HSfB Articles - Health and Safety for Beginners

HSfB Blog Finds a New Home

2010-07-08T21:09:00.001Z

Our blog has moved! After you have read below, please head on over to our new location here -

Ever since 6 September 2005 we have been blogging our HSfB Site News and HSfB Articles over at www.blogger.com.

The time has now come for us to move on from hosting our blogs on third party servers, so we have taken the plunge and have created this brand new blog on our own servers right here at http://www.healthandsafetytips.co.uk/blog/.

We will still bring you all of our usual site updates including prize winners, new downloads, new articles and significant site news, but everything will be in one handy place. We will also bring you health and safety news articles that we think you might find interesting and useful.

So, if you subscribe to our RSS feeds on our old blogs, you should update your RSS feed to our new one here - New RSS Feed.

You can also register with the blog and add comments to any post you like.

Hopefully you like the new layout, which may change as we learn more about the blog software, but in the meantime please let us know your feedback to help us improve – contact us.

HSfB Blog Finds a New Home

2010-07-08T21:06:00.003Z

Our blog has moved! After you have read below, please head on over to our new location here -

Health and Safety for Beginners - Blog

Ever since 6 September 2005 we have been blogging our HSfB Site News and HSfB Articles over at www.blogger.com.

So, if you subscribe to our RSS feeds on our old blogs, you should update your RSS feed to our new one here - New RSS Feed.

You can also register with the blog and add comments to any post you like.

Hopefully you like the new layout, which may change as we learn more about the blog software, but in the meantime please let us know your feedback to help us improve – contact us.

manual handling train the trainer courses – why they could save you money!

2010-06-28T14:22:00.000Z

Virtually all companies have manual handling – the use of people to shift things. Under health and safety legislation, there is a duty to identify where this shifting could lead to a significant risk of injury and then to take common sense measures to reduce the risk. Avoidance of the shifting is always the best option, typically followed by the use of machinery. However, for most businesses, physical handling by people will always be required for some tasks – as will manual handling training, to ensure that they do it as safely as possible.

There are plenty of external suppliers of manual handing training, but since the recession started, an increasing number of companies are looking to bring such training in-house. According to Dr Alistair Bromhead, who specialises in manual handling instructor training, “companies recognise that in-house trainers generate a quick financial payback as well as being more convenient. You can run the training when it suits, for a duration which is convenient, with a trainer who knows your business intimately”.

To give an idea of payback, the cost of bringing a manual handling trainer onto your site for a day will vary from £300 to £1000. The cost of a manual handling trainer training course is likely to be £400 to £600 and if the right course is chosen, you should end up with a certified competent person to conduct your manual handling training for many years to come.

However, when looking at the manual handling train the trainer course options, you need to be sure of exactly what you are getting. At the lower end of the food chain are some very cheap courses and some very short duration ones – reflecting the fact that anyone can potentially set up such a course. Similarly, some courses will include everything a trainer needs to get going, others will charge an extra few hundred pounds for an instructor pack with suggested presentations, lesson plans and notes etc.

So what should you look for in a course if you are considering becoming a manual handling instructor? The first thing to check is that it is a recognised qualification – which will help to attest to your competence if it is ever challenged. One example of a nationally recognised course is the City & Guilds Manual Handling Train the Trainer course. There are few better known certification bodies – so you know that the course has a good pedigree.

Another consideration is the length of course – which varies from 1 to 5 days. Experience shows that a minimum of 2 days is required to cover the technical knowledge plus the training preparation and delivery issues. 4 or 5 days are unnecessary for inanimate load handling, typically containing lots of repetitive exercises. However, a 4 day course would be appropriate for the more technical areas of patient and people handling.

Finally, the individual trainer that you have on the day is a vital contributor to the success of the course. A skilled trainer will make the sessions enjoyable, interactive, productive and varied (in terms of learning methods). A less skilled individual can turn the shortest of training sessions into a painful experience. Therefore, don’t forget to check up on exactly who would deliver the course and what gives them the qualifications to do so.

Further information

Alistair Bromhead Ltd

http://www.abromhead.co.uk

Tel: 07932 674707

City & Guilds course code 5618 201-203 offered through the approved centre – FFINTO 028538. City & Guilds and the City & Guilds logo are trade marks of The City and Guilds of London Institute and used under licence.

manual handling in the workplace

2010-03-28T19:22:00.001Z

No matter what market sector or type of organisation they work in, many employees face manual handling tasks on a daily basis, as do people going about their ordinary lives. If manual handling tasks are performed incorrectly, they lead to a huge amount of distress and pain to individuals and can result in massive disruption to both the workplace and home life, sometimes on a lifelong basis.

While not necessarily responsible for all manual handling injuries, the workplace is likely to be directly affected by them in terms of employee sickness, absence from work, time off for the treatment of injuries, and staff working below their optimal level of competency. Employers may also face possible fines and court cases, with a potential detrimental effect on their reputation.

Outside of work, simple chores such as wrongly lifting heavy luggage when going on holiday, or laying paving stones in the garden, can lead to injury and pain, but tasks such as these are often performed without forethought even though they can impact home life in a big way, such as people being unable to drive, do the shopping or take the kids to school.

Manual handling is not simply lifting and carrying – pushing, pulling, moving, lowering or restraining objects or persons, using bodily force to pull a lever, and operating power tools, are all covered by the term, which can also include simple walking up and down stairs carrying something.

Facts and figures

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are the most common cause of occupational ill-health, affecting one million people per year and costing society £5.7 billion a year, according to the TUC. Lower back injuries are the most frequent, suffered by 300,000 people a year, but other muscle groups, limbs, tendons and joints are involved in manual handling and may also be affected. In fact, more than a third of injuries of over three days’ duration reported to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) involve manual handling. This is only the tip of the iceberg, as many more injuries go unreported, including those that occur outside of working hours, such as from DIY, responsible for over 200,000 injuries a year, bad posture, perhaps resulting from incorrect chair height in front of the home computer, gardening, and sports injuries such as from playing rugby, football, golf or tennis.

Importance of training

Despite these appalling statistics, a third of companies do not provide manual handling training to their employees when they start their employment, according to Julian Roberts, managing director of Safety Media, a company that launched a dedicated manual handling website in October last year. Since its launch, the site has received over 6,700 visitors and has clocked up 20,450 page views, demonstrating the level of concern over the safety of manual handling. “We recommend that training should be undertaken at the start of the role, so that incidents don’t happen in the early stages of employment, and that the training should be reviewed regularly,” says Roberts.

Legislation and duties

A plethora of legislation governs manual handling, chiefly the Manual Handling Regulations 1992, but it is also covered by the HSWA 1974, the Management Regulations 1999, PUWER 1998, RIDDOR 1995, and the Workplace Regulations 1992. The employer should steer clear of the need for manual handling wherever possible to minimise the risk of injury to workers. If manual handling activities are unavoidable, they should conduct risk assessments to identify potential hazards, looking at the task, who is doing it, how often it is done, the type of load and the environment it is undertaken in.

Employees for their part should help themselves to avoid manual handling injuries by using good lifting techniques, following safe systems of work, using any safety equipment provided, and informing their employer of any identified hazards. They should avoid putting others at risk and also try to avoid injuries outside of work.

Risk assessments

Safety Media’s website offers a free online audit of current manual handling procedures, the results of which show that employees had to undertake tasks which required repetitive twisting, stooping or reaching by in 78 per cent of companies, yet only 65 per cent completed risk assessments for all manual handling activities. “It is a legal requirement to assess the risks of manual handling tasks,” says Roberts, “and the results should then be communicated to your employees so they can act accordingly.”

Prevention

So what should employers be doing to improve the prevention of manual handling injuries? Careful thought should be given before undertaking any manual handling activity, wherever it takes place. Training in correct manual handling procedures is vital, and relevant for both work and home life – any training received in the workplace should be applied at home too, where equipment instructions should always be followed, and good practice followed.

E-learning is an excellent, cost-effective way of training large numbers of staff in correct manual handling, and this can be augmented by the use of targeted DVDs, interactive CDROMS, and relevant software.

