Polski Dzial ‘Sorry’ not always good enough for victims of injury
Plans to introduce legislation to protect people from legal action if they apologise for causing injury are “pointless and misguided” lawyers have said. In its response to a consultation on a proposed Apologies (Scotland) Bill, the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL) said the courts take each case on its merits and already provide protection, […]
Calls for safety guidance to be in plain English
Campaigners say a review of workplace safety must ensure that all updates to important guidelines are made in plain English. The not-for-profit Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL) has submitted a response to the Health and Safety Executive’s (HSE) consultation on proposals to simplify its Approved Codes of Practice (ACOPs). “It’s imperative that guidance is […]
New initiative to cut loading bay accidents
The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) has recently launched a new initiative aimed at reducing the number of people injured or killed when working in loading bays. IOSH’s Retail and Distribution Group has teamed up with the Freight Transport Association to produce the ‘Loading Dock Safety Guide’, with the aim of helping employers […]
De-regulation kills, warns TUC
Government plans to abolish safety inspections in thousands of businesses across the UK will put the health of millions of workers at risk, the TUC has warned. Responding to plans outlined by Business Secretary Vince Cable, TUC General Secretary Brendan Barber said: ‘Contrary to myths peddled by ministers, the UK is facing an occupational health […]
APIL reveals new whiplash research
An independent survey, commissioned by the not-for-profit Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL), has found that almost 40% of people who have suffered a whiplash injury have never claimed compensation for it. The new information “injects some sanity into a national debate characterised by overblown and inaccurate rhetoric,” said APIL president Karl Tonks. The research […]
Nursing home owners sentenced after death of elderly resident
Two nursing home owners have been fined after an elderly resident died following a fall from a hoist. Annie Bradley, 78, was being transported in a sling from her bed to a specialist chair at the home in Leicester in July 2008. During the manoeuvre Miss Bradley fell to the floor, hitting her head. The […]
Firms prosecuted over asbestos exposure
Two companies have been prosecuted after workers were exposed to potentially deadly asbestos fibres at a mill in Bolton. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) took legal action after finding dozens of damaged asbestos boards stacked up during a visit in October 2010. Manchester Crown Court heard that neither company had put a plan in […]
Mobile devices more of a distraction than a screaming child
A recent study has exposed the distraction and danger to drivers of just having a mobile phone in the car, with a fifth of participants in a simulator situation moving their eyes from the road for more than seven seconds after simply hearing their phone ring. The simulator study commissioned by esure car insurance reveals […]
Fraudsters trick school over asbestos cleaning
Two men colluded with each other to commit fraud by falsifying a record stating that a school in Abingdon had been properly cleaned of asbestos. The “unusual fraud” was confirmed by detective work by one of the men’s employers using GPS tracking technology on the employee’s company van, which proved he had not attended the […]
Reported road casualties Great Britain
The Department of Transport has published statistics on personal injury accidents in the year ending March 2012 on public roads (including footways) in Great Britain. The statistics show that: