A theme park worker severely injured his right hand as he was cutting wood using an unguarded rotating saw blade.
Steven Gardiner was working at Loudoun Castle Theme Park in Ayrshire cutting up sheets of plywood on 29 October 2009.
As the saw he normally used was not available for this task due to an operating fault, Mr Gardiner was using a table mounted circular saw that he had never used before. When setting up the saw he saw he noticed that the blade guard was not attached to the riving knife but, as he did not know how to fit this guard he left it to one side.
Mr Gardiner started working with a colleague, but after he left he decided to carry on alone as he only had a few sheets of plywood left to cut. As he pushed a long strip of wood through the blade using both hands to keep it straight, his right hand slipped forward and came into contact with the blade, cutting it badly.
He bound his hand up with his t-shirt and called for help. He was taken to hospital, where he needed a six hour bone graft operation to save his fingers. Doctors used bone from his hip and wire to rebuild his thumb, fingers and tendons. He needed two further operations to have metal plates inserted into his hand and remove scar tissue. He will need further surgery.
Mr Gardiner still cannot bend his thumb and doctors do not know if full movement to his fingers will ever return. He has difficulty tying laces and doing buttons, cannot clench his hand and has had to give up his hobby of DIY. Before the park closed, he was moved from his former post as a maintenance worker to an office based role as he was no longer able to carry out his previous duties as a maintenance worker.
Today at Kilmarnock Sheriff Court Parkware Ltd pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 11(1) and (2) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 and were fined £5,000.
HSE Inspector Eve Macready said:
"This was an entirely avoidable incident which will affect Mr Gardiner for the rest of his life. Not only has he had to change his line of work, but he has also had to give up a hobby and has difficulty performing tasks as simple as tying his shoelaces.
"Mr Gardiner's injuries would not have happened if the blade guard had been fitted. Employers have a duty to make sure machinery made available as work equipment is safe."
Thursday, 17 March 2011
Health and Safety Fine for Printers
A Tunbridge Wells printing firm has been fined after intentionally removing safety guards from its printing machines, potentially putting staff at risk of injury.
Printwells Limited, was prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) for not ensuring machinery guards were in place when employees used the machines, despite being served two Improvement Notices for the same offence in 2003.
Sevenoaks Magistrates' Court heard that on the 13 April 2010 two HSE Inspectors visited the company's premises unannounced.
The Inspectors found machine guards, known as safety interlocks, had been deactivated on two machines. The guards should have been in place to protect employees from accessing dangerous parts of the machinery.
HSE's investigation found the interlocks had been removed to allow the supervisor for the department to undertake routine maintenance work, found to be common practise within the Tunbridge Wells branch of Printwells.
Printwells Limited, of Chapman Way, North Farm Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent pleaded guilty to two counts of regulation 11(1)(a) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998. The firm was fined a total of £3,000 and ordered to pay costs of £2,500.
HSE's inspector Guy Widdowson said:
"Printwell employees were needlessly put at risk. There could easily have been a serious injury during the maintenance of these machines. It is purely down to luck that a serious incident did not occur at this company before.
"As this case demonstrates, HSE will take robust enforcement action against any company found removing safety devices, whether an injury has occurred or not."
Printwells Limited, was prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) for not ensuring machinery guards were in place when employees used the machines, despite being served two Improvement Notices for the same offence in 2003.
Sevenoaks Magistrates' Court heard that on the 13 April 2010 two HSE Inspectors visited the company's premises unannounced.
The Inspectors found machine guards, known as safety interlocks, had been deactivated on two machines. The guards should have been in place to protect employees from accessing dangerous parts of the machinery.
HSE's investigation found the interlocks had been removed to allow the supervisor for the department to undertake routine maintenance work, found to be common practise within the Tunbridge Wells branch of Printwells.
Printwells Limited, of Chapman Way, North Farm Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent pleaded guilty to two counts of regulation 11(1)(a) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998. The firm was fined a total of £3,000 and ordered to pay costs of £2,500.
HSE's inspector Guy Widdowson said:
"Printwell employees were needlessly put at risk. There could easily have been a serious injury during the maintenance of these machines. It is purely down to luck that a serious incident did not occur at this company before.
