SPM Safety Programme Manager

The proprietors of Tobacco Dock, Wapping, Messila House Limited, have been fined £8,600 plus £1,000 costs for failing to adequately train and instruct in the use of scaffolding, a matter that contributed to an industrial accident. On June 26th 2007, an employee painting the Sea Lark, a replica pirate ship, fell 4.5 metres from the structure erected around it.
The prosecution was instigated by Tower Hamlets Council and executed by Thames Magistrates’ Court. 9th March 2010.

KTC (Edibles) Ltd has been fined £12,500 plus £2,388 costs having admitted breaching S.2(1) of the Health & Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and r.3(2) of the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 following a number of offences at its West Bromwich premises.
In February last year, a mezzanine floor collapsed, causing injury to an employee when he was trapped between bags of rice and beans. After the incident an HSE inspector who was not informed of the injury advised on edge protection around the opening, but the advice was not acted upon and a prohibition notice followed. Several other safety issues were of concern to the official were raised.
An HSE official commented: “This company showed scant regard for health and safety practice, putting their employees at risk of serious injury, if not death. The management of KTC Edibles Ltd had ample opportunity to report the incident to the visiting authorities.” 16th December 2009.

Following the £266,000 fine (plus costs of £75,000) given by Ipswich Magistrate’s Court to Associated British Ports of Holborn, London, in connection with a fatal industrial accident, an HSE official described the tragedy as “another example of a fatal incident that could and should have been prevented.”
On 30th March 2007, a 60-year-old cargo handler was working as a ramp man servicing a roll-on roll-off ferry at the Port of Ipswich. As he stood on the bridge between the ferry and the quayside coordinating vehicles on and off the ferry, he was struck by a reversing trailer. The company had failed to ensure the provision and implementation of a safe system of work for the  operation.
The HSE official further commented: “The company had identified the risks to the ramp man, yet failed to prevent him being in a position of danger behind a reversing vehicle.
Workplace transport is not specific to the docks industry and many other industries can learn lessons from this tragic incident. Employers in all industries must ensure that the interaction between moving vehicles and pedestrians in the workplace is managed properly.” 22nd September 2009.

Mansell Build Ltd, formerly Birse Build Ltd of Cheadle Hulme, Cheshire, has been fined £12,500 with £12,500 costs for not adhering to legal requirements in relation to asbestos removal at Kelford School in Rotherham in 2006.
Mansell, the principal contractor for the project, was employed to carry out the work to remove asbestos insulating board ceilings but it contracted ARB Agriplant Ltd of Rotherham who did not have a licence for such work.
A former manager of ARB Agriplant Ltd was fined £2,500 with £500 costs and another individual, to whom the work was further contracted, was fined £500 and ordered to pay £250 costs.
All involved failed to implement basic requirements to prevent the spread and exposure to asbestos, additionally, ARB Agriplant Ltd provided a forged asbestos licence and a falsified clearance certificate to Mansell Build Ltd to the effect  that the work had been undertaken by a licensed contractor and that the area was free from asbestos. 7th September 2009.

WD Bennett’s Plant & Services Ltd has been fined £125,000 with costs of £264,299, having been convicted earlier at Chichester Crown Court of two health and safety breaches that led to the death of two workers and injury to a third on a construction site in Durrington, Worthing, on 11th February 2005.
The deceased men had been working on the jib of a crane as a third man worked on its mast. He was instructed to begin de-torquing the crane’s mast bolts and should have done so one-by-one, and then re-tightened each bolt in turn. However, he was not trained in this job and he failed to re-tighten the bolts, leaving them partly undone which caused the crane to collapse as it was turned, throwing the men from the crane. 5th August 2009.

” Specialist prosecutors are now leading the investigation and prosecution of health and safety cases across Scotland, the Solicitor General, Frank Mulholland QC, announced today.

Procurators Fiscal in the new Health and Safety Division are providing advice, support and direction from the very earliest stages of investigations.

Led by senior prosecutor Elaine Taylor, the new Division has established three dedicated units based in Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow. They will work closely with the Health and Safety Executive, local authorities and other agencies who report health and safety cases to COPFS.

