Last week, it was reported that just 15 people tested positive for coronavirus among nearly 60,000 who attended trials of mass gatherings, including the FA Cup final and the Brit Awards, according to official figures.
Nine large-scale events were staged as part of the government’s plan to allow for the return of big crowds this summer. Those who attended were exempt from certain coronavirus rules, such as the rule-of-six.
According to reports, 15 COVID cases had been recorded out of nearly 60,000 people who attended the events. The pilot events included three football matches at Wembley Stadium – the FA Cup final which was attended by 21,000 supporters, an FA Cup semi-final and the Carabao Cup final.
Liverpool
Several mass gatherings were staged in Liverpool including a rave attended by 3,000 clubbers, a music festival, an outdoor cinema and an indoor business event.
At the Circus nightclub event in Liverpool, partygoers did not have to socially distance or wear face coverings.
People who attended the trial events had to produce a negative lateral flow result from that day or the day before in order to gain entry.
They were also asked to take PCR tests at home, before and after they attended the events.
Evidence from the Events Research Programme will be used by the government to shape its policy for the return of crowds to venues including theatres, cinemas and nightclubs.
A government spokesman said: “The aim of our world-leading Events Research Programme is to examine the risk of COVID-19 transmission at large events and explore how crowds can be welcomed back in bigger numbers safely.
“The pilots have been designed in a scientifically controlled way to reduce the risk of transmission for attendees. We are working closely with NHS Test and Trace to ensure everyone can be traced following a positive test.”
This is valid as of 1st June 2021.
A sole trader has been fined after a sub-contractor fell five metres through a sky light onto a concrete floor.
On 20 July 2017, a man working for Ian Pitman was renewing the guttering between two buildings in Chipping Sodbury in Bristol. While fitting a roof panel back into place he fell backwards through a sky light, hitting the rail of a lift truck below and landing on the concrete floor. He suffered multiple injuries including a fractured skull and broken ribs.
The HSE’s investigation found that Mr Pitman failed to ensure that the work at height was properly planned, appropriately supervised and safe in such a way as to ensure that persons not in their employment were not exposed to risks to their health and safety.
Ian Pitman of Kingston St Michael, pleaded guilty to contravening Regulation 4(1) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005. He was given a four-month custodial sentence, suspended for 18 months and given 180 hours of unpaid community work. He was also ordered to pay costs of £13,500 and a victim surcharge of £115.
Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Stacey Gamwell, said: “Falls from height remain one of the most common causes of work-related fatalities in this country and the risks associated with working at height are well known. This serious incident could have been avoided if basic safeguards had been put in place.”
This is valid as of 31st May 2021.
What you’ll get: Alfaplas Limited has been fined after a worker became unconscious when his tabard was entangled in the rotating spindle of a print machine.
On 29 January 2019, an employee who was a supervisor at Alfaplas Limited in Hereford, attempted to realign a reel of product on a print machine whilst it was running at half speed. The employee’s high visibility tabard became entangled in an unguarded rotating spindle, drawing in his clothing. He became unconscious as a result of asphyxiation from the entangled clothing. An operator on an adjacent machine intervened to stop the print machine.
Investigating, the HSE found the company failed to prevent access to the dangerous parts of machinery or stop dangerous parts before access was gained. They later fitted electro sensitive protection devices, which stopped the machine when the roller was active in the operator zone and the light beam was broken.
Alfaplas Limited of Ramsden Road, Rotherwas Industrial Estate, Hereford pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 11(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 and Regulation 3(1) of the Management of Health and Safety Regulations 1999.
They were fined £150,000 and ordered to pay costs of £14,379.
Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Sara Lumley said: “This incident could so easily have been avoided by simply ensuring that dangerous parts of machinery were guarded.”
This is valid as of 28th May 2021.
Driving is a large cause of work accidents and something that can be easily prevented. Small things such as removing distractions and limiting fatigue can reduce driving accidents. To find out more about how to combat this, download our directors briefing. A Dereham garage proprietor has admitted to storing waste illegally, despite repeated warnings from the Environment Agency.
Colin Barnes, of CT Barnes Autos admitted storing end of life motor vehicles and car parts illegally.
The end of life motor vehicles were stored with tyres, gear boxes and suspension units at his site in Podmore Lane, Scarning.
Deferring sentence until November 2021, Magistrates warned Barnes that failure to clear the site within the next five months, could mean a prison sentence.
