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12 Health & Safety In partnership with Citation - www.citation.co.ukALCOHOLDevice tests workers’ alcohol levels quickly and easilyWorkers’ alcohol levelscan now be tested quicklyand easily using a newfingerprint device whichgives instant results.The device, AlcoSenseTruTouch, was launched inMarch and uses a nearinfraredlight to measureblood alcohol content inthe skin. Users put theirfingers on an opticaltouch pad and the readergives a result within tenseconds, meaning 300employees an hour canbe processed.The website ofAlcoDigital, the companymarketing the newdevice, says: “Testingevery person, every daychanges the underlyingbehaviour itself.”However, unions havesaid routine alcohol testingis an unnecessaryimposition while anemployment lawyer saidemployers thinking of testingworkers should bewary.Dave Prentis, generalsecretary of UNISON, saidFirm fined after pallet stackcollapses and kills workeran increase in alcoholtests would be a mistakeand was “a sledgehammerto crack a nut.”He added: 'If workershave a problem with alcohol,their employersshould not be relying on agadget to entrap them butshould be providing themwith proper support.”Employment lawyerPhilip Landau, writing inthe Guardian, warnedthat employers should notrush into testing. “In orderto protect themselves,A Nuneaton storage and distribution firm has been fined after a workerwas killed when a tall stack of empty wooden pallets toppled on to him.Marcin Rogala, 29, was working at Ralph Coleman International Ltdon the Bermuda Industrial Estate in Nuneaton when the incident happenedon 9 November 2010.Warwick Crown Court was told that Mr Rogala and his colleagueswere gathering up fallen pallets from a tall stack that had collapsed inthe yard.As Mr Rogala and other workers removed the wooden pallets, anothertall stack toppled over. Others jumped clear but Mr Rogala wasstruck by the pallets, which weighed 36kg each, and died after sustainingmultiple injuries.An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found thata lack of effective management control over operations in the palletyard, combined with high stock levels, had led to an unsafe environmentand stacks being made too tall.Ralph Coleman International Ltd, pleaded guilty to breaching Section2(1) of the Health & Safety at Work etc Act 1974. The company wasfined £75,000 and ordered to pay costs of £25,316.Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Roger Amery said: “Thisdeath was a tragedy which could have been prevented if this companyhad given proper and thoughtful attention to its pallet yard operation.Its failure to do so put other workers at risk and led to the death of MrRogala.“Lots of firms form unsupported or freestanding stacks in their yards.I hope this death and the penalty imposed prompts them to check thecondition and height of their stacks so that this doesn’t happen again.”most employers shouldmake sure that any testingcomplies with the higheststandards and processes,following industry bestpractice and using a fullyaccredited, professionaland independent serviceprovider,” he wrote. “Itremains to be seen howmany will be tempted tofrequently test their staffwith little or no notice. It isnot too difficult to seewhat that might do to staffmorale if the practicebecomes widespread.”FATAL ACCIDENTWorkerkilled byrunawaylorryA lorry driver diedwhen he was run overby his own lorry, acourt has heard.Father-of-threeGary Walters, 51, wasworking forGloucester-based contracthaulier LarkinsLogistics Ltd when thefatal incident occurredon 11 October 2010.He was collecting atrailer loaded withstructural concreteproducts from BisonManufacturing Ltd inSwadlincote,Derbyshire. He failedto apply the brake inhis cab and, becauseBison's drivers had notMay 2013www.ukwa.org.uk