Posts in category: Safety

CO2 monitors will be provided to all state-funded education settings from September, so staff can quickly identify where ventilation needs to be improved.

Letting fresh air into indoor spaces can help remove air that contains virus particles and is important in preventing the spread of Covid-19.

Backed by a £25 million government investment, the new monitors will enable staff to act quickly where ventilation is poor and provide reassurance that existing ventilation measures are working.

The majority of c. 300,000 monitors will become available over the autumn term, with special schools and alternative provision prioritised to receive their full allocation from September given their higher-than-average numbers of vulnerable pupils.

The government has also launched a trial of air purifiers in 30 schools in Bradford, which is designed to assess the technology in education settings and whether they could reduce the risk of transmission.

As students in England return to classrooms from next week, this is just one of the measures that will be in place in schools to help reduce transmission. Students and staff will also be asked to continue twice-weekly testing, with two on-site tests provided for secondary and college students as they return.

Education Secretary Gavin Williamson said: “Providing all schools with CO2 monitors will help them make sure they have the right balance of measures in place, minimising any potential disruption to education and allowing them to focus on world class lessons and catch up for the children who need it.

By keeping up simple measures such as ventilation and testing, young people can now enjoy more freedom at school and college.

CO2 monitors are portable so schools and other settings will be able to move them around to test their full estate, starting with areas they suspect may be poorly ventilated.

The programme will provide schools and other settings with sufficient monitors to take representative readings from across the indoor spaces in their estate, assessing all spaces in a relatively short space of time.

More details will be available following the completion of procurement, however all schools and colleges are expected to receive at least partial allocations during the autumn term, enabling all settings to monitor areas where they believe airflow may be weakest.

As the monitors are rolled out the department will provide guidance on their use.

Secondary schools and colleges will be conducting on-site covid testing of their pupils, which can start before the start of term. They can stagger the return of pupils over the first week of term as needed to support the delivery of testing. Pupils should then continue to test twice weekly at home until the end of September, when this will be reviewed.

Construction company Peter Duffy Ltd has been sentenced for safety breaches after multiple employees were diagnosed with Hand Arm Vibration (HAVS).

Leeds Magistrates’ Court heard that the company reported seven cases of HAVS between November 2016 and August 2018. All of the workers involved had been carrying out ground works involving vibrating tools. Many of them had been working in the industry for over 20 years.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that in 2016 the company contracted a new occupational health provider to replace their existing one. The diagnosis of the workers’ conditions resulted from these changes. Prior to the new company taking over the contract, there was no suitable health surveillance in place to identify HAVS.

Peter Duffy Ltd of Park View, Lofthouse, Wakefield pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2 (1) of the Health & Safety at Work etc Act 1974. The company has been fined £40,000 and ordered to pay £3,919 in costs.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Chris Tilley said: “The company should have undertaken a suitable and sufficient risk assessment to identify the level of vibration employees were exposed to throughout their working day and then put in place appropriate control measures.

“Furthermore, the company should have put in place suitable health surveillance to identify HAVS in their workforce”

The National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC) has submitted a response to the Government’s proposed revisions to its fire safety guidance for schools in England.

Whilst there are proposals in the new guidance that NFCC support, disappointingly this new fire safety guidance is a retrograde step for safety in schools and we are calling for the government to work with us to make our schools safer.

NFCC Protection and Business Safety Committee Chair, Gavin Tomlinson stated “the proposed guidance represents a real lessening of standards in fire safety and provides a potential loophole that would allow building developers to follow alternative design guidance, circumventing the requirement for the fitting of sprinkler systems. Last year we called on the government to bring English standards in line with policies in Scotland and Wales, where sprinklers are mandatory in all new and substantially refurbished schools and this guidance falls well short of that”

The original guidance, when first released in 2007, acknowledged the important role of sprinklers and stated that “all new schools should have fire sprinklers installed except in a few low-risk schools”.

In addition to falling short on sprinklers, the draft guidance still allows for the use of combustible materials on external walls. Whilst it does propose the banning of cladding in new school buildings above 18m in height, this is tokenistic as very few schools are designed to this height.

NFCC Sprinkler Lead, Jonathan Dyson said: “School fires can be devastating and should not be underestimated. The use of sprinklers are proven to not only minimise the disruption to a pupil’s education, but also the impact on their family, the community and the wider education establishment. Schools are important community assets that need protecting.

These new sprinkler proposals are immensely disappointing and, if implemented without the changes we call for, represent a missed opportunity to make our schools safer.

