News and Information
PRESS RELEASE
Cullompton Rangers Youth Football Club has recently purchased an Automatic External Defibrillator(AED) for use by all users of the football club. This purchase has been funded by an anonymous donation following a recent incident involving youth coach Paul Tapp, who suffered a Sudden Cardiac Arrest whilst playing a charity fundraising match at the Speeds Meadow Ground in March.
For full article follow this link
For further information on this press release, please contact Total Safety Training & Consultancy on 0845 3452138 or info@tstc.org.uk
Hotel and director fined £210,000 in landmark fire safety trial
10 February 2012
A London hotel has had to pay more than £260,000 in fines and costs in what is believed to be the first jury trial of a case under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
The Chumleigh Lodge Hotel Limited and its sole director, Michael Wilson, had pleaded not guilty to a total of 12 offences under the Fire Safety Order. The trial took place at Blackfriars Crown Court between 28 November and 6 December 2011 and sentencing was on Monday 6 February.
The offences date back to 18 May 2008 when London Fire Brigade was called to a fire at the hotel on Nether Street in Finchley, north London. The blaze had spread quickly from a first floor guest bedroom, up a staircase to the floor above and along a corridor.
Three people escaped from the fire, two by using the stairs and a third by climbing out of a second floor window.
Following the blaze, fire safety inspectors visited the hotel and raised a number of concerns. These included defective fire doors, blocked escape routes and no smoke alarms in some of the hotel’s bedrooms. Mr Wilson was also unable to produce a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment and was found not to have provided staff with adequate fire safety training.
The fine was divided between the individual defendant, Michael Wilson (£180,000) and the corporate defendant, Chumleigh Lodge Hotel Limited (£30,000). The defendants were further ordered to pay prosecution costs of £50,000, and compensation of £2,000 to the guest who escaped through a second floor window.
The company was found guilty of six offences, while Mr Wilson was found guilty of ‘consent or connivance in the commission’ of those same offences:
· Failure to make a suitable and sufficient assessment of risk (article 9);
· Failure to provide staff with adequate safety training (article 21);
· Failure to ensure emergency routes from the premises are kept clear (article 14);
· Failure to adequately equip premises with fire detectors (article 13);
· Two counts of failure to ensure premises, facilities, equipment or devices are maintained in an efficient state, in working order and in good repair (article 17)?;
“Business owners have a clear responsibility under fire safety law to ensure that both the public and their employees are as safe as possible from the risk of fire,” said Brian Coleman, chairman of London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority.
“This verdict sends out a clear message that if these responsibilities are ignored we will not hesitate in prosecuting and people will face serious penalties.”
Published in SHP by IOSH in Feb 2012
Electrical Safety Facts & Figures
The dangers posed by electricity and dangerous appliances in workplaces are widely recognised.
The HSE claims that nearly 25% of all reportable electrical accidents involve portable and transportable electrical equipment and recently issued the latest provisional figures on injuries involving contact with electricity as reported to the enforcing authorities via the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR).
In 2009/10 the HSE reports that there were three employee (2008/09 – 4) fatalities and six fatalities (2008/09 – 8) involving members of the public.
Non fatal major injuries to employees during 2009/10 totalled 75 compared to 93 in the previous year. Over three day injuries caused by contact with electricity also fell to 281 from 320 over the same period. Non fatal injuries among members of the public were recorded as 51 ( 2008/9 – 71).
Of course alongside the HSE injury figures, the full extent of the dangers associated with unsafe electric appliances and equipment can also be gauged from the fire statistics.
In 2008, the latest year for which full 12 month figures are available, there were 27,500 fires recorded in buildings other than dwellings, 11 per cent fewer than in 2007. Of these, around 60 per cent were accidental, and as in previous years, the main cause was faulty appliances and leads. In 2008 this problem was responsible for 6,000 fires – or 34% of the total.
Overall, it was reported that fires in non-residential buildings caused the deaths of 21and injuries to 1,200 people.
More details: www.hse.gov.uk and www.communities.gov.uk
Ref: Seaward November 2011
ESC Fridge Freezer Alert
The Electrical Safety Council (ESC) is urging safety checks to be carried out on fridge freezers, following a devastating fire in North London which took the lives of a mother and her five children.
Initial investigations suggest that the fire was started by a fridge freezer, which was located in the hallway of the house in Neasden, North London. According to government figures there are more than 20 thousand electrical fires in UK homes each year – the majority of them caused by electrical appliances.
“We want to express our deepest sympathy to the family”, says Martyn Allen, Head of Technical Development at the ESC. “And we want to ensure that people are aware of electrical safety issues, to help prevent another tragedy of this nature.”
The ESC has put together a safety check-list for fridge freezers that includes some basic electrical advice.
More details at: www.esc.org.uk
Ref: Seaward November 2011
Disqualify directors who ignore well-being, say Lib Dems
Company directors should be disqualified for serious cases of failing to protect their employees’ well-being, according to a new policy paper from the Liberal Democrats.
Presented at the party’s annual conference this week, the paper details the Lib Dems’ proposals to improve people’s quality of life and well-being. Several proposals concern the workplace, with the party recognising that employers should take action to make their workplaces better environments in which to work, and measure this through employee satisfaction.
