The worker who fell injured herself in the accident, suffering amongst other injuries, a fractured rib as she was on a structural girder used for access to cleaning.

Health and Safety Executive inspector Scott Mckinnon stated that the worker had been “exposed to unnecessary risk.”

The employee was cleaning the side of a flour hopper at the factory on 28 November 2008 when the incident occurred. In the fall she sustained a fractured rib, bruising and a cut leg.

Worse still it appears that she was fortunate that the drop was only 4ft, as she landed on a bulk container below without which she would have fallen nearly twice as far and no doubt suffered graver injury.

The company pleaded guilty to a charge under section 6(3) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 and it appears that there was no barrier in place to stop her from falling or any other measure to limit the distance that she would drop in the event of an accident.

It should however be noted that the company has taken steps since the work accident claim to implement procedures to ensure such an accident does not occur again in the future.  With her employer having conceded liability for circumstances that led to this accident in addition to the claim brought by the Health and Safety Executive the worker herself would be able to make a claim, if she hasn’t already, for the injuries she suffered. However, if she has yet to make a claim, she will need to bring it within three years of the accident in order for the court to consider it, or else she will be outside of the limitation period for bringing a claim.

The 600 patients taking part in the trial were also offered standard GP treatment including pain medication.

The sessions were designed to tackle unhelpful beliefs about back pain and physical activity and help patients better manage their condition.

Usually people with low back pain – one of the most common complaints GPs deal with – are advised to keep active, offered pain relief where needed and possibly other treatments such as acupuncture.

In the study, 400 people being treated in general practice were offered the six group therapy sessions and 200 people receiving standard care were monitored for a year.

The sessions – based loosely around a technique known as cognitive behavioural therapy – were set up to discuss beliefs around doing physical activity and counter negative thoughts about back pain and its restrictions as well as relaxation techniques.

The sessions were also designed to help people overcome “fear” of hurting themselves more and how to get active again while avoiding flare-ups.

A year later, the people who underwent therapy scored significantly more highly on questionnaires designed to measure pain and disability.

The researchers who conducted the study, from Oxford and Warwickshire universities, said that effective treatments that produced long-term results are “elusive” in low back pain.

Whiplash and back injuries are among the most common injuries suffered following road traffic accidents and back injuries in particular can often be long lasting. Sometimes medical expects are unable to find any physical medical reason for ongoing back pain following an accident but patients continue to feel the symptoms so other therapies need considering. Any progress that is made through this trial could potentially help rid those involved in accidents of long standing back pain so hopefully the trial will continue to be a success.

According to the BBC, those caught were fined by officers for not buckling up during the operation which took place between 15 and 21 February 2010.

During that week one backseat passenger who was not wearing a seatbelt suffered serious injuries after going through a car windscreen, police said.

Dorset Police said a significant number of drivers continued to flout the law.

Chief Inspector Bob Nichols from Dorset Police said of the recent incident:

“Locally, a collision in north Dorset involved a rear-seat passenger who was not wearing a seat belt, allowed him to go through the windscreen causing serious injury. Fortunately, he missed the front seat passenger and driver who appear to have been belted in, and who sustained only minor injuries.”

The law requires that drivers and passengers aged 14 and over in cars, vans and other commercial vehicles must wear a seatbelt if available. According to government road safety website Think! In a crash someone not wearing a seat belt is more likely to die than someone not using one. In 2007 of the 1,432 car occupants killed, research indicates than some 34 per cent were not wearing a seat belt. While not wearing a seat belt can be a contributory factor to the severity of somebody’s injuries, if such a position is agreed by the court against the injured party then it is likely that this will only result in a minor deduction from their damages payment.

According to the BBC, Karl Harris told a colleague there was “no point” resuscitating Barry Baker after they were called to his home in Brighton, East Sussex, jurors heard.

Mr Baker dialled 999, and died after suffering a cardiac arrest in November 2008, Lewes Crown Court heard.

Mr Harris, 45, denies perverting the course of justice.

The court heard that Mr Baker dialled 999 after experiencing breathing difficulties in the early hours of 29th November 2008.

Within two minutes of Mr Harris and colleague Ben Stokes arriving at the scene Mr Baker collapsed.

Unknown to the paramedics, the phone operator stayed on the line and heard they did not make a resuscitation attempt.

Giving evidence Mr Stokes said that Mr Harris told him: “He’s dead. I’ve seen this before. Don’t bother (with resuscitation).”

He told jurors that Mr Harris gave him a number of justifications for not taking any further action, such as that he was too heavy for them to lift.

