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Tragic Death on a Ship
Tate and Lyle have been fined more than a quarter of a million pounds following the death of a contractor working on one of its ships. Keith Webb, 53, died while unloading raw sugar from a ship at Tate and Lyle's sugar refinery at Factory Road, Silvertown, Newham.
The HSE prosecuted them for breaching s2(1) and 3(1) HSWA. The company has been fined £270,000, and ordered to pay costs of £90,000 for failings that led to Mr Webb's death in March 2004 having pleaded guilty.
Mr Webb, who worked for Acclaim Logistics Ltd, was inside a bulldozer that fell from a crane as it was being lowered into the hold of a ship. As the vehicle was being lowered, the lifting lug – connecting the lifting chain to the crane – snapped, dropping the bulldozer. The bulldozer
hit the ship and then fell into the water and Mr Webb was tragically killed.
HSE's investigation identified a series of failures in Tate and Lyle's management of its operations
at the dock. These included its failure to provide and manage proper means of access to the ships being unloaded; and failure to manage and control staff and contractors.
HSE Inspector John Crookes said:
"In failing to identify and address these inadequacies before they led to the death of a worker,
Tate and Lyle's performance fell well below what could be reasonably expected of them. Above all, however, this is a human tragedy as Mr Webb leaves a widow, two grown up children, and two grandchildren, one of whom he was sadly never able to meet. This terrible accident should never have been allowed to happen."
Mr Webb's widow Avril, who was present in court, said:
"Although Keith died five years ago, for me, it's like yesterday. My husband was ripped from my life, from our family's lives. There was no illness to prepare us for our loss. I'm still trying to fill the huge void left by his death, still trying to pick up the threads of a life that I can no longer enjoy. I am half of a whole person. I am no longer part of a couple."
Explosion causes Death
R J Bateman (Engineering) Limited, of High Street, Midsomer Norton, Bath and its two directors,
father Richard Bateman and son John Bateman have been fined a total of £85,000 after heath and safety breaches. The safety failures led to the explosion of a coolant drum and the death of 40-year-old Anthony Reed on 3 April 2006 from injuries sustained.
The company, which has a factory at Bycott, Chumleigh in Devon and makes crop spraying
equipment, pleaded guilty to breaches under s2 and s3 HSWA. Richard and John Bateman both admitted a breach of s37 HSWA.
Anthony Reed had only started with the company one month earlier. He was welding some practice pieces on a make-shift work bench, consisting of a metal plate supported by a modified 200-litre coolant drum. The drum was being used to collect waste materials at the factory site in Bycott, including highly flammable liquids that were ignited. Mr Reed suffered serious head injuries in the subsequent explosion and died from his injuries eight days later in hospital. Mr Reed was a novice welder and the company was found guilty of failing to protect him and other staff working at the factory.
The firm was also found guilty of breaching reg3(1) Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995, following an earlier incident in November 2004 which the company failed to report to HSE. On that occasion self-employed worker Trevor McWilliams suffered chest injuries after falling from a roof extension at the factory site in Chumleigh.
The fines for the offences were as follows:
• R J Bateman Limited was fined a total of £65,000 (£15,000 for breaching Section 3 (1) HSWA; £5,000 for breaching Reg3(1) of the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations and £45,000 for breaching Section 2 (1) HSWA)
• R J Bateman Limited was ordered to pay costs of £67,000
• Company director Richard Bateman was fined £10,000
• John Bateman was fined £10,000
Speaking after the hearing, HSE Inspector, Jo Fitzgerald, said:
"This company operates in the sort of industrial environment where there can be significant risks to staff, which must be managed well to keep people safe. The risk of working with flammable substances, in particular, cannot be underestimated. Mr Reed should never have been in the position he found himself in, practising his skills using a makeshift set up, with no knowledge of the significant danger in which he had placed himself. This terrible tragedy was the result of years of inadequate health and safety management and could have been avoided if proper systems had been adopted by the company."
Liverpool legionella Problem
The Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospital NHS Trust has been £35,000 and ordered to pay costs of £12,862 following an HSE investigation at the NHS Trust's hospital on Thomas Drive, Liverpool. The NHS Trust pleaded guilty to breaching Sections 2(1) and 3(1) HSWA by putting employees and the public at risk
The investigation found unsafe levels of legionella in the water supply system for the showers,
baths and sinks at the hospital. But it was not able to conclude whether two patients, who both contracted legionnaires' disease before their deaths in early 2007, were infected at the hospital or elsewhere.
Liverpool Magistrates' Court heard that the NHS Trust had stopped testing the water supply
for legionella, despite high levels of the bacteria being found in the Audrey Leigh wing in May 2002. HSE criticised the NHS Trust for failing to put suitable control measures in place, and senior management for failing to take responsibility for overseeing the control of the bacteria.
HSE Inspector Kevin Jones said:
"It is almost beyond comprehension that Liverpool Heart and Chest Hospitals NHS Trust became so complacent about legionella in the water supply system. We were astonished to discover that the NHS Trust's management team took a decision to stop testing for the bacteria.
The hospital's water supply system was clearly at risk from legionella and so regular tests should have been carried out. The NHS Trust ignored the recommendations it had been given by a specialist contractor to control the levels of legionella in the water system. No one took, or was given, responsibility for managing the bacteria, and suitable control measures were not in place. Hospital patients are at more risk than most of being infected with legionnaires'
disease. It's therefore vital that NHS Trusts treat the risks seriously to help prevent deaths in the future."
Double Shock
Bowes of Norfolk Ltd, of Brandon Road, Watton, Norfolk, has been fined £25,000 and ordered
to pay £23,095 costs, plus £600 in compensation, after a hearing at Norwich Crown Court. It admitted breaches of s2(1) HSWA, Reg3(1) and 19(1) MHSWR 1999 and Reg4(3) of the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989.
The incident occurred on 23 May 2007, when two teenagers were working at the Hilborough
Pig Unit of Bowes Farm, at the Hilborough Estate, Swaffham Road, Great Cressingham. A 16-year-old employee was helping another teenager load straw, working together in a field on the farm. The second teenager, a 17-year-old, was using the telescopic mechanical arm of a telehandler to grab the straw and lift it into the back of a trailer.
When they stopped work for a moment the telehandler's mechanical arm was released and rose upwards, coming into contact with overhead power lines carrying 11,000 volts of electricity.
The 16-year-old was holding onto the front cage of the vehicle's cab at the time and received an electric shock which could have killed him. The telehandler driver went to help him and received a shock powerful enough to throw him back into his seat.
The younger boy was airlifted to the Norfolk & Norwich University Hospital before being transferred to the specialist burns unit at Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford. Medical staff operated to relieve high pressure in his legs and he was left with two long scars on both legs. His left foot was also damaged where the electricity exited his body. Doctors had to amputate his small toe and remove part of his big toe after further damage caused by electricity
arcing over the metal toe cap of his boot.
The 17-year-old had also suffered an electric shock and spent the night under observation in
the Norfolk & Norwich University Hospital. Fortunately he had no serious injures.
