Latest News
December 2011
Housing association ordered to pay £135,000 after fatal scalding
A social landlord located in Birmingham has been fined £100,000 after a man was scalded in a bath at a hostel. The victim died in hospital from his injuries....
December 2011
Fire safety for government HQ focus of scrutiny
The office of the Department for Communities and Local Government, which is responsible for fire safety legislation in England and Wales, is being scrutinized after an incident where glazing...
December 2011
Stress main reason for long-term sickness absence
According to the latest survey released by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), stress is now at the top of the list of reasons for long-term sickness...
December 2011
Tea urn incident leads to fines for football club and catering manager
The former catering manager of the Barnet Football Club and the organization itself, have been fined £13,000 after an incident where a teenage worker was burned in an accident....
December 2011
Directors that fail to protect well-being should be disqualified
The Liberal Democrats have released a new policy paper calling for employers who fail to protect their employees’ well-being to be disqualified. The disqualification would be similar to the...
December 2011
Check your flood risk, EA urges business owners
The Environmental Agency (EA) has announced that a high number of properties located in the areas with the highest risk of flooding have been added to its free national...
December 2011
Retailer does not apologise after £1m for asbestos risk fine
On September the 27th Marks & Spencer expressed its disappointment at being fined £1 million for exposing its staff and customers to asbestos at its store in Broad Street,...
December 2011
Health and Safety prosecutions will be resolved more quickly
The Work-Related Deaths Protocol (WRDP) will change as of October the 1st, meaning that health and safety prosecutions will be settled much more swiftly going forward. It also means...
December 2011
Fatal ladder fall leads to fine for manager
A site manager and the bread production company that he works for have admitted that they failed to provide a safe work environment after a handyman fell off a...
December 2011
Fire safety breaches lead to fines for nightclub bosses
Two nightclub bosses have been fined after being found guilty of breaching fire safety laws. Kevin Clarke and Stephen Bailey had a hearing before Bury magistrates on September the...
October 2011
Blaze prompts plug-in air freshener warning
Twenty firefighters tackled a fire in a bungalow that is believed to have been caused by a plug-in air freshener. Four fire engines attended the property in Stanmore in...
October 2011
Teenagers charged over M1 motorway blaze
Six teenagers have been charged in connection with the fire that closed a stretch of the M1 motorway in April. They are among ten teenagers who have been charged...
October 2011
Suspended prison sentence for building owner’s fire safety breaches
A London building owner has been given a six month suspended prison sentence after being convicted of seven offences under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. Saif Ahmed was...
October 2011
Safety breach led to teenager's fairground trauma
A fairground attendant has been in court after a teenage girl plunged head-first onto concrete when a restraint bar opened on the ride she was on at a York...
October 2011
Company fined after scaffolding collapse at wedding
A Surrey-based company has been fined after the floor of a marquee collapsed just as 150 guests sat down to enjoy a wedding breakfast. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE)...
October 2011
Supermarket giant failed to address slip risks
Morrisons Supermarkets has been fined £17,500 after a worker fractured her elbow when she slipped at a store in Ipswich. In June 2008, an environmental health officer from Ipswich Borough...
October 2011
Spate of electrical fires after substation break-in
Around 100 homes experienced brief electrical fires and blow-outs after thieves broke into an electricity substation. Up to 1700 properties in Wisbech were left without power after the attempted theft...
October 2011
Manager fined for role in fatal ladder fall
A bread company and a site manager have admitted failing to provide a safe method of work after a handyman fell from a stepladder and sustained fatal head injuries....
October 2011
A former hotel manager has been ordered to pay £5,000
A former hotel manager has been ordered to pay £5,000 in fines and costs for failing to comply with an enforcement notice issued by Derbyshire Fire and Rescue Authority. The...
October 2011
Corporate manslaughter to extend to custody providers
Changes to the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007, due to come into force today, will have the effect of bringing deaths in custody within the remit of...
October 2011
Two construction companies have been fined
Two construction companies have been fined for "appalling" standards at a building site in the London Borough of Merton. HSE prosecuted principal contractor, Kubik Homes Ltd, and the subcontractor, Bellway...
October 2011
Serious Back Injuries: Fall from Height
A mechanical engineering company has been fined after a subcontractor suffered serious back injuries falling through a roof. Self-employed roofer Michael Hawkins, 23, of Rotherham, fell approximately six metres through...
