HSE Construction inspectors will be carrying out an intensive inspection initiative during February and March 2012.

These inspections will focus on the refurbishment/building site risks that make construction one of Britain’s most dangerous industries – working at height safely, good order on site, and the risks associated with the removal of asbestos.

• Falls from height remains one of the most common causes of fatalities and major injuries in the construction industry, with more than five incidents every day.
• 54% of the workers who have died in construction over the last few years were doing refurbishment, repair and maintenance jobs.

HSE will not hesitate to take action if they find poor practice that is putting the lives of workers and the public at risk

Why is HSE interested in COPD

There is increasing research evidence that COPD can be caused or made worse by dusts, fumes and irritating gases at work.

Work related COPD is a priority because of the human costs in terms of suffering, its effects on the quality of life and the financial costs due to working days lost and medical treatment.

Research findings suggest that for Great Britain: –

• Around 15% of COPD may be caused or made worse by work
• 4000 COPD deaths every year may be related to work exposures
• 40% of COPD patients are below retirement age
• A quarter of those below retirement age are unable to work at all

Can COPD be cured?

Once COPD develops the damage to the lungs cannot be reversed. However you can help stop it getting worse by reducing exposure to the dust, fume and irritating gases at work that are causing the problem, and if you do smoke, by stopping.

You should consult your doctor for further medical information and advice on treatments.

COPD is a major cause of disability and death. It is the 4th leading cause of death throughout the world.

What are the symptoms of COPD?

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a long-term illness that makes breathing difficult. The lungs and breathing tubes are damaged making it difficult to get air in and out. Walking up a hill, playing football or even playing with your grandchildren can become difficult because of shortness of breath.

Other common symptoms include;

• a persistent chesty cough and phlegm
• wheeze
• more frequent and troublesome chest infections

COPD is a slow developing condition, the symptoms tend only to start becoming a problem in mid-life, usually in the late forties onwards.

Because COPD creeps up slowly, many people do not realise they have the disease. They think their symptoms are simply due to lack of fitness or getting older. This means that often the disease does not get diagnosed in the early stages.

The sooner you realise you have lung problems, the quicker you can try to stop smoking and reduce harmful exposures to dusts, fumes and gases. Medical treatments may also help.

More to follow tomorrow……………………………………

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Investigation of a fatal incident by HSE has identified that unintended movement of some mobile crushers can occur when there is an earth/ground fault. This can result in unintended movement of the machine track(s) and the potential for injuries from being struck by or trapped by the machine.

Where damage/deterioration of the electrical control cables can lead to a risk of unintended movement, the actions outlined in the safety notice should be taken.

Read the Safety Alert in full to find out what action to take – http://www.hse.gov.uk/safetybulletins/mobilecrushingplant.htm?ebul=gd-cons/nov11&cr=1

The waste was found on Freeman Road North in early November and a week later more was discovered at Thurnby Lodge Boys Club on Thurncourt Road.

In both cases, corrugated asbestos waste was found in large sheets or smashed up and sealed in plastic bags.

Leicester City Council’s environmental crime team said it was investigating. Councillor Sarah Russell, one of the assistant city mayors, said if the asbestos material discovered was not disturbed by the public, it was “unlikely” to have any health implications to people.

“The dumping of asbestos material in public places like this is highly irresponsible and a matter we treat very seriously,” she said.

“There are strict guidelines about the way asbestos material is disposed of and the implications of not following these guidelines can lead to a prosecution.”

Enforcement officer Paul Rudkin, from Leicester City Council, added: “We are appealing to any members of the public who may have had an asbestos structure removed recently, or who have any information whatsoever that may assist with our investigation.”

Source: BBC News Leicester

Below is an excerpt from the Executive Summary from Professor Lofstedts report into H&S in the UK.

I think that its bang on accurate ….misinterpretation is killing safe practices (no pun intended) and causing overkill (still no pun intended)

In general, the problem lies less with the regulations themselves and more with the way they are interpreted and applied. In some cases this is caused by inconsistent enforcement by regulators and in others by the influences of third parties that promote the generation of unnecessary paperwork and a focus on health and safety activities that go above and beyond the regulatory requirements. Sometimes the legislation itself can contribute to the confusion, through its overall structure, a lack of clarity, or apparent duplication in some areas.

A man has died in hospital after a tyre explosion at a small family business in Wales.

The victim, who has yet to be named, is thought to have been inflating a tyre at the metal fabrication workshop in Pumsaint, Carmarthenshire, when the accident happened. Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue service sent two fire crews to the village from Lampeter and Llandovery after the alarm was raised.

Witnesses had reported hearing a “loud bang” at about 9.30am on Wednesday at the business in the centre of the village. Paramedics also attended the scene and the man, who was in his 30s, was airlifted to hospital.

A spokesman for Dyfed-Powys Police said the man later died from his injuries. Investigations into the cause of the accident are continuing.

Two-fifths of workers feel under pressure to be seen at work in a growing trend that has been blamed on the tough economic times, a study has said.

More than a quarter thought the amount of time spent at their office desk was considered a measurement of their performance, said the survey which found an increasing tendency towards “presenteeism”. A similar amount said their line managers did not let them work flexibly despite staff believing it would improve their productivity.

Mobile phone giant O2, which carried out the survey involving 2,000 office workers, said it suggested many businesses were missing out on benefits of flexible working. These included productivity gains, better employee and customer engagement, and efficient processes.

Flexible working was dropped for many workers due to increasing pressure to show they are in the office, said David Plumb, of O2.

He added: “We have found that flexible working has different mindsets depending on if you are the employee or the employer, and that employees spending more time at their desks because they believe they have to is not going to contribute to driving UK business forward.”

New figures published today show the ongoing trend for falls in the number of people injured and made unwell at work has continued.

The statistics published by the HSE show that in Britain between April 2010 and March 2011:

• 24,726 major injuries were reported, such as amputations, fractures and burns, to employees – compared with 26,268 in
  2009/10.
• 90,653 other injuries serious enough to keep people off work for four or more days were reported  down from 96,427 the previous year.
• An estimated 1.2 million people said they were suffering from an illness caused or made worse by their work, down from 1.3 million in 2009/10. Of these, 500,000 were new illnesses occurring in-year.
• 171 workers fatally injured – up from 147 the previous year.