HSE to prosecute Alton Towers after 2015 'Smiler' rollercoaster incident

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has today informed Merlin Attractions Operations Ltd that it will be prosecuted over an incident in which five people were seriously injured on a rollercoaster ride at Alton Towers in Staffordshire in June 2015.

Two female passengers on the ‘Smiler’ ride suffered leg amputations and three others were also seriously injured when their carriage collided with a stationary carriage on the same track. The incident happened on 2 June 2015.

Merlin Attractions Operation Ltd based in Poole, Dorset, will appear at North Staffordshire Justice Centre, Newcastle-under-Lyme on 22 April 2016 to face a charge under the Health and Safety at Work Act etc, 1974.

Neil Craig, head of operations for HSE in the Midlands said: “We have today informed Merlin Attractions Operations Ltd that it will be prosecuted for breaching health and safety law. This was a serious incident with life-changing consequences for five people. We have conducted a very thorough investigation and consider that there is sufficient evidence and that it is in the public interest to bring a prosecution.”

Merlin Attractions Operations Ltd is the company responsible for Alton Towers and under health and safety law is responsible for managing the risks created by the operation of the theme park’s rides.

Exeter plumber left illegal gas work in a dangerous state

An Exeter plumber left a gas meter and gas pipe in a dangerous state in a customer’s home after he had undertaken unregistered gas work.
Colin Jones, aged 59, moved a gas meter at the property in The Mede in Exeter and then connected a new gas boiler to it. Shortly after this work the homeowners smelt gas and called Wales and West Utilities who found two gas leaks, one on the gas meter supply pipe and one on the gas pipe from the meter to the boiler. They classed the situation as ‘immediately dangerous’ as had the leaking gas ignited there was a real risk of an explosion.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE), investigated the incident and prosecuted Colin Jones at a hearing before Exeter Magistrates on 17 February 2016.
The court heard that Colin Jones had moved the gas meter as part of refurbishment works at the property. He then connected the gas meter to aa new gas boiler that had been fitted by a properly registered gas engineer.
Colin Jones, of Linda Close, Exeter, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 3(3) and 26(1) of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 and was given a 32 week prison sentence, suspended for 2 years and was also fined a total of £2,000 and ordered to pay £692 in costs.
HSE Inspector Simon Jones, speaking after the hearing, said: “Colin Jones put his customers’ lives at risk by carrying out work on gas pipes and a gas meter which he was not legally entitled to do.
A gas meter and a gas pipe that he installed were found to be leaking gas which is an incredibly dangerous situation and it is only by sheer good fortune that the escaping gas did not ignite
“All domestic gas work must be done by registered Gas Safe engineers to ensure the highest standards are met to prevent injury and loss of life.”
Further information on domestic gas safety issues can be found on the HSE website at http://www.hse.gov.uk/gas/domestic/

HSE to prosecute film company after Star Wars incident

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has this week informed Foodles Production (UK) Ltd that it will be prosecuted over an incident in which actor Harrison Ford was seriously injured during the filming of Star Wars: The Forces Awakens.

Foodles Production (UK) Ltd is based in Queen Caroline Street, London, and will appear at High Wycombe Magistrates Court on 12 May 2016 to face four charges.

Mr Ford suffered a broken leg and other injuries when he was struck by a heavy hydraulic metal door on the set of the Millennium Falcon. The incident happened on 12 June 2014 at Pinewood Studios.

A spokesman for HSE said:

“HSE has today informed Foodles Production (UK) Ltd that it will be prosecuted over four alleged breaches of health and safety law. The charges relate to an incident during filming of Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens, which left Harrison Ford with serious injuries after he was hit by a heavy hydraulic door.

“By law, employers must take reasonable steps to protect workers – this is as true on a film set as a factory floor. We have investigated thoroughly and believe that we have sufficient evidence to bring the case to court.”

IOSH Managing Safely

Firm fined for safety failings after worker fell from dumper truck

A civil engineering company was fined after a worker fell from his dumper truck suffering a fracture to his spine.

Peterborough Magistrates’ Court heard how a 50-year-old worker was operating a dumper truck during road improvements of the A14 road under Girton Bridge, near Cambridge. A drainage ditch was being excavated between the concrete pier of the bridge and the A14 road. The excavation was approximately fourteen metres long and two metres deep and the worker was using the dumper truck to remove soil. The worker fell into the excavation as he was attempting to remount the vehicle

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive into the incident which occurred on 18 December 2014 found that the gap between the excavation and the safety barrier on the road was too narrow to safely manoeuvre through and for the driver to safely dismount and mount. There was inadequate planning and monitoring of the work.

C R Civil Engineering Limited of North Road, Loughborough, Leicestershire, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulations 13(2) and 31(2) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007 and were fined £20,000 for each offence with costs of £2,047.

