ASM completed a safety standard down on our projects in Danone Wexford this morning to mark Health & Safety week. We completed a workshop with the contractors on relevant focus topics which included
ASM Group were involved as PSDP on a new flagship store for Harvey Norman in Tallaght Dublin. This project was a fit out installation of an existing warehouse to the required specification from the client. It involved some complex design and installation of mezz flooring within the space. The design team included J E Keating & Associates Architects, Lohan & Donnelly Consulting Engineers as structural engineers and RM Breen Associates as Mechanical and Electrical Engineers. The project duration was 3 months and the store opening 4 weeks ago.
During 2017 forty-six* people were killed in workplace accidents and 8,381 injuries were reported to the HSA, who during the year carried out 10,477 inspections and accident investigations which resulted in formal enforcement action being taken in 790 cases and written advice notes being issued in 4,301 cases.
The figures are revealed in the HSA’s Annual Report 2016 and Authority’s Summary of Workplace Injury, Illness and Fatality Statistics 2015-2016 reports which were published this morning.
The number of fatalities reported is the lowest since 2009 when 43 people died in workplace accidents. The number of four day plus injures reported is the highest since the year 2000 when 9,108 injuries were reported.
Twenty people were killed in farm accidents and nine in construction accidents. The majority of those killed (51%) were self-employed, while 42% were employees, five percent were members of the public and 2% trainees. Four people died in accidents in the industrial sector (mining/quarrying, manufacturing, gas/electricity and water supply/waste). Four died in fisheries accidents. Two were killed in both the wholesale/retail and administrative support sectors, with one each in transport/storage, health/social work, forestry and other NACE categories.
Non-Fatal Injuries and Illnesses
Of the 8,381 injuries reported to the HSA manual handing at 33% topped the list of causes, followed by falls on the same level (slips/trips/falls) at 20%, aggression/shock/violence 6%, body movement with no physical stress 6%, falls from height 5% and loss of control of transport or equipment 4%. The injuries suffered were to the back (23%), finger (9%), leg (8%), hand (7%), shoulder (7%), arm (6%) and ankle (6%).
The Statistical Report includes figures gathered by the Central Statistics Office (CSO) in Quarterly National Household Survey. These figures relate to 2015. During 2015 a total of 16,905 people reported being out of work for four days plus because of a work-related injury, while 18,454 reported being absent because of a work-related illness.
The CSO figures for workdays lost relate to all injuries and illnesses reported, whether the absence was for more or less than four days. The figures show a total of 1,723,104 workdays were lost because of injuries and illnesses (810,899 because of injuries and 912,595 because of illnesses). Figures from the Department of Social Protection’s Occupation Injury Benefits scheme show that during 2016 a total of 631,988 workdays were lost (see HSR. January/February 2017, pg3). The average duration of OIB claims was 60 days.
Inspections and Enforcement
The Authority carried out a total of 10,477 inspections and accident investigations, of which 9,362 were inspections and 1,115 were investigations because of accidents, dangerous occurrences or complaints. Of the 9,362 inspections, 8,156 were carried out under OSH legislation and 1,206 under chemicals legislation.
Practically 45% of the OSH inspections (3,664) were construction inspections and over 25% (2,151) were farm inspections. Of the remaining 30% of OSH inspections 669 inspections were carried out in manufacturing sector, 398 in the wholesale/retail sector, 242 in mines and quarries, 195 in healthcare, 187 in transport/storage, 123 in waste collection and 120 in the public sector. Under chemicals legislation 616 occupational hygiene, 328 transport of dangerous goods/ADR/TPE and 101 COMAH inspections were carried out.
According to the Annual Report enforcement action was taken in 10,202 cases. The term enforcement action can be divided into two categories: formal, which has a statutory legal basis and informal.
The Authority issued 413 prohibition notices and 369 improvement notices/directions. The report does not state how many prosecutions were initiated. However only 17 were completed, one more than in 2015 when 16 were completed, which is the lowest number on record in the modern era. This is not necessarily the fault of the Authority and may be due to court delays and the limited resources of the DPP’s office, as well of course the long-term impact of the cutbacks on the HSA’s resources during the recession.
While described as enforcement actions, written advice and verbal advice is guidance issued to help and prompt employers to take action to improve safety. The Authority issued 4,301 written advice notes and delivered 5,111 verbal advice messages.
The reports have been published on the Authority’s website, www.hsa.ie.* In the Statistical Report, the number of fatalities is recorded as forty-five. After the report was produced an ongoing investigation determined that a fatality was work related, though previously it had not been deemed to be so.