At the moment there is a loophole which means that the number of new schools being built with sprinklers has reduced from 70% in 2007 to around 15%. This will continue to fall if the government does not mandate the use of the BB100 design guidance, that calls for sprinklers in all new and major refurbished school buildings.”

Read the consultation response in full here.

Education unions, together with Liberal Democrat education spokesperson Daisy Cooper MP, have written to Gavin Williamson urging the government to take firm action to improve ventilation in schools to reduce further Covid disruption.

According to the unions (NEU, Unison, NASUWT, ASCL, NAHT, GMB and Unite) proper measures to increase airflow in time for the start of the next academic year will make a difference to health and limit the damage to learning for pupils.

In their letter they say “the benefits of ventilation in the control of airborne diseases are already well understood and accepted”. They point to carbon dioxide monitors – to ensure air is flowing adequately – and micro filters for removing harmful particles as measures that will make a significant difference and should be properly funded.

Jim Kennedy, Unite national officer for education said: “Public health experts have identified that proper ventilation is a key prerequisite as we enter the next stage in containing coronavirus. Free-flowing air circulation in schools, as well as workplaces and other places where people gather, should be a government priority.

“During the pandemic, education secretary Gavin Williamson has been shown to be slow-footed in his responses; now he has an opportunity to get on the front foot with increased ventilation for schools underpinned by the necessary funding.”

Geoff Barton, General Secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders, said: “Government action on ventilation in schools and colleges amounts to little more than recommending that windows are kept open, which is not sustainable in providing a comfortable learning environment in the depths of a British winter. If the government is serious about bringing to an end the educational disruption of the past 18 months then it must provide funding for high-quality ventilation systems as a matter of urgency.”

Daisy Cooper MP, Liberal Democrat Education Spokesperson, said: “The evidence clearly shows that good ventilation is critical for reducing the spread of Covid-19 and keeping people safe whilst indoors. If the Government is serious about ending the disruption pupils, parents and teachers have faced over the last 18 months then it must provide schools with all the required resources – both funding and support – to install high-quality ventilation systems without further delay.”

Dr Patrick Roach, General Secretary of NASUWT, said: “The NASUWT believes that CO2 monitors should be in place in every school as part of an effective Covid safety response. Many teachers are still working in rooms which have the windows sealed shut, yet we now know that good ventilation is a key mitigation in helping to reduce the spread of Covid and other viruses in indoor environments.

“Given the recent warnings we have heard from the Chief Medical Officer that the autumn and winter could be a very difficult period again for the country, it’s important that pre-emptive action is taken in schools. A commitment from ministers to a fund to provide enhanced ventilation, monitoring and support with air filtration would be an extremely positive move. It would be reassuring to those working within our schools and be reassuring for many parents.”

Kevin Courtney, Joint General Secretary of the National Education Union, said: “It is shocking that, rather than taking concrete steps now to improve the situation, the Department for Education has only just announced a pilot scheme involving 30 schools in Bradford to trial the use of air purifiers, with results not due until the end of the year. Eighteen months into the pandemic, and given the accumulated knowledge about ventilation, kicking the issue into the long grass in this way is simply not good enough.”

The Scottish Government are urging homeowners to install interlinked heat and smoke alarms in a nationwide media campaign launched before new fire safety laws come into effect next year.

From February all homeowners will be required to have interlinked alarms under legislation brought forward after the Grenfell Tower tragedy in 2017. These alarms significantly reduce casualties by alerting everybody in a property to a fire. Most homes will also require a carbon monoxide alarm.

Private rented and new-build homes must already meet these standards, but from February they will apply to every home in Scotland, regardless of age or tenure.

The cost for an average three bedroom house which requires three smoke alarms, one heat alarm and one carbon monoxide detector is estimated to be about £220. This is based on using the type of alarms that can be installed by the homeowner, without the need for an electrician. The Scottish Government is providing £500,000 to help eligible older and disabled homeowners with installation, in partnership with Care and Repair Scotland.

Housing Secretary Shona Robison said: “One death from a house fire is one too many, and improving fire safety remains our utmost priority. In February Scotland will become the first UK nation to require every home to have interlinked fire alarms, which significantly reduce the risk of injury or death. If there is a fire in one room it will set off alarms throughout the property, giving residents more time to escape.

“Homeowners are generally responsible for paying for works to protect their property, but we know some may not be able to meet the cost of fitting these alarms. That is why we are providing £500,000 to help disabled and older people, on top of the £1 million we have already provided to the Scottish Fire & Rescue Service to install alarms in owner-occupied homes identified as being at highest risk.”

