Has Health and Safety Taken a Step Too Far?
Alison Hume’s Life Could Have Been Saved. Has Health and Safety Taken a Step Too Far?
In the news last week there was the story about the tragic and preventable death of Alison Hume who dies in July 2008. The 44 year old mother fell down and old mineshaft on Galston while walking home and was found by her daughter who called for help. Ms Hume suffered a collapsed lung, broken ribs and sternum. However it has been found that Ms Hume would have most likely survived these injuries had there not been a delay in bringing her up to the surface.
Health and Safety Regulations Cost a Woman Her Life
The senior officer in charge of the rescue operation would not use the equipment needed to winch out Ms Hume in time to help treat her. The fire fighters present were willing to go down and help her but due to the senior officer following the health and safety guidelines Ms Hume remained down in the mineshaft for six more hours. When they finally rescued her she died from a heart attack which was brought on by hypothermia.
The equipment needed to rescue the 44 year old mother was only to be used to help the rescuers and the regulations surrounding its use stated that it should not be used for the public. The officer would not move from these regulations and the inquiry has now discovered that the death could have been avoided of it wasn’t for the delay due to the health and safety regulations.
Lack of Training Also a Contributing Factor?
The inquiry also showed that the Strathclyde Police and Fire and Rescue workers did not have adequate knowledge of the resources that they had available to them in order to aid the rescue of Ms Holmes. They were not familiar with the potential uses of the equipment and did not understand how it could have been used. There was also a lack of training among the emergency services and the fire crews did not have an advanced knowledge of first aid.
Health and Safety Is Necessary
There has been a public outcry and now demands are being made that there should be a get out clause in some of the laws and regulations, such as those which stopped the senior officer from using certain equipment to save Ms Hume.
Health and safety consultants would like to remind people that regulations are there to protect lives, and without the regulations more people each year would die due to inadequate safety measures in the workplace, especially in industries such as agriculture and construction where in the past adults and children have lost their loves from being exposed to asbestos, mercury and having to operate extremely dangerous equipment.
Knowledge and Education
The correct training is always an important part of running any business. Health and safety services are able to provide in depth training courses to help increase knowledge and prevent terrible accidents leading to tragic losses of lives. To discuss the type of training which could benefit you or your employees contact the health and safety consultants at Veritas. Call 0800 1488 677 for further
Health and Safety Demonstration Goes Wrong and Becomes a YouTube Hit
Viral videos zoon over the Internet thanks to sites like YouTube. Once a video has been caught it spreads quickly, amassing thousands of viewings. Sometimes this can create superstars, and other times it can bring serious matters to the attention of the public and corporation owners.
A Series of Mistakes Shown to over 200,000 People World Wide
The latter is what happened to a Health and Safety officer who was employed by Morrisons in Gateshead. Despite being well aware of health and safety protocol Mr Cavanagh is clearly seen up a ladder without wearing a hardhat. His aim of the video was to demonstrate the use of a safety harness designed to stop accidents from occurring while working on ladders. He was supposed to demonstrate the harness as a brand new safety measure; however it didn’t quite work out that way.
When Mr Cavanagh was asked to step off the ladder to show that the system was safe the ladder slipped and he came crashing to the ground. Thankfully he was not hurt as one of the other Morrison employees threw a hard hat to him just before he side stepped off the ladder.
Head Injuries a Major Concern in the Construction Industries
Any health and safety consultant will be able to tell you the amount of head injuries which occur within the construction industry. Hard hats are essential kit, and it was a huge error when Mr Cavanagh choose to be filmed giving a safety demonstration. Therefore since the video can be used as proof Mr Cavanagh has now been suspended from work while Morrisons carry out a full investigation.
Companies like Morrisons have to take safety extremely seriously as they could risk being investigated and potentially prosecuted by the HSE. Health and Safety consultants work with many businesses across the West Midlands and over the UK to make sure that all their employees understand the safety protocols and are properly trained in the hope that accidents will be completely avoided.
Health and Safety Services for the Construction Industry
Another of the health and safety services besides training is assisting with complying to the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007. A legal requirement of the CDM regulations is the production of a Health and Safety File. This is a document which is provided for the client and is where all the health and safety details are recorded during the duration of the product.
Health and safety consultants also make certain services readily available for the construction industry. The construction phase plan template can be instantly downloaded and provides a template which is fully compliant with the CDM Regulations. This can then be edited and completed by the Principal Contractor before work is started on site.
To find out more about basic health and safety training for all of your employees and for assistance complying with the legal requirements set out by the CDM Regulations 2007 contact the health and safety consultants. Call 0800 1488 677 and enquire into all of the various services which can protect your from prosecution and reduce the risk of accidents and injuries from occurring in site.
The Health and Safety Advantages of a Construction NVQ
The Construction Industry is an employment sector that is constantly developing and evolving, and it currently employs over 2 million workers in the UK. At present there are more construction health and safety measures in place than ever before and the industry now prides itself on employing competent and safe site workers.
Qualifications, health and safety procedures, experience and card schemes all play a part in creating a less hazardous construction industry and ensuring that workers on site are competent and skilled. Studying a construction NVQ not only gives you the qualifications required to do your job and acquire a CSCS card, but it also teaches you the fundamental aspects of site safety. With a construction NVQ your employer can be confident that you understand how to carry out your work safely and correctly.
In terms of valued qualifications, the construction NVQ is seen as the industry standard for all site workers, labourers and tradesman. It is the minimum requirement for a CSCS card and it is also used as the main training scheme for the majority of construction related Apprenticeships. The construction NVQ is a work-based qualification so most of the learning you do will take place on site or in the work place and as most construction sites have potential hazards a large part of your training will include learning about construction health and safety.
