Risk news

Proper planning and carrying out a risk assessment can be the difference between keeping employees safe from harm and some serious injuries.

Risk assessments should be carried out prior to the beginning of every job as a matter of course and not as an afterthought.

Two workers were extremely lucky to escape with only minor facial burns and not serious injuries after flames came out of a leaking gas pipe on a job where a risk assessment had not been performed.

It happened when they were trying to repair a pipe which was feeding coke oven gas to a central power station, where a leak had been detected.

When it was first brought to their attention the hole had been small and could have been fixed using a technique involving a bung and resin.

The job was postponed and by the time the two workers returned to the task the size of the hole had increased substantially meaning a different method had to be undertaken.

As the first screw was put in place in order to attach a metal plate over the hole the gas caught fire and sent out three metre long flames in the direction of the men.

Emergency services were called in order to contain the blaze and prevent it spreading to other gas pipes.

John Moran, an inspector for the Health and Safety Executive said: "Thankfully on this occasion a full recovery from the injuries sustained was possible, but it could easily have resulted in a double fatality, and it is a matter of chance that it didn't."

Risk assessments allow employees to see what the potential risks are associated with tasks and the best way to avoid them while undertaking work.

The company pleaded guilty to two separate breaches of the Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002.

 Firstly there was a breach of Regulation 5(1), related to an inadequate and unsuitable risk assessment.

The second breach of Regulation 6(1), was due to the fact employee safety was compromised because the firm did not prevent the risk from coke oven gas.

It was handed a fine totalling £30,000 and ordered to pay £1,696 in costs.

Mr Moran said: "Even where serious injuries are avoided, the root cause of the near miss should be thoroughly investigated, understood, and appropriate action taken."