, the 39 pupils were being supervised by 2 teachers who
were overseeing relay races when the accident occurred. 18th September 2009.
|
Peru
8 students killed in uninsured
bus and driver crash
A coach of Perlas del Sur, hired by Cesar Vallejo agricultural college
for a field trip, has crashed down a 150-metre deep ravine in the Alo
Inambari district of Puno, 8 of the 17-year old students died and 40
others were injured.
Police have indicated that the 22-year old driver was unlicensed and
the bus was uninsured.
17th September 2009.
|
Australia
Crush fatality at Sydney Coca
Cola plant
A crush accident has claimed the life of a maintenance worker at the
Coca Cola Amatil plant in Northmead, west Sydney, he was working at a
production line when he became trapped between machines.
17th September 2009.
|
USA
Louisiana gas rig pipe
extraction accidents
Two serious accidents have occurred involving the extraction of piping
from the ground at gas rig sites in Louisiana.
At the Indigo Minerals' Turner Rig No 3 site north of Logansport a
pipe being extracted from the ground recoiled after jamming under a
steel member, inflicting fatal injuries to a 60-year old worker.
A similar accident at the Trinidad rig northeast of Mansfield has left
a worker with critical injuries after being struck on the forehead by
piping being extracted from the ground.
16th September 2009.
|
Dem Rep of Congo
Ferry accident survivors cholera
risk
Fears are being expressed over the health and safety of the 97
survivors of a ferry sinking near Ankoro, 480 miles northwest of
Lubumbashi, as they are lodged in rudimentary accommodation and may be
risking cholera by drinking untreated river water.
As many as 100 corpses yet to be recovered are believed to be in the
river.
16th September 2009.
|
Gulf of Aden
Belgian frigate attends boat in
distress
The Belgian marine frigate Louise Marie rescued 38 people, believed to
be Somalis, from a sinking boat in the Gulf Of Aden on Monday, a
further 8 people are unaccounted for.
15th September 2009.
|
Greece
Roof collapse in central Athens
An investigation is underway into the collapse of the roof of an empty
building standing on Kyprou Street in Amerikis Square, Athens.
15th September 2009.
|
Kazakhstan
38 die in drug unit fire
At least 38 people died when fire engulfed a drug and alcohol
rehabilitation centre in Taldykorgan on Sunday morning.
14th September 2009.
|
Jamaica
Sulphuric acid leakage at
Kingston Harbour
A valve on a container failed early on Saturday morning causing 300
tonnes of sulphuric acid to spill from a container of the Industrial
Chemical Company at Berth One of Kingston Harbour, a considerable area
of coast is affected.
14th September 2009.
|
The Netherlands
Grinder sparks Gelderland plant
fire
Flying sparks from a grinding machine caused a major fire at Hak
Leidingbouw on Steenoven, Tricht, on Thursday. A partial roof collapse
occurred but no injuries were reported, although police advised
residents within a 500-metre radius to keep doors and windows closed.
11th September 2009.
|
Sierra Leone
Fears that 220 have drowned in
ferry sinking
The harbourmaster at Tombe, 50 miles southeast of Freetown, believes
that there may have been as many as 300 people on board the Teh Teh,
which sank near Shenge in a thunderstorm as it sailed between Waterloo
and Freetown with many schoolchildren on board.
No accurate ship's manifest is available but with only 37 people
rescued, it is feared that more than 220 are missing.
11th September 2009.
|
Canada
Newfoundland roofer killed
Occupational Health and Safety in
Newfoundland and Labrador is investigating a fatal accident at
Paradise where a 59-year old roofer fell to his death at a house on
Christine Crescent, and another accident at St John's where a vehicle
rolled over an embankment at a construction site.
10th September 2009.
|
France
Worker's fingers severed at
grain silo
A 48-year old worker had 4 fingers severed in an accident on Tuesday
at a grain silo in Inguiniel, Morbihan, during transfer of grain from
the silo to a lorry trailer.
9th September 2009.
|
USA
Rodent pellets exploded in
contact with water
A Texas grain silo worker was hospitalised after being showered in
rodent poison when a number of 2cm diameter rodent pellets exploded in
contact with water, releasing vapour as he was positioning them at the
silo in Progreso, southeast Texas.
9th September 2009.
|
Chile
Mudslide sweeps away copper mine
gatehouse
A substantial mudslide has swept away a security gatehouse at the Los
Bronces copper mine of Anglo American plc in southern Chile, leading
to the death of a worker inside and injuries to 10 others. The
production areas lie some miles away and were unaffected.
8th September 2009.
|
Philippines
Fishing boat rescues crew of
sinking freighter
A successful rescue was achieved of all 19 crew of the Hera, a
Panama-registered freighter laden with timber, which sank off the
Philippines while sailing from Papua New Guinea to China, the Hera's
lifeboat was taken in tow by a local fishing boat to Tobabao Island, 8
miles from where the ship, owned by Dooyang Shipment management of
Seoul, sank following water ingress through its breached hull.
8th September 2009.
|
Macedonia
Skipper arrested in overloaded
boat accident
The captain of the tourist boat which sank on Lake Ohrid on Saturday
with the loss of 15 lives has been arrested and remanded in custody
for 30 days, following interrogation his assistant has not been
detained. The vessel sank 300 metres offshore where it broke in two,
42 passengers survived. It was registered to carry 45 people, but 57
were on board, allegedly it was equipped with just 2 life jackets.
7th September 2009.
|
Germany
Lorry driver killed as HGV blown
off train on railway causeway
A 32-year old lorry driver died when his vehicle being transported
across the 8-mile long railway causeway of the Hindenburgdamm from the
mainland to the northwest island of Sylt was blown off the open
railway carrier by an exceptionally strong gust of wind.
