10 Days to go …….

How would you like to win Two FREE tickets to the next Mighty Mini Championship Race to be held on Bank Holiday Monday 25^th August at Castle Combe, Wiltshire?

The day will be full of excitement with plenty of action from the drivers as they battle it out for the Championship Title, with only a few more races before the end of the season the battle for first place is sure to be an event not to be missed. To win the two free tickets just answer the following question: CRS introduced a mission statement two years ago, what is their mission statement? Please email the answer to rs@crsrisk.com. Closing date for entries is 31^st July 5.00p.m. We have already has several entries and if you have not entered why not do it today? You can find the answer on our website www.crsrisk.com together with a complete range of our Health, Safety & Environmental accredited courses, with lots of special offers and some discounted prices. If you are not the lucky winner you can still purchase tickets at the gate for a really great fun day out. Why not  come and support  our driver Caroline Gilbert and Team CRSRisk.

Developer goes to prison after repeatedly flaunting safety laws

A developer has been sent to prison for 30 months after repeatedly breaching prohibition notices which were put in place to ensure the safety of workers while redeveloping a former office block in Parkeston, Essex.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) visited the site on 28 February 2013 following complaints from local residents worried about debris falling from upper storeys and of the danger to workers being left without any protection from falling while working at height. Eze Kinsley, the developer who was found to be in control of workers at the site, verbally abused the HSE Inspector who visited. The inspector had to return with Essex police officers later to serve prohibition notices requiring an immediate stop to unsafe work at the site. Mr Kinsley reacted strongly to this, physically assaulting the inspector.

After further reports that work had not stopped, HSE issued a further prohibition notice on 3 April 2013, which was breached within just one hour of being served.

Eze Kinsley, of Edgware, Middlesex, was last week (18 July 2014) prosecuted by the HSE at Colchester Magistrates’ Court for serious breaches of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.

HSE’s investigation found that there were no safety measures in place to prevent injury to workers from debris falling from height and that there was also a real risk of injury to members of the public using the road and pavement next to the Parkeston House site. Mr Kinsley, of Burnt Oak Broadway, Edgware, Middlesex, was given a 30 months prison sentence after being found guilty of two breaches of section 3(2) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, to be served concurrently with three 12-month prison sentences after being found guilty of three counts of contravening a Prohibition Notice contrary to section 33(1)(g) of the same Act. He was also ordered to pay costs of £5,000. Mr Kinsley was found guilty of assaulting an inspector from HSE at a separate court appearance.

After the case, HSE Inspector Jonathan Elven, said: “Although no one was injured as a result of the woefully inadequate working practices this is nevertheless a serious case. The working conditions on this site were truly appalling with absolutely no provision for workers’ safety. In addition, the repeated breaching of prohibition notices – without any attempts to put right the reasons why work had been stopped – put workers and the general public at serious risk. Mr Kinsley refused to accept that he had a responsibility to make sure people who worked for him, and any member of the public living or working near his site, were not subjected to unnecessary risks – and vigorously and violently resisted all attempts to make him take actions to protect them. Putting safe working practices in place is often simple and inexpensive and, where this doesn’t happen, the costs, both financial and personal, can be immense.”

Mighty Mini Update & Two FREE tickets to be won

 
Rounds 7 and 8 of the Mighty Mini Championship took place at a surprisingly sunny Oulton Park, Cheshire.  After a lot of rain over night the track was still damp in places as qualifying started for the Mighty’s, just 4 laps into the session and Brayden Fletcher (younger brother of Kelvin Fletcher from Emmerdale) spun in the tricky conditions coming out of Old Hall and made heavy contact with the tyre barrier bringing out the red flags.  With less than half the session remaining and the track drying it was a 3 lap dash for qualifying Caroline managed a reasonable 14^th place.
A few issues on the way to the grid saw empty grid spots in front of Caroline, as the lights went out she made a good start a jumped a couple more cars, although she did run wide at Old Hall so had to be careful for the rest of the race not to get a penalty!! She was soon in a battle with Brayden and fellow lady race Penny.  Brayden got to the front of the tussle and started pulling away whilst it took Caroline another lap to pass her. She finished in 9^th place.
Frustratingly the top 8 were reversed for race 2 which gave pole to Brayden Fletcher who had finished just one place in front of Caroline. Several of the normal front running cars had encounted problems in race 1 which lead to a bit of a mixed up grid for race 2 as they were starting form the back. The faster cars worked together and pushed their way through the pack very quickly although Caroline found herself running around 10^th place having made another good start.
Only a few laps into the race and Ryan Cowley braked too late for Knickerbrook hitting the tyre stack and rolling the car and bringing out the red flags. Ryan was ok due to the safety systems in the car but the mini had seen better days and needed to be moved to a place of safety.
The race restarted and it was a 2 lap sprint to the flag where any car could be the winner. Unfortunately for Caroline another tagged the one in front of her into a spin and she had to come to a standstill to miss him putting her at the very back of the field. She managed to catch-up and overtake 3 cars in a lap and a half and finished in a frustrating 15^th place.
The next rounds are at Castle Combe on August bank holiday Monday.
You could win two FREE VIP Tickets to the next race at Castle Combe to be in with a chance please answer the following question: CRS introduced a mission statement two years  ago, what is their mission statement? Please email your answer to rs@crsrisk.com. Closing date for entries is 31^st July 5p.m.

New Explosives Regulations 2014 and guidance L150

The Explosives Regulations 2014 will come into force on 1 October 2014, and the Approved Code of Practice to the Manufacture and Storage of Explosives Regulations 2005 will be withdrawn.

