Health and Safety News

Health and Safety News: January 2009
Health and Safety News
powered by
Seattle Post Intelligencer - Ore.
woman dies after Wash. diving accident
Friday, 30 January 2009
Harry Potter stuntman injured

The family of a stuntman injured on the set of the latest Harry Potter
film said they are "trusting in the expertise" of the medical team caring
for him in hospital. Skip related content
David Holmes, who is a stunt double for star Daniel Radcliffe, was
taken to hospital with a back injury.
The accident happened on set at Leavesden Studios, near Watford,

Hertfordshire, where Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is in
production.
It is understood the 25-year-old from Romford in Essex was hurt while

filming an aerial sequence.
A statement released on behalf of his family said: "We would like to

thank everyone for their thoughts and prayers. We are trusting in the
expertise of the medical staff who are caring for David and would ask
the media to please respect the privacy of our family while we
concentrate on helping each other through this difficult time."
Mr Holmes was initially taken to Watford General Hospital but has

since been moved to another hospital.
An investigation has been launched by the Health and Safety

Executive (HSE) after the accident.
According to the Daily Mirror, Mr Holmes fell to the ground following

an explosion which was part of the stunt.
A spokesman for the HSE said: "We are aware of an incident
involving a stunt double at the studios and we are investigating."
Steve Truglia, a stunt co-ordinator and performer, said the thoughts of

the whole stunt community were with the injured man.
Source.
at 08:02 0 comments
Labels: accident, back injuries, fall from height, HSE
http://handsnews.blogspot.com/2009_01_01_archive.html (1 of 37) [24/03/2009 14:23:34]

Support grows for European risk assessment

campaign
Eight more pan-European and multinational organisations have
signed up to support the Healthy Workplaces campaign organised by
the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA). This
brings the number of official campaign partners to 17.
The campaign aims at reducing work-related accidents and illnesses
by focusing on the assessment of health and safety risks, as it is the
first essential step for effective workplace safety and health
management. Improvements in this area are urgently needed. To give
just one example figure: It is estimated that every three-and-a-half
minutes somebody in the EU dies from work-related causes.
Read Press Release.

at 01:20 0 comments
Labels: campaign, health, health and safety, management,
OSHA, risk assessments
Report: Workplace exposure to vibration

One in three European workers is exposed to vibration at work and
this risk is becoming more and more important. This report gives an
overview of the challenges facing the occupational safety and health
community as regards the management of occupational vibration
risks.
Read the report.

at 01:18 0 comments
Labels: hazard, health, health and safety, report, risk,
vibration
New European Risk Observatory report:

Occupational skin diseases and dermal exposure
Skin diseases are among the most important emerging risks - related
not only to the extensive use of chemicals, but also to exposure to
biological and physical risk factors. The report gives an overview of
dermal exposures and skin diseases, contains the principal policies
and practices in the EU-25 and concludes with challenges, prospects
and recommendations.
Read the report.

at 01:16 0 comments
Labels: chemicals, dermal, disease, hazard, health and

safety, report, risk
Thursday, 29 January 2009
Fisherman dies after injury

MANASQUAN — A worker aboard a commercial fishing boat died
Tuesday morning after his leg was caught in a winch while fishing
about 5 miles off the coast.
Billy Melgrum, 53, was pronounced dead at the Coast Guard station
here after he went into shock following the injury, Petty Officer Crystal
Kneen said.
Melgrum was working aboard the 65-foot Lydia J, a commercial

vessel that is part of the Point Pleasant Beach-based Fishermen's
Dock Cooperative.
The Coast Guard received a call from a crew member aboard the
Lydia J just before 10:30 a.m. reporting that Melgrum had injured both
his legs and needed medical assistance.
A New Jersey State Police rescue boat crew arrived on the scene and
performed CPR, Kneen said.
Melgrum then was transferred to a rescue vessel from Coast Guard

Station Manasquan Inlet, where CPR continued.
Resuscitation efforts failed, however, and he was pronounced dead at

the station by awaiting medical personnel.
An investigation into the accident is continuing, Kneen said.
Source.
Copyright © 2009 Asbury Park Press. All rights reserved.

at 07:31 0 comments
Labels: accident, fatality, fishing, leg injury, USA
Death toll rises in Cavite factory explosion

MANILA, Philippines - The death toll in the blast that hit a fireworks
factory in Trece Martires City, Cavite rose to two Thursday noon, as
authorities continue to battle the fire that was set off by an explosion.
Citing initial information, Trece Martires City police chief

Superintendent Reynaldo Galang said the two bodies were recovered
just outside the factory. He added that the bodies appeared to be
those of a man and a woman.
"Isang lalaki at isang babae, sa labas lang yan (They appear to be the
bodies of a male and a female. That's just outside the factory),"
Galang said in an interview on dzBB radio.
"Putol-putol ang mga ito, pinatawag ang SOCO para ma-identify (The

body parts are mangled. We have to bring in the scene of the crime
operations teams to identify them)," he added.
A separate dzBB report also said burned body parts were found in the
area surrounding the Starmaker fireworks factory in Conchu village.
On the other hand, Cavite provincial police director Senior

Superintendent Hernando Zafra said three persons were already
confirmed dead while 38 were reportedly wounded in the powerful
blast.
In a radio interview, Zafra confrimed three bodies have already been
recovered from the factory but did not say whether all the fatalities
were laborers in the factory.
"Ayon pa rin po yung bilang ng patay, tatlo po (That is still our official
count, three dead)," Zafra said, adding that the factory employs at
least 100 people.
Authorities have identified the factory owner as Doy Tan.
Source: Aie Balagtas See, GMANews.TV

at 07:27 0 comments
Labels: accident, explosion, fatality, fire, fireworks, injury,
Philippines
Monday, 26 January 2009
OSHA official: Truck show death is accident

MADISON — A federal safety official says a preliminary investigation
suggests the death of a Monster Truck show promoter was an
accident.
Kim Stille, director of the Occupational Safety & Health

Administration’s office in Madison, says her agency’s investigation
has not turned up any obvious safety issues.
She says the investigation continues but “it does appear to be a tragic
accident.”
Authorities say 41-year-old George Eisenhart Jr. of Chardon, Ohio,

died on Saturday night when he stepped into the path of one of the
huge trucks during the Motor Sports Monster Truck & Thrill Show.
Coroner John Stanley says preliminary investigation shows neither

the victim nor the driver saw each other before the collision.
Source.
at 08:29 0 comments
Labels: accident, fatality, health and safety, OSHA, USA
Pontoon incident at Felixstowe

Synopsis
Landguard Pontoon had been recently established to provide tug
berths and a pilot boarding and landing facility during port expansion
works at Felixstowe. On the morning of the accident, the coxswain of
the pilot boat Haven Harrier agreed to transport three tug crew
members from the pontoon to Harwich.
Haven Harrier approached the pontoon with the coxswain at the helm
and the deckhand at the bow to assist as required. The coxswain
manoeuvred the boat so as to lean the port shoulder onto the
pontoon’s tyre fenders while the men boarded. The first two men
stepped on board, without incident. The third man, who was carrying
two small bags in his right hand, stepped onto a tyre fender with his
right foot and was about to step onto the boat’s deck with his left foot.
The boat’s bow pitched down and the man, realising that he was in
danger of falling onto the boat, decided to fall backwards onto the
pontoon instead. As he did so, the bow pitched up, rode over the
fender, and then pitched down again, trapping the man’s lower leg
between the pontoon and the boat’s hull.
Action taken:
Risk assessments for use of the pontoon have since been revised
and operational instructions now require:
pilot boats to reduce speed well in advance of approaching the

pontoon;
vessels to be parallel alongside and secured with at least one line

before boarding or disembarkation begins; and
tyre fenders not to be used as steps during boarding or

disembarkation.
The Chief Inspector of Marine Accidents has written to the Chief

Executive of Harwich Haven Authority with respect to the use of
objective marine expertise in future risk assessments, and to the
dangers of complacency.
Source.
Previous article:
Man loses leg in port horror.

at 08:25 0 comments
Labels: accident, health and safety, leg injury, MAIB, sea
Explosion causes power outage in areas of

Sikeston for eight hours
SIKESTON, Mo. — An explosion of a circuit breaker inside one of
Sikeston Power Plant's substations caused a power outage for two-
thirds of the city Wednesday evening and Thursday morning.
At 8:12 p.m. many Sikeston residents felt a large explosion in the

northwest part of the city. A circuit breaker blew and caused a
malfunction, which started a fire in the substation, according to Sgt.
Jim McMillen of the Sikeston Department of Public Safety.

