Belgium
Wall collapse kills worker at Brussels rail site
A worker was killed yesterday on an Infrabel site at Jette station,
north Brussels, when a wall collapsed into a 12-metre deep excavation
in which 4 workers were engaged on a tunnel extension.
Initial investigation suggests that a mini bulldozer on the site
became unstable and struck the wall, precipitating its collapse. Two
of the other workers were hospitalised, the 3rd man emerged with light
injuries. 30th
September 2011
|
Germany
Earthworks collapse traps worker at Jena station
During deep drainage work in an excavation at Goschwitz station, south
Jena, an earthworks collapse occurred, trapping a worker. The
instability of the excavation led to a difficult rescue of the worker
who was hospitalised, his condition was unknown.
30th September 2011
|
USA
2 Maine workers died in septic tank confined space accident
Two employees of Stevens Electric & Pump Service have died in an
apparent confined space accident at the Lodge at Turbat's Creek in
Kennebunkport, Maine.
They were repairing a sewage pump in a 3-metre deep concrete holding
tank and appear to have been overcome in an oxygen deficient
atmosphere. Concern grew about the workers and their bodies were later
found floating in the tank when it was decided to pump it out.
29th September 2011
|
Italy
Campania worker crushed in press; Lombardy man dies in fall from
height
Two workers died in separate fatal
accidents on Wednesday.
A worker was crushed in a press in an accident at Rieter in Pignatore
Maggiore, 25 miles north of Naples; at Casciago in Varese a
construction worker died in a 7-metre fall on a building site.
29th September 2011
|
Belgium
Schoolboy dragged under bus as backpack strap snags
An 8-year old schoolboy was killed on Tuesday afternoon when he was
dragged under a school bus on Dendermondsesteenweg in Willebroek,
initial investigation of the accident points to a strap of his
backpack hooking on the vehicle as he alighted and then drawing him
under the school bus, of Sjabi from Puurs, as it took off.
28th September 2011
|
Belgium
Ammonia explosion leaves workers critically injured
Two workers were listed in life-threatening condition in the burns
unit of the military hospital at Neder-Over-Heembeek following an
explosion and ammonia release on Tuesday at the Belle-Vue plant in
Leeuw-Saint-Pierre. Three subcontractors were dismantling a disused
installation which still contained liquid ammonia, 2 medics attending
the accident were also taken to the Erasme hospital in Anderlecht.
28th
September 2011
|
Germany
Falling pole hits Berlin worker on scaffold
A construction worker was listed in life-threatening condition in
hospital in Berlin last night after being struck on the head by a
falling pole while working on a scaffold at a house on Graefestrasse
in Kreuzberg. He slipped between the scaffold and wall of the house
and was later rescued by firemen.
27th September 2011
|
South Africa
Major sea search for stricken yacht
A major sea search and rescue operation took place on Monday to find a
Durban catamaran drifting in a 4-metre swell 40 miles south of Port
Edward.
Three of the 6 crew members were severely dehydrated following
prolonged seasickness and the 14-metre long craft had lost propulsion
after a rope fouled a propeller and the other engine overheated.
27th September 2011
|
Nepal
19 killed in Everest sightseeing
aircraft crash
A Buddha Air Beechcraft 1900D aircraft crashed into a hillside in fog
and rain yesterday at Godavari, 6 miles from Kathmandu, killing all 19
people on board.
The flight was returning from an "Everest Experience" sightseeing tour
of the Himalayas, contact with the aircraft was lost 4 minutes before
the crash.
26th September 2011
|
Brazil
Patient in Rio hospital morgue
found to be alive
A female patient was taken from the morgue of the Hospital Estadual
Adao Pereira Nunes in Saracuruna, Rio de Janeiro, and re-admitted to
intensive care after her daughter found that she was still alive and
breathing when she arrived at the morgue to see her mother and collect
her death certificate. She had sustained 2 brain haemorrhages and was
on a ventilator when a doctor certified her as dead and displaying no
vital signs. The doctor has since tendered his resignation.
26th September 2011
|
USA
Worker falls to his death
testing zip line at Pauka'a adventure course
An 800-metre long zip line spanning a stream at Honolii Mountain
Outpost near Hilo, Hawaii, came down when a support tower at one end
collapsed, killing a worker of Experiential Resources who was testing
the line at the adventure course of Lava Hotline.
The worker on the line fell 70
metres, a colleague near the tower fell 10 metres and has critical
internal injuries in hospital in Hilo. It is believed that adjustments
had just been made to the line prior to the accident.
23rd September 2011
|
Russia
Nuclear sub/trawler collision off Kamchatka
The nuclear submarine
Svyatoi Georgi Pobedonosets( St George the Conqueror) sustained light
damage to its outer hull and is under repair in Vilyuchinsk after a
collision with the trawler Seiner Donets in Avachina Bay, Kamchatka.
The trawler was passing another fishing boat, the Kormchii, in the
Petropavlovsk-Kamchatka fishing area when the accident happened. The
submarine was on the surface with its navigation lights active and
fired flares to alert the trawler to its position. It has been alleged
that the trawler's bridge was unmanned and the crew inebriated.
23rd September 2011
|
Australia
Company fined over cleaner's death in industrial blender
At an industrial court in Sydney FIP Brakes International was fined
$117K(£75,804) and a director was fined $10,400(£6,738) after pleading
guilty to a breach of the Occupational Health & Safety Act 2000 over
an accident in which a cleaner died inside a large industrial blender
to which power had not been de-activated.
22nd September 2011
|
New Zealand
Southland farmer dies in quad bike accident
The Department of Labour has been advised of a fatal accident which
occurred yesterday on a farm at Tuatapere, 50 miles northwest of
Invercargill, where a 67-year old farmer died in a quad bike accident.
22nd September 2011
|
Iraq
Basra gas facility explosion
A major fire broke out yesterday at the South Gas Company's gas
compression facility in Rumaila, Basra, as maintenance workers were
changing equipment on the compressor. As many as 15 workers were
injured, some with severe burns, the fire was under control later in
the day and remaining leaked gas was being burned off. Some early
local reports had spoken of a fatality and some workers unaccounted
for. 21st September
2011
|
USA
Workers electrocuted on Washington and Pennsylvanian sites
A 42-year old worker was electrocuted while power washing a silo in
Woodland, Washington, from a MEWP (mobile elevated work platform). It
is speculated that he made contact with an adjacent high power line
during the activity.
In Saltsburg, Pennsylvania, a construction worker was electrocuted
when his aluminium ladder contacted an overhead power line during
clearing up work outside the Faith Alliance Church.
21st September 2011
|
USA
Worker's arm severed in hop processor
A 23-year old employee of Green Acre Farms severed an arm in a hop
processor conveyor belt accident at the premises west of Toppenish,
Washington. He was carrying a bag of material under the hop processor
when the bag became snagged between the belt and axle of the conveyor
belt, drawing his arm in. Despite the severity of the injury, his
condition is not believed to be life-threatening.
20th September 2011
|
Australia
Competition skydiver injured in heavy fall
A 27-year old skydiver was admitted to Townsville Hospital with
critical injuries after landing heavily in Murray Street, Tully, while
competing in the annual North Queensland Parachuting Competition.
Fourteen skydivers were jumping from a Cessna aircraft at 1.3K metre
and 1.7K metre altitude and the victim was parachuting in a 4-man
formation. There was prevailing cloud cover and this may have
contributed to the skydivers drifting west of the designated landing
area. Workplace Health & Safety has been advised of the accident.
20th September 2011
|
Italy
Piedmont electrician electrocuted in restaurant kitchen
A 32-year old Piedmont electrician was electrocuted yesterday at Il
Porte restaurant on via Corte d'Appello, Turin, where he and 4
colleagues were undertaking rewiring work in the kitchen area. 19th September 2011
|
Russia
One drowned in Vladivostok boat collision
A private boat and a Unix cargo ship collided in Zolotoi Rog Bay,
Vladivostok, yesterday, killing 1 person and injuring 2 others. The
accident occurred at Berth 47 of the fishing port, all 10 occupants of
the private boat had to be rescued from the water after it sank.
19th September 2011
|
Colombia
7 killed in Choco gold mine accident
A slippage of earthworks killed 7 miners at an illegal gold mine near
El Atrato in the Choco region of western Colombia, only 2 people
managed to get out alive.
Ingeominas (Institut Colombiano de Geologia y Mineria) has expressed
concern that there may be a further 10 such unlicensed mines operating
in the Choco region with 50 miners working illegally in dangerous
conditions, working in excavations under diggers with little or no
shoring of earthworks. 16th September 2011
|
England
CQC issues formal warning over patient's scalding
The Care Quality Commission has issued a formal warning to care
provider Saxon-Lo, also trading as Surecare Enabling (Bath and
Mendip), over an accident in which a 19-year patient from Peasedown St
John with severe learning difficulties was hospitalised after an
inadequately trained carer placed him in a bath of scalding water.
Investigation found that staff had not been trained properly to ensure
that the bath water was a safe temperature and some staff were
undertaking such duties prior to completion of training. It was also
found that staff were not trained in the care of people with mental
health conditions. The patient has recovered from his burns but
hospitalisation was protracted as he contracted pneumonia in his
weakened condition. 16th September 2011
|
France
Four killed in survey helicopter crash in Upper Savoy
Four people died in a helicopter crash on Wednesday morning after the
tail rotor of the Ecureuil craft contacted the teleriphique wire of a
cable car line at Vallorcine in the Barbarine area of Upper Savoy.
The helicopter of Chamonix Mont-Blanc Helicopteres was undertaking a
survey flight of the Emosson dam and was believed to have been landing
to drop off 2 people near a cable car pylon. Upon impact 2 of the
occupants were pitched out and the other 2 remained trapped as the
helicopter caught fire.
15th September 2011
|
Germany
Bavarian worker dies in scaffold accident
A 48-year old worker engaged on maintenance work on industrial
premises in Gmunder Street,
Schorndorf, died in a 9-metre fall from unstable scaffolding. He
grabbed at the building and managed to hang on for some moments before
falling and breaking his neck. A colleague survived by jumping clear.
15th September 2011
|
Argentina
Worst rail accident in 50 years
A level crossing collision between a bus and a train in Flores
station, Buenos Aires, during yesterday's morning rush hour led to a
derailment which left 11 people dead and 220 injured.
This was the worst rail accident in Buenos Aires for 50 years. It is
alleged that the bus attempted to negotiate the Artigas level crossing
on the Sarmiento line with the barriers descended to 45° and against a
red warning light. The train propelled the bus against a platform and
then struck an oncoming train travelling to Once.
14th September 2011
|
South Africa
Game ranger shot by accidental fire
Ezemvelo KZN Wildlife is investigating a fatal accident on the Mfolozi
Game Reserve where one of their game rangers was killed by a
colleague's friendly fire while tracking rhino poachers at night.
