Health and Safety News
We scour the Internet for Health and Safety related news items on an almost daily basis.
The news articles and clippings, curated by MD Safety, highlight the requirements for compliance with UK Health and Safety Legislation and best practice across all industry sectors.
The majority of the information and cases will apply to a greater or lesser degree to our broad range of Clients and lessons to be learned will be able to be gained.
Health and safety specialist, Arco, has opened a new Safety Centre in Trafford Park, Manchester, providing both safety training and essential kit in one facility.
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A scaffolding contractor has been fined after a worker fell from height resulting in serious injuries. Darren Barnett was dismantling temporary over-roof scaffolding at a site in Hailsham, East Sussex, when he fell through the scaffolding landing on to the roof of the property below, before rolling down and on to the ground, Brighton Magistrates Court was told. Mr Barnett fell approximately eight meters in total and sustained two brain haemorrhages, six vertebra fractures, a fractured shoulder blade and multiple rib fractures in the incident, which happened on 15 August 2019.
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Christopher Paul Sharpe, partner in J H Sharp and Son, has been sentenced for safety breaches after an 83-year-old man was fatally attacked by cattle. Leeds Magistrates’ Court heard how on 30 May 2020, David Tinniswood and his wife were attacked by cattle whilst following a public right of way across Ivescar Farm at Chapel-Le–Dale in Carnforth.
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A roofing contractor has been sentenced after an unpaid casual labourer fell through a skylight during the renovation of an old asbestos cement roof, at an industrial building in Exeter. Plymouth Magistrates’ Court heard that on 23 October 2018, the labourer, who wanted to gain industry experience having never previously worked on roofs, was instructed by Ian Davey (trading as Exe Fibreglass) to cut fibreglass for the roof of the building.
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A plant hire company has been fined for leaving workers at risk of a fall from height and failing to provide minimum welfare facilities. Blackpool Magistrates’ Court heard how, on 17 November 2020, Ruttle Plant (Birmingham) Ltd was in the process of building a new aggregate recycling facility at their site at Common Bank Lane, Chorley.
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A builder has been prosecuted after his employees were exposed to asbestos while refurbishing domestic premises in Barnsdale Road, Reading. Reading Magistrates’ Court heard how Kieran Lynch, trading as Lynch and Co, was contracted to carry out a largescale refurbishment for his client who had recently purchased the property from their local council. Prior to the project commencing, the owner of the property informed Mr Lynch that the ceiling boards in the garage contained asbestos.
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A Salford construction firm has been fined £42,500 and its director handed a community order after Manchester Crown Court found the business had undertaken unsafe work on the roof of the Iraqi Consulate in central Manchester in early 2019.
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A recycling company has been fined after an employee was injured whilst clearing a blockage in a waste metal chute.Shrewsbury Crown Court heard how, on the 9 October 2017, an employee of PG Skips Limited was injured when he fell through a chute, approximately four metres above a concrete yard, whilst clearing a blockage.
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A roofing company owner has been given a suspended sentence after a member of the public reported a concern regarding unsafe work at height. Liverpool Crown Court heard how, on 5 March 2021, company owner Phillip McGinn and two workers were replacing roof tiles on a detached dormer bungalow, in Lydiate on Merseyside, without any scaffolding or edge protection in place to prevent them from falling a distance liable to cause personal injury.
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A roofing contractor has been sentenced after an unpaid casual labourer fell through a skylight during the renovation of an old asbestos cement roof, at an industrial building in Exeter. Plymouth Magistrates’ Court heard that on 23 October 2018, the labourer, who wanted to gain industry experience having never previously worked on roofs, was instructed by Ian Davey (trading as Exe Fibreglass) to cut fibreglass for the roof of the building.
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