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  Forklift Driver Killed - No sufficient traffic route risk assessment (press.hse.gov.uk)

  Lighting manufacturing company fined after fatal incident involving forklift truck19th July 2021FacebookTwitterLinkedInWhatsAppEmailCopy LinkShareA lighting manufacturer in Blackburn has been fined after an employee was fatally injured when the forklift truck he was driving struck an overhead steel beam.
  
  Preston Magistrates’ Court heard that on 14 June 2019, the employee was operating a forklift truck to move pallets at the company premises in Witton Business Park, Blackburn, when the mast of the forklift truck hit a low overhead structural beam, which caused the truck to overturn. The employee was trapped underneath the roll cage and received fatal crush injuries.
  
  An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that the traffic routes on site required forklift trucks to travel under a number of overhead structural beams which only had a small clearance gap between the mast of the trucks at their lowest setting and the beams. There were no hazard markings to highlight these overhead obstructions.
  MK Illumination (UK) Ltd of Witton Business Park, Preston Old Road, Blackburn, Lancashire, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health & Safety at Work etc Act 1974. The company was fined £53,360 and ordered to pay costs of £7,880.
  
  Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Anthony Banks said: “The company’s system of work was not safe. With the forklift trucks operating within such tight margins, the company simply relied on the assumption it’s employees would always remember to lower the forks to their lowest position whilst travelling underneath the overhead beams.“MK Illumination (UK) Ltd not only failed to physically mark the overhead beams in a conspicuous way to provide the forklift truck operators with a prominent warning of the limited headroom, but the company also failed to undertake a suitable and sufficient risk assessment of the traffic routes. When this was done after the incident, the revised traffic routes avoided the low overhead beams altogether.”

  • By Bonobo
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  • Jul 29
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  HSE: The latest health and safety news and guidance (content.govdelivery.com)

  
  Weekly Digest: The latest health and safety news and guidanceHSE eBulletin service sent this bulletin at 28-07-2021 11:50 AM BSTHaving trouble viewing this email? View the content as a web page.Weekly Digest eBulletinWelcome to the HSE Weekly Digest eBulletinIssued: 28 July 2021
  
  This week's edition highlights updated guidance on having good ventilation in your workplace to help reduce transmission of coronavirus (COVID-19). This includes a new video that sets out the key advice. There is guidance on working safely as England has moved to Step 4 on the UK government's COVID-19 roadmap. We also provide links to information on the different requirements in Scotland and Wales. In addition, there is guidance on lone working, details of recent enforcement prosecutions and links to our latest job vacancies. For all the latest health and safety updates visit our website.Having good ventilation will help reduce COVID-19 transmission at workHSE’s updated guidance will help you identify poor ventilation in work areas and take practical steps to improve it. This can help reduce the risk of COVID-19 spreading in your workplace. Our updated guidance includes information on:identifying poorly ventilated areas and using CO2 monitorsimproving natural ventilationhow to improve mechanical ventilationair cleaning and filtration unitsventilation in work vehiclesWe also have a new video setting out the key advice. You can also find examples of how businesses have improved ventilation to reduce COVID-19 transmission in the workplace.Keeping workplaces safe as COVID-19 restrictions are removedEngland has moved to Step 4 of the UK government's COVID-19 roadmap. This has meant the removal of many restrictions.Our webpage on keeping workplaces safe outlines some of the changes you need to know about:controls to use after some restrictions are removedother measures to help reduce workplace transmissiondifferent approaches and timescales for removal of restrictions in Scotland and WalesDespite these changes, you must still control risk and review and update your risk assessment. Find a full range of COVID-19 related information and advice on HSE’s coronavirus pages.Protecting lone workersLone workers can be at greater risk of harm as they may not have anyone to help or support them if things go wrong.Employers should provide training, supervision, monitoring and support for those working alone. Our free to download leaflet 'Protecting lone workers: How to manage the risks of working alone' is for anyone who employs lone workers, or engages them as contractors etc, including self-employed people or those who work alone.  The leaflet is supported by lone working webpages which include advice aimed at lone workers themselves.Manufacturing company fined after fatal incident involving a forklift truckA lighting manufacturer in Blackburn has been fined after an employee was fatally injured when the forklift truck he was driving struck an overhead steel beam.The employee was operating a forklift truck to move pallets at the company premises when the mast of the truck hit a low overhead structural beam, which caused it to overturn. The employee was trapped underneath the roll cage and received fatal crush injuries. Read this press release for more details. Other recent enforcement news includes:Company fined after repeated failures to maintain machinery safeguardsAsbestos removal company fined after worker falls from height through cement sheet roofLatest job vacancies at HSEDevelop a career at HSE and help to protect lives and livelihoods.For details of the highlighted opportunities, follow the links below: Senior Regulatory Scientists – Toxicology
  6 posts available
  (closes 15 August)
  