14th September 2011
|
Kenya
120 killed in Nairobi petrol pipeline explosion
As many as 120 people died and 100 others were
hospitalised in an explosion
following a leak in a petrol pipeline of the Kenya Pipeline Company in
the Lunga Lunga industrial estate in Nairobi. People had gathered to
avail themselves of the leaking fuel when the pipeline exploded,
possibly due to a carelessly discarded cigarette. 13th
September 2011
|
New Zealand
Christchurch crush accident; Auckland demolition accident
A transport company worker died in a crush accident on Monday at Trans
Diesel Ltd in Hornby, Christchurch, where he became pinned between his
lorry and a generator which was being moved.
In
Auckland 3 workers were injured when a
stairwell collapsed prematurely during demolition work at the Mid City
Arcade site in Queen Street, Auckland, being renovated into retail
outlets by Watt & Hughes.
13th September 2011
|
Tanzania
At least 220 drown in Zanzibar ferry sinking
At least 220 people died when the overloaded ferry MV Spice Islander
capsized and sank as it sailed between Zanzibar Island(Unguja) and
Pemba.
As there appeared to have been no reliable passenger roster it became
impossible to tell how many might still be missing. The ferry was also
believed to have been carrying 120 tonnes of rice and sugar. 12th September 2011
|
Germany
Earth slippage derails Rhine train
A DB (Deutsche Bundesbahn) railway driver was badly injured on Sunday
when an Intercity express train derailed at St Goar on the Rhine.
Heavy rain had dislodged scree and debris which came down on to the
track. Although 4 carriages derailed, none overturned.
12th September 2011
|
Switzerland
Track maintenance loco derails in Waadtland
Two rail track workers were badly injured when their locomotive
derailed during track maintenance work on the Goldenpass line near
Rochers-de-Naye station in Waadtland. The train had begun to pull up
the mountain then experienced mechanical failure and rolled back 70
metres before derailing. One worker was thrown off, another was pinned
and has back and arm injuries, both were hospitalised in Lausanne. 9th September 2011
|
Ukraine
3 trapped in Donetsk mine
Three Donetsk miners were trapped following a fall of rock 477 metres
underground at the Poltavskaya mine, 97 others managed to reach
safety. 9th September 2011
|
Russia
Ice hockey team killed in Belarus bound
aircraft crash
A Yak-42 aircraft with 37 people on
board crashed a mile from Tunoshna airport, 10 miles southeast of Yaroslavl, during its
ascent, only 1 person survived the accident.
The aircraft was carrying
the Yaroslavl Locomotive ice hockey team to a fixture in Minsk.
8th September 2011
|
USA
Worker crushed in Iowa grain bin
A worker suffocated in a grain bin at the MaxYield Cooperative
elevator in Dickens, Iowa, when corn became unstable in the bin as 3
workers were emptying it. 8th September 2011
|
USA
Bin man killed in fall from front of moving wagon
A 17-year old worker has died in a fall from the front of a bin wagon
on a country road near Parker, Indiana, another worker broke a leg in
the accident. Both workers were riding at the front when the wagon
bounced over a pothole, the teenager fell under the vehicle, the other
worker was pitched into a ditch.
7th September 2011
|
USA
S Carolina tractor rollover fatality
A tractor rollover accident occurred yesterday on Henry Alfred Road, 2
miles west of Brittons Neck, South Carolina, killing the driver who
became pinned between the tractor and a tree. The tractor was carrying
a bale of hay at the front and this may have been a factor in creating
vehicle instability.
7th September 2011
|
Italy
Chemical leak at swimming pool badly injures maintenance workers
Emergency crews responded to a "codice rosso" maximum alert on Monday
after 4 workers were exposed to sulphuric acid during maintenance
work at the swimming pool of a tennis club at Lavinio, south of Rome.
The workers have been admitted to different hospitals and were listed
in very serious condition.
6th September 2011
|
Austria
Nitric acid leaks as container splits in fall from forklift
A large container holding 1K litres of nitric acid fell from a
forklift during transportation on Monday at the Maco chemical works in
Trieben, Styria. A leakage occurred and 550 workers had to be evacuated, 6
were admitted to hospital with breathing difficulties.
6th September 2011
|
Germany
Man crushed in press at Harz metal works
A Harz maintenance worker was killed at the
weekend in a crush accident while
working on a press at a metal works in Wernigerode, Saxony- Anhalt.
His upper body became trapped in the press which activated as he
worked. 5th September 2011
|
Canada
Quebec surveyor crushed under lorry
A surveyor was killed in a transport accident on Friday at a
construction site on Highway 30 in Chateauguay, Quebec, where he
became pinned under a lorry. He was transferred to hospital where he
died of his injuries.
3rd September 2011
|
Italy
Sicilian bricklayer killed in fall through roof
A fall of several metres through a the roof of a villa in the Malvello
district of Casteltermini, Agrigento, led to the death of a bricklayer
on Friday. It was speculated that he had placed a foot in a gap and
lost his balance.
3rd September 2011
|
Austria
Welder dies in argon rich atmosphere
A welder died yesterday during hot metal work in a food tank/container
at premises in Pinsdorf, a village in Upper Austria, a colleague
survived the accident and received hospital treatment. Initial
investigation appeared to point to a high concentration of argon gas
in the tank. 2nd
September 2011
|
Croatia
Fish processors hospitalised by ammonia leak
An ammonia leak at the Conex fish factory near Trilj saw 5 workers
hospitalised, a 49-year old female worker was kept in hospital in
Split. 2nd
September 2011
|
Sweden
Worker falls through silo roof into corrosive liquid
A worker's body was recovered from a cistern of hot lye yesterday at
the Munksjo Paper factory in Billingsfors. He had fallen 9 metres
through the roof of a silo containing the cistern of lye heated to
175ºC, Arbetsmiljoverket (Work Environment Authority) has launched an
investigation. 1st
September 2011
|
Italy
Man's hand crushed at Aosta works
A worker of Nuova Carpenteria Aosta was hospitalised yesterday after
breaking several fingers when his hand was crushed in heavy equipment
during maintenance work at Cogne Acciai Speciali in Aosta.
1st September 2011
|
|
Russia
5 killed in Nizhny Novgorod rail accident
Six passengers alighting from a train in Linda station, Nizhny
Novgorod, were struck by a locomotive as they crossed the tracks
yesterday, 5 of them were killed, the other has severe injuries.
30th September 2011
|
Belgium
Hydraulic press explosion in Brussels garage
A hydraulic press exploded on Thursday at Le Grand Garage du Nord on
the chausee de Bruxelles in Tournai, inflicting serious facial
injuries to 2 workers, the more badly injured of the pair was admitted
to the Dorcas clinic.
30th September 2011
|
Luxembourg
Surveyor run over by excavator
A 33-year old surveyor was killed yesterday on a construction site on
Montee de Troosneppchen, Echternach, where he was struck by an
excavator during levelling work on a gradient.
29th September 2011
|
USA
Worker's legs severed at beer distribution unit
An investigation was launched into an accident at the Clare Rose beer
distribution facility in Shirley, New York, where a worker lost both
legs in an accident, his condition in hospital was listed as critical.
29th
September 2011
|
China
Signal failure leads to Shanghai metro collision
Shanghai Metro Company has indicated that a signalling failure caused
Tuesday's collision of 2 trains on Line 10 near Yu Yuan station which
saw 271 people injured. The signalling is believed to have been
supplied by Casco Signal Ltd.
28th September 2011
|
Spain
Electrician dies of heart attack
A 46-year old electrician of Acuelma, subcontracted under UHL, is
believed to have died of a heart attack and not electrocution, in an
accident at the new Mostoles hospital site where he was changing a
lighting fitting in the new radiotherapy unit. It would be defined a
workplace accident under Real Decreto Legislativo 1/1994, ".. any
physical injury a worker sustains during or as a consequence of work."
28th September 2011
|
Italy
Electrician badly burned in Genoa
An electrician was admitted to the burns unit of the Villa Scassi di
Sampierdarena hospital in Genoa after being badly burned on the face
and arms while working in a condominium property in via Lavagetto in
Mignanego, Genoa.
The emergency services declared it a "codice rosso"
incident and he was listed in grave condition last night.
27th September 2011
|
France
Spectator falls to death at Le Mans 24 Hours
A spectator at the Le Mans 24 Hours race died in a 12-metre fall from
the stands at garage 27 on the circuit. He was pronounced dead in
hospital in Le Mans, preliminary investigation of the incident
indicated an accident.
27th September 2011
|
England
Train hits tractor on
Norfolk level crossing
A Norfolk farm worker was admitted to Queen Elizabeth Hospital in
Kings Lynn yesterday after his tractor and vegetable-laden trailer was
struck by a train on a level crossing at Hamlin Way, Saddlebow, Kings
Lynn, the Rail Accident Investigation Branch has been advised of the
accident.
26th September 2011
|
USA
New York engineer killed in fall
down lift shaft
A 44-year old lift engineer died in a fall into an open lift shaft at
a building on West 38th Street, New York. The lift was deactivated at
the time and it is speculated that he lost his balance and fell from
the 9th floor. He was alive and in cardiac arrest when medics arrived
but he died later in hospital. 26th September 2011
|
England
Devon fair ride accident
A lighting column detached
and struck a moving carriage on Freddy's Revenge ride at the
Barnstaple Fair, 2 passengers were admitted to North Devon District
Hospital with leg injuries. The HSE has been advised of the accident. 23rd September 2011
|
England
Cambs engineer crushed by falling equipment
The HSE is investigating a
fatal accident at Universal Builders Supply on Chestnut Lane,
Bassingbourn, where a construction engineer died in a crush accident involving
falling equipment. 23rd September 2011
|
Switzerland
HGV overturns on Baselland site
An HGV driver was badly injured yesterday when his vehicle overturned
when subsidence occurred during unloading at a building site on
Emmenweg, Blauen.
22nd September 2011
|
Austria
Gas explosion in Vienna summerhouse
A 76-year old woman sustained burns over 40% of her body yesterday in
an explosion following a build-up of gas in a summerhouse at a
property in Modling, Vienna. She was listed in life-threatening
condition last night.
22nd September 2011
|
Germany
Saxony regional train derails in level crossing collision
Around 21 people were injured yesterday when a train struck a car on a
level crossing in Bad Lausick, 20 miles southeast of Leipzig. The car
which had been waiting at the descended level crossing gates was
struck and pushed forward on to the crossing by a following Mercedes
transporter, whose driver reacted promptly to help pull the 64-year
old car driver clear from his stricken car prior to the collision
which saw 3 carriages derailed. Six of the injured are reported to be
in serious condition.