The use of forethought is also important, in considering whether moving something is really necessary. Could some tasks be automated? Could handling aids be used? These need to be thought about before manual handling of any kind is attempted.

“According to our audit, 31 per cent of employees were at significant risk of injury from carrying out manual handling activities. Controls must be put in place to reduce the risk of injury,” Roberts urges. “Ninety per cent of those who took the audit said they did have lifting aids available to assist staff when manually lifting loads, although only 82 per cent had provided their employees with training on how to use them, but there is no point in having lifting aids if they are not used,” he adds.

Conclusion

The importance of correct manual handling, both at home and at work, cannot be underestimated, and simple steps can be taken to review arrangements to avoid the suffering caused by manual handling injuries. The law is very clear and there is much guidance, help and information available, so there is no excuse for ignoring manual handling issues. This is even more important in the current economic downturn, where cutbacks could lead to more inadequately risk-assessed maintenance tasks being carried out by untrained employees.

Roberts concludes: “Organisations must provide a safe working environment for their employees to undertake manual handling activities. They should provide suitable training and encourage their employees to openly discuss with management any issues they may have with tasks they have to perform.”

Further information:

www.safetymedia.co.uk

www.safetylearning.co.uk

0845 345 1703

the importance of maintaining training through the credit crunch

2010-03-28T19:19:00.000Z

The current financial climate is causing headaches for many UK and global organisations, and it looks as though the UK economy could be in for a rough ride for the foreseeable future. The credit crunch appears to be tightening its grip, inflation is rising sharply, fuel and other costs are spiralling, and business confidence faltering.

In order to tackle this uncertain situation, budgets are likely to be squeezed, and it is tempting to see training as an easy target for cutbacks, not least the health and safety training budget. However, this is a false economy. If an employee were injured or even killed through lack of training, this could result in prosecution, a large fine or even imprisonment under the recent Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007.

According to HSE statistics, 228 people were killed at work in 2007/08, 34 of them in manufacturing, and nearly half a million people were injured while at work. Thirty-six million working days were lost, 30 million due to work-related ill health and 6 million due to workplace injury.

Legislation

The HSE states that employers have a duty to provide information, instruction, training and supervision and make sure all their workers can understand it. This, coupled with the ever-increasing burden of UK and EU health and safety legislation, means there is an escalating need for training rather than the reverse, to ensure compliance and avoid penalty.

The implications of the Corporate Manslaughter Act, under which organisations can be found guilty of corporate manslaughter as a result of serious management failures resulting in a gross breach of a duty of care, are not yet always well understood by employers, making health and safety awareness training even more vital for business.

Providing health and safety information is essential to maintain a good safety culture within an organisation, so that safety is upmost in the minds of workers, and they feel well cared for by their employer. And ultimately, giving successful training can save the employer money.

Delivery

When weighing up the training needs of the organisation, factors such as the expected outcome from the training, the people who need to be trained, the effectiveness of the training currently provided, the available training budget and the types of training needed, all need to be examined.

Employers should consider the most appropriate method of training delivery. Should you opt for traditional, or more cutting-edge, training? How does it fit with the organisation and how are you going to get the message across in the timeline you want? Traditional health and safety training delivery may encompass in-house or off-site training, on a one-to-one basis or in groups or seminars. This type of training can be very expensive, but things have moved on, and newer methods offer an attractive alternative.

According to Safety Media, traditional training in each health and safety subject costs the employer at least £50 per person, but it can cost as little as 50 pence per person if e-learning, or online training, is used. However, even though it costs less, the quality of the training is not compromised.

E-learning has developed enormously in recent years after a relatively slow start ten years ago, and is an increasingly important method of training, owing to almost universal access to the internet. Incorporating many interactive features and deliverable in any number of different languages, e-learning is now widely regarded as a mainstream training method, integrated into the training strategy of an increasing number of organisations.

E-learning is becoming more and more necessary because of the growing mobility of busy workers and geographic diversity of organisations' sites. The benefits of online training include speed, efficiency, cost, convenience and interactivity. Employees find it flexible and engaging, and enjoy the control it gives them over their own learning programmes.

Employers, for their part, discover e-learning delivers sizeable cost and time savings, as well as effective staff training. The software can be installed on the organisation's intranet, or it can be hosted by the supplier on its own web portal. This means training can be provided not only to end users who have direct access to a PC, but also those who do not have use of a PC at work, such as warehouse, factory, and sales staff. Group training sessions can be organised for these users, using handsets that interact with the trainer. Because modules can be accessed when travelling or at home, as well as at work, e-learning therefore reduces employee down-time.

Conclusion

Health and safety training should never be overlooked during financial downturns, as doing this could have disastrous consequences and make matters worse. Health and safety training by e-learning can not only save money compared with traditional training, but it can provide high-quality and effective instruction to ensure that all employees are fully up to speed with this vital issue.

Further information:

www.safetymedia.co.uk

www.safetylearning.co.uk

0845 345 1703

Health and Safety at Work: Who’s responsible…?

2010-01-17T19:48:00.000Z

Health and Safety at Work: Who’s responsible…?

When most of us hear of workplace accidents and injuries, we look on from the sidelines with a general ‘it will never happen to me’ attitude, turning up to work comfortable in the knowledge that our health and safety is being well cared for by the organisation in which we work.

Aside from the fact that many companies have poor safety records and your health and safety may well not be in a ‘safe pair of hands’, it is also not just the responsibility of your employer or those in charge of health and safety to look after you.

The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (HSWA) imposes general duties on employers, the self-employed, controllers of premises, and manufacturers to ensure health, safety and welfare but the final group that makes up this list and the one which many of us do not realise exists is - employees

From the many convictions and cases that are brought by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), it seems reasonably understood, if not carried through, that the HSWA imposes general duties on all employers and the self-employed to ensure the health and safety of those who may be affected by their business activities. Employers may also be liable for negligent acts committed by fellow employees acting in the course of their employment.

However, the HSWA also imposes a duty on employees to look after their own safety.

Section 7 of the Act clearly states that, while at work, all employees have a duty not to endanger themselves or others through their acts or omissions; and to cooperate with their employer, e.g. by wearing protective equipment.

7. It shall be the duty of every employee while at work-

(a) to take reasonable care for the health and safety of himself and of other persons who may be affected by his acts or omissions at work; and

(b) as regards any duty or requirement imposed on his employer or any other person by or under any of the relevant statutory provisions, to co-operate with him so far as is necessary to enable that duty or requirement to be performed or complied with.

Section 8 also states that no person (whether an employee or not) shall misuse anything provided in the interests of health, safety or welfare.

Where an offence is committed due to an act or default of some other person (not being an employee), that person shall be guilty of the offence and may be charged and convicted of it whether or not the employer is also charged. This means that an individual employee can be charged with a health and safety offence without the company being charged of that offence.

An employer may be responsible for the negligent acts or omissions of employees committed in the course of their employment. A claimant can sue an employer on the basis of vicarious liability, provided he can show that the employee was negligent and this caused his injury. However, an employer will escape liability if it can show the employee was acting 'on a frolic of his own' outside the course of his employment.

Breaches of health and safety legislation in the workplace can give rise to criminal liability. In addition, the reality is that a workplace accident may also give rise to a civil, personal injury claim. Whilst a breach of the HSWA does not give an automatic right to a civil claim, in many cases the evidence used against a company in a criminal prosecution may similarly be used against a company in a civil claim.

Successful prosecutions can lead to six months’ imprisonment and a £20,000 fine, or if the case is escalated to the Crown Court, two years’ imprisonment and an unlimited fine can be imposed.

The message should be clear then, that we are all responsible for health and safety in our workplaces and the HSWA imposes duties on us all alike – employers, the self-employed and employees. As an employee it is your duty to look after your own welfare and that of the colleagues around you. In reality this should take no more than some common sense and knowledge of the systems in the area in which you work. If a task requires PPE then use it. If it is faulty then make someone aware. If you are unsure then check with someone first. There are plenty of experts inside and outside the workplace to make sure accidents don’t happen.

