As we continue the roadmap out of lock down and more businesses re-open, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is working with local authorities to carry out spot checks and inspections on local businesses.

The reopening of the economy means that the opportunity for COVID to spread is increased substantially, so it is critical that businesses shouldn’t become complacent. They still need to have COVID-secure measures in place.

The HSE is calling and visiting all types of businesses, in all areas, to check the measures they’ve put in place to manage the risk from coronavirus, are in line with the current guidance. This includes businesses that have continued to operate throughout the pandemic, those that have recently reopened and those due to open in the coming weeks.

We are continuing to work closely with local authorities, assisting them in their targeting of premises in the sectors they regulate such as hospitality and retail.

During spot checks and inspections, we provide guidance and advice where required, but where businesses aren’t managing the risk, action will be taken. This can range from the provision of specific advice, issuing enforcement notices and stopping certain work practices until they are made safe. Where businesses fail to comply, this could lead to prosecution.

The COVID-secure measures businesses should have in place include:

• Risk assessment: every workplace should have a COVID risk assessment. Update it to reflect any changes in legislation or guidance that may impact your work activity.
• Social distancing: where possible you should keep people two metres apart. If this is not viable, keeping one metre apart with risk mitigation, such as screens, is acceptable.
• Cleaning, hygiene and handwashing: keeping your workplace clean reduces the potential for coronavirus to spread. It is a critical part of making and keeping your business COVID-secure.
• Ventilation and air conditioning: can help reduce the risk of spreading coronavirus.
• Talk to workers: provide information about providing support and maintaining control measures.
• Working from home: provide the equipment they need, keep in regular contact and discuss their wellbeing.
• Vulnerable workers: talk to staff, provide information and consider the risk to workers who are particularly vulnerable to coronavirus – putting controls in place to reduce that risk.

Angela Storey, Director of Transformation and Operational Services at HSE, said: “As we come out of lockdown, we are continuing to work with local authorities to check businesses are COVID-secure and providing guidance and advice where needed.

“Our spot checks and inspections support the cross-government work in helping employers and employees that have worked throughout the pandemic and those returning as lockdown measures ease. All workplaces are in scope for spot checks which means businesses of any size, in any sector can receive an unannounced check from HSE or an inspection from the local authority, to check they are COVID-secure.

“If you are contacted by the HSE or your local authority, please engage with us. By checking businesses have measures in place to manage the risks, we can benefit the health of local communities as well as support the local and national UK economy.”

Please ensure your workplace is safe by following the guidance on being COVID-secure. Further information on spot checks and inspections is available on our website.

/Ends

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. https://www.hse.gov.uk
2. HSE news releases are available at https://press.hse.gov.uk
3. For HSE’s working safely guidance see https://www.hse.gov.uk/coronavirus/working-safely/index.htm

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Grundon Waste Management Limited (Grundon), has been fined after a traffic marshal was struck and killed by one of its vehicles on a construction site.

A jury at Southwark Crown Court heard that on 22 February 2016, a waste lorry had been reversing down a ramp at the former BBC Television Centre in London to collect waste from a customer’s loading bay. In the process, it struck and fatally injured traffic marshal, Kiril Karadzhov.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that Grundon failed to identify reversing as a hazard that needed to be eliminated or controlled and that suitable actions had not been taken to control the risk of reversing. This exposed pedestrians to risks to their safety. If reversing had been identified as a risk then the risk could have been eliminated or reduced, such as by developing a clear and safe system of work to access the loading bay on their customer’s sites.

Grundon Waste Management Limited of Oxford Road, Benson, Wallingford, Oxfordshire, was found guilty of breaching Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and was fined £550,000 and instructed to pay £96,874.15 in costs.

Speaking after the sentencing hearing, HSE inspector Sharon Boyd, said: “If the hazard of reversing vehicles had been properly identified and appropriate discussions had taken place with those responsible for traffic management, a consistent system of work which properly controlled the risks associated with the hazard could have been developed and Mr Karadzhov’s death could have been avoided.

“The dangers associated with reversing vehicles are well known and a wealth of advice and guidance is freely available from HSE and other organisations.”

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. hse.gov.uk
2. More about the legislation referred to in this case can be found at: legislation.gov.uk
3. HSE news releases are available at press.hse.gov.uk
4. For more information on working safely with vehicles, please visit our page here: https://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/

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A contractor has been fined after an employee was hit by falling debris from a wall that was being demolished in an unsafe manner.

