Ex-National Coal Board coke workers’ legal bid landmark – BBC News

Posted July 27th, 2015 in compensation, health & safety, industrial injuries, news by sally

‘Lawyers for more than 350 ex-National Coal Board coke workers are hoping for a landmark High Court ruling in their compensation fight over illnesses.’

Full story

BBC News, 25th July 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Drone users face jail if they ‘recklessly endanger an aircraft in flight’ – The Guardian

‘Drone pilots who “buzz” passenger jets as they take off and land at British airports have been warned they face jail if caught as the number of companies and unlicensed individuals making use of the relatively low cost flight technology continues to grow.’

Full story

The Guardian, 22nd July 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Company and its senior management sentenced following death of 16 year old apprentice – Crown Prosecution Service

Posted July 15th, 2015 in corporate manslaughter, fines, health & safety, news, sentencing by tracey

‘Huntley Mount Engineering Ltd has today been sentenced for the corporate manslaughter of apprentice Cameron Minshull. In addition, Company Director Zaffar Hussain has been sentenced for an offence under section 2 and 37 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, and company Supervisor Akbar Hussain has also been sentenced for an offence under section 7 of the same act.’

Full story

Crown Prosecution Service, 14th July 2015

Source: www.cps.gov.uk

MPs to debate children’s carbon monoxide deaths in Corfu hotel – The Guardian

‘The deaths of two children from carbon monoxide poisoning while on holiday in Corfu will be debated in parliament next week.’

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The Guardian, 12th July 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Safety of Tasers to be investigated after death of man in Manchester – The Guardian

Posted July 10th, 2015 in firearms, health & safety, inquests, inquiries, news, police, statistics by tracey

‘An independent inquiry is to look into the continued use of Taser stun guns by police in England and Wales after an inquest verdict earlier this week linking their use to the death of a factory worker in Manchester.’

Full story

The Guardian, 9th July 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Fruit farm manager jailed over deaths of men who ‘scuba dived’ for apples – The Guardian

‘A fruit farm manager has been jailed for the manslaughter of two workers who died after climbing into a sealed storage unit to collect the best apples for a competition.’

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The Guardian, 1st July 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Andrew Stocker found guilty of gross negligence manslaughter following death of employees on an apple farm – Crown Prosecution Service

Posted June 22nd, 2015 in employment, health & safety, homicide, negligence, press releases by tracey

‘Andrew Stocker has been found guilty by a jury of gross negligence manslaughter at Winchester Crown Court.’

Full press release

Crown Prosecution Service, 19th June 2015

Source: www.cps.gov.uk

SAS deaths: criminal charges may follow inquest – The Guardian

Posted June 18th, 2015 in armed forces, crime, health & safety, inquests, news, police, prosecutions, witnesses by sally

‘Police and health and safety lawyers argue against media attempt to see witness statements in case they prejudice future prosecutions.’

Full story

The Guardian, 17th June 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Muslim nursery worker loses appeal to wear jilbab gown at work because it is a ‘tripping hazard’ – The Independent

‘A nursery worker has lost her appeal to wear a head-to-toe Islamic jilbab dress to work, after a judge upheld a previous ruling that it was a “tripping hazard”.’

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The Independent, 13th June 2015

Source: www.independent.co.uk

NHS patient safety fears as health watchdog scraps staffing guidelines – The Guardian

Posted June 5th, 2015 in budgets, health & safety, hospitals, news, ombudsmen, quality assurance, standards by tracey

‘The NHS has been accused of backtracking on improvements to patient safety brought in after the Mid Staffordshire hospital scandal in an effort to tackle its escalating financial problems. The National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (Nice) watchdog has unexpectedly scrapped work to set out how many nurses are needed in different parts of hospitals to ensure safe patient care.’