7th September 2009.
|
Austria
Unregistered worker killed in
fall from scaffold
A 42-year old Serbian national died in a 15-metre fall during the
dismantling of scaffolding in the inner courtyard of a luxury hotel in
Vienna's Auersperg Street on Thursday, preliminary investigation
suggests that he was an unregistered worker.
4th September 2009.
|
Ukraine
Crimean child food poisoning
incident
A government commission led by the Healthcare Minister has been
ordered following the hospitalisation yesterday of 60 children from 2
nurseries in Dzhankoi with suspected food poisoning.
4th September 2009.
|
USA
Indiana worker killed in wood
chipper
A 37-year old grounds maintenance worker has died after being drawn
into wood chipping machinery in Atwood, north Indiana. A colleague
made the grim discovery of the body in the rear of the machinery.
3rd September 2009.
|
Denmark
Fears over car park collapse in
Aalborg
Concerns over the structural integrity of a multi-storey car park in
Aalborg led to its evacuation on Wednesday following reports of
sections of concrete falling from pillars and ramps.
3rd September 2009.
|
Australia
Falling salt bag kills Victoria
dairy worker
A heavy falling bag of salt has killed a worker in his 50's at the
Fonterra dairy in Stanhope, central Victoria, the 16th fatal workplace
accident in the state in 2009.
2nd September 2009.
|
USA
Forklift fatality at Maine pet
food store
A fall from a forklift truck has killed a 51-year old worker at the
Super-Dog Pet Food Company in Taunton, Maine. He was operating a
stand-up forklift which collided with a vertical steel beam, pitching
him off and inflicting fatal head injuries at the premises on Liberty
and Union Industrial Park.
2nd September 2009.
|
Cameroon
10 killed in Yaoundé derailment
At least 10 people died and hundreds were inured when a Camrail
passenger/goods train from Ngaoundere derailed in the Arbatoire
district of Yaoundé, 2 carriages rolling down an embankment.
In a separate accident a goods train of the Societe Camerounais de
Depot Petrolier derailed at Obogobo, 4 of the 15 wagons exploded and a
number of houses were destroyed in the ensuing blaze. 1st
September 2009.
|
Bulgaria
Train/lorry level crossing
accident
A lorry was struck by a train on an unapproved crossing on the stretch
of track between Svilengrad and Plovdiv on Monday morning, no reports
of injuries were received. 1st
September 2009.
|
|
England
Powered door killed woman at
Milton Keynes plant
At Aylesbury Crown Court meat processors Delicoe Limited of Hull were
fined £160K plus £40,452 in costs as a result of a fatal accident at
its plant in Tattenhoe, Milton Keynes.
In May 2007, a 53-year old female worker was cleaning a blending
machine when a powered door closed unexpectedly, inflicting fatal head
injuries.
The company was fined in respect of a breach of S.2(1) of the Health
and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 of failing to ensure a safe workplace
for employees, an HSE official commented: "Employers must ensure that
they implement safe systems of work for staff using machinery. They
must make certain that safety features on machines, such as guards are
not overridden."
30th September 2009.
|
England
Fragile roof plunge prosecution
Webber Trading Ltd of Burnley was fined £6,000 with £2,838 costs and
£15 victim surcharge having admitted breaching health and safety law
in the circumstances of an industrial accident in which a man fell 7
metres as he helped refurbish commercial premises in Gateshead in July
2007.
A company director was additionally fined £1,000 with £200 costs, the
accident victim stepped onto an unprotected fragile plastic roof light
which gave way.
30th September 2009.
|
Estonia
Demand for fresh Estonia sinking
inquiry
On the 15th anniversary of the sinking of the Scandinavian ferry
Estonia, which foundered in storm conditions with only 137 of the 989
people on board surviving, a prosecutor has demanded a fresh
investigation of the accident, calling for a more intensive diving
operation, matching that of the investigation into the 2005 helicopter
accident. Estonian Prime Minister Andres Ausip is likely to reject the
demand, the 2007 report reiterated that faulty bow doors caused the
accident rather than an explosion, it having being speculated that the
ferry may have been transporting some explosive freight during the
final days under Soviet tutelage. 29th September 2009.
|
Luxembourg
Roofer hit by falling hoist
A roofer sustained serious head injuries at a site in Ehleringen when
a small lift used to hoist materials sprang from a hook and fell
backwards, striking the worker on the ground.
29th September 2009.
|
England
Modified, unserviced heater
proved fatal
At the Newport inquest into the deaths of 2 teenagers by carbon
monoxide poisoning verdicts of accident death were returned. The
Deputy Gwent coroner heard evidence that 1 of the 18-year olds had
applied a modification to the portable heater being used in an
outbuilding which depressed a malfunctioning button in order to
maintain flame. Tests revealed that this modification by-passed a
safety cut-out.
An engineer conducting an examination of the heater, which had faulty
burners emitting dangerous levels of CO, described it as being "in a
poor state and with a malfunction", preventing adequate ventilation.
It had been procured second-hand and had apparently lacked servicing
within the 2 years of changing ownership. 28th September 2009.
|
Afghanistan
Four French soldiers killed in separate accidents
Four French soldiers died in 2
separate accidents at the weekend. A soldier was killed by lightning
during a storm in the Afghanya valley, 30 miles east of Kabul, and 2
others were drowned there in a flash flood, all were stationed at the
Nijrab forward operating base in Kapisa Province.