21st September 2011
|
USA
Iowa fireman killed directing traffic at highway accident
An Iowa fireman died while directing traffic at an accident site on
Interstate Highway 80 in Pottawattamie County. Traffic was crawling in
the lane adjacent to where he was standing, but he was struck by a car
which entered the accident lane from which he was trying to divert
traffic. 21st
September 2011
|
Kuwait
Man dies in joinery workshop fire
One person died and 4 were injured when fire broke out in a joinery
workshop in the basement of a residential building in the Khaitan
suburb of Kuwait City. Fire crews had a difficult task fighting the
fire and rescuing the trapped workers, a fireman was among the
injured. 20th
September 2011
|
Germany
Fatal accident at Hessen composting facility
A load on a vehicle at a composting facility in Alsbach-Hahnlein,
south Hessen, became unstable on Monday morning and overturned,
burying a worker who was standing beside the vehicle.
20th September 2011
|
Bangladesh
Falling section kills ship breaker
A heavy metal plate fell and killed a 26-year old worker yesterday
during the dismantling of a boat at the Fortune Ship Breaking yard in
Sitakunda Upazila, Chittagong. 19th September 2011
|
USA
Trench collapse kills Denver construction worker
A 45-year old Colorado construction worker died in an unstable
excavation which collapsed at a newbuild house site in the Solterra
area of Lakewood, southwest Denver.
19th September 2011
|
Norway
2 crew died in cruise ship engine room fire
An engine room fire on board the Hurtigruten cruise ship Nordlys led
to the deaths of 2 crew members and the hospitalisation of 16 others,
6 of whom have serious burns. There were also 4 people unaccounted for
at one point of the rescue operation which saw half of the 207
passengers transferred to lifeboats as the boat was taken under tow to
Alesund by Redningsselskapet (coast guard). 16th September 2011
|
Northern Ireland
School bus owner fined over defective vehicle
A school bus company owner was fined £400 at Londonderry Magistrates'
Court over the dangerous condition of a school bus inspected on
Limavady Road on 26th February this year. The bus had defective
indicator and reversing lights, a cracked windscreen, no first aid kit
and rear seats which were secured only by cable. 16th September 2011
|
England
Cumbrian farmer injured in fall through byre roof
A farmer is being treated in Cumberland Hospital, Carlisle, for
serious multiple injuries to his chest and back after falling 5 metres
through the roof of a byre on a farm at Kirkby Thore, Penrith.
15th September 2011
|
South Africa
Fall of ground fatality at First Uranium mine
A fall of ground accident on No 50 level at the First Uranium mine at
Ezulwini led to the death of a drill operator, the 4th fatal accident
at the mine in the last year.
15th September 2011
|
Italy
Contractor dies in 10m fall at Tuscan incinerator
The 47-year old head of a construction company was killed in a
10-metre fall from the roof of a shed at the Montale incinerator in
Pistoia on Tuesday during inspection work.
14th September 2011
|
Japan
Air traffic controller fell asleep
A thorough investigation has been promised by a Minister responsible
for air traffic control after an incident at Naha Airport, Okinawa,
where an air traffic controller fell asleep at work on the night shift
and an All Nippon Airways cargo flight from Bangkok was unable to get
landing approval for 12 minutes.
14th September 2011
|
France
Furnace explosion at Centraco waste facility
A furnace explosion occurred on Monday at the Centraco facility
in Codolet, killing one worker and injuring 4 others.
The furnace disposes of low-level radioactive scrap metal components
and lies adjacent to, but separate from, the Marcoule nuclear research
site. 13th
September 2011
|
Canada
Utility worker dies in pole collapse
An employee of Empirica Energy under contract by AltaLink for the
installation of a temporary power line in Crowsnest Pass, Alberta, has
died in an accident when a pole he was climbing fell down.
13th September 2011
|
USA
Theme park worker killed in lightning strike
A 21-year old worker was killed by lightning at the weekend at
Adventure Island, Tampa, he was standing in water at the Key West
Rapids ride when the accident occurred.
12th September 2011
|
USA
Roads worker run over by asphalt roller in Virginia
A Virginia construction worker died at the weekend on a roads site in
Statecrest Drive, Annandale, where he was run over by an asphalt
roller, police have ruled this a workplace accident.
12th September 2011
|
England
Worker's fingers severed in block saw accident
At Huddersfield Magistrates' Court Shaw Pallet of Slaithwaite was
fined £7,500 plus £2,410 in costs over an accident in which a worker
severed sections of 2 fingers while trying to tape over gaps in a
chute under a wood cutting machine where sawdust and debris came
through holes and created blockages.
HSE investigation found that the factory lacked adequate procedures
for reporting and repairing faults and lacked robust safety systems to
prevent access to dangerous moving parts of the block saw.
Three years earlier the company had been
served with an Improvement Notice relating to the condition of a
circular saw which had inadequate protection to dangerous blades. 9th September 2011
|
Rep Ireland
Army disposes of unstable chemical taken from school lab
An army bomb disposal unit carried out a controlled explosion of
Dinitrophenylhydrazine which had been found in a unstable condition at
Colaiste Iosaef secondary school in Kilmallock, Limerick.
The discovery was made by a science teacher during a routine safety
audit when he noticed that the chemical had crystallised. 9th September 2011
|
France
Dutch fisherman killed in boat gear
A Dutch fisherman on the fishing boat
Ocean V11 died yesterday from injuries sustained in an accident
involving equipment for hauling nets.
The Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre in Den Helder received a
mayday and advised their French Cross
Corsen counterparts of the accident as the boat was 30 miles off
Plougasnou, Finistere. 8th
September 2011
|
Italy
Crane arm contacts power line in Treviso
Two workers sustained burns
injuries in Asolo, Treviso,
yesterday when a crane arm contacted a 20K-volt overhead power line. A
23-year old worker is listed in life-threatening condition in hospital
in Treviso, his 45-year old colleague has leg burns. 8th September 2011
|
Germany
HGV driver killed in uncoupling accident
At a biogas plant in Cham, Bavaria, on Tuesday morning a lorry driver
was knocked down and killed when a trailer he was uncoupling from his
vehicle ran over him.7th
September 2011
|
Croatia
Farmer gored by bull
An autopsy is being conducted on the body of a farmer who was
apparently gored to death by a bull while he was undertaking fencing
work on his land in Donja Jelenska, southwest of Popovaca.
7th September 2011
|
Israel
Haifa bin man killed by reversing wagon
A refuse collector was killed by a reversing bin van during a waste
collection run on Monday near the Paz bridge in Haifa.
6th September 2011
|
Germany
Ladder fall
A worker was hospitalised in Duisburg on Monday evening with
life-threatening injuries after falling 6 metres from a ladder while
working at a site on Otto-Hahn Strasse in Geldern. 6th September 2011
|
Australia
Worker dies in container terminal forklift accident
A man died and another person was seriously injured in an accident on
Friday at the Patrick container terminal at Port Botany, east Sydney,
it is believed that the accident involved a forklift truck.
3rd September 2011
|
USA
Engineer killed at Wyoming mine
The Mine Safety and Health Administration is investigating a fatal
accident which occurred yesterday at the North Antelope Rochelle Mine
of Peabody Powder River Mining LLC where a contract worker of Weston
Engineering died after being struck by a wrench during the drilling of
a water well at the surface mine in Wyoming.
3rd September 2011
|
Russia
Liquid bromine leak at railway station
More than 140 people sought medical help after liquid bromine leaked
from a railway wagon in Chelyabinsk station yesterday, some of 38
people hospitalised were South Urals Railway employees.
2nd September 2011
|
USA
Excavator driver reverses over unsighted worker
A worker has been hospitalised in Seattle with a broken pelvis and leg
after being run over by a reversing excavator at Birch Equipment in
Bellingham, Washington. It was thought that the worker had tripped and
was unsighted by the driver.
2nd September 2011
|
Canada
Utility worker electrocuted in Calgary
Alberta Occupational Health & Safety is investigating an accident in
southwest Calgary in which an Enmax employee was electrocuted while
working at a height of 5 metres in a lane off 37th Street Southwest
where he contacted a live power line.
1st September 2011
|
Lithuania
Mid-air collision during military training flight
Both pilots of an L-39 Albatross military aircraft ejected to safety
after a mid-air collision with a French Mirage 2000C aircraft during a
training flight, the Albatross came down in wooded area near Rekyva
Lake, the Mirage was able to continue in flight and land safely in
Zokniai. 1st
September 2011
|
|
England
Worker stabbed to death at North London retailer
Police have launched a murder inquiry following the death of an
employee of Halal Food Direct on The Broadway, Wood Green, where he
was allegedly stabbed to death in a dispute.
30th September 2011
|
Rep Ireland
Meath coroner's verdict on death of toddler in farm accident
At Drogheda Coroner's Court a verdict of accidental death was recorded
in respect of the death of a 20-month old boy who drowned in a water
containment tank on 19th October 2010 on a farm at Roughgrange,
Donore, County Meath. Relatives attempted cardiopulmonary
resuscitation when he was brought from the tank used to catch dirty
water from the yard but he succumbed to a heart attack in hospital.
Although there was a wall around the tank, it was lower at one
section. 30th
September 2011
|
England
Electric saw recoils on Herts worker's leg
Watford fire crews had to deploy an aerial platform to rescue a
builder who was badly injured 8 metres up on a scaffold at a house on
Herkomer Close, Bushey. He was using a fast cutter electric saw with a
circular blade for cutting metal when it recoiled and cut into his
thigh. 29th
September 2011
|
Canada
BC arborist killed by falling tree
A worker of Leader Silviculture died during a tree felling accident at
a BC Hydro site in Maple Ridge, British Columbia. Tree canopy was
being cleared from power lines but the victim was struck by a tree he
was felling. 29th
September 2011
|
England
Miner killed, another rescued in roof fall at Yorks pit
A roof fall at UK Coal's Kellingley Colliery near Knottingley killed 1
miner and left another injured. Both miners were believed to have been
trapped to the waist, but the surviving miner had been trapped by the
leg by the fallen debris. The colliery has two 800-metre deep shafts,
1 used by miners and the other for the transport of coal. The last
fatal accident at the colliery involved equipment 3 years ago.
28th September 2011
|
Rep Ireland
Skerries lobstermen drowned after getting entangled in gear
At Drogheda Coroner's Court a verdict of accidental death was recorded
in respect of an accident on 1st April 2010 in which 2 lobster
fishermen drowned after becoming entangled in potting ropes while
fishing off Clougherhead, County Louth. Their bodies were recovered 8
days later in the nets of the trawler Gliding Light. A pathologist
told the inquest that both men drowned, with hypothermia a significant
factor. 28th
September 2011
|
England
Worker fell through fragile roof
At Rotherham Magistrates' court 2 directors of Douglas Paul Cars were
fined £2K each plus £3,615 in costs after pleading guilty to breaches
of health and safety law in respect of an accident on 11th June 2010 in
which a worker sustained 3 fractures to his back and a broken elbow in
a fall through a fragile roof surface. A driver had gone out on to the
roof of the Used Mini Centre to seal roof leaks but fell 3.5 metres
through a skylight. Investigation by Rotherham Council
found that no risk assessment of the task had been undertaken and no
precautions were taken to prevent falls through the fragile roof
surface. 27th
September 2011
|
Austria
Train/tractor level crossing collision
A Romanian agricultural worker was badly injured when the tractor and
trailer he was driving collided with a local Linz train, the collision
cleft the tractor in two. He was taken to hospital in Wels but his
condition was unknown.
27th September 2011
|
Scotland
Clyde diver dies in decompression
accident
A diver died yesterday in what appears to have been a decompression
accident while diving to a wreck off Wemyss bay in the Firth of Clyde.
Largs lifeboat and an RN helicopter attended the accident, a colleague
who survived was taken to a decompression chamber in Millport.
26th September 2011
|
England
Custom and practice produced unsafe
system of work
A company's reliance on a system of work that evolved through the
custom and practice of its employees resulted in serious injury last
October.
Spark’s Mechanical Services Ltd of Aberdeen, an electrical and
refrigeration services company, has been prosecuted and fined £10,000
after an employee sustained fractured ribs and a collapsed lung when
he fell from a scaffolding tower.
The employee was working on the tower at Iceberg Ltd's fish processing
premises in Fraserburgh and was removing 2 ceiling mounted
refrigeration units from its coldstore. The units were held in
position by 8 bolts, the employee removed 4 before a forklift truck
was in place to support it, but then one or more of the bolts failed,
allowing the unit to fall and strike the scaffolding, resulting in him
falling 2.6 metres. Investigators also found
that the top guard rails were missing from the working side of the
scaffolding platform.
An HSE official commented: "A safe system of work might have included
the use of a forklift truck as a support, but it needed to have been
underneath the panel before any bolts were removed. It is also crucial
that guardrails are always in place around the working platforms of
scaffolds to avoid potential falls, often with catastrophic
consequences."
26th September 2011
|
England
Durham school bus loses roof under railway bridge
Fourteen people were
injured when the roof came off a school bus as it failed to clear a railway
bridge on Neasham Road, Darlington, on Thursday morning. The bus picks
up pupils in local villages for the town's Queen Elizabeth 6th Form
college but does not normally operate on Neasham Road. The most
seriously injured person of the 14 taken to Darlington Memorial
Hospital was a girl with a broken collarbone.
23rd September 2011
|
England
Skydiver sustains brain haemorrhage during wind tunnel training
A 23-year old skydiver
died of a subarachnoid haemorrhage which began as he was training in a
wind tunnel at the Airkix indoor skydiving centre in Trafford Quays,
Manchester. He was practising a simulated dive, advanced
"head-down" flying, when he became unwell and was later admitted to
hospital. 23rd September 2011
|
England
Newcastle gas explosion investigation
Gas engineers were investigating an explosion yesterday which blew the
roof off a terraced house in the Elswick district of Newcastle, a
38-year old man was hospitalised with serious burns and was believed
to be in potentially life-threatening condition.
22nd September 2011
|
Wales
Roof trusses injure worker
A construction worker sustained head, neck and back injuries in an
accident on Tuesday afternoon on a residential development under
construction in Oakdale, 10 miles north of Cardiff. He became trapped
by falling roof trusses at first floor level and had to be removed by
emergency services from his position by hydraulic platform.
22nd September 2011
|
New Zealand
Shunter injured in Dunedin rail collision
A 29-year old KiwiRail shunter sustained serious leg injuries on
Tuesday when a wagon on front of which he was working moving freight
from a cold store in Mosgiel collided with another train near Wharf
Street, Dunedin. The shunter was
positioned at the front of the train, initial speculation suggested
that the collision involved trains travelling on the same track.
21st September 2011
|
Canada
Transport fatality on Manitoba site
An HGV driver died when his lorry rolled over him during the unloading
of a gravel on a site close to Blumenort, 25 miles southeast of
Winnipeg.
21st September 2011
|
Canada
Worker critically injured in pipe laying accident
A 50-year old Alberta construction worker is listed in critical
condition in Foothills Hospital, Calgary, after being struck by a
4-metre long pipe on a site in Lethbridge.
He was inside a protective cage in a 13-metre deep excavation but the
drainage pipe slipped as it was being lowered into position from a
harness. 20th
September 2011
|
Austria
Fingers severed in drilling machine
On Monday morning at the Eaton premises in Schrems a worker severed
sections of 3 fingers in an accident involving a drilling machine when
his gloved hand became caught as he attempted to remove bore chips.
20th September 2011
|
England
Boy diver treated for bends
A 12-year old boy was airlifted to hospital in Hull yesterday for
hyperbaric treatment after feeling unwell and manifesting signs of
decompression sickness upon ascending too quickly from a depth of 12
metres to a dive boat off Seahouses.
19th September 2011
|
Austria
Children buried in unstable sand pit
Three children aged 8-13 became trapped under 5 tonnes of sand while
playing in an unstable sand pit in Prambachkirchen, Upper Austria. The
2 older children managed to extricate themselves and then pull out the
8-year old who had lost consciousness. He was hospitalised in Wels but
his condition was unknown last night. 19th September 2011
|
Wales
Miners trapped in flooded Swansea drift mine
Divers and specialist rescue teams were striving last night to reach 4
miners trapped 90 metres underground in the flooded Gleision Colliery,
a drift mine in Pontardawe in the Swansea Valley, 3 others managed to
get out but 1 was listed in critical condition. As water was being
pumped out, oxygen was being introduced through a parallel tunnel.
UPDATE. Sadly, by Friday evening all
4 miners' bodies were recovered dead from the mine. 17th September 2011
|
England
Soldier killed in shooting accident at Kent range
An investigation was launched into a shooting accident in which a
19-year old soldier was killed at the Lydd Ranges base in Romney
Marsh, Kent. 16th September 2011
|
Wales
Council fined over paraplegic's death
At Newport Crown Court Newport City Council was fined £100K plus
£60,108 in costs after pleading guilty to breaching safety law in
relation to an accident which led to the death by suffocation of a
53-year old paraplegic patient in his home in January 2008.
The council had arranged ceiling track hoists in his bathroom and
bedroom but HSE investigation found that the handset control was on
the floor next to his bed and tests found that it could easily be
displaced and fall off. One of the directional buttons on the handset
pointed in the wrong direction and an emergency pull cord for lowering
was not working because of battery terminal corrosion. The patient was
given the hoists to operate on his own although the manufacturer's
guidance indicated they should only be used with a carer present.
15th September 2011
|
England
Severe crush accident at Cambridgeshire site
A man was left with critical back and pelvic injuries after becoming
trapped under a vehicle at the former immigration detention centre on
Oakington Business Park in Longstanton.
15th September 2011
|
England
Asphalt machine injures Stoke worker's leg
A construction worker was admitted to University Hospital North
Staffordshire on Tuesday with a very serious leg injury following an
accident involving an asphalt mixing machine at a driveway resurfacing
site on Wilson Road in Hanford, Stoke-on-Trent. 14th
September 2011
|
Wales
Boy,4, rescued from Cardiff fountain
A passing student jumped into a fountain in Cathays Park outside
Cardiff City Hall yesterday to rescue a 4-year old boy who was
floating face down in the water. The boy was then admitted to the
paediatric intensive care unit of the University Hospital of Wales
where he was listed in stable condition last night. Cardiff Council is
aware of the accident and launched an investigation.
14th September 2011
|
Canada
Boy run over by combine harvester
A 7-year old child was run over and killed by a combine harvester on
which he had been riding at a farm near Darlingford, Manitoba.
The boy's death reflects the fact that almost half of child fatalities
on Canadian farms over the last couple of decades involve transport or
equipment. 13th
September 2011
|
Scotland
Fire at Inverness funeral parlour
An outbreak of fire destroyed the Chisholm funeral parlour in
Inverness on Saturday along with several vehicles. The fire occurred
at the premises on Balnain Street, no injuries were reported.
13th September 2011
|
Rep Ireland
Trawler engine fire off Donegal coast
The Handa Isle trawler, fishing out of Bunbeg, Donegal, was safely
rescued and towed into Burtonport Harbour following an engine fire
which left it drifting 4 miles off Tory Island.
The crew managed to control the fire but had to issue a mayday to the
Malin Head Coast Guard having lost all propulsion. No injuries were
reported. 12th September 2011
|
England
Blatant disregard of safety during roof
job
Two employees of Aquacoat Ltd of Derby were observed by passing
HSE inspectors as they worked on the roof of a residential property in
Oldfield Drive, Swadlincote, in June last year.
The workmen were not following a safe system of work and were not
using safety equipment to prevent falls as they cleaned the roof,
placing themselves and the occupier at risk.
Prosecution followed and Aquacoat Ltd of Pride Park, Derby, was found
guilty of breaching S.4(1) and S.6(3) of the Work at Height
Regulations 2005 and was fined £10,000 with £4,177 costs.
An HSE official commented:
"Fortunately no one was injured on this occasion, but this was a
blatant disregard for health and safety which put both workers and
members of the public in danger. Roofing work requires careful
planning and assessment of the risks involved. In this case employees
were working without the correct equipment to protect them from falls
or to protect passers by from falling material."
12th September 2011
|
England
Shropshire worker falls from scaffold
A worker was admitted to University Hospital North Staffordshire on
Thursday evening with head injuries and possible abdominal injury
after apparently falling 10 metres from scaffolding at a property near
Bromstead Common, Newport. 9th September 2011
|
England
Farm worker's jaw broken after cow kicks gate
An agricultural worker sustained a broken jaw and other injuries when
he was struck by a gate which had been kicked violently by a cow in a
field in Westfield, Worcestershire, on Thursday morning. 9th September 2011
|
Rep Ireland
Worker crushed at Meath paving company
A 28-year old Meath worker was crushed to
death at Kilsaran Concrete, a paving manufacturing company in
Piercetown, Dunboyne, in an accident involving machinery.
8th September 2011
|
England
Patient dies after wrong lung drained
At Truro City Hall a narrative verdict was recorded over an accident
at Royal Cornwall Hospital where a patient died during a necessary
procedure involving a needle biopsy. The patient's left lung collapsed
and a standby doctor trying to reinflate the lung inserted a chest
drain into the wrong lung. The patient suffered a heart attack and
died after the failed chest drain. The lung had been marked as the
patient lay prone but was not noticed by the second doctor after the
patient was
supine.
8th September 2011
|
Rep Ireland
Search for diver missing in Galway cave
The Irish Cave Rescue Organisation continued a search yesterday and
expressed concern for a Polish diver who failed to re-surface from a
dive at the 50-metre deep Pollonora cave in southwest Galway.
Two colleagues on the surface raised the alarm, the missing diver had
a 6 hours supply of oxygen.
7th September 2011
|
England
Man crushed at skip yard
It is reported that a workman is in a stable condition after being
taken by air ambulance to hospital in Stoke-on-Trent following an
industrial accident yesterday morning at the premises of Rugely Skips
in Rugely, Staffordshire.
One account states he was crushed between a skip and an item of plant.
7th September 2011
|
Austria
Apprentice's hand severed in press
On Monday afternoon at premises on the Sank Veit industrial estate a
mechanical engineering apprentice severed his hand in a press when he
was attempting to remove plastic which was stuck. He was admitted to
hospital in Klagenfurt but his hand was shredded in the accident
rendering surgical re-attachment impossible.
6th September 2011
|
England
Teenager lost 4 fingers to milling machine
A partner at the precision engineers Ashley's of Yeovil has
pleaded guilty to breaching S.2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work
etc Act 1974 and been fined £10,000 plus costs of £7,376 in connection
with an industrial accident at the Somerset company's premises.
An 18-year old apprentice machinist was changing a cutter on the
milling machine on 1st March 2010 when he inadvertently switched it on
while the cutter was still in his hand. The machine removed all or
part of 4 fingers, subsequent surgery to re-attach the fingers was
unsuccessful.
Investigation found the system of work for changing cutters was unsafe
and an adequate risk assessment covering the operation of the milling
machine and changing its cutters was not completed. Inspection of the
machine found there was insufficient guarding around it to protect
body parts during operation, there were no interlocks and the start
buttons were not covered, which would have prevented inadvertent
activation. 6th
September 2011
|
England
Workman injured in roof fall
A workman in his 50's has been injured after he fell more than 3
metres through the roof of a new residential development in Swindon.
The accident occurred on Wednesday at the Marlborough Park housing
development,
the man sustained a skull injury and required to be evacuated to
hospital from the third floor of the building using an aerial
appliance. 5th
September 2011
|
Rep Ireland
Fatal crush accident at Cork farm supplier
A man died of crush injuries yesterday at farm supplier Henry Good Ltd
near Kinsale, Cork, after becoming caught between a lorry and a
loader. 3rd
September 2011
|
Wales
Woman trampled to death by cows
A 61-year old woman died this week after being trampled by cows while
dog-walking in a field at Pant Tawel Lane in Radyr, Cardiff, the HSE
has been informed of the accident.
2nd September 2011
|
England
Car in collision breaches utility excavation
Two engineers of Northern Gas Networks had a fortunate escape when a
car involved in a collision crashed through safety barriers and
entered an excavation in Blackwell Road, Carlisle, where they were
dealing with a gas leak.
2nd September 2011
|
Rep Ireland
Army makes safe unstable picric acid
During an audit at the Central Veterinary Lab in Celbridge an unstable
quantity of picric acid was discovered, an army explosives team was
summoned to conduct a controlled explosion of the chemicals.
September 2011
|
England
Employer failed to deal with obvious
risk
A company that failed to give its workers adequate information or
instructions on how to clean one of its foam-slicing machines safely
has been prosecuted.
Grupo Antolin Leamington Ltd of Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, who
manufacture vehicle interior components, admitted breaching r.8(1) and
11(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 and
was fined £5,500 plus £2,858 costs in connection with an industrial
accident on 17th December 2009 which left an employee with a severe
and disabling hand injury.
The accident, which an HSE official described as entirely preventable,
occurred when the 37-year old man was cleaning debris from the
rotating drive wheel of the machine when the moving blade severed half
the index finger of his right hand.
1st September 2011
|
|
England
Severe head injury in trailer fall
A cardboard box manufacturer has been fined £20,000 plus costs of
£12,190 at Dartford Magistrates’ Court in connection with an
industrial accident in which an employee, who was trying to pull a
pallet of cardboard boxes across his trailer from the driver’s side to
the curb side, fell 1.5 metres to the ground. He fell backwards when
the pallet strapping he was pulling failed. The injured man was
delivering boxes in Eastbourne during August 2010, W.E. Roberts
(Corrugated) Ltd admitted breaching S.2(1) of the Health and Safety at
Work etc Act 1974.
An HSE official commented: "The company failed to adequately consider
the risks that delivery drivers face when they are not on site. This
led to this severe and entirely preventable incident which has had
such a long-lasting and devastating effect on this worker. The outcome
of this case reinforces the responsibility that employers have to all
of their workers, wherever they are, not just those on site under
constant supervision."
30th September 2011
|
England
Manhole explosions injure 2
It is speculated that the series of explosions which injured 2 people
on Wednesday evening in the vicinity of Crewe station were caused by
underground cable faults. Several thousand properties experienced a
disruption to their power supply.
30th September 2011
|
Wales
Workman killed in explosion
It is reported that a man in his 30's died yesterday morning following
an industrial accident at the premises of Thomas Rees & Son Ltd in
Pumsaint, Carmarthenshire.
One account states that the incident involved an exploding tyre at the welding and fabrication company's premises.
29th September 2011
|
England
Retail giant put customers at risk from
asbestos
Sentencing has taken place of Marks and
Spencer plc and 3 of its contractors following convictions in July for
putting members of the public, staff and construction workers at risk
of exposure to asbestos-containing materials.
The prosecutions stemmed from the poor manner in which refurbishment
work was carried out at stores in Reading and Bournemouth during 2006
and 2007.
Examining the safety failings, it became clear to HSE that Marks and
Spencer did not allocate sufficient time and space for the removal of
the asbestos-containing materials at the Reading store. The
contractors had to work overnight in enclosures and finish before the
shop opened to the public each day. Although the company had its own
guidance on how asbestos should be removed inside its stores, this
guidance was followed by contractors "inappropriately" during major
refurbishment.
At the Bournemouth project the principal contractor failed to plan,
manage and monitor removal of asbestos-containing materials. It did
not prevent the possibility of asbestos being disturbed by its workers
in areas that had not been surveyed extensively.
Marks and Spencer plc of North Wharf Road, Westminster, was found
guilty of breaching S.2(1) and 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work
etc Act 1974, and at Bournemouth Crown Court it was fined £1 million
and ordered to pay costs of £600,000. These failings relate to work at
its Broad Street, Reading, store from 24th April 2006 to 13th November
2006.
Contractor Willmott Dixon Construction Ltd was found guilty of
contravening the same sections of the Act during February 2007 and and
was fined £50,000 plus costs of £75,000, the failures related to a
store in Commercial Road, Bournemouth. It is applying for permission
to appeal against conviction.
PA Realisations Ltd (formerly Pectel Ltd) of Chapel Walks, Manchester,
was found guilty of contravening r.15 of the Control of Asbestos at
Work Regulations 2002 between May and November 2006 at the Marks and
Spencer plc store in
Reading, it was fined £200, the company now awaits dissolution.
Styles & Wood Limited of Altrincham, Cheshire, admitted breaching
S2(1) and 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act
1974, these offences were committed between April and November
2006 at the Reading store. It was fined £100,000 with costs of
£40,000.
Another company, Clarence Contractors Ltd of Sheffield, now in
liquidation, was fined a total of £200 with £100 costs after it
pleaded guilty to breaching r.10 and r.15 of the Control of Asbestos
at Work Regulations 2002. These offences were committed between
September 2004 and September 2006 at a store in Plymouth. It also
pleaded guilty to contravening r.11 and r.16 of the Control of
Asbestos Regulations 2006 at the Bournemouth store. The offence under
r.11 took place between February and July 2007, the offence under r.16
occurred during February and March 2007.
PA Realisations Ltd had not reduced
to a minimum the spread of asbestos at Reading, areas cleaned were
re-contaminated by air moving through the void between the ceiling
tiles and the floor above and by poor standards of work.
Styles & Wood Limited admitted that it should not have permitted a
method of asbestos removal which did not allow for adequate sealing of
the ceiling void, and which resulted in risks to contractors on site.
An HSE official commented: "Large retailers and other organisations
who carry out major refurbishment works must give contractors enough
time and space within the store to carry out the works safely. Where
this is not done, and construction workers and the public are put at
risk, HSE will not hesitate in taking robust enforcement action."
29th September 2011
|
England
Incident claims life of car plant
worker
It is reported that a worker in his 40's died following an incident at
the Jaguar Land Rover car plant in Halewood, Merseyside.
Paramedics attended the incident on Monday evening but the man died in
hospital later that evening.
28th September 2011
|
Wales
Company ignored its own asbestos safety
plan
A demolition contractor obliged by HSE to prepare a plan for the safe
management and removal of asbestos on a demolition site after it was
served with a Prohibition Notice then proceeded to ignore it.
Walsh Plant Hire and Demolition Contractors Ltd of Pontypridd firstly
had ignored repeated warnings to manage the safe removal of asbestos
cement sheets at the former Revlon factory in Maesteg during February
last year.
The plan prepared had a key element of dampening down the waste, but
on returning weeks later HSE inspectors discovered the site to be dry
and learned no water had been used for a week. Compounding its
failure, the contractor had excavators moving rubble contaminated with
asbestos-containing debris and crushing asbestos cement fragments on
the ground, potentially exposing workers to asbestos fibres.
Walsh Plant Hire and Demolition Contractors Ltd admitted breaching
r.7(5) of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006 and was fined
£5,000 plus costs of £6,828.
An HSE official commented: "The company was well aware of what it
should have done to ensure the health of its workers and others when
working with asbestos-containing materials at the site."
28th September 2011
|
England
Fire closes roads for 24 hours
A large fire at a farm near Burton Latimer, which at its peak required
100 firefighters to quell it, closed the A14 and required the
presence of Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service to remain 24
hours after its outbreak on Sunday morning.
The fire within a large industrial building used for reprocessing was
fuelled by its contents of recycled clothing and plastic.
27th September 2011
|
England
Disquiet at fire and rescue service
over RTAs
It is reported that Avon Fire and Rescue are concerned about its road
traffic accident rate. It has recorded more than 300 damage accidents
over a 3-year period.
Although many of the accidents are minor,
it is considering the use of technology to reduce its incidence rate.
27th September 2011
|
England
Man killed by turf cutting equipment
It is reported that a workman in his 30's died in an industrial
accident involving turf-cutting equipment on Tuesday afternoon at
Pocklington, East Yorkshire.
One account states he is employed by
Turfgrass Services International Limited
of Wilberfoss, Yorkshire, trading as Inturf, and that he sustained
multiple injuries, dying at the scene of the accident.
26th September 2011
|
England
Fatal accident at Devon paper mill
A man has died at the Royal Devon and Exeter hospital after being
taken there by air ambulance from the scene of an industrial accident
at the premises of DS Smith Paper Ltd on the Kings Mill industrial
estate in Cullompton.
The incident occurred on Saturday morning and according to one report
involved the deceased being trapped in machinery.
DS Smith is the UK’s largest manufacturer and recycler of paper, it is
part of DS Smith Plc which employs over 12,000 people and has an
annual turnover of £2.5 billion.
