MORE than 70 firms across West Yorkshire have been told to make safety improvements to protect their workers after an intensive two-week inspection by the Health and Safety Executive and local authority safety officers.
The joint initiative was held in November and almost 450 companies were visited across Bradford, Calderdale, Kirklees and Wakefield.
Some of the hazards identified at the visits included flammable liquids not being stored properly, missing or inadequate guards around machines and uncontrolled exposure to fumes from welding.
Eight of the visits resulted in Prohibition Notices being served – meaning dangerous activities were stopped immediately with appropriate corrective action being taken before work was allowed to continue.
A further 63 premises were served with Improvement Notices requiring businesses to correct or improve failings in a given timescale or risk further enforcement action.
One firm in Kirklees is under further investigation and could be prosecuted as a result of serious dangers uncovered by inspectors.
While it seems that the majority of businesses visited in the initiative did appear to have adequate systems and procedures in place to protect their workers, there are still some who were found to have inadequate, unsafe or even dangerous working practices that could put staff at risk of injury – despite advance warnings of the inspections by the HSE and the local authority.
Comments after the initiative from both the HSE and the local authorities concerned mentioned the general levels of compliance and the welcoming of advice and guidance offered at the visits.
There were 2,635 major workplace injuries recorded in the region last year compared with 2,863 in 2008/9. There were 23 deaths – one fewer than the previous year. The estimated number of people suffering from work-related illnesses rose by 18,000 from 104,000 in 2008/09 to 122,000 last year.
The initiative was aimed at reducing these figures further.
The HSE’s stated position is one of preferring to offer advice and guidance to businesses but – despite some commentators bemoaning the apparent lack of action taken – the figures above show that they will also issue notices when necessary.
