Fine after multiple workers report HAVS
A West Midlands chemical manufacturer has been fined £100k after failing to protect employees from the health risks associated with the use of vibrating tools.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) was prompted by nine reports of Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS) being made to the regulator.
The investigation found that workers at Robinson Brothers Ltd had been using vibrating equipment over a 14-year period without adequate measures in place to manage the risk of developing the condition.
Birmingham Magistrates’ Court heard how employees at the company’s West Bromwich site carried out a range of maintenance and civil engineering tasks using tools such as grinders and road breakers. Despite this, the company had not taken steps to properly assess or control their exposure to vibration.
Read more on the HSM website.
Glasgow care home provider fined after death of patient
A care home provider has been fined more than £50,000 after an elderly patient died in the early hours of Boxing Day in 2022.
Hugh Kearins, 77, had managed to leave the Chester Park Care Home in Glasgow via a series of stairways and fire doors. An inspector from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) counted 320 steps from Mr Kearins’ room to the care home’s car park just off Lambhill Street, where his body was found at around 7am.
Mr Kearins, who had dementia, had been living in a room within the Clyde Unit of the home since 2012. As part of its investigation, HSE made enquiries regarding the use of an internal fire door and was unable to obtain corroborated evidence of who was last to use the door prior to Mr Kearins, who is thought to have exited through it just before 1am. The same door was closed about an hour later by an unknown member of staff carrying out routine checks.
Learn more on the HSE website.
New report: Half of workers skip essential HSE training
New data from Astutis has revealed that a growing number of UK employees are funding their own health and safety training from their own pockets.
The report revealed that one in every 10 employees funded their own training, raising serious concerns about under-investment and culture gaps across industries such as construction, logistics and manufacturing.
The report, which surveyed 920 workers, also found that nearly a third (31%) of UK workers said that their employer’s training budget was insufficient for their role or risk level.
Half of Brits (50%) also say that health and safety training is skipped due to a lack of time at work, showing that it isn’t treated as a priority.
For more on the report visit the HSM website.
Manchester firm fined after workers exposed to asbestos risks
A Manchester-based construction company has been fined after workers were put at risk of exposure to asbestos.
A1 Property Maintenance Management Limited was acting as the principal contractor during work at the former Unicorn Public House on Liverpool Road, Eccles, Greater Manchester.
During a routine inspection to the site on 16 May 2022, a Health and Safety Executive (HSE) inspector discovered that 12 square metres of asbestos insulation board (AIB) had been present in a dumb waiter lift shaft – but had already been illegally removed by unknown individuals. This led to the inspector issuing a prohibition notice stopping all work on site until an asbestos survey had been completed.
Visit the HSE website to read more.
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