Latest News
September 2010
Unsupervised pool death costs hotel £135k
Liverpool’s largest hotel must pay a £135,000 penalty after a visitor drowned in its swimming pool. Madhav Cherukuri, who had borrowed a friend’s pass to go for a swim, was...
September 2010
Restaurant owner fined for ten breaches of Fire Safety Order
A restaurant owner has been fined £15,000 for ten breaches of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 following a serious fire. When crews arrived at the China Wok restaurant...
September 2010
Landlords warned of duties after 'spate' of residential block fires
Managers of purpose-built blocks of flats in Brighton have been urged to ensure their buildings meet fire safety legislation and standards, following a “spate” of fires in the city since...
September 2010
Teenager pleads guilty to Tesco fire
A teenager has admitted starting a fire which destroyed a Tesco Express store in Hampshire last month. Daniel Eastley, a 19-year old from Havant, pleaded guilty to two counts of arson,...
September 2010
Repeal of schools-building programme raises asbestos alarm
The cancellation of the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) Programme could increase the risk of children, teachers and support staff being exposed to asbestos, TUC union officials have...
September 2010
Country pub evacuated as fire destroys building
Half of a historical pub in Wiltshire has been completely gutted following a fierce fire in the early hours. Around 40 firefighters attended the blaze at The Beckford Arms, in...
September 2010
‘Embarrassment’ as enforcement action taken on four more government buildings
At least four more government buildings have been found in breach of fire safety legislation, a BBC investigation has revealed. There was no suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment carried...
September 2010
Church council fined for volunteer’s fall
Officers from Gravesham Borough Council discovered that the most recent checks on the structure of St Botolph's Church in Northfleet in 2007 had identified that beetles were attacking part...
September 2010
Robot almost paralysed maintenance worker
An automotive firm that developed a “culture of violation” must pay £50,000 in penalties after an industrial robot struck a worker in the throat, damaging his voice box and...
August 2010
Crew member dies at pop concert
A crew member has died in Kent after falling backstage at an open-air concert by Pop Idol winner Will Young. The man suffered severe head and facial injuries in the...
August 2010
HSE investigates two deaths involving gates
A spokesperson for the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) said: "HSE has been assisting the police in South Wales following the death of a child in an incident involving...
August 2010
Premier League Aston Villa Fined
Mechanical Cleansing Services Ltd, based in Aston, had been contracted to work on the redevelopment of the Bodymoor Heath complex, near Sutton Coldfield, and had set two of its...
August 2010
Tombstoning - Jumping into the unknown
Jumping off cliffs, walls or piers into water is an activity which has attracted an increasing amount of media attention this summer. Ominously known as "tombstoning", this perilous high-risk...
August 2010
Work bullying 'leads to ill-health'
Workplace bullying has a significant impact on stress and psychological health of employees, research has found. A study by the University of Sheffield found that bullying from organisational insiders, such...
August 2010
Gas leak forces centre evacuation
The David Lloyd centre in Aberdeen was evacuated on Sunday and one member of staff was sent to hospital for treatment after fears he had inhaled the chemical gas....
August 2010
Businesses urged to revisit fire safety obligations following New Look case
// Businesses must take a fresh look at their fire safety obligations after a £400,000 fine imposed on fashion retailer, New Look, was recently upheld by the Court of Appeal,...
August 2010
Naked Fire: A group of naturists in Throckley
A group of naturists in Throckley, near Newcastle-upon-Tyne, alerted fire and rescue authorities after they noticed several burning barrels of illegally dumped chemical waste near their clubhouse. A total of...
August 2010
Fire at Royal Mail conference centre
Around 50 firefighters tackled a substantial blaze at a Royal Mail conference centre in Rugby earlier this week. Firefighters were alerted to the fire at the Coton House Conference and...
July 2010
Do we need a review of Health & Safety Legislation?
Lord Young has finally been brought in to carry out a review of Health & Safety Legislation and the so called ubiquitous “Compensation Culture” that seems to plague our...
July 2010
Premier League Club prosecuted after fall
Club, contractor and director fined after workman falls 3m through roof Premier League football club Aston Villa has been fined alongside their contractor and a director of the contracting company. The prosecutions follows an incident in...
July 2010
Guests forced to flee hotel fire
A hotel company and its manager have been ordered to pay out more than £40,000 after guests and staff took up to 20 minutes to evacuate the building when a fire...
