November 4th, 2009
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) has issued a warning to remind people to take care during Bonfire Night.
It urged those hosting bonfires and fireworks displays to think about the safety of their spectators.
Nicola Butters, RoSPA’s home safety development officer in Scotland, said: "In previous years, about 1,000 people across Britain have had to go to hospital because they’ve been injured by a firework during the four weeks around Bonfire Night.
"Nearly half of such injuries are sustained at family or private parties."
She added that only adults should be allowed to set off fireworks and people needed to factor in the possibility of wet and windy conditions.
In another accident-prevention tip, the RoSPA urged party organisers not to use petrol or paraffin to light bonfires, but to stick to fire lighters instead.
The Liverpool Echo has reported that police are to man a fire engine in the city on Bonfire Night in an attempt to cut down on anti-social behaviour related to the event.
Tags: 000 People, Accident Prevention, Adults, Bonfire Night, Fire Engine, Firework, Fireworks Displays, Home Safety, Light Bonfires, Lighters, Liverpool Echo, Prevention Tip, Previous Years, Private Parties, Rospa, Royal Society For The Prevention Of Accidents, Scotland, Social Behaviour, Spectators, Windy Conditions
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October 27th, 2009
A man who suffered hearing loss after working in three different noisy environments has been awarded compensation.
John Walton worked at the British Steel Corporation from 1978 to 1983, Darchem Projects from 1985 to 1987 and Turbros Engineering from 1987 to 2007, the Workplace Law Network reports.
All three were noisy to work in and when Mr Walton went for a medical in 2007, he discovered he had occupational hearing loss.
He took legal action against all three employers and it has now been ruled following a hearing that the victim should receive £12,750 in compensation.
GMB spokesperson Billy Coates commented: "It is only right that those deafened through their employer’s negligence should be compensated for the long-term damage to their hearing."
According to the Royal National Institute for the Deaf, workers must have hearing protection available at noise levels of 80 decibels or above and should be made to wear it at 85 decibels.
The organisation states that 500,000 people have suffered hearing difficulties as a result of excessive noise in the workplace.
Tags: 000 People, 80 Decibels, British Steel, Coates, Darchem, Deaf Workers, Excessive Noise, Hearing Difficulties, Hearing Protection, John Walton, Negligence, Noise Levels, Noisy Environments, Occupational Hearing Loss, Royal National Institute, Spokesperson, Steel Corporation, Workplace Law
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August 27th, 2009
A new report has discovered that as many as one in five young people is driving without the correct level of insurance.
The Motor Insurers Bureau (MIB) found that 250,000 people aged between 17 and 20 are taking to the roads without cover, putting insured drivers at risk if they are hit.
Many young people claimed they did not know that insurance is a legal requirement, while others said that the high cost of insurance has led to them breaking the law.
Ashton West, chief executive of the MIB, commented: "While we recognise the financial pressures for drivers taking to the roads for the first time, it is also a criminal offence to drive without proper insurance cover."
The MIB was established to deal with cases stemming from uninsured driver accidents and manages over 30,000 claims from people who have been hit by someone without cover every year.
Anyone involved in such an accident may wish to seek legal advice, as motoring claims can be complicated and lengthy.
Tags: 000 People, Accidents, Ashton, Breaking The Law, Chief Executive, Criminal Offence, Driving Without Insurance, Financial Pressures, Insurance, Insurance Cover, Led, Legal Advice, Mib, Motor Insurers Bureau, Motorists, Proper Insurance, Risk, Uninsured Driver, Young People
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March 26th, 2009
A man whose hearing deteriorated after spending many years in a noisy workplace has secured compensation from his employers.
Alan Richardson, 58, worked for Rolls Royce from 1965 onwards, but began to notice problems with his hearing in 2006.
He now has to wear hearing aids in both ears and believes the time he spent working for the company contributed to this.
Mr Richardson sought legal action against Rolls Royce with the help of his union and has secured £6,000 in compensation.
"By claiming compensation I wanted to warn others to demand adequate protection for their ears when in noisy environments," he commented.
According to the Royal National Institute for the Deaf, workers must have hearing protection available at noise levels of 80 decibels or above and should be made to wear it at 85 decibels.
The organisation states that 500,000 people have suffered hearing difficulties as a result of excessive noise in the workplace.
Tags: 000 People, 80 Decibels, Adequate Protection, Aids, Alan Richardson, Claiming Compensation, Deaf Workers, Ears, Employee Compensation, Excessive Noise, Hearing Aids, Hearing Difficulties, Hearing Loss, Hearing Protection, Mr Richardson, Noise Levels, Noisy Environments, Quot, Rolls Royce
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February 24th, 2009
An inquiry into how haemophilia patients became infected with HIV and hepatitis after receiving contaminated blood from abroad has recommended that the victims be paid compensation.
Some 4,670 people were infected with Hepatitis C in what Lord Manchester called the "worst treatment disaster in the history of the NHS" during the 1970s and 1980s.
The inquiry concluded that the government "procrastinated" in its management of the blood in that it knew it may be contaminated and that had it acted quicker, the haemophiliacs would not have been exposed to risks.
The affected patients could now receive up to £350,000 in compensation, as well as free prescriptions, physiotherapy and home nursing.
A spokesperson from the Department of Health said it would look into the findings of the inquiry.
Haemophilia is a blood condition in which an essential clotting factor is either partly or completely missing. According to Haemophilia.org, about 6,000 people are affected with haemophilia in the UK.
Tags: 000 People, 1970s, 1980s, Blood Condition, Blood Victims, Clotting Factor, Contaminated Blood, Department Of Health, Disaster, Free Prescriptions, Haemophilia, Haemophiliacs, Hepatitis, Hepatitis C, Hiv, Physiotherapy, Quot, Spokesperson
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