Safety Alerts
The HSE issue Safety Alerts for major faults that would result in a serious or fatal injury and where immediate remedial action is required. The following safety alerts are relevant to our clients' industries (all links open in a new window):
Risk of carbon monoxide release during the storage of wood pellets
November 2012
The HSE is issuing this notice to those who use, install, maintain or distribute wood pellet boilers or manufacture/store/distribute wood pellets. Since 2002 there have been at least nine fatalities in Europe caused by carbon monoxide poisoning following entry into wood pellet storage areas. Although there have not been any incidents so far in the UK the use of wood pellets is increasing and awareness of this danger is required.
Warning to offshore industry on possible failure of fire resistant composite deck gratings
October 2012
This alert is to warn operators that fire resistant composite materials, especially FRP deck gratings, used offshore may fail, or lose integrity, after exposure to relatively short duration hydrocarbon pool fires.
Management of the risks from legionella within water systems
September 2012
This safety bulletin draws attention to key aspects of the proper management of the risks from legionella in water systems other than cooling towers and evaporative condensers.
Management of the risks from legionella in cooling towers and evaporative condensers
July 2012
This safety notice draws attention to key aspects of the proper management of the risks from legionella.
Hooped ladders and the use of personal fall-arrest systems
July 2012
The purpose of this safety notice is to alert dutyholders that hooped ladders (with or without a personal fall arrest system) may not be effective in safely arresting a fall without injury. As a result dutyholders are advised to review their risk assessments where these ladders are used.
Vertical lifting platforms or lifts for people with impaired mobility
June 2012
This Safety Notice is aimed at organisations with vertical lifting platforms for people with impaired mobility, or passenger lifts, installed at their premises. The Safety Notice informs organisations of the risks from over-riding safety devices at landing doors designed to prevent access to lifting platform / lift wells or shafts.
Risks to vulnerable members of the public from falling from height from windows
March 2012
This Safety Notice is aimed at organizations (such as Health and social care providers, NHS Trusts / Boards, hospitals, public buildings, schools, care homes, other care settings) and individuals, who provide facilities for vulnerable people who are at risk of falling from windows.
The Department of Health have issued a safety alert following an HSE investigation into a fatal incident where window side-stays, which were fitted with plastic spacers as part of the mechanism, failed.
The alert should be read by any organisation where window restrictors are fitted to limit window openings (usually to not more than 100mm) in order to protect vulnerable people from falling. Such organisations include NHS Trusts, care home providers and those who manage buildings where vulnerable people may be present (e.g. schools).
Mobile crushing plant - unintended movement of tracks
November 2011
Investigation of a fatal incident by HSE has identified that unintended movement of some mobile crushers can occur when there is an earth/ground fault.
Gas Detector Safety Alert
August 2011
The HSE have issued a safety alert for Status Mentor PGD2 gas meters.
HSE warns of dangers of diving for shellfish
June 2011
In recent weeks the HSE has investigated two separate fatalities involving diving for shellfish.
Jacking of flat bottomed storage tanks:
February 2011
This safety notice covers issues associated with the jacking of large flat bottomed cylindrical storage tanks.
Overturns of JLG 500RTS scissor lifts
January 2011
Maintenance, inspection and function testing of both oscillating axle lockout valves and the lift/drive interlock system on JLG 500RTS and 400RTS scissor lifts (and any other MEWPs with similar interlock systems).
Gas boilers - flues in voids
December 2010
Changes to industry guidance relating to existing gas central heating systems where the flue system is concealed within a void and cannot be visually inspected (i.e. to make sure it is safe) will require provision of inspection hatches before 31st December 2012.
'False' engagement of tipping hooks on 'builders' skips:
November 2010
This safety notice highlights a potential danger whereby fabrication of the skip can result in a lip on which tipping hooks may 'falsely' engage and provides advice on corrective actions.
Electrically Powered Gates
September 2010
Installers, designers, maintenance firms and manufacturers of electric gates, are being urged to seriously consider new safety advice issued by HSE 02 September 2010, following the recent deaths of two children involving these gates.
MEWP Trapping Incidents
July 2010
More people die from falls at work than from any other cause. The use of mobile elevating work platforms/powered access equipment has been a major factor in the reduction in falls accidents. For temporary work at height this kind of equipment is often the safest solution.
Telehandlers
March 2010
Workers are being warned not to operate telehandlers if the right-hand side window is missing or broken, following a fatal incident.
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