Agricultural sector poses many risks to workers
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) recently appointed a new head to its agricultural section after the existing head – Graeme Walker – retired. He is being replaced by Rick Brunt, who was formerly in charge of field operations for the North West. Leading the agricultural division is an important responsibility because, despite improvements in […]
A fifth of Americans have been injured at work
More than one in five Americans say they have been injured on the job, according to a new survey from FindLaw.com, the legal information website. According to the survey, 21% of American adults say that they have suffered an injury while on the job that was serious enough for them to take time off work. The vast […]
Company fined for three Clyde tug boat deaths
A Danish company, Svitzer Marine, has been fined £1.7 million at the High Court in Edinburgh for safety failings that led to the death of three crewmen on a tugboat owned by the company, reports the BBC. The judge hearing the case commented that the fine would have been higher had the company not pleaded guilty to health […]
Occupational health and wellbeing “wake-up call” needed
The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) has urged politicians to put greater emphasis on good occupational health and wellbeing. Tragically, 148 people were killed in Britain last year, while more than 12,000 died from diseases caused by what they have done for a living. These statistics are too high and the Government and employers […]
Rise in Scottish workplace fatalities
There was a slight increase in the number of workers killed in Scotland last year, despite an overall fall across Great Britain, according to new provisional statistics from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Great Britain as a whole saw 148 workers fatally injured between April 2012 and March 2013, compared with 172 in the previous year, […]
Piper Alpha anniversary commemorations
The Scottish Government is to donate £100,000 to the Pound for Piper Memorial Trust to help maintain a memorial garden to the victims of the Piper Alpha disaster. The funding was announced as the Scottish Government unveiled plans to mark the 25th anniversary of the disaster. The donation will be made from money seized under proceeds of […]
EC consults on future EU health and safety policy framework
The European Commission (EC) has launched a public consultation on the results of the evaluation of the European Strategy on Safety and Health at Work 2007-2012. The consultation aims to help identify current and future challenges in the occupational safety and health area, and identify solutions to address these challenges. “Accidents at work are at a […]
Impact of the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act
The Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill received Royal Assent recently. The Act contains reforms relating to a wide variety of areas, including changes to employment law, health and safety rules and copyright regulation. The Bill, which was introduced to the House of Commons on 23rd May 2012, has attracted a considerable amount of controversy during its passage […]
Criminal liability of a partnership – Bill progresses
A Bill that makes provision for the prosecution in Scotland of partnerships, partners and others following dissolution or changes in membership, has completed its passage through Parliament. The Partnerships (Prosecution) (Scotland) Bill is now waiting for Royal Assent, and will come into force on the day after the assent is granted. The Bill closes a legal loophole […]
Salon owner in court for insurance failure
The owner of a Herne Bay hair salon has been fined for failing to provide legally required insurance cover that enables employees to claim damages should they be injured at work. The owner neglected to arrange Employers’ Liability Compulsory Insurance (ELCI) when he took over the business last year. Canterbury Magistrates’ Court heard that an investigation by […]