Brussels, 08 May 2012 – EU consumers want to be sure that the products – whether produced in the EU or imported from third-countries – are safe. The good news is that thanks to the increasing effectiveness of the EU’s rapid alert system for non-food dangerous products (“RAPEX”) dangerous products are detected earlier and more effectively and are more promptly removed from the EU market. This process involves a chain of actions including upstream efforts to design out risks at source, better risk assessment and close co-operation between EU authorities, notably customs, to identify risks at the points of entry.
John Dalli, Commissioner in charge of Health and Consumer Policy, said:

“The fact that fewer dangerous items enter the EU market is good news for consumers. But we must remain committed so that we can tackle the challenges of the global supply chain and address any new product safety issues as they emerge. That is why building the system of ‘Seamless Surveillance’ by strengthening co-operation here in the EU and enhancing co-operation with international partners remains a key priority”.

RAPEX : a rapid alert system to keep EU consumers safe

RAPEX has matured significantly since 2004 (when the General Product Safety Directive was transposed into national law). Member States have spent up to 100 million € and employed up to 6000 inspectors to work on product safety enforcement. The 2011 report highlights the achievements:

• earlier detection
• better market surveillance and product safety enforcement by national authorities, including through specific projects;
• better risk assessment by authorities;
• more focus on quality and usefulness of notifications;
• growing co-operation with customs authorities;
• continued network-building and training coordinated by the European Commission.

RAPEX 2011 Report: what about the countries of origin:

Although China remains – with more than half of the RAPEX notifications – the number one country for the number of notifications on products, there has been a decrease from 58% in 2010 to 54% in 2011.

19% (293 notifications) were of European origin. 15% were from other countries. 8% were of unknown origin (compared to 23% in 2004 – decreasing steadily with better identification).

Dangerous products of European origin accounted for 293 notifications (19%), including 44 products of French origin (3%), 43 products of German origin (3%) and 32 products of Italian origin (2%).

Notifying countries – all Member States involved:

All Member States participated in the RAPEX system by detecting and notifying new dangerous products and ensuring appropriate follow-up actions. The most active countries were Spain (189 notifications), Bulgaria (162 notifications), Hungary (155 notifications), Germany (130 notifications), and the United Kingdom (105 notifications). Notifications sent by these countries represent 47% of all notifications on products posing a serious risk sent via the system.

Clothing and textiles, toys and motor vehicles are on the top of the list.

Clothing and textiles were the most frequently notified products (423 notifications concerned suffocation and irritation risk), followed by toys (324 notifications mainly for choking risk), motor vehicles (171 notifications for risk of injury), electrical appliances (153 notifications for risk of electric shock) and cosmetics (104 notifications for chemical risk), which together account for 74% of all notifications on products posing a serious risk in 2011.

What next:

Work continues to:

• Build the system of ‘Seamless Surveillance’;
• Enhance the co-operation with third countries, in particular, bilaterally with China and trilaterally with the US and China (the next trilateral meeting is scheduled for June 2012), and make progress on the co-operation with the US, Canada and Australia on an important work on pooling recall information under the auspices of OECD;
• Finalise proposals for a comprehensive legislative package on product safety and market surveillance;
• Promote greater awareness among businesses of their obligations.

For more information, please see:

MEMO/12/309

Source: European Commission

On Friday 27 April 2012, the European Commission published updated lists of the European harmonized standards that pertain to the Medical Devices Directive (93/42/EC), In Vitro Diagnostics Directive (98/79/EC), and the Active Implantable Medical Devices Directive (90/385/EEC). The standards on these lists may be used by manufacturers to prove that their equipment complies with the essential requirements of this directive.

The updated list are important to all manufacturers of CE marked medical devices, active implantable medical devices and in vitro diagnostics that have used European harmonized standards to prove CE compliance. If you have applied standards to prove compliance with the aforementioned directives, re-evaluate your products against the updated standards and update your Declaration of Conformity.

On the list for the Medical Devices Directive (93/42/EC), the following standards are amended:

1. EN ISO 1135-4:2011 Transfusion equipment for medical use – Part 4: Transfusion sets for single use (ISO 1135-4:2010). This standard replaces the 2010 version with the same number. By 30 April of 2012 the new standard must be applied in order to keep benefiting the presumption of conformity.
2. EN ISO 14602:2011 Non-active surgical implants – Implants for osteosynthesis – Particular requirements (ISO 14602:2010). This standard replaces the 2010 version with the same number. By 30 April of 2012 the new standard must be applied in order to keep benefiting the presumption of conformity.
3. EN ISO 15001:2011 Anaesthetic and respiratory equipment – Compatibility with oxygen (ISO 15001:2010). This standard replaces the 2010 version with the same number. By 30 April of 2012 the new standard must be applied in order to keep benefiting the presumption of conformity.
4. EN ISO 15747:2011 Plastic containers for intravenous injections (ISO 15747:2010). This standard replaces the 2010 version with the same number. By 30 April of 2012 the new standard must be applied in order to keep benefiting the presumption of conformity.
5. EN 1642:2011 Dentistry – Medical devices for dentistry – Dental implants. This standard replaces the 2009 version with the same number. By 30 April of 2012 the new standard must be applied in order to keep benefiting the presumption of conformity.
6. EN ISO 14155:2011 Clinical investigation of medical devices for human subjects – Good clinical practice (ISO 14155:2011). This standard replaces the version with the same number. By 30 April of 2012 the new standard must be applied in order to keep benefiting the presumption of conformity.

On the list for the Active Implantable Medical Devices Directive (90/385/EEC), the following standards are amended:

• EN ISO 14155:2011 Clinical investigation of medical devices for human subjects – Good clinical practice (ISO 14155:2011). This standard replaces the version with the same number. By 30 April of 2012 the new standard must be applied in order to keep benefiting the presumption of conformity.

On the list for the In Vitro Diagnostics Directive (98/79/EC), the following standards are amended:

1. EN ISO 18113-1:2011 In vitro diagnostic medical devices – Information supplied by the manufacturer (labelling) – Part 1: Terms, definitions and general requirements (ISO 18113-1:2009). This standard replaces the 2009 version with the same number. By 30 April of 2012 the new standard must be applied in order to keep benefiting the presumption of conformity.
2. EN ISO 18113-2:2011 In vitro diagnostic medical devices – Information supplied by the manufacturer (labelling) – Part 2: In vitro diagnostic reagents for professional use (ISO 18113-2:2009). This standard replaces the 2009 version with the same number. By 30 April of 2012 the new standard must be applied in order to keep benefiting the presumption of conformity.
3. EN ISO 18113-3:2011 In vitro diagnostic medical devices – Information supplied by the manufacturer (labelling) – Part 3: In vitro diagnostic instruments for professional use (ISO 18113-3:2009). This standard replaces the 2009 version with the same number. By 30 April of 2012 the new standard must be applied in order to keep benefiting the presumption of conformity.
4. EN ISO 18113-4:2011 In vitro diagnostic medical devices – Information supplied by the manufacturer (labelling) – Part 4: In vitro diagnostic reagents for self-testing (ISO 18113-4:2009). This standard replaces the 2009 version with the same number. By 30 April of 2012 the new standard must be applied in order to keep benefiting the presumption of conformity.
5. EN ISO 18113-5:2011 In vitro diagnostic medical devices – Information supplied by the manufacturer (labelling) – Part 5: In vitro diagnostic instruments for self-testing (ISO 18113-5:2009). This standard replaces the 2009 version with the same number. By 30 April of 2012 the new standard must be applied in order to keep benefiting the presumption of conformity.

The updated list of standards can be found in our Library shortly.

On Friday 4 May 2012, the European Commission published an updated list of the European harmonized standards that pertain to the ATEX Directive (94/9/EC), the European CE directive that applies to equipment used in potentially explosive atmospheres. The standards on this list may be used by manufacturers to prove that their equipment complies with the essential requirements of this directive.

The list introduces two new European harmonized standards:
1. EN 13617-2:2012 Petrol filling stations – Part 2: Safety requirements for construction and performance of safe breaks for use on metering pumps and dispensers. This standard replaces the 2004 version with the same number. By 30 September of 2012 the new standard must be applied in order to keep benefiting the presumption of conformity.

2. EN 60079-11:2012 Explosive atmospheres – Part 11: Equipment protection by intrinsic safety ‘i’ (IEC 60079-11:2011). This standard replaces the EN 60079-11:2007 + EN 60079-27:2008 + EN 61241-11:2006. By 4 August of 2014 the new standard must be applied in order to keep benefiting the presumption of conformity.

This updated list is also important to all manufacturers of CE marked ATEX that have used European harmonized standards to prove CE compliance. If you have applied standards to prove compliance with the aforementioned directive, we recommend you to check the new list of standards to see if any of the standard you applied have been updated, or whether there are new standards available for your products. When standards have been updated by this list, you need to re-evaluate your products against the updated standard and update your Declaration of Conformity.

The updated list of standards can be found in our Library shortly.

The primary objective of the Pressure Equipment Directive is to guarantee free circulation of stationary pressure equipment within the Internal Market whilst ensuring a high degree of safety. It is now over nine years since the Directive entered into force and the European Commission is evaluating its performance. The evaluation is being conducted by the Centre for Strategy & Evaluation Services (CSES). A report on the evaluation will be made available on the DG Enterprise and Industry website later in Autumn 2012.

As part of the Evaluation, CSES is collecting information from businesses and stakeholders about their perceptions of the performance of the Pressure Equipment Directive. The survey should take 10-15 minutes to complete.
There are two surveys, one for businesses involved in the production/ use of pressure equipment and one for stakeholders e.g. notified bodies, government authorities, standardisation experts or bodies, pressure equipment experts or institution and other stakeholders.

Access the survey on the Pressure Equipment Directive

Wednesday April 11 was a busy day for the European Commission. Besides the list of harmonized standards for the EMC Directive (2004/108/EC) and Radio and Telecommunication Terminal Equipment (RTTE) Directive (99/05/EC), the Commission also published updates to the lists of the European harmonized standards that pertain to the Pressure Equipment Directive (97/23/EC) and the Simple Pressure Vessels Directive (2009/105/EC). The standards on these list may be used by pressure equipment manufacturers to prove that their equipment complies with the essential requirements of these directives.

These updated lists are important for all manufacturers of CE marked pressure equipment or pressure vessels that have used European harmonized standards to prove CE compliance. If you have applied standards to prove compliance with the aforementioned directives, we recommend you to check the new lists of standards to see if any of the standard you applied have been updated, or whether there are new standards available for your products. When standards have been updated by this list, you need to re-evaluate your products against the updated standard and update your Declaration of Conformity.

The updated list of standards can be found in our Library shortly.

On April 11, the European Commission published an updated list of the European harmonized standards that pertain to the Radio and Telecommunication Terminal Directive (1999/5/EC). The standards on this list may be used by RTTE manufacturers to prove that their equipment complies with the essential requirements of this directive.

This updated list is important to all manufacturers of CE marked RTTE that have used European harmonized standards to prove CE compliance. If you have applied standards to prove compliance with the aforementioned directive, we recommend you to check the new list of standards to see if any of the standard you applied have been updated, or whether there are new standards available for your products. When standards have been updated by this list, you need to re-evaluate your products against the updated standard and update your Declaration of Conformity.

The updated list of standards can be found in our Library shortly.

Earlier today, the European Commission published an updated list of the European harmonized standards that pertain to the EMC Directive (2004/108/EC). The standards on this list may be used by electronics and electrical equipment manufacturers to prove that their equipment complies with the essential requirements of this directive.

This updated list is important to all manufacturers of CE marked electronics and electrical equipment that have used European harmonized standards to prove CE compliance. If you have applied standards to prove compliance with the aforementioned directive, we recommend you to check the new list of standards to see if any of the standard you applied have been updated, or whether there are new standards available for your products. When standards have been updated by this list, you need to re-evaluate your products against the updated standard and update your Declaration of Conformity.

The updated list of standards can be found in our Library shortly.

On Friday, the European Commission published yet another list of European harmonized standards for the Machinery Directive. This came as a big surprise, because it was just 3 weeks ago when we reported the publication of the previous list. Apparently, that list was not complete.

This weekend, I sat in the spring sun and spend some time on comparing the two lists. Here is what I found out:

The list of standards published on Friday 23 March 2012, adds the following standards to the list published on 29 February:

• EN 474-4:2006+A2:2012 – Earth-moving machinery – Safety – Part 4: Requirements for backhoe loaders
• EN 1459:1998+A3:2012 – Safety of industrial trucks – Self-propelled variable reach trucks
• EN 14985:2012 – Cranes – Slewing jib cranes

Moreover, the list published in February included a reference to EN 15695-2:2009/AC2011 (‘Agricultural tractors and self-propelled sprayers – Protection of the operator (driver) against hazardous substances – Part 2: Filters, requirements and test procedures’), which is removed in the list of March.

Also the new list will be included in our Library very soon.

On 29 February, the European Commission published an updated list of the European harmonized standards that pertain to the Machinery Directive (2006/42/EC). The standards on this list may be used by machinery manufacturers to prove that their machinery complies with the essential requirements of this directive.

This updated list is important to all manufacturers of CE marked machinery that have used European harmonized standards to prove CE compliance. If you have applied standards to prove compliance with the aforementioned directive, we recommend you to check the new list of standards to see if any of the standard you applied have been updated, or whether there are new standards available for your products. When standards have been updated by this list, you need to re-evaluate your products against the updated standard and update your Declaration of Conformity.

The following standards are new in the list. These are all type-C standards, relating to specific classes of machinery.

• EN 1034-3:2011 Safety of machinery – Safety requirements for the design and construction of paper making and finishing machines – Part 3: Rereelers and winders, which supersedes EN 1034-3:1999+A1:2009 on 30 June 2012
• EN 1114-1:2011 Plastics and rubber machines – Extruders and extrusion lines – Part 1: Safety requirements for extruders
• EN 1570-1:2011 Safety requirements for lifting tables – Part 1: Lifting tables serving up to two fixed landings, which supersedes EN 1570:1998+A2:2009 on 30 April 2012
• EN ISO 3450:2011 Earth-moving machinery – Wheeled or high-speed rubber- tracked machines – Performance requirements and test procedures for brake systems (ISO 3450:2011), which supersedes EN ISO 3450:2008 on 31 May 2012
• EN ISO 11148-2:2011 Hand-held non-electric power tools – Safety requirements – Part 2: Cutting-off and crimping power tools (ISO/FDIS 11148-2:2011), which supersedes EN 792-2:2000+A1:2008 on 30 June 2012
• EN ISO 11148-5:2011 Hand-held non-electric power tools – Safety requirements – Part 5: Rotary percussive drills (ISO 11148-5:2011), which supersedes EN 792-5:2000+A1:2008 on 30 June 2012
• EN ISO 11148-8:2011 Hand-held non-electric power tools – Safety requirements – Part 8: Sanders and polishers (ISO 11148-8:2011), which supersedes EN 792-8:2001+A1:2008 on 30 June 2012
• EN ISO 11148-9:2011 Hand-held non-electric power tools – Safety requirements – Part 9: Die grinders (ISO 11148-9:2011), which supersedes EN 792-9:2001+A1:2008 on 1 June 2012
• EN ISO 11148-10:2011 Hand-held non-electric power tools – Safety requirements – Part 10: Compression power tools (ISO 11148-10:2011), which supersedes EN 792- 10:2000+A1:2008 on 30 June 2012
• EN ISO 11148-11:2011 Hand-held non-electric power tools – Safety requirements – Part 11: Nibblers and shears (ISO 11148-11:2011), which supersedes EN 792-11:2000+A1:2008 on 30 June 2012
• EN ISO 11680-1:2011 Machinery for forestry – Safety requirements and testing for pole-mounted powered pruners – Part 1: Machines fitted with an integral combustion engine (ISO 11680-1:2011), which supersedes EN ISO 11680-1:2008 on 30 June 2012
• EN ISO 11680-2:2011 Machinery for forestry – Safety requirements and testing for pole-mounted powered pruners – Part 2: Machines for use with back-pack power source (ISO 11680-2:2011), which supersedes EN ISO 11680-2:2008 on 30 June 2012
• EN ISO 11681-1:2011 Machinery for forestry – Portable chain-saw safety requirements and testing – Part 1: Chain-saws for forest service (ISO 11681- 1:2011), which supersedes EN ISO 11681-1:2008 on 30 June 2012
• EN ISO 11681-2:2011 Machinery for forestry – Portable chain-saw safety requirements and testing – Part 2: Chain-saws for tree service (ISO 11681- 2:2011), which supersedes EN ISO 11681-2:2008 on 30 June 2012
• EN ISO 11806-1:2011 Agricultural and forestry machinery – Safety requirements and testing for portable, hand-held, powered brush-cutters and grass-trimmers – Part 1: Machines fitted with an integral combustion engine (ISO 11806-1:2011)
• EN ISO 11806-2:2011 Agricultural and forestry machinery – Safety requirements and testing for portable, hand-held, powered brush-cutters and grass-trimmers – Part 2: Machines for use with back-pack power unit (ISO 11806-2:2011)
  EN ISO 11850:2011 Machinery for forestry – General safety requirements (ISO 11850:2011), which supersedes EN 14861:2004+A1:2009 on 31 May 2012
• EN 12409:2008+A1:2011 Plastics and rubber machines – Thermoforming machines – Safety requirements, which supersedes EN 12409:2008 on 30 April 2012
• EN 14033-3:2009+A1:2011 Railway applications – Track – Railbound construction and maintenance machines – Part 3: General safety requirements, which supersedes EN 14033-3:2009 on 30 April 2012
• EN 15700:2011 Safety for conveyor belts for winter sport or leisure use
• EN 15746-2:2010+A1:2011 Railway applications – Track – Road-rail machines and associated equipment – Part 2: General safety requirements, which supersedes EN 15746-2:2010 on 30 April 2012
• EN 15997:2011 All terrain vehicles (ATVs – Quads) – Safety requirements and test methods
• EN ISO 22867:2011 Forestry and gardening machinery – Vibration test code for portable hand-held machines with internal combustion engine – Vibration at the handles (ISO 22867:2011), which supersedes EN ISO 22867:2008 on 30 June 2012
• EN 30326-1:1994/A2:2011 Mechanical vibration – Laboratory method for evaluating vehicle seat vibration – Part 1: Basic requirements (ISO 10326-1:1992), second amendment, which supersedes EN 30326-1:1994/A1:2007 on 30 June 2012
  EN 60335-1:2002/A15:2011 Household and similar electrical appliances – Safety – Part 1: General requirements (IEC 60335-1:2001 (Modified)), 15th amendment, which supersedes EN 60335-1:2002/A14:2010 on 2 May 2014
• EN 60745-2-4:2009/A11:2011 Hand-held motor-operated electric tools – Safety – Part 2-4: Particular requirements for sanders and polishers other than disk type (IEC 60745-2-4:2002 (Modified) + A1:2008 (Modified)), 11th amendment, which provides a presumption of conformity from 14 November 2014