It suggests, for example, that employers should implement measures that allow staff to gain a sense of control over how they carry out the task they are doing, and increase flexible-working arrangements. By 2014, it wants to see the 9000, or so largest organisations – which, together, employ half of the UK workforce – report on employee satisfaction and the extent of flexible working.
It also believes that a new National Institute for Well-being should be set up and tasked with creating a way to report this information in an accessible way, so that employers will be encouraged to use it to improve their well-being performance.
Although the Lib Dems argue that these policies should be implemented through cultural change rather than compulsion, the party does believe that the existing power to disqualify an individual from being a company director for financial impropriety should be extended to serious failure to protect employees’ well-being.
According to an HSE-commissioned report published in 2007 on the effectiveness of the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986, company directors are almost 300 times more likely to be disqualified by a court from acting as a director for financial reasons than for breaching health and safety rules. Researchers from the University of Warwick found that, up to 2005, just ten directors had been disqualified for health and safety breaches, while some 1500 were disqualified for insolvency, or other financial reasons over the same period.
In a speech at the Liberal Democrat conference, the party’s deputy leader, Simon Hughes, said “a new attitude to work could make the biggest change” to quality of life and well-being.
Despite calls for the Institute of Directors/HSE code of practice on directors’ duties to be made statutory, it remains voluntary.
Foundry worker fell into unguarded pit of molten metal
Fenton Magistrates’ Court heard a guilty plea from Copper Alloys, who appeared in court on 19 September on a charge of breaching reg. 3(5) of the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992, for failing to cover, or fence access to the pit. It was fined £8000 and ordered to pay £4798 in costs.
This case had been brought after a work place accident left a worker with permanent scars as a result of falling into an unfenced pit at a foundry in Stoke-on-Trent and was scorched by molten metal.
The man was working in the slab-casting section, scraping off impurities from the top of a freshly poured casting with the use of a long-handled t-shaped scraper bar. The casting was located inside a mould pool, which was positioned in a five-foot-deep pit. As he was holding the tool, he lost his balance and fell into an unfenced gap between the mould pool and the pit.
He used the tool to try to stop himself from falling into the pit, but landed on the edge of the mould and his arm was briefly immersed in the molten metal. He then slumped on to a pile of the burning hot impurities, which had been scraped from the mould. His skin was exposed to temperatures between 900OC and 1200OC and he suffered serious burns to his arm and upper legs. He required several skin grafts and has been left with permanent scarring. He has been unable to return to work owing to his injuries.
HSE inspector Grayam Barnes told SHP that the company had failed to carry out a suitable risk assessment, which would have identified the need for fencing. He said: “This incident has had a permanent, life-changing effect on an employee. He has been unable to return to work and still needs physiotherapy.
“This case highlights the consequences of failing to recognise dangers arising from an unfenced pit. Copper Alloys should have identified and mitigated the risk.”
The cost of accident insurance claims rockets to £1000 million
This was the assertion made by Spencer McCabe of Zurich Insurance plc speaking at the recent IOSH Conference in March. Over the last 10 years the total cost of EL claims has increased from £400 million according to Zurich’s figures and one of the main effects of this has been a rise in premiums for employers.
Although the cost of claims has increased dramatically, the actually number of claims is decreasing. A number of reasons were given for the decline in claims and Spencer added: “…better risk management is making the work environment safer. The concern now, though, is: will employers stop investing in risk management for financial reasons? I cannot emphasise the importance of risk management enough in terms of avoiding claims. It is essential, and has a direct influence on premiums. Basically, preventing accidents in the first place is the most efficient way of avoiding claims.”
Do you have the necessary risk assessments in place? Can you afford a claim being made against your business? If you would like guidance and advice on completing risk assessments, or on any other health and safety issue, contact us on 0845 345 2138 or by email on info@tstc.org.uk for more information.
Residential care homes – new guidance on fire safety now available
www.info4fire.com reported today on new, additional guidance published by the National Association for Safety and Health in Care Services (NASHiCS) and the Chief Fire Officers’ Association (CFOA) for operators of residential care premises.
It is designed to deal with issues including:
• evacuation of a protected zone in 2.5 minutes
• rooms of residents unable to evacuate – upgrading to 60 minutes fire resistance
• staff remaining with residents who are unable to evacuate
• the use of external fire escapes by residents
• the travel distance of evacuation routes
• the use of by-pass routes.
The new guidance has been devised with the underlying principles that the safety of occupants is paramount; that staff training on the awareness and reduction of fire safety risk and evacuation techniques is vital; that risk should be reduced as low as reasonably practicable, as required by law; that there should be sufficient levels of staff to effect the fire safety strategy for a premises; and that the fire safety strategy should always take into account the ability of the building to withstand the spread of fire and smoke travel.
For more information on Fire Safety please contact Chris on 0845 345 2138 or email info@tstc.org.uk
Expowest Cornwall
Expowest Cornwall takes place next week (1st – 3rd March 2011) at the Royal Cornwall Showground, Wadebridge. The Expowest hotel, catering, hospitality and fast food exhibition is recognised by local, regional and national catering suppliers and manufacturers and by the trade visitors as the major regional trade exhibition for the industry in the country.
