Health and Safety campaign goes viral

The winner of the Cannes Lion Grand Prix for global advertising excellence last week was a health and safety campaign. Went viral and has 50m plus hits on YouTube and is well worth a watch for light relief  . . .

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A construction worker was left paralysed from the waist down when he fell through a hole in a roof at a Wates building site in Swindon

Giovanni Mastrodomenico, 56, from Swindon, fell four-metres through a waterproof membrane into the unguarded hole while working at the Marlborough Park development in the town on 31 August 2011.
The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) this week prosecuted his employer Tego Roofing Ltd, of Oxford, and Surrey-based principal contractor Wates Construction for safety failings relating to the incident.
Swindon magistrates heard that Mr Mastrodomenico was carrying out metalwork prior to the installation of a vent on the roof of the new apartment block. The hole he plunged through was where the vent was to be placed.
He fell four metres onto a concrete floor below, causing permanent injuries that have left him confined to a wheelchair.
An HSE investigation found that scaffolding under the hole inside the building had been removed because it was obstructing an emergency escape route, and that scaffolding planks had subsequently been placed over the hole instead. However, these planks were in turn removed to allow workmen to lay a waterproof membrane over the hole in preparation for the vent to be installed. There was nothing to in place to prevent or mitigate Mr Mastrodomenico’s fall.
The court was told that the risk assessment and method statement for the work was unsuitable and insufficient because it failed to refer to the installation process for the vent.
There was confusion about who the site supervisor was when the incident happened and, although the site manager had seen the roofers working near the hole, he did not stop the work or ensure the scaffolding boards were replaced.
HSE established that Tego Roofing failed to provide adequate supervision or instruction to its employees while working on the roof, and also that workers failed to identify the risk or warn others, including Mr Mastrodomenico, of the hazard created by the removal of the boards covering the hole.
It was said that Wates failed to plan, manage and monitor the work and did not ensure there was a risk assessment in place.
Tego Roofing Ltd, of Monument Business Park, Chalgrove, Oxford, was fined £10,000 and ordered to pay £9,460 in costs after pleading guilty to breaching Regulation 13(2) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007. CDM & Managing Contractors
Wates Construction Ltd, of Station Approach, Leatherhead, Surrey, was fined £18,000 with costs of £11,127 after also pleading guilty to a separate breach of the same regulations.
Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Keiron Jones said: "Mr Mastrodomenico’s life and that of his family have been completely changed by the management failings on the site. Apart from the pain and suffering he has gone through, his employment opportunities are now restricted and he will never be able to walk again.
"Construction companies and their contractors must have proper plans in place to allow their employees to complete the job safely. NEBOSH Certificate in Construction Health & Safety
"As principal contractor, Wates failed to plan, manage and monitor the work, and ensure there was a risk assessment in place. Tego also failed in their duty to provide a risk assessment, ensure there was adequate supervision on-site and make sure there was a safe system of work for the installation of the vent.
"Falls from height are the biggest killer in the construction industry and last year alone more than 6,300 employees suffered major injuries following a fall. Working at height must always be properly planned."
Corporate Risk Systems comments:-“ for just a few days training all this could have been avoided” visit our website www.crsrisk.com or call us now 01283 509175

Mighty Mini – Race Report – Snetterton

Rounds 7 & 8 saw Team CRS head to Norfolk for a visit to Snetterton Circuit. After the unbearable heat that had preceded the meeting it was fortunately a little cooler on race day.  Caroline managed to get 8th place in first qualifying on Saturday and although faster on Sunday only gained 9^th.

During the first race Caroline found herself once again fighting with the other girls on the grid. Caroline, Penny and Ella kept swapping position at every opportunity down the long fast straights and the sweeping corners of the circuit. It was a new circuit to all the drivers so only car set up and driver skill were of use. At the end of the race Caroline had managed to fight to the front of her pack and finished where she started in 8^th place.

The sun had come back out on Sunday just before the race began, it was going to be warm in the car with the heater on!! Caroline made a reasonable start but found herself passed into Montreal for the first time by Daz.  She quickly fought her way past him at Agostini and set about hunting down Ella. Penny saw an opportunity at the end of the long Bently Straight and pounced going into Brundle demoting Caroline back to 10^th place. After a couple of attempts Caroline repassed Penny and then quickly caught and passed Ella  on the following lap as she made a small mistake coming out of the corner.  She tried to catch the pack in front but they were too far away. She finished the race in a season high of 7^th.

Next Race Oulton Park, Cheshire 31^st August 2013

We have two FREE Tickets to give away for this race meeting to enter the prize draw answer this Question: How many years have CRS been trading is it: A – 5 years, B – 25 years, C – 15years you can find the answer on our website www.crsrisk.com email your answer to Ros Stacey – ros.stacey@crsrisk.com closing date Wednesday 28^th August 5.p.m. winners will be contacted on Thursday 29^th August.

Recent HSE prosecutions and enforcement - Construction sector, July 2013

RECENT ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITY

Read details of some recent HSE prosecutions and enforcement action in the construction sector and find sources of relevant advice and guidance.  

