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In a move that aims to improve site safety, all PAL cards issued from 1 January 2015 will be machine-readable ‘smart’ cards. This will further ensure that only trained operators can use mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs) and mast climbing work platforms (MCWPs) on site. The Smart PAL Card is marked by a wireless icon and has a chip embedded in it. Key data is stored on the card, ... more
Facelift is offering 10% off to all High Times readers in January. This offer applies to all products apart from ZT harnesses. The minimum spend is £50. To take advantage of this great offer, just visit www.faceliftshop.co.uk and at the checkout enter coupon code JAN15. ... more
Construction firms continued to recruit staff at a fast pace in December, as the sector’s growth remained robust. The latest construction purchasing managers’ index compiled by Markit and the Chartered Institute of Procurement and Supply (CIPS) shows that robust output growth was witnessed as 2014 drew to a close. A score of 57.6 was achieved, with any reading higher than 50 represent ... more
In an effort to improve safety and performance for low level work platforms, such as pulpits and podiums, all of PASMA’s manufacturing members now comply with the requirements of PAS 250. This publically available specification - expected to become a full British Standard by 2016 - is sponsored by PASMA and developed in collaboration with the British Standards Institution (BSI), along ... more
Construction News’ ‘Big Debate’ series, in conjunction with IPAF brings together a range of industry experts to grapple with the big issues in Mobile Elevated Work Platforms (MEWPS). The panel included HSE construction inspector, Justine Lee; Skyjack product & business development manager, David Hall; IPAF Technical & Safety Executive, Chris Wraith; Loxam Access mana ... more
Five construction workers a week killed by falls, says USA’s CFOI New data from the USA’s Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) says that approximately five construction workers a week are killed by falls from heights, and that nearly half of them (48.8%) are from heights of 20ft or less. The statistics showed of the fatal falls in construction, 39% were from roofs ... more
A Hampshire-based aircraft maintenance company has been sentenced for safety failures after three workers were injured in separate falls at its airfield in Lasham, with two incidents occurring in the same month. The first incident at ATC (Lasham) Ltd saw an employee fall five metres from an aircraft door to the runway tarmac while repairing a faulty door, causing injuries that were at first tho ... more
A developer, scaffolding company, its director and a roofer have been sentenced after a worker fell around seven metres to his death in Staffordshire. Stafford Crown Court heard that in December 2010, experienced roofer Phillip Lonergan, from Burton-on-Trent, was installing the roof on a new warehouse being built by E2 Developments Ltd on land at Cotton Lane in Tutbury. He was standing on th ... more
A West Midlands building firm has been fined after twice being spotted carrying out unsafe roof work just days apart. An employee of Chohan Builders (West Midlands) Ltd was seen working on the roof of a house in Quinton on 13 June this year, having used a poorly-built tower scaffold to access the roof. A Prohibition Notice was served by the HSE as the access to the scaff ... more
Businesses ought to turn over a new leaf and stop blaming health and safety for poor or over-the-top decisions, says the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). The regulator launched its 40th anniversary year with a call to stop the culture of blaming anything and everything on non-existent ‘health and safety’ rules. It has also recently published research from the University of Exe ... more