Some employees take on training courses, such as IOSH Working Safely, to help them improve their awareness.

Either way, make sure you stay safe!

Article by the Workplace Law Network

Corporate Manslaughter: The First Case by Workplace Law Network

2010-01-12T20:14:00.001Z

The first trial to be brought under the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007 will open in Bristol Crown Court on February 23 2010 and is expected to last six weeks.

In June 2009 the Crown Prosecution Service authorised a charge of corporate manslaughter against Cotswold Geotechnical Holdings Ltd, in relation to the death of Alexander Wright on 5 September 2008.

Mr Wright, who was employed by Cotswold Geotechnical Holdings as a junior geologist, was taking soil samples from inside a pit which had been excavated as part of a site survey when the sides of the pit collapsed, crushing him.

Peter Eaton, a Director of the company, has been charged with gross negligence manslaughter and with an offence contrary to Section 37 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. Cotswold Geotechnical Holdings Ltd has also been charged with failing to discharge a duty contrary to Section 33 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.

The Act

The Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007 came into effect on 6 April 2008. Until then there was a common law offence only, which, in order for a company to be found guilty of it, required the conviction of an individual person for gross negligence manslaughter and for that person to be so senior within the company that he or she represented its 'directing mind'. Whilst attempts were made to prosecute big companies under the old law these attempts were all unsuccessful.

The new Act is an offence-creating statute rather than a duty-setting one and itself imposes no new health and safety duties. In other words, the Act is solely designed to make it easier to prosecute organisations where their gross negligence leads to death.

The wording of the Act is that an organisation is guilty of an offence if the way in which its activities are managed or organised: causes a person’s death, and amounts to a gross breach of a relevant duty of care owed by the organisation to the deceased. An organisation is only guilty if the way in which its activities are managed or organised by its senior management is a substantial element in the breach.

Under this new law it is no longer necessary to convict one individual alone. The aggregated failures of a number of senior managers, who form the senior management, are sufficient.

In addition, the second part of the definition of senior management within the law catches people lower in the management chain than those who represented the ‘directing mind’ under the old law, meaning that a much wider part of the workforce could be considered by the prosecuting authorities when looking at whether the offence has been committed.

Having said that, the new offence continues to have a number of safeguards ensuring that the offence is likely to be restricted for the worst cases. In particular, in big companies the requirements for senior management involvement and for any breach to be gross.

The result of this is that to date the Act has not had the fearsome effect that some predicted and the safeguards that the Act provides is likely to mean that the floodgates will not open in terms of the number of prosecutions brought.

Convictions

Under the Act a conviction for gross negligence manslaughter carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment, while a conviction for corporate manslaughter attracts an unlimited fine. Along with this goes the stigma of being a ‘corporate killer’.

The Home Office paper that went with the original Bill stated that the offence would be targeted at the worst cases of management failure causing death. If this is so, it is likely that fines for conviction will be set at a very high level and probably significantly in excess of record fines under HSWA.

A consultation guideline published in October 2009 by the Sentencing Guidelines Council, proposed that c ompanies and organisations that cause death through gross breaches of care could face fines of more than £500,000 and be forced to make a statement about offences on their website.

The publicity of a statement is designed to ensure that the conviction becomes known to shareholders and customers in the case of companies, and to local people in the case of public bodies, such as local authorities, hospital trusts and police forces.

The fines proposed in the consultation are not linked to turnover and some critics have claimed that this is a gross undermining of the Act and that the opportunity for a clear message to employers which might prevent deaths has been lost. The main reason for criticism of a minimum fine is that it may lead to the closures of smaller companies whilst being a drop in the ocean for much larger organisations.

Responses to the consultation should have been received by 5 January 2010, at which point the Council will consider any responses received and then issue a definitive guideline.

Conclusion

The outcome of the first case, while unlikely to be known for several months, will shed some light for employers on how this critical new legislation is likely to be interpreted by the courts. However, as the company is relatively small in size, many experts believe that the real test for the legislation will be when a substantial corporate body faces prosecution and that those expecting that this first case may provide some guidance on how the legislation will be interpreted will be somewhat disappointed.

Large or small, however, this is a timely reminder that companies that fail to keep their workers safe are liable to prosecution on a grand scale. Directors and senior executives need to act now if they want to avoid the heavy penalties and bad publicity that come from cases like this.

Although the Act has brought no new duties, it poses a natural reason and opportunity for organisations to review their safety management approach, their organisational framework and the systems underpinning them.

Guidance published by the HSE / IOD, defining what private and public sector directors should do to lead and promote heath and safety should be examined against organisations' existing safety management procedures to establish how they measure up and also to identify any weaknesses.

Bearing in mind the reach of the Act beyond the boardroom, organisations should not think that the principles set out in the guidance do not apply lower down the management chain.

It would also be prudent for organisations, particularly those in high-hazard industries, to review their liability insurance cover to ensure the legal defence costs for the new offence are covered. Many employers and Public Liability policies will provide such cover but some may not. Dependant on makeup and size the organisation may wish to explore the possibility of purchasing additional Directors' and Officers' cover or another form of management liability cover.

Experienced advice is important in the immediate aftermath of a workplace fatality, particularly as decisions made at this early stage can set the tone for the criminal investigation and can prejudice an organisation’s position and that of its directors and employees. In the circumstances, it is sensible to factor this in to the pre-planning of a major accident response.

If you are in any doubt about your responsibilities and how you should implement safe working practices then you should contact health and safety consultants.

Article by the Workplace Law Network

The Commitment to Health and Safety

2009-12-03T21:18:00.000Z

In a year that has seen the 35th birthday of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act (HSWA) and the 30th anniversary of NEBOSH, health and safety in the workplace still remains a highly sensitive issue but one that is crucial to the wellbeing of Britain’s workforce.

The HSWA has remained the framework for all health and safety legislation and has also managed to adapt to change since its implementation in 1974. In a society which has moved from a largely manufacturing-based industry to a service driven economy and with a more transient and diverse workforce, it remains crucial that employers and health and safety professionals also adapt to changes in working environments and employment patterns.

The HSWA has clearly contributed to saving many lives, with the number of deaths from workplace accidents falling from 651 when it came into force to 180 between 2008/9. This record low is also a significant drop from the previous year where there were 233 fatal injuries. There has also been a reduction of more than 7,000 in the number of workplace injuries classified as serious or incurring more than three days absence from work. This, however, is for all involved in health and safety still too many and more must still be done to reduce the average of over 200 workers dying each year in Britain’s workplaces. The HSWA and bodies such as the HSE can only do this with the support of those actually within the workplace.

One of the biggest challenges in recent times is the media perception of ‘elf and safety’. The myths which perpetuate this perception often arise through a misunderstanding of health and safety requirements, failing to get proper advice and because sometimes it appears easier to ban something than to find a way to make it work safely with the proper precautions.

This lack of understanding of the principles and regulations of health and safety is dangerous and threatens the safety of workers because it can directly create unsafe working conditions and also undermine the importance of regulations by creating a feeling that they are a hindrance rather than a help. This increasingly popular view that the ‘health and safety brigade’ are to blame for almost all of modern Britain’s ills is acknowledged by health and safety professionals as one of the biggest threats to their ability to effectively tackle real issues that endanger life.

In addition to this, the impact of the economic downturn has created the potential issue of health and safety being given lower priority and corners cut in order to save money. Apart from the obvious consequences from failing to follow a health and safety policy it can actually be financially damaging if an injury or fatality takes place and you are then liable to pay compensation through neglect.

The key responsibilities of any employer, facilities manager, director or health and safety professional, therefore, is to make sure they fully understand the requirements of health and safety, support its aims by communicating issues in the workplace clearly and thus challenge poor misconceptions. Employees must be encouraged to take the issues seriously as it only takes one person who does not, to result in an unnecessary accident.

