Worker fractures skull in fall A solar panel installation company has been fined after a worker fell and sustained life-changing injuries. The worker, employed by Everyone’s Energy UK Limited, had been installing solar panels on the roof of a house on Pentland Avenue in Thornbury, South Gloucestershire when he fell three metres on 4 July […]
Unregistered plumber handed suspended prison sentence An unregistered plumber has received a suspended prison sentence after he carried out illegal gas work at a house in Peterborough. Anthony Rice, trading as Rice Plumbing and Oil Heating, attended the property on Edwalton Avenue on 31 January 2023 where he replaced a gas boiler and altered gas […]
The growth of lone working Lone working is growing – but so too are technology solutions aimed at protecting lone employees. At Alpha Inclusion and Communication – a social enterprise supporting people with autism and Asperger’s syndrome – staff typically see the people they manage directly at their homes. Often, the neurodivergent needs of people they […]
Research highlights impact of budget cuts on safety New research from Watco has examined the complexities of the facilities management (FM) industry, and how they impact the safety and smooth running within the modern facility. It revealed that almost two thirds (60%) of facilities managers have had their budgets cut by up to 25% in […]
£2.15m fine following recycling worker fatality HSE inspector Stephen Garner explains the background to a fatal accident at a paper recycling plant. On 30 January 2020, 32-year-old Dean Atkinson was returning from the employee welfare cabins to his workstation on the picking line at Ward Recycling’s paper recycling plant in County Durham, England. Dean needed […]
Wood dust failures lands £15k fine A manufacturing company has been fined £15,000 after exposing its own workers to wood dust and failing to comply with two improvement notices. Wood dust can cause serious and often irreversible health problems, including sino-nasal cancer, asthma and dermatitis. Employers have a legal responsibility to prevent or adequately control […]
Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity shines in 2023 The Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity continues to be a steadfast beacon of hope for those in need and in 2023, they saw 4438 people reaching out for support through its 24/7 Construction Industry Helpline, a 30% increase on the previous year. Its charitable spend also increased by 12% […]
Hospital staff left with life-changing conditions Workers at Bio Decontamination Limited attended Scarborough Hospital on 18 September 2019 after being hired to carry out the decontamination of the Aspen ward. The company used ionised hydrogen peroxide to decontaminate the rooms in the ward. They failed to appropriately seal the rooms, meaning the ionised hydrogen peroxide […]
New data released for Blue Monday New research from MHFA England, released ahead of so-called Blue Monday, shows 59% of employees do not regularly feel joy and satisfaction at work. 1 in 5 (22%) workers feel their sense of purpose, satisfaction, and joy at work has decreased since the pandemic. So called ‘Blue Monday’ is […]
Mitigating the risk of Lithium-ion batteries: Eight-step action plan Reports of fires breaking out due to the increased use of Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries are on the rise. Speaking at FIREX 2023, Matt Humby, Senior Technical Sales Consultant at Firechief Global, outlined where the batteries are being used and how to mitigate the fire risk. Lucy […]