24 Aug August

In this month’s newsletter we cover the Lighthouse Construction Charity and two case studies in the courts:

1. The Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity joins HSE’s Working Minds campaign – Sarah Jardine, Head of Construction Division HSE, said: “The Working Minds campaign is calling for a culture change across Britain’s workplaces where managing stress and talking about how people are coping is as routine as managing workplace safety. “By increasing our campaign partners we are able to increase the reach and visibility of our campaign, allowing us all to achieve greater success. The Lighthouse Club, alongside existing partner Mates in Mind, will help us to talk to businesses and workers in the construction industry. They will play an important role in sharing key information as well as provide essential insight into the unique stressors experienced by people working in the industry as we continue to evolve our campaign.”
2. A Building owner has been jailed after a worker was left paralysed. Further investigation revealed a similar accident had occurred a year earlier on 25 January 2016 when one of the building’s tenants stepped onto the hoist platform to remove the load, which jolted and without warning dropped in an uncontrolled manner to the ground floor. The tenant suffered a broken heel bone. Mr Devine had not ensured that the hoist was thoroughly examined at any time and following this earlier incident any work that may have been undertaken on the hoist was sub-standard and did nothing to protect people. He had not assessed the risk arising from the work or put measures in place to prevent access to the lift shaft. At Liverpool Crown Court, Nicholas Devine formerly of Garthdale Road, Allerton, Liverpool pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment and ordered to pay costs of £10,000.
3. A Construction company has been fined £600K after death of seven-year-old. Howard Civil Engineering Ltd of Howard House Limewood Approach Leeds pleaded guilty to breaching regulation 13(4)(b) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 and to breaching Section 3 (1) of the Health & Safety at Work etc Act 1974. The company was fined £600K and ordered to pay £42,952.88 in costs at Sheffield Crown Court today. Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Paul Yeadon said: “Conley should never have been able to be on that site. He should have been kept out. The construction industry should be aware of the dangers of construction sites to members of the public and any other unauthorised persons.” “The industry must do all it can to ensure children can’t access construction sites and be exposed to the inherent risks they present to prevent further tragedies like this from occurring.”