A manufacturer of steel water storage tanks and supporting towers has been fined after a worker suffered multiple fractures following a fall from height.

Cwmbran Magistrates Court heard how, on 25 October 2017, a Braithwaite Engineers Limited employee was injured when he fell from a lorry bed whilst unloading the lorry at their site in Risca, resulting in multiple fractures of his head, ribs, shoulder blade and fingers, causing him to miss over five months of work.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found the company had failed to provide employees with suitable and clear instructions and training so that employees did not access lorry beds in an unsafe manner.

Braithwaite Engineers Limited, of Units A&B Leeway House, Leeway Industrial Estate, Newport pleaded guilty of breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. The company has been fined £9,400 and ordered to pay costs of £1,680.75.

Speaking after the case HSE inspector Will Powell said: “Falls from vehicles can be overlooked by employers when considering risks from work at height. Simple measures would have prevented this accident.”

Notes to Editors:

1. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. We prevent work-related death, injury and ill health through regulatory actions that range from influencing behaviours across whole industry sectors through to targeted interventions on individual businesses. These activities are supported by globally recognised scientific expertise. www.hse.gov.uk
2. More about the legislation referred to in this case can be found at: www.legislation.gov.uk/
3. HSE news releases are available at http://press.hse.gov.uk

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Dacorum Borough Council has been fined for exposing seven grounds maintenance workers to Hand Arm Vibration (HAVS), caused by excessive use of power tools.

Luton Magistrates’ Court heard how Dacorum Borough Council reported seven cases of HAVS between May 2015 and June 2016. The affected employees were all part of its grounds maintenance and street care team, looking after the public spaces in Hertfordshire.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that the council had neither adequately planned its working methods nor trained or informed employees on the risks to their health. Furthermore, Dacorum Borough Council did not limit the duration or magnitude of exposure to vibration and failed to put in place suitable health surveillance to identify problems at any early stage.

Dacorum Borough Council pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 5 of the Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005 and have been fined £100,000 and ordered to pay costs of £28,672.62.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Rubeena Surnam said “This was a case of the council failing to identify the risk from hand arm vibration which is a recognised health risk with potentially disabling consequences.

“Unless vibration is identified and properly assessed, an employer won’t know the level of risk and whether action is needed to protect workers.”

Notes to Editors:

1. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. We prevent work-related death, injury and ill health through regulatory actions that range from influencing behaviours across whole industry sectors through to targeted interventions on individual businesses. These activities are supported by globally recognised scientific expertise. www.hse.gov.uk
2. More about the legislation referred to in this case can be found at: www.hse.gov.uk/vibration/hav/index.htm
3. HSE news releases are available at http://press.hse.gov.uk

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A manufacturing company has been fined for safety breaches after a worker suffered severe crush injuries while fault finding on a mesh welding machine.

Leeds Magistrates’ Court heard how on 26 January 2016 an employee at Siddall and Hilton Products Ltd was injured while assisting a colleague on the GRS 144 welding machine at the company’s Brighouse premises. To identify a faulty wire on the machine, the worker opened the interlocked gate which stopped the machine and climbed on top of the PV (the part of the machine that creates the mesh from the welded materials).

To release the wire the weld head needed to be lifted. To do so, his colleague exited and restarted the machine. As the machine was in automatic rather than manual mode, the PV immediately continued travelling towards the weld head, trapping the worker’s lower left leg. He suffered double compound fractures of his tibia and fibula. He was taken immediately to hospital where he had surgery and has since required further surgery to fuse his ankle in November 2018.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found the company failed to implement robust isolation procedures as part of a safe system of work for entry into and out of the machine’s hazard zones.

Siddall and Hilton Products Ltd of Foundry Street, Brighouse, West Yorkshire pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2 (1) of the Health & Safety at Work etc Act 1974. The company has been fined £16,000 and ordered to pay £4831.45 in costs.

After the hearing, HSE inspector Jackie Ferguson commented: “Maintenance and breakdowns are often the most hazardous and poorly controlled area of work.

“If a suitable safe system of work had been in place prior to the incident, the life changing injuries sustained by the employee could have been prevented.

“Companies should be aware that HSE will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action against those that fall below the required standards.”