Elsewhere, a soldier of the French Foreign Legion died when the
armoured vehicle he was driving fell down a ravine in Surobi as it was
returning to Tora from Kabul, 5 other Legionnaires were injured. 28th September 2009.
|
England
Herts worker injured in scaffold
fall
A 48-year old worker was transferred to hospital by Herts Air
Ambulance on Thursday morning after sustaining head and back injuries
in a 4-metre fall from scaffolding during building work at a site in
the Crest, Goffs Oak.
25th September 2009.
|
England
Worker injured at Newmarket
stables
HSE has been conducting preliminary inquiries into an accident at
Craven House Stables, Newmarket, this week where a worker fell 6
metres into an excavation for a manure pit, fire crews deployed a
crane to control the lift of the stretcher from the excavation.
25th September 2009.
|
England
Kent company fined over London
crane accident
At the Old Bailey yesterday Select Plant Hire Company Ltd of Dartford
was fined £100K plus £33,196 costs in respect of a crane accident
which left a worker with crippling injuries at a site in Croydon.
On June 2nd 2007, the cab of a crane fell on to the roof of Croydon
Park Hotel where the Altitude 25 apartment building was being
constructed for Howard Holdings. One worker sustained severe spinal
injuries, 3 others were left stranded atop the crane base for 5 hours.
The company pleaded guilty to breaching r.9(2)(b) of the Lifting
Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998; r.9(2) and 9(2)b of
the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998: and S.3(1)
of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.
The accident occurred while the
height of the tower crane was being extended using a climbing frame,
but those engaged had no experience or training in its use.
24th September 2009.
|
England
Lancs helicopter training flight
crash
A pilot and pupil died when their helicopter crashed on Barnaby Sands,
Lancs, during a training flight. The pilot had experienced technical
problems and issued a mayday as it passed Poulton-le-Fylde.
24th September 2009.
|
USA
Plague researcher dies of
scepticaemic plague
A University of Chicago researcher who studied plague bacteria has
died with the microbe Yersinia pestis found in his blood, a form of
the infection known as scepticaemic plague, not usually pernicious in
the absence of certain proteins. 23rd September 2009.
|
Sweden
Unstable lorry load damages
house
A lorry load of timber became unstable on a bend in Ortrask, 250 miles
north of Stockholm, flying off the vehicle and flattening the porch of
a dwellinghouse as well as damaging windows and doors, Vagverket
(highways administration) is also being urged to monitor the safety of
this section of road. 23rd September 2009.
|
Poland
13 miners killed in Silesian
methane explosion
Investigators are still trying to establish the cause of an explosion
and fire which killed 13 miners and injured a further 41 at the KWK
Wujek Slask coal mine in Ruda Slaska, Silesia, a methane seepage and
accumulation is believed to have occurred 1,000 metres underground.
22nd September 2009.
|
Singapore
Fatal fall from height on
unstable ladder
An unstable ladder led to a fatal fall of a worker at the Marina Bay
Sands Integrated Resort site during the removal of timber formwork
around a concrete wall at the new 4-storey theatre site.
22nd September 2009.
|
Rep Ireland
Foul play discounted over body
found at waste site
The post-mortem at Tralee General Hospital of a body discovered at the
South West Bins on Wheels Ltd waste sorting facility in Listowel,
County Kerry, has ruled the incident a case of "a tragic accident",
the victim had been picked up in a skip and the body was not
discovered until the vehicle had deposited its load at the facility.
21st September 2009.
|
Japan
Bear attacks tour party on
mountain site
A tour guide and 8 tourists were badly bitten in an attack by a bear
at the bus terminus on Norikura Skyline Road at an altitude of 2,700
metres in Takayama. Access to the area is by bus and taxi only and
during summer months.
Although bear sightings in the vicinity have been reported recently,
the terminus precinct is unfenced.
21st September 2009.
|
England
Forklift deficiencies lead to
fine
At Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court the owner of R & AF Engineering on the
Britannia Park Industrial Estate, Cobridge, was fined £1,750 plus
£2,250 in costs after pleading guilty to 2 breaches of health and
safety legislation by failing to ensure that employees were properly
trained in forklift use and failing to check that a forklift was
adequately maintained. On 8th June 2008, a 17-year old worker
overturned a forklift and had a leg trapped underneath. The court
heard that the forklift had been borrowed and that there was awareness
of its defective steering. Keys were jammed in the ignition, making
the vehicle accessible to anyone.
18th September 2009.
|
Canada
Oxygen explosion at steel works
The Ontario Ministry of Labour is investigating an explosion accident
involving an oxygen cylinder which left a contract worker with serious
arm injuries at Essar Steel Algoma in Sault Ste Marie. 18th September 2009.
|
Scotland
Fatal accident on Caithness wind
farm
A maintenance worker was killed in an accident on Wednesday at the
Causeymire wind farm site of RWE NPower Renewables, south of Spittal,
Caithness, it is understood that the accident did not involve a fall
from height and that he died high up on a turbine.
17th September 2009.
|
Scotland
Contractor injured in dust
explosion at Rolls Royce
HSE is expected to launch an investigation into an explosion at the
Rolls Royce plant in Inchinnan, north of Glasgow Airport, where a
contractor was badly burned when dust ignited during the cleaning of
an extractor machine.
17th September 2009.
|
Germany
Black Forest diseased tree
accidents
An urgent safety audit of diseased trees is being conducted following
the death of a 1-year old boy struck by a 15Kg bough which fell from a
maple tree, his father sustained a serious shoulder injury in the
accident which occurred in parkland owned by DB (German Rail) in
Immendingen.
Elsewhere, in the inner town area of Rastatt a 60-year old man was
badly injured when a 12-metre tall acacia tree fell on a market stall.
16th September 2009.
|
Finland
Rise in construction site deaths
The 8 deaths recorded in construction site accidents for the first 8
months of the year represent an increase of 33% on last year's figure
over the commensurate period, the accidents have featured falls from
height, unshored excavation collapses and the death of a diver at a
dam construction site.