  Building Safety/Major Accident Risk Scientist
  (closes 15 August)
  
  Programme Manager
  (closes 15 August)For a look at our latest vacancies, please visit this webpage.You can get all the latest news and updates from HSE across a range of industries and topics.
  
  
  

  • By Bonobo
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  • Jul 29
• 

  Toddler dies falling from father’s arms on mall escalator (msn.com)

  A two-year-old boy has died after he fell from his father’s arms at a mall in Colorado at the weekend, according to reports.© KCNCTVDenver The mall in Aurora, Colorado- KCNCTVDenver The boy, who died of his injuries in hospital on Monday, was with his father at the Town Centre mall in Aurora, around 14 km (8.6 mi) west of Denver, when he fell from an escalator on Sunday afternoon. According to CBS Denver, officials said the boy and his father were at the top of the escalator when he appeared to lunge forward, and fell two floors. Witnesses described hearing screams and a shop owner running after the boy fell from an escalator. Officials from the Aurora Police Department said the tragedy was being investigated as an accident on Monday. The escalator was immediately closed-off to other shoppers at the mall, but many had no idea there had been an accident. Shoppers heard screams after incident, which police said was an accident

  • By Fiona Greaves
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  • Jul 28
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  Two killed and 5 missing in German Chemical Plant Explosion (msn.com)

  Two killed and five still missing in German chemical plant explosion

    28/07/21
  An explosion at a chemical park in Germany has killed 2 people. Five are still missing.  At least 31 people were injured, one of them critically, 2 were confirmed dead. All those affected worked at the site.
  
  "The search for the missing continues at full speed. Sadly, hopes of finding them alive are dwindling," said Chempark head Lars Friedrich.
  
  The cause of the explosion,  was not yet known. Germany's NINA warning app sent an "extreme danger" alert to residents, telling them to stay home and shut doors and windows for most of the day.   The explosion happened at Chempark's waste incineration site Police urged local residents to close their windows and doors and avoid using emergency telephone numbers if possible
  
  Residents were  advised not to eat fruit and vegetables from their garden. By Tuesday evening, the city of Leverkusen said measurements of pollution levels taken throughout the day "were unremarkable", allowing the warning to stay indoors to gradually be lifted.
  
   Locals were  told not to touch or try to clean away any soot particles they might find, until further analysis by experts. 
  
  The explosion had sparked a fire in tanks used as storage for liquid solvents awaiting incineration, Friedrich said. The blaze took several hours to put out.
  
  Three of the tanks "were completely or partially destroyed", Friedrich said, making it impossible to tell for now where the explosion started.
  
  North Rhine-Westphalia state's interior minister Herbert Reul said 300 firefighters narrowly managed to prevent another tank exploding, which contained poisonous waste.
  
  Police in Cologne temporarily closed several motorways and told drivers to avoid the area.  
  
  According to a report in Der Spiegel magazine, the blast was measured as far as 40 kilometres (25 miles) away.
  
  The chemical park is one of the largest in Europe, with more than 70 companies based at its three sites
  
  

  • By AmyasC
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  • Jul 28
• 

  Texas acid leak: Two dead and seven injured in incident at chemicals factory in ... (msn.com)

