Polski Dzial Director fined after worker’s fatal fall through roof
The director of a building firm has been prosecuted after a self-employed contractor fell to his death through a fragile roof at an industrial building in Penryn. Paul Gibbons was carrying out re-roofing work when he fell eight metres through a fragile part of the asbestos cement roof onto the floor below. He was taken […]
Steel firm in court over employee’s injuries
A Preston steel firm has appeared in court after a working platform slid off the forks of a forklift truck and struck one of its employees. The 50-year-old fractured a rib, and suffered muscle and back injuries when he was hit by the heavy metal platform. The company, which manufactures and supplies steel products, was […]
Workplace deaths underestimated by 800%
The government has been accused of hiding behind statistics, as workplace deaths are underestimated by more than 800%, trade union Unite has said. The comments came in the run-up to International Workers’ Memorial Day, which took place on Saturday 28th April. Unite has accused ministers of introducing ‘light touch’ health and safety regulations and called […]
BSC launches health & safety manifesto
The British Safety Council (BSC) has launched its health and safety manifesto, ‘Working Well’, which sets out five steps to help improve workplace safety and reduce the number of work related injuries. According to the BSC, there are still too many people being killed or injured at work. Figures quoted by the BSC show that […]
Company fined after surveyor killed by reversing lorry
An engineering and construction company has been fined £250,000 for safety failings after a surveyor was killed by a reversing lorry during work to widen the M25 near Dartford. Richard Caddock was talking on a mobile phone and could not hear the approaching truck above the noise of nearby motorway traffic, when he was hit […]
Inquiry into dog attacks on postal workers
Donald Brydon, Chairman of Royal Mail Group, has announced the launch of an independent inquiry to be led by Sir Gordon Langley into the prevalence and consequences of attacks by dogs on postal workers in the UK, with the objective of making recommendations to address them. There are between three and a half thousand and […]
Countryside firm sentenced over strimmer death
A countryside management firm has been sentenced over the death of a father-of-four in Barrow-in-Furness, who was struck by a piece of metal that flew off a strimmer at high speed. Tony Robinson died after a link from a chain, spinning at around 300 miles an hour on a petrol strimmer, became detached and struck […]
Construction firm fined over £100k after death
A 23-year-old man died from massive crush injuries when his head became trapped in the jaws of a grab machine being wrongly used to move a pallet of cement bags. Steven Allen was part of a team working for Skipton-based construction company JN Bentley Ltd on a building project for Bradford Council in March 2007. […]
Steel beam falls and fatally injures worker
A specialist crane supplier has been fined £180,000 after a worker was killed when a large steel beam fell on him at an incinerator in Slough, Berkshire. Colin Dickson, 38, of Motherwell, died when the temporary suspension points on a suspended beam he was under failed. The 1.4 tonne beam fell five metres onto Mr […]
Construction worker killed when crane overturned
A construction company and its managing director have been sentenced after a father-of-two was crushed to death when a crane overturned in Liverpool. Richard Mark Thornton, 46, from Longridge near Preston, died when a 50-tonne crane toppled over while moving a steel column in March 2007. Mr Thornton’s employer and the managing director of the […]