16th September 2009.
|
Rep of Ireland
An Post worker killed in
collection run
A 32-year old postal worker of An Post was killed on Monday afternoon
when his van collided with a combine harvester during a mail
collection run between Raphoe and Ballindrait, Donegal.
15th September 2009.
|
Austria
Forklift brings down supermarket
ceiling
An accident at the Merkur Supermarket in Baden, southwest Vienna, left
2 persons injured when a forklift truck brought down a large section
of ceiling while attempting to load goods at height.
15th September 2009.
|
France
Farmer critically injured in
potato harvester
A 35-year old Breton farmer was critically injured in an accident on
Sunday afternoon when he became trapped in the blades of a potato
harvester, rescuers had to cut him free and transport him to hospital
in Lorient still attached to a section of the machinery which has
inflicted severe internal injuries.
14th September 2009.
|
Canada
Falling material led to worker's
fractured spine
Distributor of lighting products, Liteline Management Company Ltd, has
been fined $50K(£27,822) in Ontario Court of Justice after pleading
guilty to failing to ensure a safe workplace in respect of an accident
in January 2008 in which a worker fractured his spine and shoulder, a
stack of cardboard fell on him, pushing him into a cleaning machine.
14th September 2009.
|
Luxembourg
Man killed in travelling grain harvester
A 59-year old Portuguese man has died after falling into a grain
harvester being towed by a tractor along rue Matthias Hertert in
Beggen, north of Luxembourg City, towards fields, it is speculated
that he may have climbed on to hitch a ride.
11th September 2009.
|
Austria
Arborist killed in whiplash
accident
An arborist has been killed in a chain whiplash accident in a forest
in Prefingkogel, 40 miles east of Salzburg, when a chain drawn taut
between a tree and winch snapped under tension.
11th September 2009.
|
England
Burton window fitter death
verdict
A jury has returned a verdict of accidental death in respect of the
fatal fall of a 49-year old window fitter of Longlife Windows through
a ladder opening in the platform of a scaffold of Winshill Scaffolding
at premises on Crown Industrial Estate, Burton, in January 2007.
HSE is investigating matters concerning the scaffolding structure.
10th
September 2009.
|
England
Company sentenced over pupil
work placement accident
At Wolverhampton Magistrates' Court, Making Learning Work Ltd of Brewood, Staffs, was given a 1-year conditional discharge and ordered
to pay £22K costs after pleading guilty to breaching S.3(1) of
the Health and Safety at Work Act etc 1974 in respect of an injury
sustained by a school pupil during work placement in January 2006.
The company was hired by Deansfield High School, Wolverhampton, to
locate work placements for 32 pupils. A 14-year old boy was
placed at R & B Motor Services but the company had failed to conduct a
full safety audit and risk assessment prior to the pupil starting work
at the garage where he was being supervised by an employee who spoke
limited English. During a petrol draining task the pupil was burned on
the hand, at an earlier hearing the garage owner had pleaded guilty
and been fined £3,500 plus costs.
An HSE inspector said: “Placing a
14-year-old schoolboy in extended work experience at R&B Motor
Services was totally inappropriate. Probable inexperience and lack of
maturity makes it essential that young people’s work experience
placements are risk assessed before the start-date.
Making Learning Work Ltd failed in its duty by exposing this pupil to
health and safety risks. Had they carried out a risk assessment, it
would have soon been obvious that the garage was unsuitable.
HSE has investigated several fatal accidents resulting from petrol
draining from vehicles where the appropriate safety device, called a
fuel retriever, which costs less than £500, was not used."
9th September 2009.
|
Greece
Larco burns accident claims
another victim
A worker who was badly burned in a molten ore spillage at the Larco
plant (see 28th August) died in hospital yesterday, the 3rd death at
the plant in Larymna in the last month.
9th September 2009.
|
Rep Ireland
MCIB investigates hooker sinking
The Marine Casualty Investigation Board is studying the circumstances
surrounding the sinking of the McHugh, a traditional single-masted
hooker craft which went down in Galway Bay during a crossing from
Kinvara to Rossaveal, 1 of the 2 crew members died, the other was
rescued by an accompanying hooker, the Blaith na hOige. The McHugh
would have been participating in Monday's regatta in Rossaveal, an
event which was cancelled.
8th September 2009.
|
Serbia
Workers arrested over ordnance
factory explosion
The arrest of 5 workers has been made with charges of alleged
negligent handling of explosives following an ordnance accident at the
Prvi Partizan plant in Uzice, southwest Serbia, where 7 colleagues
died of smoke inhalation, the Interior Minister Ivica Dacic has spoken
of "human error." Prompt response by the emergency services
minimised the casualty figures, 100 people were in the factory at the
time of the explosion.
7th September 2009.
|
Scotland
Machinery accident on Fife farm
A 34-year old Fife farm worker was killed in an accident on Sunday
when he sustained critical injuries after being drawn into machinery
at a farm in Foodieash, north of Cupar, he died later in the day in
hospital.7th
September 2009.
|
Malta
Worker rescued from sea at Sliema after
fireworks display accident
A worker was rescued form the sea in the bay off San Girgor, Sliema,
after 45 minutes in the water following an explosion on a fireworks
display barge anchored in the bay.
The fireworks were being ignited by remote control when the accident
occurred, the army's Explosive Ordnance Disposal responded to the
incident on Sunday evening.
7th September 2009.
|
Bahrain
Painter killed in fall from
scaffold
A painter died in a fall yesterday from 2nd floor level from
scaffolding erected against a building in East Riffa.