Total Safety has taken part in the Expowest shows for several years and continues to provide Fist Aid cover for the exhibitions.
This year, our stand can be found at B34. Come along and introduce yourself, we will be pleased to meet you and to discuss all your health and safety and training needs.
Alternatively, if you are unable to attend the show, contact us via email on info@tstc.org.uk or by phone on 0845 345 2138.
Chief Fire Officers' Association Raises Fire Awareness
Devon & Somerset Fire & Rescue Service reported last week on comments made by Peter Holland, President of the CFOA which urged members of the public to be vigilant following an increase in the numbers of dwelling fires, fire deaths and injuries across the UK over the last few weeks.
He said, "The tragedies that we have seen in some areas of the country serve as a stark reminder to us all of the importance of working smoke alarms and the need to have an escape plan should it become necessary to evacuate. During periods of cold weather it is particularly important for everyone to take extra care especially when using all forms of heating or cooking equipment. Alcohol is also often a major contributory factor in instances of fire deaths and injuries. Tragically we are aware of 32 fatalities which have occurred over the last two months across the UK“.
The CFOA estimates that current trends are indicating an increase of around 30% in the numbers of dwelling fires, fire deaths and injuries.
Peter Holland added, " I would urge the public to check smoke alarms, not only your own, but also those of elderly relatives or vulnerable neighbours. Always make sure that flammable materials are kept as far away from sources of heat as possible, and that all forms of heating appliance, be they electrical or gas are well maintained. Never use any appliance that may be faulty."
Safety Demonstration Goes Wrong
When you book someone to deliver staff training you expect them to get it right, however when Kuehne+Nagel’s booked Steven Roadknight to deliver rope-escape training at their transportation depot things went terribly wrong.
According to SHP “He was training staff how to escape from a Very Narrow Aisle (VNA) lift truck, which are used to stock shelves in narrow aisles. As part of the training he asked one of the workers to practice an emergency escape from the vehicle. She was instructed to climb on to the cab and then attach herself to a rope, which had a descender lever, and lower herself down to the ground. But Roadknight did not attach a safety rope to her that he could control in case anything went wrong. When she began lowering herself to the ground she pulled too hard on the descender lever and plummeted 12 feet to the ground. She sprained both of her ankles, and sustained bruising to her back, and serious rope burns. Roadknight also failed to provide a safety helmet for the demonstration”.
As a result, Roadknight has been prosecuted by the Council and pleaded guilty at Birmingham Magistrates Court on 28th January. He was fined £500 and ordered to pay £1500 towards costs.
EHO Rudman said: “The injured employee was extremely lucky to not have been more seriously injured. Failing to use a safety rope and helmets could quite easily have resulted in this being a fatal incident”.
Do you know how to work at height safely? Are you familiar with the HSE guidelines? Are your staff trained and competent to work at height?
Total Safety can help with advice and training on this and other health and safety matters. Contact us on 0845 345 2138 or via email at info@tstc.org.uk for more information.
Electrical Safety Week
Did you miss Electrical Safety Week last week? Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service have been promoting electrical appliance safety. Why? – Because, "Over half of all accidental fires in UK homes – that's more than 20,000 per year – are caused by electrical faults or misuse of electrical appliances”, according to Lorraine Carney, Head of Campaigns at the Electrical Safety Council, a leading safety charity.
Many of these fires start in the kitchen. The Fire Brigade offers this advice
• Don’t overload plug sockets
• Regularly check for frayed or worn cables and wires
• Unplug appliances when not in use
• Keep electrical appliances clean and in good working order
• Check for British or European safety mark
• Always check that you use the right fuse to prevent overheating.
• Get Out, Stay Out, Call 999
Remember, you must never use water on an electrical fire and don’t take any risks with your safety. Pull the plug out or switch the power off if it is safe to do so.
Expowest Westcountry
Westpoint, Exeter, is once again playing host to the Expowest Westcountry Exhibition. This show is aimed at caterers, hospitality providers and retailers in the South West region. This year the show is running 1st – 3rd February. Come and visit us at our stand (F276) to find out more about what we can offer you. We are also pleased to announce that, as in previous years, we are providing First Aid cover for the show.
Holiday Nightmare
You never know when your first aid training might be needed. The Red Cross recently shared the story of Richard who had completed a first aid course at his place of work.
Richard was on holiday and enjoying a day at the beach when he heard someone shouting for help. Upon investigation he discovered a man had collapsed and appeared to be having a seizure. He also had a nasty cut to his head.
Thanks to the training Richard had received, he immediately knew what to do. Richard recalls: "I just did what I could, which was to make space around the guy and remove anything which might cause further injuries. Then, I just spoke to him calmly until his convulsions stopped.
Because we were on a beach, there were plenty of towels nearby. I grabbed some from the nearby sun loungers, placed them underneath the casualty and then put him in the recovery position."
From his training Richard knew about the ABC – Airway, Breathing, Circulation – and was able to ensure the casualty was in the correct position to allow him to breathe. He was also able to deal with the bleeding by applying pressure to the wound until a Doctor arrived to look after the man.
Richard commented: "… What was important was that I had been there to offer help when somebody had needed it. I would like to think that if it was me who ever needed help, someone with first aid experience would come to my assistance too."