Public safety officials arrived on the scene and extinguished the fire
20 minutes later. Though the full extent of the damage is not known at
this time, McMillen said about one-fourth of the substation sustained
significant damage.
McMillen said the Sikeston School District and several area churches
offered transportation and housing for those affected by the outage.
By 11:12 p.m. power was restored to most affected customers. Crews

restored power to all its customers by 4 a.m.
Source.
at 03:53 0 comments
Labels: accident, explosion, fire, USA
London landlord first person to be jailed under

new fire safety regulations
A London landlord has become the first person to be jailed under new
fire safety regulations after one of his tenants died in a house fire.
Mehmat Parlak was sentenced to four months in prison and his
company, Watchacre Properties, was fined £21,000 at Wood Green
crown court.
He admitting eight breaches of the fire safety regulatory reform order,

which came into force in October 2006. The tenant, Abdualla
Gardoon, died following a fire in a house in multiple occupation
owned by Mr Parlak on Ruskin Road, Tottenham, in September 2007.
Mr Parlak accepted he had failed to make a suitable assessment of

the risks in the property, put in place fire safety arrangements, provide
fire safety equipment and adequate smoke alarms, ensure
emergency exists and routes were clear, ensure his tenants were
able to exit the building quickly, put up emergency exit signs and
establish fire procedures.
Brian Coleman, chair of the London Fire and Emergency Planning

Authority, said the case showed landlords and businesses must take
their responsibilities under the regulatory reform order seriously.
‘The London Fire Brigade works hard to bring irresponsible
companies and individuals to court, which can, as this case has
shown, result in a custodial sentence,’ he added. A spokesperson for
London Fire Brigade told EHN it was believed to be the first custodial
sentence in the country under the fire reform order. The LFB has also
successfully prosecuted a Hillingdon property manager after two
tenants had to jump out of a window of a HMO because their escape
route was blocked by thick smoke.
Armajit Singh, who was managing the property on Wood End Green
Road, Hayes, for his uncle, was found guilty of seven breaches of the
fire safety regulatory reform order at Uxbridge magistrates court in
December. He was fined £5,600 and ordered to pay costs of £7,300.
The tenants, a man and a woman, were woken by the blaze in

September 2007. The staircase was engulfed by thick black smoke so
they smashed a first-floor bedroom window and jumped out. The
woman broke her ankle in the fall and the man suffered deep cuts to
his hands. Fire safety inspectors visited the building after the fire and

found there were no smoke alarms, fire extinguishers or fire resistant

doors.
Steve Turek , assistant commissioner for fire safety regulation, said
the tenants could have died. ‘The property had no smoke alarm or an
accessible means of escape and this incident could have resulted in a
death or more severe injuries to the occupants. It is important for
people who are responsible for managing properties to know that they
can be held to account for fire safety failures that are within their
control,’ he said.
Kevin Thompson, CIEH policy officer, said the prosecutions showed
complex fire safety laws could be overcome. ‘Fire safety legislation for
housing is complex in that there are overlapping powers shared
between local housing authorities and fire and rescue authorities.
These successful prosecutions demonstrate how this need not be a
problem,’ he said.
The CIEH urged councils and fire brigades to sign up to its Fire Safety
Protocol to put in place ‘reasonable and appropriate fire safety
precautions’ in the private rented sector. ‘The Lacors/CIEH/ Chief Fire
Officers Association fire safety guidance informs landlords how to
achieve this and avoid the need for enforcement action such as this,’
added Mr Thompson.
Derek Allen, Lacors executive director, said: ‘It’s sad that it takes a
fatality to bring the spotlight onto the significant hazard that fire
represents. Councils can help landlords by pointing them to the
national guidance.
By raising landlords’ awareness, further fatalities in rented

accommodation can be avoided.’ The Regulatory Reform Order (Fire
Safety) 2005, which replaced more than 70 pieces of fire safety
legislation, requires any person who exercises some level of control in
a property to take reasonable steps to reduce the risk from fire and
ensure occupants can safely escape if a fire occurs.
Source.
© 2009 Chartered Institute of Environmental Health

at 03:39 0 comments
Labels: EHN, fine, fire, prosecution, RRO, safety
Firms exposing workers to asbestos will be

penalised
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is warning that firms
exposing workers to asbestos would be penalised.
It added that electrical contracting companies and other building and
refurbishment trades must provide suitable asbestos awareness
training to employees or face prosecution.
This move follows the HSE prosecution of Scriven Electrical
Contractors Ltd of Cornwallis Road, West Bromwich for failing to
ensure that adequate information, instruction and training was given
to its employees.
The court heard that an electrician employed by Scriven installed

three heat detectors and associated cabling in a commercial sized

kitchen and boiler room of premises in Barclay Road, Smethwick.
Although the ceiling tiles contained 5–50% brown asbestos no
asbestos awareness training was given by his employer prior to
commencement of the work, despite a legal requirement.
Scriven Electrical Contractors Ltd was, on 19 January, 2009, under

the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, fined £3,000 and ordered
to pay £2,757 in costs, by West Bromwich Magistrates for breaching
Regulation 10(1)(a) of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006.
Speaking after the case, HSE inspector John Healy said:
"Scrivens should have known of the dangers and the legal
requirement to give sufficient training to protect employees from
exposure to asbestos because 98% of their work involves the risk of
encountering asbestos.
"Those responsible for employees ordinarily have a legal duty to

protect their health and safety but, in the case of asbestos those
involved in building or refurbishment must know that any disturbance
of such a dangerous material should only be completed by trained
workers."
Electricians, plasterers, plumbers and carpenters are all at risk of
exposure to asbestos in buildings erected or refurbished before the
year 2000 and across the whole of the West Midlands Region one
person dies a painful death every three days from mesothelioma and
these deaths are almost exclusively people who have previously been
exposed to asbestos.
The number of asbestos-related workplace deaths exceeds the figure

of deaths in road accidents but many workers, particularly tradesmen,
think that they are not personally at risk of exposure to asbestos or
the diseases it can cause. They think that since asbestos was banned
many years ago, the problem has been dealt with and therefore it is
not relevant to them. The reality is very different.
Exposure to asbestos is the biggest single cause of work-related

deaths, with around 4,000 people a year dying from asbestos-related
disease. The overall number of deaths is rising because a large
number of workers who have already been exposed to asbestos dust
around 40 years ago will go on to develop mesothelioma, a terminal
cancer or other asbestos related diseases.
Today asbestos still presents a real and relevant risk to plumbers,

joiners, electricians and many other maintenance workers as it may
be present in any building constructed or refurbished before the year
2000. It is estimated that around 500,000 non-domestic buildings
could contain asbestos and these buildings all need repair and
maintenance work from time to time but when the asbestos fibres are
disturbed, for example by drilling or cutting, they are likely to be
inhaled as a deadly dust.
HSE Press Release.

at 05:31 0 comments
Labels: asbestos, cancer, dust, fine, health and safety,
HSE, HSWA, prosecution
Tuesday, 20 January 2009

Man injured in explosion at Coleman's Maize plant

MAIZE, Kan. - A worker is rushed to a Wichita hospital with burns
after a flash fire at the Coleman Co. plant in nearby Maize.
A housing supervisor at the Via Christi Regional Medical Center-St.
Francis Campus says the man is in serious condition Monday night.
His name was not immediately released.
The fire reportedly started around 1:15 p.m. Monday on the assembly
line where propane tanks are filled.
Fire officials say the fire did not spread beyond the area where the
initial flash happened.
The Wichita-based camping and equipment maker has canceled its

second and third shifts at the plant.
The cause of the explosion is under investigation.
Source.
Copyright 2009 The Associated Press.

at 04:58 0 comments
Labels: accident, burns, explosion, fire, injury, USA
Tricon fined £10k after workers fall down lift shaft

Dundee firm Tricon Construction has been fined £10,000 after a "very
serious incident" in which two workers fell down a lift shaft and
narrowly avoided being hit by a 110kg concrete lintel.
The Dundee Sheriff Court heard the men had been working to cap the
lift shaft and were using a scaffold to manoeuvre concrete lintels
when the incident occurred.
Health and Safety Executive inspector Murray Provan said part of the
scaffold was unstable and tipped when the workers stood on it
causing the men to fall down the outside of the lift shaft.
He said the access scaffold had not been correctly erected and that
there was a gap of up to 1m between the existing floor and the wall of
the lift shaft.
The HSE said: "The pair avoided a falling concrete lintel, which
weighed 110 kg but both still suffered serious injuries in the incident."
One man fell more than 10m while his colleague fell 2m.
Mr Provan added: "This was a very serious incident. Gaps in the

flooring of any workplace should be obvious to any reasonably
diligent person."
Tricon pleaded guilty to breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act.
Source.
at 02:58 0 comments
Labels: accident, fall from height, fine, HSE, scaffold,
Scotland

