Health & safety news in briefs

B&Q faces 800,000 payout for death of shopper

DIY retailer B&Q has been fined 550,000 and ordered to pay 250,000 costs after the death of a customer. Pamela Hinchcliffe died in 2001 when a forklift driver reversed into her. The ruling indicates that courts are getting tougher on workplace health and safety.

Conference held by accident prevention society

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents is holding a health and safety conference in Scotland on 15 and 16 September. Learning, Sharing, Moving Forward will be held at the Glasgow Hilton Hotel. More details are available at www.rospa.com/scotlandcongress

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Local authority inspections are on the decline

Local authority inspections are continuing to decline, figures from the Health and Safety Commission (HSC) have revealed. But the HSC said there has been a rise in inspector numbers, and more priority given to inspecting wholesale premises and residential homes.