Earlier this week, a worker engaged in the laying of marble flooring
was killed in a fall into an open lift shaft in Sanabis.
4th September 2009.
|
Spain
Handicapped British pensioner's
ordeal in flat with dead spouse
An 82-year old handicapped British tourist has been rescued from an
apartment hotel in Benalmadena where he had lain trapped for around a
week with the decomposing body of his 58-year old wife who had died in
a chair.
The husband had attempted to raise the alarm but had tripped on moving
from his wheelchair and brought a television set down on his legs. The
odour of decomposition brought the incident to the attention of other
tourists. 4th
September 2009.
|
France
Workers fall from scaffold in
Rennes
Two construction workers were admitted to Pontchaillou hospital in
Rennes with serious head and leg injuries after falling from a
scaffold on Wednesday at a site on the town's rue Guy-Ropartz.
3rd September 2009.
|
Scotland
Fall severely injures workman
It is reported that a workman of Ecolab sustained serious injuries in
a 15-metre fall through the fragile roof of an oil firm's building on
the Altens Industrial Estate, Aberdeen.
3rd September 2009.
|
Scotland
Grampian tractor/trailer
rollover accident
A worker of Hillend Farm in Aberdeenshire has been killed in a tractor
and trailer rollover accident on a country road near Fordyce.
2nd September 2009.
|
Rep Ireland
Driver dies in fall from HGV
The HSA is to launch an investigation into a fatal accident at Spanish
Point, Clare, where an articulated lorry driver in his 20's died
in fall from his vehicle.
2nd September 2009.
|
Scotland
Fragile roof danger
A 19-year old worker fell 10 metres into an occupied factory whilst
working on the roof of a building at Buttlerfield Industrial Estate,
Bonnyrigg, in April 2008.
TQR Ltd of Dalkeith and a sub-contractor, David O’Neil of Cleland,
were fined £6,000 and £3,000 respectively for breaching Section 3(1)
and 3(2) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. O'Neil
supplied the labour and worked under the instruction of TQR Ltd, but
during the course of the work the injured worker stepped onto an
unprotected plastic fragile rooflight at the ridge which gave way and
he fell to the factory floor, sustaining serious injuries.
1st September 2009.
|
Egypt
Woman struck by bolting horse
A report, yet to be confirmed by the authorities, has indicated that a
foreign national female may have been killed by a bolting horse with a
rider in the back streets of Dahab on the Red Sea.
1st September 2009.
|
|
Scotland
3 die in rail accident
Three people died when a train collided with a car on a level crossing
in Halkirk, Caithness, yesterday afternoon, no passengers or train
staff were injured.
30th September 2009.
|
England
System of work fatally flawed
A painter died when an unsecured and unstable steel plate fell on him
as he worked to what the HSE described as "a fatally flawed system of
work" in an industrial accident during October 2006 at the premises of
North Kent Shotblasting Ltd of Northfleet.
The company permitted the workers to devise their own system, an HSE
official commented: "If North Kent Shotblasting Ltd had carried out an
assessment of the risks when working in close proximity to the heavy
metal plates, and carried out the cheap and simple safety requirements
that were subsequently implemented after the issuing of Prohibition
and Improvement Notices, then this incident could have been avoided." The
company was fined £150,000 with costs of £24,000.
30th September 2009.
|
England
Accident victim was crushed in
industrial washer
In October 2007, an employee of a laundry company, who entered the
protective cage of a hoist within a laundry machine to free a
blockage, was crushed when the heavy steel hopper descended on him,
inflicting serious multiple injuries.
Employer OCS Group UK Limited of Sanderstead in Surrey was fined
£80,000 with costs of £33,059.
HSE investigation found OCS did not have a sufficiently effective
system for ensuring the machinery was safe and there were no checks on
the machinery after its repair at its Balham site. The
engineering team had not been provided with a manual showing how to
raise the hopper safely for someone to work beneath it. 29th September 2009.
|
England
Council's inadequate grass
cutting risk assessment
Cheltenham Borough Council failed to carry out a suitable and
sufficient risk assessment for cutting grass with a ride-on mower, and
this permitted an accident to occur in May last year.
The accident occurred on a slope deemed by the manufacturer to be too
steep for the machine selected, it overturned, throwing the rider on
to a bench which broke his ribs.
The council was fined a total of £14,000, plus £3,000 compensation and
prosecution costs of £18,530. An HSE official commented: "This
incident was entirely avoidable, (employers must) ensure that they
carry out risk assessment, taking all site conditions into account,
including steepness of slopes, before deciding which equipment is
suitable." 29th September 2009.
|
England
Needless death at recycling
premises
An HSE official has described a workman's death at a waste management
site operated by Shanley and Sons Ltd of Trowbridge, Wiltshire, as
'needless and entirely preventable.'
In June 2007, the 62-year old man was struck and fatally injured by a
reversing skip lorry as he stood in a tipping area in the vehicle's
blind spot. HSE also described the site as chaotic and congested, with
a lack of communication and rife with dangerous working practices.
The company was fined £80,000 with costs of £25,000.
28th September 2009.
|
England
Thames Valley Police and constable
fined
A civilian police worker was shot in the stomach during awareness
training by a police firearms instructor after he loaded what he
thought was a non-live round into a revolver in May 2007.
A risk assessment had been prepared for firearms, including a situation
where live and non-live ammunition were mixed, based on the weapons and
ammunition being under the control of a competent person such as a
firearms instructor. HSE found that had the control measures detailed
in the assessment been followed the accident would not have happened.
Thames Valley Police was fined £40,000
with costs of £25,000,
the constable was fined £8,000
with costs of £5,000 for breaches of
health and safety law.
The judge concluded the keeping of mixed ammunition in an unmarked
Quality Street tin was a 'disaster waiting to happen.'
