As of Monday 3^rd July, Health and Safety Executive (HSE) inspectors have begun a targeted inspection initiative focusing on manufacturing businesses where materials that contain silica are used. This will include brick and tile manufacturers and foundries. Their Dust Kills campaign is well underway.

The inspections, which start Monday 3 July, are checking that employers and workers know the risks involved when dealing with respirable crystalline silica (RCS) and that businesses have control measures in place to protect workers’ respiratory health.

It is estimated that around 500 deaths occur every year in Great Britain as a result of workplace exposures to RCS.

ARE YOU AWARE OF THE RISKS ?

Inspectors are checking that employers and their workers know the risks and have control measures in place to prevent exposure to RCS which can cause irreversible lung disease if breathed in over time.

Employers should talk to their workers about the risks, and how to avoid them.  Make sure they understand how a job should be done safely without creating risks to their health.

Silica is a natural substance found in most stones, rocks, sand, and clay. Silica particles are produced during many manufacturing tasks involving these materials. Over time, exposure to silica particles can harm a worker’s ability to breathe and cause irreversible, often fatal, lung diseases.

UNDERSTAND THE DANGERS!

Exposure can cause serious health problems and may lead to an early death. By breathing it in, your workers could develop the following lung diseases:

• Silicosis: This disease makes breathing more difficult and increases the risk of lung infections. Silicosis usually follows exposure to RCS over many years, but extremely high exposures can lead rapidly to ill health.
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD): This is a group of lung diseases, including bronchitis and emphysema, resulting in severe breathlessness, prolonged coughing and chronic disability.
• Lung cancer: This is one of the most common and serious types of cancer. Heavy and prolonged exposure to RCS dust can cause lung cancer.

HSE’s head of manufacturing David Butter said: “It’s important that manufacturing businesses act now to ensure they comply with the law and protect their workers from serious lung diseases. Businesses should take note that good ventilation in the workplace and personal protective equipment are just some of the measures they need in place to protect the respiratory health of workers.”

Contact us for further information.

Guest post

enquiries@safetyfirstgroup.co.uk
www.safetyfirstgroup.co.uk

Bees are essential for the health of people and the planet. Honey and other products have medicinal properties, and the role of bees as pollinators makes them vital for food supplies.

There are around 20,000 known bee species worldwide. Humans only manage a few of these, and most species are wild.

As well as valuing bees for their honey, people have come to recognise the importance of bees in promoting food security and variety in plants and animals.

However, a rise in factors, such as pesticide use and urbanisation, means that bees are currently in decline, negatively affecting many of the Earth’s ecosystems.

A loss of bees would affect honey supplies, but, more importantly, world food security and biodiversity. Without them, the world could be a very different place.

How does this affect humans?

Farming practices, global warming, and disease are just a few reasons why bee numbers are declining. Experts are concerned about the impact on world food supplies, especially fruits, nuts, and vegetables.

They say that without bees, there will be no more nuts, coffee, cocoa, tomatoes, apples, or almonds, to name a few crops. This could lead to nutritional deficiencies in the human diet, as these products are essential sources of vital nutrients.

Additionally, the emerging medicinal properties of bee venom and other bee products may never be accessible without bees to provide them.

In financial terms, the pollination of fruits and vegetables by wild bees has a high economic value. One study found that wild bees were responsible for a significant portion of net income from blueberries. There is a direct link between the economic yield of farmers and the presence of bees.

What can you do to help?

Green backyards and gardens can be vital resources for bees. Growing native flowers and leaving weeds to develop can contribute to bee health and numbers by providing food and shelter. Reducing landscaping activities, such as mowing or pruning, can help bees by increasing the amount of vegetation available. As well as benefitting the bees, increasing rural spaces in urban areas can boost human mental and emotional well-being.

It is undeniable that bees are a critical part of the maintenance and flourishment of biodiversity on our planet. By minimising the risks that these insects face within their natural habitat, you can play a part in helping to protect and enhance biodiversity across our world to ensure the cycle of life continues to turn.

Sponsorship

Walker Health and Safety Services have sponsored a beehive. Emma had the opportunity to build a hive on 8^th July 2023 with Barry, one of the many volunteers at Shropshire Beekeepers in Shrewsbury. Emma homed a Queen, worker bees and drones. We managed to get some lovely photos of the new hive, the bees, the honeycomb, the brood and the eggs. If you would like to sponsor a beehive or donate money to the charity, please follow this link. Shropshire Beekeepers Association | Shropshire Beekeepers Association (shropshirebees.co.uk)

Contact us for further information.  

There’s no denying we’re all enjoying this beautiful sunshine! But when it comes to working in this heat or even working outside in this heat, we need to ensure our colleagues and employees are working safely.