Alasdair Perry, Head of Prevention and Protection at the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, said: “Having the earliest possible warning of a fire in the home can and has saved lives and property. Having interlinked alarms installed will allow everyone, anywhere in the house to take action as quickly as possible.

“The Scottish Government has provided financial support to our Home Fire Safety Visit programme, which will allow us to fit to the new standard in the homes of those identified through our robust criteria as being at higher risk. However, if we go to any property that has no detection, we will still provide a battery-operated stand-alone smoke detector and advise the occupant about the new standard for the fire and smoke alarms required by the legislation in all Scottish homes.”

Robert Thomson, National Director of Care and Repair Scotland, said: “Care and Repair Scotland has assisted older and disabled homeowners in repairing and adapting their homes since 1988. Therefore, we are pleased to be administering the fire alarms assistance package for lower-income older and disabled homeowners. This funding will support our overall aim to help homeowners live independently and safely at home for as long as possible.”

The 21-strong team of UK firefighters deployed to help tackle the wildfires in Greece have now arrived safely back in the UK.

The team had been in Greece for seven days following a request from the Home Secretary to the National Fire Chiefs Council to send support to Greece.

Fire Minister Lord Greenhalgh said: “I am extremely grateful to our team of 21 firefighters from across the UK who supported the Greek emergency services in responding to the wildfires. As they safety return home, I would like to thank them for their vital contribution to improving the situation in Greece.”

Mark Hardingham, Chair of the National Fire Chiefs Council, commented: “I am incredibly proud of the National Resilience team of firefighters and officers who have worked tirelessly in Greece. They have worked under arduous conditions in soaring heat, with their sole priority being the protection of lives, property and the wider environment.

“This just goes to show how adaptable, professional and passionate UK firefighters are about their roles; regardless of who needs their help they are always ready, willing and able.

In addition to those who went to Greece we had many other firefighters from across the UK volunteering if further assistance was required.

“The entire country can be proud of the role the highly skilled and professional team played and I look forward to welcoming them home on their safe return. The situation in Greece remains serious and we are on standby to offer further assistance, as and when required.”

Britain’s workplace regulator says more must be done to improve farm safety after being notified of four fatalities on farms in just over a fortnight.

Fatal incidents the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has become aware of include the death of a three-year-old boy in Wales and a suspected cattle-trampling in Chippenham earlier this week.

There has also been a report of a separate incident involving members of the public being attacked by cattle.

The incidents come just three weeks after Farm Safety Week, when HSE issued its Fatal injuries in agriculture, forestry and fishing in Great Britain 2020/21 report highlighting the high fatality rate in the industry.

The figures showed that agriculture has the worst rate of fatal injuries of all the major industrial sectors, around 20 times higher than the average five-year annual rate across all industries.

HSE’s acting head of agriculture Adrian Hodkinson said: “While we must respect the ongoing investigations following these tragic incidents, most injuries or deaths that we’ve historically seen on farms have been both predictable and preventable.

“Despite the efforts of the Farm Safety Partnership in particular, an industry-wide change in attitude is needed for farmers to take action to protect themselves and others to the well-known risks they face.

“At this time of year, we have additional factors such as the school holidays and higher numbers of members of the public enjoying the summer weather and walking along public footpaths through fields with cattle.

“But we ask that farmers, farm workers and farming contractors take the right steps to stop these incidents. At this time of year, it’s important to manage risk from livestock and, with harvest well underway, to work safely with farm machinery.

He added: “The fatality rate within the sector is high, but there are simple measures workers can take to reduce risk including making sure to switch off the power to vehicles or machinery before attempting to carry out repairs, keeping people away from moving vehicles; and ensuring dairy bulls, and cows with calves are not in fields with public footpaths.

“We are urging people who work on farms to make safety a priority and help us to reduce the number of deaths and injuries in the industry.”

Guidance in managing livestock, reducing the risks to children and the public, and maintaining farm vehicles and machinery is available on the HSE website.

Workers within the sector are also encouraged to seek help and advice from any of the Farm Safety Partnerships or leading farming organisations if they require guidance and support for specific tasks or activities.

Fatal incidents:
• Tuesday 27 July 2021: An investigation, led by Police Scotland with support from HSE, is ongoing after a man died in an apparent fall from height at a farm in Angus, Scotland.
• Tuesday 3 August 2021: An investigation, led by Dyfed Powys Police with support from HSE, is ongoing after a three-year-old boy died following a collision with a vehicle at a farm in Carmarthenshire, South Wales.

