NEWS
Taranto Limited has been fined £90,000 at Newry Crown Court after pleading guilty to a single health and safety offence, following an investigation by the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI). The investigation followed the death of Matthew Biggerstaff, 21, a production operative on August 3, 2021. He suffered fatal crush injuries while removing concrete from the interior walls of a truck-mounted mixing drum. Taranto had failed to conduct a suitable task-specific risk assessment or implement a safe system of work to mitigate the risk. In a separate investigation, Belfast- based Balloo Hire Centre Ltd was fined £80,000 at Laganside Crown Court after pleading guilty to two health and safety offences. On October 4, 2022, during the loading of a large mobile elevated working platform onto a lorry trailer, it toppled, ejecting the operator, who suffered life- changing injuries. HSENI found the company had failed to adequately identify the risks, provide a banksman to assist the operator or ensure adequate measures were in place to effectively segregate live traffic and pedestrians from the loading operation. www.hseni.gov.uk TWO FIRMS FINED AFTER DEATH AND LIFE- CHANGING INJURIES OF WORKERS
Category winners at the Top 100 Most Influential Women in Construction Awards 2024.
MELANIE DAWSON NAMED LOCAL HERO AMONG TOP 100 MOST INFLUENTIAL WOMEN
Melanie Dawson, creator of Belfast-based digital construction consultancy business Origin7 Ltd, has been named a Local Hero at the Top 100 Most Influential Women in Construction Awards 2024. Melanie is a Fellow of the Institute of Civil Engineers and a non-executive board member of BuildData Group. She began her career in construction in 2004, and worked for leading firms operating across NI, the UK and Ireland before specialising in Building Information Modelling. The awards, which celebrate and honour outstanding individuals within the sector, took place on September 30 at
Birmingham’s Burlington Hotel. Organised by CITB and hosted by NFB, the event showcases influential women working in construction, making female and non-binary role models more visible and accessible to inspire others. Danny Clarke, Engagement Director at CITB, said, “The award ceremony and Top 100 shortlist celebrate the women that work at every level within the sector and their phenomenal achievements, while inspiring others and encouraging the next generation to pursue careers in this field.” www.citb.co.uk
NI CONSTRUCTION PLATFORM WINS MENTAL HEALTH INNOVATION AWARD
Building Mental Health Alliance (BMHA), an initiative created by the construction industry in Northern Ireland, has won a prestigious Safety Groups UK (SGUK) Award for Innovation 2024. The accolade celebrates BMHA’s pioneering Mental Health in Construction Signposting Service, a vital resource launched in 2022
L-R: Ian Coombes, SGUK, Ernie Spence, BMHA, Andrew Cooke, GRAHAM, Rachel Dorovatas, CITBNI, and Norman Stevenson and Stephen Laws, SGUK.
to address the mental health challenges faced by workers in the construction sector. BMHA was formed by 26 organisations committed to tackling mental health concerns in the trade, addressing a critical need for awareness, accessible support and employee training. Partners include GRAHAM, Farrans, Henry Brothers, CITB NI, CEF, McLaughlin and Harvey, Northern Ireland Safety Group, and collectively represent over 12,000 construction employees and a combined turnover of £2.3bn. The Mental Health in Construction Signposting Service, easily accessible via a QR code, offers users a straightforward route to a wide range of mental health resources, including helpline numbers and online support. Statistics have shown high engagement with the service, highlighting its effectiveness. www.citbni.org.uk/Building-Mental-Health-Alliance.aspx
Matthew Biggerstaff.
www.nibuilder.co.uk
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