1606 safety update june 2016 - leia · havs publications emergency lighting poster of the month...
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The Lift and Escalator Industry Association 33‐34 Devonshire Street London W1G 6PY P: 020 7935 3013 F: 020 7935 3321 E: [email protected] W: www.leia.co.uk
SafetyUpdate
News
DECLINE IN NUMBER OF SITE DEATHS SLOWS IN
2015/16
Reports to HSE suggest reduction in
construction fatalities stalled
HSE publish information on In‐year Work‐related
Deaths which provides a collated picture of ‘as
reported’ information on fatalities – updated on
a monthly basis.
The information does not purport to be a formal
statistical release and subsequent HSE
investigation may determine that some are not
reportable under RIDDOR.
Analysis of construction fatality records
2015/2016
The information regarding fatalities across all
work sectors for the period 1 April 2015 to 31
March 2016 is now published on the HSE
website. The Records for the Construction Sector
suggests:
Worker Deaths – 34 worker deaths
during this period compared to 35
deaths in the same period during
2014/15;
Public Deaths – 1 death reported as
involving a member of the public which
involved something collapsing;
Falls from Height – falls from height
account for 13 of the 35 deaths;
Struck by Object or Collapse – being
struck by an object (7) or trapped by
something collapsing (5) account for 12
deaths;
Electricity – contact with electricity is
ascribed to 5 incidents;
Vehicles – struck by a moving vehicle
was involved in 3 deaths; and
Others – the remaining 2 worker deaths
involved machinery (1) and asphyxiation
(1).
The level of detail provided is minimal but other
intelligence suggests that work at height and
work relating to lifting operations and
demolition figure prominently in construction
sector fatalities.
I S S U E
06 J U N 2 0 1 6
This Issue News
HSE Focus on Hazards
Slow-down in Site Deaths
Cases
CDM Planning
Delayed Prosecution
Racking Collapse
Workplace Transport
Excavation Collapse
HAVS
Publications
Emergency Lighting
Poster of the Month
Time To get Moving
CONSTRUCTION TO FOCUS ON OLD AND NEW
HAZARDS
HSE/ Industry forum drives action on human
stress, dust and surface fragility
The Construction Industry Advisory Committee
(CONIAC) meeting on the 16th March 2016
considered the activities of the CONIAC working
groups for the period November 2015 to March
2016. Key matters reported were:
Human Stress
The CONIAC Health Risks Working Group (HWG)
has considered stress and mental health issues
in the construction sector. It is reported that
there is significant interest within the group and
wider industry to take forward action on these
issues.
The WG proposed to introduce the Australian
initiative Mates in Construction to the UK within
2016. This work will include how best to adapt
the significant amount of existing material on
stress related issues to a construction industry
audience.
Dust Management
CONIAC considered updates from group
members to show the breadth of work in
progress. These included:
HCLG Health Summit;
IOSH No Time to Lose campaign and its
imminent focus on silica;
BOHS Breathe Freely events;
Construction Dust Partnership work to
take the dust message to site.
June 2016 Page 2 of 7 Safety Update
Cases
Although not all case studies are specific to the lift and escalator industry, cases that may be relevant
have been included.
PRINCIPAL CONTRACTOR AND CONTRACTOR FINED
Window fitting on apartment block not properly planned and supervised
A window fitting contractor and the project principal contractor have been prosecuted for safety
failings after a worker fell 3m whilst installing glazed units in November 2014.
The injured workman was carrying
window frames through the stairwell
of the block of flats under
construction. There were no stairs in
place and merely a ledge which was
part of the structure that would act
as a landing half way up the stairs
once they were installed.
He climbed onto the ledge, slipped
and fell approximately 1.7m to the
landing and a further 1.3m to the
ground floor. He sustained two
fractured ribs and a broken thumb.
Worker site induction not provided
HSE investigators found that that the
contractor failed to properly plan,
supervise or carry out the work at
height in a safe manner and that the
Principal Contractor failed to plan
manage and monitor the construction phase and failed to provide workers with a site induction.
The contractor was fined a total of £6,000, and ordered to pay £9,953 in costs after pleading guilty to
an offence under Regulation 4(1) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005.
The Principal Contractor was fined a total of £20,000, and ordered to pay £9,953 in costs after
pleading guilty to offences under Regulation 22(1)(a) and 22(2)(a) of the Construction (Design and
Management) Regulations 2007.
DIRECTOR ACQUITTED AMID CLAIMS OF EXCESS DELAY
Failed prosecution takes 10 years to reach crown court
A company director has been found not guilty of failing in his duty after the death of a tyre fitter in
2006. Canterbury Crown Court heard how a workman (aged 21) died in January 2006 during repairs
to a puncture on a loading shovel tyre. The tyre exploded releasing compressed air and causing fatal
head injuries.
June 2016 Page 3 of 7 Safety Update
Director denied charges
The jury took three hours to find the director not guilty.
