Annual workplace fatality statistics published

The long term trend has seen the rate of fatalities more than halve over the last 20 years. However, provisional figures indicate that 144 people were killed while at work in 2015/2016 – up from 142 in 2014/5.

The Health and Safety Executive has called on all sectors to learn lessons to ensure workers return home safe from work.

Martin Temple, HSE Chair said:

“One death at work or life needlessly shortened, is one too many and behind every statistic lies a real story of loss and heartbreak and families left to grieve.

“Britain has one of the best health and safety systems in the world, but we should always be looking to improve and to prevent incidents that cost lives.

“This year HSE travelled the country asking industry representatives, employers, unions, workers and others what they could do to help GB work well. The response was hugely encouraging and I would like to ask people to deliver on the commitments made, that will help keep Britain’s workers alive.”

The new figures show the rate of fatal injuries in key industrial sectors:

·         Forty three workers died in construction, the same as the average for the previous five years.

·         In agriculture there were 27 deaths (compared to the five-year average of 32).

·         In manufacturing there were 27 deaths (compared to five-year average 22), but this figure includes three incidents that resulted in a total of eight deaths.

·         There were six fatal injuries to workers in waste and recycling, compared to the five-year average of seven, but subject to considerable yearly fluctuation.

·         There were also 103 members of the public fatally injured in accidents connected to work in 2015/16, of which 36 (35 percent) related to incidents occurring on railways.

Comparisons of fatal injuries by country or region are based on where the accident occurred. After taking industrial composition into account, those regions and countries with seemingly higher rates are not (statistically) different to the rest of GB. In 2015/16 the highest fatal injury rates across all countries and regions were Wales (0.93 per 100,000 workers); Scotland (0.60); and Yorkshire and the Humber (0.58). Due to the relatively small numbers and to reduce some of the yearly fluctuation, when averaged across a five-year time period to 2014/15 those regions with the highest fatal injury rates were also Wales (0.81), Scotland (0.73) and Yorkshire and the Humber (0.70).

The statistics again confirm the UK to be one of the safest places to work in Europe, having one of the lowest rates of fatal injuries to workers in leading industrial nations.

HSE has also released the latest available figures on deaths from asbestos-related cancer. Mesothelioma, one of the few work related diseases where deaths can be counted directly, contracted through past exposure to asbestos killed 2,515 in Great Britain in 2014 compared to 2,556 in 2013.

A more detailed assessment of the data will be provided as part of the annual Health and Safety Statistics release in early November.

Further information on these statistics can be found at http://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/fatals.htm

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Steel giants Tata fined almost £2 million

Tata Steel has been fined £1.98 million after two workers at its Corby plant suffered serious hand injuries.

A 26-year-old employee lost two-thirds of his left hand, and his middle and ring fingers, while trying to clear a blockage on a steel tube manufacturing line with unsuitable guarding, Northampton Crown Court heard. In a separate incident, a 52-year-old team leader lost part of his little finger after his left hand was caught during refresher training, again in an inadequately guarded machine.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that inappropriate steps were taken to guard users from dangerous parts of the machinery involved in the incidents, which happened in September 2014 and February 2015 respectively.

Mark Austin, an inspector at the HSE, said: “Guarding of dangerous parts of machinery is a fundamental of ensuring workers’ safety. HSE will not hesitate to hold those accountable who do not fulfil their legal obligations, especially if that results in someone receiving life-changing injuries.”

Tata UK Limited pleaded guilty to two counts of breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The company was fined a total of £1.98 million (£185,000 for the first incident, plus £1.8m for the second) and ordered to pay costs totaling £22,500.

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A construction company has been fined over half a million pounds for the corporate manslaughter of two men who died after falling into a building site it operated

Monavon Construction pleaded guilty to the corporate manslaughter of Gavin Brewer, 32, and Stuart Meads, 34, at the Old Bailey on Monday, 9 May.

Sentencing took place at the Old Bailey on Monday, 27 June.

The company also pleaded guilty to an offence under section 3 of the Health and Safety at Work Act, namely the failure to discharge duty to a non-employee.

Monavon Construction were responsible for a building site in Netley Street at the junction with Hampstead Road, NW1. Work had been ongoing at the site for approximately three years and construction was nearing its conclusion.

Part of the site bordered Netley Street and plywood hoardings had been put in place there which covered the pavement. On 14 October 2013 work began to change the hoarding so the pavement could be reinstated. On Friday, 18 October this work had been completed leaving the hoardings, measuring approximately 4ft in height, fixed by wooden struts to a wall behind which measured between 130mm to 280mm in height.

Behind this wall was a drop of approximately 12ft down into a basement area.

Gavin Brewer and Stuart Meads were walking in Netley Street, NW1 in the early hours of Saturday, 19 October 2013. Gavin and Stuart were arguing and scuffling with one another. As the pair walked past the building site they made contact with the hoarding which gave way, sending both men falling into the basement area.

Both Gavin and Stuart were pronounced dead at the scene following their fall.

The Metropolitan Police launched a joint investigation with the Health and Safety Executive. This investigation found that the hoardings had been fixed in such a way that only negligible force would have been required to make them give way.

Monavon was fined £250,000 each for the deaths of Gavin Brewer and Stuart Meads as well as £50,000 for heath and safety breached. They were also ordered to pay £23,653 prosecution costs.