Despite repeated advice from Environment Agency officers on the safe and legal storage of waste, Barnes continued to stockpile scrap vehicles over a 14-month period. In carrying out this illegal operation he caused serious risk to the public and the environment.
Environment Agency prosecutor, Sarah Dunne told the court that Barnes, 64, had been given every opportunity to clear the waste. The Environment Agency had agreed to extend the clearance deadline on four occasions and made significant allowances for the difficulties presented by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Environment Agency Officers first visited the site in November 2019. They issued advice on the safe and legal storage of waste and gave Mr Barnes a timescale to clear the site.
Despite this advice, visiting the site on no less than ten occasions and issuing a statutory notice to clear the waste, scrap vehicles and parts remained dangerously and illegally stockpiled on the site.
Many of the vehicles and engines at the site contained fuel, brake and clutch fluid, batteries and tyres with a significant risk of fire and explosion. Site inspections found oils and fuel on the open ground with the risk of contamination to ground and surface water.
Environmental Crime Officer Tom Howard said: “Storing waste illegally meant that Mr Barnes was able to operate at a commercial advantage, undermine legitimate businesses and put the environment at real risk. The Magistrates’ stance sends a powerful message to those prepared to operate an illegal waste business.”
This is valid as of 27th May 2021.
If not, then we can help! We identify some of the key planned environmental changes in 2021 including the following: (Scotland)
Two companies and two men have indicated not guilty pleas to health and safety charges brought after five workers died when a wall collapsed at a metal recycling plant.
The HSE is prosecuting Birmingham-based firms Ensco 10101 Ltd and Hawkeswood Metal Recycling Ltd after a long-running inquiry into the fatalities in the Nechells area of the city on 7 July 2016.
Ensco 10101 is accused of failing to discharge a duty to a person other than an employee in July 2016, and failing “to ensure, so far as was reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare” of all its employees.
Hawkeswood Metal Recycling faces a charge alleging that it failed to conduct its undertaking in such a way to ensure that those not in its employment were not exposed to risks; and a second count relating to the safety of employees.
The companies, both of Riverside Works, Trevor Street, Nechells, indicated not guilty pleas through their lawyers at Birmingham Magistrates’ Court.
Wayne Anthony Hawkeswood, 50, faces four alleged breaches of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.
Graham John Woodhouse, 54, also of Riverside Works, has been charged with four offences related to his duties as an employer on or about 7 July 2016.
Five workers, all originally from Senegal and the Gambia, died when a concrete partition wall gave way.
Labourers Almamo Jammeh, 45, Ousmane Diaby, 39, Bangally Dukuray, 55, Saibo Sillah, 42, and 49-year-old Mahamadou Jagana were all pronounced dead at the scene after the wall and part of a stored pile of 263 tons of metal ingots collapsed. A sixth man suffered serious injuries.
All four defendants have indicated not guilty pleas and the case was transferred to Birmingham Crown Court for a further hearing on 11 June.
This is valid as of 26th May 2021.
What you’ll get: Long working hours led to 745,000 deaths from stroke and ischemic heart disease in 2016, a 29% increase since 2000, according to the latest estimates by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the International Labour Organisation (ILO).
In a first global analysis of the loss of life and health associated with working long hours, WHO and ILO estimate that, in 2016, 398 000 people died from stroke and 347,000 from heart disease as a result of having worked at least 55 hours a week. Between 2000 and 2016, the number of deaths from heart disease due to working long hours increased by 42%, and from stroke by 19%.
This work-related disease burden is particularly significant in men (72% of deaths occurred among males), people living in the Western Pacific and South-East Asia regions, and middle-aged or older workers. Most of the deaths recorded were among people dying aged 60-79 years, who had worked for 55 hours or more per week between the ages of 45 and 74 years.
With working long hours now known to be responsible for about one-third of the total estimated work-related burden of disease, it is established as the risk factor with the largest occupational disease burden. This shifts thinking towards a relatively new and more psychosocial occupational risk factor to human health.
The study concludes that working 55 or more hours per week is associated with an estimated 35% higher risk of a stroke and a 17% higher risk of dying from ischemic heart disease, compared to working 35-40 hours a week.
Further, the number of people working long hours is increasing, and currently stands at 9% of the total population globally. This trend puts even more people at risk of work-related disability and early death.
