Dean Howells Essential Safety, Health & Safety Blog

First Corporate Manslaughter Conviction - Posted 7th March 2011

The first corporate manslaughter conviction has resulted in a £385,000 fine, it was announced in February 2011.

The fine equates to  250% of the companies current annual turnover and is to be paid over a ten year period in equal instalments. The Managing Director of the company was originally charged with manslaughter by gross negligence, as well as a health and safety offence, but these were dropped after a successful appeal on the grounds of ill-health.

The fact that the punishment was only a fine and that no particualt director or senior management team member were held responsible means that this case does not help with clarification of how senior management and their responsisbilities will be interpreted in future coporaprate manslaughter cases.

Essential Safety

 

Violence & Aggression - 4 Tips to Help Protect Staff

The risk of becoming a victim of a personal attack at work remains low for most people.

However, the vulnerability of staff is easily overlooked eg: being the first to arrive or last to leave the premises, facing angry customers, dark and unlit car parks to name a few.

Potential violence at workplaces can be addressed through a simple 4-stage process:

Stage 1     Finding out if you have a problem
Stage 2     Deciding what action to take
Stage 3     Take action
Stage 4     Check what you have done

Stage 1 Finding out if you have a problem
The first step is to identify the potential for violence or aggression at your workplace.
You may think violence is not a problem or that incidents are rare, but it is beneficial to discuss the matter with your staff to find out their views. You will need to offer confidentiality.


Stage 2 Deciding what action to take
Decide who might be harmed, and how.


Stage 3 Take action
Once you have decided upon the actions your are going to take to protect your staff from violence or aggression, make sure they are aware of them. This will help your staff to co-operate with you, follow procedures properly and report any further incidents.


Stage 4 Check what you have done
Check on a regular basis how well your arrangements are working, consulting
staff as you do so. Keep records of incidents; they will show what progress you are making and if your procedures are working.

If your measures are working well, keep them up. If violence is still a problem, try something else.

Go back to Stages 1 and 2 and identify other preventive measures that could work.

If you need help with a Violence and Aggression Policy for your workplace, or require more detailed and practical information on how to protect your staff contact Essential Safety.

Lone Working - The "Forgotten" Health & Safety Risk

We often encounter organisations that have addressed many of the significant risks to their employees, but have missed some of the less obvious hazards – including lone working

Many employers think that lone working risks only apply to their employees who work alone in obviously hazardous environments such as farms, boiler / plant rooms or workshops.

But what about your staff? Do they ever work or travel alone? If so, have you considered the risks they face whilst working on your behalf?

Typically, lone working activities or many organisations which might not have been previously considered include:

•    Staff meeting clients for customers alone – especially off premises.

•    Staff opening up or closing premises, particularly early in the morning or late at night.

•    Staff who are occasionally or regularly left alone to “hold the fort” – especially if they are meeting or reeting customers or clients for the first time without an appointment.

•    Employees who visit other organisation’s premises or sites to carry out surveying or maintenance works.

Where to begin? Well the obvious starting point would be a risk assessment. Looking at all the circumstances in which your employees might work alone, and considering the risks they face. For example:

•    When, and where, do  your staff work alone? Either on your premises or whilst visiting other locations.

•    What are the risks created by the fact that they are alone? Are other risks increased because they are alone?

•    How much guidance & instruction have your employees been given regarding the risks from lone working?

•    Would they know how to spot the early warning signs of potential danger when working alone, and would they know how to respond?

•    What systems do you have for checking on the safety of lone workers? How long might an employee be “missing in action” before it caused concern?

•    How would a lone worker call for help in the event of an accident or emergency?

•    Are there specific factors regarding the location that could create risks?

•    What about the worker themselves – Are they at any special risk? Young persons, trainees, pregnant women or employees with medical conditions would fall into this category.

•    If it came to it – What are your plans in the event of a lone worker going missing or needing help?

Of course, for many organisations, the solutions to these questions are relatively simple. Talking to staff about the risks from lone working, providing guidance, looking at any special risks arising from the working environment or task, ensuring that certain employees do not work alone, and making regular check calls to those that do, would all be viewed as reasonable practices.

Your risk assessment should identify all of the occasions when your staff could work alone, the risks they face, and how you control them.

Further information & guidance regarding the risks to lone workers is available at: http://news.hse.gov.uk/2009/09/18/working-alone/