"As this case demonstrates, HSE will take robust enforcement action against any company found removing safety devices, whether an injury has occurred or not."
HSE Visiting Construction Sites
During 2009/10 there were 1,287 injuries and four workers died while working in construction across London, all of these occurred during refurbishment, repair and maintenance activities. These will be the main focus of the latest inspections by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
On the unannounced visits - starting on 14 February - regional inspectors will ensure that sites are managing work at height safely and that they are in good order, as well as checking that the risk of exposure to asbestos is being properly managed.
Last year inspectors visited 230 sites and 202 contractors. They were forced to issue more than 35 prohibition notices to stop dangerous work relating to working from height.
HSE's Principal Inspector Barry Mullen said:
"This will be the fifth year that we have run the inspection initiative across London and we anticipate that that there will be examples of both good and bad practice - those where employers are taking all the measures they can to protect their workers and those where safety is way down the list of priorities.
"A lax attitude to health and safety in one of the more dangerous industries is not acceptable, especially when many of the incidents are completely avoidable by taking commonsense actions and precautions. As we've demonstrated in previous years, we will not hesitate to take action if we find poor practice that is putting the lives of workers at risk.
"This year, as part of ensuring risks from asbestos are properly managed, we will also be checking that, where appropriate, asbestos surveys have been carried out prior to any refurbishment work. Many workers believe that, because asbestos has been banned as a building material, it's no longer a threat to them. But that simply isn't true. Any premises built or refurbished before 2000 could contain asbestos."
On the unannounced visits - starting on 14 February - regional inspectors will ensure that sites are managing work at height safely and that they are in good order, as well as checking that the risk of exposure to asbestos is being properly managed.
Last year inspectors visited 230 sites and 202 contractors. They were forced to issue more than 35 prohibition notices to stop dangerous work relating to working from height.
HSE's Principal Inspector Barry Mullen said:
"This will be the fifth year that we have run the inspection initiative across London and we anticipate that that there will be examples of both good and bad practice - those where employers are taking all the measures they can to protect their workers and those where safety is way down the list of priorities.
"A lax attitude to health and safety in one of the more dangerous industries is not acceptable, especially when many of the incidents are completely avoidable by taking commonsense actions and precautions. As we've demonstrated in previous years, we will not hesitate to take action if we find poor practice that is putting the lives of workers at risk.
"This year, as part of ensuring risks from asbestos are properly managed, we will also be checking that, where appropriate, asbestos surveys have been carried out prior to any refurbishment work. Many workers believe that, because asbestos has been banned as a building material, it's no longer a threat to them. But that simply isn't true. Any premises built or refurbished before 2000 could contain asbestos."
Construction Sites Still Dangerous
Nearly a third of the construction sites visited in High Peak last week were found to be so dangerous that workers' lives were being put at risk.
Inspectors from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) visited 56 sites in the borough on 8 and 9 March, as part of an initiative aimed at reducing deaths and injuries in one of Britain's most dangerous industries.
A total of 17 sites were found to be so far below the required standards that inspectors had to issue formal enforcement notices.
[1]
A site inspected in New Mills
The four-week initiative, which was launched on 14 February, saw inspectors across Great Britain target refurbishment projects − the worst performing sector of the construction industry.
Several of the sites visited received more than one enforcement notice either stopping work activities immediately, or requiring improvements to be made within a set time period.
In total, inspectors issued 23 prohibition and 11 improvement notices in High Peak, with the vast majority relating to unsafe work being carried out at height.
The latest figures show that, on average, a construction worker is injured in High Peak every three weeks. Across the East Midlands, four workers were killed and there were 645 injuries during 2009/10.
Nationally, nearly three quarters of all deaths occurred during refurbishment, repair and maintenance activities.
Nic Rigby, HSE Principal Inspector for Construction, said:
"We saw a total of 68 different contractors in High Peak and it's disappointing that so many of them are ignoring their health and safety responsibilities - especially after we publicised the fact we would be visiting the area.
"It's particularly concerning that so many of the enforcement notices we issued related to unsafe work being carried out at height. This is the number one cause of deaths in the construction industry.
