Death of Handyman Sees Firm Fined for Their Negligence
As discussed previously in this blog, deaths and injuries from height are the most common work place accidents in the United Kingdom. Therefore it is shocking that more businesses are not doing everything in their power to cut down on these accidents by using health and safety services.
A Fall from a Step Ladder Ended in Tragic Death of Worker
Ovenpride Wholesalers were taken to court and persecuted by the Health and Safety Executive after one of their handymen fell from a step ladder while working on a job. Rocco Carofalo was working on some shelving at the Finchley Road bakery owned by Ovenpride.
Mr Carofalo was seen to be using tools at the time, but later he was found on the floor losing a significant amount of blood from his head injuries. The step ladder was on the floor beside him. Mr Carofalo died almost four weeks later in hospital as a result of his injuries.
The Equipment Was Removed and Prohibition Notice Handed Out
The scene of the accident was visited by two health inspectors working for the Health and Safety Executive. They gave the owners of the Ovenpride bakery a Prohibition Notice which meant that none of their workers could work from height on their premises. The decision behind the notice was that none of the equipment needed to work from height was safe to use.
Mr Carofalo’s step ladder was found to be of very poor quality and in a bad state. The health inspectors removed the step ladder from the property to make sure no one used it in their absence. Ovenpride Wholesale was ordered to appear before the City of London Magistrates Court. The Bakers pleaded guilty and were fined £1. Furthermore Amjad Mahmood pleaded guilty for breaching the Health and Safety Act and he was fined £300 and was also ordered to pay a total of £200 in costs.
There Are No Excuses for Preventable Accidents
Charles Linfoot, one of the Health and Safety Executive inspectors spoke after the hearing. He said that the accident was preventable and the risk of the fall could have been foreseen. The managers of Ovenpride should have carried out a risk assessment and planned the work in advance to make sure it was performed in a safe manner.
All work from height needs to be carefully planned and managed. Even small jobs which can be completed quickly should be assessed for their risks. Health and safety consultants are able to train managers on how to carry out risk assessments so that there are no excuses for not knowing what is needed to be done before the job is undertaken.
Planning and Risk Assessments Need to Be Part of Your Routine
Work at height needs to be carried out using the correct equipment which is in a suitable condition to be used. Health and safety services can help you to be aware of what to look for when planning a job at height and to know the risks involved. With proper management accidents from height can be prevented, and lives need not be lost.
If you are unsure of how to perform satisfactory risk assessments why not consider going on a training course. Health and safety consultants are able to give you all the training you need to run a safe working environment for you, your employees and the public. Call 0800 1488 677 for further information.
Free Event for West Coast Fish Farmers
As Health and Safety consultants it is important to offer advice and help to people of all industries. Although Veritas are based in the Midlands, it is important to spread the word of anything relating to everyone all over the UK. It is not very often that a free event comes along, so for all the Scottish readers of the health and safety services blog, here is some news for you.
The Scottish Aquaculture Industry Forum is holding a free event which is designed to promote excellent aquaculture and maritime safety. There are a lot of dangers associated in this industry, and which two workers at a fish farm losing their life due to working in confined spaces just last month, we feel this is an event worth making time for.
The Forum consists of several different companies which include:
- Health and Safety Executive
- RNLI
- Scottish Salmon Producers Organisation
- Northern Lighthouse Board
- Maritime Coastguard Agency
- Crown Estate
All of the above have come together to put on an informative event through provide support and/or help raising the funds to keep the event free.
One Day Full of Valuable Information
During the one day safety event you will have the opportunity to learn about the importance of health and safety in the aquaculture industries. Make sure that you take advantage of free health and safety services such as this one, as you may learn some new skills and ideas which can prevent accidents and deaths from occurring in this dangerous profession.
You will need to ask for an invitation if you are looking to attend this excellent event. During the day on September 6th you will have the opportunity to watch useful demonstrations as well as listening to qualified professionals give health and safety guidance in some of the most problematic areas that come with the job, such as:
- Manual Handling
- Confined Spaces
- Lifejackets
- Fork Lift Trucks
- Flares and Life Rafts
- Cold Shock
Scotland plays a vital role in aquaculture and therefore it is essential to make sure that you are following the right procedures that can help save lived. This free event has been held elsewhere and has had an excellent response. It is hopeful that by offering these health and safety services for free employees and employers will continue to turn up and work together to improve work health and safety.
