The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecuted Merthyr Industrial Services (Biomass) Limited following an investigation of its premises as part of HSE’s response to the outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease along the Heads of the Valleys corridor in September 2010.

HSE inspectors visited the Penygarnddu Industrial Estate premises on 8 September 2010 and found that over a period of five weeks, the company had sporadically been operating a cooling tower on site without taking appropriate measures to control the risk of proliferation of the Legionella bacteria.

A Prohibition Notice was immediately served preventing the cooling tower from being used until all appropriate controls were put in place.

Merthyr Industrial Services (Biomass) Limited of Penygarnddu Industrial Estate, Merthyr Tydfil pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 8(1) of the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002, and Regulation 3(1) of the Notification of Cooling Towers and Evaporative Condensers Regulations 1992.

Today at Merthyr Tyfdil Magistrates’ Court they were fined £600 and ordered to pay full costs of £8,577.

The Legionnaires’ outbreak was declared on 3 September 2010 and was officially announced as over on 12 October 2010.

The multi-agency investigation revealed that no single source was identified for the outbreak, but investigations suggested a number of different possible sources accounted for the cases.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Stuart Charles said:

“While it is not alleged this company was one of the sources of the Legionnaires’ disease outbreak last year, it is essential that companies operating cooling towers fully understand the risks of Legionella, and the steps they need to take to control that risk.

“Operating a cooling tower, even for short periods, without the proper controls in place can present a significant risk to employees and members of public.

“It is important companies comply with the legal requirement to notify Local Authorities if they are operating a cooling tower. If an outbreak occurs, this information is vital to the Outbreak Control Team when planning a response.

Mr Haider Zaman, 53, trading as Pride Builders, was prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) for ignoring two Improvement Notices served while he was refurbishing two residential properties in the Cathays area of Cardiff (pictured).

During an unannounced inspection of the two sites on 1 March 2011, HSE inspectors found sub-standard safety measures in relation to working at height, asbestos safety and structural stability and issued three Prohibition Notices ordering Mr Zaman to cease work immediately.

Two Improvement Notices relating to asbestos safety training and health and safety competence training were subsequently served to Mr Zaman.

Cardiff Magistrates’ Court heard the Improvement Notices served on Mr Zaman gave him until 10 May 2011 to make the necessary improvements. However, on returning to the site a week later HSE inspectors found the notices had not been complied with, and identified further sub-standard control measures for working at height.

Mr Haider Zaman, trading as Pride Builders, of 174 Mackintosh Place, Cardiff pleaded guilty to two breaches of Section 33 (1)(g) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. He was fined a total of £1,280 and ordered to pay costs of £1,500 as well as a victim surcharge of £15.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector David Kirkpatrick said:

HSE inspectors found sub-standard safety measures in relation to working at height

"HSE inspectors take enforcement action where the risks justify the action to ensure that people’s health and safety is not put at risk.

"We cannot tolerate non-compliance with enforcement notices and will prosecute. The enforcement notices in this case are two of many served by HSE construction inspectors during a recent focus on the construction and refurbishment industry in Cardiff.

"Construction is a high risk industry and if workers are not to die or suffer life-changing injury, it is essential that everyone meets basic and sensible standards of safety."

HSE serves Prohibition Notices where there is a clear, immediate risk of death or injury to employees or members of the public. Improvement Notices allow a limited time to raise safety standards.

During 2009/10, 77 workers were injured in Cardiff while working in construction. UK-wide, 42 workers died and nearly three quarters of these occurred during refurbishment, repair and maintenance activities.

The StartUp Britain campaign bus will be in Cardiff on Monday August 22 at the top of the Churchill Way junction with Queen Street from 1pm until 4pm.

StartUp Britain is a major enterprise initiative for entrepreneurs and will carry out a bus tour of some of the UK’s entrepreneurial hot spots in a bid to celebrate, inspire and accelerate Britain’s start-up talent.

Throughout August and September, the StartUp Britain bus will visit 14 locations across the country with the aim of encouraging more people to start and grow their own business.

The campaign team for StartUp Britain will travel on the bus, complete with experts, mentors, entrepreneurs and small business authors, to locations including Brighton, Cardiff, Cambridge, Birmingham, Sheffield and York.  Once on board the bus, entrepreneurs will receive mentoring, business advice and take part in speed networking sessions from successful entrepreneurs and business leaders.

The StartUp Britain campaign shines a spotlight on the vast array of business support that is available online.  The organisation is backed by a number of companies who have pledged their support to Britain’s budding entrepreneurs and small business owners.  The tour will be joined by StartUp Britain’s founding sponsors: AXA, Barclays, Dell, Intel, Intuit, Microsoft, MITIE and PayPal, who will each be giving specialist business advice and discounts to entrepreneurs across the UK.

