Entries by David Winfield

Carrying out Thorough Examination and Testing of Lifting and Pressure Equipment during the coronavirus outbreak

The HSE has produced guidance to help industry during this period which can be found here and includes: Maintaining thorough examination and testing schemes HSE’s enforcement approach during the period of the outbreak The law for Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLER) and Pressure Systems Safety Regulations (PSSR) remain in place and businesses must continue to ensure […]

Working at height remains leading cause of workplace deaths

Each year, the Health and Safety Executive releases its annual tally of fatal injuries sustained in British workplaces, providing vital data and guidance to help employers reduce the risks in their own workplaces. This year has seen a number of notable trends occurring with the figures, which have likely been at least partially influenced by […]

Carrying out Thorough Examination and Testing of Lifting and Pressure Equipment during the coronavirus outbreak

The HSE has produced guidance to help industry during this period which can be found here and includes: Maintaining thorough examination and testing schemes HSE’s enforcement approach during the period of the outbreak The law for Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLER) and Pressure Systems Safety Regulations (PSSR) remain in place and businesses must continue to ensure […]

RIDDOR – reporting coronavirus (COVID-19)

Details of when and how you should report coronavirus incidents under RIDDOR (the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013) are detailed below: You must only make a report under RIDDOR, relating to coronavirus, when: an unintended incident at work has led to someone’s possible or actual exposure to coronavirus. This must be reported […]

Fire safety failures in over half of care homes audited in new Brigade report

Serious fire safety failures have been found in care homes across London by our Brigade inspectors. There were 177 care homes visited to gauge the level of fire risk across the capital in a one-off series of in-depth inspections. The Brigade’s findings included the following serious fire safety breaches: One in three premises with inadequate […]

Sentencing Guideline inflated fines for large organisations 15-fold.

The median fine for health and safety offences for large organisations increased almost 15-fold following the February 2016 arrival of the revised Sentencing Guideline for Health and Safety Offences, according to an impact assessment carried out by the Sentencing Council. Its analysis of court fines levied in the 16 months prior to the Guideline, compared to the […]

Tougher sentencing in the pipeline for health and safety offences

On 3 November 2015, the Sentencing Council (the Council) published the guidelines on Health and Safety, Corporate Manslaughter and Food Safety and Hygiene offences. The long awaited Guidelines were published alongside the Response to Consultation and come into force on 1 February 2016. The guidelines The Guidelines apply to companies or individuals (aged 18 and […]

Early intervention at work can improve cancer survival

By Professor Gordon Wishart is a consultant breast and endocrine surgeon There are few workplaces that have not been in some way affected by cancer. Many of us will have participated in some form of fundraising as a direct result of a colleague’s diagnosis, and sadly such instances are becoming more common.The likelihood of getting
the […]

Corporate manslaughter firm ordered to publicise conviction

A building firm which was fined £200,000 following the death of a 28-year-old worker who was fatally crushed when a 2.9 metre retaining wall collapsed onto him, has been ordered to take out an advert on the Construction Enquirer detailing its prosecution. This is the first time a publicity order has resulted in an advert being taken […]