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Author Archives: GovWorldMag

Company fined after worker’s foot was exposed to machinery

A company that produces and supplies wood shavings for use as horse bedding has been fined after a worker suffered a serious foot injury at its site in Andover, Hampshire.

Basingstoke Magistrates’ Court heard that Bedmax Limited failed to protect its employee from dangerous parts of machinery. On 26 October 2015 Philip Eyers was operating the log deck, which is part of a machine that shreds trees, when his foot slipped and became lodged in a gap exposing him to the wheels of the machine which conveyed the logs. The severity of the injuries to his toes meant his big toe was cut back several times, his other four were fractured and eventually reconstructive surgery was required.

A Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation found that a panel that would have prevented access had been removed and not replaced where the employee was working.

Bedmax Limited, whose office is in Belford, Northumberland, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 11(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998. The court heard on 8 March 2017 that the company was fined £17,293.60 and ordered to pay costs of £623.60.

Speaking after the judge passed sentence, HSE Inspector Andrew Johnson said: “Bedmax fell below the expected standard. The necessary panel that would have prevented the incident was missing, rendering the man vulnerable as soon as he took to his task. This was a fundamental and basic health and safety failing which should have been easily avoided.”

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][1 [1]]
  2. More about the legislation referred to in this case can be found at: www.legislation.gov.uk/ [2][2][2]
  3. HSE news releases are available at http://press.hse.gov.uk[3]
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HSE • •

It’s time to right a wrong – message to WASPI Lobby – Jeremy Corbyn

Jeremy Corbyn MP, Leader of the Labour Party, delivering a message of support to people lobbying for Women Against State Pension Inequality (WASPI), said:

My best wishes and International Women’s Day greetings to everyone supporting today’s WASPI lobby.

You are highlighting a grave injustice. The Coalition Government’s decision to move the goalposts, by bringing the equalisation of the state pension age forward by a further two years to 2018, was plain wrong.

It was a betrayal of tens of thousands of women who had planned for their retirement based on the 1995 legislation.

It was justified by claims Britain needed a dose of austerity – yet at the same time tax cuts worth billions have been given to big companies and the very wealthy.

Today, we can expect the Chancellor to boast that the economy is doing better than expected. But will he do anything to right this wrong? I very much doubt it.

Labour is already committed to extending Pension Credit to help those worst hit by this callous change.

We are also developing solutions for those affected who would not be entitled to Pension Credit. And we will continue to consult with WASPI and others on this as part of our planning for government.

I am sorry I cannot join you today. I will be in the Chamber of the House of Commons for the Budget statement, ready to respond.

My speech will challenge the Government’s policy of endless austerity for the many, alongside generous tax giveaways for their wealthy and privileged friends.

My thoughts are with you today. I congratulate you on your stand and look forward to working with you to achieve justice.

Best wishes

Jeremy Corbyn

Leader of the Labour Party

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Labour • • •

The Government came to a secret “gentleman’s agreement” with the leadership of Surrey County Council, whilst the rest of country faces a crisis in social care and brutal cuts to council budgets – Thomas

Gareth Thomas, Shadow Minister for Local Government Finance, in response to evidence that Surrey County Council came to a ‘gentleman’s agreement with the Government over their budget, said:

“This recording proves what we have long suspected. The Government came to a secret “gentleman’s agreement” with the leadership of Surrey County Council, whilst the rest of country faces a crisis in social care and brutal cuts to council budgets.

“Theresa May and her ministers, including Sajid Javid, have been playing political games, conducting backroom sweetheart deals for their friends, whilst councils across the country struggle to cobble together the money to adequately fund social care. Meanwhile, there is a crisis in social care with a £1.9billion funding gap and elderly people living without the care they need.

“Theresa May must come clean about the terms of the deal offered to Surrey County Council, apologise for her Government’s misleading suggestion that there had been no such deal and ensure other local councils get the same treatment.”

Ends 

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Labour • • •