Blackpool Magistrates’ Court heard that on 10 January 2020, Barrowbridge Construction Limited had been contracted to demolish a garage in Clitheroe, Lancashire. Three operatives pushed over the remaining part of the external wall of the garage. One of the workers was struck at shoulder height by falling debris and fell to the ground, with the material falling on top of him. He sustained injuries to his shoulder and a fractured heel and ankle.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that the demolition was not planned or carried out in a manner to prevent danger.

The risk assessments and method statement prepared by the company required the use of hand tools, including sledgehammers, to demolish the walls of the garage. No measures were identified or implemented which would maintain the stability of the wall throughout the demolition, resulting in a risk that the structure would become unstable and potentially collapse.

On their second day on site, the operatives decided that it would be safer to simply push the remaining wall over. This change to the method of work was made without consultation with the project manager and resulted in the operatives working in an unsafe area, putting themselves at risk of being struck by falling materials. The wall collapsed in two directions when pushed.

Barrowbridge Construction Limited, of Club Street, Barrow, Clitheroe pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 20(1) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 and was fined £600 with costs of £1,947.00.

HSE inspector, Jacqueline Western, said after the hearing: “This incident could so easily have been avoided if the company had properly planned, managed and monitored the demolition. The sequence of demolition should have been planned to maintain the stability of the structure throughout the process.

“Companies and contractors 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. More guidance about working safely in demolition can be found at www.hse.gov.uk/construction/safetytopics/demolition.htm
4. HSE news releases are available at http://press.hse.gov.uk

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A metal manufacturer has been fined following an incident involving a side loader fork truck.

Mansfield Magistrates’ court heard how, on 20 November 2017, the truck was involved in an incident where an employee was trapped between the truck and a rack containing metal pipes at Fabrikat (Nottingham) Limited in Hamilton Road, Nottingham. The company had failed to maintain the side loader fork truck by ensuring that it was in efficient working order and in good repair.

An investigation by The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that the company did not maintain the side loader as per the manufacturer’s specifications. This left the company’s employees exposed to risk.

Fabrikat (Nottingham) Limited of Hamilton Road, Sutton in Ashfield, Nottingham pleaded guilty to breaching Section 5(1) of the Provision & Use of Work Equipment Regulations. They were fined £80,000 and ordered to pay costs of £6,478.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Amandip Dhanda said: “This injury was easily preventable, and the risk should have been identified.

“Employers should make sure they properly assess and apply effective control measures to minimise the risk from dangerous parts of machinery.”

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. hse.gov.uk
2. More about the legislation referred to in this case can be found at: legislation.gov.uk/
3. HSE news releases are available at http://press.hse.gov.uk
4. For more information about working safely with vehicles, please visit the HSE website here: https://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/

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A specialist roofing and cladding company has been sentenced after an employee suffered serious injuries when he fell through an asbestos roof whilst undertaking gutter cleaning and roof repairs.

North Staffordshire Magistrates’ Court heard that on 1 March 2017, DPM Industrial Roofing (UK) Limited (DPM), was engaged by PD Edenhall, to undertake work on the fragile pitched roof on units at its premises in Burslem, Stoke-on-Trent. The work involved cleaning valley gutters and over-sheeting six damaged asbestos roof sheets with corrugated metal sheets.

Two DPM employees accessed the roof via a cherry picker and proceeded to clean the first valley gutter which was 35m long and two feet wide.

During the work one of the men stepped off the crawling board and onto the fragile asbestos cement roof, which gave way causing him to fall 7.5 metres to the concrete floor below. He fractured his spine in two places and also fractured his pelvis, shoulder and rib.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found the method of work was unsafe. There was no fall protection on either side of the valley gutter to prevent the workers falling through the pitched fragile roof and no fall protection at the end of the valley gutter to prevent them falling off the roof. This unsafe method of work was repeated when the men cleaned the second valley gutter. The risk assessment was not suitable and sufficient.

Although it identified working on a fragile roof as ‘high risk’ it failed to identify falls from a leading edge and did not include adequate control measures to prevent falls through or from the roof.

DPM Industrial Roofing (UK) Limited, of Sneyd Business Park, Sneyd Street, Stoke on Trent pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and was fined £10,000 and ordered to pay costs of £6,454.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Susan Ritchie said: “This serious incident could easily have been prevented had appropriate control measures been considered and put in place to prevent falls from height.”

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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