This month’s news
New OH course
A course for nurses working in OH teams is being run by the University of
Warwick. The University Diploma in Occupational Health will cover policy and
legislation, occupational health, safety and hygiene and OH management. The
first module is due to start this month.
For further information call Carmel Parrott on 024 7652 4625 or e-mail [email protected]
Prevention of slips and trips
Unions have pledged themselves to helping the Health and Safety Executive’s
campaign to prevent slips and trips in the workplace. At September’s TUC
conference, union general secretaries and presidents visited a demonstration of
the work the HSE is doing to prevent the slips and trips that result in more
than 8,000 workers suffering broken bones every year.
Refurbishment advice
The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health is holding a one-day
seminar on the pitfalls and solutions of refurbishment on November 20. It will
look at solutions to common health and safety problems encountered during
refurbishment projects – a major growth area in the construction industry.
A booking form is available online until November 6 at www.iosh.co.uk.
Safety certificates
The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health has now issued 250,000 of
its Managing Safely certificates.
Manufacturing stress
The Health and Safety Executive has published a book on how to manage stress
in the manufacturing sector.
It can be ordered from the HSE by phoning 01787 881165 or online at www.hsebooks.co.uk
Fines for fireworks death
Two directors of a firework firm, JM Enterprises of Wetherby, have been
fined a total of £46,250 and ordered to pay £30,000 costs after health and
safety breaches led to the death of a man in Knaresborough in 1998. Firework
display organiser Mick Mason died after he was allowed to take home four boxes
of condemned fireworks to burn in a kiln.
New exposure limits
The Health and Safety Commission has approved an updated list of
occupational exposure limits for substances that may be hazardous to workers’ health.
They will come into force on December 31 and will be published in the HSC’s
list EH40/2002.
Copies are available from HSE Books on 01787 881165.
Online safety advice
The HSE has launched a web page to give workers rapid access to their health
and safety rights and responsibilities.
The Workers’ Web Page can be found at www.hse.gov.uk/workers
and includes links to the TUC’s website and the HSE’s InfoLine contact centre.
London company fined
London construction company Birse has been fined £80,000 with £20,000 costs
after pleading guilty to failing to ensure the safety of a contract labourer
who fell to his death from five metres. The accident happened in 1998 when the
worker slipped and fell beneath a guard rail that was too far from the roof.
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Personal protection
A research report offering guidance on the characteristics, behaviour and
limitation of items of personal protective equipment used in industrial rope
access has been published by the HSE.