Mr Harris also insisted “more than once” it would be fine just to say the patient had already died, Mr Stokes said.

As the senior worker it was Mr Harris’ responsibility to make all the decisions.

Prosecutor Mr Barton said that Mr Harris “…told lies to the police officers, and repeated those lies to his bosses that night and went on to falsify paperwork in order to cover up what he had done.”

It was not alleged that Mr Harris’ failure to act caused Mr Baker’s death, as medical evidence suggested that he would not have survived.

This might be the case in these circumstances but there is no way that Mr Harris could have been sure of that at the time, particularly given the short time period between the collapse and when resuscitation could have been done. Mr Harris clearly failed to carry out the requirements of his job description and in another situation it might be that an attempt to resuscitate the patient may well have worked. While there is no possibility of a claim for medical negligence being brought, Mr Harris’ conduct is a cause for concern and understandably he has been suspended from his role pending the outcome of this hearing.

According to the BBC, the money will help the 55 known survivors in Scotland adapt their homes and but specialised equipment. Health surgeon Nicola Sturgeon said many were still battling with the disabilities thalidomide had caused.

Pregnant women were prescribed the drug in the 1950s and 1960s as a treatment for morning sickness or insomnia. It was withdrawn from sale in 1961 after babies were born with limb deformities and other damage.

Ms Sturgeon said: “After discussions with the Thalidomide Trust, the Scottish government have committed £3.4 million to assist the survivors of thalidomide.

“Half a century later, the survivors of thalidomide are still battling against the disabilities the prescribing of the drug caused. Now as they become older, they are likely to need a range of assistance and adaptation to enable them to continue to live as independently as possible, for as long as possible and this funding will help them to do that.”

The money will provide support to the sufferers, many of whom were not expected to reach this point in their life due to the defects that the drug caused. The government accepted responsibility for the errors in making thalidomide available to patients as a prescription drug and continues to pay large sums of money to compensate the victims. As a consequence of failing to put in place adequate testing of the drug before making it available, it is right that the government should have to be the organisation that bites the financial bullet regarding the cost of alterations and maintenance for the thalidomide sufferers.

According to the BBC, Kyle Flack, 20, from Stanford-le-Hope, who suffered from severe cerebral palsy, was found dead at Basildon University Hospital on 12 October 2006.

His head had become trapped in the rails around his bed, an inquest heard.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) brought the prosecution against the hospital, accusing them of failing to ensure the patient’s safety.

Matthew Taylor, prosecuting on behalf of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), told Magistrates that Mr Flack died at the hospital, two days after being admitted with stomach problems.

“The failings of the hospital were causative of death,” Mr Taylor told magistrates. Not only do we say that the trust’s failings caused the death of Kyle but we also say they failed to heed previous warnings.”

After the hearing, Mr Flack’s mother, Gill, condemned some care standards at the hospital as “absolute crap”.

She said bosses should be “held accountable” and called for “staff sackings”.

The hospital’s director of nursing, Maggie Rogers, apologised to Kyle’s family and friends and stated: “I can reassure our patients that since his tragic death in 2006, we have taken action that includes improving the management of equipment and the care of our patients and special needs”

At least in recognising the mistakes that they made with Mr Flack’s death the hospital and the trust have looked to take action to rectify their previous failings. They must appreciate that, in suffering from cerebral palsy, Mr Flack would have perhaps required greater care and attention than may be necessary for a patient without such a condition.

According to the BBC, temporary traffic lights have been set up on the old A165 Filey Road linking Cayton Bay and Osgodby.

A county council spokesman said: “Given the unpredictable nature of further slippage it is expected the old A165 will have to be closed very soon.”

The landslips have already led to the demolition on safety grounds of three cliff-top homes at nearby Knipe Point.

A council spokesman said: “It is very fortunate that the new A165 Scarborough to Lebberston diversion was completed last year.

“One of the factors why the new road scheme received priority funding was associated with the long term sustainability of the old A165 route.

“However, it was not anticipated that the route would have to be restricted or closed this soon.”

Regarding the possibility of stabilising and maintaining the road, they stated: “Significant engineering works would be required to even temporarily stabilise the highway, and given the topography and geology of the area the highway authority is not in a position to maintain the route.”

It is expected that pedestrian access will still be maintained on the south side of the highway.

The council has had to weigh up the considerable cost that it would take to maintain the road and stabilise it from further land slippage. The risk in continuing to allow a volume of motor traffic on the road is seemingly considerable as these slippages seem to be becoming increasingly frequent. This might lead to road users suffering injury if they use the road when a slip occurs. The council has made a choice that ensures the safety of the public and, as they say, there is fortunately a new road in place which can be used in the alternative.