Remember that the key phrase of the HSWA is “so far as reasonably practicable” and so this allows you to take a risk based approach to health and safety in your workplace. Blanket bans are never popular and normally not necessary. Instead, by fully assessing risk, you should be able to take a balanced view between sensible protective measures and cost. Health and safety is based on the key conviction that no one involved in the profession wants to see someone hurt or made ill, particularly when this is avoidable. With good practice and common sense you can help dispel those tabloid myths and help keep Britain’s workers safe from harm.

If you are responsible for health and safety in your workplace or simply have an interest in it and you don’t know where to begin there are plenty of people who can help you. As well as professional consultants who can take the ‘burden’ from you, there is also plenty of useful information to be found from organisations such as the HSE. An example of one of their useful tools is the Health and safety leadership checklist which is designed to help you check your status as a leader on health and safety.

Health and safety leadership checklist

How do you demonstrate the board's commitment to health and safety?
What do you do to ensure appropriate board-level review of health and safety?
What have you done to ensure your organisation, at all levels including the board, receives competent health and safety advice?
How are you ensuring all staff – including the board – is sufficiently trained and competent in their health and safety responsibilities?
How confident are you that your workforces, particularly safety representatives, are consulted properly on health and safety matters, and that their concerns are reaching the appropriate level including, as necessary, the board?
What systems are in place to ensure your organisation’s risks are assessed, and that sensible control measures are established and maintained?
How well do you know what is happening on the ground, and what audits or assessments are undertaken to inform you about what your organisation and contractors actually do?
What information does the board receive regularly about health and safety – e.g. performance data and reports on injuries and work-related ill health?
What targets have you set to improve health and safety and do you benchmark your performance against others in your sector or beyond?
Where changes in working arrangements have significant implications for health and safety, how are these brought to the attention of the board?

http://www.hse.gov.uk/leadership/checklist.htm

A recent survey, ‘The Value of Safety and Health’ published by Safety and Health Practitioner magazine and IOSH found that nine out of ten health and safety professionals would recommend a career in health and safety to others. For anyone that wishes to follow this career path there are recognised qualifications, such as the NEBOSH general certificate, which can be attained to increase your knowledge and ability.

On the topic of working in the industry, Rob Castledine, Associate Director at Workplace Law, said:

"Having spent over 20 years in the industry, I've met an awful lot of Health and Safety Practitioners and those that stick out to me are those that have a 'can do' attitude. Of course, any form of advice or guidance that a Health and Safety Advisor gives out needs to be balanced between risk, legal compliance and the practicalities of any control measures. But managers and organisations, as a whole, welcome sensible risk management which provides a solution to an issue, rather than another excuse not to do it.

"In particular, it's essential for those just starting out on their safety career to ensure they fully develop their qualifications, be it a NEBOSH Certificate or an NVQ, with lots of sound and real life work experiences, which will help them to make more informed judgements concerning managing health and safety risks in the workplace."

Article by the Workplace Law Network

New Articles Added by Leading Law Firm - McGrigors LLP

2009-10-17T15:28:00.000Z

HSfB has been given permission to publish the following articles and e-bulletins from the leading law firm McGrigors LLP.

We would like to thank McGrigors LLP for this fantastic contribution and we hope you will find the articles both helpful and interesting.

17 October 2009

New articles added to Your Articles by McGrigors LLP.

Our guide to health and safety in the kitchen

2009-06-08T20:24:00.001Z

The kitchen is the focal point of the British home; the social hub of a party; the place where culinary delights are created; and the location for families to exchange dinnertime stories. It is a well known fact that the majority of accidents happen in the home, and it is no surprise that most of these occur in the kitchen. The elderly and children are particularly susceptible when navigating around the various surfaces, often greeted with unstable objects and protruding corners.

Whichever relates to you, health and safety in the kitchen applies to everyone. If you have a kitchen at work, you are constantly reminded of the potential hazards with the help of animated signs, reinforced by the HR manager. Unfortunately, these guidelines do not exist in the average home, so we all have to be more vigilant of the dangers that can happen in the kitchen in order to enjoy our time in it.

Your kitchen should be ergonomically designed to reduce unnecessary movement and awkward manoeuvres. This applies particularly to the hob and oven area. Burns and scalding usually occur as a consequence of distraction, but there is some further protection if you use triple-glazed or cooling system ovens. These have a low surface temperature as they operate, and so prevent burning through accidental touches or leaning by children.

Hob areas are the most potentially dangerous, though they should all now have an automatic cut off installed so that the gas stops if the flame accidentally goes out. The hob should never be placed in front of a window precisely to prevent this from happening, and also to prevent curtains or blinds flapping dangerously near naked flames. When cooking, ensure that pan handles are not receiving heat from another hob or ring, and that you do not leave the handle hanging over the edge.

Always allocate sufficient space around the cooking surface. You will need an amount of worktop by the oven and hob so that hot and heavy items can be put down quickly. Fit plug sockets on either side of the hob so that appliances and their leads won't need to be pulled across the hot surface. Lastly, always position the hob near to the sink so that it won't be necessary to carry full pans very far and never put the units either side of a door. You do not want to collide with someone coming in whilst you are carrying boiling water.

Store your kitchen items wisely to minimise the risk of accidents. Heavy items and awkward pots and pans should be stored in the lower cupboards, while glassware and other lighter goods can be stored in wall cupboards. If items are exposed, they musty be positioned on a level worktop and so it cannot be dislodged.

Kitchens can easily become the dirtiest room in the house, but it is vitally important that they are also one of the most hygienic. Using certain materials in your fittings can make the kitchen easier to clean; granite and quartz worktops for example, are smooth, seamless and stain resistant. A well designed kitchen will try to avoid the common dirt and grime traps such as the joins around the sink and between worktops.

Changing your kitchen work surfaces is not only a good way to improve overall heath and safety, but one of the simplest methods of upgrading without being a major upheaval. John Porter worktops and kitchens understand the significance of health and safety, and offer a comprehensive range of quality kitchen worktops that guarantee peace of mind for their customers.

“Health and safety in the kitchen can and does get forgotten, particularly when rushing in back from work, or preparing a stressful dinner for the family, so we try to ensure that our worktops are fitted to the highest standard,” says John Porter. “This is why we recruit expert fitters, use the finest materials and adhere to the rigorous safety standards that are set. If all of this is achieved, then we know our customers are receiving the best possible service.”

So remember, the kitchen can be safe place to inhabit, we just need to be aware that accidents can and do happen. That reminds me, I have a dinner party next weekend….

Matthew Crick

Your Guide to Smoke Detectors and Fire Alarms

2009-06-08T20:23:00.000Z

Smoke detectors and fire alarms give you vital extra time to escape from a building if a fire breaks out. Most businesses and institutions have a combination of smoke and fire alarms to alert people of a fire. Whether you run a business from a tiny office or if you’re responsible for the safety of an entire school, you need to be sure that you have the correct smoke detectors and fire alarms fitted in the building. Below is a quick guide to smoke detectors and commercial fire alarms.

What types of smoke detectors are available?

The type of smoke detector you require will largely depend on the size and type of your premises. The cheapest type of smoke detectors are ionisation detectors which can detect small particles of smoke before the smoke gets too dense. Ionisation smoke detectors are not ideal at detecting substances which are slow to burn but are quick to detect high flaming fires such as liquid fires so they are a good choice for workshops, garages and kitchens.

Optical smoke detectors are better for detecting slow burning fires which produce larger smoke particles. Optical smoke detectors are a good choice for rooms or buildings which have a lot of wiring such as server rooms or computer suites as these substances can create a lot of smoke during a fire. Combined smoke detectors will be triggered by slow burning and high flaming fires so are a good all round choice.

What types of fire alarms are available?

There are many different types of commercial fire alarms available which means you will be able to find the right system for your building, whether you are upgrading or installing a system for the first time. A conventional fire alarm system would be suitable for smaller premises such as shops, small offices and bed and breakfasts. These conventional systems have detection zones which are connected to a number of fire alarm smoke detectors and break glass units.

