Health
and Safety in the news this week
Cross-industry
push to combat cancer risk from dust
A pan-industry approach to controlling mineral dust in the workplace
could help to reduce the UK’s occupational cancer burden, according to IOSH.
Around 800
people in Britain a year die from lung cancer caused by prolonged exposure to
respirable crystalline silica (RCS) at work, says the Institution of
Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH), with 900 new cases being diagnosed
annually.
Experts from
across UK industry were brought together by IOSH in London on 14 March 2016 to
debate whether a more collaborative approach to tackling silica dust at work
can make a difference.
Representatives
from the Health and Safety Executive, the Office of Road and Rail, Crossrail
Ltd, the Mineral Products Association and Unite the Union were expected to be
among those taking part in a roundtable discussion on the issue, facilitated by
IOSH, at The Shard.
Shelley Frost,
executive director of policy at IOSH, said:
“Silica dust exposure is a cross-industry
issue. Tackling it, therefore, requires
a cross-industry approach.
We believe that
we can beat occupational cancers if we work together to control the risks of
exposure to the causes. Joined up
thinking, rather than each sector doing its own thing, has the potential to
make a real difference in tackling this major occupational health issue.”
Ahead of the
debate, IOSH conducted research with professionals working in the construction,
rail, public services and mineral product sectors on silica dust exposure to
identify common barriers to effectively controlling the issue.
A lack of
understanding or awareness of silica dust as a hazard was the main cause
highlighted. Resistance from employees
to using controls, ineffective implementation of control measures in practice
and employers not prioritising RCS as a significant hazard were also hampering
efforts, they said.
Professor John
Cherrie, from Heriot-Watt University and the Institute of Occupational Medicine
in Edinburgh, who was due to take part in the discussion, said many employees
are currently being exposed to RCS above the acceptable limit in the UK and
throughout the world.
He said:
“Construction is
the biggest industry where people can get exposed to respirable crystalline
silica, but anyone working in a workplace that uses mineral products may face
exposure. It could be in foundries, at
brickworks and quarries or premises where stone products are manufactured.
Dust can often
be accepted as something that just naturally occurs as part of work processes,
and it shouldn’t be. If you can see dust
you need to do something about it.
Getting people
to change their attitude to dust and take this issue seriously is key. This discussion is a real opportunity to shape
how we deal with silica dust across industry in the years to come.”
The roundtable
discussion was held to mark the launch by IOSH of new guidance for businesses on
the issue of RCS. The issue is one of
five common agents associated with work-related cancer registrations and deaths
in the UK that IOSH is raising awareness of through its No Time to Lose
campaign. Asbestos, diesel engine
exhaust fumes, solar radiation and shift work are also being highlighted as
part of the campaign, which aims to get work-related cancer more widely
understood and help businesses take action.
According to
research by Imperial College London, 8,000 people die from cancer and around
14,000 contract the disease each year in the UK because of exposure to a
work-related carcinogen.
Shelley Frost
said:
“Whether you are
an employer or employee, industry body or policy-maker, safety and health
professional or occupational hygienist – we all have a part to play if we are
to eliminate work-related cancer.”
For more
information, visit www.notimetolose.org.uk.
Source: www.iosh.co.uk
HSE prosecution round up:
National Crane Company fined
£750,000 for two deaths after collapse
A national crane hire company has been sentenced for failings
that led to the death of two men as a crane collapsed in London.
Southwark Crown Court heard crane operator Jonathan Cloke, 37,
died after falling from the crane as it collapsed. It fell onto Michael Alexa, 23, a member of
the public, and also killed him.
The court heard how sections of the tower crane, which was on a
housing development in Thessaly Road, Battersea, separated when 24 bolts failed
due to metal fatigue.
The 24 bolts were a significant safety feature on the crane’s
slew ring, which connected the mast (tower) to the slew turret. This allows the arms of the crane (jib) to
rotate through 360 degrees. When the
bolts failed the slew turret and jib separated from the mast and fell to the
ground.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation into the
incident, in September 2006, found Falcon Crane Hire Ltd did not investigate a
similar incident which happened nine weeks before, when the bolts failed on the
same crane and had to be replaced.
