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Platform Lifts – HSE Safety Alert 13th June 2019
Granite worktop company fined £30,000 after failing to carry out safety checks 27th May 2019
Diesel engine exhaust emissions (DEEEs) and non-road mobile machinery (NRMM) – the risk to construction (and other) workers 9th May 2019
Control of legionella (and other) bacteria in metal working fluids (MWFs) 6th May 2019
COSHH advice sheets updated for woodworking industry 30th April 2019
Tag: health & safety
Granite worktop company fined £30,000 after failing to carry out safety checks
We hope you find our news updates useful. If you know of anyone who may benefit from reading them, please encourage them to register at the bottom-left of our news page (http://www.eljay.co.uk/news/) and we'll email them a link each time an update is published. If in the unlikely event any difficulties are experienced whilst registering we'll be more than happy to help and can be contacted on 07896 016380 or at Fiona@eljay.co.uk
A granite worktop manufacturer has been fined after failing to ensure that lifting equipment was examined and maintained to ensure it was safe to use.
The Court heard how the manufacturer was not having regular statutory examinations carried out on lifting equipment and also failed to carry out repairs when defects had been found.
Following an inspection in June 2018 by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) at the site, it was discovered that the examinations were not carried out at the required six monthly intervals and when they were carried out the same faults were reported, as the company were not taking action to effect the repairs.
The manufacturer has pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 5 (1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 and Regulation 9 (3) of the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998. The company has been fined £30,000 and ordered to pay costs of £4906.
Speaking after the case the HSE inspector said "This prosecution could so easily have been avoided by simply carrying out correct control measures and safe working practices. Companies should be aware that HSE will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action against those who fall below the required standards".
Thorough examinations and inspections of lifting equipment
Safe and successful lifting operations depend, in large part, on the continued safety of the lifting equipment and accessories that are used. Failures in this kind of equipment can result in significant or even fatal injuries. Health and safety law therefore places a number of specific obligations on those providing, controlling and using lifting equipment to properly manage these risks.
In addition to the requirements for safe design and construction, all lifting equipment should also be checked and maintained as necessary to keep it safe for use, so:
users may need to undertake simple pre-use checks (eg on lifting chains and slings), or make checks on a daily basis (eg for lift trucks)
in some cases, inspections and checks should be made on a regular basis, often weekly, but this may be on a monthly or quarterly basis (eg the checks undertaken by an operator on their crane)
employers should ensure that lifting equipment is thoroughly examined (normally once or twice a year but, in some cases, this may be more or less frequent)
These checks are necessary to verify that the lifting equipment can continue to be safely used. This page concentrates on thorough examination and inspection, and the reporting and record-keeping obligations of LOLER (regulations 9, 10 and 11).
What is a 'thorough examination' under LOLER?
This is a systematic and detailed examination of the equipment and safety-critical parts, carried out at specified intervals by a competent person who must then complete a written report. This report must contain the information required by LOLER Schedule 1 , including:
the examination date
the date when the next thorough examination is due
any defects found which are (or could potentially become) a danger to people
Where serious defects are identified, the competent person carrying out the examination must immediately report this verbally to the dutyholder. This should then be followed by the written report, a copy of which must also be sent to the relevant enforcing authority.
What is a 'competent person'?
The term 'competent person' is not defined in law but the LOLER Approved Code of Practice and guidance (paragraph 294 on competent persons) states that:
'You should ensure that the person carrying out a thorough examination has such appropriate practical and theoretical knowledge and experience of the lifting equipment to be thoroughly examined as will enable them to detect defects or weaknesses and to assess their importance in relation to the safety and continued use of the lifting equipment.'
Although the competent person may often be employed by another organisation, this is not necessary, provided they are sufficiently independent and impartial to ensure that in-house examinations are made without fear or favour. However, this should not be the same person who undertakes routine maintenance of the equipment – as they would then be responsible for assessing their own maintenance work.
When should thorough examinations be carried out?
In order to verify that lifting equipment and accessories remain safe for use, and to detect and remedy any deterioration in good time, thorough examinations are required throughout the lifetime of the equipment, including examinations:
before use for the first time – unless the equipment has an EC Declaration of Conformity less than one year old and the equipment was not assembled on site. If it was assembled on site, it must be examined by a competent person to ensure that the assembly (eg a platform lift installed in a building) was completed correctly and safely
after assembly and before use at each location – for equipment that requires assembly or installation before use, eg tower cranes
regularly, while in service – if the equipment is exposed to conditions that cause deterioration which is likely to result in dangerous situations. Most lifting equipment will be subject to wear and tear and so will need regular in-service examination. Some may be exposed to significant environmental conditions which may cause further deterioration. You have a choice:
arrange for thorough examination to be carried out at the intervals specified by LOLER (every 6 or 12 months, depending on the equipment – see below), or
conduct examinations in accordance with an examination scheme, drawn up by a competent person
following exceptional circumstances – liable to jeopardise the safety of lifting equipment, which may include:
damage or failure
being out of use for long periods
major changes, which are likely to affect the equipment's integrity (eg modifications, or replacement / repair of critical parts)
What are the specified intervals for regular thorough examinations?
Unless there is an 'examination scheme' specifying other intervals, thorough examinations should be conducted every:
6 months, for lifting equipment and any associated accessories used to lift people
6 months, for all lifting accessories
12 months, for all other lifting equipment
What is covered by a thorough examination?
This depends on the professional judgement of the competent person undertaking the examination, but needs to include all matters which affect the safety of the lifting equipment, including likely deterioration with time.
For most common lifting equipment and accessories, there are industry standard procedures and criteria which a competent person would follow when undertaking thorough examinations and making judgements as to the continued safety of the equipment. Methods used include:
visual examination and functional checks
measurements of wear
(in some cases) traditional NDT (non-destructive testing) and load testing
Some disassembly or internal examination of parts may also be required.
Where an examination scheme has been drawn up, this should identify and specify:
the parts to be thoroughly examined
the methods of examination and testing
the intervals for examination (and testing of the different parts, where appropriate)
The scheme should also include details of any other inspection regimes for the equipment. Examination schemes may be drawn up by any person with the necessary competence. This does not need to be the same competent person who conducts the thorough examination in accordance with the scheme.
Although examination schemes do not need to be preserved in the form of a document, it should be possible to produce a written copy when required (eg on request by the relevant enforcing authority). These should be secured from loss or unauthorised modification.
Testing of lifting equipment
Most lifting equipment does not need routine testing as part of the thorough examination – in fact some overload tests can cause damage to lifting equipment. Where testing is deemed necessary, it may not need be undertaken at every thorough examination. The need for, and nature of, testing should be based on an assessment of risk – taking account of information from the manufacturer and other relevant information – as determined by the competent person.
Maintenance and inspection of lifting equipment.
Maintenance of lifting equipment to ensure it remains safe for use is a requirement of PUWER. In some cases – to assist with this, and detect any deterioration so it can be remedied in good time – lifting equipment may need to be inspected between thorough examinations. Such inspections need to be undertaken by suitably trained and competent people, which can often be the lifting equipment operator or maintenance personnel.
The nature, need for and frequency of such inspections should be determined through risk assessment, taking full account of any manufacturer's recommendations. Further recommendations on inspection relating to cranes are given in BS 7121 British Standard Code of Practice for the Safe Use of Cranes. The various parts of this standard can be obtained from BSI .
Lifting accessories do not normally need formal inspection, provided that proper pre-use checks are made and they undergo their standard thorough examination.
Reports and defects
Records should be kept of all thorough examinations and inspections, and of the EC Declarations of Conformity for all lifting equipment and lifting accessories. Examination and inspection records do not need to be kept in hard copy form but you should be able to provide a written copy when necessary (eg upon request by the relevant enforcing authority or when lifting equipment leaves your undertaking -under hire, use elsewhere, or second-hand sale). The records should also be protected from unauthorised alteration. Details of the periods for which they must be kept are given in Table 3 of Thorough examination of lifting equipment .
The contents required in a thorough examination report are specified by Schedule 1 of LOLER . There is no longer a defined format or form for such a report, provided that all 11 items listed in the Schedule are included.
Where, following thorough examination or inspection of lifting equipment, a defect is identified – which in the opinion of the person undertaking the examination or inspection – is (or could become) a danger to people, you as user (employer or self employed person) should be notified immediately. You must then take effective action to manage risk by ensuring the lifting equipment is not used until the defect is remedied. Such defects must be confirmed in writing in the report, even if it is remedied immediately (eg by destruction of a sling). The person making the report must also notify the relevant enforcing authority with a copy of the report. Enforcing authorities may follow up such reports to check that risks are being adequately managed.
In some cases, a defect may be identified which does not require the immediate cessation of use of the lifting equipment. In these cases, you must remedy the matter, or not further use the equipment, within the time period specified on the report.
Reports of thorough examinations sometimes contain additional non-statutory observations from the competent person on the condition of the lifting equipment. Analysis of this may provide useful information to manage your lifting equipment.
Posted on 27th May 2019 27th May 2019 Tags accessories, competent person, crane, cranes, defects, examination, examinations, faults, frequency, health & safety, health and safety, health and safety executive, hse, inspection, inspections, intervals, lift trucks, lifting chains, lifting equipment, loler, maintenance, news, puwer, repairs, safety critical parts, slings, statutory examination, statutory examinations, test, testing, thorough, thorough examination, thorough examinations, updates, written report, written reportsLeave a comment on Granite worktop company fined £30,000 after failing to carry out safety checks
New App launched to support Construction Worker's Mental Health
The statistics are grim, two construction workers take their own life every single working day and stress, anxiety and depression currently accounts for a fifth of all work-related illness.
A new collaboration between the Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity, construction software firm 'COINS' and 'Building Mental Health', aims to address this sensitive subject with a new 'Construction Industry Helpline' app. This free mental health app will provide vital information, advice and guidance on many wellbeing topics including stress, anxiety, depression, anger and suicidal thoughts.
Bill Hill, CEO of the Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity said, "The app complements our existing 24/7 Construction Industry Helpline and is aimed at construction workers and their families. We recognise that not everyone feels comfortable talking about their feelings or personal situation, so the 'Construction Industry Helpline' app is aimed at people who would like to find out more information about how they can perhaps help themselves or if necessary, take the next step in seeking professional help. It is a preventative tool and provides support at the initial stages of a situation so that the problem does not reach a life critical stage."
Although the construction industry is rising to the challenge of creating a healthier workplace, finding the right support is not always easy. The Lighthouse Club are already helping to drive significant change through a variety of mental health and wellbeing support programmes – but realise that there is still a long way to go before the culture in construction removes the stigma about talking about mental health and wellbeing. By providing a free app, which can be downloaded by anyone in the industry, they hope to combat this. The 'Construction Industry Helpline' app will provide information, advice and guidance about how people can relieve the long term effects of stress, anxiety or depression as well as providing access to other areas of support such as anger management, drug and alcohol dependency, debt management, legal advice, and emergency financial aid.
COINS, who have over 35 years of developing software solutions for construction companies, are also passionate about giving something back to the industry. Their CEO, Robert Brown, added, "Collaborating with the Lighthouse Construction Industry in building this important app to help support construction workers and their families has been a privilege. It is great way for COINS to give something back to the construction industry and hope that it will be a great help to both construction workers and their families when they need it the most."
For more information and to download the free app, click on the following link: https://www.constructionindustryhelpline.com/app.html
To view HSE guidance on mental health conditions, work and the workplace, click on the following link: http://www.hse.gov.uk/stress/mental-health.htm or contact us on 07896 016380 or at fiona@eljay.co.uk, and we'll be happy to help
Posted on 12th March 2019 Tags alcohol dependency, anger, anger management, anxiety, app, construction, construction workers, construction workers mental health, construction workers mental health app, debt management, depression, drug and alcohol dependency, drug dependency, emergency financial aid, financial aid, free app, health & safety, Health & safety news, health & safety news updates, health and safety, health and safety news, health and safety news updates, mental health, mental health app, mental health in construction, news, news updates, preventative, professional help, seeking professional help, stress, suicidal thoughts, suicide, support, wellbeing, wellbeing support, work related illnessLeave a comment on New App launched to support Construction Worker's Mental Health
HSE food manufacturing inspections target the causes of workplace ill-health
Companies and people working in food manufacturing are being told they must pay closer attention to how they manage workplace health risks or face serious penalties.
The Health and Safety Executive's (HSE) programme of proactive inspections will review health and safety standards in food manufacturing businesses across the country, and the sector is being warned that a programme of unannounced inspections will begin today (2nd January).
The inspections will focus on two of the main causes of ill-health in the sector which are currently occupational asthma from exposure to flour dust in bakeries, cake and biscuit manufacturers and grain mills and musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) – predominantly lower back pain and upper limb disorders from manual handling activities and repetitive tasks across the sector.
The inspection visits come as HSE recently released its Manufacturing sector plan which prioritises the reduction of cases of occupational lung disease and MSDs.
Exposure to flour dust is the UK's second most common cited cause of occupational asthma. MSDs are the most common type of work-related illness in food manufacturing with handling injuries, accounting for around 20% of reported employee injuries (RIDDOR). HSE insists that such ill-health can be prevented when organisations have proper risk control systems in place.
The inspections will ensure measures are being taken by those responsible to protect workers against health risks and HSE will not hesitate to use enforcement to bring about improvements.