Addressable fire alarm systems transmit data to a panel which allows you to see exactly where the fire is in the building which makes them a good choice for larger premises. Wireless commercial fire alarms offer the most flexibility and are ideal for premises which are spread out over a number of buildings such as schools or university campuses. Wireless commercial fire alarms can be fitted without any disruption and are installed without wires so they are also a good choice for busy offices, stately homes and public buildings such as libraries and museums.

Make sure you have the correct smoke detectors and commercial fire alarms fitted in your workplace so that you know the people who use the building will have enough time to escape in an emergency.

This article was written by Assured Fire & Security for Health and Safety for Beginners.

Common causes of an office fire

2009-05-09T19:16:00.000Z

The acute “beep, beep, beep, beep...” of the office fire alarm resonates around the room and a momentarily look of concern presents itself on every face that has risen in unison. This, for the incalculable time, is a test alarm and one that arrives each week with wonderment. We are all aware, however, that this scheduled blast has a serious agenda; a job that we can’t resent and a role that could save our lives. The fire alarm is possibly the most understated colleague in any office.

For anyone who’s experienced the horror of a real-live, raging fire – whether in the office or at home – it is something I’m sure they will not want to experience again. Businesses across the UK have introduced additional safety equipment, upgraded facilities and implemented more coherent training for their personnel to prevent such incidents meaning fire safety in the work place has never been more prominent, with more vigorous checks being recommended by fire officials to make properties impervious to fire.

The First Statistics Monitor, which is published quarterly by Communities and Local Government, encompasses provisional figures on fires, fire fatalities, injuries and false alarms. During 2007/08, The UK Fire and Rescue Services attended 799,000 fire and false alarm incidents (at both domestic and commercial properties) – noting an 8 per cent decrease on the previous 12 months. The total number of UK fires fell by 11 per cent to 382,000 and are at their lowest since 1988. The figure for UK fire deaths, however, increased by 8 per cent to 500, and embedded within this statistic, 373 deaths occurred in England; the latter being contrary to the long term downward trend.

In July 2003, over 100 fire fighters spent hours contending with a fire that broke out in a prodigious office block behind Paddington Station. Resilient fire crew tackled the blaze continuously for two days, and five were treated in hospital for injuries. It later emerged that the building had recognised electrical problems and insufficient fire safety appliances, mainly fire extinguishers and blankets. Five floors of the structure were lost that day, but fortunately no lives.

In May 2007, Council headquarters in Leicestershire were obliterated by a fire which was caused by an electrical fault on a light fitting. The building hosted over 150 staff, and although every staff member was safely evacuated successfully, over three quarters of office space was lost. Local emergencies praised the speed in which everyone left the building and the manner and organisation they did so. After a rigorous post-mortem check of the buildings smouldering carcass, fire officials applauded the overall safety equipment that was in place at the time. Malise Graham, Leader of Melton Borough Council, made the irrefutable point: “We may have lost most of the office, but we still have all our staff in one piece. I’m glad that we can plan for a new building and not for human loses.”

The office is a perfect breeding ground for a fire. Electrical equipment such as fax machines and photocopiers are both potential heat-generating threats, and although there are constant warnings about monitoring and upgrading fire safety devices, often old or defective machines like the humble photocopier can be fire hazards. Even a kettle or fridge should be considered and documented.

“Appropriate fire training for all staff is essential to ensure that the correct action is taken in the event of a fire,” says Active Fire Management, who provide a professional fire consultancy service for all aspects of fire safety and training requirements. “ The Fire Safety Order 2005 requires timely and effective training for all personnel. Any training provided should also be repeated at regular intervals. Organisations should ensure that details of training and names of those who have received it is recorded in the fire log book.”

Combustible objects such as books, magazines and bags of materials waiting to be recycled act like fire lighters on a log fire, and should be stored properly and not piled up around the office. All storage areas should be adequately located away from heat sources, for example; servers, computers and plugs. Be extra conscious of having excessive electrical outlets and try to reduce the amount of extension cables that weave across the floor.

“Effective management of electrical cables in the workplace is essential in order to avoid trip hazards to staff, but also to reduce the possibility of an unwanted fire,” continues Active Fire. “Ensure that all electrical equipment undergoes a regular PAT test and maintain appropriate records.”

If you are sat at your desk as you finish reading this, take a few minutes out of your busy day to distinguish who is one of the most undervalued team mates in the office. The fire alarm? And let’s not forget your other assistants: fire safety equipment. All of you are in the same team and one day may really depend on each other.

For more information visit www.activefiremanagement.co.uk

Words by Matthew Crick

HSfB in the Beginning...

2009-01-04T18:07:00.001Z

After suffering a back injury at work in 2002 where I slipped two discs lifting heavy machinery parts, I spent the next 2 ½ years virtually housebound living on Incapacity Benefit. Naturally this placed incredible strain on home life for my wife and young daughter (two years old at the time), not only in monetary terms, but simple things like going shopping, visiting friends and family, pulling up socks, or even lifting a full kettle. All the things many people take for granted. The hardest part of these years was not being able to lift, carry or play properly with my young daughter who had no concept of why her mum could and I couldn’t. Kids are amazing creatures though; she was OK with the limited physical activities we could do together.

Over time and after being diagnosed with having ‘the back of an old man’, I then realised I could no longer have a career which involved any sort of manual labour; I would need to put my brain to good use to pay the bills! With time on my hands during these years, I began asking questions as to why I was allowed to go to work perfectly healthy one day, then the next day how my work could have been allowed to place such a dark cloud over my life. Armed with these questions, I sought careers advice and self funded my way through the NEBOSH General Certificate at the Falkirk College and the Diploma in Health and Safety Management at Glasgow’s Caledonian University. My passion for keeping people safe and healthy at work had been ignited.

After completing the NEBOSH General Certificate, I attempted to share a single electronic file with a student friend. Sharing files was all very new to me, especially when the file was too large for email! I had to learn how to use the free web space allocated as part of my internet service provider’s package. My learning started with two websites – www.google.co.uk and www.boogiejack.com. In the process over a few weeks, more and more files found their way onto my web space and I accidentally created a website called Health and Safety for Beginners (HSfB). The sole purpose of the website was originally to provide a completely free resource where students could easily find and share study materials using one large central point. I personally found information like this scarce on the internet and was convinced that there was a gap ready to be filled.

Discussion Forums

Not long after the birth of HSfB and whilst using an H&S discussion forum (which stopped operating some months later), I began chatting online to a user of that particular forum called ‘Ippy’. One comment to me that Ippy made changed HSfB forever….”why don’t you start a discussion forum of your own?” The rest as they say is history. Our discussion forums are an incredibly welcoming and friendly place to be, where everybody is treated with respect and where every single question is also treated with respect, hence the reason our tag line became - There is no such thing as a "stupid" or "daft" health and safety question!. After all, everybody in our profession is simply working towards keeping people at work safe and healthy.

Since those early months, the website has grown into a valuable practical resource for students and professionals alike. The website allows the sharing of information, resources and discussions to take place between likeminded people with realistic and practical solutions for day to day challenges.

Not Just for Beginners

Although the name of the website suggests it is a tool for beginners, the site equally caters for experienced professionals at the same time. In fact, many of the beginners who have used the site in the past are now actively participating in the site daily as experienced professionals and offering their experience as advice. This is basically the HSfB circle of life where beginners gain so much from the site, they then want to put something back through their own learning and experience.

Another objective for HSfB is to assist beginners and professionals with their personal development, whether that is by providing the resources on the site or by providing subsidised learning in partnership with a variety of training providers through prize draw competitions. This particular concept resulted in the site winning the prestigious Lord Cullen Award for Safety Innovation and the Fife Regional Council Shield in 2007. In total, over 350 hours of training were subsidised for winners of the free prize draw and the total value of prizes given away was worth over £7,250.

The prize draw competitions have now become a permanent fixture on HSfB and in late 2008, a dedicated prize draw website was created – www.prizedraw.healthandsafetytips.co.uk. Now, instead of a one-off competition, people registered to receive our monthly newsletter are automatically entered into our monthly prize draws.