Notes to Editors:

1. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. We prevent work-related death, injury and ill health through regulatory actions that range from influencing behaviours across whole industry sectors through to targeted interventions on individual businesses. These activities are supported by globally recognised scientific expertise. www.hse.gov.uk^[1]
2. More about the legislation referred to in this case can be found at: www.legislation.gov.uk/ ^[2]Please see the link below to the page on HSE’s website that is the best guide to doing it the right way:
3. www.hse.gov.uk/work-equipment-machinery/puwer.htm
4. HSE news releases are available at http://press.hse.gov.uk^[3]

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Sarah Albon, the new chief executive of Britain’s workplace health and safety regulator takes up her post today (Monday 02 Sept). 

Ms Albon has vacated her post as inspector general and CEO of the Insolvency Service, where she has been since 2015 to take charge of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).  

She replaces acting chief executive David Snowball who has held the post since June 2018 and will be retiring from HSE at the end of the year. 

Ms Albon’s past roles includes roles as director of Strategy and Change at Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunal Service, director of Civil Family and Legal Aid Policy and deputy director of Criminal Legal Aid Strategy at the Ministry of Justice. She has also served as principal private secretary to two Lord Chancellors. 

Martin Temple, HSE’s Chair has welcomed the appointment: “I am looking forward enormously to working with our new chief executive. 

“Sarah’s CV speaks for itself and her valuable experience in leading organisations through change and planning for the future will stand her in good stead leading this world-class regulator of workplace health and safety.” 

Sarah said: “I’ve been looking forward to getting started in my new role and meeting colleagues and partners who all are committed to advancing HSE’s mission to save lives by reducing risk, protecting people and the environment. 

“I am honoured to have the opportunity to lead this important and hugely respected regulator. Working together with my new colleagues across HSE, my focus will be on continuing to deliver improvements in health and safety performance as our workplaces move into a future with new challenges, new technologies and new opportunities.” 

You’ll be able to follow Sarah on Twitter at @CEO_HSE. 

Notes to Editors 

1.            The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. We prevent work-related death, injury and ill health through regulatory actions that range from influencing behaviours across whole industry sectors through to targeted interventions on individual businesses. These activities are supported by globally recognised scientific expertise. www.hse.gov.uk

2.            The Commissioner for Public Appointments regulates all appointments made by the Secretary of State to SSAC. All such appointments are made in accordance with the Code of Practice published by the commissioner. The code is based on three core principles – merit, openness and fairness.

3.            More information about HSE and its Board can be found at: http://www.hse.gov.uk/aboutus/people.htm

4.            HSE is an Executive Non-Departmental Public Body sponsored by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

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An engineering company has been fined following the death of an employee who was struck on the head by a wooden bearer in the yard of a fabrication workshop.

Hamilton Sheriff Court heard how, on 7 September 2017, James Longair, 62 was helping a colleague who was operating a side loader at IODS Pipe Clad Limited in East Kilbride, moving pipes from one part of the yard to another by lifting the pipes on the forks. The men decided that the pipe should be lifted at one end using a side loader. Once the pipe had been lifted at one end it rolled off the forks and struck the deceased on the leg before falling onto a wooden bearer.  This sent the bearer into the air, striking the deceased on the head.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) identified that the work method used to lift and move the pipes was unsafe.  There was no method to secure the pipe on the forks when lifted, which meant when the pipe began to roll along the forks the operator had no control over it.  The pipe subsequently fell off the end of the forks, ultimately leading to Mr Longair’s fatal injury.

IODS Pipe Cad Limited of Singer Road, East Kilbride pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and were fined £60,000.

Speaking after the hearing HSE inspector Martin McMahon said: “This tragic incident could so easily have been avoided by simply carrying out correct control measures and safe working practices.”

“Companies should be aware that HSE will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action against those that fall below the required standards.”

Notes to Editors:

1. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. We prevent work-related death, injury and ill health through regulatory actions that range from influencing behaviours across whole industry sectors through to targeted interventions on individual businesses. These activities are supported by globally recognised scientific expertise. www.hse.gov.uk

2. More about the legislation referred to in this case can be found at: www.legislation.gov.uk/ 

3. HSE news releases are available at http://press.hse.gov.uk

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