Lawford Kidd's Blog

Calls have been made for urgent strengthening of workplace health and safety laws after Clydeport Operations Limited, owned by Peel Ports Limited, pleaded guilty to a number of breaches of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 the High Court in Edinburgh. They admitted a series of systematic failings in risk assessments and safe systems of work between 29 December 2000 and 19 December 2007.

The case was heard as a result of an incident in 2007, which killed three men on the River Clyde. The tugboat, on which the men were working on, The Flying Phantom, capsized in thick fog while it was towing a cargo vessel. A forth man also on board managed to escape, and was later rescued as he clung to a buoy.

However, it should be noted that the health and safety issues admitted to were not the cause of the tragedy. A Clydeport spokesperson confirmed this by stating: "In pleading guilty to these three charges, it is important to underline that the Crown accepts these issues were not the cause of the tragic events of December 2007.

Edinburgh-based personal injury law firm Lawford Kidd have been recognised by leading legal directory, the Legal 500, as top of their field.

Of the law firms in Scotland, they made it into the top three rankings. Senior Partner David Sandison was delighted with the Legal 500 confirming Lawford Kidd's place in the top Personal Injury Firms in Scotland.

This is in addition to current independent assessments, including: top ten in the 2014 Chambers Directory in Scotland; Partner David Sandison recognised as a legal expert by the Legal Business Report; accreditation by APIL; and membership of the Motor Accidents Solicitors Society.

Recent figures from the Department for Transport have revealed a fall of 2% in the number of road deaths in 2013, compared to 2012. Figures are apparently now at their lowest level since national records began in 1926.

According to the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM), the figures show that in 2013:

• 1,713 people were killed in road accidents.
• The number of people seriously injured decreased by 6% to 21,657, compared to 2012.
• The total number of casualties in road accidents reported to the police in 2013 was 183,670, down 6% from 2012.
• Pedal cyclists’ deaths decreased by 8% to 109 in 2013, compared to 118 in 2012.
• Fatalities on motorways increased by 14%, from 88 to 100.
• Vans and LGVs fatalities increased by 12%, from 33 to 37.
• Motorcycle fatalities on motorways increased by 250% from 4 to 14.
• Child pedestrian fatalities increased by 3%, from 20 to 26.
• Killed and serious injuries for all road users in deprived areas increased by 5%.

“We welcome the overall decrease in road deaths although the long term trends show improvements are slowing down,” commented IAM director of policy of research Neil Greig.

New health and safety regulations regarding explosives are set to come into force next month – October 2014.

The Explosives Regulations 2014 (ER 2014) and the Acetylene Safety (England and Wales and Scotland) Regulations 2014 (ASR 2014) come as a result of the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) reviewing the existing health and safety explosive legislation.

The HSE review found that the existing law needed clarification and modernisation - the complicated legal duties owed to various different bodies, and the differing definitions at UK and International law, together produced a very complex picture.  The HSE therefore concluded that a broader, more coherent framework would be far more effective.  

A longer, more aerodynamic cab with better vision for lorry drivers could save the lives of hundreds of cyclists and pedestrians, according to a new study by academics at Loughborough University’s Design School.

The proposed new cab, 80cm longer with a rounded nose, smaller dashboard, expanded glazed areas, and a slightly lower driver position, could drastically reduce blind spots around the lorry.

The ‘Direct Vision’ lorry concept would increase the driver’s field of view in front and to the sides of the lorry by 50% compared to today’s lorry designs, and could save the lives of many vulnerable road users.