Solution to HMRC's RTI program installation

For those, like me, that get an error message with HMRC's RTI program on a new computer (and get no help from HMRC) then this is the solution from Phil Shepton:

Solved this one on Win 10 64bit saying I haven't got permission. This was a new laptop.

You do not need to alter any permissions at all or mess with security in any way. This is a totally safe and simple process. It does not alter windows files or settings in any way.

Install the RTI as usual and run it, when it says you don't have permission to access database just close RTI.

Open windows explorer, at the top go to 'view' and tick 'hidden items' and 'file extensions'

1) Get a current backup which is in zip format and open it in windows explorer. You will see three files.

2) Highlight and Copy these three files. (no need to extract them first, just copy them)

3) Go to c:\users\**your username**\appdata\roaming\HMRC\payetools-rti folder

4) delete the files in here including the sqlite3.db file which is causing the problem

5) paste the files from your backup in this folder (includes a new sqlite3.db file)

RTI will now open

Open RTI Basic tools and your current data will load.

Hope it helps, it took an hour to figure this way of doing it, , but at least it works.

Solution to HMRC's RTI program installation

For those, like me, that get an error message with HMRC's RTI program on a new computer (and get no help from HMRC) then this is the solution from Phil Shepton:

Solved this one on Win 10 64bit saying I haven't got permission. This was a new laptop.

You do not need to alter any permissions at all or mess with security in any way. This is a totally safe and simple process. It does not alter windows files or settings in any way.

Install the RTI as usual and run it, when it says you don't have permission to access database just close RTI.

Open windows explorer, at the top go to 'view' and tick 'hidden items' and 'file extensions'

1) Get a current backup which is in zip format and open it in windows explorer. You will see three files.

2) Highlight and Copy these three files. (no need to extract them first, just copy them)

3) Go to c:\users\**your username**\appdata\roaming\HMRC\payetools-rti folder

4) delete the files in here including the sqlite3.db file which is causing the problem

5) paste the files from your backup in this folder (includes a new sqlite3.db file)

RTI will now open

Open RTI Basic tools and your current data will load.

Hope it helps, it took an hour to figure this way of doing it, , but at least it works.

Lack of guarding causes loss of 2 fingers in power press

Roberts Metal Packaging Limited, a London-based metal packaging company was fined £10,520 (inc.costs) after a worker trapped his hand in a power press and lost two fingers.

The circumstances were:

• The company had failed to prevent access to this dangerous part of the machinery.
• An employee got his left hand trapped underneath the punch on a mechanical power-press.
• He suffered severe damage to his hand including the loss of 2 fingers

Company fined £287,000 after confined space incident

John Pointon and Sons Limited, a food waste disposal and recycling firm, was fined £287,362 (inc.costs) after three employees were overcome by toxic gases, including hydrogen sulphide, and a reduced oxygen atmosphere in an animal waste facility.

The circumstances were:

• The company had been prosecuted twice before for two fatal incidents which involved confined space entry.
• The company still had no confined spaces procedure.
• On 23 April 2014, an employee accessed a compartment within an animal waste trailer to free animal waste and was overcome by the gases.
• Subsequently, two further employees entered the waste compartment and were also overcome by the gases.

Hereford company and their H&S advisor fined after person became skin sensitised to ingredients in rubber sealant

Hereford-based TRP Polymer Solutions Limited, which manufactures rubber sealants, was fined £46,529 (inc.costs) after a worker contracted allergic contact dermatitis.

The circumstances were:

• Employees were exposed to sensitising ingredients in rubber compounds.
• The company’s health and safety advisor failed to understand the underlying issues to the level required for the company to understand its responsibilities.
• The company failed to assess risks from products used or manage those risks.
• The employee contracted the skin disease

The company’s health and safety advisor was fined £1200 (inc.costs) for failing to carry out her duty under the act to a level of competence expected by someone carrying out her role.

Don't omit to gather evidence at the time of an accident at work

Of course, what we really want to do is avoid accidents but they sometimes happen.

If someone has been injured, then the first task must be to carry out first aid and call an ambulance if appropriate. 
And then you need to ensure that the workplace is safe.

But, you mustn't relax once that is done and I've seen many instances where people have failed to carry out the following steps:

1. Take photographs of the accident scene. It may be necessary to do some of this before the workplace is made safe. As cameras are now on everyone's mobile phone, then this is dead easy.
2. Gather any items which may be relevant to the accident.  Even if they are broken, do not throw these away.
3. Then carry out an investigation

More information on how to investigate an accident are available at http://bit.ly/1UiTAsV

£227,000 fine for hand arm vibration cases.

Asset International Limited, a pipe manufacturing company based in Newport, was fined £227,724 (inc.costs) for seven instances of safety failings caused by the use of vibrating tools.

The circumstances were:

• Employees of Asset International Limited used vibrating tools.
• Neither a sufficient risk assessment nor health surveillance had been carried out.
• Proper training had not been carried out and there were no practical controls to reduce vibration risk.
• There were seven reported cases of Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS) or Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) between April 2014 and July 2015.

The HSE inspector said: “The serious and irreversible risks from Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome caused by work with vibrating tools are well known and guidance has been in place since the early 1990s. This case shows there is no excuse for not putting in place a management system which includes risk assessment, control measures, health surveillance and information and training to reduce these risks to as low a level as is reasonably practicable.”