July 2010
3 year old has near miss
An incident in which a three-year-old girl narrowly escaped serious injury when her clothes caught fire from an unguarded space heater has cost a fabric shop owner over £12,000. The...
July 2010
Toddlers fatal fall
A fatal accident inquiry into the death of a toddler who fell nearly five metres from a first-floor office balcony has recommended a further tightening in building laws. Ben McCreath,...
July 2010
Crushed to death by lift: snagged cable caused lift to go out of control
An engineer was crushed to death when the lift he was installing went out of control and started moving upwards. The Old Bailey heard that J. Brown Services Ltd, of...
June 2010
More than half of estate agents don’t have lone worker policies
More than 50 per cent of estate agents do not have any safety policies or procedures in place for staff carrying out lone property viewings with potential buyers, a...
June 2010
Co-op fined 210,000 pounds after fire safety breaches
The Co-operative Group – the UK’s largest mutual retailer – has been fined £210,000 after pleading guilty to six breaches of fire safety legislation at Southampton Crown Court yesterday. It...
June 2010
Acquittal Of Teacher
Following last week’s acquittal of teacher, Peter Harvey, on the charge of attempted murder, teaching union NASUWT has warned that more needs to be done to recognise and support...
June 2010
Body found after Harrogate hotel blaze
Yorkshire firefighters have found a body following a serious fire at the Majestic hotel in Harrogate. Around 24 staff and 130 guests were evacuated after fire alarms went off at...
June 2010
Community service sentence for fire safety breach landlord
A landlord who pleaded guilty to five offences under fire safety legislation has been ordered to carry out 120 hours of unpaid community service. Esther Bartlett, of Plymstock, was also...
June 2010
Lincoln College Fined
Lincoln College has today been fined £1,500 after a window cleaner fell four metres - suffering broken ribs and a serious back injury. James Theaker, 50, from Lincoln, was employed...
June 2010
Woman was crushed to death by falling lift
Two companies have each been fined £233,000 after a woman was crushed to death by a lift at a health club in central London. Southwark Crown Court heard that Katarzyna...
May 2010
Crews called to tackle 'special effects' fire on Harry Potter film set
Hertfordshire firefighters were called last Friday to put out a fire on the set of the latest Harry Potter film. It is thought a battle scene involving a mocked up...
May 2010
Fit Note Comes In
“The Social Security (Medical Evidence) and Statutory Sick Pay (Medical Evidence) (Amendment) Regulations 2010 are due to come into effect on 6 April 2010 and will introduce the new...
May 2010
Man accused of ogling colleague using full body scanner
An airport worker has been given a police warning and faces possible disciplinary action after he was accused of using a scanner to stare at the body of a...
May 2010
Major fire closes Cambridge rail station
Fire officials investigating a major blaze that caused Cambridge railway station to close last Saturday morning have not been able to work out the cause because the ruins are...
May 2010
Landlord, tenant and restaurant manager convicted of fire safety offences
The landlord, tenant and manager of a Chinese restaurant have together had to pay more than £26,000 at Guildford Crown Court for breaches of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety)...
May 2010
Fire rips though south London school
A fire in a south London school that saw around 50 people evacuated from homes around the area is now under investigation. Crews were called to Haberdashers' Aske's Hatcham Temple...
May 2010
Schools lack asbestos discipline
Schools are failing to comply with basic legislative requirements to manage the risks form asbestos in their buildings, according to a pilot survey by the Asbestos Testing and Consultants...
May 2010
Major fire destroys school's boarding house
More than 70 firefighters spent Saturday night battling to save part of historical Malvern College, in Worcester. Crews were called out to deal with the blaze, which had taken hold...
May 2010
A quarter of workers have never had full fire drill says survey
Employers are putting millions of UK workers at risk as a result of lax fire safety procedures, warns insurance company RSA. The firm commissioned research which shows that a quarter...
May 2010
Tesco lands £95k fine for fire safety lapses
Supermarket giant Tesco been fined £95,000 after it admitted five breaches of the Fire Safety Order at one of its north London stores. London Fire Brigade (LFB) discovered the problems...
April 2010
Employment Tribunal claims continue to rise
New figures released today (16 March) by Acas, the employment relations service, have revealed that the number of businesses and employees trying to avoid Employment Tribunal claims has continued...
