13 Jan January

In this month’s newsletter we cover COVID updates and recent case studies that are in courts:

• Updated COVID-19 advice for employers – Boris Johnson has confirmed that, from 11 January in England, people who receive positive lateral flow device (LFD) test results for coronavirus will be required to self-isolate immediately and won’t be required to take a confirmatory PCR test. On 22 December, revised guidance was issued that enables the 10-day self-isolation period for people who have tested positive for coronavirus to be reduced to 7 days, in most cases. People who receive negative LFD results on day 6 and day 7 of their self-isolation period – with tests taken 24 hours apart – will no longer have to self-isolate for the full 10 days. The first test must be taken no earlier than day 6 of the self-isolation period. There is no change to the guidance for unvaccinated contacts of positive COVID-19 cases, who are still required to self-isolate for 10 full days after their date of exposure to the virus.

• Glazing company fined for failing to control risks of vibrating tools – The HSE’s investigation found that on and before 20 August 2018, the company failed to adequately assess the risk to employees from exposure to vibration. They did not monitor the use of the Fein cutters and had not implemented measures to control exposure. No tool maintenance programme to monitor the effective working of the tools, ensuring that vibration levels were kept to a minimum. PSV Glass and Glazing Limited of Hillbottom Road, High Wycombe pleaded guilty to breaching Regulations 5(1), 6(1), 7(1) and 8(1) of The Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005. The company has been fined £211,290.04 including a victim surcharge of £70 and ordered to pay costs of £11,120.04.

• Construction company and its contractor sentenced – CLC Contractors Limited (the Principal Contractor), of Unit 2 Northbrook Industrial Estate, Vincent Avenue, Southampton, SO16 6PB pleaded guilty to breaching 13 (1) Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 and were fined £400,000.00 and ordered to pay costs of £5,300.00. Paul Gale, Company Director of PAG Building Services Ltd of 2 Moore Crescent, Netley Abbey, Southampton, Hampshire pleaded guilty to Section 37(1) Health and Safety Work Act 1974. Due to the seriousness of the offence the case was referred to Aylesbury Crown Court for sentencing. Paul Gale was sentenced to 14 months imprisonment suspended for 24 months and 150 hour of community service. HSE was awarded costs of £7,200.