Fragile roofs/Work at height

9 July 2013 – Firms fined after worker is left paralysed by roof fall  

11 July 2013 – Council fined after worker seriously injured when he fell through a fragile roof light  

Further information

Construction Safety Topic - Assessing all work at height

Free leaflet - Fragile roofs – safe working practices

Construction Safety Topic - Roofwork

Free leaflet – Roofwork – what you need to know as a busy builder

Asbestos

3 July 2013 – Workers exposed to asbestos during refurbishment work

4 July 2013 – Birmingham builders fined for illegal asbestos removal

Further information

Construction Health Topic - Asbestos

Asbestos health and safety

Asbestos essentials

Protecting the public

25 July 2013 – Housebuilder prosecuted for failing to fence off construction site

Further information

Construction Safety Topic – Public protection

HSE publication - Protecting the public: Your next move

Bonfirm death GP had 'no idea' of the risk

The widow of a Suffolk GP who died after pouring petrol on to a bonfire said her husband had "no idea" of the risk he was taking. Dr Darryl Peel, 51, was critically burnt as he lit a fire at his home in Huntingfield, near Halesworth, in February 2013. He died 20 days later at the specialist burns unit in Chelmsford.

His widow Susie Peel said Dr Peel's time in hospital had been a "long and lingering process". Dr Peel, who worked at Framlingham Surgery, had been clearing out the yard at his home on 6 February.  Mrs Peel said: "It was long and lingering process and was very distressing for all his friends and family because he was bandaged from head to foot and not able to communicate. I was very shocked by the amount of medical and educated people, who you might have thought would have known the dangers, who had no clue - almost everybody said that they had done the same thing. That horrified me because of the potential for this to happen to another family."

Dr Peel managed to phone the emergency services and was airlifted to Broomfield Hospital. He had burns on all over his body and his treatment involved him being put into a coma, from which he never awoke.

Mrs Peel said: "It had started to rain and I suspect the pile he had made got wet and he decided to give it a helping hand - he would never have thrown petrol onto a lit bonfire. What happens is the vapour from petrol spreads around the ground, clings to your clothes and when he lit the bonfire he was enveloped in a ball of flame."

Dave Pederson, group commander from Suffolk Fire Service, said: "If people must have a bonfire, they should never use petrol or other accelerants. Petrol constantly evaporates in our climate and people have a lack of understanding of how dangerous the vapours can be and how far they can spread and still be flammable." CRS sends condolences to Mrs Peel and her family.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-suffolk-23457489

AUTUMN SALE 15% OFF FOR 15 DAYS

Don’t miss out on our Autumn Sale which starts on 1^st August 2013

Corporate Risk Systems Ltd celebrates 15 years of business and would like to share our success with all our customers and clients old and new by offering a massive 15% discount off any of our open courses run at any of our 15 Training Venues across the UK. The SALE starts on 1^st AUGUST 2013 and will run for 15 Days (ending at Midnight 15^th August). To book your course call our Sales Team on 01283 5091275 or email rs@crsrisk.com  quoting code CRS15. The discount applies to ALL our Open Courses and is applied to our usual list price. This discount cannot be used with any other promotion.  All our courses are shown on our website www.crsrisk.com

Company and director fined for Baglan site failings

A Lancashire house builder and its sole director have been fined for safety failings following two serious incidents at a new-build development in South Wales.

In the first incident, on 9 August 2011, self-employed bricklayer Daniel King, then aged 22, of Loughor, West Wales, injured his back and left foot when he fell almost four metres from a poorly constructed scaffold that was overloaded and posed a clear fall risk.

Six months later, in March 2012, a contractor was spotted working at height in the elevated bucket of an excavator in clear view of the company director.

Both incidents occurred at the same plot within a site at Cae Canol, Baglan, near Port Talbot, where Blackburn-based Paddle Ltd has been building new homes as part of a phased development over several years.

The company and its director, Derek Hugh Barnes, were prosecuted today (19 July 2013) after an investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) identified a blatant disregard for worker safety.

Swansea Crown Court heard that the scaffold that Mr King fell from was in very poor condition and was missing vital guard rails, toe boards and other fall protection measures.

HSE inspectors checked the structure three days after the fall, once the bricklayer had reported the incident, and found it was also being used to take loads of bricks and blocks that it was simply not fit to carry. There was no evidence to suggest that it had been designed, erected and inspected by a competent person - as the law requires. Nor was there evidence that measures had been put in place to reduce the risk of a fall inwards into the building under construction.

In relation to the second incident, the court was told that Derek Barnes was fully aware that a worker for his company was using an excavator bucket to work at height.

The dangerous practice was witnessed by a concerned householder who photographed and reported the activity to HSE. Mr Barnes was captured watching nearby, and had clearly consented to the machine being misused in this way.

Corporate Risk Systems commented “If only the employer -  Paddle Limited had arranged for their employees to be fully trained NEBOSH Certificate in Construction Health & Safety they could have saved themselves the £66,000 for a cost of around £2000 for the training course”.

Derek Hugh Barnes, of the same address, was sentenced to eight months imprisonment suspended for two years, disqualified from acting as a company director of three years and fined £32,000 with £11,000 costs for pleading guilty to breaching Section 37 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.

After the hearing HSE Inspector Phil Nicolle said:

"Paddle Ltd and Derek Barnes have, over the years, shown a blatant disregard for health and safety management on their construction sites, as was clearly evident when we investigated the Baglan incidents.

"Worker safety was clearly compromised on both occasions and the failings we identified are textbook examples of why falls from height remain such a common problem in the construction industry.

"Companies and directors have clear duties of care and safety responsibilities, and it is vital they properly assess, manage and supervise all work activity to mitigate risks at all times." Contact us at rs@crsrisk.com and find out more about our IOSH Directing Safely Course and The Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007 or visit www.crsrisk.com