A man has appeared in court charged with a string of offences after a fuel tanker crashed into the front of his family's bungalow.
Hugh Billington, 51, appeared charged with arson with intent to endanger life; arson reckless as to whether life was endangered; assault by beating; dangerous driving and theft. Billington, a lorry driver, spoke only to confirm his personal details.
He was arrested on Friday following the incident in Wool, Dorset, at the bungalow he and his wife Christine own, the court heard.
Magistrates in Weymouth, Dorset, heard that Mrs Billington was in the bungalow's kitchen when the tanker, loaded with kerosene, crashed through the front of the house.
Mrs Billington, who is understood to run a dog grooming business from the house, was "safe and well" but the bungalow suffered "significant" damage in the blaze, police said at the time.
Bald-headed Billington, who gave his address as "no fixed abode", made no application for bail and was remanded in custody to appear at Dorchester Crown Court on January 31.
The court heard that at the time of the incident he was on bail, having been charged with common assault following allegations of an attack on his wife. He faces a hearing via videolink at Weymouth Magistrates Court on January 31 for that charge.
Around 30 firefighters tackled the blaze at the couple's bungalow, which was brought under control in about an hour in the morning of January 20. Pictures released by the fire service show the tanker crashed into the front of the bungalow, having smashed through the front wall and a set of windows.
The front door of the bungalow has been removed and the blaze can be seen to have ripped through the house out towards the back garden.
Tuesday, 24 January 2012
Monday, 23 January 2012
Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR) Change - 6 April 2012
From 6 April 2012, subject to Parliamentary approval, RIDDOR’s over three day injury reporting requirement will change. From then the trigger point will increase from over three days’ to over seven days’ incapacitation (not counting the day on which the accident happened). The deadline by which the over seven day injury must be reported will increase to 15 days from the day of the accident.
Incapacitation means that the worker is absent or is unable to do work that they would reasonably be expected to do as part of their normal work.
Employers and others with responsibilities under RIDDOR must still keep a record of all over three day injuries – if the employer has to keep an accident book, then this record will be enough. Here at CRS, we recommend that employers keep a record of all incidents, regardless how minor.
Incapacitation means that the worker is absent or is unable to do work that they would reasonably be expected to do as part of their normal work.
Employers and others with responsibilities under RIDDOR must still keep a record of all over three day injuries – if the employer has to keep an accident book, then this record will be enough. Here at CRS, we recommend that employers keep a record of all incidents, regardless how minor.
1 WEEK TO GO!!!! - JANUARY SALE MUST END 31st JANUARY 2012
Corporate Risk Systems (CRS) would just like to remind everyone you only have one week left to take advantage of our JANUARY SALE it must end 31st January.
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Check out our Website: www.crsrisk.com and get your place booked NOW. UP TO £200 OFF our NEBOSH courses, we are also offering 10% off all other courses.
BOOK NOW ONLINE AT www.crsrisk.com
Want more information call Ros Stacey on 01283 509175 or email rs@crsrisk.com
Sunday, 22 January 2012
Man arrested after Dorset bungalow tanker crash
The driver of a fuel tanker which crashed into a bungalow in Dorset, setting it on fire, has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder of a woman. Police said the 51-year-old man from Yeovil was believed to be known to the occupant of the property.
The woman is said to be safe and well but her home suffered significant damage.
The tanker ploughed into the property in Folly Lane, Wool, just after 08:40 GMT, causing a fire to start. About 30 firefighters attended the blaze, which was brought under control in about an hour. Pictures released by the fire service show the Watson Fuels tanker crashed into the front of the bungalow, smashing through the front wall and a set of windows. A fire ripped through the house out towards the back garden.
A spokeswoman for the tanker company, based in Brinkworth, Wiltshire said they were unable to comment.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-dorset-16650234
The woman is said to be safe and well but her home suffered significant damage.
The tanker ploughed into the property in Folly Lane, Wool, just after 08:40 GMT, causing a fire to start. About 30 firefighters attended the blaze, which was brought under control in about an hour. Pictures released by the fire service show the Watson Fuels tanker crashed into the front of the bungalow, smashing through the front wall and a set of windows. A fire ripped through the house out towards the back garden.
A spokeswoman for the tanker company, based in Brinkworth, Wiltshire said they were unable to comment.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-dorset-16650234
Bus crashes into Scottish petrol station
A bus driver suffered minor injuries when his bus crashed into a petrol station in Hamilton, South Lanarkshire.
Three women working at the Jet petrol station, on Townhead Road, were all unharmed.
There were no passengers on board the bus when the accident happened at about 14:45 on Thursday.
Police closed a number of roads in the area as a precaution as officers from Strathclyde Fire and Rescue made the scene safe.
The driver was taken to Hairmyres Hospital in East Kilbride but his injuries were not serious.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-16636123
Three women working at the Jet petrol station, on Townhead Road, were all unharmed.
There were no passengers on board the bus when the accident happened at about 14:45 on Thursday.
Police closed a number of roads in the area as a precaution as officers from Strathclyde Fire and Rescue made the scene safe.
The driver was taken to Hairmyres Hospital in East Kilbride but his injuries were not serious.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-16636123
Thursday, 19 January 2012
Environment Agency use new powers
The Environment Agency has completed its first Enforcement Undertaking from a Derbyshire packaging firm.
An Enforcement Undertaking is a voluntary offer from a company to make amends for not meeting Environmental Regulations. This can be achieved by compensating communities affected, restoring the environment or donating to a suitable charity.
