“Stand up and be counted for public safety” urges Fire Aware’s CEO
Growing safety-focused organisation Fire Aware – itself a recognised membership body whose constituents serve the built environment and related sectors with a common aim of working and trading responsibly to Best Practice standards – is now challenging those responsible for upholding that Best Practice across multiple sectors to “stand up and be counted” for the public.
Fire Aware’s CEO Gavin Skelly firmly believes those practitioners who adopt the highest standards of Best Practice should be proud of their stance as opposed to those who still seek to cut corners.
“There’s a growing demand from the public and decision-makers in the supply chains to meet and exceed fire safety requirements,” stated Kelly. “The Building Safety Act 2022 references competence and what it means in terms of knowledge, qualifications and skills. However, members of the public don’t know what competence looks like technically and neither should they be expected to, but they do have a right to expect reassurance that they’re safe when moving around in our towns and cities.”
Read more on the FSM website.
Research reveals extent of abuse in occupational health
Three-quarters (75%) of occupational health practitioners experienced bullying, harassment and abuse (BHA) in the workplace, and 40% experienced discrimination, new research from the University of Glasgow has found.
The study, in collaboration with the Society of Occupational Medicine (SOM) and the Faculty of Occupational Medicine (FOM), was recently published in the journal Occupational Medicine and is believed to be the first of its kind. A team of academics led by professor Drushca Lalloo from the University of Glasgow, polled 367 occupational health practitioners – spanning physicians, nurses/ advisors and allied health professionals.
Over half of BHA was from workers that they assessed in their own clinics (59%), followed by employers (47%) – such as managers and HR – that they provide services to. Employers (20%) and colleagues (20%) were most likely to instigate discrimination, followed by the workers they see in their clinics (19%).
Learn more on the HSM website.
Construction company fined £120,000 after worker dies in fall from height
An Oxfordshire-based construction company has been fined £120,000 after a carpenter died when he fell through an unsafe first floor while carrying out refurbishment work.
W G Carter Limited, of Appleton, was sentenced following the death of 59-year-old Richard “Felix” Roper, who fell from height while working at a domestic property in Gloucestershire.
Mr Roper, a father of two, had been carrying out work on the first floor of Manor Barn House, Nether Westcote, on 30 August 2022, where extensive repairs were being undertaken to replace rotten floor joists and floorboards.
He had been tasked with replacing damaged floor joists while other workers removed sections of flooring in the same area. Large parts of the first-floor structure had been stripped back, leaving open gaps between joists. In addition, some joists were either missing altogether or had not been secured.
It was while working in these conditions, Mr Roper fell from the first floor to the concrete ground floor below. He sustained severe head injuries and died in hospital the following day.
Visit the HSE website to read more.
Extinguisher explosion kills employee
A waste and recycling company in the West Midlands has been fined after a man described as ‘thoughtful and kind’ was killed while discharging a fire extinguisher.
Craig Pearson, 37, a father-of-four from Dudley, was working for Fire Protection Recycling Limited, at its site in Oldbury when the incident happened on 7 March 2023.
He had been processing powder fire extinguishers which were at the end of their serviceable life. While working on a cartridge type fire extinguisher, it had a sudden release of pressure and exploded, striking him in the head. After the incident, the fire extinguisher was found embedded in the ceiling of the workroom.
Craig was treated at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital for his injuries, but despite the efforts of medical staff, sadly died the next day, on 8 March.
For more on the incident visit the HSM website.
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