News and Knowledge

Records Reveal Asbestos Kills 9x More Veterans than Combat

Government records reveal that asbestos has killed nine times more military veterans than British victims of the Taliban during the Afghan campaign.   The deadly material, found in military accommodation, ships, submarines, helicopters, and tanks, is causing an average of 89 new cases of mesothelioma, a fatal cancer, each year. According to the British Occupational…

Veterans’ Hidden Wounds: The TBI Diagnostic Crisis Continues

Undiagnosed Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), particularly blast-induced TBI among Iraq and Afghanistan veterans, is a severe medical condition causing immediate, long-lasting, and life-altering effects.     What is Traumatic Brain Injury? Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) occurs when an outside force harms the brain. It is a broad category covering everything from minor concussions to severe,…

Industrial Chemicals Ltd fined £2.5M after uncontrolled acid releases in Essex

Industrial Chemicals Ltd has been fined £2.5 million for two instances of two uncontrolled acid release incidents at its West Thurrock, Essex site.   The chemical management company of Old Power Station site, Stoneness Road, West Thurrock, Grays, Essex. Pleaded guilty following the incidents in 2020, one of which caused the release of a hydrogen…

Self-employed contractor sentenced for uncontrolled Asbestos spread, endangering workers and homeowners

A self-employed roofing contractor, Stephen Wilks, has been ordered to conduct unpaid labour following the uncontrolled spread of asbestos in a customer’s back garden, exposing two young employees and nearby homeowners to significant risk.   Video footage from a doorbell camera revealed portions of an old garage roof being disposed of with a lack of…

London property developer fined over £88,000 after facing serious scrutiny from Health and Safety Executive (HSE)

A London property developer, Nofax Enterprises Limited, based in Maldon, Essex, has been fined £88,000 after facing serious scrutiny from Britain’s Health and Safety Executive (HSE).   The four-storey building site, located on Dalston Lane, was intended to house nine flats and a youth club on the basement floor. The Health and Safety Executive investigated…

Brothers receive fine due to cattle safety failures

A sentence has been handed down to two brothers after they failed to protect the public from their cattle.   The outcome of an Health and Safety Investigation (HSE) concluded that Andrew and David Turnbull had failed to provide and display signage in their field in Coalsgarth Valley in North Yorkshire, highlighting an alternate route…

Wood company fined over £1million after injury of two workers

A multinational manufacturer of wood-based products has received a fine in excess of £1 million after the injuries of two of its workers in unrelated incidents.   West Fraser (Europe) Ltd (formerly Norbord) pleaded guilty to multiple breaches of health and safety regulations, which related to two incidents that occurred within six months of each…

Interview with Paul McMullan, our newly-appointed Head of Employers’ and Public Liability

We are delighted to announce that long-standing member of the team, Paul McMullan, has recently been appointed Head of our Employers’ and Public Liability department.   We sat down with Paul and ask him a few questions about his time within the company.     When did you join Oakwood Solicitors? “I joined Oakwood Solicitors…

Staff Spotlight – Paul McMullan

In our Staff Spotlight series, we take a look at key members of our team and find out about their area of expertise.   Today we meet Paul McMullan, one of our senior Personal Injury Paralegals. Paul has taken the time to answer some commonly-asked questions regarding personal injury during military service, including how long…

Bonfire Night 2024: Laws you need to be aware of

Bonfire night is typically an enjoyable event for all the family to get together as the sky is lit up with beautiful colours.   But to keep the public safe and to prevent a nuisance in the neighbourhood, there are several rules and regulations in place. Fireworks are a class of low-explosive pyrotechnic devices used…