If you work in the aquaculture industry then you will need to book you place on this free event. You can do this by sending an email to ann.poyner@hse.gso.gov.uk.
Health and safety services are also available elsewhere in the UK. Veritas are able to work with you on a whole range of services designed for your business. If you would like to contact the health and safety consultants for further information then all you need to do is give Veritas a call. Telephone 0800 1488 677, and speak to one of the team. You can also fill out an online safety test and you will receive a free report from the health and safety consultants.
A Sad Weekend for Britain’s Red Arrows and Air Shows
This weekend was full of tragic accidents involving impressive air displays. The young RAF pilot Jon Egging was one of Britain’s famous Red Arrow team. Aged just thirty three, he was taking part in a display at the Bournemouth Air Festival. During the Red Arrows demonstration it is thought that he lost control of the plane which resulted in him losing his life while he tried to steer the plane away from houses nearby.
Full Investigation Underway
Although no official announcements have been made about the cause of the accident, experts have suggested that a bird may have collided with the plane. It is possible that the bird may have caused the flame which powers the Hawk T1 jet engine to go out. This would result in complete lack of power.
A full investigation is now taking place which means that the entire Red Arrow team are grounded for several weeks to make sure that everything is done to prevent a fatal accident from occurring again.
Jon Egging was a happily married RAF pilot who has left behind a young bride who loved everything about her husband. His wife was present at the air show and saw the whole event unfold along with the other spectators. Facebook fans of the Red Arrows have created a Page dedicated to the brave pilot.
Another Tragic Accident Kills Pilot
Elsewhere in the world yet another pilot performing at an air show sadly died during a demonstration. While watched by a captivated audience, Bryan Jensen performed lots of impressive air displays in his Biplane at the Kansas City Aviation Expo Air Show. Unfortunately things went horribly wrong when the stunt pilot performed a spinning nose dive.
Mr Jensen was not able to come out of the nose dive and he crashed straight into the floor while bystanders could only stop and stare in shock.
Dare Devil Loses Life after Stunt Goes Wrong
In Michigan another man lost his life while performing a stunt at the Selfridge Air National Guard Base Air Show. Todd Green, a stunt man for the last 25 years, tried to grab hold of a helicopter hovering above the plane he was standing on. After two failed attempts Mr Green tried once more to grasp hold of the helicopter. He slipped and then fell 200 feet to the floor below. Mr Green was taken to hospital where he died from his injuries.
As the audience watched they were unsure as to whether the fall was part of the stunt. It wasn’t until the emergency vehicles raced to help Mr Green that the reality as to what had just happened sank in.
Health and Safety Services When Holding Events
Health and safety services are able to help you plan safe events throughout the UK. It doesn’t matter what type of event you are holding, all will need some health and safety services to help make sure everything goes off without a hitch.
Health and safety consultants can help advise you on what you need to do if you are holding a work or industry event. Risk assessments and health and safety procedures need to be in place to make sure that any incident is dealt with quickly and effectively, or prevented altogether. Call 0800 1488 677 for more information on the various health and safety services available.
Recycling Firm Fined £80,000 after Employee Crushed by Skips
Steven Graham was stood between two skips when a loader hit one of them. As he was in the middle, Mr Graham was trapped between the two which caused him life changing injuries as well as a broken pelvis. The loader weight 18 tonnes and was heavy enough to cause the skip to move. Mr Graham had no tome to flee before he was crushed.
This accident occurred at the recycling centre where Mr Graham worked. The company, Lowmac Alloy Ltd were investigated by the Health and Safety Executive after the incident and they were shocked to discover so many breaches within the company.
Breaching Health and Safety Regulations will Result in Prosecution
Health and safety services are there to help firms like Lowmac Alloys ensure their employees and the public are safe. There is no excuse for breaching the regulations and laws and with plenty of Health and Safety consultants ready to help it is a good idea to make sure your procedures are enough to prevent these accidents from happening in the first place.
During the investigation the health and safety inspectors made several disturbing findings. One of the issues the inspectors discovered was the lack of risk assessments performed to manage the traffic on the site in Ayr. There were no barriers in place and a distinct lack of road markings which could have helped keep the pedestrians away from the huge loaders which move around the site.