In 2010, the Environment Agency found that DA Pak Ltd of Ashbourne, Derbyshire, should have been registered for the Producer Responsibility Obligation (Packaging Waste) Regulations 2007 as amended. These regulations make companies who handle packaging take responsibility for it when it becomes waste.
After an investigation, the company admitted that they had failed to register under the regulations in 2009 and 2010 and hadn’t met their obligations. The company offered £2000 towards our investigation costs and a donation of £1251 to the Derbyshire Wildlife Trust.
Derbyshire wildlife Trust has used the donation to buy a solar powered water pump to help maintain wetland areas in the Trent Valley. These wetland reserves are vitally important for the bird species they support, and water levels at the site are critical in order to provide the ideal habitat for a wide range of species.
Hannah Wooldridge, Environment Officer said: “Enforcement Undertakings are a new tool we can use for certain environmental offences. In this case we got a great outcome for the environment, without going through the courts. These sanctions will not replace prosecuting the worst offenders that damage the environment, but they do allow us to be far more flexible in how we deal with offences. We’re committed to helping businesses stay on the right side of the law, and these new tools help us to save time and money, whilst contributing to a better environment for all.”
For more information about waste packaging and producer responsibilities contact rb@crsrisk.com to see how we can support you.
An Enforcement Undertaking is a voluntary offer from a company to make amends for not meeting Environmental Regulations. This can be achieved by compensating communities affected, restoring the environment or donating to a suitable charity.
In 2010, the Environment Agency found that DA Pak Ltd of Ashbourne, Derbyshire, should have been registered for the Producer Responsibility Obligation (Packaging Waste) Regulations 2007 as amended. These regulations make companies who handle packaging take responsibility for it when it becomes waste.
After an investigation, the company admitted that they had failed to register under the regulations in 2009 and 2010 and hadn’t met their obligations. The company offered £2000 towards our investigation costs and a donation of £1251 to the Derbyshire Wildlife Trust.
Derbyshire wildlife Trust has used the donation to buy a solar powered water pump to help maintain wetland areas in the Trent Valley. These wetland reserves are vitally important for the bird species they support, and water levels at the site are critical in order to provide the ideal habitat for a wide range of species.
Hannah Wooldridge, Environment Officer said: “Enforcement Undertakings are a new tool we can use for certain environmental offences. In this case we got a great outcome for the environment, without going through the courts. These sanctions will not replace prosecuting the worst offenders that damage the environment, but they do allow us to be far more flexible in how we deal with offences. We’re committed to helping businesses stay on the right side of the law, and these new tools help us to save time and money, whilst contributing to a better environment for all.”
For more information about waste packaging and producer responsibilities contact rb@crsrisk.com to see how we can support you.
Italy Cruise Ship - News Update 19 January 2012
Salvage experts are expected to be given the all-clear to start pumping fuel from the luxury cruise liner that capsized off the coast of Italy.
The Captain of the Costa Concordia has been placed under house arrest after a court appearance relating to his role in the disaster that has left 11 dead.
And while the search continues for any bodies that remain in the vessel - with 23 people still missing - hopes of finding any more survivors have disappeared.
Maritime experts have expressed fears that the ship's position could cause "some small spillage" of the 500,000 gallons of fuel in its 17 tanks. Dutch maritime services company SMIT said it was ready to start pumping fuel from the stricken liner once search operations for missing people have ended and they get the go-ahead from local authorities. SMIT has been asked by the ship's owner and insurer to salvage up to 2,300 tonnes of fuel from the 114,500-tonne ship and clean up if fuel on the vessel starts to leak.
It comes after a dramatic recording apparently revealed the ship's captain ignored orders to go back to the ship he had abandoned . Francesco Schettino, who is accused of manslaughter, abandoning his ship and causing a shipwreck, was arrested on Saturday.
He is blamed by his employer for risking the lives of more than 4,200 passengers by sailing too close to the shore so he could "make a salute".
Divers used explosives to blast holes in the vessel on Tuesday, when five more bodies were found inside the half-submerged ship.
Thirteen German tourists, six Italians, four French citizens, two Americans and three people from Peru, India and Hungary are unaccounted for. Four of those missing were crew members and the rest were passengers. The nationalities of the five bodies found on Tuesday were not immediately announced.
The Captain of the Costa Concordia has been placed under house arrest after a court appearance relating to his role in the disaster that has left 11 dead.
And while the search continues for any bodies that remain in the vessel - with 23 people still missing - hopes of finding any more survivors have disappeared.
Maritime experts have expressed fears that the ship's position could cause "some small spillage" of the 500,000 gallons of fuel in its 17 tanks. Dutch maritime services company SMIT said it was ready to start pumping fuel from the stricken liner once search operations for missing people have ended and they get the go-ahead from local authorities. SMIT has been asked by the ship's owner and insurer to salvage up to 2,300 tonnes of fuel from the 114,500-tonne ship and clean up if fuel on the vessel starts to leak.
It comes after a dramatic recording apparently revealed the ship's captain ignored orders to go back to the ship he had abandoned . Francesco Schettino, who is accused of manslaughter, abandoning his ship and causing a shipwreck, was arrested on Saturday.
He is blamed by his employer for risking the lives of more than 4,200 passengers by sailing too close to the shore so he could "make a salute".
Divers used explosives to blast holes in the vessel on Tuesday, when five more bodies were found inside the half-submerged ship.
Thirteen German tourists, six Italians, four French citizens, two Americans and three people from Peru, India and Hungary are unaccounted for. Four of those missing were crew members and the rest were passengers. The nationalities of the five bodies found on Tuesday were not immediately announced.
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