If you want more information about first aid training, then contact Total Safety via email at info@tstc.org.uk or call us on 0845 345 2138.
Fire Safety Breaches Cost Pub Chain Nearly £30,000
Punch Taverns Plc was ordered to pay £27,481 in fines and costs after pleading guilty at Thames Magistrates Court to seven breaches of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 at one of its London Pubs last week.
SHP reported that the Milestone Pub was investigated by Fire Officers in July 2008 and found to have “inadequate maintenance of the fire alarms and poor emergency lighting. In some cases, emergency lighting was non-existent”. In addition “The London Fire Brigade also found that the building, which is a House of Multiple Occupation, had not been installed with self closers on a kitchen door and one of its bedroom doors”.
Despite an enforcement notice being issued, a follow-up visit in November 2008 showed that some of the problems had not been rectified. This led to the London Fire Brigade prosecuting Punch Taverns PLC.
To avoid potential prosecution, you must ensure that your Fire Risk Assessment is up to date and that any issues raised are promptly dealt with to ensure the safety of all persons using your property. Total Safety can provide advice and guidance on all Fire Safety matters. Contact us at the office for more information on 0845 345 2138 or email on info@tstc.org.uk.
Holiday Fire Hazards
The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) is reminding people of the increased fire risk that are present during the festive season.
Fortunately, the vast majority of holiday fires are preventable, notes Lorraine Carli, NFPA’s vice president of communications. “Certainly, no one needs to abandon their holiday traditions and activities,” says Carli. “But by understanding where potential hazards exist, and making some minor adjustments, people can greatly increase their homes’ and loved ones’ safety, and enjoy the season as planned.”
According to NFPA statistics:
Cooking: In 2008, relative to an average day, the number of home cooking equipment fires was 55% higher on Christmas Eve and 68% higher on Christmas Day.
Christmas Trees: Many home fires are caused by Christmas trees. One third of them are caused by electrical problems, and one in five resulted from a heat source that’s too close to the tree.
Candles: December is the peak month for home candle fires, with Christmas Eve and Christmas Day representing two of the five top days for associated fires. NFPA statistics show that more than half of all candle fires start when placing them too close to things that can burn.
Make sure you take the appropriate precautions to ensure you have a safe and enjoyable Christmas.
Fire Safety Braches cost Poundstretcher £55,000
SHP Online reported this week on the recent court case which saw national discount chain Poundstretcher fined £51,500 and ordered to pay £3,450 costs at Leeds crown court for seven offences under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
The offences at Poundstretcher’s Castleford store in West Yorkshire included a failure to take adequate fire precautions for its employees and other relevant people, a failure to review its fire risk assessment, emergency routes and exits blocked, and inadequate staff training. The firm had previously pleaded guilty to the charges at Pontefract magistrates court.
Craig McIntosh, West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service’s director of fire safety, said “This is the third time a prosecution has been brought in West Yorkshire,” he said. “The severity of the fines imposed by the court show that companies cannot continue to treat public and staff safety with contempt. The fines are intended to make Poundstretcher take its obligations seriously in the future."
In July 2009 Poundstretcher was fined £12,000 and ordered to pay £2,460 costs at Halifax magistrates court. And in October last year the company was fined £8,500 and ordered to pay £2,461 costs at Wakefield magistrates court.
New Resuscitation Guidelines published
The European Resuscitation Council (ERC) has published new CPR guidelines which they believe could save 100,000 lives a year.
According to their press release, about 500,000 people suffer a sudden cardiac arrest every year in Europe. It is very easy to help those hearts which are mostly too young to die. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) increases survival rate by 2-3 times, however, today it is delivered in only 1 in 5 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests.
The new guidelines, published on 18 October, are based on new scientific evidence published since the last revision five years ago. The message is now very clear as Prof. Bernd Böttiger, Chairman of the ERC, pointed out: “Push fast and firmly, and start immediately! If the victim does not respond or react, press down at least 5 cm on the middle of the chest, at a rate of at least 100 compressions per minute.”
The most important action in resuscitation is chest compression. Everyone –including children – can do this. This simple procedure is safe and markedly increases the victim’s chance of survival. People who are trained and willing should combine chest compressions with rescue breathing, at a ratio of 30 compressions to 2 breaths. However, chest compressions are most important even without breathing –without compressions the brain will suffer irreversible damage within 5 minutes following the collapse.
To read the new guidelines click here.
If you would like information on our First Aid courses, please contact us.
MP uses Lord Young’s proposals to put new bills before Parliament
Following Lord Young’s review of health and safety, six new Private Member’s Bills were presented to Parliament and had their first reading on 21 October:
- Health and Safety at Work (Amendment) Bill – to amend the HSWA 1974 to make provisions for separate risk-assessment requirements for play, leisure and work-based activities; and to introduce simplified risk assessments for schools;
- Compensation (Limitation) Bill – to prevent conditional fee agreement success fees and after-the-event insurance premiums being recoverable from the losing party in civil litigation; to facilitate damages-based agreements for contingency fees in respect of successful litigants;
- Health and Safety Consultants (Qualifications) Bill – to introduce qualification requirements for health and safety consultants; and to provide accreditation for such consultants;
- Low Hazard Workplaces (Risk Assessment Exemption) Bill – to exempt employers from the requirement to produce a written risk assessment in respect of low-hazard workplaces and the premises of those working from their own home with low-hazard equipment;
- RIDDOR Regulation Bill – to reduce the duties on employers to report matters under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995; and
- SHP Online report that five of the bills have been scheduled for a Second Reading on dates between March and July next year, with the RIDDOR Regulation Bill due to be debated on 17 December this year.
