HSE CONSTRUCTION INFONET – NOVEMBER 2009
Construction Infonet is a free e-Bulletin from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to provide a regular update on health and safety issues for all in the construction industry.
Please find attached some articles from Novembers Issue
1. HSE AGREES PROPOSALS FOR NEW TOWER CRANE REGULATIONS
Detailed recommendations for a statutorily-based tower crane register were agreed on 25 November 2009 by the HSE Board following a three-month public consultation. These details will now be put to Government Ministers for approval.
The public consultation period ended on 16 October 2009 during which HSE received 100 responses from key stakeholders.
View the HSE consultation document http://www.hse.gov.uk/consult/condocs/cd221.htm?ebul=cons/nov09&cr=2
2. ASBESTOS – THE HIDDEN KILLER CAMPAIGN
How much do you know about asbestos? – take the quiz
http://www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos/hiddenkiller/facts-start.htm?ebul=cons/nov09&cr=3
Hear real life stories from trades and maintenance workers and their families who have suffered the devastating effects of mesothelioma, an incurable cancer caused by exposure to asbestos.
http://www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos/hiddenkiller/real-life-stories.htm?ebul=cons/nov09&cr=4
3. ANNUAL ACCIDENT STATISTICS
Britain became a healthier and safer place to work last year, according to figures released by HSE on 28 October 2009.
In 2008/09 there were 53 fatal injuries in the construction industry. Within the industry a higher proportion of reported injuries were caused by falls from height, falling objects, contact with moving machinery, collapses/overturns and electricity.
If you want to know more – Work-related injuries and ill health in construction – http://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/industry/construction/index.htm?ebul=cons/nov09&cr=6
Construction Intelligence Report – http://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/pdf/conintreport.pdf?ebul=cons/nov09&cr=7
4. RECENT ENFORCEMENT ACTIVITY
Read details of some recent HSE prosecutions and enforcement action in the construction sector and find sources of relevant advice.
Work at height
23 November 2009 – HSE prosecuted Mark Wilson, trading as MWS Scaffolding Services, in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, after uncovering breaches of health and safety law on a site in Waltham Forest, north east London.
Mr Wilson was fined £5,000 and ordered to pay costs of £2,566.80 after pleading guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.
On 21 November 2008 a scaffolding employee, working under the direct supervision and instruction of Mr Wilson, was attempting to fix scaffolding when he fell through an unprotected fragile roof light and landed more than 10 metres below in an open store. The employee suffered a broken leg, cuts and was unable to work for more than three months.
Work at height solutions – http://webcommunities.hse.gov.uk/inovem/inovem.ti/workheight/view?objectId=14419?ebul=cons/nov09&cr=9
Scaffolding
23 November 2009 - Two construction firms involved in a major scaffolding collapse at Milton Keynes were fined £126,000 for their role in the incident which left one man dead and two others seriously injured.
McAleer & Rushe Limited of Cookstown, N.Ireland was fined £90,000 and ordered to pay costs of £42,000. The cladder on the site, Lee Smith Carpentry Limited of Romsey, Hampshire was fined £36,000 and ordered to pay costs of £28,000.
The court heard that a combination of failures led to the scaffolding collapse. The scaffolding was not strong or stable enough for the work being carried out. Inspection of the scaffold was also inadequate, despite specific instructions from HSE and McAleer’s health and safety manager.
http://www.hse.gov.uk/press/2009/coie10009.htm?ebul=cons/nov09&cr=10
25 November 2009 – An eagle-eyed safety inspector was lied to after he stopped to investigate unsafe scaffolding he was driving past, a court heard.
HSE inspector Steve Woods was driving past the Coach & Horses Inn in Billinghay, Lincolnshire, on 11 June 2008 when he saw three employees of Bracknell Roofing Co Ltd using an unsafe tower scaffold to repair a flat roof.
The roof and tower scaffold had no edge protection, inadequate boarding which was not properly attached and it was propped up on bricks and blocks. A manager had visited the site and allowed work to continue only 45 minutes before Mr Woods arrived and found dangerous safety defects.
Bracknell Roofing Co Ltd, of Sevenoaks, Kent, was fined £8,000 and ordered to pay full costs of £2572.80 after pleading guilty to breaching Regulations 4(1) and 8b(1) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005.
http://www.hse.gov.uk/press/2009/coiem9509.htm?ebul=cons/nov09&cr=11
Further information
Scaffold checklist – http://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/scaffoldinginfo.htm?ebul=cons/nov09&cr=12
Asbestos
28 October 2009 – Two businesses and a company director have been fined after workers in Manchester were exposed to potentially deadly asbestos fibres.
Recon Packaging Ltd, of Ashton-under-Lyne, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 4(3) of the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2002 and was fined £3,000 and ordered to pay costs of £5,000.
Industrial & Commercial Building Services Ltd (ICBS) of Stockport and its Managing Director, Kevin Bennett, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, and Regulation 3(1) of the Asbestos Licensing Regulations 1983. They were each fined £2,000.
The court heard that ICBS employees came into contact with asbestos while demolishing part of the Recon Packaging recycling plant on Bower Street in Miles Platting in early 2006.
http://www.hse.gov.uk/press/2009/coinw032recon09.htm?ebul=cons/nov09&cr=13
11 November 2009 – Edinburgh Council has been fined £14,000 after 14 of its employees, were potentially exposed to asbestos while carrying out refurbishment work.
