Corporate manslaughter – Do you know the risks?

Manufacturing output in the UK accounts for 11% of economic contribution, whilst this figure seems low the UK is in fact the ninth largest manufacturing nation in the world. There are therefore hundreds of production sites where dust and debris sit on floors and surfaces presenting a real risk to life and limb. Understanding the risks and how this could result in prosecution under the Corporate Manslaughter Act is critical.

The Corporate Manslaughter Act came into force on the 6th April 2008 and means that both companies and their management team can be found guilty of corporate manslaughter if serious management failures result in a fatality. 

Whilst prosecutions and imprisonment are rare, the fines imposed are unlimited and can easily move a company into liquidation. Are all senior managers aware of the personal risk as they go about their busy lives?

Statistics show that fatality rates in Small Medium Enterprises (SME’s) are twice that of larger organisations. The lack of dedicated H&S management plays a part here so what do management personnel need to do to protect not only their staff but themselves?

Identify the risks

Considering and identifying hazards is the first step.  Managers need to determine precisely where personnel are at risk, what elements have the potential to harm?

A workplace risk assessment should evaluate all risks and be extremely thorough with all elements recorded and periodically reviewed for change. Workplace hazards generally fall into four categories:

- Physical: The most common, including slips, trips and falls

- Ergonomic: Physical factors that harm including manual handling, repetitive movements

- Chemical: Any hazardous substance within the environment

- Biological: Bacteria and viruses that can affect health.

Slips, trips & falls

Whilst slips and trips are common and generally not fatal, they do contribute the most towards the estimated 30 million plus work days lost every year due to illness and injury.

Floor cleaning, spillages and trip hazards are extremely common and made more difficult by the need to clean whilst operation levels are high. Wet mopping historically has a bad rep and for good reason. Drying time can be up to 30 minutes depending on conditions, and it is often impossible to exclude the public during this time.

Pedestrian scrubber dryers that both wash and dry in one pass are the obvious solution. Battery operated equipment removes the trailing cable hazard and members of the public can move freely. Scrubber dryers range from compact units like the Nilfisk SC250, 34 cm scrub width that cleans in both forward and reverse modes and gets into the tightest of corners and under shelving. From the smallest in the camp to the big boys, the SC6500 ride on scrubber dryer was developed for large area cleaning with zero slip risk. What is important is the range available from the manufacturer and the knowledge that supports the product.

Hazardous substances

Exposure to chemicals commonly used in work environments can have both short- and long-term health effects. In serious cases fatalities can occur both immediately and as a result of subsequent illnesses including cancer.

Hazardous substances can include natural substances such as grain, flour or enzyme dusts or indeed substances generated by site work including construction and wood dusts. The use of adhesives and cleaning agents in the work place also pose risks in gas, liquid, mist, fumes, powder or paste form.

From a Corporate Manslaughter perspective there should be absolutely no guessing in this arena. Once risk assessments are complete it is vital to bring in Industrial Vacuum experts who can advise the best method for collection and disposal.

Bin specification

The nature of the products being collected will dictate the type of bin that should be specified within the vacuum unit. Materials such as soap powders and bleach are highly corrosive and as such must be collected within a stainless-steel bin. Make sure that your supplier has a variety of bin options for all eventualities.

The right filter

Selecting the right filter for the job in hand is critical. Without the right filter in place your machine could be exhausting hazardous dust into the working atmosphere. Certain products such as flour are hazardous in dust form, so it is essential that the correct vacuum filters are specified to meet all legal requirements.

Dust class filters L & M are the most common but are suitable only for the removal of hazardous non-flammable dusts. You will see the term OEL referred to, this means Occupation Exposure Limit and is measured in mg/m3. H Class filters are suitable for the removal, and often re-processing, of hazardous dusts including carcinogens and pathological waste. The vacuum filter traps over 99.995% of dust with a grain size of under 1 micron. Toxic materials must be collected within a ‘safe bag’.

The filtering characteristics are guaranteed by both tests performed on the machine as well as tests performed on each of the filters installed. A filter efficiency certificate is issued for each machine in Class H. Nilfisk tests their industrial vacuum cleaners in international laboratories IMQ, TUV & SLG. In addition to the initial product tests these bodies also perform periodic tests to guarantee continuity of performance over time.
The specification of an industrial vacuum cleaner and its associated filters and accessories really is a specialist job. It is therefore essential to seek professional advice.

Whatever product you are manufacturing, whatever the debris that requires cleaning, the Nilfisk Group have the expertise to improve health and safety standards in your facility.