Councillor Neil McEvoy, Deputy Leader of Cardiff Council with responsibility for Economic Development, said:  “Small businesses in Cardiff are so important in contributing to the development of the city’s economy and a campaign such as StartUp Britain is a wonderful opportunity for our new starts and entrepreneurs to benefit from, especially in such a difficult economic climate.  I’d like to thank the organisers for coming to Cardiff and providing a unique opportunity and I would encourage businesses and entrepreneurs go along and meet the StartUp Cardiff campaign team.”

Richard Thomas, Managing Director of Cardiff & Co, said:  “This visit is a fantastic opportunity for Cardiff’s budding entrepreneurs to gain the vital advice and guidance they need to develop their business ideas.  In the current climate, businesses need as much support as they can get and by inviting the bus tour here, we are demonstrating one of the many ways that we can assist in supporting Cardiff’s business development growth.”

For more details and to register interest in boarding the bus, please visit the campaign website at http://www.startupbritain.org/summerbustour/

Darren Gillard, 46, from Splott, was employed by Euro Clad Ltd to make metal roof panels at the company’s Wentloog factory.

On 19 April 2010 he was operating a machine that positions wooden blocks beneath packs of roof panels on the production line when some of the blocks became jammed in the machinery. Walking into the enclosure with the machine still in ‘automatic’ mode, he reached under the machine to reach the jammed bearers and free them.

However, once the blockage was removed, the machinery started up again and crushed his wrist between the bearer and the base frame.

Mr. Gillard was taken to hospital where he underwent three operations to insert a metal plate into his wrist, and skin graft treatment to serious skin abrasions sustained in the incident. He was only able to return to work four months later.

Cardiff Crown Court today heard that he was able to gain access to the production line through a defective interlocked gate in the two-metre high perimeter fence that surrounded it. An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive revealed the gate had been interfered with and tied open.

This was deemed to be common practice due to a high number of jams that occurred, with workers regularly passing the gate without correctly stopping and isolating the machine.

HSE prosecuted Euro Clad Ltd, of Wentloog Corporate Park, Wentloog, for failing to take effective measures to prevent access to dangerous parts of machinery, and for not checking the guards or interlocks were in place at the time.

The company had previously pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 11(3) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment. Today at Cardiff Crown Court, it was fined £20,000 and ordered to pay costs of £6,000.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Paul Cartwright said:

"This was a very serious injury and one that has had a significant impact on Mr. Gillard. The case demonstrates the importance of ensuring that machinery guards and protective systems remain effective. Employers need to regularly monitor practices and rectify any problems promptly. HSE will not hesitate to take action where employers fail to ensure that protective measures are in place.

"In this case, there was no such monitoring, and a dangerous system was allowed to exist for some time before it was highlighted by a serious and wholly avoidable incident."

Even though the Office for National Statistics says the “special factors” such as the unusually warm weather, the Royal Wedding and the Japanese tsunami reduced the overall figure; commentators are bound to point out that the Royal wedding was almost universally acclaimed as a fillip for the sagging economy. The truth is, consumer confidence is ebbing away as purse strings tighten and employers are starting to feel the pinch of an economy that is not yet dead, but rapidly getting there. The growth of just 0.2% over the last nine months is parlous and compares very unfavourably with the figures Gordon Brown’s strategy posted of 2.1% in the previous nine months.

Once again, the OBR will have to downgrade its forecast – the fourth time since it was established just over a year ago.

Osborne’s supporters are casting around for objects of blame, but the real comparison is with Germany and France, both of whom have enjoyed good growth in the same period as a result of their economic policies and in reality it is the polices of the government of starving the economy and imposing higher tax on purchases that are causing the steady slide to another recession.

When Alistair Darling reduced VAT to 15 per cent during the financial crisis, consumers spent £9bn more than they otherwise would have done. A similar reduction would enhance consumer confidence and get the economy going again. Osborne is getting it wrong – the figures don’t lie.

Osborne remains bullish however, saying “The positive news is that the British economy is continuing to grow and is creating jobs. And it is positive news too at a time of real international instability we are a safe haven in the storm. Our economy is stable at this time because this Government has taken the difficult decisions to get to grips with Britain’s debts. Abandoning that now, as some argue we should, would only risk British jobs and growth.”

Meanwhile, the government is following Gordon Brown’s lead by introducing more Quantitative Easing into the economy, something that has largely gone uncommented on, except from the increasingly isolated Vince Cable.

NSPCC and SPAR today (4 July) launched ‘Recipe for ChildLine’, a new initiative to get the people of Cardiff reminiscing, sharing and making their favourite childhood recipes, whilst raising money for the 24 hour helpline for children and young people.

Dishes can range from local traditional dishes such as Bara Brith, passed through the generations to simple classics that stir up special memories, smells and tastes from childhood.

For every recipe that is uploaded to www.spar.co.uk/FoodAndDrink/Recipes/SubmityourRecipe , SPAR will donate £4 to ChildLine, a service of the NSPCC. It costs the NSPCC £4 to answer a call to ChildLine, so every recipe uploaded will make sure there is someone there to answer a child’s call.

Joanna Leonard, local community fundraising manager, will be uploading her favourite recipe for Polish Cake.

She said: “Chocolate Polish Cake was one of my favourite home made treats when I was growing up!  I make it now with my own children and it brings back lots of happy memories.  I hope my own children will remember how much fun we had when we baked. Recipe for ChildLine is a really great initiative to get families reminiscing and spending time together, while also helping vulnerable children and young people. I hope many more people will get involved and share their favourite recipes.”

Maia Riley, SPAR’s spokesperson for South Wales, said: “Every family has their favourite food from childhood and we’re on a mission to get them cooking it! Whether you like bread and butter pudding with custard, an old fashioned curry or cottage pie, we want as many people as possible to upload their recipes and share their memories in aid of ChildLine.

“SPAR is at the heart of local communities and as a business, we strive to be there for our customers. Last year ChildLine counsellors responded to nearly 670,000 contacts from children and young people about a wide range of concerns, including family relationship problems, bullying and physical abuse.¹ Today we are asking our customers to help ChildLine be there for any child who needs support.”

The NSPCC and SPAR have been working in partnership for five years and have already raised over £2.5 million to help protect children across the UK.

Funds raised from ‘Recipe for ChildLine’ will allow the helpline to answer many more calls and online messages from worried or upset children and young people.

To upload your favourite recipe from your childhood visit www.spar.co.uk/FoodAndDrink/Recipes/SubmityourRecipe

The scandal involves more than a thousand employers who have made underpayments of nearly one and half million pounds and it seems Cardiff employers are the worst offenders, with Swansea and Llandudno following close behind. The worst industry for underpaying employers is the hospitality sector.

Ms Wood said: “Low paid workers must be protected, but the law must be brought down as hard on employers as it is with benefit fraud. Why are prosecutions not brought against employers? Why are benefit claimants and rogue employers not treated the same?”

The Plaid Cymru Assembly Member went on to say she had approached the government and had received assurances that Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs would press for prosecution where there is clear evidence that an employer has committed an offence. Despite these assurances, nothing to date has happened.

A Cardiff manufacturing firm has been fined after a worker broke his wrist when his glove became entangled in an unguarded drill.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecuted Elmatic (Cardiff) Ltd following the incident at its factory in Wentloog Road, Rumney on 11 March 2009.

Cardiff Magistrates’ Court heard that 21-year-old employee Lee Baker had been asked to drill holes in metal boxes despite not usually working with the drill and having no formal training on how to use it.

The pillar drill Mr Baker was using did not have an appropriate guard fitted and when positioning one of the components for drilling his glove became tangled. He fractured his wrist in two places and needed to have plates inserted.

HSE had previously taken formal action against the company, in 2002 and 2009, to ensure that drills were adequately guarded.

Elmatic (Cardiff) Ltd, registered to Wyndham Crescent, Canton, Cardiff, pleaded guilty to a charge under Regulation 11 of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998. They were fined £8,000 and ordered to pay £6,691.45 costs.

HSE inspector Hugh Emment said:

"HSE has warned this company before about not providing suitable guards on drills of this type, and while they did initially heed these warnings, the safety standards were not maintained.

"Mr Baker had not been trained to use this drill, nor had he been told about the dangers of wearing gloves while using drills. This is a well known risk in the manufacturing industry, and it resulted in a serious injury to Mr Baker."

In March 2002, Elmatic (Cardiff) Ltd received an immediate prohibition notice relating to the use and guarding of three pillar drills, and this was followed by written advice from an HSE inspector. During the investigation in to the incident on 11 March 2009 the company received an immediate prohibition notice, on 24 April 2009, for failures relating to guarding on a pillar drill and deficiencies in operator training.

Both Tom and Jonny – an established member of the Wales senior men’s side, previously played for Swansea Bay Hockey Club but moved to Whitchurch to help with the Club’s aim of breaking into the England Hockey League Premier Division. 

Whitchurch are the only Welsh club offering men’s national league hockey and play in the England Hockey League West Conference, where they finished a creditable fourth last season.  The club’s first team are regular winners of hockey trophies and hockey medals, including the Welsh Championship, Welsh Cup and Welsh Indoor Cup.

