Brian Larkin Safety

16/01/2025

Fire Risk or Acceptable Risk?

Some 13% of fires in care homes are smoking-related, usually caused by the careless disposal of smoking materials or smoking not being properly controlled or supervised. This includes plans that are not up-to-date or personalised.

“How can the tension between the rights of a resident to freedom in their home and fire safety of the premises be resolved?

“The simple answer would have been a total smoking prohibition on residents, and some homes have a complete prohibition on smoking. But in my view, if there is a way for care homes to cater for individual needs, it should be considered, provided it is safe.”

We are a dynamic Health and Safety consultancy banking on years of experience from one of the countries top experts. We take pride in providing a first class service to customers from all industries and sectors throughout Northern Ireland and beyond.

07/12/2022

Renewals of 'Safe Pass' cards for construction workers will be available online in the New Year resulting in faster processing times and lower costs.

Safe Pass is a mandatory one-day health and safety awareness programme for workers in the construction industry.
The new online option to renew Safe Pass cards will be available from 23 January 2023.

Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science Simon Harris said it is part of efforts to reduce barriers in construction careers, an objective of Housing for All.

"Over 30,000 people will avail of this option within the first 12 months of the programme going live and that's just the start as we see increasing numbers of Safe Pass applications all the time," Mr Harris said.

Workers needing to renew their Safe Pass card will be able to attend a computer-based test in an approved exam centre.
CEO of SOLAS Andrew Brownlee said: "The new Safe Pass renewal system will greatly benefit the construction sector, enabling the provision of a time and cost-effective process to renew Safe Pass."

"This new system will result in savings of 50%, with renewal time now taking just 45 minutes instead of requiring a full day in the classroom, at a lower cost of €93.84," Mr Brownlee said.
Also today, Minister Harris officially launched a new construction skills training programme.

The course, which is run in partnership with SOLAS and the National Construction Training Campus in Mount Lucas, includes the practical application of skills such as the mixing and laying concrete, laying of blocks and the use of small tools and equipment.

www.brianlarkinsafety.com

A dynamic Health and Safety consultancy banking on years of experience from one of the countries top experts, Brian Larkin Safety take pride in providing a first class service to customers from all industries and sectors throughout Northern Ireland and beyond. Whilst maintaining a professional busin...

29/04/2021

Due to our increased workload we are looking for a motivated individual with a passion for workplace health safety and welfare.

Please send a copy of your cv to Info@brianlarkinsafety.com

www.brianlarkinsafety.com

06/10/2020

ROAD SAFETY

A pioneering cone-laying vehicle is set to eliminate the need for roadworkers to do the job from the back of a truck, after successful tests.

Following extensive off-road testing, an automated cone laying vehicle has been trialled on the road network for the first time.

The vehicle, developed by a group of industry experts, avoids the need for two people to manually lift and drop the cones.

Aside from the obvious risk from traffic, the vehicles could have added ergonomic benefits to workers, who currently can lift as much as 10 tonnes of equipment per shift.

To date, experts have struggled to identify a suitable method of placing and removing cones that doesn’t have an impact on workers due to the twisting of the body required or a vehicle that does not require any workers on the back.

The two vehicles being tested are operated solely by the driver, improving safety and freeing up two workers to carry out other tasks.

The first vehicle, created is being trialled on the road network. The second, developed is currently undergoing testing in Holland and will shortly be trialled off-road here.

As part of the test, they are required to lay/collect at least 400 cones at a rate of one every 10 seconds. If the tests prove successful, the two companies will be able to take their vehicles to the marketplace.

Tests have been carried out on A5 and M54 in Shropshire. Further testing is set to take place on the M4 in Berkshire. If they prove successful, the vehicles could be in use by the end of the year.

Highways England Head of Lean and Continuous Improvement Martin Bolt, who oversees the project, said: “The implications of these vehicles in protecting the safety of workers are immense and we are delighted that testing is progressing so well. By taking the human element out of laying cones we are eliminating one of the greatest risks for road workers.

“We have received a lot of support from the industry as a whole for the automated vehicle and we are now getting some very positive feedback from those workers who have been trialling the Highways Care prototype on the live roads network.

“If this testing proves as successful as we anticipate it will, motorists could be spotting more of these automated cone laying vehicles on the roads by the end of the year.”