26th September 2011
|
England
Farmer dies in quad bike accident
A 32-year old farmer has died in an accident involving his quad bike
on Wednesday.
The man's body was discovered trapped underneath the vehicle on a
slope at the farm in Upper Weardale, Durham, by searchers aware that he
had made no contact for several hours.
23rd September 2011
|
England
Injury at feed mill
It is reported that a man sustained a serious hand injury on Tuesday
morning as he worked at the BOCM Pauls animal feed mill in
Burston, near Diss, Norfolk. His condition was described as stable at
Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital.
23rd September 2011
|
Scotland
Workman injured after departure
from planned system of work
A 22-year old employee of Ness Engineering Ltd of Shetland fractured a
vertebrae in his back, his left arm and thumbs, and received
multiple abrasions to his face and neck when he fell from the bucket
attachment on a telehandler. He was off work for more than 2 months
and still experiences pain in his back in the wake of the 23rd August
2010 accident.
The project he and his colleagues worked on involved the dismantling
of an aerial mast at a former RAF base in Unst, Shetland. They
commenced by unbolting components of the mast from within the mast
structure and placing them into the telehandler attachment for
lowering to the ground. Encountering a section to be removed which
they could not reach from within the mast, a decision was made to
access it from the bucket which was raised to a position where they
could detach the 4-metre long section of metal, rest it on the bucket
and lower it to the ground; but whilst they were still at a height of
3 metres the section slipped and a smaller piece of metal caught the
back of the accident victim's boiler suit, catapulting him out of the
bucket and on to the ground.
The work had been assessed for risks but the assessment had been
invalidated when the decision to work outside the mast was made.
At Lerwick Sheriff Court Ness Engineering admitted breaching S.2 of
the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and was fined £26,700.
An HSE official explained: "The
bucket attachment on the telehandler was not suitable for transporting
people and as soon as Ness Engineering allowed their employees to be
lifted up in it, the risk assessment they had carried out became
meaningless." 22nd
September 2011
|
England
Man drowned without safe system of work
A man working with 2 colleagues lost his life while removing sludge
and debris from within part of a cooling tower at Connah’s Quay Power
Station on 27th August 2007. HSE deemed the incident to be entirely
foreseeable, the deceased was working in poor light inside the tower,
and had entered an enclosed culvert to check the depth of water in the
sump. Colleagues who heard his shouts after he fell in could not
rescue him because he had disappeared from sight, his body was
recovered from the sump.
Investigation established his employer, Epsco Ltd, of Perth, failed to
ensure a safe system of work was devised and implemented for the work.
It was charged under S.2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act
1974, pleaded guilty, and was fined a total £35,000 plus costs of
£120,000.
After the case at Mold Crown Court concluded, an HSE Principal
Inspector commented: "This incident was entirely foreseeable and yet
it was still allowed to happen. Epsco Ltd would have known the
deceased or one of his colleagues would need to approach the sump in
the course of their work. The inherent risk of working in this manner
should have been obvious to any diligent employer. This company failed
to put a safe system of work into place. The enclosed area where this
work was taking place was poorly lit, noisy and conditions were wet
and slippery. The cost of providing barriers or other measures to
prevent this incident and the time and effort involved would have been
minimal. The real tragedy here is the human cost that has resulted
from the death and the ease with which his death could have been
prevented. I hope that other employers take heed of this message."
22nd September 2011
|
England
Man fell into molten metal
A 28-year old worker at a Stoke-on-Trent foundry has been unable to
return to work after suffering severe burns to an arm and legs when he
tripped and fell into a mould containing metal at more than 900°C. He
remains traumatised and still requires physiotherapy.
The accident occurred as he removed impurities from the top of a newly
poured casting using a long-handled tool, but he tripped and fell
through an unfenced gap between the metal mould and the pit it was in.
He landed on the mould's edge and immersed his arm, his legs were
burned by contact with the scraped impurities.
Employer Copper Alloys Ltd of Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent, failed to erect
a guard railing around the edge of the mould pit and failed to
recognise the extreme danger such a fall represented to the workers,
which was a foreseeable event.
Copper Alloys admitted breaching r.13(5) of the Workplace (Health,
Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 and was fined £8,000 plus £4,798
costs. 21st
September 2011
|
England
Company handed over unstable
scaffolding structure to client
Totalscaff (GB) Ltd of Bexhill-on-Sea has been found guilty of, and a
worker has pleaded guilty to, a breach of r.28(1) of the Construction
(Design and Management) Regulations 2007 in connection with a
scaffolding structure erected in April last year at a site in
Claremont, Hastings, Sussex. The scaffolding positioned around the
building had not been adequately tied, rendering it unstable, a
condition noted by an HSE inspector who visited the site at which
building repairs were being undertaken.
Totalscaff (GB) Ltd was fined £20,000 plus £10,000 in costs, the
worker was fined £2,500 and ordered to pay £2,274 costs.
Total Services Group has no relationship with Totalscaff (GB) Ltd,
trading as Total Service Group (TSG).
An HSE official advised: "HSE will take firm action against
individuals and contractors who ignore their health and safety
obligations. It is essential that contractors and contract managers
equip themselves with the necessary information and guidance material
and apply it each and every time a scaffold is built."
21st September 2011
|
England
William Hill fined over staff safety
Bookmakers William Hill have been fined for safety failures
highlighted by events at a branch in Netherton, Sefton, Liverpool.
The enforcing authority, Sefton Council, instigated a prosecution
after an armed raid during April 2010 resulted in injury to a member
of staff, a matter which the bookmakers neglected to report to it. The
Council had advised the company some months earlier that it was not
entirely happy about security in respect of lighting and CCTV.
At South Sefton Magistrates' Court the company was fined £10,000 plus
almost £3,000 in costs for breaching the Management of Health and
Safety at Work Regulations 1999 and the Reporting of Injuries,
Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995.
20th September 2011
|
England
Value of temporary barriers
A 1-year old girl being pushed along the footpath in her pram was
struck on the head by a falling streetlight reflector being removed by
a workman from its fitting above Gillett Square, Hackney, on 20th
January 2011. The girl required stitches to a head wound.
The 25-year old street lighting
operative, employed by Volker Highways to attend to a faulty fitting,
had neglected to erect temporary barriers around the worksite prior to
commencing work, permitting passers-by to be exposed to the risk of
falling objects.
Upon investigation, HSE established that the employer was blameless,
having adequately trained their employee.
The workman admitted breaching S.7(a) of the Health and Safety at Work
etc. Act 1974 and at City of London Magistrates' Court he was fined
£2,250 plus costs of £2,888.
20th September 2011
|
England
Worker took chisel to live 415v cable
A worker who climbed a step ladder with a hammer and chisel to attempt
to remove a cable he thought was dead recalls nothing after his second
blow at it before he awoke on the floor with a colleague putting
flames out from the top half of his body. In the explosion he suffered
serious 30-35% burns to his body for which he required skin grafting.
The accident occurred on the 30th April 2010 on a construction site at
Leonard Street, Islington, the project comprised of the refurbishment
of 3 adjacent buildings to include apartments and commercial use. The
accident victim, aged 35, worked as sub-contractor for Pineview
Interiors Ltd of Havering, London.
At the time of the incident, a 415v 3-phase temporary electrical
supply had been provided to the site, and on that morning the worker
explained to his supervisor that the electrical cable needed to be
removed to allow plasterboard to be installed. HSE investigation
revealed that Pineview undertook what HSE deemed to be 'very limited'
enquiries as to whether this cable was in fact still live, and its
workers proceeded on the false assumption that the cable being
described must have been an old redundant cables from the pre-existing
installation.
An HSE official commented: "The defendant company were aware that
their works within 9-15 Leonard Street would require the removal of an
electrical head. They were, or should have been, aware that this well
labelled system remained live at the time that they instructed their
employees to commence work in this location. They were made aware of
the intention to remove this electrical head by their employees who
held no electrical training or relevant experience. The defendant
company then allowed these operatives to attempt to remove the live
electrical system with nothing but the most cursory attempt at seeking
confirmation that the system was in fact dead. As a direct result of
the defendant’s failure to identify or control the risk of short
circuit their employee suffered extensive burn injuries from the
resulting explosion."
At City of London Magistrates’ Court, Pineview Interiors Limited of
Rainham, Havering, London, admitted breaching S.2(1) of the Health and
Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and was fined a total of £10,000 with
costs of £4,183.
19th September 2011
|
England
Guard had been removed from accident
machine
A 41-year old employee of Stakapal Ltd, Norton Canes, Cannock, was
pulled into the rotating parts of a machine he was operating to make
metal shelving components. On 20th December last year, he was adjusting
the multi-roll forming machine when his high-visibility vest and
jacket snagged in its spindle, drawing him into the moving parts which
inflicted cuts to the back of his head, above his right eye and on his
back. He sustained a blow to his cheek bone, bruises on his right arm
and a puncture hole in his right elbow, injuries which still cause him
pain and discomfort.
The fixed guard preventing contact with dangerous parts of the machine
had been removed at least 2 to 3 years previously, there were no
interlocking guards around the rolling mills and there was only one
emergency stop button.
HSE investigation found the company had not supervised him properly or
assessed the risks arising from adjusting the rollers during
productions.
Stakapal was in breach of r.11(1) of the Provision and Use of Work
Equipment Regulations 1998 and was fined £10,000 plus £5,500 costs.
An HSE official commented: "The risks from machinery are well known
and the standards in guarding are well established. Failing to ensure
that suitable guards are installed and properly maintained is
unacceptable and illegal. Employers must also review their risk
assessment when unusual materials or processes are introduced to the
workplace." 19th
September 2011
|
England
Play equipment fatal accident
A 5-year old boy died of his injuries after he apparently fell from a
climbing frame at Tolworth Infant and Nursery School in Surbiton
yesterday afternoon.
17th September 2011
|
Scotland
Worker died after Cupar harvester
accident
A 34-year old man died of injuries he received on 6th September
2009 when he was crushed between the rollers of a potato harvesting
machine he was maintaining. He was replacing the rubber sleeves on the
machine's rollers which required them to be removed and returned to
their correct positions, but this involved removing its fixed
guarding.
One of the partners of the farming business was helping him begin the
task and turned on the power to the harvester from the tractor to
which it was attached, thus allowing him to place the rollers in their
correct place. The partner then left the deceased to change the
rollers, but on his return 1½ hours later found him trapped in the
rollers, he died before arriving at hospital in Dundee.
Employer, farming partnership GJ Orr, Foodieash, Cupar, had not
conducted an adequate assessment of the risks involved in the work and
therefore had no safe system of work in place for the maintenance
task. Effectively, there were no control measures to prevent lone
workers gaining access to the dangerous moving parts of the harvester
when the guarding was removed and the power was not isolated.