It all Falls into Place

Looking back on my H&S career, my passion grows from the first hand experience of being injured at work and the belief that injuries like these, or worse, are completely preventable.

As with many others starting out with their H&S career, it was a catch-22 situation. I had the qualifications (NEBOSH Certificate), but without experience employers were reluctant to take me on. Even after I started the Diploma in Health and Safety Management at Glasgow’s Caledonian University getting my foot on that first rung of the ladder was difficult, and very frustrating!

It took over a year to finally find an employer who would give me the start I needed, and even that was not 100% dedicated to H&S. I secured a job with a small disability access consultancy which lasted one year until the consultancy was forced to close due to late payments from large organisations (something many small business have to contend with regularly).

Amazingly, my second break came from one of our discussion forum’s members! He read about my job with the consultancy coming to an end and to cut a long story short, he persuaded (and helped) me to start my own H&S and disability access consultancy giving me my first paying job. I handed in my completed disability access reports to him on a Friday and during our close-out meeting, he offered me a full-time H&S advisors position working for him in a large oil and gas manufacturing firm in Dunfermline. I started the following Tuesday (it was my daughter’s seventh birthday on the Monday) and my consultancy ended almost exactly one month after its launch.

The amazing thing that stands out for me is that without my injury, I would not have began asking questions as to why people get injured at work, I would not have chosen a career in H&S and HSfB would never have started. My injury and the people I have met through HSfB have changed my life forever, and I know for a fact that I am not the only one.

John Johnston MIIRSM GradIOSH

www.healthandsafetytips.co.uk

www.healthandsafetytips.co.uk/forums

Learn Your Germs

2008-12-31T21:23:00.000Z

So, I’m at work and starting to resemble an extra for Night of the Living Dead. I’ve just completed my routine self-diagnosis and scanning the office I see, thanks to me perhaps, an assortment of my colleagues sniffling and coughing. My desk is gradually sinking between dripping drifts of used tissues and I can’t answer the phone for fear of permanently alienating a vital business contact with my erratic nasal sounds.

I am only half ill, and although I have been doing a decent impression of a person with an impending cold, I have a friend who currently has an unspeakable substance pouring from his head – a cold that has turned into what a trained medical professional would describe as “one hell of an ear infection”. Let’s forget, just for a second, hosing down hospitals; if you want to fight infection then the battle commences in the office.

The average office hosts hundreds of times more bacteria than a toilet seat. Yes, I said a toilet seat. As we all sit here, stewing in our own putrescence while the army of microbes have us at their mercy, they are also throwing meet-and-greet parties all over our office. Parties that we’re not invited to and are monumental in size.

To put their banquet in perspective, around 21,000 germs per square inch are found on work desks. A population that is hard to quantify when you consider the size of a desk. We are constantly and unintentionally adding to this community with the 1,500 germs per square centimetre that congregate on our hands.

Dr. Chuck Gerba, a renowned microbiologist from the University of Arizona, is a leading expert on home and work hygiene. “Clutter doesn’t necessarily mean a lot of germs,” he says. “To a large degree it’s the amount of activity and the number of people that occupy an office.”

Here’s the controversial bit: women spread more germs in the work place than men, according to Gerba. But, before there is unanimous uproar, the higher germ concentration is proof that women have healthier diets than men. “Women tend to store apples, bananas and other biodegradable, healthy food at their desk,” he continues. “Men appear to opt for less nutritious provisions at work, such as gum and crisps.”

Over the last two years, Gerba and his team placed a normal office environment under their microscope and the results were astonishing to say the least. The office, in Arizona, consisted of 15 employees, each with their own desk, a communal kitchen and two separate toilets. Gerba found hundreds of thousands of bacteria on ‘hot spots’ such as a printer button, a mouse and, in even larger amounts, keyboards.

“Among the bacteria we found coliform – intestinal bacteria generally found in human waste – on bathroom handles, in the kitchen sink and on several keyboards,” says Gerba. “This indicated that people were not washing their hands after leaving the bathroom. But, surprisingly, the desks that were cluttered hosted the least bacteria. The proud, office clean freaks generally had a filthy keyboard.”

Elizabeth Scott, a professor at the Simmons Centre for Hygiene and Health in Boston, adds: “Office workers touch their hands to their faces on average 18 times an hour. When we touch our faces, we bring all the collected gunk of our desktop or keyboard directly to our respiratory and digestive system every three and half minutes. Bacteria and viruses couldn’t ask for a better transportation network.”

So, germs could be regarded as the consummate commuter. Unlike most humans, they enjoy travelling in dense crowds, over long distances and once they get to their destination they live is complete harmony; celebrating their arrival with a veritable feast – our office.

We do make their trip easy for them though. Around 71% of office workers believe their workspace makes them regularly ill, with ‘hot desking’ being a major culprit for spreading bacteria and bugs. What’s more, 80% admitted to sharing their workstations, including telephone and computer, while being ill. The migration of the germ has just been upgraded to a free, first class ticket to paradise.

While most of the bacteria that lurks and thrives at our workplace aren’t life-threatening, it does explain why we can feel, well, under the weather sometimes. We can disinfect our desks and office equipment as frequently as time allows us to. The battle to conquer germ domination may be ending, but the war is just beginning.

One way to guarantee the office remains a defiant ‘no germ zone’ is to contact a commercial cleaning company. Albany Facilities is one of the leading office hygiene specialists in the UK who know how to tackle our office organisms.

“Most people have heard of ‘sick building syndrome’, but don’t realise the impact it can have on a business,” says Albany’s Managing Director, Mike Burton. “The term describes a range of symptoms that office workers suffer from, including; headaches, fatigue, difficulty concentrating and respiratory problems. High levels of bacteria and funghi in air ventilation systems could be to blame so companies should ensure that air ducts are regularly deep cleaned.”

The next time you’re sat in front of your desk, devouring your lunch that you’ve been looking forward to all morning, remember one thing: you are the oblivious host to the biggest dinner party of your life!

Matthew Crick

Albany Deep Clean Services

Your Articles - 5 September 2008

2008-09-05T14:58:00.000Z

A week in the life of...

This feature gives you the opportunity to write a short diary of your typical week as an health, safety or environmental professional and have it published here and in our Newsletter. Your diary articles will give a great insight into the world of HS&E, allowing professionals and beginners alike the chance to see how others operate.

If you would like to take part in this feature simply download the template and return the completed form to us - Contact Us. Further information on the feature can be found on our Discussion Forums

Click the link to download our latest addition...

A Week in the Life...Self-Employed Health and Safety Consultant

Your Articles - A Week in the Life of...

2008-08-09T14:01:00.000Z

Your Articles

A week in the life of...

If you would like to take part in this feature simply download the template and return the completed form to us - Contact Us. Further information on the feature can be found on our Discussion Forums.

Exam Tip – Take Your Personal Advisors with You!

2008-07-06T19:33:00.000Z

Do nerves get the better of you under exam conditions and your mind goes blank?

Do you dread your mind going blank and worry about it for days, even weeks or months before your exams?

Has anybody ever told you that you will know the answer and all you need to do is to simply dig deep into your mind and unlock it?

This article will give you the tools to unlock those answers, but only if you let it work for you. If you don’t have an open mind for trying something new, this article really isn’t for you and you shouldn’t waste your time reading any more. Carry on to our home page if you don’t wish to try this out – www.hsfb.co.uk. Otherwise, read on…

This article was created using a technique learned from Jack Black after one of his MindStore for Business courses - https://www.mindstore.com/index.php

Design Your Board Room

Imagine yourself sitting in a large senior executive Board Room. The Board Room is on the top floor of a large office block overlooking the most fantastic view you have ever seen, peaceful and whatever you want it to be. The Board Room is furnished to the highest specification possible with leather executive chairs, modern art décor, plenty of natural light, the temperature is just right and there are plenty of indoor plants and flowers giving off a pleasant calming scent. No expense spared.

You are sitting at the head of the table with a dozen executive places around the plush solid Oak Board Room table and you are in complete control of who enters your Board Room to become your personal advisors.