28th September
2009.
|
England
Divers rescued
Two divers, rescued yesterday off Fishguard on the Pembrokeshire coast
after a 3-hour major search effort, have been taken to hospital for
possible hyperbaric treatment. Both men, in their 50's, failed
initially to surface after a dive and are said to be suffering from
exhaustion.
On Monday a 75-year old diver required hyperbaric treatment for
decompression sickness after diving off the Shetlands.
25th September 2009.
|
England
Mystery scaffold fall
An inquest jury at St Pancras Coroner's Court has returned an open
verdict in the absence of evidence of a cause for the fatal fall of a
62-year old scaffolder from the 1st or 2nd lift of a structure at a
tower block in Mildmay Street, Islington, in February this year.
The accident was not witnessed, the structure was of the required
standard, the deceased died some weeks after the accident of
complications related to his head injury.
25th September 2009.
|
England
Trolley falls a problem at
Midlands hospital
Recent accidents at Stafford Hospital, one of them fatal, has
attracted the attention of the HSE who are concerned with patient
safety.
The deceased patient died following a fall from a trolley, the 2nd
such incident in 3 months at the Mid-Staffordshire NHS Trust hospital.
24th September 2009.
|
England
Dermatitis not managed properly
at hospital
The Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust, of Harlow, Essex, has been
fined £6,500 with £4,500 costs having failed to respond to
warnings concerning its management of the risks to staff from
dermatitis.
HSE inspectors visited the hospital in November 2007 and became aware
of the risks, mainly from latex gloves. Two Improvement Notices were
served, requiring a suitable and sufficient risk assessment of the use
of latex and its control. Despite extensions, HSE inspectors
found the Trust had still not complied and had failed to report a case
of latex-linked occupational dermatitis.
24th September 2009.
|
England
Boy, 2, dies in farm accident
A 2-year old boy died in an accident involving a tractor on Friday at
a farm in Ashbourne, Derbyshire.
23rd September 2009.
|
Scotland
Worker died when bucket shifted
A man welding a tip bucket died when it moved, crushing him as he
worked on it. The incident occurred in January last year at the
Nutberry Works, Eastriggs, Annan, premises of Humax Horticulture Ltd of
Godalming, Surrey.
The company was fined £23,300 over the death of the agency worker, an
HSE official commented: “Workplace risks need to be managed by
employers, irrespective of how wages are paid and who pays them.
Employers who take on agency staff to plug a temporary gap in their
workforce should not provide any lesser standard of health and safety
protection for these people than they would for their own
employees. Incidents can happen when inadequate information and
instruction is provided to such workers. It may result in a failure to
take the correct action to control risks relating to the work in hand,
as shown by this tragic death.” 23rd
September 2009.
|
England
Fatal accident could have been
prevented
Following the £266,000 fine (plus costs of £75,000) given by Ipswich
Magistrate’s Court to Associated British Ports of Holborn, London, in
connection with a fatal industrial accident, an HSE official described
the tragedy as "another example of a fatal incident that could and
should have been prevented."
On 30th March 2007, a 60-year-old cargo handler was working as a ramp
man servicing a roll-on roll-off ferry at the Port of Ipswich. As he
stood on the bridge between the ferry and the quayside coordinating
vehicles on and off the ferry, he was struck by a reversing trailer.
The company had failed to ensure the provision and implementation of a
safe system of work for the operation.
The HSE official further commented: "The company had identified the
risks to the ramp man, yet failed to prevent him being in a position
of danger behind a reversing vehicle.
Workplace transport is not specific to the docks industry and many
other industries can learn lessons from this tragic
incident. Employers in all industries must ensure that the interaction
between moving vehicles and pedestrians in the workplace is managed
properly." 22nd
September 2009.
|
England
Risk controls not implemented by
contractor
ROK Building Ltd of Exeter has been fined £20,000 with costs of
£17,397 at the City of London Magistrates Court following a February
2007 industrial accident at Heathrow Terminal 4.
A self-employed flooring contractor was working on the renovation of
an airbridge when he fell 3 metres through its floor. The floor
covering had been lifted but the underlying subfloor was found to be
rotten, and an employee of ROK had lifted the plywood panels so that
the only remaining floor was a thin, and poorly supported, metal
sheet. 22nd
September 2009.
|
England
Fatal Yorks forklift RTA
Investigations continue into the fatal accident that occurred on the
10th of September in which a motorcyclist was in collision in Elland
with a forklift truck being operated by an employee of W T Knowles and
Sons Ltd as it crossed Park Road in the Lowfields Business Park.
21st September 2009.
|
England
Road works error led to accident
Balfour Beatty Infrastructure
Services Ltd of Basingstoke has been fined £15,000 with costs of
£31,139 at Chelmsford Crown Court having breached S.3(1) of the Health
and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 in connection with a road traffic
accident on 7th June 2006 during the conduct of repairs to the A1060
at Boyton Cross, near Chelmsford, Essex.
Investigation established that the road layout the company used was
not appropriate for the traffic flows. A road sign to alert users to
the fact that there was traffic control ahead was not put out and
there was no supervisor in charge of the works gang. 21st
September 2009.
|
United Kingdom
0.25m gas jobs done by 7,500
illegal gas fitters
Gas Safety Register has commissioned a study that has permitted it to
estimate that 7,500 hard core illegal gas fitters are doing jobs, such
as fitting gas cookers or hobs, gas fires, gas boilers or doing gas
pipework, without the skills or the qualifications to work on them.
The study has enabled a profile of the 'illegals' - 57% are sole
traders, 33% work in companies employing fewer than 4 people.