HSE found the company had an inadequate system to manage the
inspection and maintenance of their fleet of cranes. Their process to investigate the underlying
cause of components’ failings was also inadequate. It told the court the particular bolts were a
safety critical part of the crane. The
court also heard the bolts failing previously was an exceptional and
significant occurrence, which should have been recognised by Falcon Crane Hire.
Lilliana Alexa, Michael’s mother, said on behalf of her family:
“Michael was a lovely son, a wonderful big brother and a devoted
father. His son has had to grow up
without the love and support of Michael, who adored him. He was denied that opportunity because his
life was taken away and with his, ours too.
The memories of that day will never leave our family. We heard the crash and felt the ground shake. I found Michael and it’s an image that haunts
my nightmares. If only we had stopped to
chat or parked the car somewhere else he would still be alive. We know we are not to blame but it does not
stop us all feeling guilt.
We cannot comprehend how our beloved son, brother, father and
friend who was so full of life has gone. The whole crane industry must learn from our
tragedy and the devastation it has caused. We do not want another family to endure the
same pain of losing their child.”
Mike Wilcock, HSE Head of Operations, said:
“Jonathan and Michael’s deaths were tragic, needless and
entirely avoidable. These two men need
not have died had Falcon Crane Hire taken the right, decisive action when the
bolts failed the first time. The company
fell far short of its health and safety obligation.”
Falcon Crane Hire Ltd were fined £750,000 and ordered to pay
costs of £100,000 for breaching Sections 2 and 3 of the Health and Safety at
Work Etc Act.
Family partnership fined after
worker fell through skylight
A family partnership in Pembrokeshire has been fined after a
worker fell through a skylight forming part of the roof of a cattle shed to the
concrete floor below.
Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court heard how the Rees family
partnership of Gwynne (father), Margaret (mother) and Richard (son) had
contracted the company Evans Agri Contracting (EAC) to carry out a one day
silage harvest.
An employee of EAC became involved in sheeting the silage by
lowering plastic sheeting from the roof of the cattle shed. The sheeting from
the cattle shed roof was not part of the silage harvest contract but a job the
Rees partnership was carrying out independently. The employee of EAC was
assisting members of the Rees family partnership and was under their direction.
It was while doing this that the twenty-four year old worker
tripped and fell through a skylight at least four metres to the concrete floor.
He suffered a broken right arm and elbow and heavy bruising.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) into
the incident which occurred on 17 June 2014 found that the work on the roof had
not been planned and there was no safe system for the prevention of falls off
or through the fragile roof.
Rees family partnership, of Dinas, Fishguard, Pembrokeshire,
pleaded guilty to breaching Regulations 6(3) of the Work at Height Regulations
2005, and was fined £5,000 and ordered to pay costs of £1121.55.
A chemical company was sentenced today in Leeds Crown Court for
safety breaches when a very toxic chemical was ejected under pressure.
A company maintenance technician unintentionally opened a valve
on top of an isotanker at Syngenta Limited’s Huddersfield plant resulting in
the release of between 3.5 and 3.8 tonnes of paraquat dichloride solution. The
Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecuted the firm over the incident.
Syngenta Ltd of Leeds Road Huddersfield pleaded guilty to
breaching Regulation 4 of the Control Of Major Accident Hazards Regulations
1999 and Regulation 5(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations
1998 and was fined £200 000 with £13 041 costs by Leeds Crown Court.
After the hearing, HSE inspector Angus Robbins commented: “This
incident could have been prevented if Syngenta had properly assessed the real
risk of the value being opened while the tank was under pressure”
HSE Health and Safety Myths
Buster
Family told by undertaker that
shoes are not allowed on deceased’s body for funeral
Issue
Family arranging a funeral told by undertaker that the deceased
would not be allowed to wear shoes as it was against health and safety
regulations.
Panel opinion
Health and safety at work legislation does not stop undertakers
enclosing shoes in coffins. Depending upon whether the deceased is to be buried
or cremated after the funeral, there may be other reasons for not allowing
shoes but this should have been explained properly to the enquirer. It is
certainly not a health and safety matter.
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