Call Upon Your Personal Advisors

The trick to successfully answering exam questions using this technique is quite simply to have the right people sitting at your Board Room table advising you. For example, if you were asked a question on health and safety law and you weren’t quite sure of the answer, who would you turn to for the answer if you had the chance? Would it be a previous lecturer from your NEBOSH General Certificate? Would it be a colleague from a local IOSH branch group? Would it be one of HSfB’s discussion forum members? Would it be your mentor or boss? It doesn’t matter who it is. Just make sure you think of the person you feel can answer you instantly on the particular topic and place them in your Board Room sitting in one of the plush leather executive chairs.

Then, when the question comes up under exam conditions (or during every day life), simply ask your health and safety advisor and let them give you the answer. They will give you the correct answer every single time, without fail (as long as you have studied the subject that is).

Use this technique to fill your Board Room with people you trust to give you good solid advice on any topic you like, from COSHH, fire, construction, occupational health, work at heights, confined spaces or even the NEBOSH action verbs! It’s your Board Room and you are in control of who enters it to become your personal advisors.

Use Your Imagination

If you feel your Board Room is beginning to bulge at the seams with advisors, that’s just fantastic. The more the merrier! Simply make your Board Room bigger!

This technique doesn’t just work under exam conditions, it can work in your every day lives if you are simply looking for advice on a decision that lies ahead of you. It’s a simple case of asking yourself - “what would ______ have said in this situation?”

The technique works because psychologically even if you make yourself believe you can’t remember, or if you are unsure of how to decide on something, you will simply have faith in your advisors not to forget and to say the right thing, then you will get your answer.

Tell yourself often enough that you can’t remember and guess what? You won’t remember!

Tell yourself you will remember, or your advisors will help you to remember, and guess what? You will remember!

It only works!

John Johnston MIIRSM Grad IOSH - HSfB

One Day...

2008-03-29T19:13:00.000Z

One Day...

I work for one of the country’s leading waste management, recycling and energy- from waste-companies. We operate across the country, providing expert services in the collection, recycling and disposal of waste as well as municipal cleansing. Our businesses stretch from Kent and London to as far north as Merseyside and as far south as Cornwall. Our transfer stations are based in London and Cirencester. In all we have thirty three sites.

I am based in the Essex office and work for Compliance also known as Health & Safety. I am a compliance officer and work in a team of 10 people. We carry out Compliance work on the behalf of our businesses .We assist and guide the staff and management with their health, safety and environmental issues.

Cory Environmental is the only company that transfers waste on the River Thames, keeping over 100,000 HGVs off the capital’s already congested roads each year. The rubbish is compacted on our transfer stations then collected and transferred down the river by container barges to our landfill site which is appropriately named Mucking down in Essex.

The full article, including photos of the waste transfer operation, can be downloaded in pdf format by clicking the following link.

One Day...

Rochelle of Cory Environmental

HSfB Owner Runs the Edinburgh Marathon for CHAS - 16 March 2008

2008-03-16T19:46:00.001Z

Site News

John Johnston, the owner of Health and Safety for Beginners and employee of FMC Technologies, will run the full Edinburgh Marathon on 25 May 2008 with two other colleagues from FMC Technologies - Alan and Sheena - in aid of The Children's Hospice Association Scotland (CHAS). The team building event, which is being backed by FMC Technologies, began in November 2007.

Alan, Sheena and John form the HSE Group at FMC Technologies and are aiming to help raise awareness for healthy living for the 600 strong workforce as well as raise money for a worthy cause.

CHAS is a Scottish charity established to provide hospice services in Scotland for children with life-limiting conditions. The hospice offers professional care, practical help and emotional support to the whole family from the day they are referred until the death of their child and beyond.

A blog has been set up to keep track of the event called First Time Marathon - http://www.firsttimemarathon.blog.co.uk/

The target for fundraising has been set at £3,000. If you would like to make a donation to help meet the target, you can donate securely online using the dedicated fundraising page at JustGiving - http://www.justgiving.com/firsttimemarathon

The First Time Marathon team would like to thank you for your support.

Health and Safety for Beginners Time Management Tool

2008-03-07T21:17:00.000Z

Health and Safety for Beginners Time Management Tool

Published on HSfB 7 March 2008

If like me you try to juggle 101 things in the air at the same time, it won’t be too long before you begin to forget important things at your work or in your studies. Your stress levels begin to build up and you start to get overwhelmed with tasks, even small incidentals. Then one day something undoubtedly gives way or you simply plod along aimlessly trying to cope and never really get anywhere.

Sound familiar?

This time management tool is one of many methods you can use to help take control of your daily and weekly tasks, both at work and in study. It will help you to prioritise and arrange tasks in a logical manner and will also help you to become much more productive as a direct result. All you need to do is simply follow these three easy steps using the planning sheets provided.

Download the time management planning sheets and guide here - HSfB Time Management Tool

Step 1

First, use the Time Management Journal – Step 1 document for the first full week. Use a separate sheet for work and home life.

The journal in this step is an honest and accurate account of your use of time each day. When you start a task, fill in the start time, end time, a description of the task and any interruptions you have during the task. Interruptions can be your boss asking you to do something for him/her, or it could be an accident investigation, or even a toilet break/ciggie break etc. Write them all in the interruptions column and analyse the results at the end of the week.

By the end of the week, you will see the common interruptions and obviously the interruptions you have no control over, which will happen every week and that's ok. Deal with those interruptions! If the interruptions are people just having a chat, then have a chat with them, but be ready to explain to them that you need to get on with your work and they should leave you in peace! Be nice though ;) You may also uncover various patterns of your work colleagues where they could perhaps improve their own productivity at work.

Step 2

Next is to use the Time Management – Task Planning – Step 2 document.

There are three key priorities to use in this document –

A – Jobs that must be done.
B – Jobs that ought to be done but can be delayed if necessary.
C – Jobs that are easy/enjoyable but don’t directly achieve objectives.

You should complete this sheet on a weekly basis and update it as the week progresses and tasks are completed or progressed.

Add in your task description, give it a priority, update the status and add in a time you think you will need to complete the task. This helps to focus your mind on the task and is your living document that helps you psychologically.

All these things are in your head all at once, which makes your stress levels increase as you feel you never get near the end of the list. But, if you write them down and show your progress, even minor progress, you begin to see and feel the positive effects of your efforts, which is an amazing feeling.

Step 3

Next is to use the Time Management – Daily Plan – Step 3 document. This is your daily plan for your tasks. First thing in the morning, set your plan of action for the day and try to stick to it as best you can. Don't try to fill each slot of time with something to do, give yourself some floating time in there as things rarely go to plan, but again it helps you focus. Each day, start a new sheet and refer back to the previous day's sheet to see what jobs still need attention.

Refer to the task planning document from step 2 and allocate time to your top priority tasks (and lower priority jobs if you can). For example, if you need to do risk assessments on four machines and you think it will take you about 5 hours in total, allocate 1 or 2 hours to the task for that day, then move on to something else of high priority. Unless of course the task needs to be carried out until complete. Only you can decide how much time to give each priority, but remember there are only so many hours in a day for work/study and you can only do so much. You are only human!

Hints and Tips

The biggest challenge to start with is to find the time to populate your time management sheets! Once you do start and you see the benefits, you will be amazed at how much it helps and how much you will rely on the sheets to help you focus.

Archive all of your sheets when finished with them and look back now and again to see how they have helped you manage your time. It helps keep you focused.

I have attached another sheet which is a study planning sheet and is used purely for study time. Wherever you can steal time for studying, at work or home, fill in your study sheet and stick to it as best you can using the principles explained in this guide.

Be realistic.

When using the tool for study, work out what time you have available for study and don’t forget to make time for sleeping, eating, recreation, etc. You still have a life.

Try to plan ahead - do not leave everything to the last minute, remember assignments and reports need research time, so start early.

Prioritise - do not do the easiest task first, but the one that really needs to be done first.