The Approved Code of Practice and guidance in L139 Manufacture and storage of explosives. Manufacture and Storage of Explosives Regulations 2005. Approved Code of Practice and guidance applies up to and including 30 September 2014. You can download it for free or buy a printed version. From 1 October 2014 when the Explosives Regulations 2014 come into effect, the guidance in L150 will apply. A draft version of L150 is available for download, or you can order a printed copy, which will be despatched after 1 October 2014. Please note that if you download a copy before 1 October 2014, the draft may be subject to further change before the Explosives Regulations come into effect.

About this guidance

This publication is for anyone who has duties under the safety provisions of the Explosives Regulations 2014, particularly employers, private individuals and other people manufacturing explosives, storing larger quantities of explosives or storing explosives that present higher hazards. It provides overarching guidance on how the safety provisions of the Regulations should be met. It is supported by subsector guidance published over the summer. You should use the relevant subsector guidance to support and supplement this guidance. L150 Safety provisions should be read alongside L151 Security provision (to be published shortly).

What has changed?

·         Merging registrations into the licensing system

·         Allowing local authorities to issue licences up to 5 years, aligning them with equivalent HSE/police-issued licences

·         Extending licensing to address storage of ammonium nitrate blasting intermediate (ANBI)

·         Exceptions for keeping desensitised explosives without a licence have been updated

·         Tables of separation distances have been restructured to better allow for sites with more than one store. The tables have also been revised to cover quantities of explosives greater than 2000kg

·         A revised list of explosives that can be acquired or acquired and kept without an explosives certificate from the police.

·         The repeal of the Fireworks Act 1951, as its remaining provisions have been superseded by the Pyrotechnic (Safety) Regulations 2010

Construction company in court after employee crushed by excavator

A Worcestershire construction company has been fined for neglecting safety after a 27-year-old worker sustained life-changing injuries when he was struck by a reversing excavator.

Thomas Plumb, from Evesham, was run over by the vehicle as it reversed on a site in Gretton, near Cheltenham, on 10 May 2013, leaving his right leg shattered.

He was in a coma for ten days and in hospital for seven weeks. He has since undergone extensive surgery, including bone and skin grafts and now has metal rods and screws in his leg, knee and ankle.

The incident was investigated by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) which on Monday (7 July) prosecuted his employer, SD Launchbury Ltd, of Evesham, at Cheltenham Magistrates’ Court.

HSE discovered SD Launchbury Ltd had not carried out a proper assessment of the risks on site and so had failed to ensure a safe system of work was in place, including the use of a trained banksman. There was also no segregation or barriers between dangerous moving plant and pedestrians.

The court heard how the excavator did not have adequate rear view mirrors or other visual aids, and its warning beacon was not working. In addition, the operator’s direct field of vision was obscured by the counterbalance on the vehicle.

The investigation also found workers had not been provided with information or instructions about working around excavators or given high-vis personal protective equipment. SD Launchbury Ltd also failed to ensure that work on the site was properly supervised.

SD Launchbury Ltd, registered at High Street, Evesham, Worcestershire, and with its HQ in Murcot, Oxfordshire was fined £12,000 and ordered to pay £913 in costs after pleading guilty to a breach of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE Inspector Kate Leftly said:

“Thomas Plumb suffered life-changing injuries, which could have been avoided if SD Launchbury had properly assessed the risk posed by the excavator and appropriate controls, including segregation of vehicles and pedestrians and the provision of adequate visibility aids, had been put in place.

“Each year, around ten people in the construction industry die as a result of being struck by moving plant. In addition, there are hundreds of preventable incidents and injuries.” NEBOSH Certificate in Construction Health & Safety  - Week commencing 8^th September York to book visit www.crsrisk.com

Proposals to exempt certain self- employed people from health and safety laws

Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has opened an 8 week consultation ending 31 August 2014 on proposals to exempt certain self-employed persons from section 3(2) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act (1974), except those undertaking activities on a prescribed list.  

The proposed change to the Act arises from Professor Löfstedt’s review of health and safety and the general proposal was consulted on by HSE in 2012.  A clause to amend current duties on self-employed persons is included in the Deregulation Bill at clause 1.  

The clause has the effect of limiting the scope of section 3(2) of HSWA to those self-employed carrying out specified activities, working in certain industry sectors or with hazards of a prescribed description.  All others will be exempt. The amendment gives the Secretary of State power to make regulations for the purposes of prescribing those self-employed persons who still have duties.

HSE is seeking views on the clarity of the definitions relied upon in the draft regulations. 

The consultation will end on 31 August 2014.

The consultation is available by visiting HSE's consultation webpages.

Costa Concordia Wreck Set to Be Refloated

The wreck of the Costa Concordia cruise liner is set to be refloated, to be towed away from the Italian island where it ran aground and capsized two and a half years ago, the group organizing the removal said on Thursday. The hulk of the 290-meter ship was righted and secured in a complex operation off the Tuscan holiday island of Giglio last September and, with the arrival of calm summer weather, is now due to be towed to Genoa to be broken up for scrap.
The last of 30 stabilizing devices or "sponsons" was attached to the wreck on Thursday and technicians will now start to test all the systems for the final refloating, the Concordia Wreck Removal Project said in a statement. "Following installation of the last sponson, we can start the countdown to refloating and final departure of the wreck," Michael Thamm, chief executive of Costa Cruises, a unit of the liner's owner Carnival Corp, said in the statement.
The organizers said the last phases of the project to remove the 114,500-metric-ton vessel, the largest maritime salvage in history, would be explained in detail in the next few days. A consortium including oil services group Saipem and the Genoa-based companies Mariotti and San Giorgio will carry out the dismantling. The ship's captain, Francesco Schettino, is on trial accused of manslaughter, causing a shipwreck and abandoning ship. Thirty-two people died in the catastrophe.
Source : MarineLink (Reporting by Isla Binnie; Editing by Kevin Liffey)