October 2011
Worker crushed between two skips while urinating
A recycling company has been fined £80,000 after a worker suffered life-changing injuries when he was crushed between two skips while urinating in the yard. Ayr Sheriff Court heard...
September 2011
Practical measures suggested for Olympics planning
Employers are again being urged to introduce workplace measures to ensure they have the necessary manpower when the London 2012 Olympics kick off. The comments come after recent research by...
September 2011
Hotel manager fined for twice breaching fire safety prohibition notice
The director and operations manager of a hotel in Hertford has been fined for twice breaching a prohibition notice. Nick Shipton, working at the Hertford House Hotel, pleaded guilty at...
September 2011
Death trap’ landlord ordered to pay £42,000 for fire safety breaches
A landlord has been ordered to pay a total of £42,250 for serious safety failings at his properties. Mohammed Javaid pleaded guilty to 20 safety offences at Manchester Magistrates...
September 2011
Council tenants in row over new fire safety doors
Residents have waged war over the installation of new fire doors they say are unsafe. Stoke-on-Trent City Council is in the process of installing more than 800 fire doors across...
September 2011
Global brewing company fined twice in one day
Two separate incidents at its Burton-on-Trent site have cost brewer Molson Coors more than £121,000 in total fines and costs. The company, which says it is the UK’s largest...
September 2011
Wall-collapse director to face manslaughter charge
A director of a construction firm has been accused of causing, through gross negligence, the death of a child who was killed when a wall he designed collapsed on...
September 2011
Blaze guts school assembly hall
Around 35 firefighters fought to contain a blaze in a school hall. On arrival at Writhlington School, in Radstock, crews found a well developed fire in the older part of...
August 2011
Workplace deaths increase in Coalition government’s first year
The number of people killed at work in Britain last year rose by 16 per cent, prompting renewed calls on the Government to rethink its strategy to reduce health...
August 2011
HSE slams firms for ‘not taking legionella risk seriously'
Two companies must pay more than £250,000 in fines and costs for exposing workers and members of the public to legionella bacteria. The HSE visited automotive-parts manufacturer Eaton Ltd’s...
August 2011
Storage-equipment firm and directors face manslaughter charges
A company that manufactures storage products will appear in court next month to answer corporate manslaughter and health and safety charges after a worker died from injuries sustained in...
August 2011
Wedding castle warned about fire safety three weeks before blaze
The management of Peckforton Castle in Cheshire, which last week suffered a serious fire affecting three floors, had been alerted to concerns over fire safety at the hotel just...
August 2011
Economic climate leads to a fifth of employers ‘revising’ fire safety measures
UK employers are potentially putting their employees’ lives at risk by cutting back on fire safety in the current economic climate, according to a survey commissioned by the Fire...
August 2011
School-trips digest to ease bureaucracy burden
The Government has torn up reams of health and safety guidance for schools and condensed them into eight pages of simplified advice. In a move designed to alleviate teachers’...
August 2011
Feeling the Heat - How safe is your barbecue?
Barbecues are an important part of summer for millions of people, yet despite their unwavering popularity they are not without risk. Barbecues contribute to hundreds of accidents each year,...
August 2011
Building managers fined £100,000 after failing to act on fire risk assessment
The managing agent of a block of flats in London has been fined £100,000 and ordered to pay almost £13,000 in costs after pleading guilty to breaches of fire...
August 2011
1500 evacuated from Park Lane hotel after music awards
Around 1500 people were evacuated from the prestigious Hilton Park Lane hotel in London after a fire started in a basement kitchen of the hotel. Eight fire engines and around...
August 2011
Fire risk assessor and hotel manager jailed for fire safety offences
An external fire risk assessor and a hotel manager have both been jailed for eight months for fire safety offences. David Liu, who runs The Dial Hotel and Market Inn,...
August 2011
Essex school fined over caretaker injury
A Shenfield school has been prosecuted after one of its staff fell from height while at work. Caretaker David Springett was recladding the outside of the kitchen at Shenfield High...
August 2011
Warning on fridge-freezer fire risk after tower block blaze
London Fire Brigade has issued an urgent warning about the fire risk of certain fridge-freezers, following confirmation that a blaze last week in a London tower block was caused...
August 2011
Marks and Spencer safety conviction “a wake-up call” for retailers
High-street retailer Marks and Spencer and two of its contractors have been convicted for potentially exposing workers and members of the public to asbestos. In 2006, the HSE received a...
