Health and Safety News
A round up of recent topical news from the HSE
Work at height
Work at Height remains the single biggest cause of workplace deaths and one of the main causes of major injury. HSE is urging employers to ensure their workers are protected when working at height after a man fell from the first floor of a building he was working on, suffering life-threatening injuries. In another incident a company director was recently fined £6,000 after pleading guilty to charges under section 3(1) and section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. An employee had stepped onto an unprotected fragile plastic rooflight which gave way and he fell seven metres to a warehouse floor, sustaining serious injuries.
http://www.hse.gov.uk/falls/index.htm?ebul=cons/oct09&cr=8 Electricity at work
HSE is warning builders to be careful when working near overhead power cables after a scaffolder was seriously injured. The scaffolder was removing a 6 metre guard rail, 4 metres above the ground, when it made contact with the 66,000 volt overhead cable. He suffered burns to 52 per cent of his body and had to have his heart re-started. Many incidents occur because of basic failures to inspect working areas for the hazard. http://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/nearelectric.htm?ebul=cons/oct09&cr=13 Risk Management
HSE issue new Risk Management advice and template assessment and policy statement
Find the free example assessment and policy statement at, http://www.hse.gov.uk/risk/index.htm?ebul=cons/oct09&cr=19 Asbestos: Hidden Killer Campaign
From our previous reports on this subject many will know that the HSE has a new initiative: Asbestos the hidden killer. Asbestos was not finally banned as a building material until the end of 1999, before that many materials could contain asbestos. Some types of asbestos are too dangerous for you to work with and can only be dealt with by licensed contractors - how are you managing your estate in regard to asbestos?
Why not try the HSE on-line quiz and see what you know about asbestos, in addition there are some helpful leaflets you can download to pass round to your workers. http://www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos/hiddenkiller/facts-start.htm
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