HSE Inspector, Joanne Williams, said:
"I hope this incident makes it clear how important it is to look after young and vulnerable employees. Employers must ensure young staff, in particular those under 17, are given adequate
training and supervision when starting a new job. Young employees are particularly vulnerable to accidents, so it is vital they are adequately supervised, especially when working
around high hazards such as overhead power lines. Too many people are dying in needless
accidents on British farms. In the last ten years, 455 people went out in the morning and never came home. This incident could have easily proved fatal. There is plenty of advice and guidance available both from industry and HSE to help companies comply with the law and keep those working on farms safe. The HSE is currently providing free Agriculture Safety and Health Awareness Days and I would strongly suggest employers consider attending these, and receive the advice that could save a life. The HSE will not hesitate to take action against those who fall short of the law in such a way."
Southwark council fined
Southwark Council of Peckham Road, London pleaded guilty to breaching s3(1) HSWA at the City of London Magistrates Court, following a fatal incident in the car park of Alexandra
Palace, Wood Green in London. The council has been fined £20,000 and ordered to pay costs of £4,466.
The court heard that on 20 September 2006, a trip to an exhibition had been organised for people attending the Aylesbury Day Centre, which is run by the Council. As the group was preparing to return from the exhibition, they were being loaded into a welfare bus via a tail lift at the rear.
One of the group, William Delaney, 67, from Southwark was using a motorised scooter and was being loaded into the bus. Whilst on the raised tail lift, his scooter came off the back and fell to the ground. He died from head injuries sustained in the fall. The HSE investigation found that Mr Delaney's scooter did not fit on the tail lift. As a result, the tailgate plates, a safety feature which would have prevented the mobility scooter from falling off, did not lock into position. Crucially, there was no risk assessment or procedure covering the loading and unloading of people with motorised scooters.
All service providers had been warned of similar risks involving wheelchairs by the Medicines
and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) in 2005, following a number of fatal accidents across the UK. Simple measures could have been taken such as loading the motorised scooter onto the welfare bus without William Delaney sitting on it.
HSE's investigating inspector Zameer Bhunnoo said:
"Had basic health and safety measures been carried out, this loss of life could have been prevented. A suitable risk assessment and safe procedure should have been drawn up covering
the loading and unloading of people who use motorised scooters, who are loaded on and
off welfare buses. Southwark Council failed in its duty by exposing motorised scooter users to such obvious risks. A safety alert in 2005 highlighted similar risks involving wheelchairs and highlighted the need for safe procedures. This should have prompted a complete review of loading operations involving the tail lift and included motorised scooters, but this did not happen. HSE will not hesitate to use the full force of its enforcement powers in such circumstances."
School Fined
The Governing Body of the Giles School of Church End, Old Leake, Boston, Lincolnshire, has been fined £16,500 and ordered to pay £2,500 costs. They pleaded guilty to breaching both s3(1) HSWA and reg3(1)(c) Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations
1995.
On January 31, 2007 during a regular A-Level Art and Design Class, a 16-year-old girl decided to make a cast of her own hands using plaster of Paris. Noting that a pupil had done something
similar a few weeks beforehand, she sought advice from her teacher as to how to do this. Unaware of the chemical reaction causing extreme heat which occurs when plaster of Paris is mixed with water, the student placed her hands directly in the substance in order to make the cast. It fast began to set and she realised her hands were stuck.
Fellow pupils and the classroom teacher tried to help but to no avail and an ambulance was called. Paramedics arrived and they also tried to remove the cast but found it was not possible
to prevent the plaster of Paris from setting further. They took her to Boston Hospital, Lincolnshire, and she was later transferred to the Burns Unit at Nottingham City Hospital.
In the meantime the chemical reaction between the substance and the girl’s hands meant that her fingers were so severely burned that they required amputation. She spent a length of time in hospital and made subsequent repeated follow up visits. Due to the extensive nature of the injuries she suffered the amputation of all four fingers and thumb to her left hand and the thumb, little and ring fingers to the right hand. In total she is left with just two fingers on her right hand.
A risk assessment, required by law, for the handling of hazardous substances had not been carried out, the class pupils had not been told by their teacher of the potential dangers of plaster of Paris and the pupils had not been instructed to wear gloves or other protective equipment when handling the substance. In addition, the school’s governing body did not report the incident. The HSE was told by the plastic surgeon that treated the burns.
It is important to note that the school’s governing body was deemed responsible and not the local authority because the school has foundation status and is therefore not governed by the local authority.
HSE inspector Jo Anderson said:
“Today we have heard the dreadful consequence of not carrying out proper risk assessments in the classroom. It is simply not acceptable that pupils in a classroom setting are not informed
and prepared for the risks involved in handling hazardous substances. The message
we want the public to understand is that risk assessments in educational establishments must not be viewed as burdensome, but instead, paramount to pupil safety. This case has prompted a general drive for HSE to offer advice and awareness at independent schools. Governing bodies of foundation schools must realise the importance of the implementation of health and safety measures to prevent further incidents which can have such a drastic effect
on students’ lives.”
Machine guarding
Warwick International Group Ltd of Mostyn, Holywell, Flintshire pleaded guilty to two charges under s2(1) HSWA and has been fined £12,000 for the first offence, £14,000 for the second offence and ordered to pay costs of £1,947.20.
In the first incident, on 20 December 2007, employee Clwyd Roberts’ gloved hand was trapped in the rollers of a bagging machine, causing severe friction burns on his hand, which later required skin grafts. After this incident, the company carried out a review and risk assessment
but while the danger of the powered conveyor and idler rollers was identified, the remedial action put in place did not prevent the risk. The company risk assessment also did not identify guarding as a requirement.
Less than a month later, on 13 January 2008, another employee, Allan Breeze, also got his hand trapped in the rollers and suffered friction burns and tendon damage to his hand and multiple breaks to his ring finger.
HSE inspector Jo-Anne Michael said:
“The company clearly failed to learn from the first incident and it took a second similar incident
before the necessary guarding was put in place on this machine. Their risk assessment was not adequate and both incidents could have been avoided. Both employees needed substantial time off work following this incident and while their injuries were significant, the potential for much more serious injury was always present. The company has now put much tighter procedures into place for those working on this machine.”
Scaffolder burnt by power cables
Manor Homes (Midlands) Ltd, based in Evesham Road, Redditch, Worcestershire pleaded guilty to breaching s3(1) HSWA and has been fined £11,985 and ordered to pay £3,000 costs.
G. Wright Scaffolding Ltd, in Shawbank Road, Redditch, has been fined £5,985 and ordered to pay £1,500 costs after pleading guilty to breaching s2(1) HSWA. The Director of G. Wright Scaffolding Ltd, Gary Wright of Holyoakes Lane, Redditch, has also been fined £5,985 and ordered to pay £1,500 in costs after pleading guilty to s2(1) by virtue of s37(1) Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.
The court heard how three workers arrived at the site at Callow Hill Lane, Redditch to dismantle
scaffolding. The injured man Ian Maxwell, 39, from Redditch, was removing a 6 metre
guard rail, 4m above the ground, when it made contact with the 66,000 volt overhead cable.