April 2010
London office block destroyed in major blaze
Firefighters attended at the scene of an early morning fire which destroyed an office block, restaurant and members' bar on the edge of the City of London. Around 100 firefighters...
April 2010
40% of employment enquiries last year related to bullying
Four in ten of all employment enquiries to one firm in 2009 were related to bullying. Contact Law, a solicitor-finding service, says that out of the 14,130 enquiries it...
April 2010
Hotel company convicted of fire safety offences
A company that owned a London hotel has been ordered to pay more than £21,000 in fines and costs after pleading guilty to six offences under the Regulatory Reform...
April 2010
Dealing with bogus claimants
According to the Tribunals Service, 151,000 employment discrimination claims were accepted in 2008-09, but though the majority were genuine, a damaging minority are being lodged, not by genuine claimants,...
April 2010
Supermarket fined after mice found
A supermarket has been fined £17,000 after customers spotted mice running between the aisles at a branch in Suffolk. Tesco was fined and ordered to pay £57,000 towards costs over...
April 2010
Corporate manslaughter trial delay
The trial of the first British company charged under the landmark Corporate Manslaughter Act has been delayed because its director is unwell. Mr Justice Field told Bristol Crown Court that...
March 2010
Corporate manslaughter fines
Companies and organisations convicted of corporate manslaughter could face fines up to millions of pounds under new guidelines that have been published.The guidance, drawn up by The Sentencing Guidelines...
March 2010
Charity fined over stabbed graduate
A young mental health worker stabbed to death during her probationary period was failed by her charity employer, a court has ruled, fining the organisation £50,000.Mental Health Matters admitted...
March 2010
Secret report reveals university buildings could breach fire regulations
A ‘secret’ database showing the poor condition of many university halls of residence and non-residential buildings – including in some cases those deemed ‘inoperable’ because they are in breach...
March 2010
Insurance claims soar as potholes take their toll
An estimated 40% increase in road damage from the recent severe weather has pushed the number of potholes in the UK up to one and a half million, according...
March 2010
Pub company fined for multiple fire-safety breaches
A pub management company has been convicted of breaching fire safety law by North Wiltshire magistrates.Sitting on 9 February, the magistrates fined Publicana Ltd £5000 for each of four...
February 2010
Record £400,000 fine for retailer's fire safety breaches
High street retailer New Look has been fined £400,000 and ordered to pay £136,052 in costs after pleading guilty to two breaches of fire safety legislation, following a serious...
February 2010
Child Drowned
A leisure centre has been fined £40,000 for serious management failings after a seven- year-old child drowned in a swimming pool.Luke Hutton and a group of friends were enjoying...
February 2010
HSE INSPECTOR IN THE DOCK
An HSE inspector prosecuting a theme-park company over the death of a worker ended up in the dock herself owing to her behaviour in court.Details have only just emerged...
February 2010
Lift death health club admits flaws
A central London health club has pleaded guilty to breaches of health and safety law following the death of a young banker who was crushed to death as she...
February 2010
SCHOOL FIRE
More than half of a school in South Yorkshire has been destroyed by a large fire which broke out in the early hours.Around 60 firefighters tackled the blaze at...
December 2009
Property firm fined for Fire Safety Order breaches
A property management firm has been fined £1500 and ordered to pay costs of £2000 for two offences under fire safety legislation.Solitaire Property Management Limited pleaded guilty to the...
December 2009
Fire hits Welsh comprehensive school
The technology block of a school in Wales has been badly damaged by fire. Six appliances from Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue service attended the blaze just...
December 2009
Art class injury left pupil with two fingers
A foundation school's governing body has been fined £16,500 after a pupil lost six fingers and both thumbs during an A-Level art class.The 16-year-old girl suffered serious burns in...
December 2009
Overtime affecting staff’s health and wellbeing
New research by management consultancy, Hay Group, has revealed that many staff are working longer hours to help their employer through the recession, but many feel that overworking is...
December 2009
London Property Developer Fined
A London property developer and landlord was yesterday fined £10,000 at City of London Magistrates Court after workers on two of his developments were put at risk.The Health and...
December 2009
Record £400,000 fine for retailer's fire safety breaches
High street retailer New Look has been fined £400,000 and ordered to pay £136,052 in costs after pleading guilty to two breaches of fire safety legislation, following a serious...
December 2009
A third of employees incur driving fines
According to figures released today, the UK’s small businesses are seeing a significant number of driving offences being committed by employees. In the last six months, a third (31%)...
