Blog Archive

It is good to hear that the Irish Health and Safety regulator, Richard Bruton TD, has unveiled the Health and Safety Authority's strategy and its programme of work for 2013. He said: "There is a need to find efficiencies but not at the expense of the safety, health and welfare of workers. The collaborative approach adopted by the Authority, using targeted inspections and compliance tools, is desi...
[Read on about Irish health and safety regulator unveils three-year strategy]

For those of you that follow Ai Solutions we would like to remind you that we have other sources where you can access information regarding Health and Safety blogs, CDM and Asbestos. This includes Twitter, Linked In and Facebook. If you use these other forms of media then please feel free to connect with us.
[Read on about Health and Safety Social Media]

The Safety & Health Practitioner reported that, although the CPS opened 63 new corporate manslaughter cases last year, there has been criticism that there has been too few convictions. However, directors and senior managers must not be lulled into a false sense of security. Senior law firms, including Pinset Masons, have stated that in the current financial cuts in businesses that may adversely i...
[Read on about Cost Cutting Alert Regarding Corproate Manslaughter Investigations]

For those among you who would like more information about managing the asbestos in your own building(s) the HSE has published a web site detailing 'how' you should do this. The web site is a step by step guide to all the duties regarding best management of asbestos www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos. Additionally Ai Solutions has help and guidance regarding Asbestos and the CAR12 regulations on our web site...
[Read on about Managing My Asbestos]

RoSPA has unveiled groundbreaking evidence that shows accidents are the top cause of preventable, premature death for most of our lives. The research was recently presented in Westminster to a group of politicians, journalists, civil servants and health professionals. As a result, RoSPA is now calling for accident prevention to be made the number one priority for public health in England. They ha...
[Read on about The Big Book of Accident Prevention]

The Construction Enquirer reports that the government is ruling out an investigation into construction blacklisting unless new evidence is produced that the practice is still going on. This decision has not pleased shadow business secretary Chuka Umanna who has called for a 'full investigation'. He believes that the government should be making those responsible for the blacklisting compensate tho...
[Read on about Blacklist Investigation Not Going Forward]

The HSE has recently issued a press release regarding a hospital trust failing in their duties in regard to asbestos management. An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that City Hospitals Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust had an asbestos survey that clearly showed there was asbestos in the door surrounds but, despite several site meetings between the Trust and the contracto...
[Read on about Hospital trust failed in their Asbestos Management duties]

A Swansea engineering firm and building contractor have been fined for asbestos exposure. Workers were exposed to dangerous asbestos fibres following a catalogue of errors by an engineering company and a building firm during a demolition and refurbishment project in Swansea. The engineering firm had two asbestos management surveys for the site, which, although later deemed to be inadequate, ident...
[Read on about Swansea Firm Fined for Asbestos Exposure]

The ONR and the Environment Agency has received a formal request from theMinister of State for Energyto start generic designassessment work on a new nuclear reactor for the UK. The aim is to ensure that it meets high standards of safety, security, environmental protection and waste management. This project, when built will be the first of its kind in the UK and will set the standard for future wo...
[Read on about Regulators to assess new nuclear reactor design]

Professor Rory O'Neill, a researcher at the University of Stirling, made several Freedom of Information requests and analysed more than 20 HSE reports to map fatality statistics against a list of sectors excluded from proactive inspections. The professor stated that there are now at least 37 "sectors without inspectors", including agriculture, quarries, plastics, electricity generation and supply...
[Read on about Most Fatalities Happen In Uninspected Sectors]

The HSE are prosecuting a Swansea engineering firm and contractor after recent investigations revealed several breeches, one included the failure to appoint a competent CDM-C. It was also noted that during the demolition works an asbestos insulation board (AIB) covering a steel column was damaged, and a Wall Colmonoy employee was told to tape plastic bags around it. Work continued in the building...
[Read on about Swansea Contractor Orders Workers to Tie Plastic Bags Around Exposed Asbestos]

IOSH have stated that current health and safety legislation and approved codes of practice have contributed "immeasurably" to the protection of works in the UK. Although IOSH support the drive to streamline and simplify the raft of health and safety regulations they say that this process must not involved a slide in standards. These comments were delivered as part of a submission to the HSE, whi...
[Read on about IOSH Want H & S Framework Simplified & Strengthened]

The January 2013 edition of the Ai Solutions Newsletter is now available: January Newsletter.
[Read on about Newsletter - January 2013]

Ai Solutions continue to work hard to provide 'best value' for our customers and this New Year we are proud to announce that we can now offer a 'Complete CDM-C service'. The CDM-C Service and Consultancy is an option we can provide to aid you in effective CDM management. We will provide a fully qualified and competent CDM-C to manage your project from design start through to handover of the healt...
[Read on about Ai Solutions CDM Co-ordinator Service]

Staffordshire County Council has been handed a court bill of £15,000 after admitting liability when dangerous asbestos fibres were released into the nursery of a primary school in Cheslyn Hay. Work was being carried out at the school when some board was misidentified and put into a skip. The contractor involved was also fined however they stated that 'only a small amount of fibres were released'....
[Read on about £15k Fine for Asbestos Fibres found in Nursery School]

The met office prepares to reveal whether 2012 was the wettest year on record in the UK. Their analysis indicates that the heavy rainfall we are experiencing is creating "an upward trend" and that this type of extreme rainfall is the normally the sort of downpour you would expect once in 100 days. This will have a long term effect in the construction industry as flooding will be a normal occurren...
[Read on about Extreme Rainfall]

Judith Hackitt, Chair of the HSE, has published her end of year statement. She stated that "It's been a busy and a challenging year for everyone involved in health and safety. The challenges never stop so it's good to look back at some of the really great things which have been going on and which I hope we can build on in 2013 and beyond." For her full statement visit Judtith Hackitt's blog
[Read on about 2012 - What a Year]