The worker was removed from the scaffold platform by firemen and flown to hospital where he was treated for serious burns and other injuries. The electricity cable was charred at the point of contact, while the galvanised steel tube also had drips of zinc along its length where it had melted.
HSE inspector Tariq Khan said:
"Mr Maxwell is very lucky to be alive. He was let down by a system of work that failed to take account of the danger posed by the live overhead cables. Work close to overhead cables should be avoided but where this is unavoidable then a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks needs to be carried out and a safe system of work devised with the assistance of the owners of the electricity cables. Electricity can also arc or 'flashover' small distances, so direct
contact with electricity cables is not always necessary to result in an incident. This case should act as a warning to all those who have to work close to live cables such as those in agriculture, construction and quarrying where scaffold poles, vehicles and cranes are used."
Worker crushed to death
Philip Thompson, of Flecknoe, Rugby, has been fined £10,000 and ordered to pay £4,000 costs after being prosecuted by the HSE. Mr Thompson, who was also the director with responsibility for health and safety, pleaded guilty to breaching Reg11(1) PUWER in failing in his role as a director to ensure that effective measures were taken to prevent access to dangerous parts of machinery.
The 'palletising' machine is used to take cans of pet food from conveyor belts and stack them in layers on pallets. It is fully automatic and operated by sensors. The machine should have been fully-enclosed with an interlock system to prevent anyone gaining access until the power is shut off.
John O'Connor, 38, who worked at the Butcher's Pet Care Ltd factory on Crick Industrial Estate, was crushed when he entered a machine to clear a blockage. Mr O'Connor entered the caged area – via a gap in the fencing created by the stair rails – to reposition a blocked pallet, which when freed, set the machine in motion, trapping and killing Mr O'Connor.
HSE Principal Inspector for Northamptonshire Neil Craig said:
"This tragic loss of life could have been so easily avoided had Mr Thompson properly fulfilled
his duties as a director. This was far from being an isolated incident. The unfenced gap between the stair rails had been there for nearly two years and it had become common practice for employees to nip through it to fix problems on the machine in an effort keep the production line running, anyone of whom could have suffered the same fate as Mr O'Connor. This level of fine should serve as a stark warning to company directors to take their responsibilities
for health and safety seriously and to reinforce the message that they cannot hide
behind the organisation."
Employee loses fingers
Orica UK Ltd has been fined a total of £10,000 after one of its employees was seriously injured in Fife, Scotland. It was prosecuted following the accident at the Muirside site. The case was heard in Dunfermline Sheriff's Court when Orica UK Ltd pleaded guilty to two breaches of health and safety legislation. The company pleaded guilty to a breach of not observing s2(1) HSWA and also Reg3(1)(a) MHSWR 1999.
The court was told that the employee was filling a Mobile Explosives Manufacturing Unit with emulsion on 25 February 2008 when the incident happened. While the emulsion was being pumped into the vehicle tank, the employee tried to unblock a clogged auger feed device.
He reached into the inspection hatch area with his hand to remove the material causing
the blockage, but the machinery unexpectedly started to turn and the employee lost two and a half fingers from his left hand.
The investigation into the incident found that there were deficiencies in Orca’s risk assessment.
There was no safe system of work for clearing blockages, the augers were inadequately
guarded and the company provided insufficient supervision and training. This allowed unsafe working practices to develop.
HSE Inspector Colin Hutchinson said:
"This was a serious and avoidable incident. Augers were blocking on a regular basis as a result of a change in raw material in 2003. It was known that the new material was susceptible
to moisture absorption which caused it to break down and pack solidly in the augers, blocking them. Yet the company failed to review its procedures, assess the risks, provide a safe system of work or provide suitable training to employees who operated the trucks. All companies conducting similar operations must learn from this incident by making sure their safety procedures are both sufficient and rigidly followed."
The employee has since returned to work carrying out the same job.
Joist Falls causing death
Leonard Gibson of Old Park Ridings, London, has been fined £10,000 at Harlow Magistrates' Court. He was also ordered to pay £3,230 costs. Mr Gibson, a plumber and sole trader, had already pleaded guilty to a breach of s2(1) HSWA. The HSE brought the case after Ajet Krasniqi,
24, died when he was hit on the head by a reinforced steel joist in Buckhurst Hill, Essex.
Mr Krasniqi had been employed by Mr Gibson as a labourer to help with the complete refurbishment
of a domestic property. On 24 October 2006, he was helping to lift a reinforced steel joist with four others when it fell and struck him on the head. Although Mr Krasniqi was taken to hospital he was pronounced dead on arrival.
HSE Inspector Nicola Surrey said:
"This tragic incident could have been prevented if the employer had made sure his workers were not left exposed to unnecessary risks. There is plenty of advice and guidance available from the HSE to help people comply with the law and keep workers safe."
Patient falls from window
North East Essex Primary Care Trust has been fined £10,000 and ordered to pay costs of £4,972 after a vulnerable and partially-sighted patient it was responsible for fell 4.3m from a first floor window at Clacton & District Hospital.
The retired 68-year-old suffered a blow to the head and broke his pelvis, shoulder and coccyx
in the fall in March last year. The court heard he was known to wander on the ward and had previously suffered four strokes, which had left him mentally and emotionally impaired.
The HSE prosecuted the PCT, based at Colchester Primary Care Centre, in Turner Road, Colchester, over the incident. Representatives of the PCT appeared at Harwich Magistrates' Court and admitted breaching s3(1) HSWA.
The court heard that the patient was staying in the St Osyth Priory Ward at Clacton & District
Hospital, in Tower Road, Clacton-on-Sea. At around 10.20pm on Tuesday 4 March 2008, he had wandered into the ward's first floor day room and fell from an open window to the ground below. The window was able to open 254mm, but since 1989 NHS standards have required such a window to only open to 100mm by fitting a window restrictor. Shortly before
the incident the PCT was required by the Department of Health to review its window restrictors and identify any that were missing, damaged or defective. This review was not carried out.
HSE Inspector Kim Wicks said:
"North East Essex Primary Care Trust failed in its duty to ensure the health and safety of this retired gentleman, who was left severely injured after his fall, which should never have happened.
Today's case should serve as an alarm bell, reminding all Primary Care Trusts how vitally important it is to carry out full risk assessments and act on the findings. The risk of vulnerable patients falling from windows above ground level is well known and there have been a number of similar cases. Equally, the control measures, in this case window restrictors,
to prevent this risk are easy to fit and maintain. All PCTs must ensure they adhere to recognised NHS safety standards - they are there for a reason. If North East Essex PCT had done so this unfortunate incident could have been avoided."
Cleaner Falls
A Nicoll & Son Limited of Crofton Drive, Allenby Road Industrial Estate, Lincoln has been fined £2,500 and ordered to pay £2,948.20 in costs after pleading guilty to breaching reg 4(1) Work at Height Regulations 2005 for failing to ensure cleaning work was properly planned and supervised.
James Theaker, 50, from Lincoln was employed by A Nicoll & Son Limited to clean windows
at Lincoln College in Monks Road, Lincoln, when the incident happened on 4 November 2008.