The HSA has published a short guide on the key duties of clients, designers, project supervisors and contractors under the design and management sections of the Construction Regulations.
The guide; Summary of Key Duties under the Procurement, Design and Site Management Requirements of the Safety Health and Welfare at Work (Construction) Regulations 2013; stresses the wide definition of construction work in the regulations and the need for good planning when carrying out construction work. The guide then outlines in plain English the duties of clients, designers, project supervisors and contractors.
Figures revealed in the Dail show that the HSA carried out nearly 5,000 inspections in the first half of the year, with over 40% of these being in construction alone.
Responding to a question from Catherine Murphy, T.D., Frances Fitzgerald, the Tánaiste and new Minister for Enterprise and Innovation, said the HSA carried out a total of 4,853 inspections and investigations up to June 23rd. Of these 4,853 inspections/investigations, 4,398 were routine inspections and 455 were investigations following an accident or a complaint. As many as 42% of the inspections were in the construction sector and about a quarter were farm inspections. Around 60% of the inspections resulted in some form of enforcement action, mostly in the form of reports on inspections. Prohibition notices were issued in 227 cases, improvement notices in 189 cases and reports of inspection in 2,329 cases.
Of the 2,045 inspections/investigations, 1,881 were inspections and 164 were investigations. Prohibition notices were served in 121 cases and improvement notices in 43. Reports of inspections were issued in 903. Of the 1,141 farm inspections/investigations, , 1,110 were inspections and 31 investigations.
In the manufacturing sector, a total of 422 inspections/investigations were carried out (374 inspections and 48 investigations), while 411 were carried out in the wholesale/retail sector (342 inspections and 69 investigations). Two-hundred and fifty inspections/investigations were carried out in the transport and storage sector, of which 224 were inspections and 26 were investigations.
The Minister also gave details of inspections and investigations carried out in 2014, 2015 and 2016. In 2016, just 10,485 inspections/investigations were carried out, the lowest number since 1994. 1,110 were inspections and 31 investigations.
In the manufacturing sector, a total of 422 inspections/investigations were carried out (374 inspections and 48 investigations), while 411 were carried out in the wholesale/retail sector (342 inspections and 69 investigations). Two-hundred and fifty inspections/investigations were carried out in the transport and storage sector, of which 224 were inspections and 26 were investigations.
The following are the arrangements relating to the transfer of cards between jurisdictions for the above named schemes.
GB to Ireland: TRANSFER OF BLUE CPCS COMPETENT OPERATOR CARD TO SOLAS CSCS EXPERIENCED PLANT OPERATOR CARD
Criteria:
Applicants must return the completed form and include;
To: CPCS, PO BOX 320, Bircham Newton, Kings Lynn, Norfolk, UK PE31 6WD.
Republic of Ireland to GB: TRANSFER OF SOLAS CSCS EXPERIENCED PLANT OPERATOR CARD TO CPCS BLUE COMPETENT PLANT OPERATOR CARD
Criteria:
Applicants should return the completed form and include;
To: National Construction Training Facility, Mount Lucas, Daingean, Co. Offaly Telephone : 01-533 2552 – Contact: Bill Doyle
OLIVE OIL ON FLOOR A DANGEROUS HAZARD
A supermarket worker, who slipped and fell when walking along a floor in the supermarket where she worked, was awarded damages of €12,500 by the Dublin Circuit Court recently. The worker told the court that she fell heavily and immediately felt pain in her ankle.
While she was lying on the floor and being assisted by her colleagues, she noticed a four-inch spot of olive oil on the floor where she slipped. She told the court that she later attended a VHI clinic, where x-rays revealed no fracture. However her ankle was swollen and she needed to keep it strapped and elevated for some time. She was off work for several weeks. Her ankle, she added, still aches during cold weather.
Her employer denied negligence and argued that the olive oil could only have been on the floor a very short period of time before the employee slipped on it. Awarding the injured employee €12,500 damages, Judge Raymond Groarke, said the law requires employers to provide a safe place of work for their employees. Olive oil was, he said, a dangerous hazard and the employer had a particular duty of care.
FAILED TO DISCLOSE CLAIMS HISTORY
A personal injury claim by a bus driver who was involved in a private motor accident was dismissed when the court heard that the man answered “no” on the Injuries Board claim form to the question about whether he been involved in a previous road accident.
When Judge Terence O’Sullivan interrupted to point out that the form signed by the man was “false”, the driver said he did not remember completing the form, even though it bore his signature.
