Cardiff-based construction company, Jehu Project Services Ltd, has been sentenced after a worker was seriously injured falling down a lift pit. The incident happened on 8 July 2015 at a construction site in Pontcanna, Cardiff. Stephen Harrison, a specialist drilling contractor, was employed by Jehu to help refurbish a 73-bed care home when he fell into the basement of a lift pit that was under construction. Mr Harrison stepped onto the ground floor having been working off a tower scaffold, but stood on a loose concrete block causing him to fall backwards, head-first, into a skip full of rubble on the floor below. A specialist Fire and Rescue team were nearby and after stabilising Mr Harrison, attached him to the hook of a tower crane and winched him out of the pit, over the site and into the carpark of a housing estate nearby where an ambulance was waiting. Mr Harrison suffered shattered vertebrae, five broken ribs, a punctured lung and spent 18 days in hospital. He is still recovering and although not paralysed, his injuries were life-changing and he will not return to work. HSE investigated the incident and found that Jehu had been using a system of lightweight barriers around the edges of the drop, along with bean bags at the bottom of the hole, but these were incompatible with all of the work that needed to be done by the different contractors and had been removed. Following the incident, all of the danger areas were fenced with scaffolding. Newport Crown Court heard that there were numerous management failings associated with this project, which included a lack of effective site management and supervision, a construction plan that did not properly consider obvious working at height risks and a lack of an effective Temporary Works Management System. Jehu Project Services Ltd pleaded guilty to breaching Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015, Regulation 13(1) and Work at Height Regulations 2005, Regulation 6(3) and was fined £143,000 and ordered to pay full costs of £15,029.30. HSE Inspector Liam Osborne, who brought the case, said: “Jehu had been given many warnings in the past by HSE about the lack of effective planning, managing and monitoring on their construction sites, as well as warnings about unsafe working at height. The court heard some really positive steps the company are now taking to put these matters right, including making substantial management changes. “It is crucial that construction firms properly think through the risks involved before starting work, they then need to ensure there is a workable plan to iron-out or manage the resultant dangers. “There is a clear hierarchy for managing work at height risks, site managers need to prevent it if possible and then provide suitable fixed barriers. Lower-order measures, such as soft-landing systems or the use of harnesses should only be selected as a last resort and if it is safe and appropriate to do so”. For further information on working at height safely, go to http://www.hse.gov.uk/work-at-height/index.htm Notes to Editors: The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. It aims to reduce work-related death, injury and ill health. It does so through research, information and advice, promoting training; new or revised regulations and codes of practice, and working with local authority partners by inspection, investigation and enforcement. www.hse.gov.uk More about the legislation referred to in this case can be found at: www.legislation.gov.uk/ HSE news releases are available at http://press.hse.gov.uk Journalists should approach HSE press office with any queries on regional press releases. Source link

Anglian Water Business is helping a major hospital in Cambridge save energy, reduce costs and cut carbon. The water company worked with Addenbrooke’s Hospital, and consultancy firm SaveMoneyCutCarbon, to replace dated and inefficient fluorescent lamps with 650 LED panels and tubes in the hospital. It said this will result in an overall energy and carbon reduction of 53 per cent, and generate savings of £15,000 a year and a return on investment in less than four and a half years for the hospital. Anglian Water Business (AWB) already serves Addenbrooke’s entire wastewater treatment needs. The LED replacement project forms part of its commitment to proactively identify ways to add value for customers. AWB account manager Paul Vincent said: “We are delighted to help Addenbrooke’s implement significant financial and efficiency savings. “At [AWB], we are committed to working collaboratively with our customers to ensure they lower costs and consumption, whether it’s water or energy. “This project was made possible thanks to our partnership with SaveMoneyCutCarbon and interest-free funding from Salix Finance.” Energy manager at Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Denis Garnham, said: “Energy, carbon and cost saving, whilst improving the quality of the hospital’s healthcare environment, lie at the heart of our sustainable development management plan. “This lighting upgrade programme is an excellent example of how we achieve this by bringing together our Salix funding stream, [AWB’s] forward thinking value-added services, and the impressive quality of SaveMoneyCutCarbon’s supply and installation teams. SaveMoneyCutCarbon chief operating officer Holden Cook said: “We know the financial pressures facing the NHS and so we were delighted to work with Addenbrooke’s Hospital and use our expertise in both the Salix Funding application and fully managing the LED lighting retrofit. “The money saved by the Trust in energy and maintenance costs can now be diverted into other essential areas, which is fantastic.” Anglian Water Business is a national water retailer, which supplies more than 140,000 businesses and public sector bodies across the UK. Source link