The workers, including joiners, had been instructed to remove laboratory doors from Castlebrae Community High School back in April 2007 and carry out alterations at the council’s workshop on Murrayburn Road. This involved cutting the doors which disturbed the asbestos core inside.
The council pleaded guilty at Edinburgh Sheriff Court of breaching the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2006, Regulations 4(9)(c)(i), 6(1), 11(1)(a) and 7(1).
The court heard how the council had failed to keep accurate records of the location and condition of asbestos and did not have suitable procedures in place to inform those working on or near the substance that it was there.
http://www.hse.gov.uk/press/2009/coisco17709.htm?ebul=cons/nov09&cr=14
Further Information
http://www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos/index.htm?ebul=cons/nov09&cr=15
http://www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos/hiddenkiller/index.htm?ebul=cons/nov09&cr=16
H&S management
27 October 2009 – A London-based plumber has been fined following the death of a labourer in Essex.
HSE brought the case after Ajet Krasniqi, 24, died when he was hit on the head by a reinforced steel joist in Buckhurst Hill, Essex.
His employer, Leonard Gibson of London, was fined £10,000 and was also ordered to pay £3,230 costs. Mr Gibson, a plumber and sole trader, had already pleaded guilty on 22 September 2009 to a breach of Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.
Mr Krasniqi had been employed by Mr Gibson as a labourer to help with the complete refurbishment of a domestic property. On 24 October 2006, he was helping to lift a reinforced steel joist with four others when it fell and struck him on the head. Although Mr Krasniqi was taken to hospital he was pronounced dead on arrival.
http://www.hse.gov.uk/press/2009/coie29.htm?ebul=cons/nov09&cr=17
12 November 2009 – A construction company in Leigh has been ordered to pay £11,517 after one of its workers was seriously injured when a wall collapsed on him in Wigan.
Hughes Brothers Building & Joinery Ltd pleaded guilty to a charge under Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act. It was fined £8,000 and ordered to pay costs of £3,517.
The court heard that the worker – Scott Hutchinson of Golborne – was helping to demolish offices at the site on 15 July 2008 when a wall collapsed on him. He suffered multiple injuries including fractures to his left leg, collar bone and arm, and injuries to the vertebrae in his upper and lower back and is has yet to return to work..
http://www.hse.gov.uk/press/2009/coinw04309.htm?ebul=cons/nov09&cr=18
13 November 2009 – A London property developer and landlord was fined £10,000 after workers on two of his developments were put at risk.
HSE prosecuted Lahrie Mohamed of South Woodford, London, after uncovering breaches of health and safety law on two sites in Waltham Forest, north east London.
Mr Mohamed was fined £10,000 and ordered to pay costs of £4,103 after pleading guilty to breaching regulations 4(1)(a) and 9(1)(a) of the Construction (Design & Management) Regulations for offences committed at 78-80 Spruce Hills Road and breaching regulations 9(1)(a) and 4(1)(a)of the Construction (Design & Management) Regulations 2007 for offences committed at 67-67a Chingford Mount Road.
The court heard how Mr Mohammed failed on both sites to appoint a competent contractor and failed to take reasonable steps to ensure that proper arrangements were in place for work to be managed safely – putting workers and neighbours at risk.
http://www.hse.gov.uk/press/2009/coildn0211.htm?ebul=cons/nov09&cr=19
Further Information
CDM Regulations – http://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/cdm.htm?ebul=cons/nov09&cr=20
Risk management – http://www.hse.gov.uk/risk/index.htm?ebul=cons/nov09&cr=22
5. HSE STRATEGY – SIGN THE PLEDGE
1,000+ organisations have already signed the Strategy Pledge to share ideas and best practice with one another, ask questions and access helpful HSE information.
Find out what you can do
http://www.hse.gov.uk/strategy/pledge.htm?ebul=cons/nov09&cr=23
6. SAFETY SCHEMES IN PROCUREMENT (SSIP) – REDUCING THE PRE-QUALIFICATION BURDEN
Health and safety pre-qualification questionnaires can be a burden where companies are required to repeatedly pre-qualify for both public and private sector work. Stage 1 pre-qualification can become a source of excessive paperwork and significant cost, especially for small businesses.
Members of the SSIP Forum have moved towards reducing the burden through ‘deem to satisfy’ or ‘mutual recognition’ arrangements between schemes.
Philip White, HSE Chief Inspector of Construction, has said SSIP offers real benefits for the industry as a whole. ‘An SSIP assessment will ensure compliance for stage one pre-qualification. It offers a real opportunity to raise standards and I think it should allow SMEs wider access to a range of jobs, and clients access to a wider range of SMEs.”
There are currently nine accreditation schemes registered with SSIP (Including CHAS!!!!!!)
Further information from the SSIP website – http://www.ssip.org.uk/index.html
CONTACT HSE
Infoline – Health and safety information and advice:
Call 0845 345 0055 or visit: http://www.hse.gov.uk/contact/index.htm
Report an accident: Call 0845 300 9923 or visit:
http://www.hse.gov.uk/riddor/index.htm
SOURCE: HSE