According to the BBC, Jordan Baker drowned while playing in the River Dee with his father, brother and a friend in May 2009.

An inquest in January 2010 recorded an accidental death verdict with coroner John Hughes warning the river can be “treacherous”.

A report to the council says it should identify risks at its coastal sites.

“It is important that the council reflects on these types of incidents and reviews its risk management and directorate responsibilities in relation to the Dee estuary coastline,” states the paper being considered by Flintshire’s overview and scrutiny committee.

The report by the council’s director of environment identifies three dock areas in the county that need to be considered, at Greenfield, Flint and Connah’s Quay.

A number of sites of special scientific interest on the coast are also highlighted as areas where the council should review and manage risks associated with them and it recommends that councillors approve plans to undertake risk assessments of the sites, and to bring the overall management of the issues under its corporate property officer.

The report also calls for the council’s coastal unit to develop its role in the day-to-day management of the Flintshire coastline and dock areas.

It seems that while Jordan’s death has been assessed as accidental there is a clear belief that more could have been done to identify the potential risks posed by the river and to highlight them to those in the area. It always seems to take an incident such as this before a report with recommendations is put forward, wouldn’t it be great if councils adopted a pro-active approach to safety, identifying potential risks before they result in a death or injury? Risk management should be an ongoing process with constant assessment and reassessment to minimise the risk of injury. Hopefully the council will act quickly to prevent anymore unnecessary deaths.

According to the BBC, a hospital spokesman said that it was not yet clear whether those suffering from the bacterial infection had caught it in the community or in the hospital.

GPs in the area have been contacted to alert them to the possibility the bug may be present in the community.

Salmonella is a type of bacteria and can cause food poisoning, typhoid fever and paratyphoid. It is usually associated with eating contaminated foods. All eight are said to be recovering well.

Of the eight at the hospital only some of them were showing symptoms when they arrived. Symptoms can range from mild to severe and may include watery or bloody diarrhoea, stomach cramps, nausea and vomiting and fever.

The cases are being investigated by Aneurin Bevan Health Board, Public Health Wales and Newport council’s environmental health department. The health board stated: “We are contacting GPs to alert them to the possibility of salmonella in patients presenting from the community with symptoms” and that “Members of the public should continue to access healthcare in the usual way through NHS direct or their own GP.”

At this point it is difficult to determine where the salmonella infection has come from. If it is from a restaurant through contaminated food then I am sure that the number of patients admitted to hospital will continue to rise until the offending restaurant is identified. However, if it has spread within the hospital then this will call in to question the hospitals cleaning procedures and the standard of care taken by staff members to ensure that they do not pass the infection from person to person. Amongst other things this will require that staff ensure that they wash their hands after dealing with a person with the illness before coming in to contact with another patient.

According to The Times, the fire occurred at a vegetable packing plant in Warwickshire and resulted in the deaths of Ian Reid,44, Darren Yates-Badley, 24, Ashley Stephens, 20, and John Averis, 27, who were attempting to tackle the blaze at Atherstone on Stour in 2007.

It is understood that the three men being questioned are managers that played a commanding and organisational role in tackling the fire. All three were questioned under suspicion of gross negligence, manslaughter and offences under the Health and Safety at Work Act.

Sixteen fire engines and eighty fire-fighters tackled the blaze which lasted more than five hours, with flames spiralling hundreds of feet into the air. Mr Stephens, Mr Averis, and Mr Yates-Badley were reported missing and found dead in the smouldering remains of the building after an extensive search. Mr Reid died in hospital after the plant’s roof collapsed while he was inside.

Evidence from a joint investigation by the police and the Health and Safety Executive suggests that there may have been systematic failings regarding the incident.

The arrest of the fire service bosses clearly indicates that there is a belief that they may have put fire-fighters in to a dangerous position unnecessarily, or that the instructions that they provided to their staff were negligent. Under the Health and Safety at Work Act there is a requirement that employers ensure the health, safety and welfare of their employees, so far as is reasonably practicable. This means that, even though the job of a fire-fighter is one which involves a high risk of injury, their employers are expected to take all reasonable steps to ensure their safety. This can be done through training or providing the correct working equipment, but it also involves the instructions that they give to their employees. If it is found that there was a way to operate without endangering the lives of the fire-fighters who died, then the bosses would be potentially culpable for their actions, although I am sure regard would be had to the severity of the fire and the requirement to make quick decisions to try and curtail the blaze.