GJ Orr admitted breaching S.2 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act
1974 and was fined £112,500 at Cupar Sheriff Court.
16th September 2011
|
England
Fairground worker failed to react to
dangerous incident
A fairground attendant failed to make sure the safety bar on a 13-year
old girl’s seat was locked in the closed position, despite being told
the same bar had opened in transit 2 rides earlier.
The 28-year old man was attending to the
riders last July at the Copmanthorpe Carnival in York, and within a
minute of the ride commencing the restraint bar opened, letting the
girl fall 4 metres, narrowly missing moving steelwork, sustaining only
cuts and bruising. The attendant admitted breaching S.7(a) of
the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 by failing to take
reasonable care of those affected by his work activities and received
a 3-year conditional discharge and must pay £750 compensation to the
injured girl.
An HSE Inspector commented:
"The attendant’s job was not difficult, but it was crucial, and had he
been doing it properly, this would not have happened. His cavalier
approach to safety could have cost the girl untold damage. He failed
in his prime responsibility of locking the restraint bars securely on
every single seat and then checking, with a shake, to be 100% certain.
This young girl was immensely lucky not to have been seriously
injured. What beggars belief is that he failed to act when told of the
near-miss experienced by another fair-goer only two rides before. All
attendants on fairground rides need to be aware that they are the last
link in the safety chain as lives depend on them."
16th September 2011
|
Scotland
Risk assessment lapse at bus manufacturer
Alexander Dennis Ltd, of Charlotte
Square, Edinburgh, has pleaded guilty to breaching S.2 of the Health
and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and been fined £50,000 at Falkirk
Sheriff Court in connection with an industrial accident on 16th
September 2009 which resulted in a facial injury to an employee who
was rendered unfit for work for more than 2 months.
The employee was involved in the routine transporting of a 120kg steel
floor platform with a colleague operating a forklift truck, prior to
which the operator placed extensions on to the forks but neglected to
properly secure either the forks or the load. When they arrived at the
chassis shop destination, the platform was lowered and the accident
victim placed a sling underneath and around the load to place it onto
the chassis and attached it to one of the extension forks.
With the help of 2 other employees, he began manually lining up the
platform and chassis while the fork lift operator adjusted the angle
the forks were tilted at and lowered them slightly, but as he did so
the sling came loose, causing one end of the platform to swing up and
strike him on the chin.
It was established during investigation that the employees relied
solely on the dead weight of the load for its security during its
transportation. The task had not been adequately risk assessed despite
it being routine, and consequently no safe system of work was adopted.
No formal training on lifting operations had been given.
15th September 2011
|
England
Building owner's mismanagement exposed
worker to asbestos
A company has been prosecuted for failing to secure a refurbishment
and demolition survey to establish the presence and condition of
asbestos prior to work last year on a new central heating system at
its Oxford House premises in Combe Down, Bath.
The failure by Formac Electronics Ltd resulted in a 49-year old worker
being exposed to a high concentration of airborne crocidolite (blue)
asbestos fibres many times over the control limit as he worked on
pipework.
The disturbance of the loose fill blue
asbestos incorporated within the building's fabric allowed the
released fibres to spread throughout. Formac failed to provide
suitable information to its contractors, putting it in breach of r.10
of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007 for which
it was fined £600 with £6,013.45 costs.
The workman was exposed for a
5-hour period, a visiting HSE inspector observed asbestos lying in the
area where he had been kneeling.
An HSE official commented: "The damage to the worker's health after
being exposed to such a high concentration of this potent carcinogen
could be very serious and he now has to wait to find out what the
long-term effects of this exposure will be."
15th September 2011
|
England
Trapped man dies
It is reported that a man died yesterday on a site in White Colne,
Essex. One account states he became trapped under a ramp that
collapsed on him.
14th September 2011
|
England
Tree stump grinder inflicted terrible
injuries
A tree surgeon from Maidstone, Kent, has been fined £5,000 and ordered
to pay costs of £3,679 for breaching S.3(2) of the Health and Safety
at Work etc Act 1974 in connection with an accident in which a man
suffered terrible injuries to his leg after his trousers caught in a
tree stump grinder that was running without someone controlling it.
The accident occurred at a site in Maidstone last year, the tree
surgeon did not have suitable training in the safe use of the machine,
and did not follow a safe method of work.
14th September 2011
|
Wales
Fatality at Pembrokeshire factory
It is reported that a self-employed man in his 70's died following an
industrial accident last Wednesday at the Riverlea Tractors Ltd
premises in Crymych. One account states he was crushed by machinery.
13th September 2011
|
England
Failure to respond to notices 'beggared
belief'
A Lancashire packaging manufacturer's directors who failed to respond
to the terms of formal notices which related to guarding issues on
machines that removed paper from the ends of giant rolls of newspaper
have been fined at Trafford Magistrates’ Court.
No guards were provided to prevent
workers’ hands being pulled in by the rotating machinery at the
premises of First Packaging Ltd on the Wadsworth Industrial Estate in
Bolton.
First Packaging was first served an Improvement Notice in January 2008
requiring guards to be installed. A 6-month extension to this was
granted, but by August 2008 the guards had not been fitted. No further
enforcement action was taken after HSE was informed that the factory
was closing.
During early 2010, HSE discovered First Packaging was operating on new
premises on the West Industrial Estate in Westhoughton and was still
using the same unguarded machines and issued 2 Prohibition Notices
stopping work immediately and another 4 Improvement Notices.
Later in 2010, First Packaging Ltd stopped trading and one of its
directors established First Packaging North West Ltd at Pilot Works in
Bolton which was using the same unguarded machines and was
issued another 5 Improvement Notices in February 2011.
The directors admitted breaching the Health and Safety at Work etc Act
1974 by not preventing workers being put at risk at the Westhoughton
site, and failing to comply with the Improvement Notice issued at the
Wadsworth site. One of the directors additionally admitted
failing to ensure the safety of workers at the Pilot Works site and he
was fined £705 with £2,500 in prosecution costs. The other director
was fined £360 with costs of £1,500.
An HSE official commented: "It beggars belief that they chose to put
workers at risk of serious injury after enforcement notices had been
served, deciding to put profit over the safety of their employees. We
had no choice but to prosecute when they continued to deliberately and
fragrantly ignore the formal warnings."
13th September 2011
|
England
Canoeining instructor critically injured
in capsize
A canoeing instructor was listed in critical condition in hospital in
Newcastle last night following a capsize in the River Eamont near
Yanwath Hall, Penrith, on Sunday where 5 instructors and a dozen
pupils were active.
A 14-year old boy was also admitted to Cumberland Infirmary, Carlisle,
but he is not listed in life-threatening condition. 12th September 2011
|
England
Wiring fault led to electrocution
A plumber was electrocuted as he worked at a property in Percival
Road, Clifton, Bristol in March 2008. The 23-year old received the
fatal shock after simultaneously being in contact with the back of a
washing machine and a copper water pipe, investigation established
that the machine was plugged into a socket that had been incorrectly
wired. The fault condition had rendered the machine live, and no
explanation could be given as to why the faulty socket had not been
discovered during testing.
Opinion was expressed during the deceased
plumber's inquest that the testing could not have been conducted
thoroughly, the jury determined a narrative verdict of electrocution
as he worked on the appliance which was connected to the faulty
socket.
None of the electricians employed
on the project could say who wired the socket, their employer is now
in administration.
12th September 2011
|
England
Multiple safety failures led to death
A 24-year old employee of Duco International Ltd died after becoming
trapped in machinery at the company's Slough Trading Estate premises
as he worked on nightshift on 15th January 2008.
The deceased was operating an
automatic inspection machine checking rolls of rubber and cloth
printing blanket for flaws. After the unwitnessed accident the man was
discovered trapped between the rubberised blanket and the roller. He
died at the scene.
The accident was only possible because Duco had not risk assessed the
machine which had not been checked after a modification had been made.
Its lack of guarding permitted access to the dangerous parts and
employee information, instruction and training on the machine were
inadequate.
At Reading Crown Court Duco International Limited of Irlam,
Manchester, admitted breaching S.2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work
etc. Act 1974 and r.3(1)(a) of the Management of Health and Safety at
Work Regulations 1999. It was fined £200,000 and must meet costs
of £43,352.
An HSE inspector stated: "This needless tragedy is typical of what can
happen when health and safety management systems fail. Had the hazards
been assessed, the lack of any guarding would have been highlighted,
and this death could have been avoided. Companies should realise that
when there are flagrant breaches of health and safety law, HSE will
prosecute." 9th September 2011
|
England
Site manager's error of judgement
A manager's instruction to a site operative to use an industrial
drilling tool in a manner expressly prohibited in its instructions for
use led to a 12-day hospital stay and a permanent arm injury for a
workman.
The accident occurred during August 2009 on a Huddersfield building
site, the worker, aged 32, was instructed to remove a 34kg one-metre
high diamond core drill from its stand and use it in a hand-held
fashion.
Whilst doing so the rotating core of the
drill snagged on blockwork and the body of the drill began to rotate,
causing the man to spin round and sustain a double compound fracture
to his right arm. HSE, upon investigation, instigated a prosecution,
deeming that the manager had failed in his responsibilities to
properly manage the construction site under his control and was in
breach of r.13(2) the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations
2007.
The manager pleaded guilty at Huddersfield Magistrates’ Court and was
fined £3,000 plus £2,388 in costs.
An HSE official commented: "The site manager allowed his eagerness to
get a job done to take priority over the safety of a worker. He failed
to pause for a short time to consider the potential risks associated
with using the drill in this way. Ultimately, this has led to a
serious injury. Professional site management includes responsibility
for managing the building process to ensure it is carried out without
risk to health and safety. We will continue to take enforcement action
against those who fail to take measures to prevent those risks."
9th September 2011
|
England
Retailer fined over cold premises
Dorothy Perkins Ltd, part of the Arcadia Group, which is owned by
Taveta Investments Ltd, has been fined £1,000 plus costs after Carlisle City
Council instigated a prosecution at Carlisle Magistrates' Court.
The Council served the company with an Improvement Notice, this
resulting from a visit by a Council official following a complaint by
an employee at its Lanes shopping centre premises that temperatures
were too low.
During November and December last year during very cold weather, the
Council official recorded temperatures below 12°C in changing rooms
and even lower temperatures elsewhere throughout the shop. The Notice
was issued, but on return around 4 weeks later she found temperatures
had fallen even further. The store had failed to comply with the terms
of the Notice.
In mitigation, the store maintained that it had taken immediate steps
to rectify the situation, but these efforts proved ineffectual. The
initial problem stemmed from a leak in the heating system which
required it to be shut down, and for a variety of reasons it was only
until the end of December that sufficient temporary heaters could be
deployed to adequately heat the premises.
The company has now invested heavily in a new heating system and
regrets its loss of what was a hitherto unblemished record of having
no health and safety related prosecutions.
