Category: health & safety

Grenfell inquiry to have most core participants in UK history – The Guardian

Posted March 21st, 2018 in fire, health & safety, inquiries, news by tracey

‘More than 530 individuals and organisations have been granted core participant status for the Grenfell Tower fire inquiry, which resumes preliminary hearings on Wednesday. The number of accredited parties underlines the breadth of the disaster’s impact and the challenge facing Sir Martin Moore-Bick, the retired appeal court judge chairing the investigation. Three individuals are being allowed to remain anonymous. It is believed to be the largest number accredited to a public inquiry in the UK.’

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The Guardian, 20th March 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Employees must comply with work at height safety duties too – OUT-LAW.com

Posted March 15th, 2018 in employment, fines, health & safety, news, sentencing, suspended sentences by tracey

‘Two recent cases involving breaches of working at height regulations offer a clear reminder to workers of their own duties to take reasonable care for the health and safety of themselves and others.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 14th March 2018

Source: www.out-law.com

Hillsborough disaster: CPS will not charge five police officers over deaths of 96 Liverpool fans – The Independent

Posted March 14th, 2018 in evidence, health & safety, misfeasance in public office, news, police, prosecutions, sport by sally

‘Five police officers involved in the Hillsborough disaster and subsequent investigation will not be charged over an alleged “cover-up” over the deaths of 96 Liverpool fans.’

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The Independent, 14th March 2018

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Information watchdog denounces council over Grenfell failings – The Guardian

Posted March 13th, 2018 in fire, freedom of information, health & safety, housing, local government, news by sally

‘Kensington and Chelsea council has been condemned by the information commissioner for failing to disclose information relating to the Grenfell Tower fire. Elizabeth Denham has made seven rulings against the council for failing to respond to freedom of information requests about fire safety, cladding and risk assessments at the high-rise block.’

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The Guardian, 13th March 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Red Arrows death: Ejection seat firm fined £1.1m – BBC News

Posted February 26th, 2018 in aircraft, fines, health & safety, news by tracey

‘An ejection seat manufacturer prosecuted over the death of a Red Arrows pilot thrown from his jet has been fined £1.1m.’

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BBC News, 23rd February 2018

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Hillsborough disaster: Five more former police officers could be charged over deaths of 96 Liverpool fans – The Independent

Posted February 23rd, 2018 in health & safety, news, police, prosecutions, sport, unlawful killing by tracey

‘A further five police officers could face criminal charges over the Hillsborough disaster, investigators have announced. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) is reviewing evidence from West Midlands Police on two officers who were found to have a case to answer by the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC).’

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The Independent, 22nd February 2018

Source: www.independent.co.uk

I can serve this only once – gas safety certificates – Nearly Legal

Posted February 12th, 2018 in energy, health & safety, housing, landlord & tenant, news, regulations by tracey

‘Caridon Property Ltd v Monty Shooltz. Central London County Court. 2 February 2018 (from note of judgment). This was an appeal to a circuit judge of a first instance decision of District Judge Bloom (who is an experienced housing lawyer). The circuit judge was HHJ Jan Luba QC (a very experienced housing lawyer).’

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Nearly Legal, 11th February 2018

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Supreme Court backs Chevron over use of new evidence in appeal over HSE prohibition notice – OUT-LAW.com

Posted February 9th, 2018 in evidence, health & safety, news, offshore installations, Scotland, Supreme Court by tracey

‘Tribunals are entitled to take into account additional evidence that was not available to the health and safety inspector when considering an appeal against a prohibition notice, the UK’s highest court has confirmed.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 8th February 2018

Source: www.out-law.com

City worker suing train operator for £2m after losing both legs when he fell between train and platform – Daily Telegraph

Posted February 9th, 2018 in health & safety, news, personal injuries, railways by tracey

‘A city IT worker is suing a train operator for nearly £2m in damages after losing both his legs when he fell between a train and a platform looking for his lost season ticket.’

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Daily Telegraph, 9th February 2018

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Prisoner dies at HMP Nottingham three weeks after watchdog makes stark warning that ‘lives are at risk’ in jail – The Independent

Posted February 9th, 2018 in health & safety, news, ombudsmen, prisons, suicide by tracey

‘A man has died in what is believed to have been a suicide at HMP Nottingham less than a month after the prisons watchdog made an unprecedented warning that the lives of inmates were at risk.’