HSE's head of Manufacturing Sector John Rowe, said: "The food manufacturing sector is made up of over 300,000 workers and its health and safety record needs to improve. This inspection initiative will look to ensure effective management and control of targeted health risks.
HSE is calling on anyone working in the industry to take the time to refresh their knowledge of our advice and guidance, available for free on our website.
Food manufacturing companies should do the right thing by protecting workers' health; everyone has the right to go home healthy from work."
COSHH and bakers – key messages
Substances hazardous to health in baking include:
flour dust;
improver dusts containing enzymes etc;
dusts from protein-containing ingredients such as egg, soya;
spices, citrus oils and flavour concentrates;
cleaning and disinfectant products.
Dermatitis may result from some bakery tasks, and if hands are wet many times a day or for a lot of the time.
Control measures include:
careful working to avoid raising clouds of dust;
dust extraction;
vacuum or wet cleaning;
respirator for very dusty tasks;
skin checks.
Example: Flour dust
Flour dust can cause asthma when breathed in.
You must reduce exposure to flour dust as far below the WEL of 10 mg/m3 as is reasonably practicable. You normally need to use health surveillance (Check employees health for any adverse effects related to work. May involve checking skin for dermatitis or asking questions about breathing and may need to done by a doctor or nurse.)
Help in finding the right controls is on the Bakers and asthma website (http://www.hse.gov.uk/asthma/bakers.htm). Control information for flour dust appears in the following information sheets available from the COSHH essentials webpage: http://www.hse.gov.uk/coshh/essentials/direct-advice/baking.htm
Your employer provides equipment to protect your health, such as:
personal protective equipment (eg respirator).
You have a duty to use these properly and co-operate with any monitoring and health surveillance.
For advice on preventing and managing musculoskeletal disorders, visit the HSE web page http://www.hse.gov.uk/msd/. Alternatively, contact us about any of the above-mentioned issues, on 07896 016380 or at fiona@eljay.co.uk, and we'll be happy to help
Contains public sector information published by the Health and Safety Executive and licensed under the Open Government Licence
Posted on 16th January 2018 Tags asthma, bakeries, bakers, bakers and asthma, baking, breathing, citrus oil, citrus oils, cleaning products, coshh, dermatitis, disinfectant products, dust, dust extraction, dusts, egg, employee injuries, enzymes, exposure to flour dust, extraction, flavour concentrate, flavour concentrates, flour, flour dust, flour dust exposure, food manufacturing, food manufacturing inspections, food manufacturing sector, grain mills, handling injuries, health & safety, health & safety executive, Health & safety news, health & safety news updates, health and safety, health and safety executive, health and safety news, health and safety news updates, health surveillance, hse, hse food manufacturing inspections, hse inspection initiative, hse inspections, hse news, improver dust, improver dusts, improvers, inspection initiative, lower back pain, lung disease, manual handling, msds, musculoskeletal disorders, occupational asthma, occupational lung disease, personal protective equipment, ppe, protein containing ingredients, repetitive tasks, reported employee injuries, respirator, respirators, respiratory equipment, riddor, skin checks, soya, spice, spices, substances hazardous to health, unannounced inspections, upper limb disorders, vacuum cleaning, wet cleaning, workplace health risks, workplace ill healthLeave a comment on HSE food manufacturing inspections target the causes of workplace ill-health
HEALTH & SAFETY NEWS UPDATE – 1ST OCTOBER 2015
REGISTER BELOW-LEFT TO RECEIVE OUR UPDATES BY EMAIL
IN THIS UPDATE
Landlords required by law to install working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms from 1st October
Selecting a first-aid training provider
Freight container safety – transport company fined after crate falls on worker
Working at height – engineering company fined for safety breaches
Two important changes to health and safety legislation/regulations come into force today, one of which is the requirement for landlords to ensure that they have working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms installed in their properties. The measures were announced in March of this year by Housing Minister Brandon Lewis, and have since received Parliamentary approval.
Another change which has come into force today is the requirement by the HSE for individuals delivering first aid training to hold recognised teaching and assessing qualifications, details of which are provided below, along with guidance on establishing whether or not first aid training is required.
In response to the fining last month of a transport company after a crate fell on a worker, we also highlight the importance of identifying relevant risks before any work tasks are carried out, and putting in place appropriate control measures to protect against them, particularly those involved in work with containers.
Finally, it's no wonder that falls from height remain one of the biggest causes of deaths at work in the UK, after a member of the public witnessed workers on a fragile roof without any preventative measures to avoid risk of falling – either off the edge or through it. The incident was reported to the HSE and the engineering company employing the workers was fined last month £10,000 plus £4,782 costs, despite no injury occurring. We look at the hierarchy of controls that managing work at height should follow.
From 1st October, landlords will be required by law to install working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms in their properties, under measures announced by Housing Minister Brandon Lewis in March of this year.
The move will help prevent up to 26 deaths and 670 injuries a year.
The measure comes with strong support after a consultation on property condition in the private rented sector.
England's 46 fire and rescue authorities are expected to support private landlords in their own areas to meet their new responsibilities with the provision of free alarms, with grant funding from government.
This is part of wider government moves to ensure there are sufficient measures in place to protect public safety, while at the same time avoiding regulation which would push up rents and restrict the supply of homes, limiting choice for tenants.
Housing Minister Brandon Lewis said:
In 1988 just 8% of homes had a smoke alarm installed – now it's over 90%.
The vast majority of landlords offer a good service and have installed smoke alarms in their homes, but I'm changing the law to ensure every tenant can be given this important protection.
But with working smoke alarms providing the vital seconds needed to escape a fire, I urge all tenants to make sure they regularly test their alarms to ensure they work when it counts. Testing regularly remains the tenant's responsibility.
Communities Minister Stephen Williams said:
We're determined to create a bigger, better and safer private rented sector – a key part of that is to ensure the safety of tenants with fire prevention and carbon monoxide warning.
People are at least 4 times more likely to die in a fire in the home if there's no working smoke alarm.
That's why we are proposing changes to the law that would require landlords to install working smoke alarms in their properties so tenants can give their families and those they care about a better chance of escaping a fire.
Ensuring the safety of tenants
Other measures to support the private rented sector include investing £1 billion in building newly-built homes specifically for private rent, giving tenants support against rogue landlords and publishing a How to rent guide so tenants and landlords alike are aware of their rights and responsibilities.
The changes to the law will require landlords to install smoke alarms on every floor of their property, and test them at the start of every tenancy.
Landlords will also need to install carbon monoxide alarms in high risk rooms – such as those where a solid fuel heating system is installed.
Those who fail to install smoke and carbon monoxide alarms will face sanctions and could face up to a £5,000 civil penalty.
This will bring private rented properties into line with existing building regulations that already require newly-built homes to have hard-wired smoke alarms installed.
And it's in line with other measures the government has taken to improve standards in the private rented sector, without wrapping the industry up in red tape.
Free to download from https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/smoke-and-carbon-monoxide-alarms-explanatory-booklet-for-landlords, an explanatory booklet has been published, designed to help landlords further understand and comply with the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations 2015.
If you need clarification or further information about any aspect of property health and safety or fire safety, we undertake health & safety/fire risk assessments of commercial and residential properties and will be happy to advise accordingly. We can also provide a no-obligation quotation for the above upon request. Contact us on 07896 016380 or at Fiona@eljay.co.uk.
From 1st October 2015, HSE guidance to employers requires individuals delivering first aid training to hold recognised teaching and assessing qualifications. For more information about what to check when selecting a training provider, the HSE's information sheet provides guidance for employers and is free to download by clicking on the link: http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/geis3.pdf
Do I need first-aid training?
HSE cannot tell you what provision you should make for first aid. You, as an employer, are best placed to understand the exact nature of your workplace and decide what you need to provide.
First aid provision must be 'adequate and appropriate in the circumstances'. This means that you must provide sufficient first aid equipment (first aid kit), facilities and personnel at all times.
In order to decide what provision you need to make you should undertake a first-aid needs assessment. This assessment should consider the circumstances of your workplace, workforce and the hazards and risks that may be present. The findings will help you decide what first-aid arrangements you need to put in place.
In assessing your first-aid needs, you should consider:
the nature of the work you do
workplace hazards and risks (including specific hazards requiring special arrangements)
the nature and size of your workforce
the work patterns of your staff
holiday and other absences of those who will be first-aiders and appointed persons
your organisation's history of accidents
You may also need to consider:
the needs of travelling, remote and lone workers
the distribution of your workforce
the remoteness of any of your sites from emergency medical services
whether your employees work on shared or multi-occupancy sites
first-aid provision for non-employees (eg members of the public).
HSE has published further guidance on all the factors above that will help you carry out your first-aid needs assessment. Click on the link: http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/priced/l74.pdf#page=9
You may also wish to consider their suite of case studies, containing scenario-based examples of first-aid needs assessments for a variety of workplaces. They demonstrate the general principles involved in deciding on the provision you should make for first aid, but you should not assume the outcomes shown are directly transferable to your workplace. Click on the link: http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/casestudy9.pdf
You do not need to record the findings of your needs assessment, but you may find it useful to do so, as it will demonstrate how you have decided on the first-aid provision that you make.
The minimum requirement in terms of personnel is to appoint a person to take charge of first-aid arrangements. The roles of this appointed person include looking after the first-aid equipment and facilities and calling the emergency services when required. The appointed person can also provide emergency cover, within their role and competence, where a first-aider is absent due to unforeseen circumstances. An appointed person is not required to have any formal training.
If your workplace has more significant health and safety risks, for example you use machinery or hazardous materials then you are more likely to need a trained first-aider.
There are no hard and fast rules on exact numbers, and you will need to take into account all the relevant circumstances of your particular workplace.
If you need clarification or further information, please don't hesitate to contact us on 07896 016380 or at Fiona@eljay.co.uk, and we'll be happy to help. We also provide first-aid training and can provide a no-obligation quotation upon request.
Last month, a transport company firm was fined £9,000 plus £917 costs for safety failings after a worker suffered serious injuries when a crate fell on him whilst he was unloading crates from a container.
Ipswich Magistrates' Court heard how on April 2013 the transport company employee was assisting to unload two containers which contained two tonne crates of glass mirrors. The second container had no fork pockets or lighting, so the worker had to closely guide the fork lift truck operator to ensure the forks were in position.
Some of the crates were jammed in place and as the fork lift truck operator attempted to dislodge them, one of the crates toppled onto the worker, pinning him to the side of the container. The incident has left him with life changing injuries and he will be unable to work for at least three years.
Speaking after the hearing HSE Inspector Corinne Godfrey said:
"This worker was employed by the company for less than three weeks as a Warehouse Foreman, and although he had previous job experience which involved the maintenance and repair of containers, he had never been involved with this type of unloading work known as 'devanning'.
This incident was inevitable, neither worker had seen the procedures manual or any risk assessments/method statements relating to the unloading of containers.
The company failed to plan what should happen when it was identified that loads were not able to be readily offloaded by forklift truck.
It's essential that before any work tasks are carried out, the relevant risks should be identified and appropriate control measures put in place to protect against them.
All participants in the logistics chain – from owner drivers with one vehicle to large fleet operators, to shippers and warehouse operators – are likely to work with containers on a daily basis as drivers, loaders or handlers.
Accidents may happen at any stage of a container's journey; many of these will be serious or fatal, including crushing and falls from height. These accidents may be caused by human error or failure of technical items.
Typical hazards regarding freight containers in ports:
Structural failure due to lack of maintenance and wear and tear
Structural failure due to overloading, misdeclared weight, uneven or shifted loads
Falls from height while working with containers
Crush injuries during container manoeuvring and movements
Exposure to fumigants used during transit or chemicals given off by cargo that may build up during transit
How the risks can be reduced
All of these can be reduced by proper planning of work and training of workers. Before any work tasks are carried out, the relevant risks should be identified through risk assessment and appropriate control measures put in place to protect against them.
Port Skills and Safety (PSS) have produced a comprehensive 'Health & Safety in Ports' guidance document entitled SIP003 – Guidance on Container Handling that covers these issues in more detail. Click on the link: http://www.portskillsandsafety.co.uk/publications/safety_in_ports_guidance
This document has been produced by the ports industry, with assistance from HSE, to help dutyholders understand their duties under health and safety legislation and to identify key risks. This guidance also gives examples which dutyholders can use to inform their risk assessments and procedures.
Which laws apply? (click on the links for more information)
Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER) – http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1998/2306/contents/made
The Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER) – http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1998/2307/contents/made
The Work at Height Regulations 2005 – http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2005/735/contents/made
The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 – http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1992/3004/contents/made
For clarification or further information, please don't hesitate to contact us on 07896 016380 or at Fiona@eljay.co.uk, and we'll be happy to help.
Also last month, an engineering company firm was fined £10,000 plus £4,782 costs for safety failings after a member of the public witnessed workers on a fragile roof without any preventative measures to avoid risk of falling.
Redhill Magistrates' Court heard how in September 2014, the engineering company employees were working on a fragile roof installing ventilation ducting. The risks were obvious, but nothing was in place to prevent either falling off the edge of the roof or through the roof.
Falls from height remain one of the biggest causes of deaths at work in the UK. Fortunately, no-one was injured in this incident.
Speaking after the hearing, HSE Inspector Denis Bodger said: "It is essential that all roof work is properly planned by a competent person and competent workers are clearly instructed on how to carry out the work safely. It is not acceptable to simply rely on sending the workers to site and expecting that they will carry out the work safely, as was the case here."