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Worker fatally crushed by refuse collection vehicle – firms fined £815,000

Two companies were fined a total of £815,000 after a worker and father-to-be was crushed to death in Lancashire by a refuse collection vehicle.

Veolia ES Sheffield Limited (Veolia) and John Fowler and Son (Blacksmiths and Welders) Limited (JFS) both pleaded guilty and were sentenced at Preston Crown Court, after an investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

The court heard that, on 17 May 2014, during a refurbishment task at JFS in Chorley, an operative using the controls within the RCV’s cab closed the tailgate on Rick Calsen who was at the rear of the vehicle, fatally crushing him to death.

The RCV was supplied with in-cab controls for raising and lowering the tailgate. The system was designed such that it should not have been possible to completely close the tailgate using the in-cab controls, with a minimum gap of 1m being left between the bottom edges of the body and the tailgate. Examinations revealed a fault with the safety limit switch – it was found to be jammed in the actuated position resulting in it being possible to completely close the tailgate using the in-cab controls.

The HSE investigation found the fatal injury occurred due to a poor system of work at JFS, derived from a lack of a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks, including failure to prop the tailgate adequately.

In addition, Veolia failed in its inspection regime, which did not systematically review the functionality of the 1m safety limit switch (a designated safety function) on relevant RCVs. Had the fault with the 1m safety limit switch been identified and rectified at Veolia, the poor system of work employed at JFS would have been unable to result in the closure of the tailgate causing the entrapment of the worker.

HSE inspector Rohan Lye said after the hearing: “This tragic incident was entirely preventable.

“It is important for organisations to maintain safety critical devices so they function correctly. Additionally, if a company utilises a system of work which does not rely on the effectiveness of that safety device, but then employs a contractor to work on the machine, there should be an effectively communicated handover so both are aware of any limitations and how the machine could function.

“Veolia’s failure to include the functionality of a manufacturer-stated safety critical device on its RCVs in its maintenance regimes resulted in an inability to relay information to any third party about its presence and condition. Therefore it exposed non-employees to unnecessary risk and ultimately contributed to this appalling loss of life.

“Similarly, JFS’s failure to implement a safe system of work for the maintenance of the RCV meant that any of its employees were exposed to the same risk. The lack of an adequate assessment of the risks of working around RCVs enabled the hazard of the non-functioning switch to materialize in the worst possible manner.

“As a result of the failings on behalf of both duty-holders, Rick Calsen, a young man and father-to-be lost his life whilst going about his work.”

Veolia ES Sheffield Limited of Pentonville Road, London, was found guilty of breaching Regulation 6(2) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 and Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and was fined £750,000 with £11,981 costs.

John Fowler and Son (Blacksmiths and Welders) Limited, of Bexley Square, Salford, Manchester, was found guilty of breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and was fined £65,000 with £12,443 costs.

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Body manufacturing firm fined after workers crushed between vehicles

A vehicle body manufacturing company in Stoke on Trent has been fined after two workers were seriously injured when they were crushed between a moving vehicle and stationary vehicles.
North Staffordshire Magistrates’ Court heard that a colleague of the two men was attempting to manoeuvre an 18 tonne vehicle in the work shop of Commercial Body Specialists Limited on 12 January 2015 when two employees were pinned and crushed between the manoeuvring vehicle and two other stationary vehicles. One other employee jumped out of the way.
One worker suffered several fractures to his pelvis and ribs as well as internal bladder and kidney lacerations. The other worker suffered crush injuries to his legs.
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) into the incident found that the company had failed to identify and assess workplace transport risks and had failed to put in place protective measures, safe systems of work and proper instruction and training to ensure employee pedestrian safety during vehicle movement.
Commercial Body Specialists Limited, of High Street, Tunstall, Stoke on Trent, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, and was fined £20,000 and ordered to pay costs of £4,461.

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Company fined after worker is fatally crushed in trench

A company has been fined £2.6 million after an employee was killed when the trench he was working in collapsed on him in Lancashire.

James Sim, a 32-year-old worker, from Barry, South Wales, a sub-contractor working on behalf of Balfour Beatty Utility Solutions Limited. On the 14 April 2010, Mr Sim was working in a trench, laying ducting for new cable for an offshore windfarm that was being built off the coast by Heysham, Lancashire. The trench was dug to a depth of 2.4 metres, without any shoring. Mr Sim was killed when he became trapped in the trench after it collapsed on him.

Balfour Beatty Utility Solutions Limited pleaded guilty at Preston Crown Court today after an investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

The Court heard that Balfour Beatty failed to adequately risk assess the works or control the way in which the excavation took place.

HSE inspector Chris Hatton said after the hearing: “The level of this fine should serve as a warning to industry not to ignore health and safety matters.

“Balfour Beatty failed to adequately assess, plan and supervise the work being undertaken. Trench collapses are easy to prevent, and it is disappointing that James’ life was lost in such a tragic way.

“The family has shown great patience and support throughout this investigation which is a credit to both them and James’ memory.”

Balfour Beatty Utility Solutions Limited, of Park Square Newton, Chambers Road, Chapeltown, Sheffield pleaded guilty of breaching Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, Regulation 31(1) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007 and Regulation 3(1)(a) of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 and was fined £2.6million with £54,000 costs.

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