Lawford Kidd's Blog

The Ministry of Justice has announced that, as part of its reforms of the coroners system, the law has been updated to allow the deaths of service personnel abroad to be investigated in Scotland for the first time.

Until now inquests into such deaths have been heard in England and Wales, meaning bereaved service families based in Scotland have often had to travel long distances to attend the inquest.

This change comes into force on 24th September 2012, when the first Chief Coroner of England and Wales, Judge Peter Thornton QC, will have the power to recommend to the Lord Advocate that an investigation should be transferred to Scotland.

A string of quad bike fatalities in Great Britain has prompted experts to call for more riders to wear safety helmets.

Members of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health’s (IOSH) Rural Industries Group issued a stark warning to those working with quad bikes who are reluctant to wear head protection.

Alan Plom, from the IOSH Rural Industries Group, said: “The majority of those killed riding all terrain vehicles were not wearing a helmet at the time. Riders should always wear suitable head protection, it could mean the difference between life and death – it’s that simple.”

A TUC survey has revealed that despite laws which say employers must give their staff personal protective equipment (PPE) free of charge, more than one in five workers are being forced to pay for it out of their own pocket.

PPE includes protective clothing, helmets and goggles designed to protect workers from injury, electrical hazards, heat, chemicals, and infection. More than one in 10 (11.6%) of those who responded to the TUC questionnaire said that although their work required them to wear safety equipment of some kind, their employer failed to provide or pay for this. A further 8.9% cent were made to pay for any replacement equipment if their original PPE was damaged.

Women workers were even less likely than men to have their safety equipment provided, with more than 15% having to provide all or some of their own attire - usually foot protection or overalls - compared to 10.5% of men.