Managing work at height follows a hierarchy of controls – avoid, prevent, arrest – which begins with the question – can the work be done safely from the ground? Fall restraints and safety netting should only be considered as a last resort if other safety equipment cannot be used.
Assessing work at height – Assess the risks, take precautions, and issue clear method statements for everyone who will work at height. Click on the link for more information: http://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/safetytopics/assess.htm
Roof work – Plan safe access, and prevent falls from edges and openings. Click on the link: http://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/safetytopics/roofwork.htm
Fragile surfaces – The hierarchy of controls for working on or near fragile surfaces is avoid, control, communicate, co-operate. Click on the link: http://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/safetytopics/fragile.htm
Ladders – When it's appropriate to use ladders – and the three key safety issues – position, condition and safe use. Click on the link: http://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/safetytopics/ladders.htm
Tower scaffolds – Select the right tower for the job; erect, use, move and dismantle the tower safely; ensure that it is stable; inspect it regularly; prevent falls. Click on the link: http://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/safetytopics/scaffold.htm
For clarification or further information please don't hesitate to contact us on 07896 016380 or at Fiona@eljay.co.uk and we'll be happy to help.
Contains public sector information published by GOV.UK and the Health and Safety Executive and licensed under the Open Government Licence
Posted on 1st October 2015 Tags 1 october, 1 october 2015, 1st October, 1st October 2015, assessing work at height, avoid prevent arrest, Brandon lewis, building regulations, carbon monoxide, carbon monoxide alarms, carbon monoxide warning, civil penalty, control measures, crush injuries, crushing, delivering first aid training, devanning, drivers, dutyholders, escaping a fire, exposure to fumigants, fall restraints, falls from height, fire rescue authorities, first aid equipment, first aid facilities, first aid kit, first aid needs assessment, first aid personnel, first aid provision, first aid training, fleet operators, fork pockets, fragile roof, fragile surfaces, freight container safety, guidance on container handling, handlers, hard wired smoke alarms, health & safety, health & safety executive, Health & safety news, health safety in ports, health safety legislation, hierarchy of controls, high risk rooms, housing minister, hse, install, ladders, landlords, large fleet operators, law, life changing injuries, lifting operations and lifting equipment regulations 1998, lighting, loaders, logistics chain, loler, managing work at height, method statements, misdeclared weight, newly built homes, overloading, owner drivers, port skills and safety, ports industry, private landlords, private rented properties, private rented sector, procedures manual, property condition, provision and use of work equipment regulations 1998, puwer, recognised teaching assessing qualifications, regularly test alarms, risk assessments, risk of falling, roof work, safety netting, selecting first aid training provider, shifted loads, shippers, sip003, sip003 guidance on container handling, smoke alarms, smoke and carbon monoxide alarm England regulations 2015, smoke carbon monoxide alarms, smoke carbon monoxide alarms explanatory booklet for landlords, solid fuel heating system, tower scaffolds, uneven loads, unloading crates from container, unloading of containers, warehouse operators, work at height, work at height regulations 2005, working at height, working smoke alarm, workplace health safety and welfare regulations 1992Leave a comment on HEALTH & SAFETY NEWS UPDATE – 1ST OCTOBER 2015
HEALTH & SAFETY NEWS UPDATE – 24TH SEPTEMBER 2015
Provision of welfare facilities during construction work
Excavation and underground services
Asbestos information, instruction and training
Why is machinery safety important?
As highlighted in our previous updates, HSE Inspectors are currently visiting refurbishment sites across the country until 9th October, to challenge the poor standards that are putting the health and safety of workers at risk. With this in mind, if you are a client or contractor, are you aware of your responsibilities regarding welfare facilities on construction projects? Last week, a Cheshire building contractor was fined £4,000 with costs of £2,495 after failing to fulfil these responsibilities so we open this week's update with what you need to do to comply with the law.
Did you know that replacing a wooden garden fence around a domestic property could result in a potentially fatal electric shock? A Barnsley housing services provider has been fined £7,500 with £8,562 costs after exactly this happened to one of its employees who struck an underground electric cable with a metal spade whilst excavating a fence post hole. HSE guidance below explains what you need to know, and do, before digging or disturbing earth where underground services may be located.
It's almost a year now since the HSE launched the "Beware Asbestos" campaign, but awareness is still very much lacking amongst trades people likely to come into contact with the potentially deadly substance. In response to reports of a Middlesex self employed heating engineer being fined £5,000 with £3,000 costs after removing asbestos lagged pipework in a domestic property with no precautions to prevent exposure to asbestos fibres, we share HSE guidance this week on exactly what type of information, instruction and training is necessary to provide a sufficient level of awareness.
And finally, after reports of a meat processing company being fined £28,000 after an employee suffered severe injuries to the fingers of his left hand when they came into contact with a band saw, we ask why machinery safety is important, and share HSE guidance on what workers using moving machinery should and should not do to prevent injury.
Last week a Cheshire building contractor was fined £4,000 and ordered to pay costs of £2,495, for serious health breaches and lack of welfare facilities on a Culcheth building site.
Trafford Magistrates' Court heard that the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) received a complaint from a member of the public in May 2014 about the conditions on the site where work was being carried out to convert a disused NHS premises.
The HSE investigation found access to the construction site was restricted and a lack of both health and safety provisions and welfare facilities. Workers were entering the building via ladders and planks. Work was stopped whilst scaffolding was erected to make access to the building safe.
Dust from sandblasting activities was found to be affecting other workers on the site and inadequate protection had been provided. Workers were expected to carry out tasks such as groundworks and bricklaying but were unable to wash their hands to remove any contamination.
Organising site welfare
The law says that clients and contractors have responsibilities regarding welfare facilities on construction projects.
Contractors provide welfare facilities and clients must ensure this happens.
The pre-construction information prepared by the client should include the arrangements for welfare provision. On notifiable projects (longer than 30 days or 500 person days), the client must ensure the construction phase does not start unless they are satisfied that there are arrangements for welfare facilities to be provided.
Contractors must maintain the facilities throughout the life of the project.
The nature and scale of facilities required will depend on the size, location and type of project. Facilities include:
Washing facilities
Changing rooms and lockers
Facilities for rest
Everyone who works on any site must have:
access to adequate toilet and washing facilities;
a place for preparing and consuming refreshments; and
somewhere for storing and drying clothing and personal protective equipment.
If mobile teams work at a number of locations over a few days (eg road repair and cable-laying gangs), these facilities can be provided at a central location accessible within a reasonable distance or time.
Decisions and action on welfare facilities need to be taken at an early stage of project planning.
Toilets should be suitable and sufficient, ventilated, lit and kept in a clean and orderly condition.
Washing facilities must be provided so that workers can use them immediately after using the toilet or urinal, even if they are provided elsewhere.
General washing facilities must be suitable and sufficient, kept clean and orderly and with basins or sinks large enough for people to wash their face, hands and forearms.
The facilities should include:
clean hot and cold, or warm, running water;
soap or other suitable means of cleaning;
towels or other suitable means of drying; and
showers where the nature of work is particularly dirty or there is a need to decontaminate.
Drinking water must be provided or made available at readily accessible and suitable places.
Cups are required unless the supply is in a jet from which people can drink easily.
Changing rooms are needed where workers have to wear special clothing for the purposes of their work and cannot be expected to change elsewhere.
The rooms must be provided with seating, means of drying and keeping clothing and personal effects secure.
Rest rooms or rest areas are required equipped with tables and seating (with backs) sufficient for the number of persons likely to use them at any one time.
There should be arrangements for meals to be prepared and eaten, plus means for boiling water. In cold weather, heating should be provided.
For more information, HSE's Construction Information Sheet No 59 can be downloaded free by clicking on the link: http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/cis59.pdf or contact us on 07896 016380 or at Fiona@eljay.co.uk and we'll be more than happy to help.
Last week a Barnsley housing services provider was fined £7,500 with £8,562 in costs after an employee received an electric shock while replacing a wooden garden fence around a domestic property.
Barnsley Magistrates Court heard how the injured person struck an underground electric cable with a metal spade while excavating a post hole and received an electric shock. The shock did not cause any lasting injury to the joiner, though the court was told that such incidents do pose a risk of fatal injury.
The court found that the Company had failed to ensure the safety of their employee, in that work carried out near an electrical system was not planned in order to minimise the risk of a cable strike.
HSE and other organisations have produced guidance on electrical safety that is suitable for a wide range of industries and technical competencies. Most of the information produced by the HSE is available for immediate download.
When underground cables are damaged, people can be killed and injured by electric shock, electrical arcs (causing an explosion), and flames. This often results in severe burns to hands, face and body, even if protective clothing is being worn.
Damage can be caused when a cable is:
cut through by a sharp object such as the point of a tool; or
crushed by a heavy object or powerful machine.
Cables that have been previously damaged but left unreported and unrepaired can cause incidents.
The HSE booklet "Avoiding danger from underground services" gives guidance on how you can manage the risks of digging near underground cables and is free to download by clicking on the link: http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/priced/hsg47.pdf
The Electricity Networks Association (ENA) publication "Watch It! When digging in the vicinity of underground electric cables" also provides advice: https://www.southern-electric.co.uk/uploadedFiles/CoreMarketingSites/Assets/Documents/UndergroundCables.pdf
If you are digging or disturbing the earth you should take care to avoid damaging underground services. Underground electrical cables can be particularly hazardous because they often look like pipes and it is impossible to tell if they are live just by looking at them.
Damage to underground electrical cables can cause fatal or severe injury and the law says you must take precautions to avoid danger.
Excavation work should be properly managed to control risks, including:
Planning the work
Using cable plans
Cable locating devices
Safe digging practices
Most service cables belong to a Distribution Network Operator (DNO). However, some cables belong to other organisations such as the highways authority, Ministry of Defence or Network Rail.
You should check nearby for equipment owned by the organisations listed above, and if you suspect there are underground cables, ask them for plans to confirm their location. If underground cables are nearby you may need to ask someone from the organisation to come and accurately locate them for you.
If you are excavating near your own cables , then someone who is experienced in underground cable detection techniques should help you locate them using suitable equipment.
You may need to make underground cables dead for the work to proceed safely. Be aware that electricity companies are required to give five days' notice to customers whose supply is to be disconnected.
Careful planning and risk assessments are essential before the work starts. Risk assessments should consider how the work is to be carried out, ensuring local circumstances are taken into account.
Plans or other suitable information about all buried services in the area should be obtained and reviewed before any excavation work starts.
If the excavation work is an emergency, and plans and other information cannot be found, the work should be carried out as though there are live buried services in the area.
Symbols on electricity cable plans may vary between utilities and advice should be sought from the issuing office. Remember that high-voltage cables may be shown on separate plans from low-voltage cables.
Plans give only an indication of the location, and number of underground services at a particular site. It is essential that a competent person traces cables using suitable locating devices.
Before work begins, underground cables must be located, identified and clearly marked.
The position of the cable in or near the proposed work area should be pinpointed as accurately as possible by means of a locating device, using plans, and other information as a guide to the possible location of services and to help interpret the signal.
Remember: Locators should be used frequently and repeatedly during the course of the work.
People who use a locator should have received thorough training in its use and limitations. Locating devices should always be used in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions, regularly checked and maintained in good working order.
Excavation work should be carried out carefully and follow recognised safe digging practices.
Once a locating device has been used to determine cable positions and routes, excavation may take place, with trial holes dug using suitable hand tools as necessary to confirm this.
Excavate alongside the service rather than directly above it. Final exposure of the service by horizontal digging is recommended, as the force applied to hand tools can be controlled more effectively.
Insulated tools should be used when hand digging near electric cables.
For more information visit HSE's web page http://www.hse.gov.uk/electricity/information/excavations.htm, or contact us on 07896 016380 or at Fiona@eljay.co.uk, and we'll be more than happy to help.
A Middlesex self employed heating engineer has been fined £5,000 with £3,000 costs after removing asbestos lagged pipework in a domestic property with no precautions to prevent exposure to asbestos fibres.
The engineer was employed to install a new heating system in the domestic property. He removed the redundant pipework that was lagged with asbestos, using a powered electric saw. He then transported the pipework through the property and deposited it outside on the drive.
Trafford Magistrates' Court heard that the engineer did not have any asbestos awareness training. HSE told the court that had he been appropriately trained, he would have been in a position to recognise that the lagging may be asbestos. He would have known to avoid any work until it had been demonstrated as asbestos free or been removed by a licensed contractor. Instead, he removed the pipes with no precautions to prevent his own exposure to asbestos fibres, and the potential for other persons to be exposed. The homeowners have had to move out of their home pending thorough decontamination of the property.
Every employer must make sure that anyone who is liable to disturb asbestos during their normal work, or who supervises those employees, gets the correct level of information, instruction and training so that they can work safely and competently without risk to themselves or others.
What type of information, instruction and training is necessary?
Workers and supervisors must be able to recognise asbestos-containing materials (ACMs) and know what to do if they come across them in order to protect themselves and others.
There are three main levels of information, instruction and training. These relate to:
Non-licensable work with asbestos including NNLW
Licensable work with asbestos.
Attending a training course on its own will not make a worker competent. Competence is developed over time by implementing and consolidating skills learnt during training, on-the-job learning, instruction and assessment.
It is important that the level of information, instruction and training is appropriate for the work and the roles undertaken by each worker (and supervisor). Using a training needs analysis (TNA) will help to identify what topics should be covered to ensure workers have the right level of competence to avoid putting themselves or others at risk.