July 2011
Counselling services reduce employee absence levels
Over half (52%) of the workers in a recent survey who had received counselling sessions through an employee assistance programme (EAP) claimed that without this help their concerns would...
July 2011
Health and safety to be the subject of new sitcom
The broadcaster who did much to hinder the cause of sensible health and safety with its 2008 documentary on the profession, The Fun Police, has commissioned a sitcom pilot...
July 2011
Care home sentenced after resident's bed rail death
A Llangollen nursing home has been fined following the suffocation of an elderly woman after she become trapped between her mattress and bed rails intended to stop her falling. Elizabeth...
July 2011
Buried Alive
A foreign construction worker was buried alive during the building of a basement at a property in London, the Central Criminal Court has heard. Arlindo Visentin, a 58-year-old worker...
July 2011
Car hung over cliff edge at unprotected car park
A landowner has been jailed for nine months for failing to comply with enforcement notices, which required him to put edge protection around a hillside car park. In February 2008...
July 2011
National Film and Television School fined after volunteer is paralysed
The National Film and Television School has been fined after a volunteer was left permanently paralysed after falling 2.25 metres from a mock staircase on set. The school, which provides...
July 2011
Serious blaze at Co-op store started in a freezer
A fire that seriously damaged a Co-operative store started in a freezer at the back of the shop. A customer alerted a staff member to the fire, who then...
July 2011
Man accused of arson after serious hotel blaze
A 63-year-old man has been charged with arson with intent to endanger life following a serious fire at a Devon hotel. Anthony Westhead, 63, appeared at Barnstable Magistrates Court on...
July 2011
100 firefighters battle fire at major refurb building
Around 100 firefighters fought a serious fire at a ten-storey building under refurbishment in the centre of London. The fire affected the roof, damaging three quarters of it. Approximately 20...
July 2011
Company fined for failing to provide hot water
A North Devon decorating supplies firm has been fined after HSE inspectors discovered it had not provided employees with hot water to wash their hands, despite the fact they...
July 2011
Council prosecuted after girl trapped in swimming pool
Castle Point Borough Council has been prosecuted by the HSE following an incident where a seven-year-old girl was trapped by a water outlet at the Waterside Swimming Pool on...
July 2011
Bridegroom charged with arson after 100 firefighters battle blaze at historic castle
A 36-year-old man has been charged with arson following a large fire at Peckforton Castle, in Cheshire. According to sources the man was the bridegroom of a wedding due...
June 2011
One in ten head teachers has been physically attacked
More than one in ten school head teachers have been physically assaulted by a parent or carer of a pupil at their school, according to figures recently released. Incidents...
June 2011
Company fined after Crawley employee paralysed
A Hertfordshire-based electrical company has been fined £120,000 after a man was left paralysed when he was knocked from a scissor lift. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecuted Skanska...
June 2011
Landlord given 6 month suspended sentence
A landlord has been given a six-month suspended prison sentence for allowing a tenant to live without hot water or heating for two years. Coventry Magistrates’ court heard that Steven...
June 2011
Landlord given suspended prison sentence for fire safety failures
A residential landlord has been given a suspended prison sentence and ordered to pay more than £10,000 in costs after pleading guilty to four breaches of the Regulatory Reform...
June 2011
Arson church launches legal battle over fire alarms that were disabled
A church that was badly damaged by a fire that started in a neighbouring property has launched a legal battle over the alleged negligence of the management of fire...
May 2011
200 people evacuated from nightclub in air con blaze
A Cheltenham nightclub was evacuated in the early hours of after a fire spread from an air conditioning unit. Around 200 clubbers were led out of Lace nightclub just...
May 2011
Landlord pays £158,000 for breaches after tenants flee from blaze
A residential landlord has been found guilty of fire safety breaches, following a fire where his tenants were forced to flee for their lives. Joseph Ernest Draper, then owner of...
May 2011
First employee prosecuted for fire safety breach
A care home manager who was in charge when a fire alarm was silenced during a blaze has been convicted of a safety breach. Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue, who...
May 2011
Reforms proposed for out of kilter civil-justice system
The Government is pushing ahead with plans to reform ‘no win no fee’ deals and overhaul the civil-justice system, as part of its efforts to release businesses from the...
May 2011
Forty-five workers exposed to asbestos during Topshop renovations
Topshop the well-known high-street clothing retailer and a shopfitting firm have appeared in court after workers were exposed to potentially deadly levels of asbestos at a Topshop store in...
