Health and safety news and updates
safety4business produces this completely free monthly update on health and safety news for distribution to selected clients. The update is not intended to be comprehensive, as that would clearly involve a very long and unwieldy communication. Instead, it aims to identify the most relevant items, providing you with the option to investigate further if needed.
We hope you find the news and update both interesting and effective in helping you to keep abreast of what is happening in the world of health and safety.
News
Hand Washing Overalls Probable Cause of Death
A retired nurse died from the asbestos cancer mesothelioma after being exposed to fibres while hand washing her partner's work overalls.
An inquest held at Northampton General Hospital heard that Myrtle Octavia Gordon, who died on 21 February, inhaled the deadly fibres while cleaning the clothes of her partner, who worked in a Northamptonshire factory for 25 years, or from a short spell working in a car parts factory in Birmingham.
Her family said they were convinced the 74-year-old contracted the disease at home, her son Trevor saying:
"It seems to be the most likely cause. We've investigated all the other avenues, but washing the clothes by hand was something my mother remembers vividly."
Her daughter Denise said:
"If you think about when she must have contracted the disease, people didn't know about the dangers of it. To be honest, I'm not sure if there's enough awareness now."
Police Promise Crackdown on Health Service Violence
Unions have welcomed a promise to crackdown on violence against health service staff, after an agreement was signed this week between the NHS Security Management Service (SMS) and the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO). Police chiefs have promised to investigate every reported incident of violence or abuse on NHS premises, and put pressure on the courts and prosecutors 'to ensure offenders receive tougher sentences.'
Blood Pressure Rises With Work Hours
People who work more than 51 hours at the office each week are 29% more likely to have high blood pressure than those who worked 39 hours or less, a new study has found. The study also found that lower grade jobs were linked to increased blood pressure.
Researchers looked at a representative sample of 24,305 California adults who worked 11 hours or more each week. The researchers found that the likelihood of having high blood pressure rose steadily with the number of hours worked and persisted even after adjusting for factors such as socioeconomic status and body weight.
Key findings included:
• Those who worked 40 hours per week were 14% more likely to have high blood pressure than people who worked 39 or fewer hours
• Hypertension risk was 17% greater in those working 41 to 50 hours weekly, and 29% higher in those working 51 hours or more
• Hypertension was more common among clerical and unskilled workers than among professionals - Dr Haiou Yang of the University of California said their study 'suggests that occupations requiring more challenging and mentally active work may have a protective effect against hypertension.'
Non-Qualified Scaffold Training
Trade union Amicus have reported that some companies in Scotland have recently been duped into purchasing scaffold training from a provider who was not recognised by CITB - Construction Skills as qualifying for issue of a CISRS (Construction Industry Scaffolders Record Scheme) card.
For further information see amicus.HSC Calls for Heavier Penalties
Bill Callaghan, Chair of the Health and Safety Commission (HSC), has written to the Cabinet Office calling for 'more training for judges and magistrates so that the level of fines ‘Recognises the gravity of breaches and acts as an effective deterrent.'In an HSC response to a government review of regulatory sanctions headed by Richard Macrory, Professor of Environmental Law at University College London, Mr Callaghan said:
"Before we can look objectively at alternative penalties, there is a need to ensure the current level of penalties, in terms of the level of fines imposed, act as an effective deterrent. It is our belief that the current level is too low and needs to be increased.”Trip Leads to £30,000 Award
A social worker who broke her arm in a work fall has been awarded £30,000 at the Court of Session in Edinburgh.
Morag Holtes, 49, fell down a flight of stairs at the Aberdeenshire Council offices in Stonehaven in 2003. She claimed that a proper inspection would have shown that the staircase did not meet the correct standards for office use.
Mrs Holtes told the court the steps were too narrow to put her foot down properly and said an
ill-fitting carpet made things worse. Philip Glen, a consulting engineer, told the court that the staircase was a hazard as it was very steep, had narrow treads and did not meet the criteria for office use. Additionally, a bulge in the carpet increased the risk of an accident and no risk assessment had been carried out.
Legislation Update
Changes to Carriage Regulations Manual
Amendments have been made to the Carriage of Dangerous Goods (CDG) manual.