IOSH said the raft of bills is a “show of support” from MPs for some of Lord Young’s recommendations but it expressed reservations about some of them.
Common Sense, Common Safety
A 64-page report, entitled Common sense, common safety, was finally published earlier this week by the Government’s health and safety advisor Lord Young of Graffham. It contains 36 recommendations relating to, among others, no-win, no-fee lawyers, health and safety practitioners, insurance firms, schools, local authorities, the HSE, and the emergency services.
In it, the Tory peer states his aim as “to free businesses from the unnecessary bureaucratic burdens and the fear of having to pay out unjustified damages claims and legal fees. Above all, it means applying common sense not just to compensation to everyday decisions once again.”
The report contains several recommendations that could, as IOSH has commented, mark a real “turning point” for the health and safety regime and profession.
HSE chair Judith Hackitt commented: “Complying with the law in a low-risk business can be done with common sense by anyone”. This report is “an important milestone on the road to recovery for the reputation of real health and safety” and a “tremendous opportunity to refocus health and safety on what it is really about – managing workplace risks”.
The TUC, however, expressed its “grave disappointment” with the report, lamenting the fact that it “doesn’t contain a single proposal that will reduce the high levels of workplace death, injuries and illness”. General secretary, Brendan Barber went on to say: “Instead of looking for ways of preventing people being killed an injured, the report uncritically accepts the myths and preconceptions surrounding health and safety, and focuses on dealing with a compensation culture, which the Government accepts does not exist.”
The full report can be downloaded from the Cabinet Office website at: www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/
Hotel prosecuted for Fire Safety breaches
A report this week by www.healthandsafetyclick.net highlights the dangers of having an inadequate Fire Risk Assessment and safety procedures in place.
“ A Hotel and its General Manager have been ordered to pay out more than £40,000 in fines and costs after a blaze led to the discovery of numerous fire safety failures at the premises. The Hotel Manager pleaded guilty to ten offences under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, in a prosecution mounted by Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service.
It was found that no one employed by the hotel initiated a formal evacuation procedure when the fire alarm sounded, but rather residents had to evacuate themselves informally. Given the extensive smoke logging, this could have been extremely serious and resulted in serious injury or death to a number of residents.
In addition, the fire alarm could not be heard in the basement area of the premises, where the on-site staff lived. The Hotel staffs were unaware of the fire until one of the residents went down to the basement to warn them.
A post-fire inspection of the premises revealed other failures, including: the fire risk assessment was inadequate; none of the fire doors in the building were fitted with intumescing strips or cold smoke seals, and some were wedged open; and a number of the wooden steps to the rear fire escape were either loose or partially rotten in places.
The Hotel was fined £29,715 with £8,000 costs, while the Hotel Manager was fined £2,985 with £380 costs”.
Faulty light fitting causes hospital fire
A fire last week at Ninewells hospital in Dundee resulted in staff and patients being evacuated for around two hours.
The fire broke out in a nurses’ changing area situated on level 5 in the main supply block at around 11.45am on Thursday, 9th September.
Brian Main, site manager for Ninewells, said: “Firefighters attended the fire and quickly extinguished the blaze. The damage has been extensive and the changing room gutted but thankfully, no one was injured.
The fire service and health board said in a joint statement: "Following investigations, Tayside Fire and Rescue and NHS Tayside can confirm that the cause of the fire in the nurses' changing room at Ninewells Hospital was due to a faulty light fitting."
Council fined after child injured at Museum
Newcastle City Council has been fined after a five-year-old girl needed surgery when she was injured by an interactive exhibit at one of its museums.
The child was visiting the Discovery Museum in Newcastle with her family when she placed her hand in an opening of the "Floating on Air" exhibit on 17 August 2009. The opening led down into the rotating blades of a fan which powered the air flow through the machine. The opening should have been protected by a guard which was missing and so the girl's hand came into contact with the rotating blades of the fan. The girl put her hand through the opening and suffered serious injuries, which required immediate surgery.
The Health and Safety Executive prosecuted Newcastle City Council, which runs the museum, following the incident. The Council, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 at Newcastle Upon Tyne Magistrates' Court yesterday. It was fined £12,000 and was ordered to pay costs of £7,733.
HSE's investigation showed that there was no formal system in place to ensure the exhibit was in good condition and was safe to use. After the case, HSE inspector, Carol Forster, said: "The serious injuries that this young girl suffered could easily have been avoided. "The Floating on Air exhibit had been in use for a number of years, yet the gap had not been fixed. "It's important that councils, like any other organisations, must have systems and procedures in place to ensure that the safety of members of the public is not put at risk by their activities."
The full article can be read on the HSE website – Release No: NE/223/10
Check Your Electrical Appliances
An analysis of portable appliance test reports carried out by Seaward has revealed the importance of regularly testing all electrical equipment.