Working in the sun and hot weather poses serious risks to health. Make sure you’re working safely.

Even in the temperate climate of the UK, working in the sun and hot weather presents risks to your health, which are heightened for those who work outside. One of the most serious risks is skin cancer. Skin cancer is the most common type of cancer in the world, with occupational UV exposure being an attributable factor in one death and five new cases of skin cancer per week in Britain.

There’s no law for maximum working temperature, or when it’s too hot to work, because every workplace is different.

No meaningful upper limit can be imposed because in many indoor workplaces high temperatures are not seasonal but created by work activity, for example in bakeries or foundries.

However, employers must stick to health and safety at work law, including:

• keeping the temperature at a comfortable level
• providing clean and fresh air

What the law says

The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations require employers to provide a reasonable indoor temperature in the workplace.

This depends on the work activity and the environmental conditions.

The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations require reasonable workplace temperatures for indoor areas of construction sites.

Where the site is outdoors, you must provide protection from adverse weather. Site rest facilities must also be maintained at an appropriate temperature.

Assessing the risks

Under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations, employers must:

• assess the risks to workers
• put controls in place to protect them

Temperature in the workplace is one of the risks you should assess, whether the work is being done indoors or outdoors. You should consult with workers or their representatives on the best ways to cope with high or low temperatures.

Outdoor working

HSE guidelines state that UV radiation should be considered an occupational hazard for those who work outdoors. Therefore, employers of outdoor workers have a legal duty to safeguard, as far is reasonably practical, their employees from the effects of UV radiation.

When working outdoors, the weather can have a serious impact on worker’s health if the risks have not been properly managed.

This impact may be immediate or occur over a longer time, leading to conditions like skin cancer.

The weather can also affect a worker’s ability to keep safe, for example when handling machinery.

There are several ways to keep yourself and your employees safe from the effects of UV radiation exposure when working outdoors:

• Keep a supply of sun cream of at least SPF15 in a convenient location, for example at the doorway of farm buildings. Sun cream wall dispensers can be used for ease. Sun cream should be reapplied throughout the day.
• Stay covered up, with lightweight trousers and long sleeved top.
• Wear a hat with a brim or a flap that covers the ears and the back of the neck.
• Stay in the shade whenever possible, and during your breaks and especially at lunch time and during the hottest part of the day.
• Drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration.
• Check your skin regularly for any unusual moles or spots. See a doctor promptly if you find anything that is changing in shape, size or colour, itching or bleeding

Heat exposure

Working in the heat presents an additional set of risks, such as exhaustion and heat stroke.

Steps that you can take to protect yourself:

• Stay hydrated – keep a bottle of water on you.
• Avoid dehydrating liquids, such as alcohol, tea, coffee and caffeinated soft drinks, which can hurt more than help.
• Wear lightweight, light coloured and loose fitting clothing to help protect against heat, changing clothing if it gets completely saturated.
• Pace yourself. Slow down and work at an even pace. Know your limits and work safely in heat. If possible, avoid work at the hottest time of day. Work in the shade if you can.
• Schedule frequent rest and water breaks, in shaded or air conditioned areas.
• Use a damp rag to wipe your face or put it around your neck.
• Avoid getting sun burn – cover up, apply sun cream and follow the advice above.
• Avoid direct sun as much as possible.
• Eat cold foods, particularly fruit and salads with high water content.
• Be alert to signs of heat-related illness. Know what to look for and look out for others working with you. Signs include headaches, dizzy spells, loss of appetite and nausea, excessive sweating, cramps in the arms, legs and stomach, fast breathing and pulse, a temperature above 38C, and intense thirst.

Steps that employers can take to protect workers include:

• Rescheduling work to cooler times of the day.
• Providing more frequent rest breaks and introducing shading to rest areas.
• Providing free access to cool drinking water.
• Introducing shading in areas where individuals are working.
• Encouraging the removal of personal protective equipment when resting to help encourage heat loss.
• Educating workers about recognising the early symptoms of heat stress.

Contact us if you require assistance.

Sources used: https://www.hse.gov.uk/temperature/employer/outdoor-working.htm

Focusing on anxiety for this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week will increase people’s awareness and understanding of anxiety by providing information on the things that can help prevent it from becoming a problem. At the same time, we will keep up the pressure to demand change – making sure that improving mental health is a key priority for the government and society as a whole.

Follow help and advice on social media

Keep up with the latest on this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week.

• Twitter: @mentalhealth
• Facebook: @mentalhealthfoundation
• Instagram: @mentalhealthfoundation
• LinkedIn: @mental-health-foundation

Order a green ribbon – here.

Make a donation to the mental health foundation – here.

Contact us if you require further information.

Contact us if you require health and safety advice.