Lack of Training, Lack of Supervision
One of the loaders which were being used by the firm was found to be too large to be operating safely on the site. Another issue was the fact there these was a lack of training, in fact none of the drivers had received any formal training and health and safety consultants will be the first to tell you this is unacceptable. Drivers were allowed to operate their vehicles unsupervised and there was no health and safety training provided to the employees.
The site was not a pleasant place to work in. Many of the employees choose to go to the bathroom outside rather than use the portable toilets. These were unhygienic and one was found to have no running water. The management were aware of the workers relieving themselves in this manner, and this is why Mr Graham ended up being between the two skips.
£80,000 Fine for Recycling Firm
At the case which was held at Ayr Sherriff Court the company was fined £80,000 for breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act, Section 2. The inspector said that the firm had not considered the welfare of Mr Graham and it was because of the state of the toilet that Mr Graham was injured. Their lack or risk assessments and failing to separate the vehicles from the other employees was inexcusable.
Health and Safety services include helping employers and company owners to create a safe environment for their employees. If you have any concerns you can call health and safety consultants who will be able to assist you in improving current procedures and spotting any areas of weakness.
Call 0800 1488 677 to discuss all the health and safety services that are available. This can include risk assessments, health and safety training, Asbestos surveys and more.
Man Crushed Under Vehicle Cab Results in Fine for Company
One of the important things to remember as an employer is the training of your staff. It is all very well and good taking up the health and safety services offered by consultants such as Veritas, however without adequately training your staff these services will not be much use. One incident which highlights this issue was recently reported in the press.
The truck dealership firm, Orwell Trucks, which is based in Surrey, have recently been successfully prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive. Despite have carried out the correct risk assessments one employee, Mr Trevor Muffet ended up in an accident at work.
Crushed By Truck Cab
While carrying out all the necessary checks on the vehicle Mr Muffet was going to be working on, the vehicle cab fell on top of him. Mr Muffet, aged 60, was crushed and suffered from two broken ribs. It took ten minutes before he was relieved from the pressure of the truck cab and as a result of his injuries it took six weeks before he could return to work.
Orwell Trucks made the mistake of not giving enough information to their workers about the risks involved in the job. If you are not sure on how to deliver the results of risk assessments and investigations to your staff then it is a good idea to use the services offered by health and safety consultants. Had Mr Muffet received training the whole crushing incident could have been avoided.
Another problem that was discovered by the Health and Safety Executive inspector was the lack of supervisions and monitoring of the employees. As a result of their findings Orwell trucks was taken to court. The HSE will prosecute every company they discover not to be following the laws and regulations that are in place to help prevent injuries and death to workers in the UK. It will not make any difference if you are a large company or if you are starting up.
Monitor Your Health and Safety Policies
Health and safety consultants will help you deliver the correct training, and advise you on how to make sure you are doing everything possible to prevent accidents from happening. This is one of the regulations in the Health and Safety at Work Act. Ensuring the health and safety of employees should be paramount and become second nature to supervisors, employers and the employees.
As a result of the lack of monitoring and training provided by Orwell Trucks they were ordered to court. The judge at Ipswich Magistrates Court decided to dine the Martlesham firm £4,500 and they are also going to have to pay additional costs of £2,726.
The HSE inspector said that vehicle cabs have been known to kill workers when they have fallen on top of them and Mr Muffet was very lucky to escape with his life. The accident was preventable and companies need to act responsibly when it comes to ensuring employees safety.
There are a wide range of health and safety services available for you to use. Call Veritas on 0800 1488 677 and speak to expert health and safety consultants today.
Brewery Firm Fined after Serious Caustic Soda Burns Workers
One of the many brewery firms based in Burton-on-Trent was prosecuted at Cannock Magistrates Court last week. The Health and Safety Executive decided to prosecute after three sub-contractors working at Molson Coors Brewing Company were seriously injured.
The workers were a specialist engineers and were asked to come and carry out some maintenance. While they were working to repair one of the valves approximately 6000 litres of caustic soda was released from a detergent tank and spilled from the tank.
