The proposed Work at Height Regulations have been delayed by a short period of additional consultation about ‘the two metre rule’.

The duty to take special precautions when working at such a height is standard practice for the construction industry but may have implications for other sectors of business.

A delivery driver was sent to prison for three years after his van was involved in a collision whilst he was using a mobile phone. Alan Millbanke’s van struck a car being driven by Derek Davies in County Durham, and Mr Davies died as a result of the injuries he sustained.

Phone company records confirmed that Millbanke was using his mobile at the time the impact occurred, although he said he had no recollection of events. Further investigation showed that the person he was speaking with was a friend, and nothing to do with his employment.

Norwich School, a private school, appeared at Norwich Crown Court after a pupil set his shirt alight on a candle being used in a science lab. The 12-year-old boy was seriously hurt in the incident, and the injuries he sustained are understood to have been made worse because staff were not properly trained.

The court heard that a teacher tried to quell the flames with a heatproof mat and fire extinguisher, rather than a fire blanket. The school admitted failing to ensure that staff had sufficient health and safety training, and failure to carry out risk assessments. Fines and costs of £30,000 were imposed.

Nationwide Heating Systems Ltd became the sixth firm to be convicted of manslaughter, when Exeter Crown Court decided they were responsible for the death of an apprentice, Ben Pinkham. The company incurred fines and costs of £100,000. Managing director Alan Mark was also convicted of the offence and was sent to prison for a year, although he is in the process of making an appeal.

The 21-year-old apprentice died after an explosion in a tank he was cleaning. The explosion happened because he was using a highly flammable solvent and this was ignited by a spark when he knocked over a halogen light.

The breaches of legislation included failure to carry out a risk assessment, failure to supervise, lack of a safe system of work, supply of unsuitable work equipment, and unsafe storage and use of a highly flammable liquid.

The Health and Safety Executive is considering the possible separation of its enforcement and advisory functions. This follows consultation with businesses, and in particular smaller organisations, who indicated they were often reluctant to seek advice for fear of alerting inspectors to their problems and thus inviting possible enforcement action.

The Government has published a white paper, set to protect most people at work from the effects of smoke.

The definition of “enclosed areas” in the paper will, by definition, include most places of work, and will therefore cover offices, factories, cafes, restaurants and most pubs in England. The ban is likely to come into force within four years.

The Welsh Secretary has indicated that similar measures will be adopted in Wales.

Ahead of this timetable, Liverpool City Council is petitioning Parliament for a new law to ban smoking at places of work in the city. The population of Liverpool has one of the highest rates of cancer in the UK, with an estimated 1,000+ smoking-related deaths each year.

We have set new-year dates for our ever-popular NEBOSH Certificate course.

To help you fit your studies around your day-job, we are once again running the course on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

The dates are:

Feb: 8, 9, 15, 16, 22, 23
Mar: 1, 2, 8, 9
Exams: March 15 & 16

The course is once again being held at the Old Church in Aylesford. Further details of the course can be found in the training pages. To reserve places and / or to obtain a copy of the course programme, email your request through this site or call Karen Fallows on 01622 717700.

Personnel Health & Safety Consultants has presented Steve Haynes with a cheque for £1,000.00 towards his fundraising work for SCOPE, the charity for people with cerebral palsy. Steve, who lives and works not far from PHSC's offices, had volunteered to raise funds by a sponsored trek to Mount Kilimanjaro in June 2005. This will include an attempt on the summit.

In order to confirm his place on the expedition, Steve had to find a minimum of £2,500.00 by April 2005. The contribution from PHSC will now ensure that Steve can secure his place.

For further details, see http://www.justgiving.com/kilimanjaro_2005