Figures released last week show that 151 workers were killed between April 2009 and March 2010, compared to 178 deaths the previous year. The fall in workplace deaths owes a lot to good practice and leadership, says the HSE, which also points to the recession as another reason for the drop in fatalities. Despite the encouraging figures, though, agriculture is still the most dangerous industry in Britain.

The HSE figures for the number of workers who were fatally injured in the agriculture sector show that:

• 38 agriculture workers were killed at work, marking a return to average levels of previous years in contrast to the record low in 2008/09 when 25 workers died;
• The rate of fatal injuries in the sector was 8.2 per 100,000 workers, making it the most dangerous industry in which to work;
• Of the 38 agriculture workers killed, 17 were employees and 21 were self employed people;
• Seven members of the public were also killed in work related accidents in the sector.

However, other businesses should not be complacent as traffic accidents at work have been calculated as the single biggest cause of UK work-related deaths and are seen to cost businesses more than £3.5 billion a year.

While industrial unrest and economic gloom earned the nation the “sick man” tag in the 1960s and 70s, the UK is now counting the cost of sickness – with absence due to ill-health costing firms almost £17 billion a year. The Bupa study shows that almost half of British employees who took sick leave in the last 12 months continued to work when unwell.  Meanwhile only 16% of bosses said their company had invested money in the health and wellbeing of the whole workforce.

The containers were assessed by measuring the amount of charge transferred from their surfaces in an electrostatic discharge, after being charged by rubbing. The charge transfer values obtained were then compared to maximum permitted values for different gas groups.

Incendivity tests, to determine the ability to cause ignition, were also conducted on the discharges from the containers, giving an indication of typical amounts of charge transfer actually required for ignition in a practical situation, as a guide for incident ignition assessments. A description of the types and purposes of most of the various designs of IBC currently available has been included; in particular those designed for zone 1 and zone 2 usages.

A description of the types and purposes of most of the various designs currently available was also included. Further information can be accessed at http://www.hse.gov.uk/research/rrhtm/rr804.htm

Do your processes involve the use of flammable substances and materials where a dangerous or explosive atmosphere could develop? At MESH we have extensive experience of helping companies to complete the necessary DSEAR assessments as required by H&S legislation.

The company said it was deeply regrettable that they had to report the loss of two employees in 2009 but said that overall there was a fall in reportable injuries. The company appointed a safety director at the start of 2010, and confirmed a full review of the safety training needs was being undertaken.

The HSE has now brought 10 charges of alleged health and safety breaches against UK Coal and Mining Ltd.

Health and safety officials prosecuted the firm, PIB (UK) Ltd, as well as two of its directors, for breaking the law. At Lewes Crown Court, PIB admitted breaching section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. It was fined £30,000 and told to pay costs of £6,500.

One director, John Blankson, 55, from Brighton, who was also the project client, pleaded guilty to breaking regulations 20(1) (a) (b) and (c) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007. He was fined £15,000 and must pay costs of £3,465.

The second director, Steven Moore, 44, also from the town, pleaded guilty to breaking section 37(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.  He received a £30,000 fine and must pay £6,500 costs.  He also cannot be a director of any company for five years.

The Lindsey Oil Refinery worker, who has not been identified, was near to a crude oil distillation unit which caught fire and exploded at around noon.

Humberside Fire and Rescue Service attempted to tackle to the fire with more than 50 fire fighters and 10 appliances at the scene. The burning crude oil from the explosion resulted in black smoke surging out of the plant. People living in the area surrounding the plant in North Killingholme, North Lincolnshire, reported hearing the explosion.

Employees said the fire started in a superheated industrial heater close to where they walked to work. In a statement oil company Total, which runs the refinery, said: “It is with deep regret that Total Lindsey Oil Refinery can confirm that there has been a fatality following the fire and explosion.

The man from Wrexham, was working for a roofing contractor and was on the roof of the Comet store on Mount Street when he stepped on a roof light and fell around 25 feet onto the store floor.

Comet Group plc was prosecuted by the HSE following the incident on 7 June 2007. The company, pleaded guilty to a charge under Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and was also ordered to pay £24,446 in costs.

The contractor was not wearing any equipment which could have prevented his fall. He suffered multiple injuries including rib fractures, a broken collar bone and soft tissue injuries which led to a fatal pulmonary embolism on 12 June 2007.

The HSE commented that Comet had failed to ensure that its contractor had taken steps to prevent falls through the fragile roof lights, ultimately leading to the death of a worker. Clearly the incident could have been avoided if the roof lights at the Wrexham store had been protected and the contractor had been provided with appropriate safety equipment.

The law is clear in that companies must ensure contractors are competent to do the work they are hired to do, and they need to understand their responsibilities. Comet should have agreed a safe system of work and needed a system to monitor contractors to make sure they undertake work safely as agreed.

The contractor’s employer, Steven Christopher Smith, director of Wrexham Roof Services Ltd, was jailed for two and a half years in November 2007 in relation to this incident. He pleaded guilty to manslaughter, a charge under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and a further charge of committing acts intending to pervert the course of justice.

Are your company’s safety systems up to scratch or are you risking prosecution? At MESH we have extensive experience of helping companies to manage all aspects of health & safety including the control of contractors – why not contact us to see how we can help keep your business safe?

Global logistics company, Exel Europe Ltd, based at Milton Keynes, pleaded guilty to breaching sections 2(1) and 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and was sentenced at Nottingham Crown Court. Exel Europe Ltd was fined £80,000 and ordered to pay costs of £35,800.

Imperial Tobacco Ltd, of Bristol, also pleaded guilty to breaching sections 2(1) and 3(1) of the 1974 Act. Imperial Tobacco Ltd was fined £80,000 and ordered to pay costs of £31,000.

The court heard that the day of the incident a heavy goods driver with Exel, was trying to collect a loaded trailer from the Imperial Tobacco site at Lenton Industrial Estate, Nottingham.

The driver intended to attach the trailer to his cab but as he was doing this the lorry gradually rolled forward, trapping him between the front of the vehicle and a building. He suffered fatal head injuries.

The HSE investigation found that drivers working for both Exel and Imperial did not routinely apply the trailer brakes to make sure the vehicles were safely parked. Some drivers had not been properly trained or assessed and no checks had been carried out to monitor the use of trailer brakes in the yard.

Both companies had identified the risk to workers but had failed to implement appropriate control measures. Their method of working ignored published safety guidance which meant that drivers, other employees, visitors and third party contractors were all at risk.

The HSE identified that in 2008/09 12 workers in the haulage industry died at work, while a further 1,500 were seriously injured. They warn that all haulage companies should know that it is their responsibility to check on safety practices and make sure drivers are following the right procedures.

The incident occurred when the man, who was employed as a shunter, was assisting to load pallets on to wagons. As he reversed the truck to straighten it up and move forward, it suddenly slid and spun around, throwing him off. The man’s leg was trapped between one of the bars at the side of the truck and a barrier on a wall, causing crushing injuries and a broken tibia.

The company paid the compensation to the injured employee following action by Thompsons Solicitors and the union GMB.

Carol Wild of Thompsons in Nottingham said: “This was a serious accident that could have been avoided if the employer had ensured that there was proper maintenance and care of the workplace, which would have been long-term a lot cheaper  for the employer than having to pay substantial compensation to their injured employee.”

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