9th September 2011
|
England
Asbestos error fine for council
and contractor
South Kesteven District Council and a Grantham building contractor
have been fined for not meeting the requirements of the Construction
Design and Management Regulations 2007 and the Control of Asbestos
Regulations 2006 in connection with renovation work at a residential
property owned by the Council.
The matter came to the attention of the HSE after an asbestos surveyor
working on behalf of the council in an upper flat observed workmen
employed by Belton Developments remove asbestos insulation board from
around a bath and carry it through the flat and communal areas of the
housing complex in an open wheelbarrow and load it into an open-topped
vehicle.
The council had failed to provide adequate information on asbestos in
the property to Belton and failed to ensure that it was competent to
carry out asbestos work. HSE also deemed that Belton's 3 partners had
failed to prevent the spread of asbestos or ensure that their
employees were properly trained to deal with it. Furthermore, the
court was also told that the partners had been served a Prohibition
Notice preventing refurbishment work at another property because a
suitable asbestos refurbishment and demolition survey had not been
undertaken.
South Kesteven District Council admitted breaching r.4(1)(a) and
r.10(1)(b) of the Construction Design and Management Regulations 2007.
It was fined a total of £16,600 plus costs of £3,486.
The 3 Belton partners admitted breaching r.10(1)(a) and r.16 of the
Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006 and were fined a total of £3,003
with costs of £900.
8th September 2011
|
England
Safety devices were disabled
before accident
A 32-year old worker at a mushroom farm in Somerset broke his arm in
an industrial accident as he worked at a net washing machine which had
its safety devices deliberately removed to allow workers to feed nets
by hand as it was running with the safety cover open, a customary
practice HSE investigation established.
The clamp mechanism, used to hold the nets as they were introduced
into the machine, was ineffective and this resulted in the operators
holding the nets by hand. On this occasion the worker, who had not
been trained on the machine, got his hand entangled in the dangerous
moving part and his arm was dragged into the rotating mechanisms,
resulting in a double break to his arm and extensive soft tissue
damage.
Drimbawn (UK) Ltd of Langford, North Somerset, admitted breaching
r.9(1) and r.11(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment
Regulations 1998 and was fined £32,000 with £3,624 costs.
8th September 2011
|
Scotland
Explosion fatally injured garage worker
On 18th June last year, a 23-year old employee of Pitmachie Garage Ltd
in Insch was using a plasma cutter on a metal drum that had previously
stored used engine oil that was contaminated with petrol. As he
started to cut away the lid the sparks ignited the flammable vapours
inside the drum resulting an explosion that caused the lid to strike
him on the head, knocking him unconscious. The head injury proved
fatal the following day.
HSE investigators concluded that a lack of information, instruction
and training resulted in the worker devising an unsafe method of work.
Workers at the garage were aware the used engine oil could be
contaminated with fuel, but were not fully aware of the
implications of employing a plasma cutter to remove the drum lid.
An HSE inspector explained: "Drums that have contained flammable
material and seem to be empty often still have residues in them. Just
a teaspoon of petrol can be enough to cause an explosion. This
incident was entirely foreseeable, and could and should have been
avoided. It was not essential for the drum lid to be removed at all,
and in asking him to do so, Pitmachie Garage failed to protect their
employee, costing him his life. The company failed to provide a safe
system of work which included cleaning and checking the drum prior to
work starting, and using a cold cutting method. If Pitmachie Garage
had taken steps to identify what hazards there were in cutting the oil
drums, and ensured that their workers had the right information and
training to do the work safely, this incident would never have
happened."
At Banff Sheriff Court Pitmachie Garage Ltd of Old Rayne, Insch,
Aberdeenshire, admitted breaching S.2 of the Health and Safety at Work
Etc Act 1974 and was fined £15,000.
7th September 2011
|
England
Marquee floor collapsed during wedding
breakfast
A scaffolding structure supporting the false floor of a marquee
collapsed and dropped over 1 metre as 150 guests settled to begin a
wedding breakfast in West Woodhay House in Newbury on 25th September
2010. Guests fell over, as did tables, chairs, cutlery and glassware.
Scaffold poles also fell into the marquee, narrowly missing guests,
but no serious injuries occurred.
The company which erected the false floor to compensate for the
sloping lawn, Block Scaffolding Limited of Blackwater,
Camberley, Surrey, admitted breaching S.3(1) of the Health and Safety
at Work etc Act 1974 and was fined £8,000 with costs of £7,370.
7th September 2011
|
England
Ceiling tiles contained asbestos
Two subcontractor employees and a school caretaker employed by
Birmingham City Council were exposed to asbestos during work to remove
ceiling tiles at the reception area of William Cowper Community
Primary School, Newtown.
Solihull Supplies Ltd was
contracted by the City Council to undertake the work and they in turn
contracted another company (unnamed pending legal proceedings) whose
workmen were exposed during July 2009 as they stripped the tiles from
7 rooms. The subcontractor had no asbestos license for the task which
required 7 hours to complete. The men used an ordinary vacuum cleaner
to clean up the material which contained brown asbestos.
Birmingham City Council admitted breaching S.2(1) and 3(1) of
the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and was fined £5,000 plus
£1,091 costs.
Solihull Supplies Ltd of Knowle, Solihull, admitted breaching
r.6(1)(a) of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006 and was fined
£1,750 plus £1,091 costs.
6th September 2011
|
England
Construction worker struck by
excavator bucket
A construction worker in his 40's has been badly
injured when he was reportedly struck by a bucket on an item of plant
being used at road works on Clarendon Street, Leamington.
He was airlifted from the site yesterday morning with a broken leg and
pelvic and back injuries.
6th September 2011
|
Scotland
Kitchen fly killer irradiated hospital
staff
An incident at NHS Highland's Raigmore Hospital resulted in several
hospital and local council staff requiring emergency treatment for UVC
burns from the lamp fitted to a fly killer on Friday. Three other
persons were affected by the lamp's radiation. Those worst affected
developed a mild rash on exposed skin and experienced eye
irritation. None are expected to have any permanent ill-effects.
A hospital spokeswoman said that the devices were fitted with UVC
bulbs instead of UVA ones.
5th September 2011
|
England
'Appalling' conditions on London site
An HSE inspector has described the conditions prevailing on a London
construction site as appalling after 2 companies responsible were
fined at
the City of London Magistrates' Court.
Four Prohibition Notices were issued in total, one of which was
breached in the presence of inspectors. There was no safe access to
the first floor under construction at the St Mary's Road site, a
temporary staircase was fashioned from a bag of sand and piles
of blocks, leading to the roof of a hut. The first floor was accessed
from the hut roof via wooden planks, spanning the gap between them, all
without edge protection. There was a dangerous excavation, 2.5 metre-deep with
no precautions taken to prevent people falling into it or the sides
collapsing. Generally, work areas were uneven, littered with
obstructions and trip hazards; materials had been stacked
excessively high and stored haphazardly; welfare facilities on-site
were also extremely poor and featured a filthy toilet.
Two men were observed walking on the first floor in breach of one of
the Prohibition Notices and with work continuing in an unsafe
manner the HSE inspectors deemed another Prohibition Notice was
appropriate, which obliged the companies to cease all work on the site
until competent site management was put in place.
The inspector commented: "Although there was no incident, the
potential danger to the workers was very high. Conditions on this site
were simply appalling. This is a shocking example of bad management of
a construction site and it is a miracle that no one was injured. Both
these companies failed to understand the nature of their duties under
health and safety law and failed to sufficiently improve conditions on
the site despite repeated interventions by the HSE. We will not
hesitate to prosecute companies that behave in this way."
The prosecuted companies were Principal Contractor Kubik Homes Ltd of
Wimbledon, in breach of S.3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc
Act 1974. It was fined £8,000 plus costs of £2,426;
Bellway Developments Ltd, of Bromley, Kent, also pleaded guilty to
breaching S.3(1) of the Principal Act and it was fined £8,000 with
costs of £2,384.
5th September 2011
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England
Worker crushed by staircase
A 37-year old man has died after he was crushed by a concrete
staircase he was polishing on Friday morning at the premises of ACP
(Concrete) Ltd in Workington, Cumbria.
3rd September 2011
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Northern Ireland
Tree felling death
An estate worker has died following an incident on Wednesday morning
on the Caledon Estate, near Caledon in County Tyrone. One
account states he was struck by a tree being felled.
2nd September 2011
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England
Switchboard work done with power live
Two electricians suffered facial burns in a flash fire when they
attempted to carry out work on a switchboard during work to replace a
temporary generator with a mains supply for the landing stage at the
Liverpool Pier Head ferry terminal in April 2009.
The proprietor of Hayes Electrical and Building Services Ltd of Sefton
permitted his employees to install a new fuse into the switchboard
whilst it was live. Just as this was being done an explosion occurred
accompanied by intense heat, inflicting severe burns to one man's face
which required 4 days in hospital. His colleague also suffered facial
burns.
An HSE inspector commented: "One of the workers suffered severe burns
in the flash fire but luckily his glasses prevented his eyes from
being more badly damaged. He still needed 3 months off work to recover
and gets flashbacks of the incident. The proprietor should simply
never have allowed the work to go ahead without the power being cut.
The installation and maintenance instructions for the switchboard
clearly state work should not be carried out while the electricity
supply is live. It would have been perfectly reasonable to carry out
the work between ferry sailings when the electricity supply at the
terminal could have been switched off. That way neither of the
employees would have been put at risk."
The proprietor of Hayes Electrical admitted a breach of the
Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 and was fined £8,000 plus £4,766
in costs.
2nd September 2011
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England
UK Power Networks fined £0.3m for
electrocution
A 45-year old linesman was electrocuted as he worked to remove a
transformer in Diss, Norfolk, on 9th November 2007.
The transformer was on a pole and
the deceased was in a mobile elevating platform at a height of 5
metres when the transformer contacted a live conductor, resulting in
his electrocution. Fuses supplying the transformer had not been
removed to isolate the electricity supply while it was lifted by a
crane and also being held by the deceased.
HSE maintained that UK Power Networks had failed to ensure this high
risk work on its electricity distribution network was carried out
safely by failing to devise and prescribe rigorous procedures,
training its staff adequately and monitoring for compliance with
these procedures.
At Norwich Crown Court UK Power Networks of London admitted breaching
S.2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and was fined
£0.3m plus costs of £219,352.
An HSE official commented: "There is no
room for error when working with such high voltages. It is not only
the person involved in such an awful incident that is affected but
family and friends are often left behind to deal with the
devastation." 1st
September 2011
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England
Mechanical failure speculated as cause of
ride incident
The incident on Monday afternoon at Botton's amusement park on
Skegness Pleasure Beach in which several people sustained injury was
caused by mechanical failure, it is speculated.
One of the injured is reported to have sustained life-threatening head
injuries.
1st September 2011
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