Mr Theaker had climbed onto a flat roof at the college to clean the windows of a neighbouring
building, when he over reached and fell.
HSE Inspector Judith McNulty-Green said:
"More than 3,200 employees suffer from major injuries as a result of falls from height in the workplace each year. These injuries can shatter lives. It is crucial to remember that even when a risk assessment has taken place, it is only effective if the information is passed onto staff and supervision ensures that they undertake the work safely."
Fall breaks employees spine
Tim Philpott, trading as Philpott Demolition and Recycling, of Spinney Close, Long tratton,
Norwich has been fined £7,500 after one of his workers broke his spine in a fall at the former RAF Watton site in Norfolk.
Mr Philpott pleaded guilty at Norwich Magistrates' Court to breaching s2(1) HSWA between 21 March 2007 and 9 May 2007. The court heard that Gediminas Vasiliauskas was removing old roof tiles and timber from a former aircraft hangar at the site when the incident happened.
Mr Vasiliauskas broke his spine in the incident and had to have a metal disk inserted into his back. He was unable to work for a year following the incident and during that time he also lost his sense of taste and smell.
Following the hearing, HSE Inspector Nicola Surrey said:
"Mr Vasiliauskas was lucky to survive this incident, which could have been avoided if his employer had taken precautions to ensure his employee's safety. Working at height is one of the most dangerous things employees can do. This case highlights the need for companies
to do everything possible to minimise the risks employees face when working at height. HSE provides plenty of advice and guidance for employers on how to keep their workers safe while working at height."
Fingertips Amputated
Spread Newco Four Ltd, formally known as Queen of Hearts (UK) Ltd, whose head office is in Shadsworth Business Park in Blackburn, Lancashire, pleaded guilty to breaching Reg11 PUWER and Reg3(1)(a) Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999. The company has been fined £6,000 and ordered to pay costs of £2,751.
On 22 January 2009, employee Paulina Lleshi, of Oxford, was cleaning a sponge cake icing machine, called a fondant enrober, at the company’s factory at 1 Ledgers Close, Sandy Lane West in Oxford. At the end of every day it was the operator’s job to clean off the excess fondant when production had finished. When Ms Lleshi pushed her left hand along a channel
at the base of the machine, her fingers came into contact with a large revolving screw,
known as an auger. This amputated the ends of two fingers on her hand.
The HSE investigation showed that there was only a single generic risk assessment covering this machine. This did not detail any risks in relation to this specific machine nor did it cover the cleaning of the machine. In addition to this the company had a cleaning instruction card for the machine which stated that the power should be switched off before the machine was cleaned, although the company accepted that it would not be practicable to clean the machine properly with the power off. There was no evidence that Ms Lleshi had ever seen this document.
After the incident the company fitted some additional guarding on the machine which prevented
access to the dangerous part and allowed operators to safely clean that part of the machine whilst it was running.
HSE inspector, Matthew Lee said:
“The risks associated with these types of cleaning machines should be properly assessed as this is one of the major causes of machinery accidents in the food industry. In this case any basic assessment would have identified that access to the dangerous part of the machine was possible and this was easily preventable by a very simple modification to the machine.”
Overhead Shock
Huntapac Produce Ltd, which grows, packs and distributes root vegetables, was charged with two health and safety offences. It has been fined £5,000 and ordered to pay costs of £4,881.
The court heard that two employees were lifting a metal ladder into a water pump shaft on 12 December 2007 when it made contact with the 11,000 volt overhead power lines. One of the men fell unconscious and suffered electrical burns to a hand and both his feet. The other man's feet were also badly burned.
HSE Inspector Matt Lea said:
"Both these men are lucky to be alive following this incident, which could easily have been prevented. Huntapac should have made sure a simple health and safety check was carried out at the site before work was allowed to start. If this had happened, it would have been obvious that the overhead electricity line could be a potential danger. I hope this case will remind companies how important it is for health and safety checks to take place ahead of work starting at a new site. Without them, employers are putting the lives of their staff at risk."
Huntapac, which is based on Blackgate Lane in Tarleton, pleaded guilty to breaching Reg4(3) Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 by allowing its employees to carry out work in a potentially
dangerous manner. The company also pleaded guilty to contravening Reg3(1)(a) Management
of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 by failing to assess the health and safety risks sufficiently.
Around 1,000 people are injured every year from electric shocks while at work in the UK, and about 25 people die from their injuries. Carrying out unsafe work near overhead power cables is one of the main causes of deaths and injuries.
Motorcyclist Drive by
Peter Wilkinson from Suttons Farm near Formby has been fined £4,000 and ordered to pay costs of £1,000 after an incident when the arms of a crop-spraying trailer, attached to a tractor,
collided with a motorbike passing the farm.
The court heard that Allan Smith was travelling along the B5195 Broad Lane in Great Altcar on 13 July 2008 when the incident happened. Mr Wilkinson was spraying crops in a field next to the road when he turned his tractor, without raising the trailer's boom arms.
As a result, one of the arms crossed the field's boundary and struck the passing motorbike. Allan Smith's left arm was severely injured during the incident and he has been unable to return to work or ride a motorbike since. His passenger, Andrew Friar, escaped with less serious injuries but still required stitches to his knee.
Peter Wilkinson pleaded guilty to breaching s3(1) HSWA by failing to make sure the public was not put at risk while he carried out his work. HSE Inspector Phil Redman said:
"This was a serious incident that could have easily been prevented. Allan Smith clearly wouldn't have expected the arms of the sprayer to swing over the road when he rode along it, and both he and his passenger were injured as a result. Mr Smith's injuries were particularly
severe and he will never fully recover. Peter Wilkinson should have made sure the arms of the sprayer were lifted before he turned the tractor so that it stayed within the field. By failing to do so, he put the lives of people passing by at risk. Members of the public often use roads or footpaths on or near to farms, and it's important they can do so safely. It's vital that farmers remember that other people may be nearby when they carry out their work, so that lives are not put at risk in the future."
Scaffold Falls
John Doyle Construction Ltd has been fined £3,500 and ordered to pay costs of £13,244 following
an incident at the Hilton Hotel construction site in July 2007, which is part of the Paradise
Street development in Liverpool City Centre. The company pleaded guilty to breaching reg8(b) Work at Height Regulations.
The court heard that employees at John Doyle Construction, of Little Burrow in Welwyn Garden
City, Hertfordshire, were moving a scaffolding tower on the site on 12 July 2007 when it overturned and fell down an embankment.
Employee Gerard Baccino was removing lifting chains from the top of the scaffolding, and fell approximately 6m to the ground when it toppled over. Mr Baccino, a 49-year-old father of three, suffered back injuries in the fall and fractured his pelvis and chest. The incident has had a long-term psychological effect on him, and he has been unable to return to work.
Mark Cuff, HSE's Investigating Inspector, said:
"This incident was entirely avoidable and was caused by John Doyle Construction asking Mr Baccino to work at the top of a structure that was inherently unstable. The scaffolding tower was being used during the construction of concrete columns, used to support the building's floors. It was specifically designed to be lifted as a single unit, but the company decided to partially dismantle it and move it in two parts. John Doyle Construction should have considered
the implications of not following the procedures for lifting the scaffolding. Its failure to do so resulted in one of its employees being seriously injured, and it was only by chance that there wasn't a fatality."
