Health and Safety

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HSE Chair, Martin Temple, talks about his personal connection to farming in support of National Farm Safety Week

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is encouraging everyone involved in agriculture to join the #HelpGBWorkWell conversation to talk about how they can prevent ill health, injury and death in the workplace.

National Farm Safety Week takes place next week, 24 – 28 July. Organised by the Farm Safety Foundation, the week sets out to reduce the number of deaths and injuries and offers support and guidance for those working in the industry.
The week comes just after the release of HSEs annual fatality statistics and couldn’t be more timely as figures for the agriculture sector highlight just how poor farming’s record is. Next week provides an opportunity to really focus the conversation around #Farmsafetyweek.

Martin Temple, HSE Chair said:

“Everyone involved in improving workplace health and safety has a role to play in helping Great Britain work well.
I personally have some experience of the challenges and risks farmers face on a day to day basis having grown up on a farm. Farming has changed and with new and different working practises and a transient workforce, all farmers need to constantly revisit and re-consider the risks faced by the people working on their farm.”

Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing remains the riskiest industry sector in the UK with 27 workers being killed on farms last year and three members of the public, making a total of 30 people according to HSEs recently released fatality figures for the sector.

Martin added:

“National Farm Safety Week provides an ideal opportunity for everyone working in the agricultural industry to raise their voice, and have the conversation around how managing risk well in the workplace is good for farming and all those working in agriculture.”
HSE has a range of resources and guides available to improve health and safety on farms. They cover a range of topics including farm vehicles, working at height, manual handling and electricity and can be accessed on the HSE website at www.hse.gov.uk/agriculture. Join the help Great Britain work well conversation, it’s for good for business and good for workers, #HelpGBWorkWell.

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If you are interested in speaking to HSE on this subject please contact Jane Gregory or Natalie Dunn at HSE media and campaigns office on 0203 028 4691/3389

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NHS trust fined £1m following 53-year-old man’s death in Lincolnshire

United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust has been fined following the death of 53-year-old John Biggadike at Pilgrim Hospital in Boston.

Lincoln Crown Court heard that Mr Biggadike, who was a patient at the hospital, died on 10 April 2012 from internal injuries after falling onto an exposed metal post on the standing aid hoist that staff were using to support him.

The kneepad on the standing aid hoist had been incorrectly removed leaving the exposed metal post that caused the fatal injuries when he collapsed after standing up.

A Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation found the Trust did not have systems for training and monitoring how staff used the standing aid hoist and unsafe practices had developed.

United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust, of Trust Headquarters, Lincoln County Hospital, Greetwell Road, Lincoln, was found guilty of breaching Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. It was fined £1 million and ordered to repay £160,000 in costs.

The trust has also been ordered to pay £3800 to Mr Biggadike’s family to cover the costs of the funeral.

In his statement John Biggadike’s brother Keith said: “John didn’t deserve to die the way that he did. One day I had a brother and the next I didn’t. “

Harvey Wild, Operations Manager for the HSE said: “First of all, our thoughts remain with John Biggadike’s family. This was a tragic and preventable death.

“If staff had received effective training and monitoring in the use of the standing aid hoist Mr Biggadike’s death could have been avoided.”

Guidance on how to safely handle patients can be found at http://www.hse.gov.uk/healthservices/moving-handling-do.htm

Notes to Editors:

  1. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. It aims to reduce work-related death, injury and ill health. It does so through research, information and advice, promoting training; new or revised regulations and codes of practice, and working with local authority partners by inspection, investigation and enforcement. www.hse.gov.uk
  2. The HSE has a legal duty to make inquiries about all allegations or complaints made to it, initially to determine whether there are grounds to formally investigate possible breaches of health and safety regulations.
  3. Until 1 April 2015, allegations of unsafe working practices at medical establishments, unrelated to clinical matters, could be referred to HSE. After this date, the Care Quality Commission (CQC) became the lead regulator, including investigating potential breaches of health and safety regulations.
  4. Since 1 April 2015, this HSE investigation was conducted as a historic inquiry, as the HSE was the responsible regulator at the time these offences were committed.
  5. Further information about how the HSE decides on whether to launch a formal investigation can be found at http://www.hse.gov.uk/enforce/incidselcrits.pdfand http://www.hse.gov.uk/foi/internalops/og/ogprocedures/investigation.
  6. Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 states: “It shall be the duty of every employer to conduct his undertaking in such a way as to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that persons not in his employment who may be affected thereby are not thereby exposed to risks to their health or safety.” Further information about the legislation applied in this case can be found at www.legislation.gov.uk/

Journalists should approach HSE press office with any queries on regional press releases.

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HSE

IOSH National Safety and Health Conference – 14 Sept 2017, Nottingham

Date and location

Thursday 20 October 2016 from 09:15 to 16:00, The Netherwood Hotel, Grange-over-Sands, Cumbria, LA11 6ET

Event overview

This one-day seminar builds on the HSE’s campaign to raise awareness of work-related ill health. It will demonstrate the need for employers to have effective management and training strategies to ensure that employees are protected from occupational health risks.

It will be of interest to managers and supervisors, union representatives, small business owners and trainees, safety professionals, occupational health nurses and safety trainers.

Further Information and booking

To view further information and to book your place please visit the IOSH website.

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HSE