In addition to gas work, 90% also undertake plumbing jobs, 81%
bathroom fitting, 67% kitchen fitting, 43% general building and 43%
electrical work.
18th September 2009.
|
Wales
Misadventure verdict on platform death
An inquest jury has determined a misadventure verdict at the inquest
into the death of a construction worker in October 2007 when the barge
platform he was on collapsed at South Hook, Milford Haven.
The deceased was trapped in the submerged control cabin by his
inflated lifejacket.
The platform collapsed whilst it was being moved to a new position,
one of the 4 legs had risen too far, however inspection had failed to
find mechanical fault. 18th September 2009.
|
England
Recommendations from sledge
inquest
A Rotherham coroner has recorded a verdict of accidental death in the
case of the 16-year old girl who died in a sledging accident in a
field at Rother Valley Country Park in February this year.
The deceased, with 4 others, slid using a Land Rover roof through a
fence at high speed and suffered head injuries as she was thrown off,
her companions sustained injuries when the improvised sledge crashed
into another fence.
The Coroner is to write to Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council with
recommendations, in particular that the now removed wire fence should
not be reinstated.
17th September 2009.
|
Scotland
Clacks workers' shock discovery
Workers at Diageo Ltd's premises at Cambus, Clackmannanshire, were
shocked to find 2 live Black Widow spiders in a container delivered to
them from California.
This species of spider has an
extremely poisonous bite, staff have been advised to utilise suitable
personal protective equipment provided for them.
17th September 2009.
|
England
Narrow escape for Cambs workmen
Three workmen narrowly escaped fatal electrocution yesterday afternoon
when the rugby posts they were erecting at King's School, Ely, earthed
overhead power cables.
All three are believed to be recovering well.
16th September 2009.
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England
Open verdict at inquest
A Coroner's Court jury has returned an open verdict having listened to
the circumstances of the death of an employee of British Airways who
was impaled on a steel member of a barrier at Heathrow airport in
March 2007.
The 50-year old had been driving an aircraft servicing vehicle when it
struck one of the bollards positioned to protect baggage staff.
It overturned and a cross-member inflicted a serious injury which
resulted in his paralysis death over 2 years later.
16th September 2009.
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Scotland
Apprentice plunged through
opening
A 20-year old apprentice joiner fell through an opening in the floor
of a new primary school in Arden, Glasgow, when the loose sheet of
plywood covering it failed.
The June 2007 incident led to a court appearance for the joiner's
employer, City Building (Glasgow) LLP of Darnick Street, Glasgow. It
was fined £20,000 for the breach of the Health and Safety at Work etc
Act 1974.
An HSE inspector described how “for a period of several days, floor
openings had been left just covered with loose sheets of plywood which
were totally unsuitable for that purpose.”
15th September 2009.
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England
Workman killed, colleague injured in Essex RTA
A workman maintaining a road sign in Littlebury Green has died after a
car involved in a collision left the road and struck him and a
colleague on Friday afternoon.
The injured man is described as being in serious condition.14th September 2009.
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England
Forklift fatally injured operator
Trackline (International) Ltd of
Northampton has been fined £7,500 with £6,690 costs at Lincoln Crown
Court in connection with a fatal industrial accident at its Bourne
premises in August 2007.
The 31-year old deceased employee was moving a large steel assembly
and encountered a large vehicle frame protruding into the unmarked
gangway. He decided to raise the forks over the obstruction to make
room for his vehicle to proceed but on realising that he would hit the
frame, colleagues shouted for him to stop in his tracks. He braked but
his load struck the frame, causing the truck to spin round, overturn
and crush him.
An HSE inspector commented: “If vehicles including forklift trucks are
to move around in the workplace it is vital that clearly marked
gangways are in place and that the risks arising from the loads being
carried are controlled."
14th September 2009.
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England
Fatality at Teesside plastics factory
HSE is investigating a death on Monday at the Lucite International UK
Ltd's Cassel Works in Billingham.
No details have been reported concerning the employee's death.
11th September 2009.
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England
Gangmaster fined for operating without
license
Following the reporting by the Gangmasters' Licensing Authority of an
incident on 13th September 2007 on Yeoman Wharf cockle beds south of
Flookborough a man has been prosecuted and fined £4,600, including
costs, for operating without a GLA license.
Four of the five migrant workers at the site required to be rescued by
Morecambe lifeboat as waters rose.
11th September 2009.
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England
Chain saw inflicted fatal neck wound
A Sheffield Coroner's Court has deemed that a tree surgeon died in an
accident in October 2008 after he lost control of his chainsaw,
perhaps after a slip on a branch.
The 21-year old sustained a severe neck wound and was discovered,
suspended from his harness, by colleagues.
10th September 2009.
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England
Company failed to control dermatitis risk
Prysmian Cables and Systems Limited
have been fined £27,500 with costs of £10,700 at Southampton Crown
Court for 3 breaches of the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health
Regulations (as amended) 2002.
The company's managers, between 3rd January 2006 and 17th March 2008,
failed to control the risks of hazardous substances, including a
known skin irritant, at its Eastleigh premises. As a consequence, an
employee suffered severe dermatitis and was required to take
retirement on medical grounds, something that could have been avoided
by adopting relatively simple and low cost control measures.
10th September 2009.
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England
Kitchen fall led to death
An inquest jury has determined accidental death after considering the
facts surrounding the death of a learning support assistant employed
at West Suffolk College, Bury St Edmonds.
The deceased 23-year old worker slipped in the college kitchen in
January this year, 3 weeks prior to her death.
Initial diagnosis was of a sprain, but a bone in her leg was broken in
the fall and she died of a pulmonary embolism initiated by a deep vein
thrombosis. 9th
September 2009.