May 2011
Golf-resort guest died from Legionnaires’ Disease
An exclusive leisure resort in Scotland has been fined £120,000 for failing to put in place adequate controls to prevent Legionnaires’ Disease. Forfar Sheriff Court heard that Mr Edward...
April 2011
Two in coma after blaze at cannabis factory
A Birmingham cannabis factory went up in flames on Sunday injuring two people. The two-storey, semi-detached house was being used to grow the plants. A total of three appliances were...
April 2011
M&S employee charged with arson after blaze at store
A Marks and Spencers employee has been charged with arson and criminal damage after allegedly setting fire to an Exeter branch of the retail chain. Robin Woodard, 43, has...
April 2011
Acid dissolved plumber's PPE
A property maintenance company failed to provide a worker with adequate PPE or training prior to him receiving acid burns while unblocking a sin. City Response Ltd was contracted...
April 2011
Landlord pays £27,000 for breaches after tenants' lucky escape
A landlord has been ordered to pay £20,000 in fines after a fire caused his tenants to flee the property for their lives. Hitesh Mashru pleaded guilty to four...
April 2011
Oscar winner on trial over Batman stunt death
Conway Wickliffe died while filming scenes for the Batman movie, The Dark Knight. An Oscar-winning special effects expert is on trial for breaching health and safety regulations over the death...
April 2011
False fire alarm at BBC disrupts live TV broadcast
A cup of tea and fake tan spray have been identified as the root causes of two false fire alarms in TV studios over as many weeks. The One...
April 2011
Independent school fined after groundsmen suffer electrical burns
The King's School in Ely has been prosecuted after three of its employees suffered electrical burns while setting up a rugby post in one of the school's sports fields....
April 2011
Manslaughter charges to be brought against fire-service bosses
Three fire-service managers are to face manslaughter charges in relation to the deaths of four fire-fighters in a warehouse blaze in 2007, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has announced...
April 2011
'Astronomic’ £56,000 bill for fire safety in HMO flats sparks fury from residents
Residents have been left fuming after being handed an ‘astronomical’ bill for fire safety measures, of which just the admin costs run into more than £56,000. A total of...
March 2011
Health & Safety Manager Prosecuted
A health and safety manager who suffered serious burns when a can of solvent exploded has received a suspended prison sentence for putting other workers at risk. Chelmsford Crown...
March 2011
80-year-old care home resident dies after drinking toilet cleaner
An 80-year-old care home resident died after accidentally drinking toilet cleaner which had been left in his room. Sheffield Magistrates Court heard how Derek Johnson had been living at...
March 2011
Fire alarm contractor sentenced under Fire Safety Order
In what is thought to be the first case of its kind, a fire system contractor has been convicted under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. Christopher Morris,...
March 2011
Woman charged after fatal tower block fire
A 49-year-old woman has been charged with manslaughter after a fire in a high-rise block of flats left two people dead. Sandra Clarke is to make a virtual court...
March 2011
Poundland pays out £20,000 for fire safety breaches
National retail chain Poundland Ltd has been told to pay around £20,000 in fines and costs for serious fire safety contraventions at one of its stores. The breaches found...
March 2011
Pensioner died after being thrown from wheelchair on minibus
An elderly woman died of her injuries after being thrown from a wheelchair while in an Age Concern Westminster minibus, a court heard today. Olive Sarti, 88, was taken...
March 2011
Camden council fined following toddler death
Camden Council has been sentenced after the death of a toddler who was killed when sections of a boundary wall fell onto him. Two-year-old Saurav Ghai was walking along...
March 2011
Consultation opens on RIDDOR change
The Health and Safety Executive today opened a three-month consultation on proposed changes to the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) 1995. Changes to RIDDOR were...
March 2011
Serious school fire started in kitchen
A serious blaze that caused a school to close in early January started in a kitchen, fire investigators have found. Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service was called...
March 2011
Prohibition Notice served after workers exposed to asbestos
A property management company was issued with a Prohibition Notice to stop work after work to upgrade a factory roof exposed workers to asbestos. Halifax Magistrates Court heard how...
February 2011
Care home company fined after pensioner dies
BUPA Care Homes (BNH) Ltd has been fined £150,000 following a prosecution by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) after a pensioner died at a nursing home in Birmingham. Seventy-four-year-old...
February 2011
Karaoke bar posed serious fire risk
The owners of a new karaoke bar in Manchester have been prosecuted after being found to have risked the lives of workers and the public through ignoring a string...
