Ashwell Recycled Timber Products Limited has been fined following repeated failures to safely guard and maintain woodwork equipment used by their employees.

Barkingside Magistrates’ Court heard how employees had been exposed to the risk of serious injury because their radial arm drill was not fitted with an effective telescopic guard or trip device, and the housing on a re-saw blade and self-return function on their cross-cut saw had not been maintained. These failures were found despite the company having received previous enforcement action from HSE on similar issues.

Ashwell Recycled Timber Products Limited of Wick Place Farm, Bulphan, Upminster, pleaded guilty to two breaches of Regulation 5(1) and one of Regulation 11(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 and have been fined £12,000 and ordered to pay costs of £2,831.75.

Speaking after the case HSE inspector Dominic Elliss said “In this case, the company completely failed to grasp the importance of installing and maintaining basic but essential guards to prevent access to the dangerous parts of woodworking machinery.

“Companies should be aware that HSE may bring prosecutions where dutyholders continually fail to address risks in the workplace. Woodworking machinery relies on the provision and ongoing maintenance of suitable guards to prevent significant injuries occurring, and businesses should take this opportunity to review their own arrangements and ensure they are sufficiently robust.”

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
4. Guidance can be found here:
http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/wis36.pdf – http://www.hse.gov.uk/pUbns/priced/hsg129.pdf http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/priced/l114.pdf

The national regulator for workplace health and safety has said Hull City Council failed to address the “obvious risk” of employees working on ice before a worker fell and suffered broken ribs while re-laying ice at The Hull Ice Arena.

Hull Crown Court heard that on 30 August 2014 a worker was marking the lines for the ice hockey pitch at the venue on Kingston Street. He was walking towards the centre of the ice rink when he slipped and fell heavily onto the ice, suffering head injuries and breaking three ribs.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found there had been a number of previous incidents of employees slipping and falling on ice.

Hull City Council of The Guildhall, Alfred Gelder Street, Hull pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and was fined £185,000 with ££44,442.71 costs.

After the hearing, HSE inspector Denise Fotheringham commented: “No effective measures had been taken to reduce the risks of employees working on ice.

“Measures could have included providing systems of work that avoided the need for working on ice in the first place. Where this was not reasonably practicable, providing suitable footwear for working on slippery surfaces such as ice would have been an appropriate measure against a quite obvious risk.”

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

Britain’s regulator for workplace health and safety celebrated 100 years of votes for women by flying the women’s Suffrage Flag over its world leading laboratory in Buxton.

On Monday 15 October 2018 HSE hosted the Suffrage Flag relay event, one of the UK Government celebrations to mark the 100 year anniversary of some women obtaining the vote.

Over the course of 2018 the Suffrage Flag is travelling around government departments and agencies across the UK. The flag is purple, green and white, the colours of the Women’s Social and Political Union or Suffragettes, white for purity, purple for dignity and green for hope.

To mark the occasion staff held an EqualiTea morning, during which a display of archive material on women’s contribution to health and safety at work over the last 100 years was celebrated.

Special guests included local MP Ruth George, representatives from the Safety and Reliability Society and local charity Crossroads Derbyshire (formerly High Peak Women’s Aid), Sheila Pantry (editor of ‘Women of Courage’) and local historian Alan Roberts.

The event also raised funds for Crossroads Derbyshire, which covers the whole of the High Peak, and works with more than 500 families each year who are escaping domestic abuse.

Dr Karen Russ, Director of HSE Science said: “We were immensely proud to have hosted this event. It was a celebration that brought together so many people reflecting our pride at the laboratory being based in this wonderful location. We had the opportunity to discuss the impact women have had on science and regulation in HSE, equality at work and increasing the number of women working in science and engineering.”

Vicky Bunnage, Business Officer at Crossroads Derbyshire said: “Thank you so much to all at HSE for inviting us along to this event and raising funds to support women experiencing abuse here in the High Peak. It was great to be part of the celebration of some women getting the vote and we would like to thank the HSE and all the organisers for including us.”

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. Further details on this Government initiative can be found at https://civilservice.blog.gov.uk/2018/02/07/how-the-civil-service-is-celebrating-the-centenary-of-womens-suffrage/

A North Devon-based steel fabricator has been sentenced after a young employee fell through a fragile roof whilst at work.

Plymouth Magistrates’ Court heard how, on 23rd August 2017, a 19-year old employed by Mark Dayment, trading as Langaton Steel Fabrications, was on his first day of working on a roof replacement project at a petrol filling station in Barnstaple. Whilst assisting another worker, he took a few steps off the walkway and fell 7.5 metres through a thin metal sheet onto the concrete forecourt below. The young worker suffered serious head injuries, a broken pelvis and a broken wrist as a result of the fall.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found the work was not properly planned, appropriately supervised or carried out in a safe manner when the incident occurred. Mr Dayment, had a duty to control how the work was carried out, including staff supervision.

Mark Dayment of North Road, South Moulton pleaded guilty to breaching Section 4 (1) of the Work at Height Regs 2005, and has been fined £12,000 and ordered to pay costs of £2,228.70.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Nicole Buchanan said: “This young man’s injuries were life-changing and he could have easily been killed. This serious incident and devastation could have been avoided if basic safe guards had been put in place.

“Falls from height remain one of the most common causes of work-related fatalities and injuries in this country and the risks associated with working at height are well-known.”

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

A haulage and waste processing business has been fined after an agency worker’s hand was drawn into an in running nip on a waste sorting conveyor.

Telford Magistrates Court heard how, on 27 September 2016, an 18-year-old agency worker was trying to clear a blockage beneath a waste conveyor belt. He reached in with his hand to remove the material causing the blockage when his hand was drawn in by the in-running nip on the conveyor system. He suffered partial amputation of his finger and a fractured elbow.

An investigation into the incident by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), found there was inadequate guarding around the conveyor belt to prevent workers hands being caught up in the conveyor.

Loosemores Transport Ltd of Battlefield, Shrewsbury pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 11(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998. The company was fined £18,000 and ordered to pay costs of £2,026.70.

HSE inspector Wendy Campbell said after the hearing: “A young man’s life has been changed because the company failed to ensure there was correct guarding on the conveyor belt.

“This should serve as a reminder to all companies to check their machinery guarding is adequate and prevents access to 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. 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