Kier General Foreman Stuart Pegg, who used the vehicle to put out traffic management on the A5, said: “It was great to be invited to participate in this ground-breaking advancement in traffic management. We have ironed out a few initial teething problems and I found the automated cone laying vehicle easy to use. It performed above my personal expectations.”

01/02/2019

Builder’s failure exposed family to poisoning risk

A building firm has been sentenced after it put three people at risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.

Steam vent from a gas boiler on a brick wall in June 2017, A Builder, was contracted to build a single storey extension to the rear of a house.

When assessing the work, the builder had been told by the homeowner that the boiler flue exited the rear of the property – where the extension was to be built. He advised this would not be a problem, and that he would arrange for a plumber to move the flue, so it exited the side of the property.

The investigation found that Builder failed to ensure the gas boiler flue was moved to a safe place (namely to the side of the property) before this extension was built. The gas flue was therefore releasing the products of combustion into the finished extension, which the homeowner was alerted to by her carbon monoxide alarm.

The builder, pleaded guilty to breaching Gas Safety Regulations and was sentenced to four months in prison, suspended for 24 months, 30 days rehabilitation and 150 hours of community unpaid work. The builder will also be paying £3,000 in costs to be paid over the next six months.

After the hearing, the inspector said: “The builder showed a clear disregard for the law and put his customers’ lives at risk, by not arranging for a competent person to move the gas flue to a safe place before the extension was completed.

“This offence was carried out with consent and connivance, and was clearly attributable to the builders poor workmanship and could easily have caused the homeowner and her family to suffer carbon monoxide poisoning.

www.brianlarkinsafety.com

25/07/2018

‘Miracle only one person was injured’:

Serious safety failures sees property developer jailed
A Manchester-based property developer has been sentenced after the roof and part of the rear wall collapsed at one of his properties during demolition works.

Riaz Ahmad appointed a group of workers, who had no experience in construction, to carry out demolition work at a property in Oldham.

On 11 August 2017, after receiving a call from Oldham Metropolitan Borough Council’s building control department, the site was visited by a HSE inspector who found almost all the internal walls and supports of the roof had been taken out. A Prohibition Notice was served preventing any further work and a major road running past the building was closed.

A day later, it was agreed that there was no safe way of accessing the building and Oldham MBC obtained an order to demolish the building. It was soon after this that the roof and wall collapsed. This triggered an emergency response involving Greater Manchester Police and the Fire Service, during which properties were evacuated and the area cordoned off. Oldham Borough Council arranged for an emergency demolition of the remainder of building to take place later that day. Local businesses faced significant disruption as the site was made safe.

The HSE found the collapse could have been prevented had a principal contractor been appointed and a suitable risk assessment been carried out. These steps could have ensured the stability of the building during the demolition with regards to temporary works and control measures such as scaffolding. Ahmad did not suitably plan the work as he employed unskilled workers, neglected the risks from working at height and stability of the building, failed to provide them with basic welfare facilities and did not consider several health hazards.

Ahmad, of Dickenson Road, Manchester, was found guilty of breaching Section 2 (1) and Section 3 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and Regulation 19 (1) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015. He was sentenced to eight months imprisonment for each offence (to run concurrently) and was order to pay prosecution costs of £65,000.

In his sentencing of Ahmad, the Judge commented: “This was a very serious case indeed. It was nothing short of a miracle that only one person was injured. A clear statement has to be made to those who undertake significant projects such as this, namely that health and safety legislation has to be adhered to for good reason, and those who ignore its basic tenets will receive punishment.”

Speaking after the hearing, HSE Inspector David Argument said: “The incident could so easily have been avoided by simply carrying out correct control measures and safe working practices.

“Duty holders should be aware that HSE will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action against those that fall below the required standards”.

www.brianlarkinsafety.com

15/06/2018

Face Fit Training now carried out by our specialist training
team.

Visit our webpage on www.brianlarkinsafety.com

or email us at: training@brianlarkinsafety.com

13/06/2018

Worker run over by road roller

A road resurfacing company has been fined £15,400 after an employee was run over by a road roller.

Ayr Sherriff Court was told that on 3 November 2015, an employee of Newlay Civil Engineering Ltd reversed a road roller over the leg of fellow employee, Thomas Shaw.

The incident happened at Knockbreck Road, Straiton in South Ayrshire, when the road was undergoing re-surfacing work.

