Author Archives: GovWorldMag

Tata Steel UK Limited fined after uncontrolled release of toxic substances

A steel company has today been fined after the release of toxic and flammable substances from its site in Scunthorpe.

Hull Crown Court heard on 17 June 2011 a large quantity of Benzole was released at an open site glass in Tata Steel’s Scunthorpe Steel Works. The release resulted in a large flammable vapour cloud that exposed five workers to the risk of serious injury of death had the cloud ignited. Two of the workers were exposed to the chemical and suffered coughing and breathing difficulties. They were sent to hospital and were discharged the next day.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found Tata Steel failed to take the appropriate safety measures to prevent the release of the toxic and flammable chemical. It was found the company failed to address the risks which had previously been identified and the incident could have been entirely avoided if the company addressed these concerns.

The site in Scunthorpe is a top tier Control of Major Accidents Hazards site due to the large amounts of highly flammable and toxic chemicals stored on the site.

Tata Steel UK Limited of Millbank, London has pleaded guilty to breaching Sections 2 (1) and 3 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.

The company has today been fined £930,000 and ordered to pay costs of £70,000.

Speaking after the hearing HSE inspector Stephen Hargreaves said: “It was extremely fortunate no one was seriously affected by this incident. Had the flammable vapour cloud ignited this could have resulted in multiple fatalities.

“This incident highlights the need for all duty holders to implement and address all concerns and potential risks which have been identified. Tata’s failure to do so in this case put a number of workers at risk of serious harm.”

Notes to Editors:

  1. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. It aims to reduce work-related death, injury and ill health. It does so through research, information and advice, promoting training; new or revised regulations and codes of practice, and working with local authority partners by inspection, investigation and enforcement. www.hse.gov.uk[1]
  2. More about the legislation referred to in this case can be found at: www.legislation.gov.uk [2]
  3. HSE news releases are available at http://press.hse.gov.uk

Journalists should approach HSE press office with any queries on regional press releases.

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HSE

Slaughterhouse CCTV is welcome but long overdue – Keith Taylor MEP

11 August 2017

Responding to the news that the Government is launching a consultation on its plans to introduce mandatory CCTV in slaughterhouses across England [1], Keith Taylor MEP, Green Party animals spokesperson, said:

“Greens have been calling for mandatory CCTV in slaughterhouses for decades, our membership of the EU has never prevented the introduction of this measure. Today’s announcement is welcome a step, but long, long overdue.

“The devil is in the detail, of which there is little at the moment. To help prevent the cruellest and most pitiless treatment of UK farm animals, as a minimum, the Government needs to ensure cameras are placed in any area of a slaughterhouse where animals are handled, held and killed. The footage must also be held for a reasonable length of time and made available for independent viewing and monitoring. At the same time, urgent steps are needed to improve and monitor on farm welfare standards too.

“Ultimately, though, it’s worth remembering that no amount of legislation or regulation can ever make the slaughter business cruelty-free.”

Notes:

1. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-40895049

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Green Party •

Labour calls on Government to make taking of “upskirt” photos illegal

Richard Burgon MP, Labour’s Shadow Justice Secretary, has written to David Lidington MP, the Justice Secretary, to call on the Government to make the taking of “upskirt” photographs a sexual offence in law.

In the letter, Burgon echoes Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner Dame Vera Baird’s call for this necessary change and urges the Government to close the current gap in the law that exists.

Full text of the letter from Richard Burgon MP to David Lidington MP

Dear Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor,

I am writing in support of the campaign, started by Gina Martin, to make disgraceful, invasive “upskirting” photographs a sexual offence in law.

The scope for people to take “upskirting” photographs has clearly increased with developments in mobile phone technology since the enactment of the Sexual Offences Act 2003. At present, there is a gap in the law that has allowed – and is continuing to allow – people who have taken such photographs in public places to escape prosecution.  This needs to be changed. Northumbria Police and Crime Commissioner Dame Vera Baird has also made the case for this necessary change.

I believe that in the country there is strong support for Gina Martin’s campaign for this necessary change in the law.

The law must be changed so that women are protected, offenders are punished and potential offenders are deterred.

Given the very welcome public interest in – and support for – this campaign, I have made this letter public, and hope that you will publicly respond very soon with an announcement of plans to change the law so that the taking of “upskirting” photographs is a sexual offence in law.

Yours sincerely

Richard Burgon MP

Shadow Secretary of State for Justice & Shadow Lord Chancellor

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Labour •

Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei achieve one tenth of China’s GDP

In the first half of this year, the GDP of the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region totaled 3,819.86 billion yuan (about US$572.58 billion), accounting for 10 percent nationwide, according to data released by Beijing municipal authority of statistics.

Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei Province each achieved regional GDP of 1,240.68 billion yuan, 938.69 billion yuan, and 1,640.49 billion yuan respectively, increasing by 6.8 percent, 6.9 percent and 6.8 percent year-on-year respectively.

The region’s overall growth was driven by the growth of its high-tech industries. The added value created by high-tech industries at or above the designated scale (annual turnover reaching 20 million yuan) in Beijing rose by 11.6 percent year-on-year and contributed to 48.5 percent of the industry’s growth.

The added value of strategic emerging industries above the designated scale in Tianjin grew by 8.2 percent on a yearly basis, and that of high-tech manufacturing industry increased by 12.9 percent, driving industrial growth by 1.6 percentage points.

In Hebei Province, the modern service industry has gained momentum and the value added in service industry accounted for 41.7 percent of regional GDP. Meanwhile, the year-on-year growth of added value created in equipment manufacturing industry stood at 15.6 percent, which contributed to 77 percent of the above-scale industrial growth.

At the same time, the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region has seen vigorous activities in innovation. Data shows that the gross revenue of high-tech enterprises above certain scale in Beijing’s Zhongguancun demonstration area jumped 16.7 percent in the first half of this year, of which the advanced manufacturing and environmental protection technology sector registered a revenue growth of over 20 percent.

Tianjin is home to 94,000 science and technology-based enterprises with 7,568 ones newly registered this year. Investment made in science and technology services and information services in Hebei Province each increased by 39.6 percent and 20.9 percent year-on-year.

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East Asia