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HSE Health and Safety Newsletter - Issue 34
HSE Health and Safety Newsletter - Issue 34
Issue 34
Vomiting Larry
Vomiting Larry goes viral and makes a big
splash around the world.
Small businesses
Life is now a bit easier for small
businesses who need health and safety
advice quickly, simply and free of charge.
Contents
A full list of the articles in this issue.
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What’s new – some of the recent As ever, if you’ve any thoughts on the Newsletter,
email me at Newsletter@hse.gsi.gov.uk
publications from HSE
Colette Manning Editor
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Street storyline has saved lives having illegal gas work carried out in
their homes.
Not only did it keep The popular ITV soap saw Fiz Brown, ‘Unfortunately what happens to my
around 41 million played by Jennie McAlpine, suffer from character is not a rare occurrence in
viewers on the edge of CO poisoning, caused from a faulty gas real life. Carbon monoxide is deadly and
their seats but Coronation boiler. it’s important that as many people know
Street’s dramatic Christmas about it as possible. I hope this storyline
Tyrone Dobbs, played by Alan Halsall, brings the issue to everyone’s minds
and New Year carbon monoxide
unlawfully tried to fix Fiz’s boiler. Fiz and that we can help to save lives.’
(CO) storyline has saved lives. of how some viewers recognised the was found unconscious on New Year’s
symptoms of CO leakage in their own Eve, after suffering the symptoms of Every year a quarter of a million illegal
Among the positive feedback received homes and, thanks to watching the carbon monoxide poisoning, which she gas jobs are carried out by people, like
since the episodes aired are stories programme, they knew what to do. mistook for flu. Tyrone’s character, who do not have the
skills or the qualifications to work on gas
‘Carbon monoxide is appliances.
deadly and it’s important Paul Johnston, Gas Safe Register’s
as many people know Chief Executive, said: ‘We know that
about it as possible.’ money may be tight, so it’s
understandable that people ask around
The scenes mirror real-life deaths for recommendations and get friends to
caused by CO poisoning in the UK help out in the hope of getting a cheaper
every year. Known as the ‘silent killer’ job done. However, what people fail to
because you can’t see it, taste it or realise is just how dangerous gas can
smell it, CO is produced when gas be in the wrong hands. Badly fitted and
appliances are not working properly – poorly maintained gas appliances can
either because they have been fitted cause gas leaks, fires, explosions and
badly or poorly maintained. CO poisoning, so it’s not worth the risk.’
In the last year, 50 people have died Despite the dangers posed by CO
from CO poisoning and more than 4000 poisoning, 43 per cent of the public do
have been affected. not get their gas appliances checked
Jennie McAlpine said she hopes the regularly and one in 10 has never had
storyline will help raise awareness of any checks.
the silent killer and stop people from (continues on page 5)
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(continued from page 6) The Toolbox gives advice on a wide range of general areas affecting all
workplaces. These are the subjects covered so far in the Toolbox.
Simply click on any box below to get more information about that topic.
Electrical safety
Fire safety
Gas safety
Harmful substances
Manual handling
Noise
Pressure equipment
Radiations
Vibration
Working at height
Workplace transport
Getting started
Click here to get started:
http://www.hse.gov.uk/toolbox/index.htm
Basic health and safety mistakes are killing and injuring workers - as
well as crippling British industry - every year. Find out what they are at:
http://www.hse.gov.uk/fee-for-intervention/basic-safety-mistakes/
crippling-british-industry.pdf
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Industrial injuries
Minor changes have been It is no longer possible to make an
made to the Industrial Injuries accident declaration for Industrial
Scheme to make it easier to Injuries Benefit but people will still
understand and administer. be able to claim IIDB when the need
arises.
Announcing the changes, which came The final change is to transfer trainees
into effect on 5 December 2012, the receiving benefit under the Analogous
Department of Work and Pensions Industrial Injuries Scheme into the main
(DWP) stressed that people will not lose Industrial Injuries Scheme at the end of
out financially. March 2013. Again, no one will lose out
as the Analogous Scheme is currently
The two old schemes that dealt operated in the same way as Industrial
with industrial accidents or disease Injuries Disablement Benefit.
exposures before 1948 are now closed
and people have been transferred to the
main Industrial Injuries Scheme. Letters
have been sent to all those affected.
