Safety Smart Monthly Update August 2021

Building Safety Bill – Familiar Concepts but much to learn 

Last week saw England’s Building Safety Bill finally make its way into Parliament; the first formal legislative step in the government’s vow to ‘deliver the biggest changes to building safety for nearly 40 years.

For those already steeped in building safety, there are lots of familiar concepts; identified roles to be appointed, information to be shared and activities to be coordinated. A structure quite clearly rooted in CDM. But there is also plenty that is new and much that needs to be done – some of it now.

This article from IOSH looks at some of the key provisions 

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GB Work Fatalities up by almost a third 

Covid disruption, wide-scale furloughing of workers and a 10% reduction in weekly hours worked has been accompanied by a 28% year-on-year increase in the number of work-related fatal accidents, according to Great Britain’s annual fatality statistics. Read More 
Supporting Colleagues with Cancer 

What I’ve learned from supporting colleagues with cancer and their caregivers, Kate Field has supported several colleagues living with cancer, this has included supporting individuals during treatment and on their return to work, as well as supporting caregivers whose loved ones have had cancer.

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Podcast: The grey areas of lone worker safety 

Episode 6 of the IOSH podcast discusses lone workers with Don Cameron, CEO of StaySafe – including the grey areas in legislation and how advice on keeping lone workers safe differs internationally.
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Roofer and Scaffolder sentenced following fatal fall from height 

Philip Drinkwater and Anthony Bradley were working on the roof, which was accessed using a ladder and scaffolding that had been erected by Dean Glen, Southwark Crown Court heard. 
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Suspended sentence for guilty fire risk assessor 

A fire risk assessor who provided an inadequate assessment for a residential block in Southampton has been fined and given a suspended prison sentence, following a prosecution brought by Hampshire and Isle of Wight Fire and Rescue Service.
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Worker burned after contact with power line

A vertical farming, glasshouses and energy company has been sentenced after a worker came into contact with an 11kV overhead power line. A subcontractor scaffolding worker was unloading some scaffolding poles near power cables in Willerby, Hull when one of the poles caught the overhead line. 

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Engineering company fined after employee scalped after becoming entangled in a pillar drill.

A P&D Engineering Limited employee suffered life-changing injuries when her scalp and part of her ear were torn off after her ponytail became wrapped around a rotating drill.

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