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The Independent, 9th February 2018

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Cladding fitted to Grenfell Tower ‘was never fire safety tested’ – The Independent

Posted February 9th, 2018 in fire, health & safety, news by tracey

‘The cladding system fitted to Grenfell Tower was never subjected to fire safety testing, according to reports. The panels installed on the block, which have since been found on 299 other high-rises, were apparently not put through large-scale lab examinations to test their combustibility before being fitted.’

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The Independent, 8th February 2018

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Council fined £100k after vulnerable employee hit by reversing dust cart – Local Government Lawyer

Posted February 8th, 2018 in contracting out, fines, health & safety, local government, news, waste by tracey

‘A London borough has been fined £100,000 after a vulnerable employee was crushed by a reversing dust cart, suffering significant injury. Waste company Veolia ES (UK) was meanwhile fined £250,000 for its role in the incident, which took place on 9 May 2016.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 6th February 2018

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Fire Safety – Who Pays? – Nearly Legal

Posted February 5th, 2018 in costs, fire, health & safety, housing, landlord & tenant, leases, news, repairs by sally

‘Since the extent of the issues with the cladding to blocks of flats became clear after Grenfell, and it became clear that private blocks as well as social were affected, we have been waiting for the beginning of the legal fall out over who was to pay for rectifying the problems. For leaseholders in those blocks, this was always going to be a very serious issue.’

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Nearly Legal, 4th February 2018

Source: nearlylegal.co.uk

Anomalies in sentencing for fire safety breaches create uncertainty – OUT-LAW.com

Posted February 2nd, 2018 in fire, health & safety, news, sentencing by sally

‘Fines for breaches of fire safety regulations are not explicitly covered by health and safety sentencing guidelines – leading to anomalies in the way in which companies are prosecuted and the ultimate fine.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 1st February 2018

Source: www.out-law.com

MPs begin inquiry into effectiveness of working at height rules – OUT-LAW.com

Posted January 24th, 2018 in consultations, health & safety, industrial injuries, news, sentencing by tracey

‘Construction firms and trade bodies have been urged to contribute to a new inquiry into best practice and solutions for tackling serious injury and fatalities for working at height.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 23rd January 2018

Source: www.out-law.com

Government introduces new product safety office – BBC News

Posted January 22nd, 2018 in consumer protection, fire, health & safety, news, select committees by sally

‘The government is creating a new Office for Product Safety and Standards to help manage large-scale product recalls and identify risks to consumers.’

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BBC News, 21st January 2018

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Liverpool prison has ‘worst conditions inspectors have seen’ – The Guardian

Posted January 19th, 2018 in health & safety, news, prisons, reports by tracey

‘Prison chiefs have been summoned next week to explain to MPs their “abject failure” over living conditions in Liverpool prison, which have been described by inspectors as the worst they can recall.’

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The Guardian, 19th January 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Coroner’s concern over ‘fixie’ bikes after Italian aristocrat killed falling under truck on cycle without brakes – Daily Telegraph

Posted January 18th, 2018 in accidents, bicycles, health & safety, inquests, news by tracey

‘A coroner has raised concerns about fixed-gear bikes with no front brakes, as she heard how an Italian aristocrat died after falling under the wheels of a truck.’

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Daily Telegraph, 17th January 2018

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Acid attacks: Major UK retailers ban acid sales to under-18s – Daily Telegraph

Posted January 8th, 2018 in children, crime prevention, hazardous substances, health & safety, news, sale of goods by sally

‘Under-18s will not be able to buy products containing harmful levels of acid or corrosive substances at a number of retailers, following the launch of a voluntary Government plan.’

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Daily Telegraph, 7th January 2018

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Grenfell Tower fire: Police ask for £38m to fund investigation – BBC News

Posted January 5th, 2018 in budgets, fire, health & safety, inquiries, news, police by tracey

‘The Metropolitan Police has asked the Home Office to pay £38m for its Grenfell Tower fire investigation.’

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BBC News, 4th January 2018

Source: www.bbc.co.uk