The HSE found that the vehicle in question was operating without a flashing beacon and the reversing alarm was not working.

Newlay Civil Engineering Ltd pled guilty to breaching Regulation 5(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 and was fined £15,400.

Speaking after the hearing HSE Principal Inspector, Graeme McMinn said: “This case highlights the importance of regular pro-active maintenance and pre-use inspection of work equipment, including flashing beacons and reversing alarms.

“In this case, Newlay Civil Engineering Ltd failed to effectively maintain their road roller and it could easily have resulted in a fatality.”

www.brianlarkinsafety.com

29/05/2018

Child scalded by soup kettle at wedding leads to hotel fine

Hotel company Here For You Hospitality has been fined after a five-year-old child suffered severe burns at a wedding reception.

The youngster tripped over a trailing electric cable to a soup kettle that contained scalding hot gravy and had been left unattended by the staff. The child sustained severe burn injuries that required immediate hospital treatment and have left visible burn scars.
Commenting on the prosecution, The Head of Public Protection, said: “This company failed to manage their business safety, giving rise to a serious risk to the public which resulted in a child being injured.

“This incident caused significant distress not only to the child but to friends and family at a wedding party which turned a happy occasion into a serious incident.

“Employers must take steps to protect their employees and any other people who could be affected by their work, giving particular consideration to the more vulnerable and those at greater risk such as small children.”

www.brianlarkinsafety.com

16/03/2018

Training Specialists at Brian Larkin Safety Limited.
Presents

Gantry Crane Training
• Manual Handling,
• Abrasive Wheel,
• Work at Heights,
• MEWP,
• Cherry Picker,
• Slinger/Banksman
• Fire Warden/Fire Awareness
• Fork Lift: Counterbalance, Combi & Sideloader
• Harness Safety Training.
• Asbestos Awareness

We have a purpose build training facility where you can attend or alternatively we can train at your premises.

www.brianlarkinsafety.com

07/11/2017

Worker died as result of vehicle runaway

An employee of a road haulage firm who was crushed between two articulated vehicles subsequently died from his injuries.

Magistrates Court was told that the HGV driver employed by YCT Limited suffered fatal injuries when his vehicle rolled forward out of control whilst he was coupling the HGV tractor unit to a trailer.

The investigation into the incident, which occurred on 20 October 2015, found that YCT Limited failed to implement safe systems of work or monitoring arrangements to ensure that its drivers were consistently undertaking coupling and uncoupling operations safely, in line with widely available industry guidance. As a result of this, a culture developed whereby its drivers were not always applying trailer parking brakes.

The company has been fined £170,000 and ordered to pay costs of £6,268.80

Tragic incident

Speaking after the case, Jessica Churchyard said “This tragic incident led to the avoidable death of a young man, and was caused in part by the failure of his employer to implement and monitor safe systems of work to prevent vehicle runaways.

“This death could have easily been prevented if his employer had acted to identify and manage the risks involved, and followed the industry guidance.”

www.denislarkinsafety.com

07/11/2017

Inadequate planning led to fork lift crush injury
male feet

An employee’s foot was crushed by a falling metal grid weighing a tonne, and suffered a broken foot which led to the amputation of three toes.

Chesterfield Magistrates’ Court was told how, on 15 December 2016, Nicholas Jenkin, an employee of welding and fabrication firm Swadlincote Aluminium and Welding Co Ltd, had been instructed to paint several metal truck wash grids when one of the metal grids, weighing a tonne, slipped through the forks of a forklift and landed on his foot, crushing it.

Failure to plan

The Health and Safety Executive found that the company had failed to properly plan the task or ensure the forklift driver had received adequate training to fully operate the vehicle. The company also failed to ensure a safe system of work was in place, such as the use of a sling on the forklift truck, which would have stopped the metal grid from slipping through the forks.

Swadlincote Aluminium and Welding Co Ltd, of Unit 3 Suttons Business Park, Swadlincote, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. The company was fined £4,400 and ordered to pay costs of £860.40

Speaking after the hearing Health and Safety Executive Inspector David Keane said: “This injury could have easily been prevented had thorough planning been carried out.

“Employers should make sure they properly assess and apply effective control measures to minimise the risk from injury while operating fork lift trucks.”

www.iggylarkinsafety.com