Hydraulic press accident kills man

A New Plymouth man, who died after receiving severe head and
chest injuries in a machinery accident at Fonterra's Whareroa site
near Hawera, was an awesome guy, his brother says.
Theodorus (Theo) Rangihu Blake, 52, of New Plymouth, was working

in a packing plant when the accident happened about 6.50pm on
Saturday.
The area was immediately shut down while Fonterra, police and
Department of Labour inspections were completed.
Taranaki District Health Board paramedics treated Mr Blake at the

scene before transporting him to hospital where he later died.
Mr Blake's brother Jerry said he was an amazing man who liked to try
his hand at everything.
Jerry, of New Plymouth, said the family was going through the
grieving process and didn't want to comment about the accident.
Mr Blake has a daughter Melissa.
Mr Blake's flatmate and friend of seven years, Graham Martens, said

he would be sadly missed.
"He was a great guy, he was really easy going and had a good
attitude," Mr Martens said.
"He liked to get out there and meet people and everyone just got
along with him."
Mr Martens said Mr Blake enjoyed horse racing and was a whiz on

the pool table. "On a good night he would clean anyone up," he said.
Constable Glenn Davy, of Hawera, said it appeared Mr Blake had got

trapped in a hydraulic press.
"He has definitely sustained critical injuries to his head and torso," Mr
Davy said.
Police were still speaking to workers at the plant.
"Nobody saw the accident, a work colleague just saw him collapse
after the accident," Mr Davy said.
Mr Blake had worked at the site for quite a while, he said.
"He was considered one of the more experienced operators on the

machine he was working on."
Police were investigating on behalf of the coroner.
TDHB acting ambulance manager Martin Hook said the man was
initially taken to Hawera Hospital.
"The patient's condition deteriorated significantly requiring
stabilisation before he could be transported to Taranaki Base
Hospital," Mr Hook said.
Mr Blake was then taken by a TDHB ambulance to New Plymouth's

emergency department.
"The patient unfortunately died soon after arrival," Mr Hook said.
Department of Labour Taranaki manager Brett Murray said

investigators were at the scene yesterday.
Mr Blake's death is the first work place fatality in Taranaki this year.
In 2008 the department investigated three workplace fatalities and

107 serious injury accidents, including a 59-year-old truck driver who
suffered serious head injuries after he was hit on the head by a falling
box of butter at Fonterra's Whareroa site.
Source.
at 02:56 0 comments
Labels: accident, crushed, fatality, health and safety, New
Zealand
One killed, two injured in factory fire

Noida: One worker was burnt alive and two suffered serious burns
when portion of a textile factory went up in flames following a steam
boiler explosion at 6 Block in Noida today.
The deceased was identified as Hari Kumar. The injured Kamlesh

and Naresh were admitted to private hospitals, where their condition
was stated to be critical, Fire Officer A B Pandey said.
The explosion took place at 12.40 and the subsequent fire engulfed
the top floor of the factory. About 80 workers were on duty at the time
of mishap. Though many ran out, a few of them suffered minor burns.
The solvent that spilt out of the boiler caught fire leading to the
tragedy, he said.
Source.
at 02:54 0 comments
Labels: accident, burns, explosion, fire, India, injury
Worker injured in gas well explosion

An explosion at a Doddridge County gas well sent a man to the
hospital, Monday morning.
It happened just before 10:00 a.m., near Honeysuckle Road.
The worker was taken to United Hospital Center in Clarksburg, with

first degree burns to his upper body.
The Salem Fire Department says the worker was thawing out the well
pipes when the explosion happened.
Workers have shut off the pipes, until they can repair the lines.

It is not known who owns the well.

Dominion gas says the fire damaged a few of its meters, which were
connected to the well.
Source.
© 2009 Microsoft
at 02:30 0 comments
Labels: accident, burns, explosion, gas, USA
Explosion at IWU injures two

Two Indiana Wesleyan University employees were injured when a
boiler exploded on the campus Monday morning.
According to a news release, Michael Cooper and Frederick Johnson,

both maintenance workers at the university, were attempting to light
the older of two boilers in the basement of the former Center
Elementary School, 4414 S. Nebraska St., when the explosion
occurred.
Alan Miller, director of university relations at IWU, said Cooper, a 15-

year employee and manager of technical services, was treated at
Marion General Hospital and released. Johnson, a two-year
employee and skilled trades worker, was taken to MGH and then later
transported by helicopter to Indianapolis’ Methodist Hospital and then
to Wishard Hospital. He suffered burns, but they weren’t life-
threatening, Miller said.
Marion Fire Deputy Chief Mike Planck said Johnson suffered first-
degree and possibly second-degree burns.
“He was in significant pain,” he said.
According to fire reports, Johnson suffered burns to his face, ears and
head. He also had hearing loss. Cooper complained of dizziness and
was found sitting in a chair when firefighters arrived. He was holding
the right side of his head and had blood streaming down his face and
hands. Planck said he suffered minor injuries.
During the explosion, one of the doors from the boiler blew off, and
that’s how Cooper was injured, Planck said. The only damage the
explosion caused in the building was to the boiler door.
“The damage was contained to the basement,” Planck said.
He said Cooper and Johnson were the only two people in the
basement when the explosion occurred.
Fire reports said the explosion was an accident, caused by an
equipment malfunction. In a news release, Brendan Bowen, IWU’s
vice president for operations and planning, said the explosion was
caused by a faulty switch on the boiler. He said all of the required
inspections on the boiler were up to date.
Miller said the basement has two boilers, and the newer of the two is
usually lit.

“Occasionally when it’s really cold, as it was (Sunday night), they start
the second — or the older of the two boilers — to get the building
warmed,” he said.
Source.
Copyright © 2009 Chronicle-Tribune

at 02:27 0 comments
Labels: accident, burns, explosion, injury, USA
Health and Safety Offences Act 2008: Chief

Executive welcomes tougher penalties
The Health and Safety Offences Act 2008 comes into force on Friday,
16 January 2009. This new Act will increase penalties and provide
courts with greater sentencing powers for those who break health and
safety law, and is being welcomed by the Chair of the Health and
Safety Executive (HSE).
Judith Hackitt said:
" This Act gives lower courts the power to impose higher fines for
some health and safety offences. It is right that there should be a real
deterrent to those businesses and individuals that do not take their
health and safety responsibilities seriously. Everyone has the right to
work in an environment where risks to their health and safety are
properly managed, and employers have a duty in law to deliver this.
"Our message to the many employers who do manage health and

safety well is that they have nothing to fear from this change in law.
There are no new duties on employers or businesses, and HSE is not
changing its approach to how it enforces health and safety law. We
will retain the important safeguards that ensure that our inspectors
use their powers sensibly and proportionately. We will continue to
target those who knowingly cut corners, put lives at risk and who gain
commercial advantage over competitors by failing to comply with the
law".
Following its successful Third Reading in the House of Lords on 10
October, the Health and Safety (Offences) Act 2008 received Royal
Assent on 16 October and comes into force on 16 January 2009. The
Act fulfils a longstanding Government and HSE commitment to
provide the courts with greater sentencing powers for health and
safety crimes. The effect of the Act is to:
* raise the maximum fine which may be imposed in the lower courts to
£20,000 for most health and safety offences;
* make imprisonment an option for more health and safety offences in
both the lower and higher courts;
* make certain offences, which are currently triable only in the lower
courts, triable in either the lower or higher courts.
HSE Press Release.

at 02:24 0 comments
Labels: health and safety, HSE, law, prosecution

Monday, 19 January 2009
Smokers to pay increased health insurance

premium
RIYADH: Smokers in the Kingdom will have to pay an increased
premium for their health insurance policies, Health Minister Hamad Al-
Manie said yesterday, while spelling out a series of measures to be
undertaken by his ministry to discourage smoking.
The minister has directed insurance companies to categorize

between smokers and nonsmokers, and to impose an additional
premium for smokers since they fall in a high-risk class.
Smoking was the main cause of 3.38 million deaths worldwide,

including 13,544 in Saudi Arabia, last year. Smoking is expected to
kill 500 million people by 2030, predicted a joint report issued by the
World Health Organization and the World Bank in 2000.
Al-Manie said his ministry would not entertain any business

transactions from tobacco companies in future.
“We have instructed the purchasing, supplies and maintenance

departments in the ministry not to accept quotations for the supply of
products and services from such companies,” he added.
Under the new rule, companies engaged in selling tobacco or

cigarettes, and individuals who are board members of such
companies will be prohibited from registering as contractors with the
Ministry of Health. “The companies will not be given medical licenses
to operate as the ministry’s contractors,” the minister said.
“According to the minister’s directives, we are working out a set of

new rules to combat smoking in the Kingdom,” said Ibrahim Sulayman
Al-Musaidteer, director general of the Legal Department in the
Ministry of Health.
Al-Musaidteer said despite increasing awareness about the harmful

effects of smoking, many continue to smoke. “It is the ministry’s duty
to look after both the interests of smokers and nonsmokers who
become victims of second-hand smoke,” he said.
Al-Musaidteer said the minister would take the new initiative to the
GCC Health Ministers Council for implementation in other GCC
member countries.
The ministry is also planning to set up a model anti-smoking clinic in