Its analysis of more than 80,000 PAT tests revealed an average appliance failure rate of 1.4 per cent, which equates to more than 1100 potentially dangerous appliances that would not have been discovered had inspection and testing not been carried out.
The failures were typically recorded in such premises as offices, schools, universities and factories, and involved damaged mains cords, enclosures, or casings, exposed moving parts, and failed earth continuity, or insulation resistance tests. In industrial environments, such as engineering and manufacturing premises, the failure rates were, at an average of 7.4 per cent, much higher than the likes of offices and administrative services, reflecting the damage and mishandling often associated with power tools and other moveable electrical equipment.
Seaward also emphasised another potentially deadly effect of faulty portable electrical appliances: fire. It cited official UK fire statistics, which show that the Fire Service attended 136,000 accidental fires in non-residential dwellings between 2000 and 2005, the main cause of which was faulty appliances and leads, which were responsible for 30 per cent of the total.
During this same period, the Fire Protection Association revealed that there were 346 reported fire losses that were electrical in origin in premises other than dwellings. The total loss from these was £178m, with an average loss per incident of £50,000.
If you would like more information about PAT testing or would like Total Safety to provide this service for you, please contact us.
The full report can be found on the SHP website.
Changes to rules on retirement could have health and safety implications
According to a report by SHP, the Government’s proposal to allow workers to continue in their job past the age of 65 could cause a health and safety headache for employers.The Government have published a consultation document on phasing out the default retirement age (DRA) as part of a series of steps to enable and encourage people to work for longer.
Employer groups reacted strongly to the announcement, with the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) suggesting the decision to abandon the DRA would leave businesses with “many unresolved problems”. Said deputy director-general, John Cridland: “This will create uncertainty among employers and staff, who do not know where they stand. There will need to be a code of practice to address practical issues; we will need changes in the law to deal more effectively with difficult employment situations.”
Such “difficult situations” would encompass health and safety issues, Mr Cridland suggested. He said: “In certain jobs, especially physically demanding ones, working beyond 65 is not going to be possible for everyone.”
IOSH said any physical and psychological changes caused by ageing can usually be addressed easily. The Institution’s head of research and technical services, Dr Luise Vassie, explained: “Our research shows that reaction time is reduced with age, but attention to detail and accuracy is increased. We found that hearing and sight might be affected in the over 50s, but any problems caused by this can generally be overcome by providing suitable equipment, or making adjustments in the workplace to assist the employee.”
For the full story and a link to the consultation document, Phasing out the default retirement age, click here.
Survey reveals a lack in First Aid skills
According to the BBC Only one in 13 people feel confident they could carry out first aid on those ill and injured, a survey suggests. The British Red Cross quizzed 2,000 people in the UK about their knowledge and ability to help in a series of emergency situations. The survey revealed that people were particularly weak when it came to CPR – chest compressions and mouth-to-mouth.
In the poll, the British Red Cross asked people about their knowledge of how to deal with a range of scenarios such as if a neighbour was bleeding heavily, if someone was unconscious or if someone was hurt and not breathing.Just 14% of people would know what to do in all the situations, but half of those would be unwilling or not have the confidence to help. Fear of getting something wrong was cited by many, although some also said they were concerned about getting sued.
The charity said the findings were extremely worrying as an estimated half of all A&E visits could benefit from some form of first aid. However, the British Red Cross said it took comfort from the finding that 60% would be willing to try to help if they felt they did have the skills.
Joe Mulligan, head of first aid at the British Red Cross, said: "The positive thing this research shows us is that there is great willingness from the public to step in, but a lack of confidence or fear of getting something wrong is holding people back.
New Look Appeal Dismissed
The Court of Appeal has ruled against high-street retailer New Look after the company appealed that the £400,000 fine it received last year in relation to fire-safety breaches was excessive.
A fire on 26 April 2007 resulted in the evacuation of around 450 people from the store and required the attendance of thirty-five fire engines and around 150 firefighters to deal with the blaze.
A subsequent investigation found that a fire risk assessment, prepared on 16 January 2007 by an employee who was not responsible for fire safety, was defective. This resulted in confusion on the evening of the fire, when, instead of being ushered by trained staff to safe escape routes, customers made for the main exit by routes which took them under the heart of the fire on the second floor.
At a court hearing in November last year, the company pleaded guilty to a failure to carry out a suitable and sufficient risk assessment, and to ensure that its employees were provided with adequate safety training. The judge imposed a fine of £250,000 in respect of the first count and a fine of £150,000 in respect of the second. However, New Look appealed the penalty.
In a judgement handed down by Lord Justice Pitchford and published on 16 June 2010, the appeal court denied their appeal. Lord Justice Pitchford explained: “The magnitude of that risk was demonstrated, not by a death or serious injury, but by a fire in which death and serious injury was fortuitously avoided. What the fire served to illustrate was the magnitude of the risk, which the appellant ran with public safety.”
Report adapted from www.shponline.co.uk
Health and Safety Review
There has been a mixed reaction to the news yesterday that the Government have appointed Lord Young of Graffham as advisor to the prime minister on health and safety law and practice to undertake a Whitehall-wide review of the operation of health and safety laws and the growth of the “compensation culture”.