  
  At least two people have died and seven more have been injured in an acetic acid leak at a chemical plant in La Porte, Texas late on Tuesday.© AFP /AFP via Getty ImagesRepresentative image. Seven people have been injured in the incident.- AFP /AFP via Getty ImagesA company spokesperson for the LyondellBasell facility in La Porte Complex said the incident was contained to the plant and air monitoring suggested no threat to the surrounding community.In an update, the company said that all personnel have been accounted for. The leak is stopped and clean-up is in progress, it said.Harris County fire marshal Laurie Christensen said acetic acid "is a chemical acid used in food-grade vinegar," according to USA Today. “The issues that occur is severe burns, harmful if swallowed, toxic if inhaled and harmful to the skin.”The fire marshal also said that two of the injured were transported to the hospital and five people were treated at the scene. 31 others were being monitored for possible symptoms.LyondellBasell said in its statement that two contractors were fatally injured in the incident, and five contractors and a LyondellBasell employee were transported to local hospitals for treatment.After investigators determined that there was no explosion or fire, the Harris County Fire Marshal’s Office handed over the probe to Harris County Precinct 8 Constable’s Office.Harris County Judge Line Hidalgo said that she's "heartbroken."She said in a statement on Twitter: “Heartbroken to hear of the two fatalities at the Lyondell Basell facility in La Porte. Our county and other first responder agencies are working to support the other workers impacted and to verify that the incident is contained. Grateful to all responders."
  

  • By AmyasC
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  • Jul 28
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  Worker's arm amputated in machine in accident (mirror.co.uk)

  Worker's arm amputated after he becomes entangled in machine in horror accident

  The 68-year-old victim was lucky to be alive after his arm was pulled into the machine. He punctured a lung, broke his neck, fractured his back, ribs, arm and shoulder bladeA worker lost his arm in a horrific accident at a machine manufacturer near Driffield (Image: MEN MEDIA)ByKelly-Ann MillsReporterJames Campbell

  • 12:22, 30 Jun 2021
  • UPDATED12:36, 30 Jun 2021

  A worker had to have his arm amputated after he almost lost his life in a horrific accident at a machine manufacturer.The 68-year-old man became entangled in a machine on either the rotating workpiece or the chuck as it rotated.He sustained extensive injuries including a punctured lung, broken neck, fractures to his back, ribs, arm and shoulder blade, and he needed to have surgery to amputate his left arm.Agricultural machines manufacturer Superior Machines Ltd was fined tens of thousands of pounds for safety breaches when the case was heard at York Magistrates’ Court.An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive found machinery standards across the site were poor, with many machines unguarded.Three prohibition and five improvement notices were served including machine guarding, welfare and management issues.

  • By AmyasC
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  • Jul 14
• 

  Could engineered stone dust be the new asbestosis? (dailymail.co.uk)

  Stone used to make popular kitchen and bathroom benchtops could be banned from Australia after a quarter of tradies who worked with it developed a deadly lung condition

  • Engineered stone is imported to make benchtops for bathrooms and kitchens
  • The stone has to be cut with power tools by tradies who breathe in tiny particles
  • Silica dust leads many to develop silicosis and other diseases and some die
  • Stone could be banned if the industry doesn't do enough to protect workers 

  By AUSTRALIAN ASSOCIATED PRESSPUBLISHED: 07:47, 12 July 2021 | UPDATED: 07:47, 12 July 2021
  
  Australian mother-of-two Joanna McNeill, 34, was diagnosed with silicosis after working in an administration job near a quarryImports of engineered stone popular in Australian kitchens and bathrooms could be banned unless employers lift their game to protect workers from silica dust exposure.A federal task force says health and safety regulations aren't properly protecting workers from dust exposure linked to the deadly lung disease silicosis.Its final report released on Monday stopped short of recommending an immediate ban on imports.But the task force said Australia should get ready to ban some or all product imports from July 2024 in the absence of significant industry changes.
  Nearly one in four people who have worked with engineered stone since 2018 suffer from silicosis or other diseases related to silica dust, according to data from Queensland and Victoria.'Maintaining the status quo is not acceptable,' the report said.
   