Also, the following harmonised standards have been amended:

• EN 267:2009 Automatic forced draught burners for liquid fuels ceased to provide a presumption of conformity on 29 February 2012. It is superseded by EN 267:2009+A1:2011
• EN 693:2001+A1:2009 Machine tools – Safety – Hydraulic presses ceases to provide a presumption of conformity on 31 March 2012. It is superseded by EN 693:2001+A2:2011
• EN 1127-1:2007 Explosive atmospheres – Explosion prevention and protection – Part 1: Basic concepts and methodology ceases to provide a presumption of conformity on 31 July 2014. It is superseded by EN 1127-1:2011
• EN 1501- 1:1998+A2:2009 Refuse collection vehicles – General requirements and safety requirements – Part 1: Rear loaded refuse collection vehicles ceased to provide a presumption of conformity on 29 February 2012. It is superseded by EN 1501-1:2011
• EN 1501- 1:1998+A2:2009 Refuse collection vehicles – General requirements and safety requirements – Part 5: Lifting devices for refuse collection vehicles ceased to provide a presumption of conformity on 29 February 2012. It is superseded by EN 1501-5:2011
• EN ISO 2867:2008 Earth-moving machinery – Access systems (ISO 2867:2011) ceases to provide a presumption of conformity on 31 July 2014. It is superseded by EN ISO 2867:2011
• EN ISO 10218-1:2008 Robots and robotic devices – Safety requirements for industrial robots – Part 1: Robots (ISO 10218-1:2011) ceases to provide a presumption of conformity on 1 January 2013. It is superseded by EN ISO 10218-1:2011
• EN ISO 12100-1:2003 Safety of machinery – Basic concepts, general principles for design – Part 1: Basic terminology, methodology, EN ISO 12100-2:2003 Safety of machinery – Basic concepts, general principles for design – Part 2: Technical principles and EN ISO 14121-1:2007 Safety of machinery – Risk assessment – Part 1: Principles cease to provide a presumption of conformity on 30 November 2013. All three are superseded by EN ISO 12100:2010 Safety of machinery – General principles for design – Risk assessment and risk reduction (ISO 12100:2010)
• EN 12649:2008 Concrete compactors and smoothing machines – Safety ceased to provide a presumption of conformity on 31 January 2012. It is superseded by EN 12649:2008+A1:2011
• EN ISO 13849-1:2006 Safety of machinery – Safety-related parts of control systems – Part 1: General principles for design and EN 954-1:1996 Safety of machinery – Safety related parts of control systems – General principles for design both ceased to provide a presumption of conformity on 31 December 2011. They are both superseded by EN ISO 13849-1:2008 Safety of machinery – Safety-related parts of control systems – Part 1: General principles for design (ISO 13849-1:2006)
• EN 60204-1:2006/A1:2009 Safety of machinery – Electrical equipment of machines – Part 1: General requirements IEC 60204-1:2005 (Modified) ceased to provide a presumption of conformity on 1 February 2012
• EN 60745-1:2009/A11:2010 Hand-held motor-operated electric tools – Safety – Part 1: General requirements IEC 60745-1:2006 (Modified),11th amendment ceases to provide a presumption of conformity on 1 October 2013
• EN 60745-2-13:2009/A1:2010 Hand-held motor-operated electric tools – Safety – Part 2-13: Particular requirements for chain saws IEC 60745-2-13:2006 (Modified), first amendment ceases to provide a presumption of conformity on 1 December 2013
• EN 60745-2-14:2009/A2:2010 Hand-held motor-operated electric tools – Safety – Part 2-14: Particular requirements for planers, second amendment ceases to provide a presumption of conformity on 1 June 2013
• EN 60745-2-19:2009/A1:2010 Hand-held motor-operated electric tools – Safety – Part 2-19: Particular requirements for jointers, first amendment ceases to provide a presumption of conformity on 1 June 2013
• EN 60745-2-21:2009/A1:2010 Hand-held motor-operated electric tools – Safety – Part 2-21: Particular requirements for drain cleaners, first amendment ceases to provide a presumption of conformity on 1 December 2013
• EN 61029-1:2009/A11:2010 Safety of transportable motor-operated electric tools – Part 1: General requirements, 11th amendment ceases to provide a presumption of conformity on 1 November 2013

