Newsletter August 2007
ToolKit CS™ September Release
Our next ToolKit CS™ Update is on-track for late September as planned. We will be telling you about the content in our September Newsletter.
For our customers, there are four free workshops where our users can come and try out the enhancements for themselves before the release date. We are encouraging all our users to attend these 2 hour sessions starting at 10.00am.
- Workshop 1 - Tuesday 4th September
- Workshop 2 - Thursday 6th September
- Workshop 3 - Tuesday 11th September
- Workshop 4 - Thursday 13th September
These workshops get booked up very quickly so please confirm your places as soon as possible by calling Rebecca on 01525 850 080.
The update will coincide with a major annnouncement regarding the Options available in the ToolKit™ and is one which will be of particular interest to our corporate customers. There will be a series of Product Seminars in the Autumn to introduce the new Options and we look forward to announcing the details of these in September.
Buncefield Report
The Buncefield Major Incident Investigation Board has issued its response to the consultative document CD 212, issued by HSE in April 2007.
In grappling with the many issues thrown up by the major incident at Buncefield in December 2005, the Board has often been faced with the question of why the planning system in the round does not address the total population at risk from a major hazard site.
Read the Board's full reponse to CD212 (PDF 90KB)241 lives lost is unacceptable (up 25%)
Launching the latest work related fatal injury statistics (26 July 07), Health and Safety Commission (HSC) Chair Sir Bill Callaghan said the loss of 241 lives is unacceptable and issued a fresh challenge to industry to place safety at the top of its priorities and do more to protect the work force.
Sir Bill said, "It is disappointing to see that the overall number of deaths has risen. We have worked hard with industry and trade unions over the past few years to bring the number down. Behind every one of these numbers was a man or a woman, with a life, friends and family. Despite all the negative stories written and told about over-bureaucracy and banning 'fun', in reality trying to stop the tragedies we are talking about today is what health and safety is all about."
| Industry Sector | Workers | Rate per
100,000 workers |
| Agriculture, forestry and fishing | 34 | 8.1 |
| Manufacturing | 35 | 1.1 |
| Construction | 77 | 3.7 |
| Service Industries | 85 | 0.35 |
| Extractive and utility supply | 10 | 6.0 |
| Overall | 241 | 0.80 |
Of the main industrial sectors, construction has the highest total of fatal injuries and accounts for 31% of all fatal injuries to workers. Other industries such as agriculture, waste and recycling and issues such as protection of vulnerable workers, particularly migrant workers also pose significant challenges.
Read the full reports on the HSE website.
Booted out to Bootle
The SHP (Safety & Health Practitioner Aug 07) magazine reports that the HSE are 'likely to lose a swathe of skilled staff after it decided at its July board meeting to take forward proposals to move to a single headquarters in Bootle, Merseyside'.
The SHP goes on to say that the decision, yet to be ratified by the HSC, will affect around 400 staff at Rose Court London. A small nmber of operational staff will stay until the Rose Court lease runs out in 2013. With estate costs absorbing around 10% of their resource, the HSE are looking to reduce their financial burden on UK tax payers.
Construction Industry Newsletter
Our partners at Callsafe Services have provided their latest newsletter which includes a number of interesting articles. They draw attention to the fact that whereas UK accidents have increased in the past 12 months, the rates in Ireland have gone down. The long awaited CDM Guidance issued by the Construction Clients Group gets a mention too.
Last Orders Please?
Seeing is believing? And there were two! This stolen vehicle was 'parked' in the window of a Leeds Restaurant last month and shortly afterwards, a second similar incident also in Leeds could have been a copy-cat prank?
More Information
We regularly receive updates from our customers and contacts about changes to legislation, the latest rumours and so on. We try to be selective with what we pass on and acknowledge our sources as appropriate. If you have information of general interest in the Health & Safety, and particularly, CDM and Asbestos Management arena, then please let us know by e-mail if possible.