Anyone who has worked on a construction site will know it has the potential to be a risky environment therefore it is important you stay alert, identify any impending hazards, work safely and have the right training. The advantage of undertaking a construction NVQ is that you will learn about construction hazards and how to eliminate them or significantly decrease the risk.
There are multiple construction related NVQ’s available which cover a wide variety of construction occupations but no matter which construction NVQ you choose health and safety education will be a significant part of your training. Some of the units you will cover in your construction NVQ relate directly to Health and Safety, including topics such as, Conforming to General Workplace Safety, Conforming to Efficient Work Practices and the Safe Moving and Handling of Resources.
Site safety and the elimination of hazards and risks are areas that are highly prioritised in the construction industry and as a potential employee the health and safety knowledge you have learnt in your construction NVQ you will definitely give you the advantage in the workplace.
Why You Need Construction Safety Consultants
If you are the owner of a construction company you may think that simply following safety regulations is enough to ensure that your team is safe. However, employing safety consultants is an excellent idea because they will ensure that the health and safety of your employees is at a suitable level. This has a direct effect on workers’ productivity and performance.
Companies need to take the health and safety of their workers into consideration and may find employing consultants a worthwhile idea. It is essential that employees have a safe working environment as this has an equal effect on their performance and productivity. Because construction sites have the potential to be extremely hazardous environments, it is essential that employers make sure the work environment is as safe as possible.
Occupational health and safety consultants will take care of employees’ welfare, as well as be responsible for risk assessment and control planning for the workplace. When it comes to construction, workers are at particular risk due to the dust and chemical vapours and particles that they may inhale when at the construction site. Machinery, trenches and falling buildings are also potentially dangerous, which is why it is important to have adequate safety measures in place to avoid accidents and deaths.
A safety consultant has specialised in assessing environments and identifying factors and introducing regimes to make the workplace a safe place. While construction sites are hazardous places with the potential for a number of accidents, certain things such as wearing hardhats and other safety clothing, as well as a type of safety shoe will go a long way towards personal safety. Identify potential risks such as fires on the site and providing things like fire extinguishers and practising fire drills can help minimise this hazard.
Safety consultants do not have to present at every construction site all the time nor do they need to be fulltime employees. However, their service can be invaluable to your business especially when your employees’ health and safety is at great risk. Hire safety consultants to assess your business environment today and ensure that your employees are safe.
Falls from Height a Huge Contributor to Injuries in the Work Place
Death from Fall Results in Huge Fine for Construction Company
Despite the huge amount of press falls from height receives there are still many accidents and deaths which occur that could have been avoided. The Work at Height Regulations 2005 and Health and Safety at Work 1774 Act place duties on anyone who is responsible for their own safety or the work of others where risks from falls are liable to cause injury and to make sure health and safety regulations are in place.
The regulations clearly state that working at height requires planning and organisation. All the risks must be assessed and that appropriate equipment is used to ensure the work is carried out in safety. This equipment must be maintained and inspected regularly.
Construction Firms Fail Employee
On April 26 2007 James Kelly was working for Glasgow Academy putting up stonework at a school. While stopping for a cigarette break, Mr Kelly fell from the third level of a loading tower of scaffolding and was pronounced dead on arrival as a result of his injuries at Glasgow’s Western Infirmary. Mr Kelly was working on behalf of Stirling Stone which had been contracted by Robertson Construction Central Ltd at the time of the accident.
After the accident the Health and Safety Executive investigated and found that there were no systems in place for putting materials onto the loading tower. They also discovered that both of the companies had not carried out assessments involving the risks that the work entailed.
When viewing the scene they noticed that there were insufficient toe boards and guard rails on the loading tower which Mr Kelly fell from. Furthermore neither of the companies had made sure that the loading tower and the scaffolding was inspected properly. The court was told how Mr Kelly had leant on a part of the scaffolding which had no cuplock which are used to secure the scaffolding in place.
A witness told the court how there were often problems on site which involved unqualified employees altering the scaffolding which should have been carried out by trained professionals. A supervisor should have been made aware of the workers changing the scaffolding and they should have also ensured that trained scaffolders visited the site each day and made any alterations necessary in order to keep the employees safe.
Court Finds Both Firms Guilty
As a result of these failings both of the companies were found guilty for their health and safety failings. Glasgow Sheriff Court fined Stirling Stone £200,000 for breaking section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work 1974 Act. And Robertson Construction Central Ltd was also fined £200,000 for breaking section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work 1974 Act.
A spokesman for Robertson Construction Central who was the main contractor in this incident said that the firm accepted the sentencing and are extremely remorseful for the death of Mr Kelly. The construction firm will be paying off the fine over a period of 2 months. Stirling Stone were ordered to pay £10,000 per month.
To discuss how you can help to prevent construction accidents in the work place contact our team of experts on 0800 1488 677 today.
Health and safety in the Construction Industry
Health and Safety is applied common sense and accidents happen when common sense is absent.
The distress, grief and sadness experienced by a wife, mother, family and friends on losing a husband or son or daughter through a traffic accident in itself is traumatic and grief stricken. The scene of a tragic ending in serious injury or death is dismal, undignified and soul destroying and casts a dark, demoralising shadow over all present for a long period.
I’m sure you will agree that Construction is a very hazardous industry for people to work in today and has potentially many risks to life and limb. The exposure to accidents is daily and varied i.e working at height, above water, excavation etc.
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