NEBOSH Certificate in Construction Health & Safety - CDM and Managing Contractors

Police prosecuted in the West Midlands and fined £50K with £11.5K costs

The Office of Chief Constable of West Midlands Police has been sentenced for a health and safety offence after a serving officer was injured while disposing of weaponry. Birmingham Crown Court heard a trained firearms officer lost the tip of his trigger finger while operating a hydraulic shearing machine used to destroy weapons. The injured officer was an authorised firearms officer, specially trained in counter-terrorism operations, who was on a period of light duties while recovering from an injury.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation found he and a colleague, also on light duty, were asked to assist in the destruction of weapons, using a hydraulic shear machine to cut them up for disposal.

The court heard that on the 16 July 2014 the officer was using the shear machine to destroy a sub-machine gun. The weapon kicked up under the operation of the shear, trapping the injured man’s right index finger against the underside of a combined clamp and guard, severing the fingertip. HSE told the court the incident could have been prevented by using other methods to destroy the weapons to be disposed of, which did not involve officers using unfamiliar and dangerous machines. Failing that, the police force should have devised a safe system of work, ensured the machine’s combined in-feed clamp and guard was properly adjusted before use (in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions). It should also have provided comprehensive training on the use of the machine, including its key safety measures, all of which was set out in the machine’s instruction manual, and adequately supervised the use of the machine.  These were not in place until after the incident.

The Office of Chief Constable of West Midlands Police (a Corporation Sole) of Colmore Circus, Queensway, Birmingham, admitted breaching section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and was fined £50,000 with £11,558 costs.

CRS says “This case should act as an important reminder that anyone using machinery, whether it is part of their core work or not, must ensure it is safe to use, properly guarded, and that adequate information, instruction, training and supervision is given to any employee expected to use the machinery. This requires the machinery to be risk assessed and the findings of the risk assessment incorporated into a safe system of work for using the machinery. On this occasion, West Midlands Police fell significantly short of what the law requires, with a police officer seriously injured as a result. Had the police complied with its legal duties, the officer would not have been injured.”

CRS welcomes the COP-21 Paris Agreements

CRS welcomes the Paris Agreement and sees it as a crucial step in global efforts to address climate change. It is the culmination of six years of efforts by nations to reach a new agreement, during which efforts deployed by all stakeholders – governments, business and civil society – have intensified and contributed to reaching an ambitious outcome. All parties had called for an effective and clear agreement in the run-up to the conference. The agreement is an important milestone that will send a strong signal going forward, but more work and action by all stakeholders will be needed going forward. CRS will continue to play its role as a learning provider, encouraging maximum action by our training participants around the world.

What is the Paris agreement?

The Agreement reached at the 21st Conference of the Parties (COP-21) under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), committed all countries to undertake action on climate change and report on their progress for the first time.

The agreement:

• “Aims to strengthen the global response to the threat of climate change… by holding the increase in the global average temperature to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels”
• Aims to peak greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions as soon as possible and reach net-zero in the second half of the century
• Commits all countries to regular reporting, including on mitigation, adaptation and finance
• Agrees 5-yearly cycles for increasing national plans and targets starting in 2020, supported by global stock-takes (from 2018) to assess progress and review any new information
• Makes commitments in climate finance, setting $100 billion per annum as the floor for financial transfers from developed to developing countries from 2020
• Introduces the foundation to support the development of global carbon emissions markets through trading mitigation actions, and incentivises mitigation through the creation of a CDM like mechanism for post-2020

A pathway to a low-emission future

CRS supports and encourages governments in their efforts to reduce GHG emissions. Meeting the climate change challenge will require actions from all parts of society, including governments, civil society and the private sector. We believe it is possible to address climate change risks whilst also meeting growing global energy demand and supporting economic development. Much more needs to be done to address climate change. With the right policy frameworks and enablers to encourage investment in transforming technology, the public and private sectors and civil society can cooperate to achieve effective solutions.

What is CRS doing?

We are the only provider of the IEMA Full and Associate Member Certificates by Applied Learning.  Our participants study and provide evidence of their performance in climate-related matters, relevant to their work and sector. In particular, we provide this training to the oil and gas sector through our partner, PetroSkills. The oil and gas industry’s history of innovation, global reach, knowledge and technical expertise positions it to help develop and provide credible future energy solutions. We believe that this industry is already playing a part in this transition and will continue to do so, by improving the efficiency of existing technologies and resources, and contributing to the development of new ones.

For over ten years, CRS has been 100% carbon-free - see http://www.carbonfund.org/partners/item/corporate-risk-systems We see the role of natural gas, government–led market mechanisms, CCS, and the use of lower carbon fuels, together with effective policy mechanisms, as the necessary components in any practical response to address GHG emissions, to deliver on the goals set by the Paris agreement.

In 2016 and beyond, you can be sure that CRS will continue to demonstrate our commitment to meeting the challenge by working with our employees, clients and partners to take these these issues.