Information, instruction and training for asbestos awareness is intended to give workers and supervisors the information they need to avoid work that may disturb asbestos during any normal work which could disturb the fabric of a building, or other item which might contain asbestos. It will not prepare workers, or self-employed contractors, to carry out work with asbestos-containing materials. If a worker is planning to carry out work that will disturb ACMs, further information, instruction and training will be needed.
Examples of those affected are listed below. There will be other occupations where asbestos may be disturbed in addition to those listed.:
General maintenance workers
Heating and ventilation engineers
Demolition workers
Telecommunication engineers
Fire/burglar alarm installers
Computer and data installers
Building surveyors
Information, instruction and training about asbestos awareness should cover the following:
the properties of asbestos and its effects on health, including the increased risk of developing lung cancer for asbestos workers who smoke
the types, uses and likely occurrence of asbestos and asbestos materials in buildings and plant
the general procedures to deal with an emergency, eg an uncontrolled release of asbestos dust into the workplace
how to avoid the risk of exposure to asbestos
Online learning (often referred to as e–learning) is increasingly used as a method of providing asbestos awareness training. HSE recognises the use of e-learning as a viable delivery method, among others, for asbestos awareness training, provided it satisfies the requirements of Regulation 10 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 and the supporting Approved Code of Practice L143 'Managing and working with asbestos'.
Workers who plan to carry out work that will disturb asbestos require a higher level of information, instruction and training, in addition to asbestos awareness. This should take account of whether the work is non-licensed; notifiable non-licensed work (NNLW); or licensed work and should be job specific.
For more information, visit the HSE web page http://www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos/training.htm or contact us on 07896 016380 or at Fiona@eljay.co.uk and we'll be more than happy to help.
A company which processes and distributes meat for retail catering and wholesale sectors has been fined £28,000 after an employee suffered severe injuries to the fingers of his left hand when they came into contact with a band saw.
Forfar Sheriff Court heard how on May 2013 an employee of the meat processing company was using a band saw which formed part of the machinery for cutting pig carcasses.
The court was told the band saw, which had an exposed blade, was being used as a replacement for the usual saw which was inoperative. The replacement band saw was not fitted to a conveyor to carry the sections of cut meat away from the blade and towards the employee. This meant that the employee's hands were in close proximity to the exposed cutting blade.
It was during the process of moving the meat that the employee's fingers came into contact with the band saw.
Moving machinery can cause injuries in many ways:
People can be struck and injured by moving parts of machinery or ejected material. Parts of the body can also be drawn in or trapped between rollers, belts and pulley drives
Sharp edges can cause cuts and severing injuries, sharp-pointed parts can cause stabbing or puncture the skin, and rough surface parts can cause friction or abrasion
People can be crushed, both between parts moving together or towards a fixed part of the machine, wall or other object, and two parts moving past one another can cause shearing
Parts of the machine, materials and emissions (such as steam or water) can be hot or cold enough to cause burns or scalds and electricity can cause electrical shock and burns
Injuries can also occur due to machinery becoming unreliable and developing faults or when machines are used improperly through inexperience or lack of training
What do I have to do?
Before you start using any machine you need to think about what risks may occur and how these can be managed. You should therefore do the following:
Check that the machine is complete, with all safeguards fitted, and free from defects. The term 'safeguarding' includes guards, interlocks, two-hand controls, light guards, pressure-sensitive mats etc. By law, the supplier must provide the right safeguards and inform buyers of any risks ('residual risks') that users need to be aware of and manage because they could not be designed out
Produce a safe system of work for using and maintaining the machine. Maintenance may require the inspection of critical features where deterioration would cause a risk. Also look at the residual risks identified by the manufacturer in the information/ instructions provided with the machine and make sure they are included in the safe system of work
Ensure every static machine has been installed properly and is stable (usually fixed down)
Choose the right machine for the job and do not put machines where customers or visitors may be exposed to risk
Note that new machines should be CE marked and supplied with a Declaration of Conformity and instructions in English
Make sure the machine is:
safe for any work that has to be done when setting up, during normal use, when clearing blockages, when carrying out repairs for breakdowns, and during planned maintenance
properly switched off, isolated or locked-off before taking any action to remove blockages, clean or adjust the machine
Also, make sure you identify and deal with the risks from:
electrical, hydraulic or pneumatic power supplies
badly designed safeguards. These may be inconvenient to use or easily overridden, which could encourage your workers to risk injury and break the law. If they are, find out why they are doing it and take appropriate action to deal with the reasons/causes
Preventing access to dangerous parts
Think about how you can make a machine safe. The measures you use to prevent access to dangerous parts should be in the following order. In some cases it may be necessary to use a combination of these measures:
Use fixed guards (eg secured with screws or nuts and bolts) to enclose the dangerous parts, whenever practical. Use the best material for these guards – plastic may be easy to see through but may easily be damaged. Where you use wire mesh or similar materials, make sure the holes are not large enough to allow access to moving parts
If fixed guards are not practical, use other methods, eg interlock the guard so that the machine cannot start before the guard is closed and cannot be opened while the machine is still moving. In some cases, trip systems such as photoelectric devices, pressure-sensitive mats or automatic guards may be used if other guards are not practical
Where guards cannot give full protection, use jigs, holders, push sticks etc if it is practical to do so
Control any remaining risk by providing the operator with the necessary information, instruction, training, supervision and appropriate safety equipment
Other things you should consider
If machines are controlled by programmable electronic systems, changes to any programmes should be carried out by a competent person (someone who has the necessary skills, knowledge and experience to carry out the work safely). Keep a record of such changes and check they have been made properly
Ensure control switches are clearly marked to show what they do
Have emergency stop controls where necessary, eg mushroom-head push buttons within easy reach
Make sure operating controls are designed and placed to avoid accidental operation and injury, use two-hand controls where necessary and shroud start buttons and pedals
Do not let unauthorised, unqualified or untrained people use machinery – never allow children to operate or help at machines. Some workers, eg new starters, young people or those with disabilities, may be particularly at risk and need instruction, training and supervision
Adequate training should ensure that those who use the machine are competent to use it safely. This includes ensuring they have the correct skills, knowledge and experience – sometimes formal qualifications are needed, eg for chainsaw operators
Supervisors must also be properly trained and competent to be effective. They may need extra specific training and there are recognised courses for supervisors
Ensure the work area around the machine is kept clean and tidy, free from obstructions or slips and trips hazards, and well lit
Dos and don'ts of machinery safety for workers
check the machine is well maintained and fit to be used, ie appropriate for the job and working properly and that all the safety measures are in place – guards, isolators, locking mechanisms, emergency off switches etc
use the machine properly and in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions
make sure you are wearing the appropriate protective clothing and equipment required for that machine, such as safety glasses, hearing protection and safety shoes
use a machine or appliance that has a danger sign or tag attached to it. Danger signs should only be removed by an authorised person who is satisfied that the machine or process is now safe
wear dangling chains, loose clothing, rings or have loose, long hair that could get caught up in moving parts
distract people who are using machines
remove any safeguards, even if their presence seems to make the job more difficult
For more information visit the HSE web page http://www.hse.gov.uk/work-equipment-machinery/index.htm or contact us on 07896 016380 and we'll be more than happy to help.
Posted on 24th September 2015 Tags acms, approved code of practice L143, approved code of practice L143 managing and working with asbestos, architects, arrangements for welfare provision, asbestos, asbestos awareness, asbestos containing materials, asbestos fibres, asbestos information, asbestos information instruction and training, asbestos instruction, asbestos lagged, asbestos lagged pipework, asbestos training, automatic guards, avoiding danger from underground services, badly designed safeguards, band saw, beware asbestos, bricklaying, building surveyors, buried services, cable locating devices, cable plans, cable strike, changing rooms, clients, computer and data installers, construction phase, construction projects, construction work, construction workers, contamination, contractors, control of asbestos regulations 2012, damaged underground cables, demolition workers, digging earth, distribution network operator, disturbing earth, dno, drinking water, dust from sandblasting, electric cables, electric shock, electric shock hazard, electric shock risk, electrical safety, electricians, electricity companies, emergency stop controls, excavating, excavation, excavation work, exposure to asbestos fibres, facilities for rest, fire and burglar alarm installers, fixed guards, gas fitters, general maintenance workers, groundworks, guards, health, health & safety, health & safety executive, Health & safety news, health and safety, health and safety news, health and safety provisions, heating and ventilation engineers, high-voltage cables, highways authority, hse, hse guidance, hse refurbishment inspection initiative, insulated tools, interlocks, joiners, licensable work with asbestos, light guards, lockers, low-voltage cables, machinery safety, managing and working with asbestos, meat processing, ministry of defence, moving machinery, mushroom head push buttons, network rail, news, non licensable work with asbestos including NNLW, notifiable projects, painters and decorators, plasterers, plumbers, pre-construction information, pressure sensitive mats, preventing access to dangerous parts, provision of welfare facilities, provision of welfare facilities during construction work, regulation 10, removing asbestos, residual risks, rest facilities, roofers, safe digging practices, safe system of work, safeguarding, safeguards, safety, shop fitters, site welfare, telecommunication engineers, toilets, trial holes, two hand controls, underground cables, underground electric cables, underground services, washing facilities, watch it when digging in the vicinity of underground electric cables, welfare facilities, welfare facilities on construction projectsLeave a comment on HEALTH & SAFETY NEWS UPDATE – 24TH SEPTEMBER 2015
Advice on horizontal swing car park barriers
National company calls on the construction industry to learn from their mistakes during HSE's refurbishment initiative
Use of e-cigarettes in the workplace
Fire as a health asset? Or a health necessity?
Further to news last week of a local authority being fined £160,000 after a man died when his car drove into a horizontal swing car park barrier, we're opening this week's update with information provided by the HSE to remind users of their duties in relation to the safe use of such barriers.
A couple of weeks ago we opened our news update with details of the HSE's 10th annual refurbishment inspection initiative, which started a couple of days ago and which targets the unsafe work practices that make construction one of Britain's most dangerous industries. This week, we're highlighting the national interiors fit-out company (previously prosecuted by the HSE) who have publicly backed the initiative.
In the light of concerns raised this week in the British Medical Journal on Public Health England's review which concludes that e-cigarettes are around 95% safer than smoked tobacco, some employers may be unsure as to whether their use should be permitted or prohibited in the workplace, so we're sharing the HSE's advice on what has recently become something of a contentious issue.
And finally, we close with news of a new partnership which may be of interest to our clients and readers working within the Health & Social Care sector. Health and local government staff in some areas are working with the Fire & Rescue Services to identify households with complex conditions or needs and increased risk of fire. NHS England is supporting the local development of a whole system, multi-agency approach to deliver the national commitment of more integrated person centred care closer to home.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is aware of accidents, including fatalities, as a result of incidents involving horizontal swing barriers, which are found in car parks used in retail and many other premises.
Only last week, North Lincolnshire Council was fined after a man died when his car drove into a horizontal swing barrier gate to a car park at a local authority sports ground. Hull Crown Court heard how, in August 2012, Andrew Matthews had gone to a sports ground to watch his son play football. The horizontal barrier had been opened earlier, but was not secured so it swung into a dangerous position. As Mr Matthews drove his car towards the gate, the horizontal end section of the barrier went through the windscreen striking him on the head, causing fatal injuries. North Lincolnshire Council was fined a total of £160,000, and ordered to pay £40,476 in costs after pleading guilty to an offence under Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.
Horizontal swing barriers typically comprise a bar or beam hinged at a vertical pillar. The bar is manually moved to open or close off access to an opening in a car park exit/entrance. As in the tragic case above, accidents have occurred when barriers have been inadequately secured so that they have partially opened and presented a least visible end on profile of protruding barrier which has impaled an oncoming vehicle. The end profile of the barrier may not be clearly visible to an oncoming driver. Other incidents have occurred as a barrier has swung into the path of an oncoming vehicle. Unsecured barriers can swing open due to the wind, gravity or as a result of vandalism.
HSE has provided the following information to remind users of their duties in relation to the safe use of such barriers. Duty holders include persons in charge of the entrances to industrial estates, retail premises, leisure premises, sporting complexes, parks, farms etc. In short any premise with a car park entrance or exit to which members of the public and workers have vehicular access, may utilise such barriers. (Vertically opening or lifting barriers can also present safety risks if they are not correctly controlled.)
Duty holders are reminded of their responsibilities in relation to barriers. They include:
Carrying out a suitable risk assessment so that potential dangers are identified and precautions are put in place to ensure they are removed or controlled.
Reviewing existing risk assessments where horizontal swing barriers are in use to determine whether elimination of the risk is possible. Horizontal swing barriers rely on human intervention to ensure they are locked open or locked shut, they are also susceptible to vandalism which can leave them in an unsafe position. Vertical lifting gates are a lower risk alternative, as is the provision of lower height swing barriers so that any collision will result in damage to the vehicle without causing any part of the barrier to enter the vehicle with possible fatal consequences.
Where horizontal barriers are used, making sure the barriers are adequately secured at all times whether open or shut (a padlock will suffice).
Making sure the barriers are made visible by painting or marking with alternate red and white bands of adequate width to be clearly visible, so that persons do not inadvertently drive into them (additional local lighting may be required).
Carrying out regular inspections to ensure that the methods of securing and visibility aspects have not deteriorated.
Ensuring barriers are maintained in accordance with manufacturers instructions.