During the hearing, it also transpired that he failed to tell his doctor and the hospital he attended of his personal medical history. The court heard he had been involved in two previous road accidents. He had been awarded damages of €14,000 in respect of an accident five years previously.
Dismissing the claim, Judge O’Sullivan said that people who submit claims to the PIAB are under an obligation to make a full disclosure of their medical history. The plaintiff had, the judge said, given incorrect information and had to suffer the consequences. He was ordered to pay €300 expenses to the defendant.
TRIPPED ON LUMP OF CONCRETE
Waterford Circuit Court heard that a council lorry driver who tripped on a lump of concrete while he was carrying a “gully” across a depot yard, fell and suffered an ankle injury. The court heard that the gully was required for a job on traffic lights in the city. The accident was witnessed by a supervisor.
Later the Council’s maintenance electrician noticed the worker seemed to be wincing and leaning on a shovel. His ankle was swollen and he placed an elastic bandage on it. He offered to take the worker to the doctor.
Saying that he was satisfied the accident happened while the worker was carrying an object, Judge Terence O’Sullivan said the area should have been clear of the concrete lump. He was satisfied the worker went over on his ankle. He awarded €5,000 damages and €360 for agreed expenses, bringing the total award to €5,360.
Safety Alert Bosch Grinders GWS20 & GWS22 Manufactured June-August 2016.
The Health and Safety Authority has been made aware of a safety-related product recall by Bosch Power Tools for angle grinders.
The recall affects the following angle grinders (Products): series GWS 20, and GWS 22 from the production period June through to August 2016. The company has ascertained that, due to a faulty component, the cutting or grinding disc together with the fastening fixture (spindle) could become detached during operation on a number of angle grinders. This could lead to serious injury to operators or others. Bosch has decided to recall all potentially affected products with immediate effect.
Products
The Products listed in the tables below are affected: Products manufactured of Series GWS 20 and GWS 22, from the production period June through to August 2016. They can be identified in the following ways;
On the Tool’s Original Packaging
The first digit of the number outlined in red indicates the production year, the next two digits indicate the production month. A product with the numerical sequence 510 was therefore manufactured in October 2015 (“5” for the year 2015 and “10” for the month October). Accordingly, the number outlined in this case indicates the manufacturing month June 2016 (“6” for the year 2016 and “06” for the month June).
On the type-plate (found on the tool itself)
The following photo and table shows the location of the type-plate and the format of the information contained on it.
The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) will today Monday (22 May) begin a nationwide work related vehicle safety inspection and information campaign. The campaign will last two weeks and will focus on four key sectors: Transport and Logistics; Wholesale and Retail; Waste and Recycling and Manufacturing.
The purpose of the campaign is to make sure that employers are aware of their legal responsibilities for managing vehicle risks, and to help them reduce the likelihood of accidents occurring.
Over the last 6 years, just under half (45%) of all workplace fatalities have involved vehicles. In the same period nearly one in five (18%) of all non-fatal accidents were vehicle related.
An analysis of HSA accident statistics indicates that the majority of these fatalities occurred during the manoeuvring, reversing or coupling and uncoupling of vehicles. Non-fatal injuries generally occurred during the manual handling of loads or as the result of falls from vehicles.
Deirdre Sinnott, Senior Inspector with the HSA says that the risks can be reduced by focusing on four key areas.
“Firstly, employers should have a vehicle risk management policy that covers all vehicle related activities in the workplace. This includes not only vehicles operated by employees but also those visiting that need to be managed and controlled. It is also important that procedures are in place to eliminate and control known risks associated with: driving for work, loading and unloading, deliveries and collections, parking, reversing and manoeuvring. Then safety information, instruction and training should be provided for all employees and finally, a method to record and learn from all incidents or near misses and take corrective action where necessary.”
There are free short on-line courses, aimed at helping employers to manage work related vehicle safety, on the HSA e-learning portal.
Also, freely available guidance and resources can be found on the HSA website.
The HSA have released a useful guide to maintaining best practices in Health & Safety for various workplaces.
This guidance is aimed at business leaders, owners, managers and those who control work activities at all workplaces. It will help those who have responsibilities under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act, 2005 (the 2005 Act) and other relevant Regulations that may apply to their work activities. It sets out what they should do in order to develop and maintain their safety and health management systems. This guidance will help the various duty holders at work to ensure their safety and health management systems comply with best practices in safety and health. Click here to download the Guide.
This is a good time of year to review your Companies Safety Management System. Talk to ASM Group about our Safety Consultancy Services.
Information taken from HSA Website.