Health and Safety in the news this week

Scaffolder faces jail after he was snapped working 60 feet up the side of a building wearing a harness that wasn’t hooked to anything

A scaffolder could be jailed after he was photographed working at 60 feet wearing a harness that wasn’t secured to anything.

Terrance Murray, 27, was erecting scaffolding at the side of a six storey building when he was unknowingly snapped by a retired health and safety inspector.  He now faces up to six months in prison after he admitted breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act.

As part of work to renovate the windows at the Grade II-listed Sunlight House in Manchester, Murray was constructing scaffolding at the rear of the building, and in the photo, his apprentice can be seen working further down.  Murray, who is an experienced scaffolder, can be seen standing on planks without having first erected a rail to stop him falling over the side, as required.

During his appearance at Manchester and Salford Magistrates’ Court, he pleaded guilty to failing to take reasonable care for either himself or others who may have been affected by his acts and omissions while at work.  He had not realised that he could be sent to prison for the offence, and the case was adjourned for him to consider obtaining legal representation as he had not been represented by a lawyer during the hearing.

After the hearing, HM Inspector of Health and Safety, Matt Greenly said:

“The potential for his actions was the death of a young man.  This is a situation which could easily have been avoided.  He has all the right equipment, but he chose, for some unknown reason, to take his life in his own hands that day”.

Source: www.dailymail.co.uk 

Health and Safety in the news this week

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has recently published annual statistics on health and safety in Great Britain for 2017. 

Under the heading of Vital Statistics 2017, the illustration below shows how much time was lost to ill-health and injury, and sadly, that 137 lives were lost at work during the year.

The HSE also publish a booklet which breaks down the statistics further into industry type, which may be of interest in giving feedback to workers about the importance of observing health and safety regulations and safe working practices, and the consequences of poor health and safety.  The booklet is available from the HSE website, and breaks the statistics down to include:-

·         Work related ill-health and disease

·         Workplace injury

·         Enforcement of health and safety legislation

·         Working days lost as a result of health and safety incidents

 

Source: www.hse.gpv.uk



Health and Safety in the news this week

 

The Trades Union Congress (TUC) are marking the 40^th anniversary of trade union health and safety representatives receiving the legal right to improve health and safety in the workplace under The Safety Representatives and Safety Committees Regulations 1977.
 

The TUC launched a campaign on 25^th October 2017 to mark this important milestone and to reflect upon the valuable work that has been undertaken by safety representatives and safety committees over the last 40 years.  Union health and safety representatives are often volunteers and there will be a celebration on Workers Memorial Day on 28^th April 2018 to honour the successes of union safety reps in making a difference in the workplace and the effect of the regulations in saving lives and preventing illness and injury.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) places great importance on worker involvement and consultation, which they feel has proved to be a key factor to improving health and safety in the workplace.

 

The HSE web page is publishing a series of case studies over the next six months which have been produced by safety representatives, and there is also a leaflet on the TUC website which can be downloaded that explains the role of the safety representative and how unions made a difference in the workplace.

Source: www.hse.gov.uk and www.tuc.org.uk