Slips, trips and falls remain the highest cause of workplace injuries reported to the HSE.It’s for this reason that good housekeeping should be at the top of your health and safety agenda.
Carrying out certain work activities, such as cleaning or maintenance, pose a greater risk of temporary slips, trips and falling hazards.
However, even with robust training and experience—anyone can slip up. So use physical controls and suitable and sufficient safety systems of working to mitigate risk.
You should always consider vulnerable groups such as children, the elderly and the visually impaired when attempting to mitigate risks.
Young workers, new starters or persons with a limited understanding of English are more at risk of accidents due to a lack of understanding of controls / signage and / or instruction.
Environmental factors can often significantly affect the likelihood of a slip, trip or fall.
Factors such as (but not limited to):
All employers have a legal duty to assess the risks to their employees and others who may be affected by their operations, such as visitors, contractors and members of the public.
This will help to find out what needs to be done and where to control any risks.
This should be a five step approach:
NOTE: Risk assessments should be reviewed at least once annually.
A good management approach and robust systems will help identify any deficient areas, help you decide any action points, note when actions have been completed, and check that the steps taken are actually effective.
A good system should include:
Remember – A clean and tidy workplace is a safer working environment for those affected by its activities.
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Sedentary lifestyles are commonplace among office workers, but to make matters worse, a large portion of employees don’t feel encouraged to lead an active lifestyle.Top Tips on Managing the Health & Safety of Sedentary Workers
Sedentary working increases the risk of developing certain health problems and can have a long-term impact on employees’ psychological wellbeing.
As an employer, you are responsibility for the wellbeing of your employees. Here’s a few guidelines on how you can effectively manage the health & safety of your sedentary workers:
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Potential Circular Saw Safety MistakesIt is statistically shown that more severe, debilitating injuries occur from the table saw than any other woodworking machine or power tool. When it comes to handheld woodworking power tools, the circular saw may take that crown as the most dangerous.
Safety Equipment
While using a circular saw always remember to wear the safety equipment. Never forget things like
These common safety protections will reduce the chances of accidents. Don’t take them too lightly. They sound silly, but one of the most major facts of the circular saw safety guard.
If put down incorrectly, the user could get injured. Do not put the saw down before it has stopped moving. Place the saw on its side, and you’ll avoid this problem entirely.
I feel like this one is obvious once you think about it, but not something we ever stop and actually think about. If your finger is on the trigger and you trip and fall, you might press the trigger and start the saw, which would probably have bad consequences. Find another way to carry your saw.
This seems like a good idea. If your piece is supported and clamped on both sides, then nothing will fall to the floor when you’re done cutting. I suppose that logic is technically correct, but you’ll rarely be able to finish cutting without encountering kickback. The two pieces sag toward the middle as you finish the cut, pinching the blade and causing kickback.
If kickback occurs, the saw will fly right into you. Stand a little to the left or right, therefore if kickback occurs, you wont be directly hit by the saw.
This increases the likelihood of kickback. Enough said.
This is bad for a couple reasons: A) The more saw that needs to go through the wood, the harder the saw has to work. The harder the saw has to work, the more likely it is to kickback. Keeping the saw at the appropriate depth therefore reduces kickback. B) The deeper the saw, the more the blade will be exposed. This increases the likelihood that it will come in contact with a human appendage.
The appropriate saw depth is 1/4″ more than the piece you’re cutting. Any deeper, and you’re setting is too deep!
Yes, wood has splinters, and gloves seem like a good idea. But they increase the risk of your hands getting caught in the saw, so they are a big no-no when operating any power tool.
I hope there was at least one thing on this list you learned about operating a circular saw, and the circular saw safety mistakes people commonly make. If so, make sure to subscribe to my email list; I plan to do a whole sequence of posts for all sorts of power tools, so make sure you don’t miss out!
Tips
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The Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981 require first-aid equipment to be provided as required and state that it should be easily accessible. The minimum requirement is to provide a first-aid box, clearly marked and containing essential first-aid equipment.There is no defined list of mandatory contents in the regulations. What you include in each box should be determined by your first-aid needs risk assessment.
Reference may be made to the national standard, BS 8599-1:2019 Workplace First-Aid Kits. Most first-aid kits for sale on the market comply with this standard but you are free to include different contents as dictated by your local needs.
Reference might also be made to the example list included in the guidance on the regulations published by the HSE. Appendix 2 of L74 First-Aid at Work states that typical first-aid box contents in a low hazard environment will include:
It is advised that the choice of gloves is made with reference to the risks of allergies caused by some latex gloves. Latex-free or nitrile (synthetic rubber) gloves are available.
Scissors or shears, cleansing wipes and a contents list (for restocking purposes) are also commonly included in first-aid boxes. HSE’s Basic Advice on First-Aid at Work is a good example of a leaflet to include.
L74 recommends that tablets and medicines should not be kept in the first-aid container.
The size, number and placement of your first-aid boxes will also be determined by your first-aid needs assessment. Considerations will include the number of employees, remoteness from emergency medical support, and the category of hazard identified in the workplace environment.
Boxes should be placed around the premises where they will be needed most and where they can be accessed easily.
Any vehicles run by the organisation should have a first-aid travelling kit on board (see L74 for details).
First-aid boxes should be regularly checked and restocked or replaced as necessary. Many items in a first-aid kit will have a limited shelf-life and should be checked to ensure they are still in date.
If you require first aid training, email us for approved suppliers.
If you have any queries, please contact us.
The safest workplaces are those where health and safety standards are set at a high level – from the very top right down to the very bottom. You have to lead by example and encourage everyone to adopt a safe and compliant attitude across the entire organisation. Ignorance is never a defence if your find yourself in the middle of a RIDDOR investigation.
As a director you have a responsibility to educate yourself about health and safety. You need to know what your role is in ensuring a safe, as well as productive, workplace. Being an executive, getting that title of director, comes with a price – ultimately the buck stops at your desk.
The good news is that, although you need to know the broad outline of health and safety regulations, you don’t need to commit the fine detail to memory. That means you can fit a health and safety course into a single day.
Here are courses that top management could do.
CITB Directors Role for health and safety
IOSH Leading Safety
IOSH Safety for Executives and Directors
If you require advice on booking a course or finding a supplier, please contact us.
We can point you in the right direction.