Mr Baccino had only been working for John Doyle Construction for a few days when the incident happened. He said:
"I started working for the company on the Monday and the incident happened four days later. We were moving the scaffolding tower to a new location on the site when one of the lifting chains got caught. I've been in a lot of pain since the incident, and will never be able to do manual work again. Construction companies have to start listening more to their workers
and stop thinking that they know all the answers. I hope they will learn from what has happened to me and improve health and safety in the future."
Exposure to Asbestos
Recon Packaging Ltd, of Stamford Square, Ashton-under-Lyne, has been fined £3,000 and ordered
to pay costs of £5,000 after it pleaded guilty to breaching reg4(3) Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2002
In the same case Industrial & Commercial Building Services Ltd (ICBS) of Greek Street, Stockport and its Managing Director, Kevin Bennett, of The Ridge, Marple, pleaded guilty to breaching s2(1) HSWA, and reg3(1) Asbestos Licensing Regulations 1983. They were each fined £2,000.
The prosecution by the HSE comes just days before the launch of a national £1.2 million campaign to increase awareness about asbestos among trade’s people. The court heard that ICBS employees came into contact with asbestos while demolishing part of the Recon Packaging
recycling plant on Bower Street in Miles Platting in early 2006.
Recon Packaging hired ICBS to carry out the work after the plant was severely damaged by fire in May 2005. The building included substantial amounts of asbestos but no site assessment
was carried out, and ICBS was not licensed to remove it.
HSE decided to prosecute after Inspector Stuart Kitchingman visited the site on 13 April 2006. He said:
"We took immediate action to stop the demolition, and were shocked that workers had been allowed to remove asbestos without the proper precautions being taken. Recon did not carry out any assessment to find out whether asbestos was, or was likely to be, present in its premises. If the company had, it would have found asbestos in large sections of insulation boards and some in coating sprayed on the building's steelwork.
ICBS and Kevin Bennett should have made sure that the premises were free from asbestos before starting work. But they allowed workers to break up materials using hammers, crowbars
and power tools, without wearing suitable protective equipment and without a licence. Asbestos is the single biggest industrial killer in Britain, and the control measures on this site were totally inadequate. The demolition workers were exposed to unacceptable levels of asbestos fibres, and have been put at risk of becoming seriously ill in the future."
Shocking
Ineos Manufacturing Scotland Ltd of Boness Road, Grangemouth, has been fined £1500 after it pleaded guilty to breaching reg4(3) Electricity at Work Regulations 1989. The HSE prosecuted refinery and petrochemical company for failing to ensure a safe system of work was in place before undertaking excavation work near live electrical cables.
A subcontractor needed hospital treatment for burns to his hands and face after he struck two live 3,300-volt cables with a powered breaking tool known as a Jackhammer on 3 November
2006. The subcontractor and his colleagues were widening an existing cable trench containing several live electrical cables at the time of the incident.
HSE Inspector Dr Heather Gates said:
"The men are lucky to be alive following this terrible incident, which could easily have been prevented. This type of work requires careful planning and management in order to avoid danger. Ineos Manufacturing Scotland Ltd and contractors should have conducted an adequate
risk assessment before work started. They were aware of the live cables but underestimated
the risks associated with working so close to them. They did not give sufficient consideration to the option of isolating the cables, nor could they justify why the electricity supply was not isolated.
Ineos did not use other measures to minimise the risks to staff, such as using digging techniques
that would not have damaged cables. I hope this case will remind companies how important it is for electrical work to be properly planned and implemented. Without proper planning employers are putting workers' lives of at risk."
Ed - Regulation 4(3) of the Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 states: "Every work activity, including operation, use and maintenance of a system and work near a system, shall be carried
out in such a manner as not to give rise, so far as is reasonably practicable, to danger."
Tenant Protection
Helen Jayne Beckett, of Lodge Hill, Addingham, Ilkley, has been fined £1,000 and ordered to pay £1,500 costs. Ms Beckett pleaded guilty to breaching reg36(3) Gas Safety (Installations and Use) Regulations 1998 and of contravening a previous improvement notice.
The court heard that between 25 July 2007 and 5 January 2009 Ms Beckett failed to ensure that a gas fire in her rented property at 22 Sea View Street, Cleethorpes, had been checked for safety. Despite being served with an improvement notice by HSE in November 2008, she
failed to get the necessary checks carried out by the required date. In doing so she risked putting her tenant in danger of carbon monoxide poisoning.
After the hearing, HSE Inspector Steven Kay commented:
"Landlords are legally required to comply with Gas Safety regulations, and HSE is concerned there may be other property owners like Ms Beckett who are not fulfilling their responsibilities
and who may be putting their tenants at risk. These measures are in place for a reason because if left unchecked, faulty gas appliances can have devastating consequences. This important legislation needs to be taken seriously by landlords to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning or even death."
Lifeguard fined
Father-of-three Adrian Miles, 48, had gone swimming at the University of Wolverhampton pool on the Walsall Campus, as part of his recovery from a rugby injury. He got into difficulties,
but one of the lifeguards on duty was distracted for a prolonged period while supervising
the pool and failed to spot him lying at the bottom. A lifeguard who failed to notice a father-of-three lifeless at the bottom of a Walsall swimming pool has been convicted at Wolverhampton Crown Court.
The HSE prosecuted lifeguard Alex Cotterill, 28, from Willenhall in West Midlands over the incident on 27 July 2006. He was convicted of breaching s7(a) HSWA for failing in his duty to take reasonable care for the health and safety of pool users and has been fined £200.
The jury failed to reach a verdict on a second lifeguard, Richard David Leek, 31, from Wednesfield, who was also charged with the same offence. The jury was discharged. The court heard how Mr Cotterill was on poolside duty at the indoor pool on Gorway Road in Walsall. He was distracted from his duties and was in no position to spot Mr Miles, from Walsall, who had got into difficulties, or react in time to have a chance to save him.
Speaking after the case, HSE Inspector Kanwal Kanda said:
"It is completely unacceptable for those with a responsibility for the safety of others to neglect
their duty. While the lifeguard did not cause Mr Miles to get into difficulty, his neglect of duty was clearly a major factor in leaving him and potentially others using the pool unnecessarily
exposed to risk. Standards are well established through training and they must be applied by lifeguards to ensure swimmers are safe."
Ed - Section 7(a) of the Health and safety at Work Act states: "It shall be the duty of every employee while at work to take reasonable care for the health and safety of himself and of other persons who may be affected by his acts and omissions at work."
Fraudulent papers leads to injury
Damon Alex McLachlan, 21, of Rothesay, Isle of Bute, has been fined £500 after he pled guilty to a charge under s7 HSWA.
The case comes after a serious incident on 10 October 2007 at a house construction site in
Livingston, West Lothian in which McLachlan operated telehandling machinery without the stabilisers deployed. This led to the machine losing its three tonne load, crushing and seriously
injuring the banksman.