Riyadh to combat the menace. Over 50 anti-smoking clinics in the
Kingdom will be electronically linked to the new model clinic for the
exchange of information and experience.
It is estimated that 35 to 40 percent of the people in the Kingdom

above the age of 15 smoke. Around 24 percent of male students
between the ages of 13 to 15 and eight percent of girl students smoke.
The Council of Ministers is currently drafting a new law to combat

smoking in public and in workplaces. The bill will impose a SR200 fine
on people who smoke in public.
The draft law insists that smoking areas should be separated from
public places and people aged less than 18 should not be allowed to
enter them. It also stresses that cigarettes should not be sold through
vending machines and should not be given free of charge or as gifts.
The Kingdom tops the list of tobacco importers, according to 2007

statistics. Iran is placed second, followed by Jordan, Turkey, Morocco

and Egypt.
Source.
Arab News © 2003 All rights reserved.

at 04:06 0 comments
Labels: health, Saudi Arabia, smoking
Another Metro site mishap kills worker

A 23-year-old worker died after falling from a girder at a Metro
construction site in Lajpat Nagar on Sunday. Police suspect it to be a
case of accidental fall. They will also probe if there was any
negligence on the part of DMRC. "We will wait for the post-mortem
report before deciding on the case", said a senior police officer.
According to Anuj Dayal, chief PRO, DMRC, the accident took place
around 4 am on Sunday. "The victim, Ram Prakash, was employed
with Freyssinet Pre Stressing Company (FPCC), which has been
engaged in the construction of the Metro stretch at Lajpat Nagar. On
Sunday morning, as he was climbing down from a girder after
completing his work, he slipped and fell. He received severe chest
and abdomen injuries. We rushed him to the Moolchand Hospital
where he finally succumbed to his injuries around 6 am", said Dayal.
The DMRC has been in the news for a number of freak accidents at
its construction sites. Dayal, however, reiterated that all safety
devices were in place at the site where Prakash was working. "None
of our machines have any problem. We have checked with the
workers and found he was even wearing the safety cap. The chief
project manager has been asked to investigate into the incident", said
Dayal.
Source.
Copyright © 2009 Bennett Coleman & Co. Ltd.

at 04:03 0 comments
Labels: accident, fall from height, fatality, health and
safety, India
Work-related deaths on Irish farms double

A Irish MP has called for significant safety improvements to be made
after figures show the number of accidental deaths on farms in the
country has doubled.
According to the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) 21 people were

killed last year in the agricultural industry, including farmers and
family members.
The HSA said that despite a number of safety campaigns targeting

the farming community and training on the Farm Safety Code of
Practice, the number of accidental deaths on farms had risen.

Billy Kelleher, labour affairs minister, said: "I want everyone in farming
when they are going about any task to take a few minutes to assess
any risks and to take preventative action.
"Indeed, this applies to all workers and employers across the whole
range of workplaces. A simple thing like this could save your life."
Agricultural as traditionally ranked lowest for accidental deaths in the

workplace, followed by construction.
Source.
Copyright © Press Association 2009

at 04:01 0 comments
Labels: campaign, farm, fatality, health and safety, Ireland
New Act "momentous day" for safety at work

The days when unscrupulous employers could get away virtually scot-
free with injuring, maiming and making their staff ill are coming to an
end after a new law came in today.
The Health and Safety (Offences) Act takes effect today, something
which the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH),
Europe’s largest professional health and safety body, says marks "a
momentous day for health and safety in the workplace".
Ray Hurst, IOSH's immediate past president, said:
"We are passionate about preventing injury and ill health at work and
hope that these new sanctions will act as a strong deterrent to the
minority who need it. Rogue employers shouldn’t escape with meagre
fines for serious health and safety offences that can needlessly
destroy people’s lives – we strongly support the need for penalties
that reflect the gravity of the failures involved.
"We believe this Act will allow the courts to send a strong message to
employers that health and safety offences are treated just as
seriously as other offences, such as those involving financial
misconduct. Employers need to remember that health and safety
offences aren’t just about rule-breaking; they can actually ruin
people’s lives."
Ray added that good employers have nothing to fear from the new
Act:
"In fact, they have everything to gain from the creation of a more level
playing field. Why should firms put lives at risk gain an advantage
over those who do things by the book? The result of this Act will be
that those who flout the law on health and safety will now face bigger
penalties.
"A clear message needs to be sent that looking after your workforce is
looking after your business. Skilled and talented employees are an
organisation’s greatest asset; and performance, productivity and
reliability are all much sought-after in increasingly competitive supply
chains."
In terms of using the new powers, the HSE enforcement policy

statement applies to health and safety prosecutions and the

sentencing advisory panel is to issue a statement of general
principles. However, IOSH says it is disappointed in delays to the
sentencing guidelines, which it would like to see expedited.
"The courts need tougher sentencing powers for serious health and
safety failures and guidance on how to use them now. We need a
system that is fit for purpose; one which is tougher, but fair, and will
make the unscrupulous employer sit up and take notice. Over time
this will benefit workers, business and society."
Source.
at 03:52 0 comments
Labels: health and safety, IOSH, law
HSE calls for safer working for removal and

haulage firms
The Health and Safety Executive today called on employers in the
removals and haulage business to ensure proper training and safe
systems of work are in place, even for routine tasks.
The message follows an incident in Louth, Lincolnshire in which a

worker was crushed between a 17-tonne removals van and a brick
wall.
Fox Group (Moving & Storage) Limited was fined £3,515 and ordered
to pay £2,000 costs by Skegness Magistrates today after pleading
guilty to breaching the Management of Health and Safety at Work
Regulations 1999 and contravening regulation 9 (1) of the Provision
and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998, for failing to
undertake sufficient risk assessment and training for employers.
On 30 June 2007, Steven Millward (43) from Louth was acting as a

banksman, seeing a removals van back into a space when he
became trapped between the van and a brick wall. He was taken to
hospital where he stayed overnight, due to bruising and a suspected
blood clot. Mr Millward returned to work two weeks later.
Steve Woods, HSE inspector said:
"Sadly this is an all too familiar incident in the removals and haulage
business. Acting as a banksman may be seen as a straightforward
routine task but it is still potentially dangerous and companies have a
duty to ensure that staff are properly trained, that safe systems of
work are in place and that all movements of vehicles are properly
supervised.
"In this case Mr Millward was fortunate that the lorry stopped and his
injuries were not severe but the risk was there and not dealt with
adequately.
"Fox Group have acknowledged the need to change their systems of
work and we would urge all employers in the industry to review, and
where necessary, revise their safety procedures."
Source.
at 03:39 0 comments
Labels: accident, fine, HSE, injury, management, PUWER,

safe system of work
Coal mine worker injured in gas explosion

Officials say a coal mine worker is hospitalized with injuries suffered
when propane gas exploded on a dragline near Center.
Mine officials say Trent Sack was using a propane torch to thaw ice
from inside the mechanical foot that walks the dragline when the
explosion happened Sunday morning. They say the 36-year-old Sack
suffered broken bones in his arm, leg and vertebra.
BNI President Mike Hummel says gas had settled in the bottom of an
opening and exploded when Sack moved the cover aside.
Authorities say there was no fire.
Draglines are used to remove overburden on top of coal seams.
Hummel said federal Mine Safety and Health Administration officials

investigated the incident and released the dragline for operation late
Monday.
Source.
at 01:33 0 comments
Labels: accident, explosion, health and safety, injury,
mine, USA
Two hurt in Colorado oil tank explosion

An oil well storage tank exploded in Colorado Wednesday, seriously
injuring two of the three workers at the site, authorities said.
The 7:30 a.m. blast occurred in Weld County west of Greeley, KUSA-
TV, Denver, reported. The third crew member wasn't hurt.
It wasn't known what sparked the explosion.
The TV station said firefighters used foam to extinguish the fire within
30 minutes but not before the crew's truck also caught fire.
Source.
© 2009 United Press International, Inc.