Full story

The Guardian, 4th June 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

International Energy Group Ltd v Zurich Insurance plc (Association of British Insurers and another intervening) – WLR Daily

International Energy Group Ltd v Zurich Insurance plc (Association of British Insurers and another intervening) [2015] UKSC 33; [2015] WLR (D) 233

‘At common law, an employer who had compensated an employee for exposing him to mesothelioma was only entitled to an indemnity under his liability insurance to the extent of the proportion which the policy period bore to the whole period of the employee’s exposure by the employer but could recover 100% per cent of the defence costs incurred in defending the employee’s claim.

WLR Daily, 20th May 2015

Source: www.iclr.co.uk

UK Supreme Court judges show little appetite for extending ‘Fairchild’ exception to other scenarios, says expert – OUT-LAW.com

‘Comments made by some of the UK’s top judges during a recent ruling appear to signal their reluctance to extend the so-called ‘Fairchild’ exception to the normal rules of causation to cover any more types of damage or injury, an expert has said.’

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 26th May 2015

Source: www.out-law.co.com

Swindon placenta smoothie maker ‘will not fight ban’ – BBC News

Posted May 6th, 2015 in birth, environmental health, food, health & safety, human tissue, news by sally

‘A woman who was banned from using raw placenta to make smoothies for new mothers, has said she cannot afford the legal battle to fight her case.’

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BBC News, 5th May 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Coroner calls for law to ensure swimming pools are fenced off after young boy’s death – Daily Telegraph

Posted April 16th, 2015 in accidents, children, health & safety, news by sally

‘Assistant coroner for Wiltshire and Swindon to ask government for similar fencing laws to Australia where families must install child-resistant barriers around pools.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 15th April 2015

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Not So Alarming – Nearly Legal

‘There are new provisions requiring smoke and carbon monoxide detectors in residential properties.’

Full story

Nearly Legal, 24th March 2015

Source: www.nearlylegal.co.uk

Smoothie court case leaves nasty taste in the mouth for placenta fans – The Independent

Posted March 23rd, 2015 in birth, environmental health, food, health & safety, human tissue, news by sally

‘Swindon Borough Council argue ‘the processes involved in the production of placenta for human consumption present a number of potentially serious health risks”

Full story

The Independent, 20th March 2015

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Hillsborough inquests: Assessing David Duckenfield’s evidence – BBC News

Posted March 19th, 2015 in evidence, health & safety, inquests, news, police, sport by sally

‘Police match commander David Duckenfield spent a week in the witness box at the new inquests into the Hillsborough disaster. But what were the key parts of his evidence, and what have we learned?’

Full story

BBC News, 19th March 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Fire safety – a hot topic! – Park Square Barristers

Posted March 19th, 2015 in appeals, fire, health & safety, news, regulations by sally

‘A recent case on the issue of fire safety — or, more exactly, the provisions of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 — has proved both interesting and instructive on the desirability and necessity of precision when drafting an indictment for proceedings brought before the Crown Court.’

Full story

Park Square Barristers, 4th MArch 2015

Source: www.parksquarebarristers.co.uk

More health and safety offenders likely to appeal, says expert, as magistrates get power to issue unlimited fines – OUT-LAW.com

Posted March 17th, 2015 in appeals, fines, health & safety, news by sally

‘Companies and individuals charged with health and safety offences in England and Wales will be likely to change their tactics in the courts following last week’s removal of the cap on fines imposed by the magistrates’ courts, an expert has said.’

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 16th March 2015

Source: www.out-law.com

NHS trust ordered to pay nearly £20,000 over dermatitis failings – Local Government Lawyer

Posted March 11th, 2015 in costs, fines, health, health & safety, hospitals, news by tracey

‘An NHS trust in Cornwall has been ordered to pay nearly £20,000 in fines and costs over failings in its approach to dealing with dermatitis. The Health & Safety Executive prosecuted the Royal Cornwall Hospitals NHS Trust following an investigation that found 23 cases of dermatitis – occurring between 2007 and 2012 – had not been reported to it as is required by the law.’

Full story

Local Government Lawyer, 9th March 2015

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk