Risk, Health and Safety Information

New figures show all time low in fatal injuries to workers

Numbers killed at work reduces but mesothelioma deaths on the rise

New figures released today indicate the number of workers killed in Britain last year has fallen to the lowest annual rate on record.

 

Provisional data released by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) reveals that 133 workers were fatally injured between April 2013 and March 2014, compared with 150 in the previous year.

 

The overall rate of fatal injury has dropped to 0.44 per 100,000 workers, compared to 0.51 in 2012/13.

 

Judith Hackitt, the HSE Chair, said:

 

“The release of the annual statistics always leads to mixed emotions. Sadness for the loss of 133 lives, and sympathy for their families, friends and workmates, but also a sense of encouragement that we continue to make progress in reducing the toll of suffering.

 

“Whilst these are only provisional figures, they confirm Britain’s performance in health and safety as world class. For the last eight years we have consistently recorded one of the lowest rates of fatal injuries to workers among the leading industrial nations in Europe.”

 

Minister of State for Health and Safety, Mike Penning, said:

 

“Any death at work is a death too many. But these statistics show that workplaces are getting safer.

 

“The Health and Safety Executive do an excellent job in making sure each and every one of us can go out to do an honest day’s work in the knowledge that our safety is being taken seriously.”

 

The new figures also show the rate of fatal injuries in several key industrial sectors:

• There were 27 fatal injuries to workers in agriculture, lower than the average of 33 for the previous five years. The rate of fatal injury in 2013/14 is 8.77, compared to the five-year average rate of 9.89.
• There were 42 fatal injuries to workers in construction, lower than the average figure of 46. The latest rate of fatal injury is 1.98 per 100, 000 workers, compared to a five-year average of 2.07.
• There were 4 fatal injuries to workers in waste and recycling, lower than the average count of 7 over the last five years. The latest rate of 3.33 deaths per 100, 000 compares to an average rate of 5.48

 
Across Great Britain:

• 106 fatal injuries in England were recorded – a rate of 0.41 deaths per 100,000 workers, compared to an average of 134 deaths in the past five years and a decrease from the 119 deaths (and rate of 0.47) recorded in 2012/13
• 20 fatal injuries in Scotland were recorded – a rate of 0.78 deaths per 100,000 workers, compared to an average of 21 deaths in the past five years and a decrease from the 23 deaths (and rate of 0.90) recorded in 2012/13
• 7 fatal injuries in Wales were recorded – a rate of 0.52 deaths per 100,000 workers, compared to an average of 10 deaths in the past five years and a decrease from the 8 deaths (and rate of 0.61) recorded in 2012/13

HSE has also released the latest number of deaths from mesothelioma, a cancer caused by exposure to asbestos. These show that 2,535 people died in 2012, which is an increased from 2,291 in 2011.
 
Judith Hackitt said:
 
“The high numbers of deaths relating to mesothelioma are a reminder of historically poor standards of workplace health and safety, which decades later are causing thousands of painful, untimely deaths each year. While we now recognise and are better positioned to manage such health risks, these statistics are a stark reminder of the importance of keeping health standards in the workplace on a par with those we apply to safety.”

Construction company in court after employee crushed by excavator

A construction company has been fined for neglecting safety after a 27-year-old worker sustained life-changing injuries when he was struck by a reversing excavator.

Thomas Plumb, from Evesham, was run over by the vehicle as it reversed on a site in Gretton, near Cheltenham, on 10 May 2013, leaving his right leg shattered.

 

He was in a coma for ten days and in hospital for seven weeks. He has since undergone extensive surgery, including bone and skin grafts and now has metal rods and screws in his leg, knee and ankle.

 

The incident was investigated by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) which on 7 July prosecuted his employer, SD Launchbury Ltd, of Evesham, at Cheltenham Magistrates’ Court.

 

The HSE discovered SD Launchbury Ltd had not carried out a proper assessment of the risks on site and so had failed to ensure a safe system of work was in place, including the use of a trained banksman. There was also no segregation or barriers between dangerous moving plant and pedestrians.

 

The court heard how the excavator did not have adequate rear view mirrors or other visual aids, and its warning beacon was not working. In addition, the operator’s direct field of vision was obscured by the counterbalance on the vehicle.

 

The investigation also found workers had not been provided with information or instructions about working around excavators or given high-vis personal protective equipment. SD Launchbury Ltd also failed to ensure that work on the site was properly supervised.

 

SD Launchbury Ltd, registered at High Street, Evesham, Worcestershire, and with its HQ in Murcot, Oxfordshire was fined £12,000 and ordered to pay £913 in costs after pleading guilty to a breach of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.