"HSE will not hesitate to use its powers to stop work that isn't being carried out safely, and we expect to see a significant improvement in standards over the next few months."
More information on construction safety is available at www.hse.gov.uk/construction[2].
Inspectors from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) visited 56 sites in the borough on 8 and 9 March, as part of an initiative aimed at reducing deaths and injuries in one of Britain's most dangerous industries.
A total of 17 sites were found to be so far below the required standards that inspectors had to issue formal enforcement notices.
[1]
A site inspected in New Mills
The four-week initiative, which was launched on 14 February, saw inspectors across Great Britain target refurbishment projects − the worst performing sector of the construction industry.
Several of the sites visited received more than one enforcement notice either stopping work activities immediately, or requiring improvements to be made within a set time period.
In total, inspectors issued 23 prohibition and 11 improvement notices in High Peak, with the vast majority relating to unsafe work being carried out at height.
The latest figures show that, on average, a construction worker is injured in High Peak every three weeks. Across the East Midlands, four workers were killed and there were 645 injuries during 2009/10.
Nationally, nearly three quarters of all deaths occurred during refurbishment, repair and maintenance activities.
Nic Rigby, HSE Principal Inspector for Construction, said:
"We saw a total of 68 different contractors in High Peak and it's disappointing that so many of them are ignoring their health and safety responsibilities - especially after we publicised the fact we would be visiting the area.
"It's particularly concerning that so many of the enforcement notices we issued related to unsafe work being carried out at height. This is the number one cause of deaths in the construction industry.
"HSE will not hesitate to use its powers to stop work that isn't being carried out safely, and we expect to see a significant improvement in standards over the next few months."
More information on construction safety is available at www.hse.gov.uk/construction[2].
Monday, 28 February 2011
HSE Vibration Clampdown in progress
The Health effects of hand-arm vibration at work
What is hand-arm vibration?
Hand-arm vibration is vibration transmitted from work processes into workers' hands and arms. It can be caused by operating hand-held power tools, such as road breakers, and hand-guided equipment, such as powered lawnmowers, or by holding materials being processed by machines, such as pedestal grinders.
When is it hazardous?
Regular and frequent exposure to hand-arm vibration can lead to permanent health effects. This is most likely when contact with a vibrating tool or work process is a regular part of a person’s job. Occasional exposure is unlikely to cause ill health.
What health effects can it cause?
Hand-arm vibration can cause a range of conditions collectively known as hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS), as well as specific diseases such as carpal tunnel syndrome.
What are the early symptoms?
Identifying signs and symptoms at an early stage is important. It will allow you, as the employer, to take action to prevent the health effects from becoming serious for your employee. The symptoms include any combination of:
Tingling and numbness in the fingers;
Not being able to feel things properly;
Loss of strength in the hands;
Fingers going white (blanching) and becoming red and painful on recovery (particularly in the cold and wet, and probably only in the tips at first).
For some people, symptoms may appear after only a few months of exposure, but for others they may take a few years. They are likely to get worse with continued exposure to vibration and may become permanent.
What effects do these symptoms have?
The effects on people include:
Pain, distress and sleep disturbance;
Inability to do fine work (eg assembling small components) or everyday tasks (eg fastening buttons);
Reduced ability to work in cold or damp conditions (ie most outdoor work) which would trigger painful finger blanching attacks;
Reduced grip strength, which might affect the ability to do work safely.
These effects can severely limit the jobs an affected person is able to do, as well as many family and social activities.
Do you have a hand-arm vibration problem at work?
This will depend on whether your employees regularly and frequently work with vibrating tools and equipment and/or handle vibrating materials. It will also depend on how long your employees are exposed to vibration and at what level. As a simple guide you will probably need to do something about vibration exposures if any of the following apply:
Do your employees complain of tingling and numbness in their hands or fingers after using vibrating tools?
Do your employees hold work pieces, which vibrate while being processed by powered machinery such as pedestal grinders?
Do your employees regularly use hand-held or hand guided power tools and machines such as:
Concrete breakers, concrete pokers;
Sanders, grinders, disc cutters;
Hammer drills;
Chipping hammers;
Chainsaws, brush cutters, hedge trimmers,
Powered mowers;
Scabblers or needle guns.
