Look After Your Musculoskeletal System!

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We all do it, twisting, pulling, pushing, lifting, putting strain on our bodies, especially our backs! But do we do it correctly? And do we actually do as much as we can to prevent injury? Read more

Let’s Be Clear About Risk Assessments

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Risk Assessments are pretty much the basic go-to for the start of any Health and Safety set up, not only do they help eliminate accidents happening in your work environment, they also prompt you to be thorough, therefore highlighting risks you may not have even known were there in the first place. Read more

Asbestos dust

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What should you do if you suspect that asbestos has been disturbed?

Your first response should be to stop the disturbance and isolate the location.  In many cases isolation will be straightforward and the room or area can simply be locked.  If the space is occupied, tell employees to calmly leave the area and not to take anything with them.  Read more

The Importance of Health Surveillance

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Liz Preston and Kerry Greenwood recently attended The Health & Safety Event in Birmingham.  It was brought to our attention that health surveillance is not taken up within companies as an important issue. Every year it costs billions of pounds to cover workers that are off work due to illness or injury. By keeping on top of your health surveillance this can easily be avoided. If your employees are affected by noise, vibration, dust, fumes or any other substances that are hazardous to health then it may be an idea to keep track of your employees health by using health surveillance questionnaires or by simple changes within the work place. To read more about health surveillance visit http://www.hse.gov.uk/health-surveillance/index.htm or call us to discuss any issues raised.

COSHH Changes

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The Dangerous Substances Directive and the Dangerous Preparations Directive have been replaced by the direct-acting European CLP Regulation. From 1 June 2015, both Directives have been fully withdrawn and no longer have any legal effect. The familiar square orange hazard symbols used often in COSHH assessments are now no longer valid and the new red and white diamond shaped symbols should be used.

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The Construction Dust Partnership

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The Construction Dust Partnership (CDP) was created by HSE due to an investigation showing that many construction workers were at a risk of developing diseases such as lung cancer, silicosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma. The partnership raises awareness and promotes the prevention of the health risks caused by construction dust.

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Electricity – overhead power lines

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The law says that any work near electric overhead power lines must be carefully planned and carried out to avoid danger from accidental contact or close proximity to the lines.

The precautions necessary will depend on the nature of the work at the site and will be required even when work near the line is of short duration.

Safety can be achieved by a combination of measures: Read more

Time to clear the air

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People often work in air contaminated with dust, fume and other airborne hazards that can damage health or even lead to an early death.

In many cases when exposure cannot be avoided, employers will use respiratory protective equipment (RPE) to protect their workforce.  Where RPE is used, it must be able to provide adequate protection for individual wearers. RPE can’t protect the wearer if it leaks. Read more

Work Related Dermatitis

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Work related dermatitis can be caused by exposure to chemical agents and wet work (hands repeatedly wet for long periods). Other agents can be biological (e.g. plants or bacteria), physical (e.g. vibration) and mechanical (e.g. abrasion). Hands are most at risk, but other parts of the body can be affected. Read more

Workers Exposed to Asbestos

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Michael Southern, owner of PMF Cladding, instructed an employee and a casual labourer to remove and replace soffit boards during refurbishment work, despite being informed by a neighbour that they were made of asbestos insulating board. Read more