The court heard that McLachlan was employed at the site as a telehandler operator for only a few weeks and the evidence he had provided of his training and experience was partly fraudulent. At the time of the incident, McLachlan was using his machine to unload part of wooden house kit from a lorry and place it on the ground where it was needed for joiners to erect.
HSE Inspector Bruce Monaghan said:
"This was a tragic incident which was entirely foreseeable. Failure to deploy the stabilisers was a serious omission particularly so because the banksman was obviously nearby. Operators
must adhere to correct operating procedures otherwise serious incidents will result. Additionally, this incident underlines the fact that employers and users of forklift trucks must check the experience and qualifications of those they employ in a particularly searching and careful way. Companies should be alert to the possibility that documentation presented as evidence of training, experience and competence can be invalid if obtained on the basis of false or misleading information."
National quarry safety team formed
A new team of specialist inspectors has been assembled with the aim of cracking down on death, injury and ill-health in quarries and open cast mines across Great Britain. The team of HSE inspectors, initially five-strong, has decades of knowledge and expertise in the sector.
The inspectors will operate nationwide, dedicating their time solely to advising, inspecting and carrying out any necessary enforcement action in quarries and open cast mines. This new approach marks a departure for the inspectors who previously worked across a range of industries, including manufacturing and agriculture,
The industry has been one of the most dangerous in Britain. Since 2000, 21 workers have died and more than 2700 workers have suffered a reportable injury. However, significant improvements
in safety are being made. The industry exceeded its target to reduce reportable incidents by 50 per cent in the five years to 2005 and is now looking forward to Target Zero, a drive to achieve zero reportable incidents.
Speaking at the team’s launch Colin Mew, Principal Inspector of the new Quarries National Inspection Team said:
"We all know the quarrying industry. We are experts in the safe use of explosives and in other safety critical areas such as tip and slope stability, so it makes sense to concentrate that expertise and resource. It will also help protect and preserve the specialist skill set of our inspectors for the benefit of industry and the safety of its workers well into the future. The industry is making encouraging progress in reducing death and injury, but much remains to be done. Falls from height and accidents involving vehicles are still some of the main causes of injury - many serious or fatal. Occupational ill-health, as a result of exposure to
respirable silica or high levels of noise, can also affect quarry workers. Our new team will be dedicated to helping improve all aspects of health and safety by working with the quarrying and open cast coal industry and those employed in it."
Maximum bankruptcy restriction imposed
A man who defrauded numerous people of sums totalling almost £123,000 has had a 15-year Bankruptcy Restriction Order imposed on him, the maximum length possible. Barnstaple
County Court imposed the BRO on Duncan Lawrie Herd after an investigation by the Insolvency Service found that he had engaged in elaborate deceptions to convince people into handing over sums up to £38,000.
Mr Herd variously pretended to be the owner of a luxury yacht in Egypt which he ‘sold’ to buyers; pretended to be a property developer and took ‘deposits’ for his alleged developments;
and convinced another person to hand over tens of thousands of pounds to help fund an alleged clean-up operation he claimed to be carrying out following the Asian tsunami.
His victims came from several places in England, including London and Dorset
Exeter Official Receiver, Dean Beale, said:
“Inquiries by the Insolvency Service found that Mr Herd had been engaged in a pattern of deceptive behaviour over a number of years, convincing genuine businesspeople to hand over large sums of money to fund his fantasy schemes. To protect the public, we took action in the court to impose the maximum restrictions possible. If anyone has further information about the activities of Mr Herd or knowledge of his current whereabouts, they should get in touch with us.”
A Bankruptcy Order was made against Mr Herd on 16 June 2008. Normally, this would have led to a discharge 12 months later, however the automatic discharge was suspended in March this year and that suspension is ongoing.
Evidence presented to the Court by the Insolvency Service revealed:
• Mr Herd pretended to own a yacht which was moored in Egypt. Between September 2004 and January 2007 he convinced a boat importer to pay instalments totalling £18,525 to fund the transport of the boat to the UK, offering to pay back the money and split the costs of a planned sale.
• During the same period he also convinced a businessman to sign an agreement of the yacht and received a total of £11,725. In fact the boat was owned by another party with no connection to Mr Herd, and there were never any plans to sell it in the UK.
• He convinced a businessman to pay him £3000 for a boat engine in November 2004, but the engine was never supplied.
• Between February 2005 and July 2006 he convinced a businesswoman to loan him more than £37,000 for a clean-up operation he claimed to be organising in the wake of the Asian Boxing Day tsunami. He failed to provide evidence that he was involved in any such operation, and did not repay any of the money.
• In January 2006 he convinced another individual to sign a Partnership Agreement and
a Joint Venture Agreement on the basis that they would be buying land in Egypt for development.
The person involved lost £21,600 and the proposed purchase never took place.
• He convinced a builder to part with a total of £17,000 between March and August 2007 to fund an alleged building project, the purchase of a yacht, and open an off-shore bank account. The money was never repaid.
• In September 2007 he persuaded another individual to part with £4000 as a first instalment on a boat which had been repossessed and offered for a bargain sale. The individual
did not receive the yacht, and did not get a refund.
At various times Mr Herd had told Government authorities, including the Insolvency Service and HMRC, that he worked as a diver in Spain, a project manager in the Middle East and West Africa, a gas fitter, a plumber, and had worked on projects in Iraq and Afghanistan. He was also briefly a director of two companies in 2006 and 2007. Under the terms of the BRO Mr Herd is restricted from acting as a company director without the permission of the court. He must also disclose his bankruptcy restriction when applying for credit of more than £500, or when seeking to do any business in a different name.
Bournemouth entrepreneur receives 10 year restriction
A Bournemouth businessman who had more than £8 million of unpaid debts has signed a 10-year Bankruptcy Restriction Undertaking following an investigation by the Insolvency Service’s Official Receiver. Richard Adrian Carr was declared bankrupt on October 10, 2008, after the two main companies he drew his income from went into administration in July that year. As a result of the administrations, Mr Carr became personally liable for almost £7.6 million of the companies’ debts, as well as his own personal debts.
The investigation by the Official Receiver found that, despite being on the verge of bankruptcy,
Mr Carr disposed of more than £500,000 of assets between July 29 and August 19 2008. This included:
• transferring £100,000 to a US bank account
• paying £98, 563 from the sale of a jointly owned property into the bank account of a relative’s husband
• paying £169,636 from the sale of another property into the same bank account
• withdrawing £150,000 in cash from his UK bank accounts.
Mr Carr’s creditors received none of this money and were owed a total of more than £8 million
pounds at the time he was made bankrupt.
As a result of the investigation, Mr Carr has signed a 10-year undertaking which restricts him from acting as a company director without the permission of the court. He must also disclose his bankruptcy restriction when applying for credit of more than £500, or when seeking to do any business in a different name.
