It has been leaked today that the maximum speed limit on motorways is likely to increase in 2013, to 80mph, following a consultation. The Government’s reasoning behind this is that the number of drivers breaking the law is undermining the principle of...

The High Street giant, Marks & Spencer was this week found guilty of two charges under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, following a prosecution brought by the Health and Safety Executive. They were found to have failed to protect customers, staff...

Local councils have a duty to maintain public footpaths so that they are safe for pedestrians to use and pose no risk of accident. In an ideal situation, footpaths would be regularly inspected and action taken where repairs are necessary, and reported...

The hazards associated with working in a factory environment are widely reported. Because of the high risk of injury to employees operating, servicing, cleaning or working near machinery, it is crucial for employers to conduct a thorough risk assessment so...

The risks faced by those employed in the woodworking and furniture industries are to be investigated by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). It is thought that around 50 people are diagnosed with nasal cancer every year, which is likely to have been...

55 year old Keith Rowley has been awarded a £10,000 out of court settlement by his employer, General Kinematics Ltd, after his hands were left permanently damaged by his use of vibrating tools in his work as a fitter. Mr Rowley suffered the...

Tuffnells Parcels Express Ltd was fined £150,000 after one of their employees was seriously injured in an accident at their Essex depot. 22 year old warehouse porter Simon Mason suffered serious head injuries when his skull was crushed by a...

A young woman has received £5,250 in an out of court settlement against a hairdressing salon in Nottingham, following treatment which left her looking like a “scarecrow”. Charlotte Jones paid £60 to have the salon change her from...

Autumn - the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness when parents across the country breathe a sigh of relief that their little darlings are back at school and into a new routine.  Autumn of course, brings its own delights for children, such as the...

I read with interest today in the Times, that the Dowler family have written a letter to David Cameron making it clear that without the existence of the no-win, no-fee arrangement and the insurance which backs such an agreement, they “…would not...

The summer holidays are over, and parents have bought uniforms and supplies, preparing their children for another academic year, safe in the knowledge that they will come to no harm whilst in the care of their school or college.  Not so,...

Wigan Council has paid out nearly £3.5 million in compensation to members of the public and employees in the past three years, according to a report in the Wigan Evening Post this week. Personal injury claims brought against Wigan council include...

A 30 year old plant operator was lucky to survive when he fell onto machinery at his place of work. He now faces the possibility of being dependent on a wheelchair later in life because of his injuries. Simon Lowe fell onto spikes and suffered internal...

Machine operators can face many hazards in their work, particularly if the correct training is not given, safety guards are not in place, protective wear is not provided or there is a lack of supervision. Many machine related accidents occur when operators...

Eight workers at a Job Centre in Harrow, Middlesex were awarded compensation after they were exposed to potentially lethal fumes in their workplace and suffered ill effects as a result. The employees endured headaches and nausea for several months after a...

The disaster at the Pukkelpop music festival in Belgium, where five people died and fifty were injured after a severe storm caused a stage to collapse, came as shocking news, especially so soon after another similar storm-related disaster in the United...

Road traffic accidents often have very serious consequences for those involved and when a negligent driver causes devastating, life changing brain injuries, the repercussions are felt throughout the victim’s family emotionally, and financially. ...

A new regulation which requires septic tanks to be registered will come into force from January 1st 2012. This new law will means that under the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2010, householders with existing or new septic tanks...

Provisions effecting an overhaul of ‘pre-pack administrations’, which allow struggling businesses to be marketed prior to entering into administration and sold shortly thereafter, have been delayed. Pre-pack administrations have proven...