Liaising with suppliers if your risk assessment reveals that securing and visibility requirements are inadequate.
If you need any help with the carrying out or reviewing of your risk assessments, please don't hesitate to contact us on 07896 016380 or at Fiona@eljay.co.uk, and we'll be happy to help. We also undertake property health & safety/fire risk assessments, and no-obligation quotations can be provided upon request.
A couple of weeks ago we opened our news update with details of the HSE's 10th annual refurbishment inspection initiative, which started a couple of days ago.
A national interiors fit-out company (previously prosecuted by the HSE), whose clients include high-end retail brands, is backing the initiative. The nationwide drive will target the unsafe work practices that make construction one of Britain's most dangerous industries.
John Graham, Newman Scott's new Joint Managing Director said:
"I would urge everyone in the construction industry to take action now in protecting the health and safety of your workers. Don't let a prosecution or worse the death or injury of a colleague be the catalyst for change."
Although construction is 5 per cent of Britain's workforce it accounts for 31% of all fatalities, with 42 deaths in 2014/15 and 76,000 cases of reported ill-health. HSE will be targeting the refurbishment sites as they account for more than half of all the deaths, injuries and cases of ill-health within the construction industry.
HSE Inspectors will be visiting refurbishment sites across the country, between 14 September and 9 October, to challenge the poor standards that are putting the health and safety of workers at risk.
Newman Scott was visited by HSE during the 2013 inspection initiative and the poor practice found resulted in the company and one of their directors being prosecuted.
John Graham explains:
"We were mortified at the thought of being prosecuted because we had a good safety record and thought we were pretty good at health and safety.
"A sub-contractor was using a poorly erected mobile scaffold, on an escalator between the ground and first floor, and although no-one was hurt there was a very real and high risk of injury, or worse, to the operatives.
"We had a choice, we could consider ourselves lucky there were no injuries or we could hold a full and frank internal investigation, understand what had gone wrong and make sure our sites were safe for our workers."
Newman Scott had the processes in place but they were not being followed. Their decision to get to the root-cause of the incident has created a sea change in their organisation's health and safety culture, an example HSE hopes other construction companies will learn from.
John continues:
"We focused on improving the already positive safety culture in the company through better communication, more training, more competency checking and giving more ownership of health and safety to our employees. Most importantly our employees knew they could say no, without fear of retribution, to any request from a client or director if they felt it could not be carried out without risking their health or their safety."
Although John believes the company would have made changes eventually Newman Scott are convinced HSE's enforcement action acted as a catalyst and their interaction with the inspector helped them to implement sustained and effective changes.
John, said:
"Of course HSE has an enforcement function and this may make them appear formal but there was a genuine desire from them to help us make the workplace a safer, healthier place. We were treated with respect and courtesy and that helped us approach the whole experience in a positive way, maximising the improvements to the benefit of everyone on our sites.
"We cannot say that we will have no more lapses in the future. We can say that all our people sleep easier in their beds knowing that we are all doing all we can to make sure we have safer, healthier sites. That peace of mind is priceless."
Jo Anderson, HSE's lead for the construction initiative, said:
"We are grateful to Newman Scott for sharing their experience and for how they have responded to the prosecution.
"We hope everyone can learn from their lessons and realise it is vital when carrying out construction work that the right management systems are in place so risks to workers' health are controlled just as effectively as safety. Workers within construction are paying too high a toll on their health and safety when it is completely avoidable by planning the work, providing the right kit and making sure it is used properly.
HSE guidance on health and safety in the construction industry can be found on their web page http://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/, or contact us on 07896 016380 or at Fiona@eljay.co.uk, and we'll be happy to help.
Further to concerns raised this week in the British Medical Journal on Public Health England's review of the latest evidence concluding e-cigarettes are around 95% safer than smoked tobacco, we're sharing HSE's advice on their use in the workplace.
HSE does not enforce legislation or standards for e-cigarettes.
E-cigarettes are not regulated like tobacco products and there is currently no bespoke regulatory system for e-cigarettes in the UK, but they are captured by general product safety regulatory requirements.
HSE's advice is that an employer needs to consider e-cigarettes in the wider context of risk in the workplace. HSE is aware that some organisations have banned their use but this is not something the regulator has advised on. Employers may want to ask for advice on this from Public Health England: cleartobaccoteam@phe.gov.uk.
Some organisations may find the "Will you permit or prohibit electronic cigarette use on your premises?" document useful (http://www.ash.org.uk/files/documents/ASH_900.pdf). It sets out five questions to ask yourself before deciding whether to permit or prohibit e-cigarette use on your premises
If an employer decides to 'prohibit' the use of e-cigarettes in the workplace but allow for 'vaping' breaks or provide areas where employees can use e-cigarettes, the employer needs to ensure that those who use e-cigarettes are not put at risk of harm from second-hand tobacco smoke.
To read the joint statement on e-cigarettes published this week by Public Health England and other UK public health organisations, click on the link: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/e-cigarettes-an-emerging-public-health-consensus
Likely to be of interest to some of our clients and readers working within the Health & Social Care sector, a new partnership has been established between NHS England and the Fire and Rescue Services (FRS), to use their collective capabilities and resources more effectively to enhance the lives of older people and those with complex conditions.
Working together with Public Health England, the Chief Fire Officers Association, the Local Government Association and Age UK, the group has established a new working relationship aimed at improving the quality of life for people who would benefit from brief health and wellbeing interventions in their own homes, and better coordinated public services.
Jacquie White, NHS England's Deputy Director for People with Long Term Conditions, explained: "The Fire and Rescue Services in England carry out 670,000 home visits annually on vulnerable people.
"These are already providing some basic health interventions – but they are keen to do more.
"Health and local government staff in some areas are working with the FRS to identify households with complex conditions or needs and increased risk of fire. They agree a local list of health interventions to be provided, while also developing ways of directing people who need help from health or care services."
NHS England is supporting the local development of a whole system, multi-agency approach to deliver the national commitment of more integrated person centred care closer to home.
A consensus statement between NHS England, the Chief Fire Officers' Association, PHE, LGA and Age UK will be published soon along with design principles for 'safe and well visits' and links to case studies.
You can read more about this new initiative in Jacquie White's blog: http://www.england.nhs.uk/2015/08/14/jacquie-white/
Contains public sector information published by Gov.UK, the Health and Safety Executive and NHS England, and licensed under the Open Government Licence
Posted on 17th September 2015 Tags bmj, british medical journal, car park barriers, e-cigarettes, e-cigarettes in the workplace, e-cigs, e-cigs in the workplace, electronic cigarettes, electronic cigarettes in the workplace, fire & rescue service, fire & rescue services, fire and rescue service, fire and rescue services, frs, health, health & safety, Health & safety news, health and safety, health and safety news, horizontal barriers, horizontal swing barriers, horizontal swing car park barriers, hse, hse refurbishment initiative, integrated person centred care, multi-agency approach, news, nhs, nhs England, partnership, phe, public health England, refurbishment initiative, review, safety, smoked tobacco, swing barriers, swing car park barriersLeave a comment on HEALTH & SAFETY NEWS UPDATE – 17TH SEPTEMBER 2015
Turn around when possible: one in seven risking lives to correct sat-nav mistakes
Landlord prosecuted over carbon monoxide risk
Awareness training in automated external defibrillators
Safe & Sound at Work – do your bit
A survey by road safety charity Brake and Direct Line has found that more than one in seven (15%) drivers who use a sat-nav admit making illegal or risky manoeuvres to correct mistakes when following sat-nav instructions, putting themselves and other road users at risk of a devastating crash. This week's opening topic provides guidance on how to use sat-nav systems safely.
Also, further to the news last week of a landlord being prosecuted over carbon monoxide risk, we're highlighting what landlords must do to fulfil their legal responsibility for the safety of their tenants in relation to gas safety.
With AEDs (automated external defibrillators) becoming more prevalent in the wider community, if you're wondering whether you have a legal obligation to provide one in your workplace, read on for guidance from the HSE.
"Tell employees about health and safety and they'll know about it. Involve them and they'll understand." This is the message delivered by the HSE's 'Safe & Sound at Work' campaign, and this week's closing topic, which is aimed at helping small to medium sized enterprises benefit from improved consultation.
'Turn around when possible.' It's a phrase that anyone who drives with the aid of a sat-nav knows well.
But it could mean more than just a navigational nightmare. A survey by road safety charity Brake and Direct Line has found that more than one in seven (15%) drivers who use a sat-nav admit making illegal or risky manoeuvres to correct mistakes when following sat-nav instructions, putting themselves and other road users at risk of a devastating crash.
Dodgy u-turns aren't the only danger. Brake and Direct Line's survey also found that:
one in 14 (7%) drivers have had a near miss, having to swerve or brake suddenly to avoid a hazard, because they were distracted by a sat-nav (rising to one in 10 (11%) among young drivers (17-24);
one in 14 (7%) drivers also admit to having a similar near miss because they were fiddling with their stereo (rising to one in 10 (11%) among young drivers (17-24))
When used responsibly, using a voice-based sat-nav can make you a safer than using a visual display or paper map, as you can navigate without looking away from the road. However, there is some evidence that relying on a sat-nav can make you drive faster and make you less observant. Fiddling with a stereo can also make you react slower and make more errors.
Through its drive smart campaign, Brake is calling on all drivers to stay alert and keep their mind and eyes on the road. That means programming your sat-nav before you set off, and not attempting to re-programme it, fiddle with your stereo, use a mobile, or do anything else while driving. Research shows almost everyone is unable to multi-task at the wheel without driving performance being badly affected. Carry out a secondary activity and you're two to three times more likely to crash: more for complex activities like talking on a phone or texting.
Brake is also calling on drivers not to be distracted by the range of technologies being installed in many new cars that have nothing to do with driving, such as access to social media. Brake is also appealing to the government to regulate the use of features that can pose a dangerous distraction to drivers.
Julie Townsend, deputy chief executive, Brake, said: "Sat-navs have revolutionised the way many of us drive, helping us get from A to B without worrying about navigation, and there are indications they can make you safer. However, there are potential pitfalls to be wary of that can pose a real danger to yourself and other road users. Remember, the sat-nav is there to help you keep focused on driving rather than worry about directions, but it's not there to make all the decisions for you. Driving is an unpredictable activity, so you still need to look at signs, particularly those warning of hazards or speed limits, and watch for people and unexpected problems.
"For many drivers there is an increasing array of technological temptations that can pose a deadly distraction; it's essential to resist to ensure you and others arrive safely. Brake's advice is: set your sat-nav and radio before you set off, put your phone in the boot and ensure you're not tempted to do anything that will take your mind or eyes off the road while driving."
Rob Miles, director of motor at Direct Line,commented: "Looking at the sat-nav while your eyes are meant to be on the road is no different from trying to drive with a map in front of you. It's dangerous, and you shouldn't do it. If you're going to use sat-nav to guide you through a journey, better to use a voice-based version so you can keep your eyes on the road. If you need to change direction or turn around, do it safely, even if it takes a bit of time to get to the next roundabout rather than doing a U-turn. And if you want to look at the sat-nav, do what you'd do with a map: find somewhere safe to pull over before having a look."
Article reproduced courtesy of Brake – the road safety charity.
Read the full article: http://www.brake.org.uk/news/1329-incartech-jan15.
Read about Brake's drive smart campaign: http://www.brake.org.uk/drivesmart.
Tweet Brake: @Brakecharity, hashtag #DriveSmart.
Read the survey report: http://www.brake.org.uk/assets/docs/dl_reports/DLreport-DrivenToDistraction-sec3-incartech-2015.pdf.
More information about the safe use of sat-nav systems can be found on the RoSPA website: http://www.rospa.com/road-safety/advice/vehicles/satellite-navigation-devices/
For more information about work related road safety, visit the HSE website: http://www.hse.gov.uk/roadsafety/ or contact us on 07896 016380 or at Fiona@eljay.co.uk and we'll be more than happy to help.
HSE press release – 3 September 2015
A mother and her young son were put at risk of suffering carbon monoxide poisoning for seven years at their home in Ashton-under-Lyne, a court has heard.
The woman's landlord, Rent4U Ltd, of Manchester, was prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) after an inspection of the gas boiler at her home found it was in a condition classified as 'immediately dangerous'.
Trafford Magistrates' Court heard that the firm failed to arrange an annual gas safety check at the terraced house on Marlborough Street between 2007 and 2014.
The court was told that Rent4U had previously been served with two Improvement Notices by HSE in 2013 after failing to arrange annual gas safety checks at two other properties.
Rent4U Ltd, of Christie Way, Christie Fields, Manchester, was fined £4,000 and ordered to pay £7,000 in prosecution costs after pleading guilty to two breaches of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998.
Landlords' responsibility for gas safety
As a landlord, you are legally responsible for the safety of your tenants in relation to gas safety. By law you must:
Repair and maintain gas pipework, flues and appliances in safe condition
Ensure an annual gas safety check on each appliance and flue
Keep a record of each safety check
You should also keep your tenants informed about their responsibilities while they are staying in your property.