 

Speaking after the hearing, HSE Inspector Kate Leftly said:

 

“Thomas Plumb suffered life-changing injuries, which could have been avoided if SD Launchbury had properly assessed the risk posed by the excavator and appropriate controls, including segregation of vehicles and pedestrians and the provision of adequate visibility aids, had been put in place.

 

Builder in court over illegal gas work

A Suffolk builder has been given a suspended prison sentence and ordered to do 150 hours of community work for carrying out illegal and dangerous gas work at a home in Ipswich.

 

Anthony Kerry, 55, from Ipswich, was hired to extend a kitchen at a house on Highfield Road in April 2013. While he was working there, he agreed to install new kitchen appliances including a gas hob even though he was not registered with Gas Safe Register – as the law requires – or competent to do so.

 

Ipswich Magistrates’ Court heard that it was only when the homeowner challenged Mr Kerry on a number of issues with the work that it came to light that he was not Gas Safe Registered.

 

When a Gas Safe investigations officer inspected the work it was found that a nut on a gas valve had only been made finger-tight, resulting in a significant gas leak – the appliance was immediately made safe. The matter was passed to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), which prosecuted Mr Kerry for safety failings.

 

Anthony Kerry, of Maude Street, Ipswich, was given a 16 week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months, and ordered to carry out 150 hours of community work. He was also ordered to pay costs of £922 after pleading guilty to one breach of the Health and Safety at Work Act and one breach of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998.

 

After the case, HSE Inspector Ivan Brooke said:

 

“Anthony Kerry should have known better than to accept a job he was not qualified, competent, or legally allowed to do.

 

“People can die as a result of carbon monoxide poisoning and gas explosions. It is therefore vital that only registered gas engineers, who are trained and competent, work on gas appliances and fittings.”

 

Leicester company in court after child’s head trapped in electric gate

A Leicester company has been prosecuted for failing to install adequate guarding on an electric gate that trapped a young child at a primary school in Stourbridge.

 

Dudley Magistrates’ Court heard that on 25 September 2012, an eight-year-old boy was injured when his head became trapped between the edge of the closing gate and the gate post. The youngster suffered significant bruising to the right side of his head and ear.

 

His father, who witnessed the incident, tried desperately to hold the gate to stop it closing further and managed to pulled it open enough to release his son’s head.

 

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found the entrance gate at Pedmore Primary School had been automated by Access Control Solutions (UK) Ltd but the company had failed to fit suitable guarding.

The company had identified the need for the guarding but not fitted it because the gate, which had been manufactured by a different company, was not the exact style expected and the guarding would not fit.

 

Access Control Solutions (UK) Ltd, of Boston Road, Leicester, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 18 of the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 and was fined £3,300 with £773 costs.

 

After the hearing HSE inspector Sarah Palfreyman said:

 

“This was an extremely traumatic event for the boy and his father. Fortunately, the youngster was back at school a couple of days later and he has not suffered any long term effects. However, it could have been a different story had he been trapped by a different part of his head, or had it happened to a younger child.

 

“The incident was entirely preventable. Access Control Solutions identified the need for the guard in their own job specification but when the gate arrived, it was not the type expected the guard did not fit. At this point they should have either come up with an alternative or postponed the job until the problem was rectified, especially as they were fully aware that the entrance would be used by a particularly vulnerable group – young children.

 

“People getting trapped a well-known risk in the industry and HSE has produced safety notes on the subject due to a number of fatalities involving children in recent years. I would encourage all suppliers and installers of electric gates to read it.”

 

The boy’s father said:

 

“I had gone to collect him from the after school activity club and he ran towards the gate, which was still open. I told him to stop and wait for me and as he did I saw the gate was closing and was touching his shoulders. Realising the danger I leapt to the gate but by then it was on his head and he was screaming.

 

“I was pulling it with all my strength. It nearly beat me but managed to pull it enough to get his head out.

 

“It shook the whole family. My son talks about it now and again. He thinks it was his fault, that he did something wrong. That upsets me as much as the incident itself.”

 

Should your employees have health surveillance?

Formal health surveillance is legally required if work undertaken by a worker, or group of workers, has the potential to cause specific disease and the following three factors all apply:

• it is likely that certain disease(s) will occur under the work conditions
• there is a valid way to detect the disease
• health surveillance will benefit the employee(s).

Health surveillance uses systematic checks on workers to identify occupational disease early, This enables duty holders to improve worker health by identifying, controlling or removing existing health risks. More information can be found on the Occupational Disease Website.