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A cafe refused to put coffee in a customer’s own Do you think you’ve been
5 the victim of a bogus health
reusable cup.
and safety decision? Why
6 Airline passengers were told boiled sweets were no not put it to the panel here
longer provided in case children choked on them. and get the confidence
to challenge those using
Bathroom floor towels were not provided by a nonsense health and safety
7 excuses rather than tell
hotel chain as people could slip over.
the truth behind unpopular
Fish and chip shop customers were told they decisions: http://www.
8 hse.gov.uk/contact/myth-
couldn’t have ‘batter scraps’ for health and
safety reasons. busting.htm
10 Kettles and microwaves were banned from offices
because extra insurance coverage was needed.
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In the dock 1
Worker killed by falling gatepost
A Staffordshire landscape gardener After the hearing, HSE inspector
has been given a suspended prison Lindsay Hope said: ‘Mr Maddocks had
sentence and 180 hours of unpaid balanced the trailer with sandbags and
community service, after a worker provided stone chocks to stabilise it
was killed by a falling gatepost. during the lifting process.
He had also provided guide
Leeson Lavender, 39, of Stoke-on- nails in the trailer to stop
Trent, was helping Eden Maddocks to it sliding sideways during
install a large oak post at a property in transportation, so
Pepper Street, Keele. he had obviously
considered the
The two men stood on a trailer that potential stability
had been used to transport the post issues and had taken
and started to manoeuvre it towards a some precautions in
pre-dug hole. As they lifted it the trailer an attempt to reduce
shifted, causing Mr Lavender and the the risks of the post overbalancing.
post to fall out.
‘Sadly, he didn’t do enough and Leeson
Mr Lavender hit his head on the ground Lavender paid with his life _ a tragic
before the post struck him on his and unnecessary death that could have
head. He died later in hospital from his been avoided with better planning and a
injuries. safer method of work.’
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Here’s what one company did ... ‘culture change through leadership’
Accident case study Shanks Group plc is a multinational year of the scheme and feedback from
Risky business
waste management company with employees has been positive. The
operations in Belgium, Northern France, scheme isn’t the sole factor responsible
Canada, Germany, the Netherlands and for Shanks’ improved performance
the UK. The group’s health and safety but it is the flagship for an improved
performance has improved steadily in emphasis on safety across the group.
Did you know that the waste l almost a third of the fatalities (29%) the past, but slowly.
and recycling sector is one of are due to employees being struck
The results
by vehicles;
the most dangerous places to l about a third (35%) of reported major
In the ten years prior to the introduction
work? Over the past five years, injuries are due to slips and trips;
of the safety leadership scheme Shanks
the industry has had a fatal l almost half (45%) of reported over-
UK’s RIDDOR (over-three-day) accident
injury rate of about 17 times the three-day injuries are due to handling.
rate had dropped by 32%. Within the
national average. first year of the scheme this improved to
Fact: The waste and recycling a 42% reduction in accidents.
industry employs only around 0.6%
The good news is that injury numbers
of workers in Britain but accounts for Find out more at:
have been falling for the past few years
2.8% of reported injuries to employees
but it remains very much a high-risk (4.2% fatalities, 2.5% major and 2.9% Shanks UK directors taking part in safety
industry. www.hse.gov.uk/waste/delivering-
of over-three-day injuries). leadership training
the-solution-together.htm
The latest provisional statistics Shanks introduced a safety leadership www.hse.gov.uk/waste/statistics.htm
(covering the 12 months from April So what’s being done? scheme in June 2011. This included
2011) reveal that: mandatory director site safety visits
HSE has organised an industry summit and employee engagement, health
l there were six fatal injuries to to encourage the industry to take and safety training for all directors
workers (compared with an average ownership of its health and safety and a series of key safety essentials
of eight over the previous five years); problems. Influential stakeholders will applied evenly across the group. Safety
l there was one fatal injury to a attend the Birmingham event on leadership visits to sites by directors
member of the public (compared to 7 February where HSE will promote key are tracked and reported on as a key
an average of over two a year over health and safety messages. Through director performance indicator, linked to
the previous five years); a series of speakers and workshops, their remuneration.
l the rate of reported over-three-day delegates will identify and commit to
injury is almost five times that in delivering solutions to drive down injury More than 100 director safety
agriculture or construction; rates. leadership visits took place in the first
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FAQs
replaced the requirements under the in a shopping centre or cinema.