Announcing the official launch of the new division, Mr Mulholland said:

“Whether they are dealing with tragic loss of life or incidents that are potentially life threatening, our specialist prosecutors are working hard to help create and maintain safer workplaces and environments across Scotland.

“Drawing on their expertise and experience, they will identify unlawful practices that put safety at risk in our communities, bringing to justice those who fail to discharge their obligations under health and safety law.

“The reports we receive from HSE, local authorities and other agencies cover a wide range of problems and the creation of our new specialist division will help to ensure we build on our existing expertise to deal with the complex issues that can arise in health and safety investigations.”

Elaine Taylor, Head of the new Health and Safety Division, said:

“While we investigate all cases thoroughly, some – such as the recent Super Puma tragedy – are particularly high profile and complex, with unique challenges for investigators and prosecutors. We anticipate that cases like this will benefit particularly from the new division and its specialist teams.

“We also recognise how important it is that we communicate with victims and families during what can be lengthy investigations and inquiries. That is why our team has a dedicated member of staff from our Victim Information and Advice (VIA) service who will be working to keep families informed and updated about the progress of cases.

“Before we set up the new Division, our colleagues did some excellent work in the field of health and safety. We intend to build on their efforts and further enhance the service that communities across Scotland expect and deserve.”

Paul Stollard, Regional Director of the Health & Safety Executive, said:

“HSE very much welcomes the introduction of this new division. Despite recent statistics showing that the number of work-related fatalities in Scotland is at a record low, there are still a worrying number of serious workplace accidents taking place that are entirely preventable.

By building on the close working relationship that already exists between HSE and the Procurator Fiscal’s office, we can ensure those responsible for fatalities and major injuries in the workplace are held to account so that further incidents can be avoided.” “

Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service 

7 July 2009

The provisional figure for the number of workers fatally injured across Great Britain in 2008/09 is 180 − the lowest level of workplace fatalities on record. This corresponds to a fatal injury rate of 0.6 per 100,000 workers − a fall of 25 per cent on the previous year.

Provisional figures for the number of fatal workplace injuries sustained across Great Britain in 2008/09 are as follows:

·         Scotland – 26 fatal injuries

·         Wales – 5 fatal injuries

·         North East – 9 fatal injuries

·         North West – 22 fatal injuries

·         Yorkshire and the Humber – 24 fatal injuries.

·         West Midlands – 12 fatal injuries

·         East Midlands – 11 fatal injuries

·         East England – 12 fatal injuries,

·         South East – 15 fatal injuries

·         South West – 22 fatal injuries

·         London – 20 fatal injuries

(HSE Website July 2009)

 On 18th March 2009, Judith Hackitt CBE, Chair of HSE, gave the annual Rivers lecture on the importance of board leadership in enterprise health and safety.

In essence, she made clear to an audience of company directors and board secretaries that whilst H&S is frequently billed as the first item on every board agenda, it is often the poor relation when it comes to meanginful consideration or discussion. Unless, of course the unthinkable has ocurred. By which time it’s already too late to save the dead or protect the seriously injured.

She pointed out that in 2008 almost 28,000 major injuries were reported with around 110,000 cases where absences of 3 days or more resulted. This, along with over half a million new cases of work-related ill health reported in the previous year, brought the total to more than 2 million people who are suffering from an illness caused or made worse by their current or past employment. This level of suffering, loss and distress caused by harm directly related to work activities results in a cost to business estimated in the region of £2-£3 billion annually not to mention the disaffect on society.

Read the full transcript on the HSE website at  http://www.hse.gov.uk/aboutus/speeches/transcripts/hackitt180309.htm

Put simply, by being a safer organisation, a firm’s profitability and sustainability is put at less risk.  Good safety culture comes from strong and proactive leadership involving and including everyone from the boardroom through the shop floor to the market.

To all of our existing customers, welcome to the latest innovation of  the SPM Scheme. Your regional consultant will be in touch soon to arrange a suitable time to upgrade and upload your current Scheme onto the new SPM browser-hosted portal. Packed with new features, including  our whole enterprise at-a-glance summary tool, QuikStatus™, we’re sure you’ll agree SPM continues to provide the best user experience, service and return on investment.

To all of our future customers, take a look aound our site. If you like what you see, pick up the phone or send us an e-mail.