The new analysis comes as the COVID-19 pandemic shines a spotlight on managing working hours; the pandemic is accelerating developments that could feed the trend towards increased working time.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly changed the way many people work”, said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO Director-General. “Teleworking has become the norm in many industries, often blurring the boundaries between home and work. In addition, many businesses have been forced to scale back or shut down operations to save money, and people who are still on the payroll end up working longer hours. No job is worth the risk of stroke or heart disease. Governments, employers and workers need to work together to agree on limits to protect the health of workers.”
“Working 55 hours or more per week is a serious health hazard,” added Dr Maria Neira, Director, Department of Environment, Climate Change and Health, at the World Health Organization. “It’s time that we all, governments, employers, and employees wake up to the fact that long working hours can lead to premature death”.
Governments, employers and workers can take the following actions to protect workers’ health:
This is valid as of 25th May 2021.
A builder has been imprisoned for 24 weeks after he failed to report a serious incident at a construction site where he was in charge.
On 8 January 2019, worker Simon Lewis had been clearing a site on Clarence Avenue, New Malden with an excavator so a new house could be built. The excavator tipped while digging and it trapped Mr Lewis’ leg, resulting in an amputation.
The HSE’s investigation found that Mr Lewis had no formal training for operating excavators and had requested that a 3-ton model was provided for the work. However, only a smaller 1.7-ton excavator was provided, and Mr Lewis was put under pressure to use this. The incident was not reported to the HSE within ten days as required and the defendant, Paul Adams, had not investigated the incident.
The HSE was only able to start an investigation more than eight months later when the victim complained. By this time crucial evidence relating to the cause of the incident was unobtainable and the work was almost completed.
There was no health and safety related documentation and there was no employer’s insurance cover for Mr Lewis to claim against. Mr Adams had not obtained any health and safety related training during his 50 years in the construction industry.
Paul Adams, trading as Surrey Conversions of Sutton Common Road, Sutton pleaded guilty to a breach of Regulation 3(1) of the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013. He received a 24-week custodial sentence and was ordered to pay costs of £2,033.
Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Andrew Verrall-Withers said: “This case re-enforces how important it is that incidents are reported so they can be investigated, and improvements made to prevent serious incidents in future.
“The judge noted Mr Adams had not reported the incident even when prompted to by a solicitor, and that despite his construction experience he had failed to take any interest in understanding his legal duties nor invest in health and safety.
“Mr Adams claimed in court that he had stopped working for months due to the impact of the incident. However, the evidence showed he had continued with the work.
“The judge commented on how distressing it must have been for Mr Lewis on top of his life changing injury, to know the incident was not being investigated.”
He added: “We went to great efforts to ensure Mr Adams made improvements. However, in court it was confirmed that although he had told the probation officer he had stopped work, he was still carrying out construction work at an unidentified site despite failing a health and safety test.”
This is valid as of 24th May 2021.
A construction company has been fined after workers were exposed to asbestos whilst refurbishing a flat in St John’s Wood, Westminster.
Between 14 May and 31 August 2018, ASAI Construction Ltd, the Principal Contractor for the project, failed to obtain a Refurbishment and Demolition asbestos survey prior to commencing work on site.
During the project ASAI Construction Ltd was made aware by a subcontractor that there was asbestos containing material (ACM) within the flat, however the company allowed work to continue and failed to ensure that the ACMs were removed safely. As a result, several people were exposed to asbestos fibres over a prolonged period.
Investigating, the HSE found that ASAI Construction Ltd failed to take reasonably practicable steps to prevent the people working on site being exposed to asbestos.
ASAI Construction Ltd of Harrowdene Road, Wembley pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. The company has been fined £30,000 and ordered to pay costs of £2,837.
Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Owen Rowley said: “There are currently more than 5,000 asbestos-related deaths each year in the UK. Any asbestos on site should be identified before refurbishment or demolition work takes place and suitable steps must be taken to control the risk of exposure.
“In this case ASAI Construction Ltd’s failure to manage the risk of exposure to asbestos was compounded by their lack of response when concerns were raised regarding its presence on site.”
This is valid as of 21st May 2021.
The owner of a cosmetic piercing business based in Coleraine in Northern Ireland has been prosecuted for multiple offences in a case brought by Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council.
Christopher Ferguson, the owner of the now closed cosmetic piercing business and who earlier pleaded guilty, has been sentenced to a total of eight months in custody suspended for three years for two offences under Health and Safety at Work (Northern Ireland) Order 1978.
Fines totalling £2,250 were also handed down for three offences under the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Northern Ireland) Order 1985 along with an order to pay £150 in legal costs, £84 in court costs and a £15 offender levy.
