ROUND-UP
In brief
Workplace fatality gures
rise in 2020/21
Provisional data released in July shows that a
total of 142 workers were killed at work in Great
Britain in 2020/21, an increase of 29 from the
previous year, though the number of deaths
in 2019/20 (113) was low compared to other
recent years.
In statistical terms, the number of fatalities
has remained broadly level in recent years – the
average annual number of workers killed at work
over the ve years 2016/17-2020/21 is 136.
Over the past 20 years there has been a
long-term reduction in the number of workplace
fatalities, demonstrating that Great Britain is
one of the safest places to work in the world.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE)
gures, available via www.is.gd/megale, relate to
workplace incidents. They do not include deaths
arising from occupational exposure to disease,
including COVID-19.
The three most common causes of fatal
injuries continue to be workers falling from
height (35), being struck by a moving vehicle
(25) and being struck by a moving object (17),
accounting for more than half of fatalities
in 2020/21. These gures also continue to
highlight the risks to older workers, with around
30% of fatal injuries in 2020/21 involving
workers aged 60 or over, even though such
workers only make up around 11% of the
workforce.
In addition, members of the public continue
to be killed in connection with work-related
incidents. In 2020/21, 60 members of the public
were killed as a result of a work-related incident.
Deaths from mesothelioma, which is a cancer
contracted through past exposure to asbestos,
were 7% lower than the long-term average.
British Steel announces £26 million
investment in special pro les
Turnkey engineering project
provider ECS Engineering Services
has received a Bronze Award
from the Defence Employer
Recognition Scheme for its support
reintegrating military personnel
into civilian careers.
An Amazon apprentice studying
at the Manufacturing Technology
Centre has been shortlisted in the
fi nals of the prestigious BAME
Apprentice Awards. Lakan Brown,
aged 33, was nominated for his
exceptional progress, as well as
his commitment to the future of
the manufacturing sector as a
mentor and an ambassador for
apprenticeships. Brown, who is
nominated in the transport and
logistics category, is in the second
year of his four year mechatronics
apprenticeship at the MTC.
HyDeploy, the fi rst project in
the UK to blend hydrogen into a
natural gas network, was hailed
a success in a recent report. One
hundred homes and 30 university
building on a private gas network
at Keele University received the
blended gas for a period of 18
months,ending in spring 2021.
KEB Automation has appointed
Mark Checkley as managing
director of KEB (UK) Ltd. He takes
over the reins from Tom Skelton,
who has retired after serving more
than 27 years with KEB, more than
half that time as managing director.
To ensure operable walls are
regularly maintained, serviced and
repaired, the Finishes and Interiors
Sector (FIS) has published a best
practice guide, available via www.
is.gd/qajina. It aims to explain the
importance of regular servicing,
as well as identifying the type
of wall that has been installed,
its performance, sound, fi re and
robustness and servicing required.
Arcola Energy is converting
a former ScotRail Class 314
electric train to hydrogen fuel cell
technology to demonstrate the role
hydrogen-powered trains can play
in decarbonising Scottish railways.
The company’s single largest investment for
more than 30 years will see new downstream
processing facilities constructed at its
Skinningrove site. The new service centre,
which will include cut-to-length lines,
product milling, machining and
warehousing operations, will enable
the company to make and process
an extended range of valueadded
pro les for the forklift
industry. The advanced milling and
machining capability will also mean
the company can o er pro les with
tolerances of just 0.1mm.
British Steel’s commercial director for
special pro les, David Waine, said: “Our
investment means we’ll have world-class
products manufactured to the tightest of
tolerances. It will enable us to explore new
growth opportunities for our forklift mast
products in Europe, North and South America,
India and Asia. And although our primary
product o ering will be for forklift mast
production, we expect to be able to
expand this to include other product
applications too.”
The company is experiencing
strong growth for its products,
particularly those for mining and
construction as well as high-reach
trucks.
The new Skinningrove facility,
scheduled to come online in 2023, will
replace the services currently o ered at the
company’s site in Darlington, which stores and
cuts pro les to customer requirements.
Previous investments include installation of
a £2 million surface descaling system.
8 www.operationsengineer.org.uk Winter 2021
/megale
/www.operationsengineer.org.uk