This HSE document is aimed it all duty-holders with responsibilities for operation and maintenance of High Voltage (HV) and Low Voltage (LV) circuit breakers (excluding LV MCCB’s and MCB’s), including:

• agriculture
• ceramics
• chemical processing and production
• engineering
• entertainment and leisure
• food and drink manufacture
• gas
• health services
• metals and minerals processing and production
• manufacturing (general)
• mining
• nuclear
• offshore
• ports
• quarries
• retail.

The issues relate to incorrect use and application of lubrication on HV and LV circuit breakers resulting in mal-operation and increased risk of catastrophic failure and downstream fire. Duty-holders and Specialist Electrical Contractors are advised to ensure that their maintenance procedures associated with cleaning and lubrication of HV and LV circuit breakers meet with the requirements defined in the HSE guidance:

• HSG 230 Keeping Electrical Switchgear Safe
• BS 6423 Code of Practice for Maintenance of Low-voltage Switchgear and Controlgear
• BS 6626 Maintenance of Electrical Switchgear and Controlgear for Voltages above 1 kV and up to and Including 36 kV
• BS 6867 Maintenance of Electrical Switchgear and Controlgear for Voltages above 36 kV. Code of Practice.

And as prescribed in the manufacturer’s instructions. In particular, the maintenance procedure should ensure that the manufacturer instructions on cleaning and lubrication of the circuit breaker mechanism are followed at appropriate intervals, including the selection and application of the correctly specified lubricants (products) for the task.

HSE Safety Alert

LifeWorks has released its monthly Mental Health Index report, highlighting a negative mental-health score among Britons for the 17th consecutive month.

The report findings highlight an overall mental-health score of -10.7 compared to the pre-pandemic benchmark, reaching its highest point since the launch of the index in April 2020.

In the latest survey, 71% of respondents indicated that prior to the pandemic, they felt a sense of belonging and acceptance at work, but only 63% felt the same during the past month.

Meanwhile, 28% of respondents indicated that before the pandemic, they were unsure or did not feel a sense of belonging, compared to 37% feeling the same during the past month. This trend is seen across all age groups, however, the proportion of employees who report feeling a sense of belonging and acceptance at work increases with older age groups.

The majority of employees (66%) who are working at a jobsite feel a greater sense of belonging and acceptance at work than those who work from home or in hybrid workplace. The 63% of respondents who felt a sense of belonging and acceptance at work during the past month, had the highest mental-health score (-3.2) and the best isolation score (-2.6) compared to those who were unsure or did not feel the same way.

Comments from managing director, United Kingdom and Europe, Philip Mullen; “The virtual working environment that has become the reality for many Britons over the past year has pushed employees to be more proactive in seeking collaboration with colleagues. While many employees are eager to return to the physical workplace or adopt a hybrid model to regain in-person connections with colleagues, isolation will take on new meaning for others that aren’t provided with the same opportunity due to location or balancing at-home responsibilities. To avoid a divide between those working remotely and those operating from the physical jobsite, employers should build an inclusive culture and sustain employee motivation by creating an accepting and collaborative environment for all.”

Working while unwell

Nearly half of respondents (47%) report doing their job when feeling unwell (physically or psychologically) at least one day per week. The mental-health scores among this group are significantly below those who report never working while feeling unwell. Fifty-three% of respondents indicate that they never work while feeling unwell. This group has the most favourable mental-health score, at more than one point above the pre-2020 benchmark (+1.1).

Fifty-five per cent of parents report working when feeling unwell at least one day per week, compared to 42% of non-parents. Additionally, respondents who have a mental-health score of -40 or lower, are estimated to have a productivity loss of 27%, compared to those with a mental-health score of +10 or more with a productivity loss of 11%.

Comments from global leader and senior vice president, research and total wellbeing, Paula Allen; “Productivity has been one of the core focus areas for British employers throughout the pandemic. At the outset, many employers expressed concerns over employees’ ability to remain productive while working in a remote setting. While this assumption has been ruled out in most workplaces, with employees demonstrating increased productivity while working remotely, our research demonstrates that a significant proportion of employees are sacrificing their own wellbeing in order to do so. This can have detrimental long-term physical and mental-health effects, and it’s critical that employers build a positive culture that mitigates burnout and supports employee wellbeing.”

Workplace Insight
September 2021

A Liverpool sports nutrition product supplier has been fined after an employee had three fingers of their right hand severed whilst cleaning a screw conveyor.

On 13 September 2019, a production operative, employed by Applied Nutrition Ltd at their Webber Estate site in Knowsley, was cleaning one of the product transfer screws. The operative had switched off the screw at the control panel but had not switched off the machine at the main electricity supply.

After cleaning the screw, the operative went to replace it. However, the power had inadvertently been turned back on and the screw began to operate when it came into contact with the drive motor. This resulted in the severing of three fingers and part of the palm of the operative’s right hand. He remained in hospital for eight days and has since undergone several operations.  The injury has significantly changed the man’s life and has impacted on daily tasks and restricted the leisure activities he used to take part in.

The HSE investigated and found that the company had no risk assessments or safe systems of work in place. They did not provide staff with adequate training or make them aware of the dangers associated with the machinery being cleaned.  Had there been a risk assessment performed by the company regarding the danger associated with cleaning the screw conveyor, an industry standard lock off system at the power supply could have been installed preventing the incident.

Applied Nutrition Ltd of 2 Acornfield Road, Knowsley Industrial Park, Liverpool, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and was fined £70,000 and ordered to pay costs of £4,551.10.

After the hearing, HSE inspector David Bellis said: “This incident could so easily have been avoided. Employers should carry out an assessment of the risks and put in safe system of works for the operation of all machinery, including tasks such as cleaning. Employers should also ensure that adequate information, instruction and training is provided to all who use it.”

HSE
September 2021

A construction company has been sentenced for safety breaches after a worker was struck by a falling load from a mechanical excavator.

Britcon (UK) Ltd were appointed as a contractor to construct a surge pit as part of a renewal and refurbishment project at the McCain’s Foods (GB) Limited site at Havers Hill in Scarborough. Part of the process involved removing sheet piles from the ground.

The HSE investigation found that on 21 March 2018, 66-year-old Stephen Gouldthorpe was assisting with cleaning sheet piles as they were removed from the surge pit by a Doosan DX 225 LC3, 360-degree excavator. The excavator had an attachment known as an EMV 300 pile attachment fitted to remove the sheet piles from the ground. The mechanical excavator was removing a seven-metre sheet pile weighing approximately 190 kg to a lay down area when a safety chain slipped causing the pile to fall and strike Mr Gouldthorpe.

He suffered a fractured left tibia and fibula and ankle, a fractured right clavicle, seven fractured ribs, pulmonary contusion and fractured vertebrae.

Britcon (UK) Ltd of Midland Road, Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire, DN16 1DQ pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. The company was fined £570,000 and ordered to pay £40,054.68 in costs.

After the hearing, HSE inspector Paul Thompson commented: “There was insufficient supervision and communication during the lifting operations. There was no specific exclusion zone in place and workers had to approach the sheet pile to clean it.

“This incident could so easily have been avoided by simply carrying out the correct control measures and safe working practices”

HSE
September 2021