Nine "apprentice" workers died whilst receiving Government funded training, CCA investigation reveals

In the last twenty months, nine apprentice workers - all under the age of 23 - have been killed on work placements as part of Government funded courses, the Centre for Corporate Accountability can reveal.

It is not known how many apprentices have been injured.

The release of these figures comes on the day (Wednesday 19th May 2004) that the Safety Minister will be giving oral evidence to the Select Committee on Work and Pensions concerning the work of the Health and safety Commission.

One of the deaths has resulted in a director and company being prosecuted for manslaughter. The trial is due to take place later this year at Exeter Crown Court.

One other death has resulted in companies pleading guilty to health and safety offences, whilst five of the deaths continue to be under investigation.

At the time of the deaths, all of the apprentices were on vocational courses funded by the government's Learning Skills Council - which funds all post-16 training and education for young people. They died whilst undertaking the work-placement part of their course/apprenticeship.

The numbers and details of the deaths have been confirmed by the Health and Safety Executive.

To read about the deaths, click here.

The Centre for Corporate Accountability started to investigate this issue after two bereaved families contacted the CCA's advice service. David Bergman, Director of the Centre for Corporate Accountability said:

"The manner in which these young people have come to their deaths is truly shocking. The high numbers of deaths of young people on apprenticeships needs to be taken very seriously by the Government, and of course by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

It is not just the immediate employers who have duties under health and safety law towards the apprenticeships. According to HSE guidance, any college must: "do what is reasonably practicable to ensure that students are not placed in a working environment where there are significant risks to their health and safety." (1)

The HSE reports that in 2002/3 there were a total of 21 workers between the ages of 16 to 24 who died at work. This is a 20% increase from the previous year where 16 workers died. To read more about the numbers of workers who died in the last two years, click here.

Details about these 'apprentice' deaths emerged as the Government announced last week a big expansion in the funding of apprenticeships.

It also comes at time when the HSE has been forced - due to reduction in government spending on health and safety - to make a number of cuts to its activities. The most recent 2002 Government funding settlement - which gave HSE's administrative budget £10 million over a three year period - will result in the HSE spending less in 2005/6 than in 2003/4: a simple inflation increase would have resulted in the HSE having £11 million more to spend in 2005/6 than it will now do. To read about the details of HSE funding, click here.

In its written evidence to the Select Committee, the Health and Safety Commission publicly accepted for the first time that the HSE will have to make cuts in its activities. It stated:

"Following a modest increase in resources, [the] Spending review 2002 set a baseline which rises slightly in 2003/4, and 2004/5 and drops back in 2005/6. When rising costs are taken into account this represents a significant reduction in spending power.

"To meet this we have adopted a financial strategy of efficiencies and costs reductions."

David Bergman, Director of the Centre for Corporate Accountability said:

"The government's recent funding decisions - which is forcing the HSE to reduce the number of inspectors - will inevitably make it more difficult for the HSE to ensure that those companies that employ apprentices are complying with health and safety law."

When we asked the HSE its view on the number of deaths and whether it was a matter of concern, the HSE stated

"HSE does have concerns. Young workers and trainees in new workplaces are vulnerable and it is therefore important that adequate assessments are made by training providers of the health and safety risks involved for trainees. HSE has been in dialogue with LSC and DfES since LSC came into being (April 2001) to secure appropriate health & safety arrangements.

HSE met with the LSC at senior level in September 2003 to discuss roles and responsibilities for health and safety. Subsequently, early in 2004, LSC introduced general structural and personnel changes. As part of this change, a new health & safety policy was introduced and a new Health & Safety Manager appointed. HSE is working with him to support implementation of the new policy and to ensure that the there are clear channels of communication between the two organisations (a meeting has been arranged for late June)".

For further information

CCA - Press Inquiries Contact: David Bergman

020 7490 4494 (office) 07967 078392 (mobile)

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Details of eight of the Nine Deaths

17 year old Steven Burke died on 30 January 2004 after falling from a height whilst constructing a scaffold at the Davyhulme Waste Water Treatment in Manchester. He was employed by 3-D Scaffolding Ltd whose principal contractor was Mowlem PLC. Investigations are continuing.

23 year old Richard Hargrave was electrocuted at work on 27 May 2003 whilst working for the company, Bolton at Home, the organisation that manages Bolton Council's housing stock. He was working on the mains supply at a council flat in Oak Avenue in Horwich, Bolton. Investigations are continuing.

20 year old John Wing was crushed to death on 17 July 2003 whilst working on a "cherry picker" at Guardian Glass.

19 year old Mark Rushby died on 13 January 2003 whilst employed by Hutchinson Engineering Services Ltd in Nottinghamshire installing pipework on top of a spray booth.

19 year old Rebecca Davies was dragged to her death on 24 September 2002 whilst exercising horses for a leading county racing trainer.

18 year old Grant Meyrick received serious injuries after being crushed by a digger on a building site in North Staffordshire in August 2003. He died two weeks later on 26 August. He was employed by Paul Gracey Brickwork Contractor. The Principal Contractor was Taylor Woodrow. Investigations are continuing.

21 year old Benjamin Pinkham received serious burn injuries on 3 February 2003 when an explosion took place in a storage tank in which he was working. He died five days later. He was working for Nationwide Heating Services Ltd at Princes Yacht International in Plymouth. Nationwide Heating Services Ltd and its director, Alan James Mark, have been charged with manslaughter.

22 year old James West was crushed to death on 10 September 2002 by falling steel whilst working for Northern Engineering and Fabrications Ltd based on the Cleveland Industrial Estate in Darlington. An over-head crane, operated by an untrained colleague of Jame',s knocked over steel sillages onto James. The company pleaded guilty to health and safety offences in June 2003 and was fined £10,000.

Another person suffered fatal burns in February 2004 after an explosion a garage forecourt. No details are available.

 

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Footnoote

Managing Health and Safety on Work Experience: A guide for Organisers (2000) (HSG199)

It should be noted that in adverts in national papers on monday 10 March, Members of the Apprenticeship task force are quoted as saying:

"Using apprenticeships to address skills and shortages, businesses in sectors from engineering to retail have reduced their costs and improved their competitiveness, productivity and staff retention."

Their must be a concern that some companies are doing this at the expense of the safety of the apprentices.

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