Following the UK’s departure from the EU, the Government developed the UKCA (UK Conformity Assessment) as a replacement for the CE marking system to show that a product complies with basic safety requirements. Voluntary use of the new standard started in January 2021. The original date for a full transfer to UKCA had been set for 1st January 2022 for … Read More
Vehicle Lift Safety Alert
The HSE has issued a safety alert regarding unsafe bolts on the BendPak XPR series two-post vehicle lift. Following an investigation into a fatal incident, an issue has been identified involving the use of bolts that do not meet the required standards for strength. The affected bolts attach the lift arm’s restraint gear, and where these should be “8.8” class … Read More
Consultation on Amendments to Health Protection Notification Regulations
The Health Protection Notification Regulations 2010 (HPNR) were introduced to help the government respond effectively and quickly to newly discovered cases of infectious diseases and prevent their spread if they pose such a risk. In the wake of COVID, the Government has been considering adding a number of amendments to the regulations in order to ensure the discovery of infectious … Read More
Interim DVSA Process for Testing Hydrogen Powered Vehicles
While hydrogen fuelled vehicles are not yet widely available, their use is expected to increase, and such vehicles will need to be subject to the usual statutory testing regimes. The DVSA has developed an interim process for the testing of such vehicles as the use of such vehicles. The primary issue that the DVSA wants to address is ensuring that … Read More
Latest Workplace Fatality Statistics Released
The HSE have published figures for work-related fatalities in Great Britain for the period of 2022 to 2023. During this period a total of 135 workers were killed in work related incidents. While this represents an increase of 12 from the 123 recorded the year before, it is important to note that the coronavirus pandemic would have influenced this figure … Read More
New Fire Safety Guidance for Responsible Persons
In England and Wales the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 sets out the duties that apply to persons responsible for fire safety in non-domestic premises such as workplaces and in the communal parts of shared residential buildings such as corridors and stairways in blocks of flats. Following on from the Grenfell Tower fire the Building Safety Act 2022 introduced … Read More
Fire Alarm Response in Scotland
Individual fire authorities are responsible for creating appropriate strategies for their own area. With limited resources and many calls on those resources fire authorities have to make difficult decisions about how they allocate those resources. Sometimes those decisions can be controversial, response to fire alarms is sometimes a sensitive area. The latest figures from Scotland show that in 2021-2022 there … Read More
Updated Code of Practice on Load Security
The DVSA has worked alongside the HSE to produce an updated code of practice covering the safe loading, unloading and transportation of goods in heavy goods vehicles, trailers, vans, and cars. The new guidance replaces the previous publications “Safety of loads on vehicles: code of practice” and “Load securing: vehicle operator guidance” and is aimed at drivers, vehicle operators and … Read More
Causes of Fatal Accidents and Ill Health
The recent workplace fatality statistics published by the HSE also break those statistics down by the type of accident. The most common types of fatal accident during 2022/23 were: falls from a height – 40 struck by moving objects – 29 struck by moving vehicles – 20 trapped by something collapsing / overturning – 12 contact with moving machinery – … Read More
New Sentencing Guidelines for Motoring Offences in England and Wales
Following a consultation the Independent Sentencing Council has published 6 new and 6 revised sentencing guidelines for motoring offences in England and Wales. The Independent Sentencing Council is an independent body set up by parliament to issue guidelines on sentencing. Courts must generally follow these guidelines unless it is not in the interest of justice to do so. The … Read More