  +4Shane Parata (pictured) was diagnosed with silicosis days before it killed his brother AnthonySilicosis is caused by the inhalation of crystalline silica released when engineered stone is cut, ground or polished.Prevalent in Australia between the 1940s and 1960s, the disease has re-emerged due to the increasing popularity of engineered stone benchtops.The report said businesses working with the material were on notice to improve, including by regularly monitoring and recording silica dust levels and employee health.It added Australia should also put in motion plans to ban imports if there are no measurable or acceptable improvements in compliance with regulations.The development of national guidelines was recommended to identify those at risk from silica dust exposure, and improve health screening for current and former workers.+4In March of 2018 Gold Coast man Anthony White, 36, (pictured) became the first recorded stonemason to die after contracting silicosis

  WHAT IS SILICOSIS 

  Silicosis is a lung disease caused by breathing in tiny bits of silica, a mineral that is part of sand, rock, and mineral ores such as quartz.It mostly affects workers exposed to silica dust in occupations such mining, glass manufacturing, and foundry work.Over time, exposure to silica particles causes scarring in the lungs, which can harm your ability to breathe.KEY FACTS:There are three types of silicosis: acute, chronic, and accelerated.It occurs in workers from mines, foundries, sandblasting, and glass manufacturing.About 2 million US workers remain potentially exposed to occupational silica.There is no cure for silicosis, but it can be prevented.+4

  Silicosis is caused when materials such as artificial stone bench tops are dry cut and workers inhale tiny particles of silica dust. Pictured: A chest x-ray image demonstrating the impact silicosis has on the lungs in red)HOW IT AFFECTS THE BODY:Silicosis affects the lungs by damaging the lining of the lung air sacs. Once this begins, it leads to scarring and, in some situations, to a condition called progressive massive fibrosis. This condition happens when there is severe scarring and stiffening of the lung, which makes it difficult to breathe.People with acute silicosis experience cough, weight loss, tiredness, and may have fever or a sharp chest pain. You may also have shortness of breath over time, especially with chronic silicosis.Source: American Lung Association   

  • By AmyasC
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  • Jul 12
• HSE REACH Update (hse.gov.uk)

  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  REACH eBulletin
  Issued: 16
  June 2021
   
  This bulletin
  contains information on the UK REACH Work Programme. 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  UK
  Registration, Evaluation Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (UK
  REACH) is part of the UK’s independent chemicals regulatory framework,
  enabling decision-making that best reflects the UK’s needs, while
  maintaining some of the highest standards in the world.
   
  HSE has
  published the UK REACH Work Programme, which describes
  operational work planned for 2021/22.
   
  Stakeholders
  can get involved in UK REACH in several ways, including consultations, accredited stakeholder organisations (ASOs)
  participation and informal engagement.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  • By UN Owen
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  • Jun 16
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  Post-pandemic cities spark safety concerns for three-quarters of Brits (sourcesecurity.com)

  As lockdown restrictions ease and public mobility increases, new research reveals three-quarters (75%) of people have health, safety, and security concerns when visiting their nearest city, signaling a need for new security innovations and greater public reassurance on their return to UK cities.Following high profile cases such as the disappearance of Sarah Everard, the London Bridge terror attack, and recent road cyclist deaths, the public has a heightened awareness of the safety and security issues cities present, according to a new report into public perception of smart cities by video management solution provider Milestone Systems.

  Security concerns in the city

  Despite ONS reporting a total crime reduction of 4% in England and Wales in the 12 months ending in June 2020, more than a third (37%) of the British public cited petty crime, such as mugging and pickpocketing, as a security concern when in a city setting. One in four (25%) Britons stated vandalism is a primary concern for them, and a similar proportion (24%) listed pedestrian safety as a worry when navigating their nearest city.

  Terrorism threat

  Although the UK's terrorism threat level was downgraded from "severe" to "substantial" in February 2021 by Home Secretary Priti Patel, following a "significant reduction" in the momentum of attacks in Europe, terrorist activity remains a worry for almost a fifth (17%) of the public.Terrorism was of markedly less concern to those over 65 than any other age group (8% vs average of 17%), but for all other safety concerns, there was a surprising consistency across both age groups and genders.

  Improving safety and security

  The existence and benefits of smart technology in cities needs to be better communicated to the publicTo mitigate these concerns, smart technology is already being deployed in cities across the world to improve safety and security. Increased bandwidth afforded by the rollout of 5G and the internet of things has given local authorities new tools to improve public services such as crime-fighting.In Glasgow, for example, there is an effective multi-faceted state-of-the-art traffic and public safety management system that uses data and video analytics to improve responses to issues in the city, but Milestone’s research suggests that the existence and benefits of smart technology in cities needs to be better communicated to the public.

