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.
Company fined after worker has crushed arm amputated

Littleborough based company Ken Mills Engineering Ltd has been fined for safety breaches after a 48-year-old worker suffered a life-threatening injury. Leeds Crown Court heard that on 9 February 9 2017, the 48-year-old worker was repairing a Trojan Haylage Baler at New Hall Farm, Grange Moor, Wakefield when his left arm was trapped and crushed by a hydraulic ram.
Read MoreCompany fined after scaffolding collapsed

A scaffolding company has been fined after scaffolding collapsed across the entrance to the car park of Coventry Skydome.Coventry Magistrates’ Court heard how, on 3 March 2019, scaffolding, which was approximately 13 metres in length and four metres high and had been erected to protect the public from falling debris, had blown down in high winds.
Read MoreFirm fined after driver fatally injured while loading flatbed trailer

A steel company has been fined after a worker was fatally injured by steelwork, which fell from a telehandler forklift truck during loading. Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court heard how on 4 April 2019, an employee of South East Galvanizers Limited had visited PCR Steel Ltd at their premises in Star Industrial Estate, Essex to collect a load. He was performing an unplanned lifting operation, loading a metal balcony base frame onto a flatbed trailer, when the incident occurred. The load was not secured and the balcony frame weighing approximately 400kg fell and crushed the 47-year-old man, who had been standing on the back of the trailer bed.
Read MoreHigh school governing body fined after worker falls from roof

The governing body of Christ the King Catholic High School and Sixth Form Centre in Southport has been fined after an employee fell from height whilst performing routine maintenance duties.Liverpool Magistrates’ Court heard how on Thursday 4 October 2018, an assistant site manager was removing footballs from the sixth form centre roof when he lost his footing, falling more than three metres to the ground.
Read MoreConstruction firm director sentenced after worker seriously injured

The director of a construction company has been sentenced after a sub-contractor suffered serious injuries when a stack of plasterboards fell on him at a construction site in Thames Ditton, Surrey. On 12 April 2019, sub-contractors were moving sheets of plasterboard weighing 32kg each from the ground floor to the second floor of a house undergoing refurbishment. As there was no staircase in place, they were stacking the plasterboard against an unsecured ladder and sliding them up to the floor above. During the process the plasterboards fell on the worker, fracturing his pelvis.
Read MoreSteel company fined after driver fatally injured while loading flatbed trailer

A company has been fined after a worker was fatally injured by steelwork, which fell from a telehandler forklift truck during loading.Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court heard how on 4 April 2019, an employee of South East Galvanizers Limited had visited PCR Steel Ltd at their premises in Star Industrial Estate, Essex to collect a load.
Read MoreCoronavirus: Concerns over bosses breaking Covid safety rules

Concerns have been raised about employees forced to go into workplaces that are not Covid-compliant during lockdown. Between 6 and 14 January, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) received 2,945 complaints about safety issues.
Read MoreRICS announces new cladding guidance on fire risk assessments for high-rise blocks

The professional institute for surveyors has proposed new guidance designed to vastly reduce the scope of buildings subject to EWS1 fire safety assessments for cladding. The safety assessments, introduced by the RICS in 2019 in a bid to provide reassurance to lenders and insurers of high-rise blocks, have contributed to a major blockage in the housing market after a government rule change meant insurers and lenders started requiring them on flat blocks regardless of height.
Read MoreHSE warns of electrical safety dangers in farms when reacting to manslaughter case in Warwickshire

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has warned against the severe dangers of inadequate electrical safety systems in farm buildings following a recently concluded prosecution at Warwick Crown Court. Britain’s workplace regulator has highlighted the substantial risks arising from using poorly maintained equipment after a woman was killed while cooking food in a farm caravan.
Read MoreSawmill firm sentenced after serious hand injury

A company has been sentenced after a worker was seriously injured when his hand came into contact with a rotating bandsaw blade. Blackpool Magistrates’ court heard how on 18 April 2019, the employee was working on a multi-head bandsaw machine at P Irving & Sons Ltd sawmill in Carnforth, when the pipes supplying cooling fluid to one of the six band-saw blades became blocked.
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