Polski Dzial Workers’ Memorial Day
Friday 28th April was Workers’ Memorial Day, which is an annual international event that provides an opportunity to reflect on the many people who are killed, seriously injured or made ill while simply doing their jobs. Health and Safety at Work Matters Everyone’s health and safety at work matters – for workers, his or her […]
Lords Urged to Scrap Deregulation Bill Clause
The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) has once again called on the House of Lords to scrap Clause 1 of the Government’s Deregulation Bill. As it stands, the clause will amend health and safety law to exempt certain self-employed workers from the general health and safety duty for themselves and non-employees, except if […]
IOSH backs tougher penalties for ‘rogue’ bosses
Tougher penalties for employers who fail to fulfil their duties in protecting employees from injury and illness should be welcomed, the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) has said. Changes introduced under the Health and Safety (Offences) Act 2008 have led to more cases being tried in the lower courts, higher fines handed out […]
Deafness link to high-volume appliances
March 2013 saw the introduction of a volume safety limit for new portable music players such as iPods. New mobile phones and portable music players sold within the EU must now have a sound limit of 85 Decibels (dB). This is above the 80 dB which is regarded as the safe limit. This is similar […]
Defence company sentenced over explosion death
A defence company has been ordered to pay £376,000 in fines and costs for safety failings that caused a fatal explosion at its Hampshire factory in 2006. Anthony Sheridan was emptying one of six industrial ovens used in the manufacture of military flares. The ovens contained high levels of nitroglycerin (NG) that exploded, destroying the […]
Health and safety study launched
People involved in health and safety at work are being invited to take part in a UK-wide study into the sources of information they use, either in their workplaces or when giving guidance to others. Advice and guidance on how to protect workers, such as workplace design and manual handling, are many and varied in […]
Contractor prosecuted after workers put at risk
An Edgware contractor has been fined after the routine inspection of a construction site discovered dangerous working conditions. Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Inspectors saw contractors working some three metres above ground without measures in place to prevent them from falling. A Prohibition Notice was immediately served on the Principal Contractor, preventing further work at […]
Firm fined after failing to manage asbestos
A laboratory testing firm has been prosecuted after putting workers at its Tyneside premises at risk of exposure to asbestos. An investigation was launched into the activities of Exova (UK) Limited following a complaint the company had not dealt with damaged asbestos at its site despite being recommended to do so on two previous occasions. […]
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 […]
Prison sentence for asbestos related negligence
Two former businessmen have been sentenced by an Italian court to 16 years in jail for negligence that contributed to the asbestos related deaths of over 2,000 people, reports the Scotsman. Stephan Schmidheiny, from Switzerland, was the former owner of Swiss construction firm Eternit, and Jean Louis Marie Ghislain De Cartier De Marchienne, from Belgium, […]