Gas checks (click on the links for more information)
Who needs them?: http://www.hse.gov.uk/gas/landlords/safetycheckswho.htm
What needs them?: http://www.hse.gov.uk/gas/landlords/safetycheckswhat.htm
What if…?: http://www.hse.gov.uk/gas/landlords/safetycheckswhatif.htm
Who can do it?: http://www.hse.gov.uk/gas/landlords/safetycheckswhocan.htm
Which pipework is covered?: http://www.hse.gov.uk/gas/landlords/gaspipework.htm#which
Who can do the maintenance?: http://www.hse.gov.uk/gas/landlords/gaspipework.htm#maintenance
What needs to be maintained?: http://www.hse.gov.uk/gas/landlords/gasappliances.htm#maintained
Who is responsible for repairs?: http://www.hse.gov.uk/gas/landlords/gasappliances.htm#responsible2
What has to be recorded?: http://www.hse.gov.uk/gas/landlords/gassaferecord.htm#recorded
How long must I keep records?: http://www.hse.gov.uk/gas/landlords/gassaferecord.htm#keep
What do I have to give to tenants?: http://www.hse.gov.uk/gas/landlords/gassaferecord.htm#information
What information do I have to give?: http://www.hse.gov.uk/gas/landlords/dealing.htm#information
How can I provide this?: http://www.hse.gov.uk/gas/landlords/dealing.htm#provide
Can I delegate responsibility?: http://www.hse.gov.uk/gas/landlords/dealing.htm#delegate
What about my tenants own appliances?: http://www.hse.gov.uk/gas/landlords/dealing.htm#responsible
For more information, visit the HSE website: http://www.hse.gov.uk/gas/landlords/ or contact us on 07896 016380 or at Fiona@eljay.co.uk and we'll be more than happy to help.
In-depth training in the use of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) is not currently part of either the Emergency First Aid at Work and First Aid at Work courses. However, HSE welcomes the presence of awareness training in these courses as it instils greater confidence in the use of AEDs.
It is not compulsory for employers to purchase AEDs to comply with the Health and Safety (First-Aid) regulations 1981. However, if your needs assessment identifies an AED need then we recommend your staff should be fully trained in its use.
The Resuscitation Council UK (www.resus.org.uk) guidance on AEDs is that this equipment is safe to use and can be readily used by untrained bystanders. (The 2015 guidelines will be published on 15th October 2015.)
AEDs are becoming more prevalent within the wider community. For example there are national strategies in place actively promoting their placement in schools; public places such as stations. Many workplaces have voluntarily invested in this equipment.
Evidence suggests that where AEDs have been used the outcomes are far more favourable for an individual who suffers from a heart attack than if it is delayed until the arrival of the emergency services.
For more information on first aid at work, visit the HSE website: http://www.hse.gov.uk/firstaid/ or contact us on 07896 016380 or at Fiona@eljay.co.uk, and we'll be more than happy to help.
Tell employees about health and safety and they'll know about it
Involve them and they'll understand.
Step-by-step guidance to help your business benefit from improved consultation
This is a step-by-step guide primarily aimed at small to medium sized enterprises, offering practical hints and tips for workplaces on how to improve on their existing consultation and worker involvement arrangements.
First choose from either stable or dynamic below, depending on what best describes your own workplace (click on the links):
Step-by-step guide for 'Stable' small to medium sized workplaces where the conditions don't change on a regular basis (e.g. a factory or workshop): http://www.hse.gov.uk/involvement/doyourbit/stable/index.htm
Step-by-step guide for 'Dynamic' small to medium sized workplaces where the conditions change on a regular basis (e.g. a construction site or delivering goods to different addresses): http://www.hse.gov.uk/involvement/doyourbit/dynamic/index.htm
If you are a large organisation, you may wish to access the HSE worker involvement website (http://www.hse.gov.uk/involvement/index.htm) to view guidance, advice and case studies that may be of more relevance.
Discover how organisations can successfully involve their workforce in managing health and safety.
Watch real video footage and read about health and safety stories, from the employers, employees and representatives involved.
Learn how Murraywood reduced their insurance premiums by 50% (click on the link): http://www.hse.gov.uk/involvement/doyourbit/case-study-murraywood.htm
What should I be doing?
We know from experience that workplaces where employees play an active part in health and safety often have lower accident rates.
Talking, listening and co-operating helps to get the best from your workforce, encouraging closer working relationships, as well as a safer workplace.
Find out more: http://www.hse.gov.uk/involvement/doyourbit/what-should-i-be-doing.htm
By representing your colleagues you can help to make workplaces both healthier and safer. Being a rep can also help you increase your skills and value in the workplace.
Find out more: http://www.hse.gov.uk/involvement/doyourbit/representatives.htm
Posted on 10th September 2015 Tags aeds, annual gas safety check, automated external defibrillators, awareness training, awareness training in aeds, awareness training in automated external defibrillators, brake, campaign, carbon monoxide, carbon monoxide poisoning, carbon monoxide risk, deputy chief executive, direct line, do your bit, drive smart, drive smart campaign, dynamic, emergency first aid at work, emergency services, first aid at work, gas boiler, gas checks, gas safety, gas safety (installation and use) regulations 1998, hazards, health, health & safety, health & safety executive, Health & safety news, health and safety, health and safety (first-aid) regulations 1981, health and safety executive, health and safety news, heart attack, hse, improved consultation, improvement notice, improvement notices, Julie townsend, landlord, landlords, maintenance, near miss, near misses, news, paper map, record keeping, representatives, research, risk, road safety, road safety charity, road users, rospa, safe & sound at work, safe and sound at work, safe use of sat-nav, safety, sat-nav, satellite navigation, satnav, small to medium sized enterprises, smes, speed limits, stable, tenants, the resuscitation council uk, update, using sat-nav safely, visual display, voice-based, voice-based sat-nav, work related road safety, young driversLeave a comment on HEALTH & SAFETY NEWS UPDATE – 10TH SEPTEMBER 2015
HEALTH & SAFETY NEWS UPDATE – 3RD SEPTEMBER 2015
HSE Refurbishment Inspection Initiative 2015
FLTA Safety Month – Safetember: see danger, speak up!
Licensing of houses in multiple occupation in England: a guide for landlords and managers
Key safety campaigns to be supported at British Safety Council's annual conference
Later this month, the construction industry will be the focus of HSE attention, as inspectors embark on a four week long programme of unannounced visits to sites where refurbishment projects or repairs are underway. We open this week's update with details of the HSE's 10th annual refurbishment inspection initiative.
Already underway is the Fork Lift Truck Association's safety month which runs until 30th September, and during which free resources and guides will be available on the FLTA website. The campaign is now in its eighth year and aims to raise awareness of the dangers involved in fork lift operations throughout the industry and to stress the importance of common sense measures that can make lift trucks safer and more efficient.
Are you a landlord or managing agent/property manager? Do you know what constitutes a House in Multiple Occupation, and that some HMOs are required to be licensed? Read on for more information about your responsibilities, particularly in regard to health and safety.
The safety of cyclists on our roads has been highlighted in the news in recent weeks, and a ban on unsafe lorries has recently come into force in London. Work-related transport is one of the health and safety campaigns the British Safety Council will be focusing on at its conference on 23rd September. Read on to find out which other campaigns will be highlighted at the event.
The HSE's 10th annual refurbishment inspection initiative is due to take place between 14th September and 9th October 2015. Poor standards and unsafe practices on Britain's building sites are likely to be targeted during a nationwide drive aimed at reducing ill health, death and injury in the industry.
During the annual initiative, HSE Construction Inspectors carry out unannounced visits to sites where refurbishment projects or repair works are underway, ensuring high-risk activities particularly those affecting the health of workers, are being properly managed.
What the initiative does
The main aims of the initiative are:
to achieve an improvement in industry standards, in particular at small sites
to increase awareness of HSEs expectations of the industry
to demonstrate that HSE will use the enforcement tools at its disposal to prevent immediate risk and bring about sustained improvements
What inspectors look for
During inspections, HSE inspectors consider whether:
risks to health from exposure to dust such as silica are being controlled
workers are aware of where they may find asbestos, and what to do if they find it
other health risks, such as exposure to noise and vibration, manual handling, hazardous substances are being properly managed
jobs that involve working at height have been identified and properly planned to ensure that appropriate precautions, such as proper support of structures, are in place
equipment is correctly installed / assembled, inspected and maintained and used properly
sites are well organised, to avoid trips and falls, walkways and stairs are free from obstructions and welfare facilities are adequate
HSE uses the inspection initiatives to reinforce its message to the construction industry that poor standards are unacceptable and liable to result in HSE taking enforcement action.
Previous campaign results:
the results from the September 2013 campaign where more than 1,100 construction sites failed safety checks: http://press.hse.gov.uk/2013/more-than-1100-construction-sites-fail-safety-checks/
in 2014 a Health focussed Initiative resulted in enforcement action taken at one in six sites visited: http://press.hse.gov.uk/2014/construction-inspections-find-sites-failing-to-prevent-health-risks/
More information on the above can be found on the HSE website www.hse.gov.uk or contact us on 07896 016380 or at Fiona@eljay.co.uk, and we'll be more than happy to help.
1st – 30th September 2015, throughout the month, location the FLTA website (http://fork-truck.org.uk/fork-lift-safety/national-fork-lift-safety-month)
National Fork Lift Safety Week was launched by the Fork Lift Truck Association (FLTA) in 2008 to raise awareness of the dangers involved in fork lift operations throughout the industry and to stress the importance of common sense measures that can make lift trucks safer and more efficient.
For 2015, the Association has increased the scope into a month-long campaign throughout September, dubbing the campaign "Safetember".
Throughout Safetember the FLTA will be making a compendium of free resources and guides available on its website. The Association will also be urging every company that works with lift trucks to genuinely empower workers with the freedom to report bad practice in a blame-free environment.
After all, this freedom is not a luxury, it is a right.
More information can be found on the FLTA website (http://fork-truck.org.uk/fork-lift-safety/national-fork-lift-safety-month), or by emailing the FLTA secretariat.
This publication is aimed at landlords and managers who manage a house in multiple occupation (HMO), or if you are not sure whether you manage an HMO. The booklet explains more about HMOs, which HMOs are required to be licensed and what other if any responsibilities there are in relation to the management of HMOs.
Not sure whether you manage an HMO?
The home you manage is a House in Multiple Occupation (HMO) if both of the following apply:
at least 3 tenants live there, forming more than 1 household
tenants share toilet, bathroom or kitchen facilities
The home you manage is a large HMO if all of the following apply:
it's at least 3 storeys high
A household is either a single person or members of the same family who live together. A family includes people who are:
married or living together – including people in same-sex relationships
relatives or half-relatives, eg grandparents, aunts, uncles, siblings
step-parents and step-children
Your safety responsibilities
You must keep the property you manage safe and free from health hazards.
make sure gas equipment you supply is safely installed and maintained by a Gas Safe registered engineer
have a registered engineer do an annual gas safety on each appliance and flue
give tenants a copy of the gas safety check record before they move in, or within 28 days of the check
You must make sure:
the electrical system is safe, eg sockets and light fittings
all appliances you supply are safe, eg cookers and kettles
follow fire safety regulations, eg check tenants have access to escape routes at all times
make sure the furniture and furnishings you supply are fire safe
provide fire alarms and extinguishers (if the property is a large House in Multiple Occupation (HMO)
Download the publication by clicking on the link: https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/15652/HMO_Lic_landlords_guide.pdf or contact us for more information on 07896 016380 or at Fiona@eljay.co.uk and we'll be more than happy to help.
Health and safety campaigns such as work-related transport, occupational health and young people at work will be highlighted at the British Safety Council annual conference on 23rd September.
Work-related transport
Every year 70 people are killed and 2000 more are seriously injured in incidents involving vehicles at work. Often these incidents occur in a lorry park or yard while goods are being delivered. In many cases it is the driver who is injured.
The HSE recently ran an advertising campaign on radio and press in the North West and Midlands to raise awareness among the people who can make a real difference – depot managers and those who receive or despatch goods.
The concerns of professional drivers, about the dangers of delivery and collection of goods have also been included.
This campaign focused on how depot managers can take small practical steps to make delivery areas safer. Examples include (click on the links for more information):
Ten top tips for a Safer Site (http://www.hse.gov.uk/Campaigns/workplacetransport/safersite.htm)
Ten concerns of drivers during deliveries and collections (http://www.hse.gov.uk/Campaigns/workplacetransport/concerns.htm)
Delivering safely: co-operating to prevent workplace vehicle accidents (http://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/information/cooperation.htm)
Useful checklist to help you carry out a risk assessment of your premises (https://www.hse.gov.uk/forms/transport/wtchk1.pdf)
Campaign posters
General safety (http://www.hse.gov.uk/Campaigns/workplacetransport/general.pdf)
Segregation line (http://www.hse.gov.uk/Campaigns/workplacetransport/segregation.pdf)
High visibility (http://www.hse.gov.uk/Campaigns/workplacetransport/jacket.pdf)
Keep vehicles and pedestrians separate – perhaps introduce pedestrian walkways (http://www.hse.gov.uk/Campaigns/workplacetransport/pedestrians.pdf)
Encourage visiting drivers to get well out of the way in designated safe areas (http://www.hse.gov.uk/Campaigns/workplacetransport/delivery.pdf)
Improve lighting and signage (http://www.hse.gov.uk/Campaigns/workplacetransport/lighting.pdf)
Campaign radio publicity
To download, right click and select 'save target as…'
Radio publicity 1 (MP3) (http://www.hse.gov.uk/Campaigns/workplacetransport/01grey.mp3)
For more advice on transport topics visit the HSE Vehicles at Work website (http://www.hse.gov.uk/workplacetransport/)
Proposal to replace OHSAS 18001 (Occupational Health & Safety Management) with ISO 45001
ISO 45001 on occupational health and safety management system requirements is currently being produced with an intended publication date of October 2016. However, it is expected that the current standard OHSAS 18001 will be valid for some time after this date and therefore companies interested in certifying should still do so, and will benefit from its implementation.