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England
Tipping lorry contacted power cables
The driver of a vehicle visiting a waste site in Staffs in September
last year suffered an electric shock from overhead power cables. He
was using a control lever to move the extending arm of his truck when
it touched 33kV overhead electric cables. The electricity passed
through the vehicle and his body, throwing him from the vehicle and
burning his arm and feet.
The owner of the site, trading as Fallows Recycling Services,
pleaded guilty at Newcastle-under-Lyme Magistrates Court to breaching
r.14 of the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 and was fined £1,600
with £2,214 costs.
An HSE official commented: "There were no barriers or warnings to
prevent drivers visiting this site from tipping waste materials under
the power lines and it was only a matter of time before an incident
like this took place".
9th September 2009.
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England
Scaffolding fall
It is reported that a workman has fallen from a scaffolding while
painting a residential property in Cavenham, Cambridgeshire. He
sustained multiple injuries in the 10-metre fall on Friday.
8th September 2009.
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England
Licensed company was not used for
asbestos work
Mansell Build Ltd, formerly Birse Build Ltd of Cheadle Hulme,
Cheshire, has been fined £12,500 with £12,500 costs for not adhering
to legal requirements in relation to asbestos removal at Kelford
School in Rotherham in 2006.
Mansell, the principal contractor for the project, was employed to
carry out the work to remove asbestos insulating board ceilings but it
contracted ARB Agriplant Ltd of Rotherham who did not have a licence
for such work.
A former manager of ARB Agriplant Ltd was fined £2,500 with £500 costs
and another individual, to whom the work was further contracted, was
fined £500 and ordered to pay £250 costs.
All involved failed to implement basic requirements to prevent the
spread and exposure to asbestos, additionally, ARB Agriplant Ltd
provided a forged asbestos licence and a falsified clearance
certificate to Mansell Build Ltd to the effect that the work had
been undertaken by a licensed contractor and that the area was free
from asbestos. 7th
September 2009.
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England
Accident victim lost leg
KJ Plant Developments Ltd has been fined £14,000 with £6,015 costs
over an accident in which an employee lost a leg and sustained
extensive injuries to the other.
In March last year, the worker was unloading mesh reinforcement from a
vehicle when the load slipped from the forks of a forklift truck and
fell on him, crushing his legs.
An HSE official explained: “The accident victim has been left with
life changing injuries. His employer failed to implement fundamental
safety procedures. The loading and unloading of lorries requires
careful planning and effective control and should be considered as a
critical part of transport management."
7th September 2009.
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England
Steeplejack fell 35 metres
An inquest has determined that a 52-year old steeplejack, who fell
through a gantry opening in a chimney at Sutton Bridge Power Station
in March last year, died accidentally.
The inquest in Spalding, Lincs, heard how the deceased's harness was
unclipped from any anchorage at the time as he prepared for painting
work. 4th
September 2009.
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England
BUPA fined
BUPA Care Homes (CFH Care) Ltd has been fined £15,000, with £10,500
costs, in connection with the death in July last year of an 80-year
old client who fell from bed as she was being dressed by a lone,
inexperienced care assistant at the West Ridings Nursing Home in
Lofthouse.
The correct procedure for this work required 2 persons, the employee
had only started work on the unit 6 days earlier and didn’t complete
the necessary formal training on patient handling.
4th September 2009.
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England
Golf course death
A workman has died at Stanedge Golf Club in Ashover, Derbyshire, in an
accident involving a mowing machine. It is reported that he became
trapped under the machine and died at the scene on Tuesday.
3rd
September 2009.
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England
Van repair death
A Staffs woman died on Tuesday afternoon in an incident in which she
was reportedly repairing a van on a street in Knypersley, Staffs.
Accounts state that she was crushed beneath it and that she died at
the scene.
3rd September 2009.
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Wales
Level crossing death
An elderly female driver has died after her car collided with a train
at a level crossing at Penrhyndeudraeth, Gwynedd, no passengers
or crew on the train were injured.
3rd September 2009.
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Scotland
Aberdeen scaffolding death
A worker aged 63 fell to his death from scaffolding on Tuesday at a
site being redeveloped in Carmelite Lane in the centre of Aberdeen.
One account states he was trapped under scaffolding members and rubble
and died in hospital.
2nd September 2009.
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England
W Midlands manufacturer fined
Hotchkiss Ltd, a Staffs ducting manufacturing company, has been fined
£14,000 with £5,718 costs in connection with an industrial
accident in Wombourne in which an employee severed a toe and suffered
broken and dislocated bones in his foot when a forming head fell on
him.
An HSE inspector lamented the company's lack of risk assessment and
safe systems that permitted the accident to occur.
2nd September 2009.
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England
Tower scaffold platform had no
handrails
On 2nd August 2007, a 63-year old employee of EDF Energy Contracting
Ltd, contracted by West Sussex County Council, was dismantling a
mobile tower scaffold in the sports hall of Worthing High School in
West Sussex. The scaffolding had been used to carry out high-level
maintenance to lighting and heating appliances within the sports hall
and the top working platform had been removed. The employee was on an
intermediate platform when it appears that he stumbled and, because
there were no handrails, he fell more than 5 metres, suffering fatal
head injuries.
EDF pleaded guilty to breaching
r.4b and 4c of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 and was fined
£160,000 with costs of £24,595. 1st
September 2009.
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England
Dental lab ignored enforcement
notices
The Rossford Dental Laboratory in Swinton, Greater Manchester, has been
fined £2,500 with costs of £1,500 at Trafford Magistrates’ Court after
it failed to comply with the requirements stated in HSE enforcement notices within a 2- month time period.
HSE described the premises as 'extremely unclean' to the extent that
workers' health was at risk.
1st September 2009.
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