Bournemouth Official Receiver Tony Ryan said:
“Mr Carr’s business failures resulted in him becoming liable for significant sums under company
guarantees. At a time when he was aware of these liabilities his actions put his personal
assets beyond the reach of his creditors and such culpable conduct warranted investigation
by The Insolvency Service. We prepared an application to court to have the alleged conduct considered, however Mr Carr agreed to sign an undertaking as an alternative to going to court. His trustee in bankruptcy continues to seek recoveries for the benefit of his creditors.
Whilst most bankruptcies do not result in bankruptcy restriction applications by the Insolvency
Service, if people who are made bankrupt have not acted appropriately then we will investigate and take action when necessary.”
Directors of Swiss land banking company disqualified
Two Swiss-based company directors who deceived UK investors into paying more than £5 million in a ‘land-banking’ scam have been disqualified as directors for 12 years, following a Government investigation.
The former directors of Hambrook & Greenstock AG (in liquidation), Andres Schenker and
Claudia Daxelhoffer, have signed disqualification undertakings after inquiries by the Insolvency
Service’s Companies Investigation Branch (CIB) revealed a pattern of unfit conduct. The company sold plots of greenfield land to UK investors at three sites at Sible Hedingham, Marlow, and Chalford. The company bought the land for just over £600,000. Some 750 plots were then sold to investors for £5 million.
The investors were told that the land would receive planning consent for development and would increase dramatically in value. That permission was never granted and the plots have remained undeveloped.
Business Minister Ian Lucas said:
“This sends a strong message to company directors who deceive and rip-off members of the public: we will investigate and take firm action against you. Investors should also be wary of any land-banking or other schemes which promise huge profits for little outlay. To use the old adage, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.”
Mr Schenker and Mrs Daxelhoffer accepted that their misconduct made them unfit to be company directors, namely that they had:
• Failed to give any or any proper consideration to the legality of the company’s land banking scheme.
• Caused or permitted unfounded and misleading statements to be made to the public in connection with the plots of land.
• Caused or permitted the company to enter into voluntary liquidation in Switzerland without making any provisions to refund money to UK investors.
• Mr Schenker misrepresented the company’s scheme to the Financial Services Authority.
Apprenticeships up
A record 234,000 people started apprenticeships in the 2008/09 academic year, according to provisional data on vocational qualifications released by the ONS. Statistics also showed 126,900 people completed apprenticeships during the same period, representing the highest
number of starts and completions ever in an academic year.
The statistical first release covers the number of people aged 16 and over who aren’t in school or university in England and who have taken a course funded by the Learning and Skills Council. Provisional figures show that in the academic year 2008/09:
• 1,446,600 people took skills for life courses in literacy, numeracy or English;
• 1,268,500 people took courses leading to a full level 2 qualification (equivalent to five good GCSEs);
• 794,000 people took courses leading to a full level 3 qualification (equivalent to 2 A-levels);
Overall, provisional data shows that there were 4,754,700 learners taking Further Education courses funded by the Learning and Skills Council in the 2008/09 academic year.
Two more jailed in £2million VAT fraud
Two more people have been jailed for their roles in a VAT fraud amounting to almost £2million.
They are part of a gang of eleven who had set up fictitious companies claiming to be trading in animal feeds, children’s clothing and fruit and vegetables. They also created business
expenses associated with the non-existent companies to evade paying VAT to HMRC.
Daniel O’Brien aged 55 and 50 year old Edward Bellingham, both of Keith, Morayshire pleaded guilty before the trial began and were jailed for four years and thirty two months respectively. Bellingham received an additional 14 day jail term for failing to appear in court when summonsed.
His Honour Judge George QC said of O’Brien:
“You played a leading and organisational role in the conspiracy….and had access to over £350,000 and a proven relationship with other conspirators such as Michael North. This shows your scheming and ruthlessness. You fall to receive a greater sentence than Edward Bellingham because your involvement was deeper because of your links with other conspirators
and the amounts you received.”
Of Bellingham, the judge remarked:
“With your wife you set up and operated bogus companies and you were an active member of the enterprise…….you had access to £90,000 and £60,000. I accept that you did not have the wit or the intelligence to be an organiser or planner. I have come to the conclusion on the evidence heard that if you had faced a trial you would have received a sentence of 4 years however I pass a sentence of 32 months and an additional 14 days for your failure to appear.”
The gang registered 15 bogus companies between 1998 and 2004 across Merseyside,
Cheshire, Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Scotland creating fictitious sales transactions and invoices for zero-rated goods in the conspiracy to evade paying VAT whilst pocketing reclaimed
VAT for fake business costs.
“Dodgy” bacon
Two men from Southport have been jailed for a total of 31 years after importing a consignment
of bacon as a cover for 63 kilos of heroin with a street value of £3 million.
Philip Tasker, 43, and Darren Hunter, 41, have been jailed for 18 and 13 years respectively. They were sentenced following an investigation by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) officers.
Tasker was stopped, returning from Belgium, by UK Border Agency (UKBA) officers at Dover on 17 October 2008. Officers searched the van and discovered 126 packages, which tested positive for heroin. He was arrested and charged but denied all knowledge of the drugs, saying
he was simply bringing back “dodgy” bacon. He was found guilty and jailed on 1 October 2009 following a trial at Canterbury Crown Court.
Further investigations by HMRC officers led to the arrest of Hunter, who has two previous convictions for drug smuggling offences, and had masterminded Tasker’s trip to Belgium to smuggle the heroin into the UK. He was arrested outside his Merseyside home on 13 January
2009.
Malcolm Bragg, HMRC Assistant Director of Criminal Investigation, said:
“This attempt to disguise heroin as a load of bacon didn’t fool detection officers and investigators,
who once again showed their determination to bring criminals to justice. This dangerous
Class A drug devastates lives and communities, as it is always linked to wider criminality.
HMRC investigators and their UKBA colleagues are determined to stop drugs reaching the UK streets. Anyone with information relating to smuggled goods or other illegal activities
should contact HMRC’s 24 hour hotline on 0800 59 5000.”
Cigarettes seized
In the largest cigarette seizure ever in the UK and Ireland, over 120 million smuggled cigarettes
have been uncovered. Officers from HMRC assisted Revenue’s Customs Service, Criminal
Assets Bureau, An Garda Síochána and the Police Service of Northern Ireland as part of an international investigation into suspected excise duty evasion. The smuggling attempt involved millions of cigarettes destined for the hidden economy in the Republic of Ireland and the UK.
In a co-ordinated operation 10 men were arrested by An Garda Siochana in Co Louth, including
two men from Co Armagh.
John Whiting, Assistant Director, Criminal Investigation, HMRC said:
“This smuggling attempt was organised crime on a global scale. The gangs behind this form of criminality are motivated solely by greed and personal gain. Their lavish lifestyles
cost the UK taxpayer alone around £3 billion per year in unpaid duty, and smuggling of this magnitude could devastate our local economies. Excise fraud is not a victimless crime and by working together in partnership with our colleagues in the Republic of Ireland and in the Organised
Crime Task Force (OCTF) we can target global networks more effectively and leave those involved nowhere to hide. Today’s operation shows that those who think they can exploit international borders for criminal purposes and to escape justice are wrong”
The operation, targeting the suspected criminal activities of an organised crime group operating
both north and south of the border involved the surveillance of a general cargo vessel
M/V Anne Scan, which sailed from the Philippines on 15 September for Greenore Port, arriving on Monday 26 October, carrying a cargo declared as 'animal feed'. The vessel was kept under surveillance, as it was suspected that a large consignment of contraband cigarettes
was concealed within the cargo.