at 05:22 0 comments
Labels: accident, explosion, fire, firefighters, USA

Wednesday, 14 January 2009
Abita Brewery explosion rocks area

Leslie Wolf thought a bomb had dropped.
Dead asleep at 1:30 a.m. Tuesday, her trailer shook. Her bedroom
window shattered, spraying shards of glass inside. A picture of Jesus
rattled and fell to the floor, and her smoke detector shot off the wall.
“All of a sudden it felt like my entire trailer was crashing down,” she
said.
Wolf was one of several Abita Springs residents jarred awake
Tuesday morning when a beer tank at Abita Brewery exploded,
creating a huge hole in the ceiling and flinging huge shards of
Styrofoam and aluminum siding skyward.
Nobody was injured during the accident.
The debris was largely picked up by Tuesday afternoon but pieces

still hung in trees and lay on rooftops and on the grounds at
Covington Manor trailer park separated only by a chain link fence and
creek, less than 20 feet behind the brewery.
“It’s all over people’s homes,” said Stacy Bickham, who lives in the
park. “A piece of roof landed in our yard.”
Bickham, like many others in the area, was shocked when the tank
erupted.
Abita Beer employees were cleaning an empty aging tank by pumping

CO2 inside to force out oxygen, “an enemy of beer,” said Beth Harris,
a company spokeswoman.
Somehow pressure built inside the tank and caused it to explode,

ceasing production for Tuesday only, she said.
“We’re still investigating why this happened,” she said, adding the
process occurs daily and to a smaller extent inside beer bottles when
they are processed. “The important part is that nobody was hurt or
injured. But we apologize to the people of Abita.”
Source.
Copyright © 2009 St. Tammany News

at 08:33 0 comments
Labels: accident, CO2, explosion, USA
Eight injured in Utah refinery explosion

WOODS CROSS, Utah, Jan. 13 (UPI) -- An explosion at a Utah oil
refinery triggered a fire that burned for 11 hours before being
extinguished early Tuesday, authorities said.
The fire injured four people working at the Silver Eagle Refinery in
Woods Cross about 10 miles north of Salt Lake City, The Salt Lae
Tribune reported. Four firefighters were also burned.

The workers, two employees and two contract workers, were in

critical but stable condition Tuesday, Kerry Carroll, the refinery
manager, said in a statement.
Residents of 100 houses within a half mile of the plant were

evacuated for several hours Monday night after the explosion, which
occurred at about 5:30 p.m. About 40 people were sheltered in
Woods Cross High School.
South Davis Metro Deputy Fire Chief Jeff Bassett said that firefighters
were able to confine the blaze to the tank where the explosion
occurred. About 80 firefighters worked for hours before the fire was
reported extinguished at 3:45 a.m.
"It took quite some time to get that large amount of foam to cover," he
said. "But once that was done, we were able to extinguish the fire and
open the hatch. We looked inside, and it was safe."
Source.
© 2009 United Press International, Inc.

at 08:31 0 comments
Labels: burns, explosion, fire, firefighters, injury, USA
Drilling rig explosion

A drilling rig exploded in near Greeley in Weld County Wednesday
morning and the resulting fire was extinguished within an hour.
The incident was reported near North 83rd Avenue and F Street
around 7:30 a.m.
Judy Firestien, who lives near the site, told the Greeley Tribune that
she was getting out of bed when she heard the explosion. She said
she saw a large ball of flame rising into the air.
A woman, who identified herself as Bev, lives across the street from
the site told KOA Radio that she heard "a loud bang" and that one
person was injured.
Bev told the station that the drilling rig is hidden from her by large
mounds of dirt and she couldn't see the actual rig. She didn't mention
seeing smoke or fire.
A spokesman for Union Colony Fire said a large plume of smoke was
visible for miles. Windsor Fire was called in to assist Union Colony.
Freelance photographer Larry Bases said the initial flames from the
explosion were huge. He said he hadn't heard of any injuries.
Source.
at 08:29 0 comments
Labels: explosion, fire, USA

Accident at factory fatally injures worker

A man has died after an accident at the Kenosha factory where he
worked.
The Kenosha Fire Department said it happened Tuesday morning just

before 7:30 a.m. as 46-year-old Joseph Golec of Kenosha was using
an overhead crane to lift a 3,700-pound metal casting at Kenosha
Steel Castings.
The casting apparently collided with an adjacent one, hitting Golec

and pinning him between the two castings. He was taken to Kenosha
Hospital and Medical Center where he later died.
The fire department said there is no evidence of foul play. Officials

with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration responded to
the scene. The accident remains under investigation.
Source.
at 03:17 0 comments
Labels: accident, crushed, fatality, health and safety,
OSHA, USA
Firms face $56,000 in fines after fatal accident at

shipyard
Two companies involved with dismantling the Goliath crane at
Quincy's Fore River Shipyard face $56,000 in fines in connection with
the accident that killed an ironworker last summer, the US
Department of Labor said yesterday.
Inspections by the department's Occupational Safety and Health

Administration after the Aug. 14 accident found several safety
violations, and the federal agency said yesterday that it had issued
"serious citations" to Norsar LLC, the Washington-based company
overseeing the dismantling of the crane, and Sarens, the
subcontractor that provided the jacking system used to support the
crane.
A serious citation is issued when death or serious physical harm

results from hazards the employer knew about or should have known
about.
OSHA said federal inspectors found that the companies deviated from
the original disassembly plan and chose to take off the crane's 160-
foot long legs as single pieces, rather than in two 80-foot sections.
Those changes to the plan, OSHA said, "exposed employees to
crushing and struck-by hazards due to inadequate planning, failure to
control movement, and failure to assure the structural stability of the
leg during its removal. Excessive pull and push forces were applied to
the leg, which shot out, severed its support connections, and crashed
to the ground."
When the massive crane leg fell, it killed Robert Harvey, 28, an
ironworker from Weymouth, and injured three others. Harvey's wife,
Jennifer, filed a wrongful death suit against Norsar in September. The
suit is pending in Suffolk Superior Court.
OSHA has issued five serious citations to Norsar and $35,000 in
proposed fines. Sarens was issued three serious citations and

$21,000 in proposed fines.
"The maximum fine is $7,000, and, in the case of Norsar and Sarens,
the maximum fines were proposed for all of the hazards cited," said
OSHA spokesman Ted Fitzgerald.
OSHA also cited a third company, Daniel Marr and Son Co., which
had hired the laborers for the project, Fitzgerald said. Marr was cited
for exposing employees to drowning and fall hazards by not providing
guardrails, personal flotation devices, life vests, rescue skiffs, and fall
protection. The South Boston company faces $12,000 in fines.
Paula Wiles, the human resources manager at Daniel Marr, said the
violations were "general housekeeping issues" that OSHA found
during its inspections and were "not related to the cause of the crane
collapse or the fatality."
Each company has 15 business days to meet with OSHA officials or

to contest the findings before the independent Occupational Safety
and Health Review Commission. The citations were mailed Dec. 24,
Fitzgerald said. Representatives from Marr met with OSHA officials
on Monday, and representatives from Norsar are scheduled to meet
with OSHA officials later this week, Fitzgerald said. By yesterday,
OSHA had not yet received a response from Sarens, he said.
Gregory Nordholm, president and project manager for Norsar,

declined to comment on the citations. He said his company was still
working on relocating the crane, which has been a familiar landmark
in Quincy for decades. The crane was purchased last year by
Daewoo-Mangalia Heavy Industries, a Romanian company. Norsar
was hired to take the crane apart and transport it to its shipyard in
Mangalia, Romania.
Source.
© Copyright 2009 Globe Newspaper Company

at 02:15 0 comments
Labels: accident, fatality, fine, health and safety,
management, OSHA, USA
Injuries and evacuations after explosion at

refinery
A massive explosion at a Davis County refinery leads to four injuries
and at least 100 evacuations. It happened Monday evening about
5:30 at the Silver Eagle Refinery in Woods Cross.
Read full news report by KUTV.com
Copyright 2009 Four Points.

at 03:09 0 comments
Labels: accident, explosion, fire, firefighters, USA

Council fined after a man suffers severe burns

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is demanding that companies
follow safe working practices when using mechanical equipment. The
call follows HSE’s prosecution of the London Borough of Tower
Hamlets and T Cartledge Ltd after a worker received severe burns
when he hit a live electrical cable.
The council was fined £15,000 and ordered to pay costs of £39,089 at
the City of London Magistrates’ Court, after being found guilty to
breaching section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work
Act etc. 1974.
In a separate prosecution, which related to this incident, T Cartledge

Ltd of Chelmsford, Essex, was fined £18,000 with costs of £14,555
after pleading guilty to breaching section 2(1) of the Health
and Safety at Work Act etc. 1974. The company was working
as a contractor for Tower Hamlets council.
On 3 October 2005, Martin Rose, who was an employee of T

