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Why health and safety training is needed

The Health and Safety at Work Act, etc 1974 states that employers should provide “such information, instruction, training and supervision as is necessary to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety at work of his employees”. The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 further require that employers provide employees with adequate health and safety training both on recruitment and when the risks to which they are exposed change, for example, where they move to a new role or when new work equipment is provided.

The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 go on to state that training should be repeated periodically where appropriate, be adapted to take account of any new or different risks and take place during working hours. Other sets of regulations which require training of employees include the Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992, the Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981, the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 and the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.

Organisations that have their health and safety management systems certified, for example to BS OHSAS 18001 or ISO 45001, are also required to conform to requirements concerning competence.

Unfortunately, when it comes to work-related training, there is no one-size-fits-all. Employers should consider who in their organisation needs training, what training should be provided, when, by whom, and when training should be repeated and refreshed. Consideration should also be paid to whether staff require formal qualifications for their role, such as facility managers, first aiders, or the maintenance teams responsible for legionella safety.

Ensure Employees follow Your Training: 5 Top Tips. Click here

Training – Contact Us for your training requirements or to discuss training solutions. Click here to look at our website training page.

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Mental Health Awareness Week

Hosted by the Mental Health Foundation, Mental Health Awareness Week 2019 will take place from Monday 13th to Sunday 19th May 2019. The theme for 2019 is Body Image – how we think and feel about our bodies. In 2018, Mental Health Awareness Week was focused on stress.

This years theme has a relevant to anyone who reads our blogs. The way we view our bodies can effect our mental health.

The Mental Health Foundation are providing a host of resources to help celebrate the week from posters to booklets, please follow here.

Mental health problems can affect anyone, any day of the year, but this week is a great time to have a chat with a friend,family member or colleague and have think about your own wellbeing too. You could even join one of our campaigns to help make sure no one experiences a mental health problem alone.

Resource Body Image

Contact us if you require further information.

 

 

 

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Sun Awareness Week 2019

The British Association of Dermatologists (BAD) currently runs a national campaign around skin cancer called Sun Awareness, which includes national Sun Awareness Week in May. This campaign is overseen by the BAD’s Skin Cancer Prevention Committee, comprised of leading medical professionals with expertise in skin cancer, vitamin D and public health messaging.

Sun Awareness Week (6-12 May) encourages people to regularly self-examine for signs of skin cancer and teaches them about the dangers of sunburn and excessive tanning.

Worldwide, non-melanoma skin cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer, with an estimated 2-3 million cases registered every year.

Ultraviolet radiation (UVR) is a risk that particularly affects outdoor workers, who receive 5-10 times the yearly sun exposure of indoor workers.

Walker Health and Safety Services Limited is supporting Sun Awareness Week and the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health’s (IOSH) global campaign to tackle occupational cancer – ‘No Time to Lose’, which aims to get carcinogenic exposure issues more widely understood and help businesses take action by providing free practical resources.

Find out more about the campaign at www.notimetolose.org.uk/sun-awareness, follow @_NTTL on Twitter, and use the hashtag #SunAwarenessWeek.

Resources for your company can be downloaded here. https://www.notimetolose.org.uk/free-resources/resource-library/pack-2-solar/

Also, contact us for further information.

 

 

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Manual Handling Workplace Injuries

Did you know that manual handling causes over a third of all workplace injuries? These include work-related musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) such as pain and injuries to arms, legs and joints, and repetitive strain injuries of various sorts.

Manual handling covers a wide range of activities including: lifting, pushing, pulling, holding, restraining, throwing and carrying. It includes repetitive tasks such as packing, typing, assembling, cleaning and sorting, using hand-tools, operating machinery and equipment, and handling and restraining animals.

Manual handling injuries can have serious implications for the employer and the person who has been injured. They can occur almost anywhere in the workplace and heavy manual labour, awkward postures, repetitive movements of arms, legs and back or previous/existing injury can increase the risk.

Twisting, turning and bending of the back should be avoided. The risk of back injury increases during lifting, carrying, pushing and pulling of loads, if the load is: Too heavy There is no exact weight limit for manual handling.

When carrying out a manual handling task, keep the load close to the body for as long as possible while lifting. Keep the heaviest side of the load next to the body. If a close approach to the load is not possible, try to slide it towards the body before attempting to lift it. Avoid twisting the back or leaning sideways, especially while the back is bent.

If you have employees that carry out manual handling activities, it is good practice to ensure they are trained in carrying out the task. A manual handling course would be beneficial. It would cover the Manual Handling Operation Regulations 1992 and other relevant legislation.

In 2013 more working days were lost to musculoskeletal problems (back and neck pain) than any other cause!

To help prevent injury in the work place where possible it is best to avoid lifting BUT of course this is not always practical.  Ensuring your employees understand the risk and put measures in place prior to moving an item is the first step to reducing the risk of accident.

If you require a course, contact us for details.

This health and safety at work summary of statistics for Great Britain for 2017 is quite interesting – http://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/overall/hssh1617.pdf

Contact us if you require further information.

 

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Increase in the HSE FFI charge

hard hat and gloves PPEThe rate which the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) charges under its Fee for

Intervention (FFI)

cost recovery scheme has increased from £129 to £154 per hour as of 6 April 2019.

The fee is payable by organisations found by the health and safety watchdog to be

in material breach of health and safety law and, in terms of the requirements, the

employer (or self-employed person) is required to pay

the HSE for the time it takes to identify what is wrong and to put things right.

A material breach of health and safety law is something which an inspector considers serious enough that

they need to formally write to the business requiring action to be taken to deal with the issue.

Essentially, if the inspector gives a notification of contravention (NoC) after the visit, a fee will be payable.

The HSE has emphasised that organisations which do not break the law will not be liable for any payment.

In other words, duty holders who comply with the law, or where there is no material breach, will not be

charged FFI for any work that HSE does with them.

Therefore, where an inspector simply gives business advice, either verbal or written, no payment is required.

The FFI cost recovery scheme was designed and introduced in October 2012 with the aim of shifting some of

the costs of regulating health and safety at work from the taxpayer to those responsible for material breaches.

See previous Blog for FFI https://walkersafety.co.uk/2013/11/ffi-a-year-on/

Contact us for further information.