Contractor and security company fined after security guard dies of hypothermia at windfarm
Two companies have been fined following an incident where a security guard died after being found lying face down and hypothermic, in deep snow, at a remote hillside in Ayrshire.
Ronald Alexander died in hospital after being “exposed to extreme weather conditions” for several hours at the Afton wind farm construction site. Another security guard was also exposed to the heavy snow and cold.
Ayr Sheriff Court heard that just after midnight on 22 January 2018, Ronald (Ronnie) Alexander, a 74-year-old security guard employed by Corporate Service Management Limited, was found by Police Scotland’s Mountain Rescue Team at Afton Windfarm, a remote site near New Cumnock. Mr Alexander died later that day having never regained consciousness.
Read more about the incident on the SHP website.
UK businesses committed to going green, says NatWest
Sustainability was not only the key focus of COP26 and the CQI’s World Quality Week (8-12 November), but it’s also become a major priority for organisations, according to NatWest’s recent UK Sustainability Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI).
The UK bank’s report, which looks at how climate concerns are influencing purchasing decisions, is further confirmation of the nation’s growing commitment to going green.
Over half of UK businesses say that customer expectations are a major driving force for their sustainability actions. This is supported by consumer desire for recycling (81%), reduced packaging (82%) and cleaner business processes (81%).
As a result, companies are prioritising sustainability, focusing on sustainable process improvement and developing sustainable products.
For more information, visit the CQI website.
Rolls-Royce gets funding to develop mini nuclear reactors
Rolls-Royce has been backed by a consortium of private investors and the UK government to develop small nuclear reactors to generate cleaner energy.
The creation of the Rolls-Royce Small Modular Reactor (SMR) business was announced following a £195m cash injection from private firms and a £210m grant from the government.
It is hoped the new company could create up to 40,000 jobs by 2050. However, critics say the focus should be on renewable power, not new nuclear.
Currently, about 16% of UK electricity generation comes from nuclear power.
Small modular reactors are nuclear fission reactors but are smaller than conventional ones.
Visit the BBC website to learn more about the project.
REACH demands ‘need to be considered’ in chemical recycling
A report by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has found that chemical recycling of plastic waste currently covers different technologies with varying potential for contributing to a circular economy.
Following REACH registration requirements for recycled materials and finding ways to eliminate substances of concern from plastic waste streams are key to achieving non-toxic recycling.
The report looks at the current knowledge on chemical recycling of polymeric materials such as plastics and rubber from waste. It introduces conclusions and recommendations that should be considered to further develop chemical recycling and reduce plastic pollution – particularly as the global production of plastics is expected to quadruple by 2050.
Read more on the report on the SHP website.
To keep up to date with the latest health & safety news and advice, follow us on social media: