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EyeSee  
#1 Posted : 18 December 2012 10:51:35(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
EyeSee

Someone I know working for a company, was spotted by the HSE and was given a prohibition notice for not wearing his safety harness correctly. Work was stopped etc. We're yet to receive the paperwork for it, but will the prohibition notice be raised against the individual or the employer? Obviously the MD of the company is seething and worried it will go against him when completing tenders etc when they ask for "information on notices" etc. Also, I'm right in thinking if they were to appeal (pointless in my eyes, but hey ho), the notice stays in place. Whereas if it was an improvement notice and we appealed, it could be lifted while the appeal took place? Any help would be appreciated. ta
A Kurdziel  
#2 Posted : 18 December 2012 11:06:18(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
A Kurdziel

The PN is an instruction to the employer (ie the company) to stop a particular activity as there is, in the opinion of the inspector, a risk of serious injury to somebody. It should name the company and the activity. It should also explain what you need to do to clear the prohibition. Yes the PN remains in force during an appeal but an improvement notice is suspended during the appeal.
PH2  
#3 Posted : 18 December 2012 11:06:30(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
PH2

Section 24 of the Health and Safety at Work Act sets out the appeal procedures for notices. You are right regarding the Prohibition Notice (PN) staying in place until the appeal can be heard by a tribunal. It is up to the Inspector whether the Notice is issued against the individual employee or the employer. Normally it would be issued against the employer, because the "offence" could be carried out by any of their other employees. PH2
Canopener  
#4 Posted : 18 December 2012 11:07:12(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Canopener

I would suggest the employer. "Also, I'm right in thinking if they were to appeal (pointless in my eyes, but hey ho), the notice stays in place. Whereas if it was an improvement notice and we appealed, it could be lifted while the appeal took place?". I am not sure if this is, or meant to be a rhetorical question, but yes I think you're right in your thinking. Appeal by all means, especially if there is a commercial concern regarding tendered work. The ex enforcers may be of more help, but the 1 PN that I had was resolved very quickly (in 10 minutes) and lifted very quickly as well. Hopefully if you 'work' with the HSE you can get it resolved quickly. FFI?
smitch  
#5 Posted : 18 December 2012 11:16:50(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
smitch

Eyesee http://www.hse.gov.uk/en...otices/notices-types.htm Extract from the above link 17. A prohibition notice may be served on any person in control of a process or a piece of plant subject to the relevant statutory provisions. This includes an employee who may not be aware that the activity is unsafe and is acting in accordance with his/her employer’s instructions. In such circumstances, the employer should be contacted to advise them of the situation and the proposed notice. The inspector may consider serving a notice on both employer and employee. The devil will be in the detail; the Prohibition Notice will detail whether it’s against the person in control of the process/equipment or the company itself (IMHO it will be the latter). As you have stated an appeal can take place; but Notice would stay in place; and as canoper has mentioned Fee For Intervention may well also be forthcoming.
Jake  
#6 Posted : 18 December 2012 12:20:49(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Jake

It's worth noting that even if the PN is "complied" with very quickly and "lifted" that is completely different from being appealing against. Complying with a PN and leaving it at that is accepting that a PN was suitable, the PN will stay on file. A successful appeal against a PN would then wipe the slate clean (i.e. your record would essentially show no notices served).
peter gotch  
#7 Posted : 18 December 2012 13:19:58(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
peter gotch

EyeSee. The notice could have been served against either employer or the employee. When you say you haven't seen the paperwork, do you mean follow up typed copy? Hand written notice should have been given out at the time.
HSSnail  
#8 Posted : 18 December 2012 14:44:04(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
HSSnail

A prohibition notice will not be lifted. You either appeal it or rectify the errors and get on with the work. Depends how this notice was worded. If it simply said work must stop until safety harnesses (or other safe system of work is introduced) then that what you have to do, if it stopped work until all staff were trained then likewise once staff are trained work can continue etc.
farmsafety  
#9 Posted : 18 December 2012 17:12:39(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
farmsafety

EyeSee wrote:
Someone I know working for a company, was spotted by the HSE and was given a prohibition notice for not wearing his safety harness correctly.
Your appeal will only be successful if you can prove that the inspector's opinion was wrong and that the safety harness was correctly worn, or, at least, that the safety harness as worn would have prevented "serious personal injury" if realised. Otherwise, your appeal is futile. Once the harness is "correctly worn" the PN no longer applies. Its purpose is to stop the dangerous activity as observed by the Inspector. However, the Inspector may also be considering a requirement for refresher training to ensure the harness is correctly worn in future.
John J  
#10 Posted : 18 December 2012 19:01:54(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
John J

As Peter says you should have received a written notification.
John J  
#11 Posted : 18 December 2012 19:02:35(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
John J

Should be hand written
paul reynolds  
#12 Posted : 18 December 2012 19:21:24(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
paul reynolds

I would be surprised if the HSE would issue a PN for not wearing a harness correctly. I was told today that a scaffolding company was issues a PN yesterday for working within 1 metre of an open edge without the harness being clipped on, this to be sounds more likely as I know scaffolders are notoriously bad at clipping on where required, taking into account the current SG4 guidance Regards PaulR
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