Do your employees regularly operate:
Hammer action tools for more than about 15 minutes per day; or
Some rotary and other action tools for more than about one hour per day.
Do you work in an industry where exposures to vibration are particularly high, such as construction, foundries, or heavy steel fabrication/shipyards?
Which jobs and industries are most likely to involve hand-arm vibration?
Jobs requiring regular and frequent use of vibrating tools and equipment and handling of vibrating materials are found in a wide range of industries, for example:
Building and maintenance of roads and railways;
Construction;
Estate management (eg maintenance of grounds, parks, water courses, road and rail side verges);
Forestry;
Foundries;
Heavy engineering;
Manufacturing concrete products;
Mines and quarries;
Motor vehicle manufacture and repair;
Public utilities (eg water, gas, electricity, telecommunications);
Shipbuilding and repair.
What kinds of tools and equipment can cause ill health from vibration?
There are hundreds of different types of hand-held power tools and equipment which can cause ill health from vibration. Some of the more common ones are:
Chainsaws;
Concrete breakers/road breakers;
Cut-off saws (for stone etc);
Hammer drills;
Hand-held grinders;
Impact wrenches;
Jigsaws;
Needle scalers;
Pedestal grinders;
Polishers;
Power hammers and chisels;
Powered lawn mowers;
Powered sanders;
Scabblers;
Strimmers/brush cutters.
What is hand-arm vibration?
Hand-arm vibration is vibration transmitted from work processes into workers' hands and arms. It can be caused by operating hand-held power tools, such as road breakers, and hand-guided equipment, such as powered lawnmowers, or by holding materials being processed by machines, such as pedestal grinders.
When is it hazardous?
Regular and frequent exposure to hand-arm vibration can lead to permanent health effects. This is most likely when contact with a vibrating tool or work process is a regular part of a person’s job. Occasional exposure is unlikely to cause ill health.
What health effects can it cause?
Hand-arm vibration can cause a range of conditions collectively known as hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS), as well as specific diseases such as carpal tunnel syndrome.
What are the early symptoms?
Identifying signs and symptoms at an early stage is important. It will allow you, as the employer, to take action to prevent the health effects from becoming serious for your employee. The symptoms include any combination of:
Tingling and numbness in the fingers;
Not being able to feel things properly;
Loss of strength in the hands;
Fingers going white (blanching) and becoming red and painful on recovery (particularly in the cold and wet, and probably only in the tips at first).
For some people, symptoms may appear after only a few months of exposure, but for others they may take a few years. They are likely to get worse with continued exposure to vibration and may become permanent.
What effects do these symptoms have?
The effects on people include:
Pain, distress and sleep disturbance;
Inability to do fine work (eg assembling small components) or everyday tasks (eg fastening buttons);
Reduced ability to work in cold or damp conditions (ie most outdoor work) which would trigger painful finger blanching attacks;
Reduced grip strength, which might affect the ability to do work safely.
These effects can severely limit the jobs an affected person is able to do, as well as many family and social activities.
Do you have a hand-arm vibration problem at work?
This will depend on whether your employees regularly and frequently work with vibrating tools and equipment and/or handle vibrating materials. It will also depend on how long your employees are exposed to vibration and at what level. As a simple guide you will probably need to do something about vibration exposures if any of the following apply:
Do your employees complain of tingling and numbness in their hands or fingers after using vibrating tools?
Do your employees hold work pieces, which vibrate while being processed by powered machinery such as pedestal grinders?
Do your employees regularly use hand-held or hand guided power tools and machines such as:
Concrete breakers, concrete pokers;
Sanders, grinders, disc cutters;
Hammer drills;
Chipping hammers;
Chainsaws, brush cutters, hedge trimmers,
Powered mowers;
Scabblers or needle guns.
Do your employees regularly operate:
Hammer action tools for more than about 15 minutes per day; or
Some rotary and other action tools for more than about one hour per day.
Do you work in an industry where exposures to vibration are particularly high, such as construction, foundries, or heavy steel fabrication/shipyards?
Which jobs and industries are most likely to involve hand-arm vibration?
Jobs requiring regular and frequent use of vibrating tools and equipment and handling of vibrating materials are found in a wide range of industries, for example:
Building and maintenance of roads and railways;
Construction;
Estate management (eg maintenance of grounds, parks, water courses, road and rail side verges);
Forestry;
Foundries;
Heavy engineering;
Manufacturing concrete products;
Mines and quarries;
Motor vehicle manufacture and repair;
Public utilities (eg water, gas, electricity, telecommunications);
Shipbuilding and repair.
What kinds of tools and equipment can cause ill health from vibration?
There are hundreds of different types of hand-held power tools and equipment which can cause ill health from vibration. Some of the more common ones are:
Chainsaws;
Concrete breakers/road breakers;
Cut-off saws (for stone etc);
Hammer drills;
Hand-held grinders;
Impact wrenches;
Jigsaws;
Needle scalers;
Pedestal grinders;
Polishers;
Power hammers and chisels;
Powered lawn mowers;
Powered sanders;
Scabblers;
Strimmers/brush cutters.
Thursday, 24 February 2011
RHSS Limited PAT testing services
Visual Inspection
Firstly we carry out a visual inspection of the appliance checking:
• The Flex. We check to see it is in good condition and is free from cuts, fraying or damage
• The Plug. We check that the cable is tight and secure and that there are no signs of overheating and it is free from cracks or damage. We also check that the plug has been wired correctly and the terminal screws are tight
• Socket Outlet. Are there any signs of overheating? Is it free from cracks and damage?
• The Appliance. We check the appliance for signs of cracks and damage to the casing
Testing the Appliance
Then, subject to the appliance passing the visual inspection, we connect it to a specialist PAT Tester which checks:
1. Earth Continuity
2. Insulation Resistance
3. Polarity – Power leads only
The Results
Each appliance is then labelled appropriately with a PASS/FAIL vinyl label and the results are logged
Testing IT Equipment
Due to the delicate nature of IT equipment, a reduced current is applied to these appliances.
A visual inspection only will be carried out on servers and they will NOT be turned off
Any appliance that fails the test will be brought to your attention immediately
For your convenience, and to avoid any possible disruption
to the office, the testing can be done out of office hours
for NO extra charge
We are fully certified and insured and our
pricing structure is extremely competitive
* FREE plug replacement
* FREE fuse replacement
* FREE mains lead replacement for computers
* FREE microwave emission checks
* SAME DAY certification if required
Anyone who lets residential accommodation as a business activity is required by law to ensure that the electrical equipment they supply as part of the tenancy is safe
The Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1994 requires that all mains electrical equipment (cookers, washing machines, fridges, kettles etc) supplied in rented accommodation must be safe
The ‘supply’ of the electrical equipment occurs at the time of the tenancy contract. It is, therefore, essential that PAT Testing is carried out prior to the start of the tenancy
A report, detailing the equipment checked, the tests carried out and the results will be sent to you for your records
We offer a special rate for landlords and agents
Please call us for details
Firstly we carry out a visual inspection of the appliance checking:
• The Flex. We check to see it is in good condition and is free from cuts, fraying or damage
• The Plug. We check that the cable is tight and secure and that there are no signs of overheating and it is free from cracks or damage. We also check that the plug has been wired correctly and the terminal screws are tight
• Socket Outlet. Are there any signs of overheating? Is it free from cracks and damage?
• The Appliance. We check the appliance for signs of cracks and damage to the casing
Testing the Appliance
Then, subject to the appliance passing the visual inspection, we connect it to a specialist PAT Tester which checks:
1. Earth Continuity
2. Insulation Resistance
3. Polarity – Power leads only
The Results
Each appliance is then labelled appropriately with a PASS/FAIL vinyl label and the results are logged
Testing IT Equipment
Due to the delicate nature of IT equipment, a reduced current is applied to these appliances.