The aim of the new standard is to improve occupational health and safety for all, in developed and developing countries, and at local, national, regional and international levels.
For up to date information about the new standard, follow our health and safety news updates.
Young people at work
When employing a young person under the age of 18, whether for work, work experience, or as an apprentice, employers have the same responsibilities for their health, safety and welfare as they do for other employees.
Guidance on the HSE website (http://www.hse.gov.uk/youngpeople/) will help young people and those employing them understand their responsibilities.
Introducing young people to the world of work can help them understand the work environment, choose future careers or prepare for employment. We need young people to be offered opportunities to develop new skills and gain experience across the world of work. Click on the below links for more information:
Schools and colleges (http://www.hse.gov.uk/youngpeople/workexperience/organiser.htm)
Work experience organisers (http://www.hse.gov.uk/youngpeople/workexperience/organiser.htm)
Placement providers (employers) (http://www.hse.gov.uk/youngpeople/workexperience/placeprovide.htm)
Parents or carers (http://www.hse.gov.uk/youngpeople/workexperience/parent.htm)
Students/learners (http://www.hse.gov.uk/youngpeople/workexperience/students-and-young-people.htm)
Also contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Posted on 3rd September 2015 3rd September 2015 Tags 2015, a guide for landlords and managers, access, annual conference, appliance, apprentice, asbestos, ban on unsafe lorries, british safety council, british safety councils annual conference, building sites, campaign posters, campaigns, carers, collection of goods, colleges, common sense, construction, construction industry, cookers, cyclists, death, delivery and collection of goods, delivery of goods, depot managers, designated safe areas, despatch goods, electrical safety, employers, employing young person under age of 18, enforcement, enforcement tools, escape routes, exposure, exposure to dust, exposure to noise and vibration, extinguishers, falls, family, fire alarms, fire extinguishers, fire safety, fire safety regulations, flta, flta safety month, flue, fork lift, fork lift operations, fork lift truck association, gas safe, gas safe registered engineer, gas safety, gas safety check record, general safety, general safety posters, goods, hazardous substances, health & safety, health & safety executive, Health & safety news, health and safety, health and safety executive, health and safety news, health risks, health safety welfare, high risk activities, high visibility, hmo, hmos, household, houses in multiple occupation, hse, hse refurbishment inspection, hse refurbishment inspection initiative 2015, ill health, illness, industry, initiative, injury, inspection, iso 45001, keep vehicles and pedestrians separate, kettles, landlord, large hmo, large house in multiple occupation, learners, licensing, licensing of houses in multiple occupation in England, licensing of houses in multiple occupation in England a guide for landlords and managers, lift trucks, light fittings, London, lorry park, managing agent, manual handling, national fork lift safety week, nationwide, news updates, noise, noise and vibration, occupational health, occupational health & safety management, occupational health and safety management, October 2016, ohsas 18001, parents, parents or carers, pedestrian walkways, placement providers, poor standards, posters, premises, professional drivers, proper support of structures, property manager, receive goods, reducing, reducing death, reducing ill health, reducing injury, refurbishment, refurbishment projects, registered engineer, regulations, report bad practice, risk assessment, risk assessment of premises, risks to health, roads, safetember, safety, safety campaigns, safety month, schools, schools and colleges, see danger speak up, segregation line, silica, small sites, sockets, students, tenants, trips, trips and falls, unannounced visits, unsafe practices, update, vehicles at work, vibration, visiting drivers, welfare facilities, whistleblowing, work, work at height, work experience, work experience organisers, work related transport, working at height, workplace vehicle accidents, yard, young people at workLeave a comment on HEALTH & SAFETY NEWS UPDATE – 3RD SEPTEMBER 2015
HEALTH & SAFETY NEWS UPDATE – 27TH AUGUST 2015
Self-employed – do I have duties?
Safety Alert – 'Norfolk Range' large wheeled dry powder fire extinguishers manufactured before 2009 by UK Fire International Ltd
Links to guidance on CDM 2015
With the late summer bank holiday in striking distance, there's no getting away from the fact that Autumn is on the horizon. And our typical British wet weather is not the only thing to have dampened our spirits over the summer months. Tragic incidents such as the Bosley Wood Flour Mill explosion and Shoreham Airshow crash have brought health and safety very much into the public eye. With investigations ongoing, the causes remain to be seen, but could possibly result in a criminal inquiry at the flour mill if evidence of negligence is found. According to an HSE press release (http://press.hse.gov.uk/2015/further-hse-enforcement-notices-issued-at-bosley-wood-flour-mill/), a Prohibition Notice has been served on the mill owners, "preventing work activities until the issues identified involving the processing and bagging of large amounts of paper dust in one of the sheds on site, have been resolved". In their guidance document "Safe handling of combustible dusts – Precautions against explosions"(http://www.hse.gov.uk/pUbns/priced/hsg103.pdf), the HSE advises that dusts produced by many materials we use everyday are flammable, and, in the form of a cloud, can explode.
Are you self-employed? From 1 October 2015, if your work activity poses no potential risk to the health and safety of other workers or members of the public, then health and safety law will not apply to you. If you don't know whether or not your work activity falls into this category, more information is provided below.
Do you want to know how other businesses manage health and safety? The latest suite of HSE business case studies below provides links to a variety of video and narrative case studies of businesses doing just that, effectively and proportionately, with the help of online HSE guidance.
Do your work activities involve manufacturing, warehousing or engineering? Then you may be familiar with large dry powder fire extinguishers, which are the subject of HSE's latest safety alert.
Finally, and following on from our previous news updates on CDM 2015, we close this week with links to the following guidance:
L153 – Managing health and safety in construction – CDM 2015: Guidance on Regulations
INDG411 – Need building work done? A short guide for clients on CDM 2015 (rev)
Construction Phase Plan for small projects (CDM 2015) – CIS80
Industry guidance for dutyholders
CITB CDM wizard app for construction phase plan
In 2011, the Löfstedt Review link to external website recommended that those self-employed whose work activities pose no potential risk of harm to others should be exempt from health and safety law. This recommendation was accepted by Government.
So, from 1 October 2015, if you are self-employed and your work activity poses no potential risk to the health and safety of other workers or members of the public, then health and safety law will not apply to you.
HSE estimates that health and safety law will no longer apply to 1.7 million self-employed people like novelists, journalists, graphic designers, accountants, confectioners, financial advisors and online traders.
What the law says
The Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 (General Duties of Self-Employed Persons) (Prescribed Undertakings) Regulations 2015 (http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukdsi/2015/9780111136980), says:
if your work activity is specifically mentioned in the regulations above
or if your work activity poses a risk to the health and safety of others, then the law applies to you
What is meant by 'self-employed'?
For health and safety law purposes, 'self-employed' means that you do not work under a contract of employment (http://www.hse.gov.uk/enforce/enforcementguide/investigation/status-contract.htm) and work only for yourself.
If you're self-employed and employ others the law will apply to you. You may be self-employed for tax purposes, but this may not be so for health and safety. This is a complex area and HMRC have produced employment status guidance (https://www.gov.uk/working-for-yourself/what-counts-as-self-employed).
What is a 'risk to the health and safety of others'?
This is the likelihood of someone else being harmed or injured (eg members of the public, clients, contractors etc) as a consequence of your work activity.
Most self-employed people will know if their work poses a risk to the health and safety of others. You must consider the work you are doing and judge for yourself if it creates a risk or not.
For example if you operate a fairground ride for the public to use then your work could affect the health and safety of other people and you must take appropriate steps to protect them as the law will apply to you.
Find out more about 'risk'
HSE guidance on risk management (http://www.hse.gov.uk/risk/index.htm) explains more about the risks your work activity may create and how best to manage these.
High risk activities
The law says that there are certain work activities where the law applies because they are high risk. If your work involves any of these activities, then the law will apply to you:
For more information visit the self-employed workers guidance topic page on the HSE website: http://www.hse.gov.uk/self-employed/index.htm or contact us on 07896 016380 or at Fiona@eljay.co.uk and we'll be more than happy to help.
This is the latest suite of HSE business case studies, where businesses tell their stories of how they manage health and safety effectively and proportionately and how online HSE guidance helps them to do this.
Two of the case studies focus primarily on leadership, while the others describe examples of health and safety management in SMEs.
The video case studies were produced in collaboration with 3rd year Film Production and Media students from Edge Hill University in West Lancashire.
Bootle Containers Ltd
Bootle Containers is a medium sized manufacturing company with 55 employees, specialising in design and production of containers. This film describes the company's health and safety management systems and why they think good health and safety is good for business.
Link to video: http://www.hse.gov.uk/business/casestudy/bootle-containers.htm
Lamont Cleaning and Support Services
Lamont is a small company of 15 employees, specialising in commercial and industrial window cleaning. This film shows how they work with their employees to manage health and safety.
Link to video: http://www.hse.gov.uk/business/casestudy/lamont-cleaning.htm
Laser Quest Stourbridge
Laser Quest Stourbridge is a hi tech gaming centre with 11 employees. This film describes how the owner manages the company's health and safety.
Link to video: http://www.hse.gov.uk/business/casestudy/laser-quest.htm
Merseytravel
Merseytravel is the strategic transport authority for the Liverpool City Region, with 850 employees. This film tells how effective leadership and employee engagement improved health and safety performance.
Link to video: http://www.hse.gov.uk/business/casestudy/merseytravel.htm
Mount Anvil Ltd
Mount Anvil is a medium sized construction and development company based in London. In this film, senior leaders from the company describe how they manage health and safety and why it is so important to their business.
Link to video: http://www.hse.gov.uk/business/casestudy/mount-anvil.htm
Narrative case studies
Applied Industrial Systems Ltd.
Applied Industrial Systems Ltd (AIS) specialises in the creation and provision of software and control systems to a diverse client base across the transport, infrastructure and manufacturing sectors.
Link to case study: http://www.hse.gov.uk/business/casestudy/ais.htm
Connors Building & Restoration Services Ltd.
Connors Building & Restoration Services is an asset management company with 33 employees, specialising in building services, ground maintenance and inspection.
Link to case study: http://www.hse.gov.uk/business/casestudy/connors-building.htm
Loop Technology Ltd.
Loop Technology is a small, family run business with 21 employees, specialising in industrial automation.
Link to case study: http://www.hse.gov.uk/business/casestudy/loop.htm
Technicraft (Anglia) Ltd
Technicraft is a metal fabrication company with 25 employees. It provides services including laser cutting, punching, presswork and welding.
Link to case study: http://www.hse.gov.uk/business/casestudy/technicraft.htm
More narrative case studies for SMEs and larger businesses can be found by visiting the Business case studies page on the HSE website: http://www.hse.gov.uk/business/case-studies.htm?ebul=hsegen&cr=2/27-jul-15 or contact us for advice and guidance on 07896 016380 or at Fiona@eljay.co.uk, and we'll be more than happy to help.
All premises where large dry powder fire extinguishers are likely to be used for example: chemical industry, offshore industry, merchant shipping, nuclear industry, manufacturing, mining, warehousing, engineering, metals and minerals processing and production.
'Norfolk Range' large dry powder fire extinguishers, manufactured before 2009, may be affected by moisture ingress at a threaded joint at the base of the unit, rendering the unit inoperable. The problem may not be identified during routine service inspections.
Users should identify if their extinguishers are likely to be affected. If yes and the extinguisher has been left exposed to adverse conditions since its last extended service, the condition of the elbow joint at the base of the unit should be examined by a competent service engineer.
If you are unsure if your extinguishers are affected by this safety alert, consult Britannia Fire Ltd.
Service engineers should closely examine, and if necessary, remove the elbow to confirm if there is evidence of water ingress to the discharge tube. If there is any doubt about moisture affecting the powder in the discharge tube, consider subjecting the extinguisher to an extended service including full replacement of the dry powder.
For more information click on the link: http://www.hse.gov.uk/safetybulletins/norfolk-large-wheeled-dry-powder-fire-extinguishers.htm or contact us on 07896 016380 or at Fiona@eljay.co.uk, and we'll be more than happy to help.
http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/l153.htm?ebul=gd-cons/jul15&cr=2
http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg411.htm?ebul=gd-cons/jul15&cr=3
http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/cis80.pdf?ebul=gd-cons/jul15&cr=4
http://www.citb.co.uk/health-safety-and-other-topics/health-safety/construction-design-and-management-regulations/cdm-guidance-documents/
http://www.citb.co.uk/health-safety-and-other-topics/health-safety/construction-design-and-management-regulations/cdm-wizard-app/
Please note that the HSE are starting to remove the current CDM 2007 web pages and plan to remove them all by October 2015.