Following hot on the heels of their widely reported Network E success in Redhill last month when Network Auctions’ partner agent, Power Bespoke, achieved £465,000 against a guide price of £350,000, another fabulous result has been achieved, this time in Watford. The property in Cassiobury, Watford, was placed on the market with Network Auctions partner Elliott Residential with a guide price of £830,000. By the time the online Network E auction finished, a price of £1,035,000 had been achieved. Simon Meager, Sales Director at Elliott Residential said: “We were instructed by Executors and recommended using Network E as the method of sale as we felt it combined the best aspects of a private treaty sale with the transparency, certainty and speed of an auction. We held three open house viewing sessions and showed sixty interested parties around. This interest also generated a number of valuations and a further property instruction that is likely to follow the Network E route. Bidding was fierce with a total of sixty four bids culminating in an excellent price of £1,035,00 being achieved. Crucially a non-refundable deposit was immediately paid and exchange set for twenty eight days. Selling and buying can be a stressful time and where there is multiple interest in a property, the actual process of agreeing a sale can take several days with offers going back and forwards and the stress and frustration of all parties rising. Network E manages this process superbly, swiftly and with transparency.” Network E is a unique service provided by NAVA auction house of the year Network Auctions through their growing network of partner agents. In the last month, five new offices have joined Network Auctions: Redstones in Walsall, Wolverhampton and Telford, Hinton and Downes in Harrow Weald and Eric Clarke estate agents in Farnworth, Bolton. Toby Limbrick, Manging Director of Network Auctions said: “We are enjoying a record year in our traditional auction business and our next sale will take place in London on 19th October. Network E is a fabulous addition to our business and our partner agents are using it to secure new business and successfully sell property that would otherwise be at the mercy of the private treaty marketplace.” Source link

Book Course HSL is to run a 1 day course on Exposure Science Conference. 20th April 2016 This one-day event brings together those with an interest in the measurement, modelling and assessment of environmental, occupational, ergonomics and nutritional exposures, especially with an application to epidemiology. We are pleased to announce our two keynote speakers: Prof David Polya, School of Earth, Atmospheric & Environmental Sciences The University of Manchester and Dr Ovnair Sepai, Principal Toxicologist Centre for Radiation, Chemicals and Environmental Hazards Public Health England Prof David Polya, School of Earth, Atmospheric & Environmental Sciences, The University of Manchester Dr Ovnair Sepai, Principal Toxicologist, Centre for Radiation, Chemicals and Environmental Hazards, Public Health England Please see our Programme Here for more information Abstract submission now closed Cost The cost of the conference is £60 per person. Evening Meal There will be an optional, additionally charged, evening meal at the Old Hall Hotel on 20th April, at £42+vat per person, please register for that separately here. Location Health and Safety Laboratory, Harpur Hill, Buxton, Derbyshire, SK17 9JN. See HSL location details here. Accommodation Details of hotels in the Buxton area can be found at www.visitpeakdistrict.com The Evening Meal with be held at the Old Hall Hotel Travel Buxton is in the heart of the Peak District and has good links to mainline train stations. Trains from London to Macclesfield are approx 1 hour and 40 minutes, taxis from Macclesfield to Buxton or HSL are approx £25. Trains from Manchester Piccadilly to Buxton are approx 1 hour, taxis from Buxton train station to HSL are approx £7. We may offer a minibus to pick up from Macclesfield train station, and also drop off. If you would be interested in this service please email Samantha on ExposureScience2016@hsl.gsi.gov.uk Buxton Taxis Allied Taxis – 01298 72123 Buxton Radio Taxis – 01298 23457 Crescent Cars – 01298 73515 Jam Taxis – 01298 72333   Email: ExposureScience2016@hsl.gsi.gov.uk for queries and further information.   In 2016, this conference will be joining up with the 10th UK & Ireland Occupational & Environmental Epidemiology Conference.  This will be held the day after Exposure Science.  More information will be available on their  webpage.   Book Course For further information email: training@hsl.gsi.gov.uk or contact the Training & Conferences Unit at HSL directly on +44 (0)1298 218806. Back to Health and Safety Seminars Source link

WaterSafe backs launch of new guidance for hospitals Published:  25 May, 2016 WaterSafe, the national accreditation scheme for plumbers in the UK, is backing the launch of new technical guidance on how to manage water systems in hospitals. The Health Technical Memorandum HTM 04-01 has been updated by the Department of Health and sets out new recommendations for how hospital bosses should manage their water supply and storage systems in existing and refurbished buildings and when designing new ones. This includes employing WaterSafe approved plumbers to work on hospital systems, as they have specific qualifications in the Water Supply (Water Fittings) Regulations, designed to keep drinking water healthy. Hospitals rely on safe, high-quality water for hygiene in clinical and surgical care, and they also need to make sure there is enough drinking water stored to keep taps flowing should there be an interruption in water supplies. Julie Spinks, director of WaterSafe, said: “Having safe, hot and cold water supply systems is vital for public health, and no more so than in a hospital environment. The good news is that WaterSafe-approved plumbers have the expertise to readily assist hospital Trusts that need help, as they have specific qualifications in working safely with drinking water supplies. “We are delighted the Department of Health recognises this too – WaterSafe is included in the guidance document with NHS Trusts encouraged to use WaterSafe-approved plumbers.” Image courtesy of Shutterstock/ Spotmatik Ltd Source link