Factories Act 1961 and the Offices,
Shops and Railways Premises Act Other FAQs on this subject include:
1963.
l What is the minimum/maximum
What is the maximum/ temperature in the workplace?
minimum temperature l What is a reasonable working
in the workplace? What temperature?
breaks am I allowed l What instructions should I give staff
under the Working wearing required personal
Time Regulations? protective equipment (PPE)?
Can a person be left l How hot does it have to be before I
alone in the workplace? can complain?
These are just some of l How can I find out how much
the frequently asked insulation clothing provides if I
questions you’ll find on cannot measure the insulation?
HSE’s website. The Regulations state that the l How can I find out how much
temperature of indoor workplaces metabolic heat someone is creating
You can see more should be reasonable. The Approved without measuring it?
questions and find out all Code of Practice defines a reasonable l If our employees need to wear PPE,
the answers in detail here temperature indoors as being normally how can we improve their thermal
but, meanwhile, here’s at least 16 °C unless the work involves comfort?
a typical question and severe physical work, in which case the
answer. Don’t get hot under the collar about workplace temperature should be at least 13 °C.
More information
temperatures. HSE’s website has everything you
need to know on the subject with a range of frequently Where there are requirements for
Find out more on a range of FAQs
asked questions (FAQs) on this hot topic, such as: workrooms to operate at lower
dealing with workplace health and
temperatures, for example for food
safety: http://www.hse.gov.uk/contact/
Question: What are the regulatory requirements hygiene purposes, you should refer to
faqs/index.htm
for workplace temperature? the chilled food advice.
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What’s new from HSE Safe working with LPG-fuelled motor vehicles
This guidance is aimed at employers, cover vehicles fuelled with compressed
Keeping you up to date with our latest guidance self-employed people, supervisors natural gas (CNG).
Both these leaflets have recently been rewritten and redesigned to make the advice and others likely to carry out any
easier to understand. work which may affect LPG systems. Although there are specialist centres for
installing and maintaining LPG systems,
Safe use of petrol in garages It tells you about the main health conventional vehicle servicing and
Safe use of petrol in garages and safety risks associated with
work on vehicles fuelled by liquefied
repair work are normally carried out at
motor vehicle repair garages.
have the potential to escalate into a petroleum gas (LPG) and the
major incident. precautions that should be taken. It Vehicle recovery operators and
doesSafenot working with
cover repair workLPG-fuelled
on the breaking/recycling businesses will also
Petrol fires are usually serious and often LPG motor vehicles
fuel system itself, nor does it have to deal with LPG vehicles.
result in fatal or major injuries, either
to the person doing the maintenance Download the leaflet (INDG387
work or to other employees and even (rev1)) free of charge here.
customers who may be nearby. There is
often major property damage as well. Find out more:
With the different fuel types on the HSE’s motor vehicle repair
forecourt, incorrect filling of diesel website:
vehicles with petrol, and vice versa, is www.hse.gov.uk/mvr
now a major problem. It is estimated
that there are around 120 000 Further information on fire and
This leaflet is aimed at owners, misfuelling operations each year, most explosion risks can be found on
employers and supervisors in the motor of which require fuel replacement. HSE’s website.
vehicle repair and recovery industries. It
provides advice on how to handle petrol Petrol is a highly flammable liquid and
safely and also includes a helpful list of any spillage will evaporate to form a More information Free Health and Safety Toolbox:
dos and don’ts for employees. flammable, heavier-than-air vapour http://www.hse.gov.uk/toolbox/
which is easily ignited, even at low General: www.hse.gov.uk index.htm
Fires and explosions caused by temperatures. Health and Safety Made Simple: News: http://www.hse.gov.uk/news/
careless handling of petrol during http://www.hse.gov.uk/simple- index.htm
vehicle maintenance occur all too easily. Download the leaflet (INDG331(rev1)) health-safety/index.htm
Even small leaks and spills of petrol free of charge here.
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