Posted on 27th August 2015 3rd September 2015 Tags 2011, a short guide for clients on cdm 2015, accountants, agriculture, asbestos, bagging, bagging paper dust, bosley wood flour mill, business case studies, CDM 2015, chemical industry, cis80, citb cdm wizard app for construction phase plan, confectioners, construction, construction phase plan for small projects, contract of employment, crash, criminal inquiry, dry powder, employment status guidance, engineering, explosion, fairground ride, financial advisors, fire extinguishers, gas, general duties of self-employed persons, gmos, graphic designers, guidance, guidance on regulations, health & safety, Health & safety news, health and safety, health and safety at work act 1974, health and safety law, health and safety news, high risk activities, hmrc, hse, hse safety alert, hse safety bulletin, indg411, industry guide for dutyholders, journalists, l153, large wheeled, lofstedt review, managing health and safety in construction, manufacturing, merchant shipping, metals and minerals processing and production, mining, moisture ingress, narrative case studies, need building work done, negligence, news, Norfolk range, novelists, nuclear industry, offshore industry, online traders, paper dust, precautions against explosions, prescribed undertakings, processing, processing paper dust, prohibition notice, railways, risk management, safe handling of combustible dusts, safety alert, safety bulletin, Self-employed, shoreham airshow, threaded joint, video case studies, warehousing, work activitiesLeave a comment on HEALTH & SAFETY NEWS UPDATE – 27TH AUGUST 2015
HEALTH & SAFETY NEWS UPDATE – 30TH JULY 2015
HSE Safety Alert
Poor design of scaffold loading bay gate, providing inadequate edge protection to prevent falls from height
HSE Myth Busters Challenge Panel
Case 363 – Unable to open office windows
Case 357 – Consultants and Letting Agents misinterpreting the risks of exposure to legionella of their tenants
Case 355 – All tools on building sites need to be a maximum of 110V
Case 345 – Council erecting a barrier on sloping grass bank to prevent workers and the public falling onto concrete path below
1.3 million tradespeople at risk from dangers of asbestos
HSE Research Report 1052 – The effect of wearer stubble on the protection given by Filtering Facepieces Class 3 (FFP3) and Half Masks
Face Fit testing of RPE (Respiratory Protective Equipment)
Welcome to this week's Health & Safety news update – our second since the launch of our new website. We're settling into it quite nicely, and hope you are too. Don't forget that comments and/or feedback are always welcome!
We experienced a few teething problems last week with subscription registrations, and apologise if you were affected by these. Fingers crossed they've now been solved, so if you want to receive email notifications of our updates, just click on "Register" (bottom-left), and you'll be directed to a page where you can enter a user name of your choice, and your email address. You can unsubscribe at any time and each email will contain an unsubscription link for this purpose. If you experience any difficulties at all, please email us at Fiona@eljay.co.uk, or via the "Contact us" page on our website (http://www.eljay.co.uk/contact-eljay-risk-management.php)
This week, after bring your attention to this week's HSE Safety Alert, we're quashing a few Health & Safety myths via the 'Myth Busters Challenge Panel', and highlighting the HSE's asbestos safety campaign, before leading into our new 'Face Fit Testing' service with some interesting research on the topic.
Extendable Scaffolding Loading Bay Gate – use of cable ties to secure loose mesh and unsafe means of operation
HSE has become aware that a number of manufacturers/suppliers are marketing an extendable scaffold loading bay gate that does not satisfy legal requirements or applicable standards when in some configurations. When extended the loading bay gate, which forms part of the edge protection on a scaffold, is not robust enough to fulfil this function and is therefore not suitable and sufficient to comply with the Work at Height Regulations 2005. For more information click on the link: http://www.hse.gov.uk/safetybulletins/loading-bay-gate.htm?ebul=gd-cons/jul15&cr=1 or contact us on 07896 016380 or at Fiona@eljay.co.uk
'Health and Safety' is often incorrectly used as a convenient excuse to stop what are essentially sensible activities going ahead when instead, we should be using good health & safety principles and practice to ensure that work proceeds, but safely. The Health and Safety Executive has set up an independent panel – the Myth Busters Challenge Panel – to scrutinize such decisions.
Below are just a few of the cases that the panel have recently considered, and their findings.
Enquirer's office has been told that they cannot have the keys to open the windows in their office on the 3rd floor as this would breach health and safety. The windows run almost floor to ceiling with the top section opening inwards. Standing next to the window, the open section is just below the enquirer's chest height (they are 6ft tall). With summer coming the office is getting hotter and they are unable to have any fresh air in the building.
Panel opinion
In some circumstances it may be appropriate to prohibit people from opening windows if there is a real risk of someone falling out; but where this is a concern, the problem can also be addressed by fitting controls to limit the extent to which the windows can be opened. In this particular case it seems more likely that "health and safety" has been used as a cover when the real reason is to do with concerns over the effectiveness of the air conditioning.
"Health and safety" should not be used simply to avoid having a discussion about the real concerns and what solutions might be possible.
More information about the safe opening and closing of windows, etc, as well as glazing safety in relation to impact and cleaning, can be found in Building Regulations Approved Document N (http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/uploads/br/BR_PDF_ADN_1998.pdf) or contact us on 07896 016380 or at Fiona@eljay.co.uk
Consultants and letting agents are i) using the revised L8 ACOP to infer there is new legislation regarding landlords responsibilities and ii) misrepresenting what the law requires of landlords of domestic rented properties in relation to assessing and controlling the risks of exposure to Legionella bacteria of their tenants, for financial gain.
Health and Safety law does not require landlords to produce a 'Legionnaires testing certificate'. Legionella testing is required only in exceptional circumstances and generally not in domestic hot and cold water systems. Such letting agents and consultants are scaremongering landlords, for financial gain, by misinterpreting and exaggerating the legal requirements to manage and control legionella in domestic premises.
HSE has published guidance for landlords, free to download from HSE's website:
http://www.hse.gov.uk/legionnaires/faqs.htm – As a landlord, what are my duties?
http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/priced/hsg274part2.pdf – PDF – Paragraphs 2.138-2.146
Whilst Legionella testing is not always required, if you are an employer, or someone in control of premises, you need to take the right precautions to reduce the risks of exposure to Legionella by carrying out a risk assessment, which includes management and prevention or control of any risks, as well as keeping and maintain the correct records. For more information click on the link http://www.hse.gov.uk/legionnaires/what-you-must-do.htm or contact us on 07896 016380 or at Fiona@eljay.co.uk
The enquirer was tasked with carrying out sound insulation tests in houses on a construction site. The site manager asked him if his equipment was battery operated to which his reply was "no, it will need to be plugged into a 230V socket". He asked if there was 230V power in the plots and the site manager said yes it was available but all "tools" on site need to run off a maximum of 110V as this was the company policy.
The enquirer appears to have been planning to work in a completed (or nearly) completed house with the electrical system installed and compliant with requirements for electrical installations. This is a significantly lower risk from when the house is under construction. Whilst health and safety law does not ban 230v tools on construction sites, HSE strongly advises that 110v tools are preferable given the wet, dirty and dusty nature of construction sites and the possibility of mechanical damage to cables and tools.
In this instance a standard which is reasonable for a live, temporary, construction site is being applied to a different (domestic) environment where the risks would be much lower and the electrical system permanent and compliant with the latest standards. If a site or company decide to impose a higher (disproportionate) standard in this lower risk environment they can but it is not health and safety law that requires this.
More information about this construction safety topic can be found on the HSE web page "Electricity – Systems in buildings". Click on the link http://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/safetytopics/systems.htm or contact us on 07896 016380 or at Fiona@eljay.co.uk
A sloping grassed bank, whose base is retained by a vertical wall, runs along behind social housing dwellings. The council has identified a risk of injury to workers from a fall from the top of the retaining wall when working on the bank above and also identified a similar risk of injury for residents and the public who access the bank. The council plans to install a barrier on top of the wall to reduce the risk of fall from height onto the concrete path below.
The Council is taking a sensible approach to find a way of minimising various risks to its own employees and members of the public. They should continue to discuss with residents to find a suitable means of fencing/protection that reduces risk without restricting access unduly.
If you manage or own property in which others live or work, it is your duty to ensure that the premises (inside and out) are in a satisfactory state from a health and safety perspective. Falls from height is just one of the many risks that need to be considered. We provide health & safety inspections of residential and commercial properties, as well as fire and Legionella risk assessments. For more information contact us on 07896 016380 or at Fiona@eljay.co.uk.
Health and Safety Executive launches new safety campaign as an average of 20 tradespeople die every week from asbestos related disease
Tradespeople, including construction workers, carpenters and painters and decorators, could come into contact with deadly asbestos on average more than 100 times a year* according to a new survey commissioned by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE)**.
As well as illustrating how often tradespeople can be exposed to asbestos, the survey revealed some common myths believed by those at risk, with 1 in seven (14 per cent) believing that drinking a glass of water will help protect them from the deadly dust and one in four (27 per cent) thinking that opening a window will help to keep them safe.
Only a third (30 per cent) of those asked, were able to identify all the correct measures for safe asbestos working, whilst more than half (57 per cent) made at least one potentially lethal mistake in trying to identify how to stay safe.
Twenty tradespeople, on average, die every week from asbestos related diseases.
Asbestos can be found in walls and ceilings, or the structure of a building, as well as a host of other places like floor tiles, boilers, toilet cisterns, guttering and soffits.
It can be disturbed by basic maintenance work like drilling holes and sanding and once disturbed, the microscopic fibres can prove lethal if breathed in, causing lung disease and cancer.
The research, undertaken by Censuswide in September 2014, shows that while more than half (53 per cent) knew that asbestos could be in old buildings built before 1970, only 15 per cent knew that it could still be found in buildings built up to the year 2000.
And although many of those surveyed could pinpoint some asbestos-containing materials, others were clueless, with only 19 per cent recognising it could also be hidden in common fixtures such as toilet seats and cisterns.
To encourage tradespeople to think about asbestos on every job so they are prepared to deal with the danger, HSE has launched a new safety campaign. A key feature of the campaign is the creation of a new web app for phones, tablets and laptops that helps tradespeople easily identify where they could come into contact with the deadly material as they go about their day-to-day work and gives them tailored help on how to deal with the risks.
Philip White, HSE's Chief Inspector for Construction, said:
"Asbestos is still a very real danger and the survey findings suggest that the people who come into contact with it regularly often don't know where it could be and worryingly don't know how to deal with it correctly, which could put them in harm's way. Our new campaign aims to help tradespeople understand some of the simple steps they can take to stay safe. Our new web app is designed for use on a job so workers can easily identify if they are likely to face danger and can then get straight forward advice to help them do the job safely."
Former electrical consultant Simon Clark, who in 2012 was diagnosed with mesothelioma – the life-threatening and aggressive cancer caused by exposure to asbestos – when he was just 52, said:
"When I was younger I didn't think of the dangers of asbestos and I must have been exposed to it frequently. Since being diagnosed, I've had to give up my work and let some of my employees go – which is the hardest thing I've ever done. It is vitally important that everybody knows when they might be exposed and takes the correct steps to protect themselves."
To download the web app please visit www.beware-asbestos.info/news
For more information on asbestos safety please visit http://www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos or contact us on 07896 016380 or at Fiona@eljay.co.uk
HSE Inspectors routinely come across workers with various degrees of stubble growth using respiratory protective masks, despite guidance to the contrary. This research studied the effect of 0-7 days stubble growth on the protection given by FFP3 filtering facepieces and half masks.
Fifteen male volunteers took part, each testing four masks. For most, three different design FFP3 and one half mask were tested, selected from seven models of FFP3 and 2 half masks. Fit tests were carried out immediately after shaving and repeated six times during the following week, without further shaving.
Results showed that the effect on protection was quite specific to the mask/wearer combination.
Protection could be significantly reduced where stubble was present, beginning within 24 hours from shaving, and generally worsening as facial hair grew. Statistical analysis predicted this could reach an unacceptable level for all of the masks tested.
While some individual wearers did grow some stubble without significantly reducing protection with some masks, this was unpredictable and it would not be practical to conduct the necessary testing to confirm this for every individual wearer.
The current guidance advising being clean-shaven in the area of the mask seal is justified.
As you will be aware you must ensure that any RPE you use provides adequate protection for individual wearers. RPE can't protect the wearer if it leaks. A major cause of leaks is poor fit – tight-fitting face-pieces need to fit the wearer's face to be effective. As people come in all sorts of shapes and sizes it is unlikely that one particular type or size of RPE face-piece will fit everyone. Fit testing will ensure that the equipment selected is suitable for the wearer and, importantly, will help ensure the safety of your workers.
RPE fit testing should be conducted by a competent person – you should take steps to ensure that person who carries out the fit test is appropriately trained, qualified and experienced, and is provided with appropriate information to undertake each particular task.
We can carry out your face fit testing, so if you need help selecting and fit testing RPE, contact us today on 07896 016380 or at Fiona@eljay.co.uk to discuss your requirements and we will provide you with a no-obligation quotation.
Posted on 30th July 2015 3rd September 2015 Tags 230v, asbestos, asbestos app, asbestos web app, building regulations approved document n, building sites, cable ties, construction sites, edge protection, electrical installation, extendable scaffold loading bay gate, face fit testing, falls from height, filtering facepieces, fit testing, glazing safety, half masks, health & safety, Health & safety news, health and safety, health and safety news, hse asbestos app, hse asbestos web app, hse safety alerts, hse safety bulletins, l8 acop, legal requirements, legionella, legionella risk assessment, legionella testing, legionnaires disease, legionnaires testing certificate, loose mesh, maximum 110v, myths, news, opening office windows, opening restrictors, prevent falls from height, respiratory protective equipment, risks of exposure to legionella of tenants, rpe, rpe face fit testing, rpe fit testing, safety alerts, safety bulletins, scaffold loading bay gate, selecting rpe, stubble, tools, tradespeople, windows, work at height regulations 2005Leave a comment on HEALTH & SAFETY NEWS UPDATE – 30TH JULY 2015
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