The offences under the Health and Safety at Work (N.I.) Order 1978 were as follows:
• failure to ensure that he and other persons (not being employees) were not exposed to risks to their health and safety by carrying out the practice of skin piercing without adequate sterilisation
• failure to comply with a Prohibition Notice by continuing to carry out the practice of skin piercing without adequate sterilisation.
The offences under the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Northern Ireland) Order 1985 were:
• carrying out cosmetic piercing without being registered with Council
• carrying out cosmetic piercing in a premises not registered with Council
• failure to comply with Council Cosmetic Piercing Byelaws.
The court heard that Council Environmental Health Officers had visited and contacted the cosmetic piercing business owner numerous times from September 2016 and repeatedly advised of the registration requirements in relation to operating a cosmetic piercing business and the requirements of Council’s Cosmetic Piercing Byelaws. In the course of an investigation, the Council issued a Prohibition Notice prohibiting the practice of skin piercing taking place without adequate sterilisation however this was not complied with.
Despite visits from Environmental Health Officers and complaints from members of the public, the business continued to operate illegally. An unannounced visit was made to the premises by Environmental Health Officers and equipment connected with the business was removed thereby effecting immediate cessation of piercing activities at the premises.
The Mayor of Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council Alderman Mark Fielding said: “Environmental Health Officers aim to protect and promote the health, safety and welfare of the public and employees against risks arising from work activities in premises for which Council is the enforcing authority. This is achieved by providing advice to businesses, carrying out inspections of premises, planned initiatives, the investigation of complaints, accident investigations and where necessary taking appropriate enforcement action.
“This prosecution sends a clear message that operating outside the law will not be tolerated by Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council particularly when it poses a risk to the health and safety of customers and employees. Illegal body piercing can have serious health implications such as injuries and infections with blood borne viruses. Anyone running a body piercing business has a duty of care to their customers; must be registered with the council and have in place the necessary measures to do so safely. Anyone considering getting a piercing should check the premises and artist are properly registered.”
This is valid as of 22nd May 2021.
What you’ll get: The Environment Bill will include new legal duties to tackle sewage discharges into rivers and help protect waterways.
Three new measures on storm overflows, announced last month by Defra, will be added by government amendment to the Environment Bill later this year. The Bill will return to Parliament shortly after the Queen’s Speech, with the new legal duties due to be on the statute book by the Autumn.
During wet weather storm overflows release diluted wastewater into rivers, preventing a combination of sewage and rain from the overloading the sewers. However, their use has increased in recent years as climate change has led to greater rainfall and water infrastructure has not kept pace with population growth.
The legal duties added to the Environment Bill will drive the changes needed to improve our water environment. The three duties are:
• a duty on government to publish a plan by September 2022 to reduce sewage discharges from storm overflows
• a duty on government to report to Parliament on progress on implementing the plan
• a duty on water companies to publish data on storm overflow operation on an annual basis.
Environment Minister Rebecca Pow said: “The concerning issue of untreated sewage in our rivers demands urgent action. The inclusion of these measures in the Environment Bill will ensure steps are taken to tackle unacceptable levels of pollution.
“While we cannot get rid of storm overflows overnight, we are working hard to accelerate progress in this area to protect our precious water environment and wildlife.
“In addition to new legislation, the recently established Storm Overflows Taskforce has agreed to set a long-term goal to eliminate harm from storm overflows and has already taken steps to improve monitoring and transparency, which is crucial.”
The Storm Overflows Taskforce was set up in August 2020 to bring the government, water industry, regulators and environmental groups together to drive improvements in this area.
Through the Taskforce, water companies have committed to increase the number of overflows they will improve over the next five years and earlier this year the Taskforce committed to a new long-term goal to eliminate harm from storm overflows.
Over 800 overflows will be investigated and nearly 800 improved between 2020 and 2025.
The government expects to consult on potential options for ways to eliminate harm from storm overflows to take forward later this year.
This is valid as of 20th May 2021.
If not, then we can help! We identify some of the key planned environmental changes in 2021 including the following: A survey has revealed that only half of managers have formally consulted their employees about their return-to-office plans.
According to the Chartered Management Institute (CMI), most managers expect about three in five staff back in their pre-pandemic place of work come 21 June, when the government expects that all current restrictions will be lifted.
