Guidance relating to the forthcoming Notification of Conventional Tower Cranes Regulations 2010 has been published. The Regulations, which come into force on 6 April 2010, require certain information about conventional tower cranes used on construction sites to be notified to the HSE.

THE LEVEL of enforcement action taken during the first two weeks of the HSE's 'Healthy Handling' blitz on construction sites in the South East has given force to the Executive's decision to focus more on occupational health risks.

A delivery driver suffered brain damage when a panel saw fell and struck him in the head as he was unloading it from a lorry.

A worker was crushed to death while working underneath an inadequately secured mechanical digger at a quarry in Scotland.

A distribution company has been fined £200,000 for failures that played a part in the death of a Cornish vineyard owner.

The manager of an underwater-construction company has been prosecuted after a trainee was injured while moving a large sheet of steel.

A logistics company whose workers were more used to moving and handling light bales of fabric has been fined £250,000 after an employee was killed while helping to manoeuvre a two-tonne load of glass.

Musculoskeletal disorders are by far the most commonly reported health and safety problems in British workplaces, and, within the MSD ‘family’, back complaints are the most prevalent.1 But, argues Percy Smith, the majority are not actually caused by work and should be reported and recorded as work-related injuries, rather than lost-time accidents.

Every year, millions of tonnes of industrial chemicals help keep British businesses across almost every industry sector running smoothly, but their widespread use and application also makes them one of the workplace’s greatest hazards. In terms of how to handle them safely, John Thorne provides a quick reminder for practitioners of how to select the right gloves.

Ten years on from the introduction of the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations, there is still confusion over the examination requirements they lay down, says Derrick Bailes.

When it comes to safety gloves the range to choose from is huge, so specifiers need to be sure to select the right gloves for the job to prevent injuries to the wearer. One criterion on which decisions can be based is compliance of products to British and European standards. A new standard governing one aspect of glove safety – heat resistance – has just been released, so Brian Bennett explains its main provisions and how it differs from the previous standard.

The HSE is reminding those working in the aviation industry that it has a range of free guidance and help available on safe baggage handling, following the adoption last year by the International Air Transport Association of lower bag-weight limits.

The latest edition of "the ideal reference source" for lifting equipment operation, maintenance, training, and purchasing procedures is now available.

Lift-truck manufacturer Crown says its new FlexRide floating operator suspension system is fitted to two of its new lift-truck lines: the WT 3000 series of powered pallet trucks and the RC 5500 series of stand-up counterbalanced trucks.

The Easylift lifting device has been hailed by its developer,  ITT Water & Wastewater, as an ideal solution to the dangers of working over open spaces, manholes, sumps and wells.

By investing in an MT3 electric-powered, pedestrian-operated tug, Bentley Motors has solved a manual-handling dilemma, as well as reducing deliveries of leather to its Crewe plant by 50 per cent, improving the company’s environmental rating.

Force and torque test-equipment specialist Mecmesin offers a manual handling kit, which, it says, is suitable for testing forces associated with using doors, windows, and other building hardware components to ensure they comply with safety regulations and standards.