Cartledge Ltd, was operating a mechanical breaker (which breaks up
concrete), on the Old Bethnal Green Road, in Tower Hamlets. He was
attempting to install a lamppost on the footpath and struck a live
132Kv electrical cable. Mr Rose suffered severe burns.
HSE investigating inspector Janet Seggery said: “This is a dreadful

case where the employer had failed to provide plans of underground
electrical cables. If the company had simply provided the plans and
had supervised the work, this incident would never have occurred.”
The HSE investigation showed that Tower Hamlets Council and T

Cartledge Ltd had failed to provide Mr Rose with a copy of service
plans which would have identified underground electrical cables and
they did not supervise the work that was being undertaken.
HSE Press Release.

at 03:04 0 comments
Labels: accident, burns, fine, health and safety, HSAW,
HSE, prosecution
HSE warns landlords to ensure gas appliances are

maintained
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is warning all landlords to
ensure gas appliances are safe for tenants.
The call follows the successful prosecution of a landlady who had
failed to ensure the safety of gas appliances in one of her properties.
On 15 December 2008, Aruna Pravin Kukadia pleaded guilty to a

breach of Regulation 36(3) of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use)
Regulations 1998. She was fined £5,000 with costs of £3,719.
Health and Safety inspector Andrew Verrall-Withers, said: “I hope this

case sends a clear message to landlords who may be tempted to cut
back on safety checks thinking that nothing will be done unless
someone is harmed.
“We need landlords to make sure their gas appliances are maintained

to a safe standard and an annual check must be carried out and

recorded. This is a time when many buy-to-let landlords are under a
lot of pressure, but they must make sure they don’t cut back on
maintenance costs and put their tenants in danger”.
In May 2006, the HSE received a complaint about an incident in

February 2006 involving a property owned by Mrs Kukadia in
Portinscale Road, Wandsworth. The complaint involved a heating
system which was believed to be causing carbon monoxide leaks.
The HSE investigation showed that there was insufficient evidence for
this, but a series of letters was sent to the defendant by the HSE to
obtain the annual safety check records, which are required to be
carried out and retained by all landlords renting property with gas
appliances.
The records that were obtained from the defendant and the residents
showed there were two gaps when the flat had been occupied in
2002/3 and 2005/6 and no annual landlord check had been produced.
The court heard that Mrs Kukadia had rented out 23 London
properties and a series of other similar failures had occurred. It also
heard that she had been provided with previous advice from the HSE
in 2004, including letters and a leaflet clearly advising her about the
safety checks she later failed to carry out. On that occasion the HSE
eventually used an Improvement Notice to ensure one of her
properties was checked.
HSE Press Release.

at 02:52 0 comments
Labels: fine, gas, HSE
Furniture Plant Explosion Injures Ten

Several people were injured in an explosion at a
furniture manufacturing plant in southern Indiana on
Friday.
at 07:18 0 comments
Labels: accident, dust, explosion, USA
Explosion hotel being demolished

A hotel devastated in an explosion in Aberdeenshire is being
demolished.
Inquiries into the cause of the explosion at the Drumtochty Arms in
Auchenblae on Wednesday night are continuing.
Three people injured in the blast are said to be in a "stable" condition

in hospital.
Firefighters searching the debris were forced to pull out on Thursday

amid fears the building could collapse. The pub had recently been
refurbished.
It is thought the explosion could have been related to a liquefied
petroleum gas (LPG) cylinder.
Witness Gary Downs said he came across a man who said he caused
the explosion.
Mr Downs said: "He was all covered in blood and completely delirious
going 'it's my fault, I forgot to turn the gas off'."
A director of the company which owns the hotel told BBC Scotland he
was hugely relieved there had been no loss of life.
Source: BBC News.
Related articles:
Explosion at hotel injures three.

Explosion at Aberdeenshire hotel.
at 03:10 0 comments
Labels: accident, explosion, gas, injury, Scotland
Student dies in snowboarding accident

A University of Oklahoma student has been declared brain dead after
a snowboarding accident in Colorado.
Swedish Medical Center spokeswoman Julie Lonborg says William

“Billy” Khourie III, wasn’t wearing a helmet when the accident
happened Tuesday afternoon at Breckenridge. Lonborg says the 22-
year-old Khourie received a massive head injury.
The Elk City native died Wednesday night.
Authorities say the Breckenridge ski patrol was called to the accident
on an advanced-intermediate trail at about 1 p.m. Tuesday.
The patrol took Khourie to Breckenridge Medical Center and was later
transferred to Swedish Medical Center in Englewood.
Source.
at 03:05 0 comments
Labels: accident, fatality, helmet, USA
Time to clear the air – paving the way for healthier

work
In 2004, more than 500 construction workers lost their lives to lung
cancer and even more were suffering from silicosis as a result of
inhaling a dangerous substance called Respirable Crystalline Silica,

(known as ‘silica dust’ or ‘RCS’). These striking estimates are based

on HSE-funded research.
Found in stone dust, RCS is easily inhaled if unprotected construction
workers are involved in cutting stone and concrete such as kerbs or
paving blocks.
The effects of silicosis can leave sufferers breathless and unable to
do sport, or daily activities we normally take for granted. They can be
rendered housebound and dependent upon bottled oxygen.
HSE’s ‘Clear The Air!’ multimedia campaign was produced in
collaboration with the construction industry; a DVD, leaflets and online
forums show construction workers how to protect themselves from
inhaling RCS. More than 240,000 leaflets and 3,000 copies of the
DVD have been requested by industry.
HSE Press Release continues...

at 07:27 0 comments
Labels: campaign, dust, health, HSE, lung cancer, silica
Construction industry warning after serious fall

The Health and Safety Executive has warned the construction
industry about the need to properly manage working at heights
following the prosecution of the principal contractor on Europe’s
largest city centre regeneration project.
The warning follows the prosecution of Laing O’Rourke Construction

Ltd after one of their employees, William Taylor, fell more than three
metres during the construction of concrete stairs inside one of the
main apartment blocks on the project.
He sustained multiple serious head and other injuries and narrowly

escaped falling three floors to the base of the building. Two other
workers also escaped injury while working in the same unprotected
area.
The incident happened on 13 August 2007 at Liverpool One, the new

shopping and entertainment development in Liverpool city centre.
Laing O’Rourke Construction Ltd was today fined £80,000 and
ordered to pay £10,000 costs at Liverpool Crown Court. The company
pleaded guilty to a charge brought under the Health and Safety
at Work etc Act 1974 Section 2(1) in that they failed to ensure
the health and safety of their employees during the construction work.
Health and Safety Executive Principal Inspector Nic Rigby said:
"This prosecution should act as a warning to all those involved in the

management of construction work. It was down to chance alone that
this incident did not result in a fatality. That risk would have been
avoided had the planning and management of the work being carried
out not been so deficient.
"The accident occurred because the company failed to make
adequate risk assessments and plan a safe system of work. This
accident happened on the third floor of the building.
"Had the accident not occurred this same system of work would have

been repeated on every one of the 12 floors of the building. A fall from
that height would clearly have had much more serious consequences."
HSE Press Release.

at 07:25 0 comments
Labels: fall from height, fine, head injuries, HSE,
management
Wednesday, 7 January 2009
Untrained worker crushes hand in rolling machine

A workman had his hand crushed and a fingertip amputated after his
hand was drawn into a rolling machine.
Mansfield Magistrates’ Court heard that Matthew Parker, 19, was
working as a welder at W H Davis Ltd’s factory in Mansfield when the
incident occurred, on 19 September 2007.
On this day there was no welding work available for Mr Parker to

undertake so he was asked to operate a three-roll bending machine,
in order to straighten metal that would be used to build railway
carriages. This was the first time that Mr Parker had used the
machine and he had not been fully trained in how to use it.
Mr Parker was initially supervised while using the machine but after a
few minutes he was left to operate it on his own. He was still wearing
gauntlet gloves, suitable for welding, when his left glove became
caught in the machine’s rollers and his hand was drawn into the
machine. He tripped the kick bar at the foot of the machine, in order to
deactivate the device, but the machine did not stop immediately and
pulled his hand for a further 20cm.
As a result of the accident he suffered multiple fractures to all four

fingers, while one side of his thumb was split open to the bone. The
injuries were so severe that the tip of his little figure had to be
amputated. He has been unable to return to work since and is still
receiving medical treatment.
W H Davis Ltd pleaded guilty on 17 December to breaching s2(1) of

the HSWA 1974 and was fined £5000 and ordered to pay costs of
£2380.
In mitigation, the firm said that it deeply regretted the accident and
highlighted that it had no previous convictions. It also said that, as a
result of this incident, staff are prohibited from using gloves with
fingers while operating the machine.
HSE inspector, Maureen Kingman, told SHP: “This debilitating injury

could have been avoided if the company had a safe system of work in
place. Mr Parker should have been given training on how to use the
machine, and the company should also have ensured that the
machine stopped immediately when the emergency trip device was
activated.”
Source.
at 08:14 0 comments
Labels: accident, amputation, fine, health and safety,
HSWA, injury, training

