The owner of a building in Kent and the contractor employed to demolish it have been fined for safety failings after an uncontrolled collapse onto the High Street.

In response to criticism from Unite the Union about a letter sent to some operatives regarding the use of dust masks and beards.

Unite, the UK construction union has condemned a decree by outsourced housing maintenance company Mears, which bans workers from having beards as ‘penny pinching stupidity’. Members of Unite employed on social housing maintenance work in the culturally diverse borough of Tower Hamlets, were said to be told at a ‘tool box talk’ that beards were now banned. Unite has subsequently …

A Glasgow based construction company has been fined after the death of an 83-year old man in Kirkcaldy.

U-Power will be exhibiting its latest ranges of stylish, comfortable, sporty and functional Italian-designed protective products at Safety & Health Expo at ExCel, London.

Two companies have been fined a total of £700,000 and a director has received a suspended prison sentence following the fatal crushing of four workers.

Eco NRG Solutions Ltd and its director Jon Luke Antoniou have been fined after a worker fell from height at a farm in Cornwall. Taunton Magistrates Court heard how Lewis Harding, 28, had been fitting solar panels on a fragile roof at Venn Farm on the 19 May 2015. He fell more than three metres through a fragile skylight and broke …

A construction company and its groundwork contractor have been fined after a worker was killed by a reversing vehicle. Exeter Crown Court heard how an employee of Steve Hoskin Construction Limited (SHCL) was working for the groundwork contractor at a construction site in Dawlish, Devon when he was crushed by a reversing telescopic material handler. John Small, 47-years old, was …

Research conducted by housing charity Shelter has revealed that hundreds of renters – including those living in bigger, urban areas – are living in slum-like conditions due to damp, mould, infestation and electrical issues. The report, from Shelter and YouGov, took statements from 300 tenants across the Manchester region. The majority expressed concern about ongoing struggles with damp and mould …

A Fife-based construction company has been fined after a worker had to be dug out of a trench that collapsed onto him. Dundee Sheriff Court heard the 43-year-old employee of Wallace Roofing and Building Limited suffered a broken shoulder and collarbone as well as punctures to both of his lungs and fractures to all but two of his ribs. Emergency …

Companies across the UK have been forced to pay out over £61m in health and safety fines throughout 2016 with the construction sector seeing fines double according to law firm BLM’s health and safety tracker. Research conducted by the insurance and risk law firm found that fines for the construction industry jumped from £6,644,807 in 2015 to £13,636,346 in 2016 …

The Ladder Association, a not-for-profit body dedicated to promoting safe ladder use, has produced a safety guide for users of telescopic ladders – an increasingly popular piece of equipment for working at height – following reports of unsafe products in the UK. The guide provides key safety information for members of the public, including guidance on: Buying – how to …

Barroerock Construction Limited has been fined after repeated asbestos failings. Canterbury Crown Court heard how the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) carried out two investigations of working practices of the site in 2013 and 2014 while Barroerock were converting into flats a former nine-storey office building in Ashford, Kent, which was known to contain asbestos. The first investigation arose from …

A Bristol based solar panel installation company has been fined after a 49-year-old worker fell more than 3.5 metres through a void in a roof. The fall inflicted serious injuries on the man, including bleeding on the brain, a fractured spleen and fractured ribs. Bristol Magistrates Court heard how the worker was one of several contracted by Solarjen Limited, known …

Plentific.com has compiled a list of ten popular home improvement and DIY myths that are completely false. Myths: we’ve all heard them before, whether they’re about eating carrots to help you see in the dark, not drinking coffee for fear of stunting your growth or waiting an hour to swim after eating. DIY myths are everywhere, and it’s sometimes harder …

Fewer than 1 in 3 women are given protective clothing specifically designed for women, according to a report on Ill-fitting safety gear by the TUC.

News of South West Water being fined £1.8 million after a worker drowned in a filtration tank further emphasises the need for training where people work in confined spaces, warns specialist training provider Develop Training Limited (DTL). Working in confined spaces is common in many industries, posing a real issue for personnel responsible for health and safety in the workplace. …

CMF Ltd has been fined after 31-year-old sub-contractor Richard Laco died when working on large construction project in London. Southwark Crown Court heard that Richard had been contracted by CMF to work on the Frances Crick Institute project. He was fatally crushed on 6 November 2013 by a concrete staircase that was in the process of being installed. An investigation …

Two roofing contractors have been sentenced after putting their workers at risk of harm during roof replacement works in Oldham. MKM Fabrications Ltd had been employed as the principal contractor to carry out a roof replacement on one of the buildings at Valley Mills, Millgate, Delph, Oldham which is currently used for textile production. The company subcontracted part of the …

Small construction firms enjoyed rising workloads in the first quarter of 2017, despite growing concerns over the cost of labour and materials, according to the Federation of Master Builders (FMB). Key results from the FMB’s State of Trade Survey for Q1 2017, which is the largest quarterly assessment of the UK-wide SME construction sector, include: •    UK construction SME workloads …