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.
No jab, no job? Health and safety versus civil liberties
No jab, no job – easy to say but a minefield to navigate. As the NHS programme rolls impressively on, thoughts turn to how useful vaccine protection might be. The UK does not generally mandate medical treatment. It works on the basis of consent which is largely effective, for example with infant immunisations.
Read MoreMattress manufacturer fined after employee dragged into machine
A Nottingham mattress manufacturer has been fined after an employee of the company suffered multiple injuries to his arm, shoulder, ribs and neck after he was drawn into a NG-06 Semi-Automatic Mattress Rolling Machine (MRM). An investigation by The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) found that the company did not prevent access to the dangerous parts of the machine and had not implemented a suitable and sufficient safe system of work which would direct employees to not place their hands close to the dangerous parts of the machine.
Read MoreConstruction company fined after worker suffered multiple burns
Walden Builders Ltd has been sentenced after a worker was struck by a heated sheet of tin.Leeds Magistrates’ Court heard how on 18 September 2018, the company was demolishing an outbuilding in Littlethorpe, Ripon. During the demolition, the excavator being used struck a wall containing a 415v cable causing it to arc and ignite a fire.
Read MoreDoosan develops see-through shovel bucket
Doosan uses cameras to relay images into the driver’s cab of whatever is in front of the shovel bucket, eliminating a hazardous blind spot. Doosan Infracore says that it is the first company in the world to develop and apply a front projection function with the transparent bucket for construction machines and has applied for patents in Korea, North America, Europe and China. The system records images in front of a wheeled loader with top and bottom front-loaded cameras. It shows the combined images on the cab monitor in real time using a curved projection method.
Read MoreSellafield nuclear site a 'toxic mix of bullying and harassment'
A 'toxic culture' of bullying and harassment at Sellafield could let serious safety concerns go unreported, whistleblowers have told the BBC. In a leaked letter, the nuclear site's group for ethnic minority staff described 'shocking stories' of racial abuse.
Read MoreConstruction company sentenced after worker sustains life-changing injuries
A construction company has been sentenced after a self-employed ground worker sustained life changing injuries in an incident involving a disc cutter.Truro Crown Court heard how on 1 June 2017, self-employed ground worker Morgan Prosser, contracted by MJL Contractors Limited, was working to complete ground works at a new building site near Bodmin, Cornwall.
Read MoreFoundry fined for exposing workers to hand-arm vibration risks
Saint-Gobain Construction Products UK Limited, a large foundry in Telford, has been fined after a number of its workers were diagnosed with hand arm vibration syndrome (HAVS).Newcastle-under-Lyme Magistrates’ Court heard how three employees, the earliest of which had used vibrating tools at the company since 1989, had developed and were subsequently diagnosed with HAVS in 2016.
Read MoreChemical manufacturing company fined after employee scalded with boiling water
Calachem Limited, a chemical manufacturing company, has been fined after an employee was scalded with boiling water during a cleaning operation.Falkirk Sheriff Court heard that on 4 March 2016, work was undertaken to clean down part of a production plant in Grangemouth, Scotland. The cleaning process involved filling a chemical powder charging chute leading down to a reaction vessel with water that was brought to the boil by immersing a steam hose in it.
Read MoreRoofing company fined after worker suffers fatal injuries in fall
A roofing company has been fined after an employee fell through an industrial roof light, sustaining fatal injuries.Basildon Crown Court heard how on 25 February 2018, Jonathan Moore an employee of R4 Industrial Roofing Cladding Systems Ltd was undertaking repairs on a large warehouse roof in the Port of Tilbury when he stepped on a fragile rooflight, which gave way. He fell more than 10 metres to the concrete floor below sustaining fatal injuries.
Read MoreWaste and recycling company fined for safety failings
A Southport waste and recycling company has been fined after an employee sustained serious injuries to his arm when it became entangled in the automatic roof sheeting mechanism of a visiting articulated truck. Liverpool Magistrates’ Court heard how, on 24 April 2019, the 22-year-old labourer had been working at Johnsons Scrap Metal Limited, assisting in loading a 44 tonne articulated third party vehicle with waste wood. He climbed onto the truck and while standing on the load, he manually levelled some wood that had prevented the automatic roof sheet from completely covering the load.
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