Lawford Kidd's Blog

The rate of deaths from asbestos-related cancer mesothelioma in England is climbing, according to the Association of Personal Injury Lawyers (APIL).

APIL has based its claim on Office for National Statistics figures, which show that the average rate of deaths from mesothelioma in England is 4.5 deaths per 100,000 people. This is a significant increase over the rate in the period 2008-2012, which was 2.6.

APIL has also compiled the ten areas with the highest mortality rates for mesothelioma in England. Barrow-in-Furness tops the list with a mortality rate three times the average for England. The three areas with the highest mortality rates for mesothelioma are:

The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health's (IOSH) No Time to Lose occupational cancer campaign has continued to gather support, this time from the Al Hammadi Hospital in Saudi Arabia.

Only launched late in 2015, currently in excess of than 50 businesses and more than 100 organisations have thrown their support behind the crucial campaign, which is designed to tackle occupational cancer through raising awareness and offering free practical materials to help organisations.

Petroineos Manufacturing Scotland Ltd of Grangemouth Oil Refinery has been fined £24,000 by Falkirk Sheriff Court for safety failings back in October 2012, which led to an onsite worker being injured while cleaning a vent pipe.

The Grangemounth-based firm admitted contravening Regulation 12(1) of The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998, and Section 33(1)(c) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.

Following the tragic death of a roof worker, Hamilton Sheriff Court has imposed a £40,000 fine on scaffolding business based in Glasgow, Lanarkshire.

The fine followed the firm - Extra Access Limited - pleading guilty to breaching Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.

The skipper of a shellfish fishing boat has been sentenced for serious safety failings after the death of a diver in the River Forth Estuary.

Graeme Mackie was working as a scuba diver to collect shellfish from Ronald John MacNeil’s boat the “Rob Roy” when the incident occurred in June 2011.

Dunfermline Sheriff Court heard that Mr Mackie had entered the water for his first dive, around 600 metres south of Methil Harbour, but re-surfaced a minute later waving in obvious distress before disappearing again under the water.