During the incident the three subcontractors were all injured as they were covered completely by the caustic soda. One of the men was blinded temporarily; the other has had to cope with suffering 25 per cent burns. This has left him for sensitive scarring and problems coping with any sort of heat. The final sub-contractor had minor burns and also suffered with some irritation to his eyes.
Health and Safety Services Could Have Been Beneficial
One of the ways that health and safety consultants can prevent accidents from occurring is by providing training. This is available for workers and company owners at all levels. Had Molson Coors undertaken the training health and safety services they could have perhaps prevented the accident from happening.
The Inspectors told Cannock Magistrates Court about what they discovered after the caustic soda incident. According to their findings they told the court that the three sub-contractors were not provided with detail instructions to help them carry out the job safely. The other area of concern was the lack of protective items which would be required for such work.
Health and Safety Consultants Can Help Ensure Worker Safety
The sub-contractors were provided with visors to wear and some overalls. The problem was that the overalls were not made of anything which could have protected the men from the chemical. Cloth is not a good enough material to wear while carrying out that type of work and so the liquid socked all the way through.
The Judge from Cannock Magistrates Court fined the Burton firm £14,000 and also ordered them to pay £43,674 in costs. The firm admitted their guilt of breaching section 3 of the Health and Safety at Work Act. Section 3 states that it is the duty of every employer to ensure workers are not exposed to risks to their health.
Health and Safety Services Help Companies Follow the Laws and Regulations
After the case an Inspector, Lyn Spooner, spoke on behalf of the Health and Safety Executive. Ms Spooner said that it was lucky that the caustic soda had been diluted otherwise the injuries would have been far more severe. The inspector went on to say that all companies need to make sure their subcontractors follow health and safety procedures.
Furthermore the health and safety of Molson Coors made the mistake of not undertaking a risk assessment before the contractors began their work. Due to these lapses the three men were left injured and the company have been prosecuted.
To prevent incidents like this occurring in your work place contact Veritas and ask about their health and safety services. Call 0800 1488 677 and speak to the health and safety consultants today.
Tragic Death of Father Highlights Safety Errors and Leaves Two Children and Beloved Wife Behind
All accidents in the workplace are tragic and many can be completely avoided thanks to the work carried out by health and safety consultants. When these accidents turn fatal then the heart cries out for the poor family left behind, families who have lost a loved one through causes that could have been prevented if the company took advantage of the health and safety services that can ensure the workplace is a safe place to be.
This week one company has been prosecuted after a young father was killed while working for a Sheffield Company, DavyMarkham Ltd. He left behind a wife a daughter and an unborn son who was born just six weeks after his father passed away.
Health and Safety Flaws Exposed
Alan Winters was aged just 28 years old when he was working with his colleagues unloading a crate which weighed four tonnes from a lorry. Having made several failed attempts to remove the crate the workers gave one more effort. Mr Winters stood on the back of a forklift in order to reach a hook which was attached to the container. The forklift moved too far backwards which resulted in Mr Winters being trapped against the roof. The young worker died from the crush injuries.
After the incident a full investigation was carried out by the Health and Safety Executive. Sheffield Crown Court heard how two containers arrived each containing heavy crates. The first held a five tonne crate which the workers tried to remove using a four tonne capacity forklift. This failed and so the workers moved on the next container which held the four tonne crate.
During this time the site manager was working on a risk assessment which they hoped would resolve the problem of getting the crates out safely. This is when the accident occurred as the workers continued to operate unsafely.
If In Doubt Contact the Health and Safety Consultants for Advice
Health and safety consultants will tell you that risk assessments need to be carried out before attempting any project or job. The risk assessment should have already been completed before any workers tried to remove the crates, rather than half way through after several tries. The inspectors from the Health and Safety Executive stated that the loading and the unloading of lorries requires careful and extensive planning. Without planning accidents occur and unfortunately so does loss of life.
DavyMarkham Ltd attended Sheffield Crown Court where they pleaded guilty. They returned to court for sentencing where they were fined £33,333 and also ordered to pay £49,247 in costs.
Health and safety services are provided for companies to help prevent accidents like this from occurring. Veritas are health and safety consultants and you can approach them for all sorts of services from training up your site managers to fire risk assessments. To avoid tragic accidents from occurring at your work premises call the experts and ask for assistance. You can reach the health and safety consultants online or by phone. Call 0800 1488 677 to find out more.