November 2009
Hundreds of London residential blocks lack risk assessment
Nearly 500 high rise social housing blocks in London do not have a valid fire risk assessment in place, according to a BBC London investigation.Freedom of information request sent...
November 2009
Blackpool Football Club has been fined £8,000 for breaching health and safety regulations.
Blackpool magistrates also ordered the club to pay £500 costs and the £15 victims' surcharge after it pleaded guilty to two offences of failing to comply with an improvement...
November 2009
Electrical risks from laptop computer charging trolleys used in schools.
1. Who is affected?HSE is issuing this safety alert for the attention of schools that use laptop computer charging trolleys and those who manufacture / supply such products. This...
November 2009
Preparing for Winter
Please read our Winter Weather Advisory located on our home page www.health-safety.netThe clocks go back this weekend, officially marking the end of the British summer which means we are...
November 2009
One in three women say they’re bullied at work
According to new survey results from public sector union, Unison, one in three women say they are bullied at work. Results revealed that 66% of respondents bullied in the...
October 2009
Your responsibilities for young people at work
It’s that time of year again, when school leavers are seeking their first full time/permanent employment or work experience during the prolonged summer break. Such arrangements are particularly popular...
October 2009
Hundreds evacuated in seaside hotel fire
Around 850 people were evacuated from a hotel in Folkestone following a fire which started in a second floor guest room.Fire crews attending the Burstin Grand hotel in Folkestone...
October 2009
Causes of bad office atmosphere revealed
Negative office atmosphere is the main cause of a bad day at work, according to new research. A Best Companies survey of 3,000 people found women were most likely...
October 2009
First Aid Advisory
At Winter & Company, we have a direct and uncomplicated approach to Health & Safety at work. We apply a simple formula of common sense and communicate with our...
October 2009
HSE warns schools after pupil is injured on work experience
Schools across the West Midlands are being warned to make sure that full health and safety checks are carried out before pupils head out on work experience, following the...
August 2009
Tesco back in dock over systemic failures
In its second safety prosecution in a month, Tesco has been ordered to pay more than £62,000 in penalties following a series of incidents at a large West Midlands...
August 2009
Caretaker fell through roof of school
A school in Essex did not report an incident where a caretaker sustained four fractured ribs and a gashed head after falling more than three metres through a fragile...
August 2009
Asda pays £267,000 for car park death
Supermarket chain Asda has been fined £225,000 plus costs after admitting safety failures over the death of a customer in a store car park. Kenneth Farr was killed when...
June 2009
First corporate manslaughter prosecution under new law gets underway
Boss Peter Eaton and his company, Cotswold Geotechnical Holdings Ltd, appeared before Stroud magistrates on the 17th June to answer charges of unlawful killing of an employee by gross...
June 2009
Director fined for smoking at his desk
A company director has been fined for smoking in his office after an anonymous complaint to the HSE prompted council officers to pay his firm a visit.In November 2008,...
June 2009
Shell fined largest amount yet for serious fire regulation breaches
Shell fined largest amount yet for serious fire regulation breachesShell International Ltd has been fined £300,000 and ordered to pay £45,000 in costs after pleading guilty to serious breaches...
June 2009
Urgent Heatwave Weather Advisory
At Winter & Company Health & Safety we believe in keeping you up to date, informed and advised in good time.The Met Office has issued a severe "heat wave...
June 2009
Swine influenza Advisory
At Winter & Company we recognise that you require up to date information and guidance in respect of Swine influenza. The World Health Organisation has raised the level of influenza...
May 2009
CORGI Replaced By New Scheme
From 1 April, 2009, landlords and employers should check that anyone carrying out work on gas appliances is registered under the new Gas Safe Register. CORGI registration will no...
May 2009
New Health & Safety Law Poster
On 6th April 2009, the HSE published a new version of the Health & Safety Law Poster. Employers have a legal duty under the Health and Safety Information for...
May 2009
Company Held Partly Liable for RSI
Ms Goodwin was employed as an insurance adviser for a major motor cycle insurance company. Following the introduction of a bonus scheme, the number of renewals Ms Goodwin did...
May 2009
£9,000 Compensation for Trip & Fall
Lloyds TSB has paid almost £9,000 in compensation to a bank cashier who suffered ankle and knee injuries when she toppled down an unmarked step while carrying heavy boxes. The...