Following the discharge of part of the cargo from the vessel onto awaiting trucks, which were allowed onwards to the importer's premises, the multi agency task force, involving Officers of Revenues Customs Service and An Garda Siochana, moved in and raided several premises in the Co. Louth area, in addition to mounting an operation on the vessel itself. A large consignment of contraband cigarettes has been confirmed, estimated to be in excess of 120m cigarettes with a retail value of about EUR50m and a potential revenue loss of approximately
EUR40m. Several individuals have been arrested at various locations by the Gardai for questioning.
Revenue Commissioner Liam Irwin said:
"The success of this operation is a credit to the close working arrangements and cooperation between the various law enforcement agencies both nationally and internationally. Criminals
have no respect for national borders and international cooperation is now more essential
than ever for law enforcement agencies. This is a shining example of a multi-national, multi-agency response to criminal activity and all the agencies involved should be commended
for the part they played in this successful operation.”
Nuclear power to supply every home
A third potential new nuclear operator entered the UK market, taking total proposals for new nuclear power stations up to 16 gigawatts of electricity.
A consortium of GDF SUEZ SA, Iberdrola SA and Scottish and Southern Energy Plc has secured
an option to purchase land for the development of a new nuclear power station at Sellafield. Following the sale run by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA), the consortium set out plans to build up to 3.6 gigawatts of new nuclear capacity in the UK, with work beginning in 2015.
Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Miliband said:
“These latest plans, together with the ambition of existing plans from two other operators, mean that new nuclear could power the equivalent of all 26 million homes in the UK. This sale is further proof that we’re giving industry the confidence to invest and that the UK is
creating a successful low carbon economy.”
The new site, purchased for £70 million, follows previous sales of NDA land at Wylfa, Oldbury
and Bradwell, as Britain continues its path towards a nuclear renaissance. Any new nuclear power station development will be subject to the regulatory and other consenting processes. The land has been nominated into the Government’s Strategic Siting Assessment
process which assesses sites for their suitability for new nuclear power stations. The Government will be consulting on its assessment of the sites that are potentially suitable for new nuclear power stations as part of its consultation on the draft National Policy Statement
for Nuclear Power Generation which will be published this autumn.
The consortium has pledge to complete the preparation of a plan for maximising the contribution
of UK-based suppliers and UK-based employees to the new development at Sellafield.
Average House Prices
The September data from Land Registry’s flagship House Price Index shows a rising market with a monthly house price change of 0.9% up from half a per cent in August. The annual drop of 5.6%, up from a low of minus 16.3% in February, takes the average house price in England and Wales to £158,377.
London experienced the greatest monthly price rise with a movement of 1.3%. The average property price in the capital is now £314,954.
All regions experienced a decrease in their average property values over the last 12 months. The region with the most significant annual price fall was the North East with a movement of -8.2%. The most up-to-date figures available show that during July 2009 the number of completed house sales in England and Wales rose by 9% to 57,579 from 52,628 in July 2008. Monthly sales in England and Wales have risen steadily each month since January 2009 when they stood at 26,662.
Extended Scrappage Scheme
In September it was announced that an extra £100 million was proposed for the Government’s
scrappage scheme bringing the total budget to £400 million and covering up to 400,000 vehicles in total. After listening to the industry, changes have been made that will bring even more benefits to consumers.
Van owners looking to trade in their vehicles will now be able to scrap their 8-year-old van instead of the previous 10-year requirement. The age qualification for car owners now extends
the benefits to cars registered on or before 29 Feb 2000 (V registration).
Master behind bars
Captain Antonov appearing before Recorder R S Singh has been sentenced to two months custodial sentence. Captain Antonov was master of the Trans Agila (Antigua & Barbuda registered)
a general cargo vessel which on the 12th September 2009 was berthed in Immingham
Docks and which was due to sail in the late evening.
At 8.30pm, the Immingham port pilot boarded the vessel and found no-one onboard apart from two passengers watching television in a downstairs cabin. He found the ship open with its generators running. The pilot made his way to the bridge and waited. After making a phone call to the nearby Seaman’s Mission he located the ship’s Captain and crew.
At 9.45pm the Master came to the bridge and it was clear to the pilot that the Master and crew were in no fit state to move the vessel. The pilot called Humberside Police who attended
and breathalysed and arrested Captain Antonov. At Grimsby Police Station the Captain was found to be over twice the legal limit and was charged under the Railways & Transport Safety Act 2003.
He appeared at Magistrates Court the next morning and pleaded guilty. Due to the seriousness
of the offence, the Court remanded Captain Antonov in custody until his appearance at court.
Recorder R S Singh gave Mr Antonov credit for pleading guilty at an earlier Magistrates hearing. He said Mr Antonov’s actions were a very serious dereliction of his duty as a ship’s Master. He was two and a half times over the legal limit. In sentencing the Recorder took in to account the 32 days Mr Antonov had spent in custody without any contact with his wife and family in Russia when he imposed a two month custodial sentence.
Captain Jeremy Smart, Head of Enforcement said:
“The Master holds a position of considerable responsibility for the safety of both his ship and all those onboard. To drink to excess with the crew shortly before he was due to take the ship to sea, was particularly reckless.”
Unusual insect enters UK
Inspectors from the Food and Environment Research Agency (Fera) found a brightly coloured
and unexpected passenger on a flight from India which arrived into Stansted Airport last week. Fera’s Pest Identification Team identified the beautiful stowaway as a ‘Painted Grasshopper’ (Poekilocerus pictus) and confirmed that the uninvited guest is the first of its kind to reach British soils
Fera’s Sharon Reid, Entomologist and Invertebrate Curator, who identified the Painted Grasshopper explains:
“It is not unusual for Fera’s Inspectors to find stray insects in aeroplane holds, but this is the first alive and well Painted Grasshopper we have seen. However, a single insect like this wouldn’t be able to reproduce, and is unlikely to survive our UK climate.”
Fera Entomologist Chris Malumphy said:
“The visitor has a voracious appetite and rapidly ate its way through a cabbage plant in the quarantine lab. Grasshoppers can consume green forage roughly eight times as fast as cattle
in proportion to their weight. This insect is an economic pest in Pakistan and India where it is reported damaging a number of food plants including aubergine, citrus, cucurbits, potatoes
and tomatoes, though it’s primary host is milkweed (Calotrops procera).”
HSE’s Myth of the Month
Myth: Graduates are banned from throwing mortar boards
The reality
Health and safety law doesn’t stop graduates having fun and celebrating their success in the time-honoured fashion!
The chance of being injured by a flying mortar board is incredibly small, and when the concern is actually
about the hats being returned in good condition, it’s time to stop blaming health and safety.
The HSE’s copyright in ths cartoon and its caption is acknowledged as is their license to reproduce it.
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