A company in Burnley has been fined after it exposed some of its employees to respirable crystalline silica, a dust that can cause silicosis, a potentially deadly lung disease. The dust was created during shot blasting, a process where a stream of fine dust particles are blasted at high velocity to remove things like paint and rust from metal.

The blasting helmet the company provided to operatives was inadequate, assistants to the blaster were only provided with standard dust masks, and the people sweeping up the dust were given nothing at all, meaning all were at risk of breathing the dust in whilst working. (Read more…)

42 views

Between 1959 and 1961, David Chandler worked for a construction firm that used asbestos in some of its constructions. Years later, he was diagnosed with asbestosis, an inflammation in the lungs caused by inhalation of asbestos.

The case took an interesting turn when Cape Building Products, the parent company of the firm that employed Mr. Chandler, argued that they were not responsible for compensation as they had not directly employed Mr. Chandler and the company he worked for no longer existed. (Read more…)

25 views

A farm worker has been severely injured after his arm was pulled into a machine designed to separate slurry.

Andrew James Ray suffered the ordeal back in January 2009 when he was asked to clean the slurry separator while working for M Hooper and Sons Ltd. to clean the device, Mr Ray was using a hose and a brush to wipe away dirt that had accumulated between the two rollers. Unknown to Mr Ray, the machine had still been on while he was carrying out his task, resulting in his arm being dragged between the two rollers. The victim suffered severely, being left with a crushed arm up to his elbow. (Read more…)

39 views

A new film starring Keanu Reeves has been making the headlines recently, this time because of a personal injury suffered by one of the cameraman on the set.

The unnamed 62 year old was working at the Shepperton Studios in Middlesex, filming a section of 47 Ronin, where Reeves stars as a Kai, who joins a group of Samurai seeking vengeance against the man who killed their master.

While on the set back in May 2010, he fell through an unguarded opening in the floor, falling more than3 metresto the ground. Despite the fall, he managed to escape with just cuts and bruises and a suspected broken rib. (Read more…)

114 views