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From January 2015 the paper part of the driving licence will officially disappear as the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) continues its aim to digitise motorists’ records.

The traditional paper tax disc has been replaced by an electronic system from October 2014, which ministers believe will streamline services and save money.

Last October, the Department for Transport launched a review into how to make the DVLA “deliver better services and save money for the taxpayer”.

Stephen Hammond, roads minister, concluded in a report that one of the main reforms would be to “remove the driving licence paper counterpart.”

But what does this mean for the 46 million motorists in Britain, particularly for those who only have the paper component of the licence?

The DVLA says you do not need to take any action. The paper licence will continue to be valid – at least until it needs to renewed.

Those who have an old style paper driving licence issued before the photocard was introduced in 1998, this change won’t affect you, and you should keep your licence.

The next time you need to update your name, address or renew your licence, you will be issued with a photocard only.

Those who have the photocard should continue using it, remembering to renew it when necessary (gov.uk/renew-driving-licence). Motorists could face a £1,000 fine if they are caught with an invalid licence.

The DVLA confirmed that there would be no charge for changing an old style paper licence to a photocard licence with a change of details.

However, once the motorist has the photocard licence, they will have to pay £20 each time it is renewed (every 10 years). Paper licences do not need to be renewed.

Anyone over the age of 70 will need to renew their licence every three years, updating it with any medical conditions. This is free of charge. If a driver updated their licence with a change of address, name or notified a medical conditions then the updated licence issued will be a photocard licence.

Holiday-makers hiring a vehicle abroad should speak with the hire company before leaving. The old style paper licence will continue to be valid and we are able to confirm to a company, with the driver’s permission, the driving entitlements they hold. However, drivers may wish to check with the car hire company their requirements for proof of driving entitlement before travelling.

A thorough examination is a systematic and detailed examination of the lift and all its associated equipment, carried out by a competent person. Its aim is to detect any defects, which are, or might become, dangerous. The competent person is required to issue you with a report highlighting any defects and, if appropriate, the enforcing authority, so that appropriate remedial action can be taken. Whilst similar to an MOT inspection, it should not be confused with preventive maintenance. Begin by clarifying what lifting equipment you own. Under the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER), lifting equipment includes any equipment that is used at work for lifting or lowering loads, e.g. forklift trucks, goods and passenger lifts, and includes attachments, e.g. slings. Lifting attachments are included because they play the most safety-critical roles and are more prone to damage throughout their working lives.

5 Top Tips for Ensuring the Safety of Your Lifting Equipment If you own lifting equipment, you must:

1. Ensure you maintain the lifting equipment so that it is safe to use.
2. In addition, ensure the lifting equipment is thoroughly examined at the correct intervals: lifting equipment used for lifting persons must be thoroughly examined at least every six months; lifting accessories must be examined every six months; all other lifting equipment must be thoroughly examined at least every 12 months and every time exceptional circumstances occur, e.g. an accident involving lifting equipment, after extended periods without proper servicing or maintenance or after long periods out of use/after substantial modification of the equipment.
3. Select and instruct a competent person to carry out the thorough examination and keep them informed of any changes in the operating conditions.
4. Make relevant documentation available to the competent person, e.g. maintenance records, manufacturer’s information.
5. Act quickly to remedy any defects. If you are notified of a serious/significant defect, you should take the lifting equipment out of operation until it has been remedied. Keep reports of thorough examination for at least two years or until the next report, whichever is longer.

Make sure your lifting equipment is thoroughly examined. Failure to comply can leave you open to prosecution, invalidate your insurance and lead to an accident due to faulty equipment.

Contact us should you require guidance.

As the hirer, you are responsible for the health and safety of agency employees and contract workers whilst they are working on your premises or using equipment, materials and substances provided by you. In reality, agency workers are likely to be at greater risk in your premises because they are unfamiliar with your systems of work and the inherent hazards and risks. So what should you do to protect them?

Keep Agency Staff Safe with these Top Tips

1. Ensure your health and safety policy includes agency workers and states who will take responsibility for their health and safety. Agency workers should be given a copy of the policy and made aware of their own health and safety responsibilities.
2. Your risk assessments should take agency workers into account and include any special problems they may face, e.g. where English is not their first language.
3. Provide induction training for agency workers before they start work – it should include fire safety, first aid, emergency procedures, reporting accidents and near misses. Ensure you give them information regarding risk assessments and control measures before they start work.
4. Agency workers must not use machinery and equipment without being shown the correct operating methods. The same applies to the use of chemicals and substances.
5. Before carrying out manual handling tasks, workers should be provided with instruction on safe methods of handling, and if they are going to be using a computer, remember that agency workers all come within the scope of the Display Screen Equipment Regulations if they fulfil the definition of user or operator.
6. If you need to carry out health checks on employees, e.g. for hazardous substances, as best practice, you could include agency workers. Co-ordinate your arrangements with the agency so that everyone is clear about who will provide what.
7. Make sure there is a clear agreement between you and the agency on who will supply personal protective equipment (PPE) to the worker. It must be supplied free of charge and the worker should be trained on how to use it.

The recent trend of the courts has been to increase the range of circumstances in which employers are held liable for the health and safety of agency staff. Don’t forget to include them in your health and safety arrangements.

Contact us should you require assistance.

As an employer, you have duties under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 to provide health and safety training to workers on recruitment and on being exposed to new risks or new equipment, new technology or new systems of work.

5 Top Tips for Identifying Training Needs

1. Carry out a training needs analysis of all the roles within your organisation to identify the skills and knowledge needed for people to carry out their work safely. Compare these against current skills and knowledge and identify the gaps. Don’t forget to include temporary employees and contractors. Assess your workers’ willingness to learn and their preferred learning style, e.g. classroom based, on-the-job training, etc.
2. Your risk assessments must identify hazards and the controls needed to remove or reduce risks to health and safety. In addition to physical safeguards and procedures, your workers must be trained so that they understand hazards and risks and know their part in tackling them. Young workers are a vulnerable group and will require extra training, so ensure you consider their specific needs within your risk assessment. Migrant workers are also vulnerable and you will need to satisfy yourself that they have understood the training they have been given. Pictures and diagrams may be useful in helping deliver any training messages.
3. If you are not competent to deliver training in house, you will need outside help. The law requires you to have access to suitable, competent advice to help you manage health and safety and this includes providing you with advice on health and safety training requirements and your options for meeting them. Training must be carried out in working time and must be paid for by the employer.
4. Get employees to sign off the training they have received and keep records. The records should indicate the content and duration of the training.
5. Regularly review the outcome of your training to identify any further training needs and to assess the effectiveness of your training needs analysis. You should also monitor your health and safety performance to identify any problem areas.

Act now to ensure employees are trained to work safely if you want to avoid hefty fines and civil action costs.

If you require training advice please contact us.

The duty to manage asbestos is contained within Regulation 4 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012. If you own, maintain or repair a building, then as the owner, you are responsible for the duty under Regulation 4. But in practical terms, how should you go about managing asbestos in your workplace?

7 Tips for Managing Asbestos in Your Workplace:

1. Start with a management survey, which should be carried out by a UKAS accredited company. The survey should state the location and condition of known, or presumed, asbestos containing materials (ACMs). If you are going to demolish or refurbish your premises, then you will need a demolition or refurbishment survey, which will involve destructive inspection.
2. Now assess the risk of exposure, taking into account tenants, contractors, cleaners, maintenance personnel and others, e.g. the emergency services. From this, you can develop and implement your management plan, which should set out how you intend to carry out your control measures so that persons are not exposed. Prioritise your actions and write them in an action plan.
3. You will need to think about how you will carry out checks for any damage or deterioration. Damaged or deteriorated ACMs must be repaired, removed or isolated to prevent exposure to released fibres. If ACMs need to be sealed, encapsulated or removed, you will need to employ a licensed contractor if the materials are high risk, e.g. asbestos insulation panels. If the materials are low risk, e.g. asbestos cement, then an unlicensed but competent contractor may carry out this work.
4. Aim to prevent all unintentional disturbance of ACMs by having clearly defined procedures. Don’t forget to include emergencies. Appoint a responsible person, who is competent, to oversee the management of asbestos. List workers who may be affected by asbestos and stipulate the training requirements for each group.
5. Control access to the premises and ensure that work in areas where ACMs are present cannot start without a Permit to Work. Maintenance staff and contractors should know your rules about ACMs and how to work safely on or adjacent to them.
6. If ACMs are accidentally disturbed, you must log the incident.
7. Review your management plan at least every 12 months by carrying out visual inspections for damage, reviewing the incident log.

Remember: the duty to manage is all about putting in place practical steps to protect maintenance workers and others from the risk of exposure to asbestos fibres. Avoid costly fines and review your procedures today.

Contact us should you require advice.