April 2009
£35,000 fine for forklift health & safety breach
A serious health & safety breach at a Welwyn Garden City company has led to bosses being handed a £35,000 fine following an accident in which an employee broke...
April 2009
First Charge Brought Under Corporate Manslaughter Act
A company has become the first in the UK to be charged under the 2007 Corporate Manslaughter Act. Cotswold Geotechnical Holdings is accused over the death of an employee,...
March 2009
Employers could end up in the dock if staff use mobiles when driving
The case of Labour peer Lord Ahmet, who was sentenced to a 12-week jail term for killing another driver in a road accident after sending a text message, has...
March 2009
Health Risk From Office Water Coolers
Many of us could have a contaminated water supply lurking in our place of work, according to recent research carried out in Britain. The research has shown that as...
March 2009
Firemans Lift Not Guaranteed for “The Disabled”
LET’S END THE MYTH Since the introduction of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, the responsibility to put facilities and procedures in place to ensure safe emergency evacuation of...
March 2009
High-street retailer failed to enforce lift-riding ban
A Marks and Spencer employee had part of a toe amputated after his foot was crushed by a scissor lift. Milton Keynes Magistrates’ Court heard that Timothy Page was...
March 2009
Nursery Fined For Outing Negligence
A group of 20 children, from Clockwork Day Nursery were taken on an outing to Stamford Park, Ashton-under-Lyne on 7 June 2006. The children, aged between four and 11,...
March 2009
Firm fined for lift maintenance failure
A London property management agency has been prosecuted by a local authority for failing to maintain lifts at two commercial buildings. The firm pleaded guilty to breaching section 3...
February 2009
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The Health and Safety (Offences) Act 2008 quietly received Royal Assent on 16 October last year, and came into force on 16 January. This Act has progressed relatively unnoticed...
February 2009
Teachers Want Ban On School Bells Over Health & Safety
Teachers are proposing a ban on school bells after deeming them a health hazard to sensitive ears. Members of the Scottish Secondary Teachers' Association have been complaining that the current...
January 2009
Cold Weather Advisory - Icy Paths
As we further make our way through the great British winter, a common question which arises is that of what organisations are required to do to keep footpaths clear...
December 2008
Harmful Radiation Risk From Light Bulbs
New research from the Health Protection Agency (HPA) shows that some energy-saving, compact fluorescent lightbulbs can emit ultra-violet radiation at levels, which, under certain conditions of use, can result...
December 2008
New White Board Safety Advice
Schools across England are being urged to buy a new type of whiteboard equipment to eliminate a potential threat to children's eyesight. Directors of children's services are being told...
December 2008
Managers Arrested At Work Under Corporate Manslaughter Act
Police are arresting managers at their workplaces as part of corporate manslaughter investigations, according to a defence lawyer involved in two of the first deaths being investigated under the...
November 2008
New Act bringing higher fines and imprisonment for safety breaches
The Health and Safety Offences Act has now received royal assent. The Government has said that the new punishments reflect the seriousness of some breaches, but experts have warned...
November 2008
Nursery committed to safety, following two incidents
Parents of youngsters at a Norfolk nursery have been assured it is committed to the safety of children, despite two incidents which have sparked concerns and official investigations.Local people...
November 2008
Hotel gas safety breach leads to negligence trial for Thomas Cook staff
Two Thomas Cook employees will face a trial over the deaths of two British children during a holiday in Corfu , judges have ruled after turning down an appeal...
October 2008
Schools Too Cool On Duty Of Care
Secondary schools are being targeted to ensure they discharge a proper duty of care in relation to the health & safety of students on work placements.A campaign is being...
October 2008
Safety Breaches Being Ignored By Most Employees
Less than a third of people would blow the whistle on their employer if they broke health & safety laws. A recent poll commissioned by the Institution of Occupational Safety...
September 2008
Employers Beware - Big Risks From Driving At Work
Driving is the most dangerous work activity that most people do. Research indicates that about 20 people are killed and 250 seriously injured every week in road traffic accidents...
July 2008
New Risk of Blackberry Thumb
At Winter & Company, we are often asked about the latest risks to the health & safety of office workers. One such risk which is being talked about more...
January 2008
Explaining The Changes In Smoke-Free Legislation From 1st July 2007
From the 1st July 2007, it has been illegal to smoke in an enclosed public or working environment in England. There are three pieces of Legislation which determine the...