Welcome to the May 2006 edition of the Mesh Consultants Safety Matters
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In this issue:
Small businesses are urged to consider the savings
that can be gained from better health and safety policies
Schools to receive new guidance on dealing with
asbestos
New HSE research has pinpointed some of the reasons
for the high incidence of slips and falls from commercial vehicles
Office workers could be putting themselves at
risk of deep-vein thrombosis (DVT)
Pub chain Greene King fined after an employee
sustained serious damage to her nerves and hands as a result of an accident
with a broken pane of window-glass
A construction company has been fined £50,000
after an employee was seriously injured during ground works
Stress cases are coming before the courts with
increasing frequency
Asda fined £10,000 after admitting to breaching
health and safety legislation
Lift operating company fined £400k for a
breach of health and safety legislation which led to the deaths of two
men
KFC prosecuted for slip accident that resulted
in serious burns to staff
Man crushed by runaway fork lift truck
Small businesses are urged to consider the savings that can be
gained from better health and safety policies
Figures released as part of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE)'s
'Better Business' campaign indicate that one in five small businesses
has at least one worker who suffered an injury in 2005. The HSE estimates
that businesses lost up to £7.8 billion through workplace injuries
and ill-health, much of which could have been saved through better health
and safety planning.
David Ashton, the HSE's regional director for the area, said: "When
businesses are planning for the next financial year, they should take
into account the dent in profits that workplace accidents and ill health
can cause. Many businesses think that getting hurt or becoming ill tends
to happen in exceptional circumstances. This couldn't be further from
the truth. Incidents can happen in any business, regardless of size
or activity."
Employee ill-health can be particularly difficult for smaller businesses,
which struggle to cover the costs from lost earnings, sick pay, compensation,
sick leave and loss of output, the HSE said.
Do you fall into this group? Could you benefit from expert assistance
in improving the health and safety performance of your company? See
the wide
variety of companies that MESH has worked with to reduce the
costs of poor health and safety by improving systems and knowledge.
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Schools to receive new guidance on dealing with asbestos
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has warned of the dangers of releasing
asbestos fibres when pinning items to walls or ceilings. It has recently
emerged that more than 100 teachers have died from contact with asbestos
over the last 20 years.
The National Union of Teachers (NUT) had urged the HSE to publish guidance
after one of its members reportedly died as a result of fibres being
released in this way.
The guidance warns that caretakers are at the highest risk as they are
most likely to carry out repair work, but warns that all staff and pupils
are in some danger due to acts of vandalism disturbing asbestos fibres.
It said that teachers are unlikely to be put at risk during the normal
course of their duties but warns there is a danger "if they carry
out activities which cause damage [to structures containing asbestos]
such as pinning or tacking work to asbestos-insulated boards".
HSE figures indicate that 114 teachers have died as a result of coming
into contact with asbestos; an additional 68 teachers have died from
asbestos-related cancer but it cannot be proven that they came into
contact with asbestos at work.
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New HSE research has pinpointed some of the reasons for the high
incidence of slips and falls from commercial vehicles
The research report analysed the underlying reasons for slip, trip and
fall accidents suffered by professional drivers in order to assess the
best types of flooring used and available, identify tripping hazards,
establish drivers' 'normal practice' when entering and leaving vehicles,
and examine footwear suitability.
It makes a number of recommendations for reducing the number of accidents
associated with commercial vehicles including:
- improved access and egress provision;
- use of anti-slip surfaces;
- improving maintenance and housekeeping of vehicles;
- introducing fall arrest systems;
- raising awareness of falls from vehicles.
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Office workers could be putting themselves at risk of deep-vein
thrombosis (DVT)
This month saw the first occurrence in the UK of a condition that has
been dubbed 'e-thrombosis': Chris Simmons, a computer programmer from
Bristol, suffered a pulmonary embolism following a 12-hour stint at
his computer.
The first case of 'e-thrombosis' on record was suffered by a 32-year-old
New Zealand man who also suffered an embolism after a series of long,
unbroken working sessions at his PC.
Health experts warn that few office workers were aware that they were
at risk of a condition more usually associated with long-haul air passengers.
They are more at risk if they remain at their workstations for long
periods without a break, immobility is a key factor in causing thrombosis.
Do you have staff that spend long periods at their desk or in front
of a computer? Have you carried out the necessary DSE
assessments as required by the Display Screen Regulations? MESH
staff are highly experienced in this field and have
assisted a number of organisations to improve the health and safety
for DSE users.
Back to top
Pub chain Greene King fined after an employee sustained serious
damage to her nerves and hands as a result of an accident with a broken
pane of window-glass
The employee, who worked at the company's Red Lion pub in Langley, Slough,
was badly injured when the broken pane - which the company had failed
to repair - fell out of its frame on to her hand.