Men injured in cherry-picker collision

Two men were critically injured after being thrown from a cherry-
picker when a truck crashed into the platform.
The incident took place on the A19 in Bootham, York outside the
home of one of the workmen, Chris Cook, on 2 August 2007. Mr Cook
had hired the cherry-picker from William Birch and Sons Ltd, in order
to carry out repairs to the outside of his property.
Karl Thackrah, an employee of William Birch and Sons, was

responsible for the operation of the cherry-picker. The platform was
positioned on the cobbles between the pavement and the main road.
Thackrah raised the platform to the height of the first floor of the
house and, in doing so, allowed the elbow of the device to jut out into
the road.
Both men were applying touch-up paint to the outside of the property,
when an HGV collided with the elbow of the cherry-picker. The force
threw the men off the platform and into a tree, before landing face first
on the ground below. Both men suffered serious head injuries but Mr
Cook was in a coma for a month and has still not fully recovered from
his injuries.
William Birch and Sons pleaded guilty to breaching s3(1) of the

HSWA 1974 and was fined £12,500 and ordered to pay costs of
£2500 at York Magistrates’ Court, on 4 September 2008.
Thackrah pleaded not guilty to breaching s7(a) of the same act and
opted for his trial to be heard at crown court. But when he appeared in
front of York Crown Court on 22 December he decided to enter a
guilty plea. He was fined £2500 and ordered to pay costs of £3500.
In mitigation, William Birch and Sons admitted that it hadn’t taken

steps to reinforce a safe system of work. But it pointed out that
Thackrah had been provided with the proper safety equipment and
training, which could have prevented the accident.
Thackrah’s QC told the court that his client deeply regretted the
incident and the accident was not in keeping his client’s character. He
also stated that Thackrah had limited recollection of the incident but
admitted that his client had been fully trained by William Birch and
Sons.
HSE inspector, Paul Robinson, told SHP: “Work at height must

always be properly planned, appropriately supervised, and carried out
in a safe manner, and this is particularly important in a roadside
situation where other vehicles and members of the public are
involved.
“William Birch and Sons had provided training, information, and

equipment for Mr Thackrah but it failed to ensure that the particular
risks involved in the work at this location were adequately assessed
and controlled. Mr Thackrah failed to take reasonable care while
setting up and operating the platform.”
Source.
at 08:12 0 comments
Labels: accident, fine, head injuries, HSE, HSWA, injury,
safe system of work, SHP

£250k fine after teenager plummets from

rollercoaster
A 16-year-old girl plunged 100ft to her death after she was thrown out
of a high-speed theme-park ride.
Pontypool teenager, Hayley Williams, fell 100ft from the Hydro Ride at
the theme park in Pembrokeshire on 15 April 2004. CCTV footage
viewed in the subsequent HSE investigation revealed repeated failure
by staff to check that seatbelts and lap restraints were in fastened
securely.
Oakwood Leisure Ltd was fined £250,000 plus £80,000 costs on 18

December after admitting to a breach of s3(1) of the HSWA 1974
for failing to ensure the safety of the public. The firm had pleaded
guilty at a hearing before Haverfordwest magistrates during the
summer.
HSE inspector Phil Nicolle told SHP that the water ride consisted of a
24-seat boat. Each seat featured an aeroplane-style lap belt and a T-
bar restraint, which passengers pulled forward between their legs,
with the cross-section sitting across their pelvis. The system was
operated hydraulically, which allowed it be “infinitely flexible” and
adjustable, but it would stop wherever the passenger left it.
As the passengers were loaded into the ride, they were played a
recorded tape message instructing them to fasten their seatbelts but
to leave the bar alone for staff to check. Describing what the protocol
should have been, Inspector Nicolle said: “Staff were meant to check
that the lap belts were in place by pulling down on the loose tag of the
belt. They were then required to push the bar down as far as they
could and give it a tug backwards to make sure it was in place. On the
day in question, those checks weren’t made at all on Hayley William's
restraints.”
The ride started up by gradually climbing up a straight chain lift before

moving round a semi-circular track, approaching a 100-feet near-
vertical drop. It was at the point that the ride began its descent that
Hayley was ejected from it. She plunged to the ground, striking a 10-
year-old boy, Martin Rothwell, who was sitting in the seat in front.
Hayley was taken to hospital where she died of internal injuries, while
Martin was treated for head injuries.
Seven days of footage from CCTV cameras, which had been installed
by management to verify complaints made by members of the public,
or claims of lost belongings, was seized by investigators. The images
not only showed that Hayley’s lap restraint was not fixed over her lap
but they proved that staff had repeatedly failed to check passengers’
safety before the ride commenced.
Analysis of the video found an average of 29 per cent of more than

4000 people who used the ride over the seven days had not been
safety-checked. On the day of the incident, 88 per cent of all
passengers were not checked to see that the ride’s restraints were
properly secure.
Original article continues...

at 05:24 0 comments
Labels: fatality, HSE, HSWA, prosecution, roller coaster,

SHP
Myth: If you call HSE for help, you’ll end up with

an unwanted inspection
The reality
HSE’s Infoline is confidential and run for HSE by a contractor. Your
individual information is not passed to HSE so it won’t result in a visit.
The trained operators answer the great majority of calls themselves. If
they can’t deal with your query fully they will ask you if it is alright to
refer it to an expert in HSE.
So, if you’ve got a query or a concern, just ask. You’ve got nothing to
lose and it could help your business!
Source.
at 01:29 0 comments
Labels: advice, campaign, HSE, myth
Farming campaign tackles one of Britain’s

deadliest industries
A campaign to prevent deaths on farms launched on Friday 2nd

January 2009 – highlighting farming as one of the most dangerous

ways to make a living in Britain.
"Make the promise. Come Home Safe" is a hard-hitting campaign
from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) targeting farmers and
their families, including grandparents and children, with the individual
stories behind the statistics and the devastation caused to bereaved
families.
The campaign asks farmers to make a simple promise, to come home

safe. They owe it to their families and friends, to the land they farm,
and to their communities, to come home safe.
During January 2009, HSE will be sending "Promise Packs" to around

70,000 British farmers. The pack contains all they need to make their
promise to come home safe. It includes a "Promise Knot", a symbolic
"knot" of farm baling twine, which can be used as a visual reminder of
the pledge to come home safe, as well as a poster outlining detailed
information. HSE is here to help them keep their promise.
Farmers can send in a form contained within the pack or call 0800
141 2805 to request a new booklet, "How lives are lost on British
farms".
Judith Donovan, non-executive HSE Board member and agriculture

champion, said:
"This summarises recent fatal accidents and is designed to help

farmers avoid making the same mistakes. HSE is mounting this
campaign because on average over forty-five deaths, year after year,
occur on British farms. We would like to highlight that this is a
partnership to keep farmers safe, not HSE dictating the terms."
Over the last ten years deaths on farms have been caused by the
same activities. Extra care must be taken when working with vehicles
and machinery, on roofs and with livestock, and this campaign aims
to remind farmers of what they can do to reduce the risks.
In 2007/2008, there were 42 deaths on farms. Less than 1.5 per cent
of the working population is employed in agriculture yet the sector is
responsible for between 15 per cent and 20 per cent of fatalities to
workers each year. Two-thirds (64 per cent) of all deaths in farming
are self-employed farmers. Within this group, older farmers are the
most at risk, accounting for over half (53 per cent) of the deaths to the
self-employed.
The three main causes of deaths to agriculture workers in the last ten
years were:
Transport – 24 per cent

Falls from height, especially roofs – 17 per cent
Being struck by moving or falling objects – 15 per cent
Jim McLaren, President of NFU Scotland, comments:

"Any death is a death too many, yet all too frequently someone dies in
a farm accident. These accidents destroy lives, whole families and
often farm businesses. This campaign is of massive importance to the
farming industry. It will be a success if even one farmer thinks about a
risk and does something differently, and is still here with his or her
family as a result. We hope everyone in rural areas and those
involved in farming get to know about the campaign, talk about it and
spread the message. Do not take risks with your life and your family’s
future. Come Home Safe."
Source: HSE Press Release.

