While it’s important to be aware of Health & Safety all year round, with Halloween just around the corner, we’ve compiled some of the most horrific stories from the last 15 years for you to feast on.
Hapless Heater
Back in 2008, a worker was attempting to light a liquid petroleum gas heater. As he did so, a spark ignited flammable gases that had accumulated inside the tanker. The explosion knocked the worker off of his feet. This resulted in severe burns to his face, arms and legs. The worker lost his sense of smell as a result, and his hearing has been impaired.
Savage Saw
A company was fined after a worker was badly injured by a circular saw in 2013. His finger was caught by the unguarded circular saw. This resulted in an amputation of the middle finger of his left hand. It was found that the company had no risk assessment for the work that was being carried out. There was also insufficient supervision of the worker.
Killer Crane
In 2016, a crane operator was unloading materials in a field. The crane struck an overhead powerline as he worked, resulting in a fatal electrocution for the operator. It was found that the company had not conducted a risk assessment for work to be carried out in that environment. There were also no control measures to prevent the crane striking the overhead lines.
Accursed Asbestos
In 2019, a construction company was conducting refurbishment in a shop. Workers were asked to knock down ceiling tiles on the premises. The remains were then shovelled into bags and disposed of at a later time.
The employees worked in this environment for between three and four weeks. It was discovered that the ceiling tiles actually contained asbestos, and the workers had suffered prolonged exposure to the substance. Read more about this incident here.
Horrible Happenings
Arguably the most tragic story on this list is the story of a 25 year old worker who suffered a fatal fall.
In 2014, the worker fell from the roof of a metal structure that he was helping to dismantle. He was working without safety equipment in windy conditions. Following the incident, safety failings were covered up. The company produced a new risk assessment and an employee was sent to collect harnesses, in order to make it seem as though the accident was the worker’s fault, because he had not worn safety equipment.
Ultimately, the company was sentenced with a fine, and the two directors of the company were sentenced to 20 months imprisonment.
Conclusions
Incidents such as these are an important reminder about how vital it is to follow the appropriate measures when it comes to risk assessments and safety measures in the workplace.
If you believe that your company is lacking when it comes to your Health & Safety precautions, why not get in touch with our friendly team? We offer a range of services including training and consultancy, to ensure that your team is equipped with all of the necessary knowledge and risk awareness that they need to be safe in the workplace.
Let’s start a conversation today.
