Lawford Kidd's Blog

St Mirren midfielder John McGinn is taking legal action against his former club following a training ground prank that saw him seriously injured.

The 20-year-old midfielder was spiked in the leg by a training pole after it was thrown at him at a training session at club’s training ground in April. McGinn fell over a training pole before the club captain Stephen Thompson threw another pole while he was on the floor.

As a result of the injury, McGinn was unable to play for the rest of the season and with his contract set to expire, was unable to try and win a new contract or a move to another club.

Improving the safety of transport workers has been a recent priority for the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH).

Through a series of live demonstrations, arranged by IOSH's Food and Drink and Retail and Distribution groups, the organisation highlighted the hazards faced by HGV drivers and other working in the transport sector, with a specific focus on loading-area and yard safety.

According to new figures recently published by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), between April 2013 and March 2014, 133 people in Britain died in workplace accidents - 17 less than the previous year, 42 less than 2010/11, 46 less than 2008/09 and the lowest number since records began.

With the number of fatal injuries now at 133, the overall rate of fatal injuries in Britain has also dropped from 0.51 per 100,000 workers in 2012/13 to 0.44 in 2013/14 and below the five-year average rate of 0.56. At 0.51 per 100,000. It is thought Britain has the lowest rate of fatal injuries to workers, when compared to the following major industrial nations: Germany, France, Spain and Italy.

The HSE statistics show the rate of fatal injuries in certain industrial sectors. For instance, between April 2013 and March 2014, there were 27 fatal injuries to agricultural workers, 42 in construction and 4 in waste and recycling.

A Dartford firm has been fined after an employee was seriously injured when he was crushed by a reversing lorry at the KBC Logistics depot in Essex.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE), prosecuting, told Basildon Magistrates’ Court that driver Leslaw Chorazak, 54, was waiting to take his place at the wheel of the articulated 45ft heavy goods vehicle.

Mr Chorazak was guiding the returning driver as he reversed the lorry into the poorly lit yard. As he bent to pick up his torch, the driver lost sight of him and continued to reverse, crushing him between the back of the lorry and the office wall.

A national malt company, Pauls Malt Limited, has been fined after a worker had to have the lower part of his left leg amputated, when he became entangled in machinery inside a grain silo. His right leg was also badly broken and is still held together by plates and pins.