The prime minister stated: “I’m very pleased that Lord Young has agreed to lead this important review. The rise of the compensation culture over the last ten years is a real concern, as is the way health and safety rules are sometimes applied.
“We need a sensible new approach that makes clear these laws are intended to protect people, not overwhelm businesses with red tape. I look forward to receiving Lord Young’s recommendations on how we can best achieve that.” However, many unions disagreed. The TUC believe that the review is “an attempt to undermine the already limited protection that workers have by focusing on the needs of business”.
Richard Jones, Policy and Technical Director for IOSH said,” We welcome any debate that helps to dispel the negative myth that health and safety is all about banning things…We need legislation to protect workers, and it’s important to remember that health and safety laws do a great job in helping prevent injury and illness at work. It’s the wider public-safety issues, involving leisure activities and children, where people seem to make up their own rules and we get all the crazy stories.’’
For more information see the full article at www.shponline.co.uk
Staff Training – New Rights
Currently, if you feel, as a member of staff, that there is a need for training, unless you work in a company of more than 250 employees you don’t have the right to request it. However, a new regulation, ‘Time to Train’, was introduced in April which changes this situation. Time to Train is being phased in over twelve months, but by April 2011 the right to request training will be offered to all employees.
Training improves both employee effectiveness and business productivity and providing employees with an awareness of available training and the ability to request it will be beneficial to both their own development and the overall performance of company.
For more information click here.
Six Figure Penalty for Fire Safety Breaches
The Safety and Health Practitioner website recently reported on the owner of a timber yard who has been ordered to pay a total of £130,300 after pleading guilty to several breaches of fire safety legislation.
Paul Ashley, of P and S Ashley Timberworks, in Cheshire, was found guilty of eight offenses against the Fire Safety Order at the Cheshire Crown Court on 11 May.?He was fined £80,000 and ordered to pay Cheshire Fire and Rescue service £50,300 in costs after repeatedly refusing to carry out fire safety measures.?
Despite being visited on several occasions by fire safety officers, the first time in February 2008, Mr Ashley failed to provide a suitable fire alarm or proper means of escape. He also failed to implement a ‘suitable and sufficient’ risk assessment.
Mark Cashin, deputy chief fire officer, said: "This is an excellent result. Fire safety is a key part of good business management and Mr Ashley showed little or no regard for the safety of his employees or the people living and working around his premises.”
For the full story go to www.shponline.co.uk
First Aid – Employers' Legal Duties Explained
The Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981 require employers to provide adequate and appropriate equipment, facilities and personnel to ensure their employees receive immediate attention if they are injured or taken ill at work. These Regulations apply to all workplaces including those with less than five employees and to the self-employed.
What is ‘adequate and appropriate’ will depend on the circumstances in the workplace. This includes whether trained first-aiders are needed, what should be included in a first-aid box and if a first-aid room is required. Employers should carry out an assessment of first-aid needs to determine what to provide.
The Regulations do not place a legal duty on employers to make first-aid provision for non-employees such as the public or children in schools. However, HSE strongly recommends that non-employees are included in an assessment of first-aid needs and that provision is made for them.
Source: www.hse.gov.uk/
The Importance of CPR
The tragic news of the death of a 16-year old girl at a Swimming Pool last year due to the Life Guard stopping CPR too soon, has led to a number of calls for better training in this life saving technique.
The AoFA reported on this story earlier this year after being asked to comment on the case and highlighted the importance of CPR;
"If in doubt, do CPR. It is better to do CPR when not needed than not to do CPR when needed!"
Would you know what to do in a situation like that? Do you know how to carry out CPR? We offer a range of First Aid Courses open to everyone – from those wishing to brush up their skills and learn the latest techniques, to those who just want to know how to deal with an emergency. Please follow the links on the website, or contact us to find out more.
For the full story on the AoFA website, please click here.
Major Retailers Fined for Fire Safety Law Breaches
Both Tesco and the Co-op have received large fines this month for breaching the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
Following a small fire at Tesco's Colney Hatch store in 2007, a fire inspection by the London Fire Brigade found a number of breaches, including failure to keep the fire escape routes clear and a failure to have an up-to-date fire risk assessment.
Tesco pleaded guilty to the breaches and was found guilty on 20 April 2010. They received a fine of £119,000.
In Hampshire, the Co-op have also been fined for similar issues at their Southampton store, including fire exit doors being locked, a fire call point being blocked and the store manager had not been instructed in fire safety. Their fine amounted to £124,000.
To read the full stories visit www.info4fire.com/news.
Are you aware of your responsibilities under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005? Do you have an up to date fire risk assessment in place? Have you provided fire safety training for your staff?
If you would like help or advice with any of these issues, contact us on 0845 345 2138 or via email at info@tstc.org.uk.
Poor Fire Safety Procedures Put Millions of UK Workers at Risk
According to a recent report by Info4fire.com, the Insurance Company, RSA, commissioned research which shows that a 25% of workers have never participated in a full fire evacuation of their workplace. One in 20 UK workers also said their workplace had no marked fire exits at all.
According to the survey, over 40% of people said they would spend time retrieving personal belongings or work documents before vacating the building. One in ten workers said they sit at their desks for more than a minute before getting up to leave the building on hearing the alarm go off, regardless of whether they believe there is a real fire or not.