  Smart city technology

  Neil Killick, UK General Manager at Milestone Systems said, “Many local authorities have been investing heavily in recent years in cutting-edge smart technology to improve public services and tackle safety and security concerns highlighted by our report. However, the research found that less than a third (29%) of people say that they believe smart city technology could contribute to enhanced safety and security.”“This demonstrates a need for more public education around how smart technology improves safety in cities and also suggests that local authorities need to continue to find new ways to improve day to day life for their city’s residents and visitors.”“The sector is advancing rapidly and products are available to tackle a wide range of city-based safety concerns so it is important to improve understanding so that citizens give their full support to smart city technology and feel safer and more confident when in urban areas.”

  Public awareness

  Increasing the public’s awareness of technology advancements for safety purposes must be done in a way that demonstrates its benefits.Developments such as limiting video network blind spots, improving poor-quality images, and supplementing visuals with data collected from interconnected devices, give law enforcement more reliable and thorough data to use in investigations. Thus, enabling instances of theft and civic disturbances to be monitored, reacted to more rapidly, and prevented, curbing the safety concerns of the public.

  Traffic management systems

  Department for Transport figures reveal the vast majority of accidents occur in towns and citiesAlso among the top five concerns for the public when returning to UK cities was driver safety (17%). Department for Transport figures reveal the vast majority of accidents occur in towns and cities, with 2,881 accidents per 1 million people happening in the capital city region, higher than any other region.One in six (14%) Britons cite cyclist safety within their top concerns when returning to the UK’s busy cites, supporting London Mayor Sadiq Khan’s plans for 160 miles of 'safer cycle routes. However, London’s low-traffic neighbourhoods (LTNs) have come under criticism from the emergency services who state the new traffic management systems have reduced response times.This suggests that alternatives are needed to balance the needs of the public and of emergency services, such as smart sensors and cameras that collate real-time data to detect the quickest and most traffic-free route for emergency vehicles to take.

  Smart video and sensor technology

  Neil Killick continued, “As well as helping to protect the public in the context of crime, smart video and sensor technology can be used to manage traffic and roads within cities, reducing congestion and providing local authorities with constant, real-time analytics, as seen in Glasgow.”“This enables relevant authorities to identify potential danger spots, manage roads and bike lanes within a city and plan optimal emergency service routes. The use of interconnected devices, sensors, and video technology allows for a deeper understanding of how the city is being used so that necessary improvements can be implemented based on data-driven decisions to better public safety.”

  • By Bonobo
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  • Jun 16
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  Network Rail to replace all human lookouts following rail worker death in London (newcivilengineer.com)

  Network Rail to replace all human lookouts following rail worker death in London

  15 JUN, 2021 BY ROB HORGANNetwork Rail is accelerating plans to eliminate unassisted lookout working on the UK’s rail network following the death of a worker in London in February.Tyler Byrne from Hampshire, was struck and killed while working on the track near Surbiton, south-west London.His death sparked anger from the Transport Salaried Staffs' Association (TSSA), which has called for a "full and thorough" investigation.An RAIB investigation is ongoing, however early reports indicate that 30-year-old Byrne was one of four track workers undertaking a regular planned inspection of switches and crossings while the lines were open to traffic “with arrangements in place to protect staff from train movements”.Plans to phase out human lookouts were already in motion as part of trackworker safety improvement notices set in 2019.However, Network Rail board minutes from the March – but just made public – reveal that Network Rail has asked each of its 14 routes to draw up accelerated plans to eliminate the practice of unassisted lookout working as a direct result of the Surbiton tragedy.That includes wherever possible, replacing human lookouts with protection and warning technology to alert groups of workers to approaching vehicles on the track.The minutes add that 10 of the routes have committed to achieving this by the end of next month, with a further three committing to eliminate the practice by the end of the year.A Network Rail spokesperson confirmed that Scotland and Western routes have already achieved 0% lookout working, with all other routes on track to hit the target by the end of July “with the exception of West Coast South, North West and Central which are all forecasting 31 December 2021”.Nick Millington, who leads Network Rail’s track worker safety taskforce, will review each route’s plans.The minutes add that a “safety framework” is also being developed “to bring together all safety expectations”.It adds: “[The safety framework] would drive further personal accountability for safety matters and would include refreshed ‘life saving rules’.”The framework would address five areas:

  • The development of frontline managers
  • The reinforcement of a strong safety culture
  • Communicating an updated safety vision
  • Developing improved assurance processes
  • Continuing work to separate people working on the track from moving trains.