In court this week, Greene King pleaded guilty to one offence under
the Health and Safety at Work Act and one offence under the Management
of Health and Safety at Work Regulations. The firm was fined a total
of £17,968.
"The lack of a simple repair to a window caused permanent damage
to this employee and that is not acceptable," commented Slough
Borough Council environmental health officer Will Tomkins. "I hope
this sends a message to other businesses that it is not acceptable that
people are injured when simple precautions could have been taken to
protect them."
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A construction company has been fined £50,000 after an employee
was seriously injured during ground works
Cet Group Ltd, of Maidstone Kent, was fined £20,000 and ordered
to pay costs of £30,000 at the City of London Magistrates Court
after pleading guilty to breaching s.2(1) of the Health and Safety at
Work Act 1974.
The fine follows an investigation by the Health and Safety Executive
into an incident involving Mark Cousins from Witham, Essex. Mr Cousins
suffered major injuries when he became trapped in a lorry mounted rotating
drill being used to dig a borehole at Ellenborough Table Tennis Club,
Enfield on March 29, 2004.
Speaking after the case Sarah Snelling, HM inspector of health and safety,
said: "Accidents such as the one suffered by Mark Cousins are eminently
foreseeable when using such large, dangerous pieces of machinery without
the proper safeguards being in place."
Ms Snelling highlighted the need for proper risk assessment and the
provision of effective protection devices.
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Stress cases are coming before the courts with increasing frequency
Another occupational stress case has made its way to the Court of Appeal:
Mark Hone v Six Continents Retail Ltd.
In the original trial the judge had awarded Mr Hone the sum of £21,840
for psychiatric injury against which his employer launched an appeal.
The Court of Appeal upheld the trial judge's findings that the employer
had breached its duty in failing to provide sufficient support to Mr
Hone.
The case emphasises the need to carry out individual risk assessments
of complaints of occupational stress and to act quickly to implement
control measures where the complaint is justified.
Does your organisation undertake risk assessments that cover occupational
stress? And do you have a well drafted stress policy and systems
for responding to individual cases of stress? If the answer is no then
why not contact
us as we
have extensive experience in this area.
Back to top
Asda fined £10,000 after admitting to breaching health and
safety legislation
Kim Postlethwaite, who works at Asda's Aintree store, was off work for
12 weeks after receiving an electric shock from a frayed lead in the
staff canteen.
The television cable had been threaded outside the building through
two windows because its nearest socket was not working.
Asda executives yesterday admitted breaching a health and safety regulation
at South Sefton Magistrates' Court.
Nicola Watson, prosecuting for Sefton council, said: "The standard
of safety in the staff canteen was well below that which might be expected
from a national company."
Back to top
Lift operating company has been fined £400k for a breach
of health and safety legislation which led to the deaths of two men
Otis Investments and Otis Ltd, sentenced as a single company, Otis,
was fined £400,000 after pleading guilty to a single breach of
s.3(1) the Health and Safety Act in connection with the incident.
The two men, were killed after falling down a lift shaft in a high rise
block of flats. The incident occurred when the pair fell against the
lift doors which then swung open due to inadequate fixings. Both men
plunged around 30 metres and are thought to have died instantly.
Commenting on the case, Antony Thompson HM Specialist Inspector of Health
and Safety said: "The tragic deaths are a reminder for all those
with responsibility for lifts that they should be properly maintained
so that they are safe and do not put people at risk. It is important
that maintenance is carried out on a regular and frequent basis and
that lift landing entrances and lift doors are designed and constructed
to withstand the anticipated use".
Back to top
KFC prosecuted for slip accident that resulted in serious burns to staff
Two workers were extensively burnt by hot oil after one lost his footing
on a slippery floor surface. The court heard that the worker slipped
on a mixture of cooking oil and water on a tiled floor while cleaning
the shop.
As he fell he pulled over a deep fat fryer that held hot frying oil
on to himself and a colleague. Both required skin grafts following the
accident.
The judge in summing up referred to poor floor maintenance, poor cleaning,
poor footwear and poor slip resistance contributed to the likelihood
of a slipping incident. KFC were fined £60,000 and ordered to
pay costs of £16,185.
Do you have floor conditions that could lead to slipping and tripping
accidents? Do you need help to carry out inspections
of your workplace? MESH can provide expert assistance or training
for your staff in carrying out workplace inspections, contact
us if you require further information.
Back to top
Man crushed by runaway fork lift truck
The court was told that on March 30th 2005, a fork lift truck that had
been left parked on a slope rolled down the incline crashing through
some plastic curtains in a doorway and crushed a worker between the
truck and a safety barrier.
The truck had previously been operated by an inexperienced and untrained
19-year old driver. The driver had also been working unsupervised.
The HSE inspector prosecuting the case commented that "Those managing
and working with fork lift trucks need to be competent, this means having
the appropriate levels of training and experience". The company
was fined £5,000 and ordered to pay costs of £961.
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