A visual inspection only will be carried out on servers and they will NOT be turned off
Any appliance that fails the test will be brought to your attention immediately
For your convenience, and to avoid any possible disruption
to the office, the testing can be done out of office hours
for NO extra charge
We are fully certified and insured and our
pricing structure is extremely competitive
* FREE plug replacement
* FREE fuse replacement
* FREE mains lead replacement for computers
* FREE microwave emission checks
* SAME DAY certification if required
Anyone who lets residential accommodation as a business activity is required by law to ensure that the electrical equipment they supply as part of the tenancy is safe
The Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1994 requires that all mains electrical equipment (cookers, washing machines, fridges, kettles etc) supplied in rented accommodation must be safe
The ‘supply’ of the electrical equipment occurs at the time of the tenancy contract. It is, therefore, essential that PAT Testing is carried out prior to the start of the tenancy
A report, detailing the equipment checked, the tests carried out and the results will be sent to you for your records
We offer a special rate for landlords and agents
Please call us for details
EU orders UK to tighten asbestos laws
The European Commission has requested that the UK amend its regulations on asbestos at work because they do not comply fully with the parent EU Directive.
Delivered in the form of a reasoned opinion under EU infringement procedures, the Commission wants the UK to change provisions in its legislation that exempt some maintenance and repair activities from the application of the EU Directive on the protection of workers from asbestos.
It follows a complaint received by the Commission that Article 3(3)(a) and (b) of the asbestos Directive 2009/148/EC has not been correctly transposed into UK law. Article 3(3) offers the possibility for an exemption from three obligations set out in the Directive for activities that involve only sporadic and low-intensity exposure to asbestos – for example, in the case of some maintenance and repair activities.
However, in the Commission’s view, the UK law omits specific parts of Article 3(3)(a) and (b), and so widens the scope of the exemption. The Commission says the UK legislation focuses on the measurement of exposure to asbestos but not enough on how the material can be affected by the work involved. The Directive deals with both exposure and the material.
The UK now has two months to bring its legislation into line with EU law, or risk the matter being referred to the EU’s Court of Justice.
Commenting on the development, TUC general secretary, Brendan Barber, said: “This is another nail in the coffin of the myth that the HSE has been ‘gold-plating’ regulation. European regulations are there to protect workers, and governments should see them as being minimum standards rather than trying to weasel out of their commitments.”
Alan Ritchie, general secretary of construction-workers’ union UCATT, added: "Construction workers, especially those involved in maintenance work, are now at the greatest risk of being exposed to asbestos and developing asbestos-related diseases.
“It is essential that they are given the greatest possible training, education and protection when it comes to dealing with asbestos. UCATT’s advice is clear: if you are not a specialist, do not work with asbestos. If, at any point, you think you are working with asbestos, stop work immediately and get it checked out.”
Delivered in the form of a reasoned opinion under EU infringement procedures, the Commission wants the UK to change provisions in its legislation that exempt some maintenance and repair activities from the application of the EU Directive on the protection of workers from asbestos.
It follows a complaint received by the Commission that Article 3(3)(a) and (b) of the asbestos Directive 2009/148/EC has not been correctly transposed into UK law. Article 3(3) offers the possibility for an exemption from three obligations set out in the Directive for activities that involve only sporadic and low-intensity exposure to asbestos – for example, in the case of some maintenance and repair activities.
However, in the Commission’s view, the UK law omits specific parts of Article 3(3)(a) and (b), and so widens the scope of the exemption. The Commission says the UK legislation focuses on the measurement of exposure to asbestos but not enough on how the material can be affected by the work involved. The Directive deals with both exposure and the material.
The UK now has two months to bring its legislation into line with EU law, or risk the matter being referred to the EU’s Court of Justice.
Commenting on the development, TUC general secretary, Brendan Barber, said: “This is another nail in the coffin of the myth that the HSE has been ‘gold-plating’ regulation. European regulations are there to protect workers, and governments should see them as being minimum standards rather than trying to weasel out of their commitments.”
Alan Ritchie, general secretary of construction-workers’ union UCATT, added: "Construction workers, especially those involved in maintenance work, are now at the greatest risk of being exposed to asbestos and developing asbestos-related diseases.
“It is essential that they are given the greatest possible training, education and protection when it comes to dealing with asbestos. UCATT’s advice is clear: if you are not a specialist, do not work with asbestos. If, at any point, you think you are working with asbestos, stop work immediately and get it checked out.”
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