However, the CMI believes that organisations are not taking employees’ views into consideration, as the survey shows just 50% of managers have spoken to staff about their preferred future working arrangements.
CMI chief executive Ann Francke said there was a risk that the flexibility benefits seen over the past year will be lost if the voice of the employee is “drowned out in the stampede back to the workplace”.
She said: “Real progress has been made in the way we work in the last year and to simply reset to factory settings of the old nine to five in the workplace model would be a step back.
“This summer we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to change our working practices for the better by incorporating flexible hybrid ways of working which have proved to be the preferred option.
“You have nearly two-thirds of employees, both male and female, who want to work from home at least one day a week and we’ve now seen that that’s entirely possible. It’s worth remembering that employees perform better when they have a say in their working arrangements which can lead to a better work life balance and better productivity.”
Nearly eight in 10 managers say employees are apprehensive about the return to the office.
Social distancing (50%) and the use of public transport to commute to work (48%) are the biggest worries, but social isolation (71%), distractions (70%) mental health worries (66%) and work-life balance issues (60%) have been of concern while staff worked from home over the past year.
CMI conducted two surveys of UK-based managers in March and March-April 2021. The first involved 1,068 managers and the second received responses from 1,274 managers.
Meanwhile, a YouGov survey of 503 HR decision-makers has found 26% of organisations are set to close, downsize or consolidate their offices post-pandemic, while 53% will enable some form of remote working.
The research, commissioned by employee experience platform Applaud, found that 53% of firms will no longer require staff to work at an office five days a week. Fourteen per cent say there will be no requirement to visit an office at all.
In order to better manage the shift, 46% say they will implement better remote working tools as the pandemic subsides.
Duncan Casemore, co-founder and chief technology officer at Applaud, said: “Driven by employee experience, business leaders are turning away from the traditional five days in the office format, instead moving to provide more productive flexible and remote working scenarios.
“While there has been great clamour from the workforce to implement more flexibility in the way we work, the Covid-19 pandemic has provided the catalyst to initiate these changes. To ensure employees remain productive while remote working, organisations must continue to invest in the HR technologies that offer a consumer-grade worker experience, and which keep remote employees motivated and happy.”
This is valid as of 19th May 2021.
The "New Normal" has been a hard adjustment for us all and forced us into new situations. If you notice that some of your employees are struggling but don't know where to start, then watch our free webinar. Our speakers will provide you with some key action points that you can use that not only help in the short-term but will be beneficial in the future. Proposed government legislation to simplify the planning process should work in harmony with the looming building safety changes, says the CIOB.
The institution was commenting after the Queen’s Speech last week (11 May), which introduced 30 pieces of legislation due to be passed this year, including the Building Safety Bill, Planning Bill, Procurement Bill, and Skills and Post-16 Education Bill.
Welcoming the government’s recognition of the built environment sector by placing it at the heart of the UK’s recovery from the covid-19 pandemic, the CIOB warned that with complex and overarching social, economic and environmental reforms proposed, it is essential that there is no conflict between the provisions set out in the new bills.
It called on the government to work closely with the CIOB and other built environment organisations to ensure that its proposed bills interact effectively.
Eddie Tuttle, director of policy, external affairs and research at CIOB, said: “We welcome the government’s intention to proceed with the Building Safety Bill, which outlines the first comprehensive reform of building safety regulations since their introduction under the 1984 Building Act. We believe the bill sets out a compelling vision for the future of the industry.
“However, the success of the new regime is heavily dependent on how the new Building Safety Regulator is constituted and how it operates. We encourage the government to make clear its intended timescale for the bill, to ensure that the safety of our buildings and their residents is addressed as a matter of urgency.
“The Building Safety Bill must align closely with the announced Planning Bill, which is intended to create a simpler, faster and more modern planning system, ensuring homes and infrastructure can be delivered more quickly across England.
“Although we welcome the aims of the Planning Bill, we hold concerns that planned changes to permitted development rights (PDR) – if implemented without significant safeguards – could lock in unacceptable standard development which goes against the fundamental desire to improve building quality and safety set out in the Building Safety Bill.
“We encourage the government to be clear on how it will resolve any tension between the stated aims of PDR to increase the supply of housing by lessening the administrative burden on developers, and measures set out within the Building Safety Bill to strengthen regulatory oversight. Under current proposals, buildings created under PDR are not required to pass through the Gateway One checks specified in the Bill, thus potentially undermining the rigour of the new building safety framework.”
This is valid as of 18th May 2021.
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