Changes relate to:
• Enforcement
• DGSA appointment
• Consignment procedures
• Crew and vehicle requirements
• Clinical waste
And
• Commonly encountered problems
Guidance on Revised CDM Regulations
New guidance for the construction industry to support the revised Construction (Design and Management) Regulations (CDM), which come into force in April 2007, will benefit from a
pan-industry perspective through the work of a steering group set up by the HSC's Construction Industry Advisory Committee (CONIAC).
The new Regulations will revise and consolidate provisions in the existing CDM Regulations, and the Construction (Health, Safety and Welfare) (CHSW) Regulations, forming a single regulatory package. This will be supported by an Approved Code of Practice and industry produced guidance, the steering group aims to ensure that any industry guidance produced is consistent and properly targeted.
Health and Safety Executive Update
HSE Looking for Stress Tool Volunteers
HSE is calling for volunteers to test MSQOnline - an enhanced version of HSE's Stress Survey Indicator and Analysis Tools. The tool doesn't involve new or different questions; it's just designed to make analysing responses easier.
HSE want to speak to 3 or 4 organisations who wish to test out MSQOnline with approximately 200-300 potential respondents as part of the survey phase of the Management Standards approach. They are keen to hear from organisations who are preparing to run HSE's stress survey and would be able to test the new tool in the next month.Any organisation wishing to consider volunteering to test MSQOnline, or just wanting more details, should respond via the feedback form at http://www.hse.gov.uk/stress/contacts.htmHSE Calls for Sensible Risk Management
The HSE through its Risk website has launched a set of key principles to define and promote what it means by 'sensible' risk management. It urges people to - 'focus on real risks, those that cause real harm and suffering, and stop concentrating effort on trivial risks and petty health and safety'.
Bill Callaghan, Chair of HSE comments:
"I’m sick and tired of hearing that ‘health and safety’ is stopping people doing worthwhile and enjoyable things when at the same time others are suffering real harm and even death as a result of mismanagement at work."
Some of the ‘health and safety’ stories are just myths. There are also some instances where health and safety is used as an excuse to justify unpopular decisions such as closing facilities. But behind many of the stories, there is at least a grain of truth
– someone really has made a stupid decision. We’re determined to tackle all three. My message is that if you’re using health and safety to stop everyday activities – get a life and let others get on with theirs."
HSE Reports
Fatal Injuries at Work in Great Britain During 2005/06
The number of fatal accidents at work in Great Britain reduced from 223 in 2004/5 to 212 during 2005/06, a fall of 5%.
The reduction in the overall fatal injury figures from 2004/05 was particularly helped by falls in the agriculture and construction sectors.
Sectors that failed to perform well were:
• Manufacturing with an increase from 43 to 45
• Large services with 69 fatalities in 2005/06 compared to 67 last year
And
• The extractive and utility supply industries with an increase from 2 in 2004/05 to 6 in 2005/06
Provisional figures for members of the public fatally injured through work activity (excluding acts of suicide or trespass on railways) is 130, up from 117 in 2004/05.
The 2 worst performing sectors were construction with 59 fatalities and agriculture, forestry and fishing with 33.
Falling from a height continues to be the most common kind of accident, accounting for 22% of fatal injuries, although this decreased, from 53 to 46.
The detailed figures can be viewed at www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/overpic.htm and at www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/overall/fat10506.pdf.
Occupational Ill-Health in Great Britain
The latest Occupational Health Statistics Bulletin sets out the picture on work-related ill health in Great Britain using a variety of different sources:
• Reports from specialist doctors in The Health and Occupation Reporting network (THOR)
• Claims for disablement benefit under the Industrial Injuries Disablement Benefit (IIDB) scheme
• Death certificates for mesothelioma and other fatal occupational diseases
And
• Detailed figures on self-reported ill health from the 2004/05 Labour Force Survey (LFS)
The Bulletin reports that an estimated 2 million people were suffering from an illness which they believed was caused, or made worse by, their current or past work.
Note: The information contained within this document is intended as a summary of selected items of health and safety news and information. As such, it is not offered or intended as complete, exhaustive and accurate reporting of such news and information. Safety4business accepts no responsibility for the completeness of the information, and no liability for actions resulting from it.
