Examples of Work
Utilities Case Study
Reducing risk when working at height on high voltage transformers
This case study provides a typical example of the work that the Coyle Group undertakes in the utilities industry. In this instance our consultant works with the customer to provide a new safety solution to reduce risk when working at height on high voltage transformers and avoid being in breach of safety, health and welfare legislation.
Read our case studies to see for yourself how valuable our health and safety expertise could be for your business.
Engineering Case Study
Reducing third party risks in the construction supply chain
TierOne's new risk capability maturity model allows organisations to assess their risk across their third-parties and take mitigating action. An industry first, this allows businesses to demonstrate their commitment to high safety and compliance standards not just in their business but across their subcontractors.
Wind Energy Case Study
Improving telehandler safety
On a wind energy construction site in Finland a telehandler was being used inappropriately, ultimately leading to an incident. Our Coyle Group consultant intervened to stop this happening again and improve safety awareness not only on this site but across the whole organisation.
Utilities Case Study
Six months of rapid health and safety improvements
Our Coyle Group consultant drove significant improvements across 63 sub-stations in Ireland in this case study. This mitigated and even, in some cases, eliminated health and safety risks for the customer, making the organisation a safer place to work and avoiding costly legislation breaches.
Wind Energy Case Study
Designing a safe SCADA panel installation approach
In 2017, one of our Coyle Group consultants was appointed to the role of Safety Officer on a wind turbine construction site. Shortly after the project began it became clear that the SCADA system would not safely fit through the door of the substation. Read more in this case study about how our safety officer played a critical role in overcoming this challenge in a safe and effective manner.
Utilities Case Study
Resolving Critical Safety Roles on Site
Roles and responsibilities on construction sites are important, not just for legal compliance but also to ensure that the responsibility for health and safety is clear and standards are maintained to keep workers safe. This case study shows how easy it can be for responsibilities to become confused and breach legislation. Read more to see how the Coyle Group helped resolve a situation where an important role for a utilities customer was unclear.
RIDDOR and COVID-19
Many employers are concerned about their reporting obligations for COVID-19/Coronavirus/SARS-CoV-2 under RIDDOR in the ongoing pandemic. You may be pleased to know that you do not have to report everything to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). We'll provide more info about when, what, and how to report.
The most common concern we've seen recently from employers is whether they need to report all COVID-19 and coronavirus testing results to the HSE. The short answer is no. According to the HSE: “There is no requirement under RIDDOR (The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013) to report incidents of disease or deaths of members of the public, patients, care home residents or service users from COVID-19. The reporting requirements relating to cases of, or deaths from, COVID-19 under RIDDOR apply only to occupational exposure, that is, as a result of a person's work.”
Generally speaking, the ordinary RIDDOR rules already cover COVID-19. You should only make a report under RIDDOR when one of the following circumstances applies:
• an accident or incident at work has or could have caused the release of coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). (Report as Dangerous occurrence)
• a worker is diagnosed with COVID-19 due to occupational exposure. (Report as Disease)
• a worker dies because of occupational coronavirus exposure. (Report as Work-related death due to exposure to a biological agent)
The bottom line is that existing rules cover most COVID-19 measures, and most of the COVID-19 guidance comes from public health authorities rather than the HSE. The environment remains chaotic, but you can minimize your legal exposure by continuing your existing compliance steps. This will include communicating with your insurer about risks, following public health guidance, and communicating regularly with your workers or unions on any of their concerns.
© Gavin Coyle, 2021