Health and Safety News

Yoghurt and dessert manufacturer prosecuted after agency worker’s fingers amputated

A food company specialising in dairy products has been prosecuted after an agency worker suffered severe injuries when their fingers were caught in machinery. Walsall Magistrates’ Court heard that following the incident on 12 July 2016, an agency worker had to have their middle finger amputated below the second knuckle, lost half their index finger and had their third finger amputated to the first knuckle. The agency employee was working as a box maker on a machine known as a tray erector, at the company’s Minsterley site in Shropshire, when the incident occurred.

The NEW Official HSE Health and Safety App - guidance at your fingertips

HSE's mission is to prevent death, injury and ill-health in Great Britain's workplaces. Ensuring that guidance is available and accessible in a variety of formats is central to achieving this objective. The HSE app is now available as a public beta and can be downloaded at an introductory rate of only £2.99 from the Apple iOS store and the Google Play Store.

'Landmark' city centre hotel fined £24,000 for health and safety failings

The owners of Bradford’s iconic Midland Hotel have been fined £24,000 after admitting a number of health and safety charges, including that they failed to act fast enough to deal with asbestos in the building. But Peel Hotels was told that it would have been fined “a six figure sum” had the company, and the hospitality industry in general, not been left in such a perilous financial situation due to the Covid 19 pandemic.

Company fined after worker suffers crush injury

Chemical company, Reckitt Benckiser Healthcare (UK) Ltd (Reckitt Benckiser Ltd), was fined for safety breaches after a worker had his left arm crushed in a bottle filling machine. The 25-year-old worker suffered an open crush injury to his left forearm at the company’s site in Dansom Lane South, Kingston upon Hull. He also sustained tendon damage to the forearm, wrist and hand, Grimsby Magistrates Court was told.

Oldham business owner loses appeal against conviction over health and safety failings

A MAN jailed over health and safety failing which led to his building in Oldham to collapse into the ground in the middle of the day has lost an appeal against his conviction. King’s House building was being converted from an office space into a shisha bar in August 2016 when disaster struck the day after it was reported to the local authority over business concerns.

AWE pleads guilty to health and safety offence

THE ATOMIC Weapons Establishment (AWE) has been fined £660,000 after pleading guilty to an offence under Section 3 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act (1974). AWE was also ordered to pay costs of £9,945.71 during a virtual hearing at High Wycombe Magistrates Court.

Safety experts take season’s goodwill to those sleeping in bins

While the Christmas story celebrates a magical night in a stable, a sad and dangerous reality of the festive season for a growing number of people sleeping rough in the UK is taking shelter in a waste bin. Sadly, there will be thousands of vulnerable people who are tempted to do this, not just over Christmas but all year round, risking unimaginable death or injury from crushing by being unknowingly tipped into a bin lorry.

Lightwater Valley fined £350k over boy's rollercoaster fall

A theme park where a boy fell from a rollercoaster has been fined £350,000 for health and safety breaches. The seven-year-old was airlifted to hospital with head injuries after falling from the ride at Lightwater Valley in North Yorkshire in May 2019. York Magistrates' Court heard the ride no longer operated and the park viewed the accident with 'great sadness'.

HSE statement following incident at water recycling centre in Avonmouth

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) remains at the site of a water recycling centre in Avonmouth following yesterday’s fatal explosion. HSE is fully supporting the investigation into the incident, for which Avon and Somerset Police have primacy.

Council fined £300k after toddler fell through gap in railings

A local authority has been fined after a young child fell almost three metres to the floor from a gap in railings, sustaining serious head injuries. On 16 November 2018, a family was visiting Chester City centre to watch the Christmas parade. While standing at a viewing point on The Rows at Bridge Street, their 21-month-old daughter fell through a gap in the railings onto the floor below, fracturing to her skull.