The QC acting for the defendant said it was “a complete
disgrace” that it had taken 10 years and four months for
the case to come to court. He told the jury:
“You may feel that a pile of papers just sitting in an office
for months and months is utterly, utterly unacceptable. You
must shake your heads and wonder about this astonishing
amount of time this has taken and the total lack of
justification for it.”
HSE reject delay criticisms
HSE said it took over the investigation from the Police in
2013, immediately launched a probe into “what had gone
wrong and why” and brought charges within two years
adding:
“We only bring prosecutions where we consider that there
is a realistic prospect of conviction and it is in the public interest. HSE will continue to enforce health
and safety legislation and take appropriate action when we believe a breach has occurred.”
HSE INVESTIGATES MASSIVE RACKING COLLAPSE
Fork lift truck operator found alive after warehouse storage collapse
A worker was rescued after racking containing 4,000 tons of cheese collapsed at a warehouse in
Market Drayton. The driver is said to have been trapped for eight hours on Friday 6th May 2016.
HSE commenced investigation 9 May into the collapse at the warehouse in Shropshire. It is believed
that the workman was saved by the cage on his forklift truck.
June 2016 Page 4 of 7 Safety Update
Chain reaction
The fire service said the collapse started with racking inside the 60m x 20m structure. It is believed
this set off a domino‐like chain reaction. The collapse left the walls of the structure bowing and fire
crews had to cut their way into the warehouse to free the trapped worker who walked free at
around 5pm.
A drone was brought in as fire crews cut through the roof and side of the property in a bid to find the
FLT driver. Search and rescue specialists climbed into the warehouse and called for silence to locate
the missing driver”.
MATERIALS SUPPLIER FINED £2M OVER CUSTOMER DEATH
Member of public visiting premises crushed by company vehicle
A major building supplies company has been fined £2 million following the death of a customer in
what the Judge described as an “accident waiting to happen”.
The customer was crushed by a vehicle at the company Buckinghamshire premises in November
2012. He was loading planks of wood onto the roof rack of his vehicle when he fell backwards onto
the yard surface and was run over by a company vehicle operating in the yard.
H&S breaches can have devastating consequences
Amersham Crown Court heard the company plead guilty to two offences under the Health and
Safety at Work Act and handed down a £2 million fine and ordered the firm to pay prosecution costs
of £114, 812.76.
Following the hearing, the investigating Environmental Health Team Leader with Milton Keynes
Council, said:
“The term “health and safety” is often incorrectly associated with trivial matters, true health and
safety breaches can have devastating consequences as they did on this occasion. The company had
failed to ensure loading and unloading activities were undertaken in a safe manner in a safe area.”
HUGE PENALTY OVER FATAL EXCAVATION FAILINGS
June 2016 Page 5 of 7 Safety Update
Major contractor fined £2.5 million after workman dies in trench
The largest UK construction business has been fined £2.6 million after an employee died when the
trench he was working in collapsed in April 2010 during work on an offshore wind farm project. The
deceased workman, aged 32, was working in a trench laying ducting for new cable. The trench was
excavated to 2.4 m without any shoring when a collapse occurred.
Fine should serve as warning to construction industry
Preston Crown Court heard (5 May 2016) that the defendant failed to adequately risk assess the
works or control the way in which the excavation took place. The firm was found guilty and fined
£2.6million with £54,000 costs for breaching:
Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 – Section 3(1);
Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007 – Regulation 31(1); and
Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 – Regulation 3(1) (a).
This penalty has been imposed under the new sentencing guidelines for health and safety offences
which came into operation for cases sentenced after February 2016. The changes were expected to
increase penalties imposed on larger organisations.
HSE inspector Chris Hatton said after the hearing:
“The level of this fine should serve as a warning to industry not to ignore health and safety matters.
The company Beatty failed to adequately assess, plan and supervise the work being undertaken.
Trench collapses are easy to prevent.”
ABSENCE OF HAVS RISK CONTROL ENDS IN £200K FINE
Risk assessment, control and health surveillance missing
A pipe manufacturing company based in Wales has been fined following seven reported cases of
Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS) or Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) between April 2014 and July
2015.
June 2016 Page 6 of 7 Safety Update
Newport Crown Court heard that employees used vibrating tools without proper training or practical
controls to reduce vibration risk. HSE investigators found that a sufficient risk assessment and health
surveillance had not been carried out.
No excuse for failure to manage HAVS risk
The business was fined a total of £200,000 and ordered to pay costs of £27,724 after pleading guilty
to offences under Regulations 5, 6, 7, and 8 of the Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005.
HSE inspector Joanne Carter said after the hearing:
“The serious and irreversible risks from Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome caused by work with vibrating
tools are well known and guidance has been in place since the early 1990s.
This case shows there is no excuse for not putting in place a management system which includes risk
assessment, control measures, health surveillance and information and training to reduce these risks
to as low a level as is reasonably practicable.”
Publications
BS 5266‐1:2016
Emergency lighting. Code of practice for the emergency lighting of premises
http://shop.bsigroup.com
NOTE:‐
Inclusion of company or organisation information in this newsletter does not constitute an endorsement by LEIA for the services provided.
June 2016 Page 7 of 7 Safety Update
Poster of the Month