Exceptional turnout for CRS at the NEC Health & Safety Event

Last week (22^nd-24^th March) saw CRS return to the NEC for the annual Health & Safety Show after an absence of three years. The show was attended by many Health & Safety Managers from all over the world and all sectors was represented with the visitors from Construction, Manufacturing, Government, Rail and Retail to name a few all searching for products and service solutions to meet their health, safety, maintenance and facilities management needs.
Over 200 visitors visited the CRS stand during the three days and over 150 took part in the Prize Draw with the chance to win a NEBOSH Course to the value of £1000. The prize draw took place on the last day of the show with the help of Dee Arp – Standards Manager for NEBOSH who picked out the winner – Samantha McElhill. Samantha works for Charge based in Oxfordshire close to  Lotus F1 HQ. Charge develops EV technology for commercial vehicles from 2.5 to 26 GWT, including trucks and buses.
We look forward to welcoming Samantha to one of our NEBOSH training courses which are delivered across the UK at one of our 10 training venues.

HSE to administer Crown Censure to MoD over Brecon Beacons training exercise deaths

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has announced it will administer a Crown Censure to the Ministry of Defence (MoD) over the deaths of three soldiers on a training exercise in the Brecon Beacons in July 2013. 

Reservists Edward Maher, James Dunsby and Craig Roberts fell ill while on a training march. Mr Roberts and Mr Maher died during the exercise, while Mr Dunsby suffered multiple organ failure (as a result of hyperthermia) and died on 30 July 2013. 

The HSE investigation found a failure to plan, assess, and manage risks associated with climatic illness during the training. These failings resulted in the deaths of the three men and heat illness suffered by 10 other on the march. 

Despite its Crown status, the MoD is not exempt from its responsibilities as an employer to reduce the risks to its employees as far as reasonably practicable. But for Crown immunity, the MoD would have faced prosecution for the failings identified. 

HSE head of operations Neil Craig said: “Specialist military units rightly need to test rigorously the fitness and resilience of potential candidates.  Health and safety is not about stopping people from doing dangerous work or being properly prepared for military duties. Military training is inherently hazardous. However, such testing needs to be managed effectively. The MoD has a duty to manage the risks during training exercises. It failed to do so on this occasion.

“Since the incident HSE has worked closely with the MoD to ensure it has learned lessons on how it can reduce the risk of similar tragedies occurring in future without compromising or changing the arduous nature of the essential training and testing they need to provide.” 

NEBOSH National General Certificate in Occupational Health & Safety

HSE to prosecute Alton Towers’ owners after ‘Smiler’ 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.
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.