at 01:26 0 comments

Labels: accident, campaign, fall from height, farm, fatality,

HSE, safety, tractor
Risks to airport workers from loading baggage

announced
A Health and Safety Executive Research Report has been published
on Monday 5 January 2009 based on the findings of a collaborative
project at East Midlands Airport.
The research project explores the health risks associated with manual
loading of bags into the holds of narrow bodied aircraft. The report
also examines the effectiveness of new technology, Extending Belt
Loaders (EBL), and provides an update on previous research and
studies.
The research was a collaborative project carried out with the co-
operation of the airport, airlines, ground handlers, manufacturers of
ground support equipment and workers’ representatives, with the aim
of improving understanding of the risks and developing agreement on
good practice.
"It was important that we had a good spread of organisations in the

group so the ideas and views of both the industry and employee
representatives could be shared, and we could get agreement
between all the industry players on implementing improvements" said
Christine Barringer, Head of Transportation Section, Services,
Transportation & Safety Unit of the Health and Safety Executive.
The research into this report was carried out at East Midlands Airport
in 2007 with a view to clarifying the real risks involved, and reducing
the risk of injury and ill health to baggage handlers. The report
provides a strong case for the task and some current work practices
to be re-designed to reduce the risks. Evidence is also drawn from
previous work by the HSE, (a report by Tapley & Riley, 2005).
Some key findings are:
1. The task of baggage handling should be mechanised as much as

possible.
Baggage handlers should avoid lifting bags to/from low level (from
ankle height) and to/from a high level, (above shoulder height).
2. All organisations involved in the baggage handling process – the
airport, the carriers, the handlers and the Ground Service Equipment
(GSE) manufacturers - must learn to co-operate and communicate
with one another to achieve the necessary standards.
3. Working together and communicating more regularly are identified
as key to progress this particular area of risk reduction. Were
organisations able to better collaborate, says the report, identifying
and implementing ways of improving baggage handlers’ physical
safety would be facilitated.
Source: HSE Press Release.

at 09:14 0 comments
Labels: HSE, manual handling, risk assessments, safe
system of work

February Home December

2009 2008
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)
Archive
● ▼ 2009 (119)
❍ ▼ Mar 2009 (30)
■ Teen loses arm in
laundry accident
■ Woman dies at
Northants paper
plant
■ Scaffolding
collapsed on to rail
tracks
■ Asbestos ‘increases
death risk’
■ Brain Injury
Awareness Month
■ Health and Safety
Case Law - Byrne v.

Boadle
■ Workers feel the
pressure in
recession
■ Recession won't
lead to safety
slipping down
busin...
■ Cause of hotel
accident unknown
Case Law -
Herrington v
British ...
■ Sleaford garage
prosecuted after
work experience s...
■ Safety data for
acridine
■ Man dies in
explosion at oil
offloading facility
■ Teen dies, six
injured, in school

accident
■ Safety data for
acetonitrile
■ Safety data for
acetamide
■ Safety data for
acetaldehyde
■ Safety data for
abietic acid
■ Safety data for
abamectin
■ Hazard Symbols
■ Safety Phrases
■ Risk Phrases
■ Right turn for risk
assessment
Case Law - Adsett v
K & L Steel ...
Case Law - Armour
v Skeen
■ Girl killed in farm
accident
■ Toddler killed in
farm tragedy
■ Housebuilder fined
£10k after site fall
■ Safety adviser fined
over assessment
error
■ Whistleblowing
❍ ► Feb 2009 (45)
❍ ► Jan 2009 (44)
● ► 2008 (276)
A to Z of H&S
● Accident
● Burns
● Case Law
● Drowning
● Explosion
● Fatality
● Gas
● HSE
● Injury
● Japan
● Knife
● Lorry
● Myth
● News

● Olympics
● Prosecution
● Quarry
● Risk Assessments
● Safety Data
● Training
● USA
● Vibration
● Work at Height
● X-Ray
● Yacht
● Zoo

● COSHH Essentials
● Health and Safety Executive (HSE)
● Institute of Occupational Safety and
Health (IOSH)
● Make Free Donations
● National Examination Board of
Occupational Safety and Health
(NEBOSH)
● NEBOSH Revision
● Useful Books and DVDs
Health and Safety Case Law

Health and Safety News is building a list of
references to case law which has influenced to

current legal position regarding Health and

Safety matters.
Armour v Skeen
Adsett v K & L Steel Founders and
Engineers Ltd
Byrne v Boadle
More case law.
Safety Data
Health and Safety News is compiling a collection
of chemical safety data - these pages contain
key safety information for each chemical. If you
intend to use the chemical, it is strongly
suggested that you obtain Material Safety Data
Sheets (MSDS) from your supplier to
supplement the data given here, before starting
work but these pages will give you a brief
introduction to the risks and precautions related
to the chemical.
Abamectin
Abietic acid
Acetamide
Additional Safety Data pages.
AddMe - Search Engine Optimization
Add Your URL Directory
Links to this site

● In search of severe weather
● GotSafety

Health and Safety News - January 2009

Hochgeladen von

Dokumentinformationen

Copyright

Verfügbare Formate

Dieses Dokument teilen

Dokument teilen oder einbetten

Freigabeoptionen

Stufen Sie dieses Dokument als nützlich ein?

Sind diese Inhalte unangemessen?

Copyright:

Verfügbare Formate

Health and Safety News - January 2009

Hochgeladen von

Copyright:

Verfügbare Formate

Health and Safety News: January 2009

woman dies after Wash. diving accident

Friday, 30 January 2009

Harry Potter stuntman injured

The accident happened on set at Leavesden Studios, near Watford,

It is understood the 25-year-old from Romford in Essex was hurt while

A statement released on behalf of his family said: "We would like to

Mr Holmes was initially taken to Watford General Hospital but has

An investigation has been launched by the Health and Safety

According to the Daily Mirror, Mr Holmes fell to the ground following

Steve Truglia, a stunt co-ordinator and performer, said the thoughts of

http://handsnews.blogspot.com/2009_01_01_archive.html (1 of 37) [24/03/2009 14:23:34]

Support grows for European risk assessment

Read Press Release.

Report: Workplace exposure to vibration

Read the report.

New European Risk Observatory report:

Read the report.

http://handsnews.blogspot.com/2009_01_01_archive.html (2 of 37) [24/03/2009 14:23:34]

safety, report, risk

Thursday, 29 January 2009

Fisherman dies after injury

Melgrum was working aboard the 65-foot Lydia J, a commercial

Melgrum then was transferred to a rescue vessel from Coast Guard

Resuscitation efforts failed, however, and he was pronounced dead at

An investigation into the accident is continuing, Kneen said.

Copyright © 2009 Asbury Park Press. All rights reserved.

Death toll rises in Cavite factory explosion

Citing initial information, Trece Martires City police chief

http://handsnews.blogspot.com/2009_01_01_archive.html (3 of 37) [24/03/2009 14:23:34]

On the other hand, Cavite provincial police director Senior

Source: Aie Balagtas See, GMANews.TV

Monday, 26 January 2009

OSHA official: Truck show death is accident

Kim Stille, director of the Occupational Safety & Health

Authorities say 41-year-old George Eisenhart Jr. of Chardon, Ohio,

Coroner John Stanley says preliminary investigation shows neither

Pontoon incident at Felixstowe

http://handsnews.blogspot.com/2009_01_01_archive.html (4 of 37) [24/03/2009 14:23:34]

pilot boats to reduce speed well in advance of approaching the

vessels to be parallel alongside and secured with at least one line

tyre fenders not to be used as steps during boarding or

The Chief Inspector of Marine Accidents has written to the Chief

Man loses leg in port horror.

Friday, 23 January 2009

Explosion causes power outage in areas of

At 8:12 p.m. many Sikeston residents felt a large explosion in the

http://handsnews.blogspot.com/2009_01_01_archive.html (5 of 37) [24/03/2009 14:23:34]

By 11:12 p.m. power was restored to most affected customers. Crews

London landlord first person to be jailed under

He admitting eight breaches of the fire safety regulatory reform order,

Mr Parlak accepted he had failed to make a suitable assessment of

Brian Coleman, chair of the London Fire and Emergency Planning

The tenants, a man and a woman, were woken by the blaze in

http://handsnews.blogspot.com/2009_01_01_archive.html (6 of 37) [24/03/2009 14:23:34]

found there were no smoke alarms, fire extinguishers or fire resistant

By raising landlords’ awareness, further fatalities in rented

© 2009 Chartered Institute of Environmental Health

Thursday, 22 January 2009

Firms exposing workers to asbestos will be

The court heard that an electrician employed by Scriven installed

http://handsnews.blogspot.com/2009_01_01_archive.html (7 of 37) [24/03/2009 14:23:34]

three heat detectors and associated cabling in a commercial sized