February 2011
Shropshire health trust fined over patient death
An 89-year-old man died after hospital staff left him with only one rail on his bed to prevent him from falling out. Pensioner Francis Steele, of Lower Netchwood, Dilton Priors,...
February 2011
Fast-food giant Mc Donalds fined following serious safety lapse
A worker at a McDonalds restaurant suffered serious burns to his eyes when sulphuric acid sprayed into his face as he attempted to unblock a drain. South Western Magistrates’ Court...
February 2011
Hotel evacuated after sauna blaze
Around 35 firefighters were called to the Quality Hotel at 11am on Monday, following an emergency evacuation. A total of four jets and an aerial ladder platform were used...
December 2010
Head teacher fined over school roof fall in Merseyside
A head teacher has been fined £20,000 for failing to ensure the safety of his students after one of them fell through a school roof on Merseyside. John Summerfield led...
December 2010
Steel beam crashed through roof of office building
Two estate agents had a lucky escape when a four-metre-long metal girder fell from a crane and crashed though the roof of their office. The steel beam fell 25 metres...
December 2010
Poundstretcher chain pays £55,000 for fire safety breaches
National discount chain Poundstretcher Limited has been fined £51,500 and ordered to pay £3,450 costs at Leeds crown court for seven offences under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order...
December 2010
Town centre blaze destroys MP's offices
A major blaze in a Kent town centre has destroyed or severely damaged a number of businesses including the constituency office of Sports and Olympics minister Hugh Robertson. The fire...
December 2010
Harry Redknapp among guests that fled hotel blaze
Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp was among 200 guests that were forced to flee a blaze on 12 November, according to the Docklands news. Around 50 firefighters tackled the fire,...
December 2010
John Lewis in the Dock
Retailer John Lewis and refurbishment contractor Morris & Spottiswood have been ordered to pay fines totalling £40,000 after both firms failed to carry out proper asbestos checks during work...
November 2010
Prohibition notice served after serious fire in flats
The owner of a block of flats in Bolton has been served a prohibition notice under the Housing Act 2004, following a serious fire. Inadequate means of escape and poor...
November 2010
A major pub chain has been fined £300,000 after a Merseyside landlord died
A major pub chain has been fined £300,000 after a Merseyside landlord died from carbon monoxide poisoning, and tenants at another 474 pubs were put at risk. Paul Lee was...
November 2010
Hotel group pays £127,000 after 'cavalier disregard' of fire safety
A luxury hotel near Manchester has had to pay £127,000 for what a judge called a ‘cavalier disregard’ for the safety of guests. Hallmark Hotels pleaded guilty to three breaches...
November 2010
Hotel manager fined after alarm system failed in fire
Magistrates have ordered a hotel manager to pay fines and costs totalling £5,355 after a detection and alarm system failed to activate in a fire. Nine residents were staying at...
November 2010
Penhallow hotel owners face charges under Fire Safety Order
The owners of the Penhallow Hotel in Newquay are to be prosecuted for offences under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order. Three people died in a fire at the hotel...
November 2010
Safety call after mid-air plunge
The UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) has issued new safety recommendations after an easyJet Boeing 737 nose-dived nearly 9,000 ft while on a post-maintenance check flight. The report by...
October 2010
Birmingham landlord pays £4500 after fatal HMO fire
A Birmingham landlord has had to pay £4,500 after failing to maintain smoke alarms at a property he had rented out on a multi-occupancy basis to four tenants, one...
October 2010
GBP25,000 fine after worker dies during school demolition
A boarding school has been fined £25,000 following the death of a worker while demolishing a building at the school site. Moor Park Charitable Trust which runs Moor Park School...
October 2010
Man drowned after driving off unprotected pier
A Scottish local council has been fined £20,000 after a man drowned when he drove off the unprotected edge of a coastal car park and fell in to the...
October 2010
Don’t neglect the common areas
The Fire Safety Order includes the common areas of flats and maisonettes, yet there is still a worrying degree of ignorance about this. Bob Williams sets out his concerns...
October 2010
Asbestos disturbed at primary school
A building firm has been fined after failing to warn its employees that asbestos was present, despite having a detailed report about the location of the asbestos. Stratford-upon-Avon Magistrates Court...
October 2010
Holidaymakers’ cars destroyed in blaze at Stansted airport
A fire that gutted at least 19 cars at Stansted airport’s long stay car park was due to an electrical fault, investigators believe. The blaze, which took around 20 firefighters...
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...