  TSSA general secretary Manuel Cortes welcomed the end of human lookouts but urged Network Rail to invest more in its safety programmes.“Near misses and fatalities should never be seen as inevitable," Cortes told NCE. "Yes, we need an end to the 'person with a flag' so-called protection for track workers, but it’s not just a case of replacing the flag with a modern technological equivalent.  He added: “We need to see an end to track work being carried out while trains are moving through the worksite. We need to see genuinely safe procedures for getting workers from location to location.   “Network Rail’s operating model is on a devolved basis. At times it appears to be fragmented and all too often we see the emphasis being put on performance as opposed to safety."To ensure track worker safety we need to introduce effective levels of compliance with real accountability and effective assurance. The planning and delivery of safe work can only be improved by providing more resources and investment in technology and people."Following the death of Byrne, Cortes said its members had warned Network Rail about the "alarming number of near misses and fatalities" that had happened over the past year."Our Network Rail members do so much to keep our railways running smoothly day in, day out, and must be able to do this in a safe environment," he added. "Our union will never compromise on safety, and safety can never be taken for granted. It is simply not acceptable in this day and age that people go out to work and end up losing their lives."This is the latest incident of a rail worker being struck by a train in recent years. Another track worker was killed while carrying out civil engineering tasks near Roade in Northamptonshire on 8 April last year, which followed the double fatality in Margam in July 2019.A report by the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) concluded that a number of safety failings contributed to the tragic events in Northamptonshire.Among its findings, the RAIB concludes that AmcoGiffen employee Aden Ashurst had become “habituated to warnings from approaching trains” and therefore “did not look towards the approaching train on hearing its warning horn”.Network Rail chief executive Andrew Haines has previously vowed to improve worker safety on the railways.He established A 100-strong taskforce in January 2020 to work on improving safety of track workers following the fatal accident at Margam, near Port Talbot.Speaking to NCE in June last year, Haines said that there are four key elements to the track worker safety taskforce’s work.“One is about how we plan and undertake maintenance,” he said. “We have had a major breakthrough on that as a result of Covid-19 as it has forced us to make progress with risk-based maintenance in a way that people on some routes were really struggling to get to grips with.“The second is the technology to protect people so that when they are out and about. Previously the use of devices like track service operating devices and other protections was spasmodic and not consistent across the network but we are now rolling that out.“The third is about signaller workload and the use of line blockages. That is one area where we have had a challenge in the Covid-19 context because of restrictions on access to signalling centres that has limited non-essential people in these centres so we have lost a little bit of time around that which feeds into engineering access statements and the timetabling process.”The last one is culture and Haines says that this is going to be “the big nut to crack”.“Those of us who have been around the railways for some time will know that actually have a long deep-seated culture and that has some brilliant values and makes people loyal and committed to their work,” said Haines.

  • By Bonobo
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  • Jun 16
• 

  Car Fire Blanket (msn.com)

  Car fires are frightening occurrences that can quickly get out of hand. And it can happen to both combustion cars and electric vehicles. A recent Tesla crash had firefighters using 32,000 gallons of water to extinguish the fire, but a Norwegian company called Bridgehill offers a better solution – a fire blanket that can fit over an entire car. It works by smothering the flames, depriving the fire of its much-needed oxygen.© Motor1.com UK Car Fire BlanketCar fires can be toxic, too, with countless chemicals running off into the environment and noxious smoke filling the air as firefighters attempt to extinguish it with water. The blanket helps eliminate some of those hazards, extinguishing the fire in minutes, according to the company. However, the lithium batteries in electric vehicles can burn without oxygen, though the blanket can help isolate the fire until firefighters arrive.
  

