News and Knowledge

Company fined £60,000 after worker left with ‘life-changing’ injuries

A UK-based demolition company has been fined £60,000 after a worker was left with life-changing injuries.   MAC Demolition Ltd had been contracted to carry out works on a Victorian property in North West London in March 2022. During this time, the company had employed 57-year-old Tommy Brooks to work on the site as a…

135 work-related deaths confirmed in 2022/23

Figures recently published by the Health and Safety Executive have confirmed that 135 employees sadly lost their lives at work within the United Kingdom between 2022 and 2023, an increase of 12 from the previous year.   The statistics highlight that the industries most impacted by work-related deaths were construction, which accounted for 45 out…

Trips and Slips – Accidents at Work

Most of us spend a lot of any given week in the workplace, so it is important that your working environment is a safe one.   Unfortunately, accidents happen. Therefore, it is essential to determine whether the accident was was individual error, or if the employer was responsible because the workspace wasn’t up to safety…

Firework manufacturer receives hefty fine following fatal explosion

A firework factory has received a £500,000 fine after an employee sadly passed away when a firework ignited in their factory.   Brendan Ledgister, who was aged 24 at the time and had become a Father only 8 months prior, was working for Le Maitre Ltd (now LM140121 Limited) making a pyrotechnic composition. However, when…

Sellafield fined £400,000 following fractured spine at work

Sellafield Ltd, a large nuclear power plant controlled by government body the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, has received a hefty fine after their employee sustained lifechanging injuries at work.   The unnamed employee was working for the site in October 2021 when he was asked to repair a leaking pipeline, which was slippery due to leaking…

Workplace safety of farmers

For people who like animals and being out in the open air, working on a farm is probably your dream job.   It surely has to be the healthiest type of employment, whether its feeding the pigs, milking the cows or driving tractors to sow or harvest crops. Recent research highlighted by the Health and…

Accidents and workplace deaths

The recent story of a man in his 40s at the Hinkley Point C construction site serves as a reminder of the dangers posed by construction work.   This article can be read here. As we have many regulations and safeguards in place on construction sites in the UK, it is safe to assume that…

Young workers are more likely to be injured

Experience counts for a great deal in the workplace, but this article from The Safety Mag, a publication in Canada, points out some of the common risks associated with workers under the age of 25.   Here is the article in question. Training can help limit the risk, together with proper instruction in how to…

Working at Heights can have Catastrophic Results

Certain roles carry an inherent risk and working at heights presents obvious challenges in terms of employees’ health and safety.   The HSE website gives clear advice and sets out that, even if a job takes mere minutes, sensible precautions (such as harnesses for example) should be taken. Anyone working at height should be properly…

Injury Prevention Week – Top Tips to avoid Accidents at Work

Top Tips to Avoid Accidents At Work   Every company in the United Kingdom is obligated to keep their staff safe whilst they are at work, failing which their negligence could lead to a compensation claim being made on their insurance policy, an investigation by the Health and Safety Executive or even criminal sanctions being…