David Geer, UK business director at RSA, said: “It is crucial in the case of fire safety that companies not only evacuate employees from the workplace quickly and efficiently in an emergency, but also make sure that staff are made acutely aware of fire safety procedures and the location of their nearest fire exit.”How seriously is fire safety taken by the company you work for? Do you know what to do when the fire alarm goes off? How often do you participate in a fire evacuation drill? For more information, training and guidance, contact us via email at info@tstc.org.uk or phone on 0845 345 2138.
Automatic External Defibrillators
In conjunction with the Association of First Aiders, we are pleased to be able to now supply Automatic External Defibrillators for use in the workplace. The cost of £1250 which includes delivery and a full staff training package is considerably less than the RRP of £1395 + VAT.
Chris Richards, Operations Manager said “If someone suffers a cardiac arrest, the time between the arrest and receiving treatment is one of the most important factors in improving survival rates. Sometimes waiting for an ambulance just isn’t an option”.
For more information on AED’s, please contact us on 0845 345 2138.
Air Livery fined for breach of Work at Height Regulations 2005
Several news sources have reported this week on the outcome of a court case involving Air Livery plc in Bristol following the fall of an employee which has left him unable to work for the last two years.
The company pleaded guilty to breaching the Work at Height Regulations 2005, for failing to put into place sufficient measures to prevent an accident after Robert Lupton fell 5 metres whilst re-painting an aircraft. The Magistrate ordered Air Livery to pay a fine of £2400 and over £9000 in costs.A statement from the company said: “We take health and safety very seriously and deeply regret this incident. We fully cooperated with the HSE’s investigation and subsequently updated the risk assessment and safe working procedures across all of our sites. Fall-arrest systems have also been introduced, and all of our staff and supervisors have received work at height training.”
Chris Richards, Operations Manager at Total Safety commented that, “The training of staff to enable them to carry out their jobs safely is absolutely essential. Here at Total Safety we offer a full range of training courses to help businesses meet their legal obligations under Health and Safety legislation, including ‘work at height’ training. In addition, we can help companies to review their health and safety practises, carry out the necessary risk assessments and produce the relevant policy documents."
Please email us at info@tstc.org.uk for more information on all your health and safety issues.
Firm fined for illegal storage of Aerosols
The 'Safety & Health Practioner' has reported this month on the outcome of a court case involving a haulage firm who were caught illegally storing large quantities of aerosols.
The report states that AM Widdowson & Son Ltd (Leicestershire) had stored large amounts of aerosols, which contain liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), for around seven months, after winning a contract to transport the products.
HSE inspectors visited the site after being notified in July 2008 and estimated that around 500 tonnes – 10 times the legal limit – were being stored at the site.
The HSE Inspector stated that the quantity of aerosols being stored were a serious fire risk and "…would have posed a threat to employees on site and those in the surrounding area." He added that " Where there are serious failures to implement suitable arrangements for managing the risks from LPG, HSE will not hesitate to prosecute.”
The company were found guilty of breaching reg.6(2) of COMAH, for failing to send notice that it was storing large quantities of flammable substances, and s2(1) of the HSWA 1974. It was fined £5000 with costs of £4900.
Shut That Door!
Checking that doors and windows are locked, and that the computer and lights are turned off, are things that most people do before leaving work for the night, and at home before going to bed, without even thinking about it. But do you also bother to shut the internal doors? – Many people don't. However, the simple action of shutting a door can stop smoke and fire from spreading around your home or place of work for up to 20 minutes. This will provide you with enough time to get everyone out of the building safely.
Shutting a door helps in two main ways – by preventing the poisonous smoke from leaving the room and blocking any escape routes, and by preventing additional oxygen entering the room and feeding the fire, causing it to grow more rapidly.
For Fire Safety advice for your home or business, please contact us at info@tstc.org.uk
Landlord Fined for Fire safety Law breaches.
According to a news report in the Fire Safety Engineering newsletter, a landlord has been ordered to pay over £20,000 in fines and costs after pleading guilty to breaches of fire safety legislation.
City of Westminster magistrates' court fined the landlord £10,150 for seven breaches of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. The prosecution followed inspections of the property in Streatham Common, North Side in London on 17 April 2007 and 3 October 2007.
A spokesperson for London Fire Brigade said the breaches included no fire safety procedures in place or a way of informing tenants about fire safety arrangements, storage blocking an escape route and smoke alarms which had been removed or had low batteries inside them. In addition, no fire risk assessment had been completed for the premises.
Total Safety's Operations Manager, Chris Richards, commented, "Housing providers have a legal responsibility to conduct a fire risk assessment on their properties and implement the findings."
If you are unsure about your legal requirements with regard to Fire Risk Assessments, or would like to arrange for a risk assessment to be carried out, please contact us on 0845 345 2138 or email admin@tstc.org.uk.
New Affiliation
We are pleased to announce our recent affiliation to the Association of First Aiders. This ensures that every First Aid Course delivered meets nationally recognised standards and guarantees the highest level of teaching and course delivery. In addition each course delegate can be certain that the information they receive, and the practical exercises undertaken as part of the training experience, are always up to date, accurate and relevant to their needs within the workplace or home.