  Learn about EV fire occurrences:Tesla reveals how often its cars burn from fireThe blanket is big, measuring 6 metres (19 feet) by 8 metres (26 feet), capable of covering a wide variety of makes and models. It weighs a hefty 28 kilograms (61 pounds). All one has to do is spread the blanket on the ground, pull it over the burning vehicle, and make sure the blanket is tight to the ground. The company recommends leaving it on the car for at least 20 minutes to guarantee the fire is out and only allowing trained firefighters to remove it.The company offers two types of blankets – Standard and Pro. The standard looks like a single-use product designed for spaces with a high concentration of cars, like parking garages and repair shops. The Pro is reusable for up to 30 car fires, which is perfect for firefighters and other safety organisations. It’s not a panacea to car fires, but it could greatly reduce damage until the professionals arrive. A lone car fire can easily damage any surrounding property, and that’s never good.

  • By Bonobo
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  • May 17
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  'Look out, look up, look after yourself' – SSEN farm safety campaign... (ross-shirejournal.co.uk)

  The farming community is being targeted in a safety campaign by a power supplier flagging the potential dangers of overhead lines.

  • By UN Owen
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  • May 17
• Safety officials probe accident that injured ex-Haverhill police officer (news.yahoo.com)

  Safety officials probe accident that injured ex-Haverhill police officer

  Mike LaBella, The Eagle-Tribune, North Andover, Mass.Thu, May 13, 2021, 12:19 PM·3 min readMay 13—Federal safety officials are investigating an incident in which a former Haverhill police officer suffered serious facial injuries in a forklift accident at Kazmiera Marina.Officials from OSHA — the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration — are reviewing the accident that injured Brad Andrews, an employee of the marina.Mayor James Fiorentini expressed his deepest sympathy for Andrews, who he said is a retired Haverhill police officer."I do not know Mr. Andrews personally, but I certainly extend my deepest sympathy to him on this terrible, painful and very serious injury," Fiorentini said. "The city and I personally wish him the best for a full and speedy recovery."I will be reaching out to him and his family to see if there is anything we can do to assist," the mayor said.OSHA spokesman Edmund Fitzgerald said his agency began an investigation after it was notified about the incident, which happened May 1 at the marina. The marina is on Coffin Avenue, on the Haverhill side of the Groveland bridge.OSHA investigations are designed to determine if workplace safety standards were violated.Kazmiera owner Randall Bennett said the marina previously hired a safety company to review its policies and procedures for workplace and equipment safety."They certified all our staff on forklift operation and safety," he said.Bennett said OSHA interviewed several employees of the marina and tested the forklift to make sure it was working properly."We believe that the forklift passed the tests," Bennett said.Andrews has undergone a procedure at a Boston area hospital to treat his injuries, which include a broken jaw.Bennett said Andrews was using a forklift to move a boat that was on a trailer. A trailer ball is attached to the forklift so it can pull trailers, Bennett said, similar to a ball on the rear of a pickup truck for towing.He said Andrews moves boats in this way hundreds of times each year, and that two other employees were working as spotters to guide him.Bennett said the forklift ball that was hooked to the boat trailer malfunctioned when the trailer was being moved. The trailer broke loose and rolled, he said,"When the employee brought the fork truck to the front of the boat, he accidentally hit the boat with a mirror on the fork truck," Bennett said. "The mirror then hit him in the face and broke his jaw. He asked another employee to call 911 and the Fire Department arrived within minutes."Bennett said a marina customer who happened to be an EMT was near the accident and immediately administered first aid, and then communicated with the 911 operator until firefighters arrived and took control of the situation.Fire Chief Robert O'Brien said Andrews was face down on the ground when firefighters arrived. He was taken to Lawrence General Hospital and then Medflighted to a Boston area hospital, O'Brien said.O'Brien said a fire engine, an ambulance and one other emergency vehicle responded to the call about the accident at 7:20 a.m. that day.

  • By UN Owen
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  • May 17
• 

  Crazy, stupid… accidents (shponline.co.uk)

  Tim Marsh looks at why safety practitioners should play an active role in a holistic and integrated approach to mental health.

  • By UN Owen
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  • May 17
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  Fatal accidents rate on UK farms at its highest - Farmers Weekly (fwi.co.uk)

  More than 50 people have died in farm-related accidents during the past 12 months – equivalent to almost one person a week killed while working in UK

  • By UN Owen
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  • Apr 30