Speaking at Cardiff Central station, Tom and Jonny said; "We are delighted to receive support with our travel arrangements between Swansea and Cardiff.  It makes life much easier and less stressful for both of us as we live and work in Swansea and need to travel to Cardiff to meet training and match commitments each week.  Not only is there a cost saving on petrol money, but we don’t have to battle through rush-hour traffic to make it in time for training."

Geraint Morgan, community affairs manager for Arriva Trains Wales, said: “As the only Welsh hockey Club playing in the England Hockey League, we’re delighted to offer our support to Tom and Jonny.  The sponsorship forms part of our policy to support organisations in the communities we serve and in this case, help them achieve their goal of reaching the premier division of English hockey.”

David Lermon, Wales director of ICAEW

Confidence among business professionals in Wales has improved only marginally in the last three months, failing to keep pace with the rest of the UK, according to the latest ICAEW UK Business Confidence Monitor (BCM).

A total of 70 senior business professionals in Wales were interviewed and the UK Business Confidence Monitor (BCM) from Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales recorded a Confidence Index score of 17.7, a rise of just 0.8 points from the third quarter of 2009. Wales is now nearly seven points below the UK average although year on year Wales’ Confidence Index score has increased more than the UK average.

The UK economy is undoubtedly in better shape: Michael Izza – Chief Executive of the ICAEW

Over the months of June, July and August more than a quarter of all UK job losses (24,000) occurred in Wales. However, firms in Wales are more optimistic about employment prospects over the coming year. They expect average number of employees to increase by 0.9% over the coming 12 months, in line with the UK average.

David Lermon, ICAEW director for Wales, said: “Results show clearly that while business confidence is improving, the speed of that improvement in Wales is slower than across many other parts of the UK.

“Job losses in Wales are running faster than other parts of the UK although the survey suggests that firms are optimistic that they will be taking on more employees during the next year.

“Although jobs are being lost there has been some good news with the opening of the £675m St David’s 2 shopping development in Cardiff, which has created considerable employment, and in North Wales Airbus is investing hundreds of millions of pounds in its business at Broughton.

“But public sector spending accounts for a higher proportion of overall economic output in Wales than the rest of the UK, so Wales is likely to be hit harder from the UK Government spending squeeze, imposed by Whitehall.”

Steep contractions in several key indicators of business health are expected to be followed by strong improvements over the next year. Having seen gross profits decline by 4.2% over the last 12 months – the steepest decline for any part of the UK – firms in Wales now expect surpluses to grow by 5.2% over the coming 12 months.

Sales volumes, which contracted by 4.7% over the last year – also the largest contraction in the UK – are now forecast to grow by 4.9%, the fastest regional growth rate forecast this quarter. If delivered, some of this expected increase will be the result of a strong rebound in trading following a particularly harsh decline. The positive outlook for sales is also reflected in the fact that the region’s Confidence Index score has increased by 70 points since Q4 2008, which is more than the UK average.

Welsh firms expect turnover to rise by 5.4% on average over the coming year, the strongest rate of growth forecast by any part of the UK this quarter.

Business professionals in Wales also expect capital investments by their own firms to pick up over the coming year. A 2.5% increase is forecast, reversing the 1.4% contraction seen year to date.

Reflecting the fact that output is currently operating close to 6.0% below capacity, firms in Wales expect price pressures to remain relatively weak. After seeing 0.7% growth over the last 12 months, Welsh businesses expect selling prices to rise by 0.9% over the coming year. For the first time, expected price growth is above expected growth in input prices for the coming year, which is at a record low rate of 0.4%.

Wales is likely to be disproportionately affected by an expected period of fiscal consolidation, as public spending accounts for roughly 67% of Welsh output, second only in the UK to Northern Ireland. The NHS – which employs around 90,000 staff in Wales, making it the largest single employer in the region – has already warned of cuts in jobs and services because of funding pressures.

Further, firms in Wales remain considerably more likely than in the rest of the UK to complain about the level of government support for business. Roughly one in seven firms (14%) report level of government support for their business to be a greater challenge to performance than a year ago, a larger proportion than any other part of the UK and compared to a UK average of 6%.

Michael Izza, Chief Executive of the ICAEW, said: “The UK economy is undoubtedly in better shape than this time last year and the improvement in confidence shows the relief businesses feel to have kept their heads above water. Although we are still on track for a return to economic growth, the recovery is very fragile and will take time. Tightening of fiscal policy, the return to the 17.5% VAT rate, continued difficulties accessing finance and a budget Christmas by consumers are all potential threats to this recovery.

“Businesses are backing the recovery but banks are not. Access to capital continues to be a problem despite government reassurances and a willingness to invest by companies. We cannot emphasise enough the fragility of the recovery. This month’s Queen’s Speech and the upcoming Pre-Budget Report are effectively the starting guns for next year’s General Election. Policy makers need to be careful that the measures they announce support the recovery rather than unintentionally threaten it.”