Fine for Kent timber firm after worker loses three fingers
A company has been fined after an employee had three fingers severed by a panel saw at work.
David Broadway, 36, had been working at Pemberton Timber Frame Limited, a company that manufactures timber frame structures for the construction industry, at its site in Evelyn Way in Ramsgate on the morning of 4 January 2023.
He was operating a panel saw and asked to cut down the thickness of a length of timber – known as a rip cut. This process involved passing a length of timber through the panel saw multiple times as the timber exceeded the depth the blade could cut in one pass.
CCTV footage shows Mr Broadway successfully completing the cut before flipping the length of timber over, but he soon found the second cut much more difficult. He can been seen attempting to feed the timber through the saw and while receiving it from the cut end, his right hand made contact with the saw blade, instantly amputating his index, middle and ring fingers, also cutting his little finger.
Read more on the HSE website.
Employees demotivated and unhappy, research shows
New research from Mental Health First Aid England, released ahead of so-called ‘Blue Monday’, reveals that only 17% of employees feel motivated to go to work each day. One in 10 employees say they never feel inspired by their job, and less than a quarter (23%) feel enthusiastic daily.
MHFA England’s latest research, among 2,000 employees, shows a significant number of workers feel a lack of inspiration and enthusiasm at work. While ‘Blue Monday’ is often billed as the ‘most depressing’ day of the year, the reality is poor mental health and low workplace engagement can affect anyone, at any time.
These figures highlight just how important it is for employers to get to know their people. By taking time to understand your workforce – who they are and what drives them – employers can build cultures where employees are engaged, valued and performing at their best.
For more on the research visit the HSM website.
Problem drinkers turn from cider to vodka
A change in alcohol pricing in Wales has pushed problem drinkers away from cheap cider and towards strong spirits, a study suggests.
A minimum price of 50p per unit was introduced in Wales in March 2020.
A survey of 138 people in Wales who had sought help for problem drinking found some had swapped to “buying litres of vodka”.
The report, published on Wednesday by the Welsh government, also says that some problem drinkers are going without food or heating, begging, turning to sex work, or stealing to pay for drink.
The Welsh government said it would hold a public consultation into the law.
Learn more on the BBC website.
Clients show ‘total lack of engagement’ with Building Safety Act, building engineering group says
Construction clients have so far demonstrated a “total lack of engagement” with the new building safety regime, according to research by the Building Engineering Services Association (BESA).
The trade body has used its regional meetings with members as focus groups over a six month period to gauge the take-up of measures introduced under the Building Safety Act, which has been in force since 2022.
BESA members have reported that “not a single client” had discussed compliance with them, instead saying that the pressure to deliver projects faster and more cheaply was increasing.
BESA’s director of specialist knowledge Rachel Davidson, said: “As there is currently very little enforcement of the legislation and, therefore, no apparent consequences, clients are still subjecting contractors to aggressive and sub-economic pricing.”
She said that members were reporting that tenders were still being won on lowest price and still being value engineered throughout the project on non-higher risk building works.
Visit Building.co.uk to read more.
To keep up to date with the latest health & safety news and advice, follow us on social media: