Category Archives: Health and Safety

After the residents became concerned that the man was removing asbestos, they contacted the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) who subsequently investigated the incident. The Inspector found that the engineer had ignored the resident’s concerns and continued to carry out the removal. He had also stored the material in his yard rather than disposing of it as asbestos waste. In all, this was a very unsafe act and could potentially have serious implications for anyone in the property at the time.

Gas Work:

5 Key Tips to Keep Staff and Others Safe

1. Before you let anyone undertake work on your boiler or other gas equipment, make sure the contractor is Gas Safe registered. You can check this here http://www.gassaferegister.co.uk/ The front of their identification card will have a photo and an expiry date for when the card is valid, and the rear will say which type of gas work they are licensed to do, for example, boilers or gas fires.
2. Give the contractor all of the information you have on the location of any asbestos, including surveys and asbestos management plans. Remember that older boilers often have insulation around them that contains asbestos.
3. If you need reassurance that a contractor is competent to carry out particular work, you can ask for references from other companies that have used the individual or firm.
4. Any property built or refurbished before the year 2000 could have asbestos in it. If workers come across it or suspect they have found it during the course of gas work, they must stop work until the material is assessed. Make sure your staff know this, especially those responsible for managing the project.
5. Make sure you follow any information given by the engineer if they find an item that is unsafe – they should put a warning label on it which reads ‘Danger Do Not Use’ and you must ensure this stays in place until the item is made safe again.

You have a duty to protect everyone on the premises – always discuss the job with your intended contractor, and satisfy yourself beforehand that they are competent to do the work.

Contact us should you require advice.

It’s said that happy and healthy employees tend to be more motivated at work, but with little sunlight and credit card bills few of us feel cheerful and motivated!

So, how can you encourage positivity and productivity at work?

A healthy working environment

Start with your working environment. We’re not talking about group Yoga classes during your lunch break, just small changes to energise the team and help you all make healthier choices.

1. Forget the lift and take the stairs. We all know we need to move more, and this is an easy way to stretch your legs and improve circulation
2. Sitting comfortably? Sort out those desk assessments you’ve been putting off for months; repetitive strain injury and bad posture are no joke
3. Don’t be S.A.D, get your vitamin D by holding short meetings out in the sunshine or have a meeting on the move. Better still, encourage your team to take breaks outdoors when we’re blessed with sunshine
4. Add a fruit bowl to your breakout area. Fruit is so much better than a snack from the vending machine, which will only lead to a sugar crash and dip in energy. Folks, we’ve all been there! It’s much easier to opt for fruit when there’s plenty to hand
5. Treat staff to new re-fillable water bottles. Hydration helps you focus and is a great incentive to ditch fizzy drinks.

Engaging your team

Engaging your team is essential to bringing out the best in them. Convince them that there are opportunities to progress at work, and you’ll motivate them to work hard for you.

• Share your ideas for the business and get them on board by explaining how their support and knowledge will help achieve those goals
• Tell them you rely on their input and trust their judgement. People who are invested in a company, are committed to its success
• Give your team regular feedback and offer training if that’s what they need to get the job done
• Take an interest in their personal lives, so you’re not just a boss cracking the whip!

Reward hard work

Everyone needs to feel valued. Remember to thank the staff who go the extra mile to get the job done well. After all, if an employee doesn’t feel appreciated they’ll find employment elsewhere – and you don’t want to lose your best team members.

On the other hand, employees who are happy at work will recommend the company to friends and family. Don’t underestimate their power to influence potential future recruits! Your reputation as an employer is hugely important to your company’s success.

Occasionally treating your team to lunch or a fun evening out is another great way of reminding them that their hard work doesn’t go unnoticed. And this brings us to our next, and final point…

The team that socialises together, stays together!

Spending time out of the office/off-site as a team is a great way to improve relationships and get to know each other’s true personalities.

To encourage this, create a social calendar of activities which appeals to everyone. It doesn’t need to be expensive. Bowling, mini golf or team-building games are all great options, but going to the pub after work doesn’t count!

We hope you feel inspired to make some positive changes. Remember your team are your most valuable asset. Taking care of their wellbeing will mean you’ll reap the rewards further down the line.

Contact us for further advice on wellbeing.

Do you know the difference between a safety data sheet and a COSSH assessment, and why both are necessary to assess the risks involved when working with a hazardous substance.

What is a SDS

SDS stands for Safety data sheets. They provide information on chemical products that help users of those chemicals to make a risk assessment. They describe the hazards the chemical presents and give information on handling, storage and emergency measures in case of an accident.

Difference between MSDS and SDS sheets

Many people may still be familiar with Material Data sheets or MSDS. The old MSDSs could follow any number of different formats, and could include different kinds of information with different levels of detail. The SDS format is much stricter, it is made up of sixteen sections, and each section includes specific information using a standardized classification method.

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Many of our client companies are involved in running outdoor events, so in case you are hosting a barbecue, sports day or village fair, we thought we would share our top ten tips for keeping your events safe.

Start health and safety planning early

Make sure that you carry out a suitable and sufficient risk assessment for your event. This will allow you to identify the control measures and safety plans that need to be implemented.

Visit the site beforehand

Even if you are familiar with your event site, a visit is essential in order to be able to compile a comprehensive risk assessment. Look at factors such as ground conditions, availability of services, traffic and pedestrian routes, access points, proximity of site to emergency services and don’t forget to find out who the neighbours are!

Know what you are going to do in the event of an emergency

An emergency plan should be in place. This should deal with the procedures that will be put into action should there be a fire, explosion, extreme weather conditions, flood, crowd problems and accidents.

Make sure that your staff know who to report to and how

All staff and volunteers involved in organising the event should be aware of the contents of the risk assessment and emergency plans. Everyone should receive a pre-event induction.

Keep vehicles away from people

The easiest way to avoid accidents with vehicles is to segregate them from pedestrians. Make sure that vehicle movements are limited once the event is underway. If you are providing car parking, then think about having car park attendants to manage car movements.

Decide what to do with the kids

Even if your event is not directly aimed at children, unless it is strictly over eighteens only, chances are, some parents will bring kids along. Consider all age ranges from babies up to teenagers, so everything from managing safety in play areas, reuniting lost children with parents to how to prevent teenagers from being served alcohol must be accounted for.

Ensure that food and drink complies with food safety legislation

The food safety rules are the same whether you are running an outdoor event or a normal kitchen. When an Environmental Health Officer inspects your site, they would expect to see all the normal controls in place, which you would have documented in your Food Safety Management System. You need to pay particular attention to hand washing facilities, waste, pest control, temperature control, covered storage and cleaning facilities.

Don’t let your event drown in rubbish

All waste producers have a duty of care under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 to ensure that waste is disposed of responsibly to a site with a waste management license. Produce a waste management plan as part of your event planning.

Make sure the conveniences are not inconvenient!

Follow HSE guidelines for the number of conveniences required. Don’t forget to provide amenities for people with special needs and depending upon the demographic of your crowd, baby changing facilities may also be required. Consider how facilities are going to be emptied and cleaned if your event is over a number of days.

Consider the requirements of people with special needs

You want everyone to enjoy your event, so think how you can accommodate people with mobility problems, impaired hearing or sight and those who have difficulty walking. Brief the event stewards to provide assistance where necessary, including during possible evacuation scenarios.

Now we are all safely prepared for summer, it’s time to break out the shorts and sunglasses!

Contact us for further advice!

It has been reported that during some visits to companies the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) inspectors found that workers often didn’t wear seatbelts, and the forklift driving operations were not suitably managed within the company. The speed at which some drivers drove was also not controlled, leading to a dangerous situation for many employees.

Forklift trucks are involved in hundreds of accidents in the UK each year, very often resulting in serious or fatal injuries. Make sure you manage your driving operations properly in your workplace.

5 Top Tips for Safe Operation of Forklift Trucks

1. Ensure that all of your forklift truck activities are risk assessed so any dangers are identified. Consider how reversing operations should be safely carried out – aim to limit reversing where possible, and use one-way systems to keep vehicles moving in the same direction. Keep pedestrians separate from driving operations by using barriers and specific pedestrian walkways.
2. Make sure all drivers are suitably trained for the type of forklift they will be driving (e.g. counterbalance or reach). The training undertaken should include the activities they will be expected to do in their role, so doing it on your own premises is a good idea if possible. Organise refresher training at regular intervals.
3. Workers need to know the safe operation rules. Use regular toolbox talks or similar training to remind them of the speed limits, the required use of seatbelts to prevent them falling out of the cab, and the need to carry out pre-use checks each time they use a forklift truck.
4. Make sure your pre-use checks include verifying that all safety features are present and working – this includes mirrors, reversing lights, alarms, and seatbelts. Drivers should sign to say that they have completed the checks. Have a system in place whereby any defects are reported immediately, and the truck is taken out of use until repaired. Remember also that forklift trucks need to be under a scheme of thorough examination by a competent person.
5. Check the local environment regularly, to ensure lift trucks can operate safely. The ground should be level, free from potholes and able to take the weight of the vehicles on it. Ensure good housekeeping levels are maintained, and that rubbish does not accumulate in the driving areas.

Contact us should you require assistance.