• Monday 9 August 2021: An investigation, led by Hampshire Police with support from HSE, is ongoing after a man died in a crushing incident involving a ramp falling from a truck at a farm in Hampshire.
• Tuesday 10 August 2021: An investigation, led by Avon and Somerset Police with support from HSE, is ongoing after a man was found with fatal injuries and surrounded by cattle at a field in Chippenham.

NEBOSH have announced that they will sponsor the RoSPA awards for a 16th consecutive year as the main headline sponsor.

As a fellow charity, NEBOSH will support RoSPA in its ongoing campaign to enhance health and safety in the workplace. The live Virtual Awards Ceremony will be on Thursday 9 September 2021 at 13:00 BST.

The RoSPA Awards are a an opportunity to celebrate the people and organisations who make it safe and healthy for us to go to work every day. The Awards are one of the most prestigious and recognised schemes in the world. The Awards offer organisations an opportunity to benchmark safety performance year on year and ensure consistent performance between sites. They also provide an effective route to demonstrate an ongoing commitment to raising health and safety standards.

Find out more about the Awards and register for the virtual event for free here

Hovington Limited was sentenced for safety breaches after a worker was struck by a falling piece of plant machinery while working on a construction site in Rotherham.

Sheffield Magistrates’ Court heard that, on 4 February 2019, groundworkers, including the injured person, were breaking out ground using a 13 tonne 360 excavator with a hydraulic breaker attached to an automatic quick hitch, as part of trench work to install new drainage of the site at Arconic Forging and Extrusions, Sheffield Road, Ickles, Rotherham. The breaker became detached from the quick hitch on the excavator. The breaker fell, narrowly missing one ground worker, and landed on the injured worker’s right foot. He sustained injuries which led to amputation of his right leg below the knee.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that the company failed to ensure that a safe method of work was in place when working in the vicinity of an excavator, there was no defined segregation between people and plant, and no use of a vehicle plant marshal to ensure the machine was isolated before pedestrians enter the working zone of the excavator. The company also failed to implement a dedicated bucket changing area for the changing of attachments to minimise the risk of attachments falling onto pedestrians.

Hovington Limited of Chichester Street, Rochdale pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2 (1) of the Health & Safety at Work etc Act 1974. The company has been fined £34,000 and ordered to pay £1,935.84 in costs.

After the hearing, HSE inspector Trisha Elvy commented: “This incident could have easily resulted in a fatality and could have been avoided by simply carrying out correct control measures and safe working practices.

“There should be suitable, defined safe systems of work so that persons who need to work in close proximity to excavators can do so safely.”

Motorola Solutions have announced that the National Health Service (NHS) England has selected its VB400 body-worn video solution to increase transparency and safety for its frontline workers and citizens across the country.

Successful trials with London Ambulance Service and North East Ambulance Service proved the rugged VB400 body-worn cameras offer greater transparency for staff and citizens to assist in de-escalating situations, leading to the accelerated roll out of the cameras across all trusts in England – three years ahead of the NHS Long Term Plan target. The foundation of safety that the cameras provide allows ambulance workers to remain focused on making life-saving decisions and delivering patient care.
 
“If we are unable to protect our staff, we are unable to provide a service that’s fit for purpose for the public we serve”, said Darren Green, clinical service manager at North East Ambulance Service. “The availability of body-worn cameras for our staff is something that we have championed for a long time and we are delighted to have led the trial to help implement them nationally.”
 
“Looking after our staff and volunteers and keeping them safe is a top priority. These cameras should act as a deterrent and will also help provide evidence”, said Dr John Martin, Chief Paramedic and Quality Officer at London Ambulance Service.
 
The cameras are easily activated by the wearer, securely assigned to a frontline worker using their ID badge and offer an extended battery life that lasts beyond the shift with up to 12 hours of recording. The ambulance trusts will deploy the body-worn cameras with VideoManager evidence management software to seamlessly upload and manage the recorded video as part of their workflow. 
 
“The adoption of VB400 body-worn cameras across all ambulance trusts in England is a significant endorsement for how they help to ensure the safety and well-being of members of the public and ambulance crews”, said Fergus Mayne, country manager and head of U.K. sales at Motorola Solutions. “With greater reassurance in their safety, ambulance workers can focus on what they do best – providing life-saving emergency care to the community.”