The updated list of standards can be found in our Library shortly.

A worker died when a six-meter steel machine landed on top of him after it was dislodged from overhead brackets at a factory in East Yorkshire.

Ronald Wood, 59, from Holme-on-Spalding-Moor, was struck on the head by the steel vacuum lifter, which weighed two-thirds of a tonne, when it was knocked from its mountings by a trailer being towed out of the Montracon factory.

The scene of the fatal incident at Montracon, East Yorkshire
A Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation following the fatal incident exposed serious safety failings at the company’s premises on Holme Road in Market Weighton.

Hull Crown Court heard that Mr Wood, a driver and long-standing employee of Montracon, was standing underneath the steel lifter with a fellow worker as a large trailer, which was being towed out of the factory, hit the brackets holding the machine in place. The impact knocked it loose and it fell more than three and a half metres – landing on top of Mr Wood. His colleague escaped with only a minor injury.

Mr Wood, who was a grandfather, never regained consciousness and died in hospital the same day.

Montracon Ltd., registered at Carr Hill, Doncaster, South Yorkshire, pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to two breaches of Health and Safety legislation. It was fined a total of £100,000 and ordered to pay £33,030 in costs.

Inspector Steven Kay, who carried out HSE’s investigation, said after the hearing:

“There were obvious failures in basic safety precautions, sadly leading to an unnecessary death and the tragic bereavement of a family.

“If Montracon had a suitable plan to control the movement of trailers in the workshop area, then they would have realised it was not safe to manoeuvre a trailer past a heavy piece of equipment that could be dislodged. But it failed to consider the risks or take basic and inexpensive precautions relating to storing heavy equipment at height.

“Work changes had also taken place in the factory which should have led the firm to re-think the risks, but it did not. Whenever work activity changes, then risks must be reassessed.

“Montracon also failed to follow up several minor incidents which, had they been investigated, could have led to action to prevent this tragedy. All employers need to have a system to record near misses and investigate them. The resulting information could prevent loss of life.”

In a statement to the court on behalf of Mr Wood’s family, his daughter Emma Wood said:

Mr. Ronald Wood

“It is so difficult to put into words the devastation caused to our family by Dad’s death. It was traumatic beyond belief and it still is…like a horrendous nightmare. We are all in total disbelief with what has happened and completely lost without him.

“To many he was a friend and work colleague – to us he was a husband, dad, granddad and great-granddad who we miss dearly every day.”

There were five deaths and more than 550 major injuries in the manufacturing sector in Yorkshire and the Humber according to the latest 2020/11 HSE statistics. A further 1,900 less severe injuries were recorded.

Notes:

1. The Health and Safety Executive is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. It aims to prevent 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

2. Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 states: “It shall be the duty of every employer to ensure, so far as reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare at work of their employees.”

3. Regulation 3(1) of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 states: “states, every employer shall make a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks to the health and safety of his employees to which they are exposed whilst they are at work.