Set objectives which are reasonable, and make sure that they are somewhere you can see them. You could keep a wall planner chart if you have a spare wall.

Break large tasks into manageable sub-tasks and set target dates against each sub-task i.e. for an assignment: research; research evaluation; draft copy; and final copy.

Try doing the most difficult things when you feel at your best.

Remember the unexpected always happens, so be flexible and don't get angry when plans have to change. Just change them ;)

REMEMBER YOU ARE IN CONTROL!

Download the time management planning sheets and guide here - HSfB Time Management Tool

HSfB - Important Site News 6 January 2008

2008-01-06T20:53:00.000Z

6 January 2008

New Health and Safety Discussion Forums Launched

We are proud to announce that on Thursday 20 December 2007, HSfB launched its new look health, safety and environmental discussion forums which you can view here - Health and Safety Discussion Forums

The new discussion forums are based on the phpBB style which has been vastly improved in many ways by the phpBB team. Both security and functionality have been improved giving our members and visitors an excellent online experience.

A list of new features can be found on the phpBB website here - phpBB3 Gold Features

Here is just a sample of some of the new features and options now available to our members -

User preferences offering a wide range of user defined customisations.
Private messaging system which can be fully managed by users, including creating new folders and moving saved messages.
Various anti-spam techniques have been added to allow administrators to keep our forums a nice place to be, including; CAPTCHA Visual Confirmation; blacklists; banning; warnings; user logging and many more.
Users can now report individual posts to the moderator team at the touch of a button.
Users can now attach multiple files to their posts.
Users can save a draft of their posts allowing the post to be completed at a later time.
More advanced search facility.
Unread post flags are not lost after closing browser or logging off.
Users can bookmark individual topics for future reference.
Print topic functionality added.
Email topic to a friend functionality added.
Add friends/foes to user control panel.
Users can manage private message and draft posts.
And many more...

One side effect of the new upgrade is that members may have some difficulty in logging on to the new forums for the first time due to incorrect passwords. This is a known bug with the conversion/upgrade software. If you are affected by this unavoidable side effect, please Contact Us to have your account manually reactivated. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.

Another side effect is that our discussion forums RSS feed is temporarily unavailable for the time being.

All that remains for us to say is thank you for your continued support and we hope you enjoy your new health, safety and environmental discussion forums.

HSfB - Site News 30 September 2007

2007-09-30T13:45:00.000Z

Site News

Health & Safety for Beginners had entries to be posted on their website forum www.healthandsafetytips.co.uk that cans of Evo-Stik Expanding Foam, produced by Bostik Limited, are bursting for no reason or when shaken. Bostik has informed Health & Safety for Beginners that their product does not burst for any reason and therefore the forum discussion may wrongly give the impression that this was the cause of a fatal accident.

Health & Safety for Beginners are not responsible for the forum entries and do not endorse their content.

Health & Safety for Beginners has been subsequently informed by Bostik that the product is safe to use when the user follows the instructions on both the pack and the accompanying safety data sheets. The cans do not just burst of their own volition.

The fatal accident is currently being investigated by HSE who have not released a statement. Any safety alerts that you may have seen have not been endorsed by the HSE.

Hearth & Safety for Beginners acknowledge Bostik's assertion that Evo-Stik Expanding Foam is not a faulty product. The manufacturers have asked us to take this opportunity to remind all members to ensure full compliance with the instructions and guidance booklets contained in any products before use. Members should be highlighting to all employees and contractors the importance of reading fully the instructions for use, if they fail to do so there may be serious potential consequences if these instructions are not adhered which could include personal injury and or even a fatality.

Fake HSfB Email Alert - Press Release

2007-09-05T21:18:00.000Z

Fake HSfB Email Alert - Press Release

Fake HSfB Email Alert

It has come to our attention that fake emails are circulating the internet claiming to be from healthandsafetytips.co.uk. These emails appear to come from our website, but we can assure you that they do not. The fraudulent spammers are using a technique which allows their email to disguise itself as another domain name, i.e. healthandsafetytips.co.uk.

Examples of the email will include the following (there may be more we are not aware of).......

Possible subject headings of - 'awels' or '*DETECTED* Online User Violation' or 'Warning Message: Your services near to be closed' or 'You have successfully updated your password' or 'WARNING MESSAGE: YOUR SERVICES NEAR TO BE CLOSED' or 'SECURITY MEASURES' or 'Important Notification' or a series of random letters.

The message content of the emails will be similar to the following:

Dear user andrew,

You have successfully updated the password of your Healthandsafetytips account.

If you did not authorize this change or if you need assistance with your account, please contact Healthandsafetytips customer service at: support@healthandsafetytips.co.uk

Thank you for using Healthandsafetytips!
The Healthandsafetytips Support Team

+++ Attachment: No Virus (Clean)
+++ Healthandsafetytips Antivirus - www.healthandsafetytips.co.uk

The emails will contain a zipped attachment which contains the virus - W32.Mytob.EA@mm and when opened it will infect your pc.

Please delete these emails.

HSfB will never send you emails with attachments unless we have prior consent from you first. Only open emails from HSfB containing attachments when you expect us to send you an attachment.

On the plus side, if you have your anti virus software up to date and set to scan incoming emails, then this virus should get picked up and deleted straight away.

NEBOSH General Exam Tips by Phil

2007-07-09T19:20:00.000Z

General Exam Tips

ARRIVE ON TIME AND RELAXED

Don’t rush into the exam room with minutes to spare. Make sure you have had a good nights rest, eaten well and don’t have a hangover.

BE PREPARED

The old scouts motto. Don’t turn up with one dodgy biro. It WILL run out before you get your name on the paper.

GET A GOOD POSITION IN THE EXAM ROOM

Don’t grab a seat too close to the heaters, halfway through the exam you will wish you had picked somewhere cooler. Similarly seats by the window can be too hot or cause glare in the summer, too cold in the winter and cause distractions. Get a comfortable table with good lighting.

READ THE QUESTIONS

Read the questions carefully. Pay particular attention to the action verbs …

Define, Describe, Explain, Give, Identify, List, Outline, Sketch and State.

… learn what they mean. These will identify the depth you should go into with your answer. There are no extra points for providing an in-depth essay answer to a request for a list.

BE AWARE OF HOW MANY POINTS ARE AVAILABLE

Don’t give an in-depth answer to a 2 point section of the question and skim over the part with 6 points on offer.

READ THE QUESTION AGAIN

Make sure you answer the question they ask, not what you would like it to ask.

Some questions will give you a scenario. These scenarios may or may not be relevant to the question asked. Make sure you know which.

If the question asks for mechanical hazards providing information on other types of hazards will not get points

If a question starts with ‘Other than’ it means other than. Don’t include anything in your answer that is excluded in the question.

READ THE WHOLE QUESTION

If it is a two-part question read all of it. There have been questions where the first part asks you to simply list something while the second part asks you to go into more depth on the items you have just listed. If you listed something you don’t know a lot about you will have to go back and change your answer to the first part.

DON’T ANSWER ANY MORE THAN THE QUESTION ASKS

If the question is on Sanitary and washing facilities write about toilets, sinks and soap etc. They don’t want information on drinking water, lockers or first aid kits.

ALL WORDS ARE THERE FOR A REASON

If the question mentions ‘storage and handling of small containers of flammable solvents‘ you can be pretty sure that an essay on manual handling is not what they are looking for. If the question refers to precautions don’t just list the hazards.

Don’t confuse similar words like employee’s and employer.

DON’T USE VAGUE TERMS

One of the diseases caused by asbestos is Lung Cancer. You would not get a mark for simply putting Cancer. Similarly do not refer to airborne pollutants simply as pollution. Try and use the correct terminology.

MANAGE YOUR TIME

Be aware of how many marks are available for each question and plan your time around it. Don’t spend too much time trying to squeeze every last mark out of a question.

Answer the questions you know first. Don’t sit and ponder a question for ten minutes then realise that the answer isn’t going to come to you. Go to one you can answer and come back to the original later.

If you have 100 marks available in the 2 hour exam and spend the 30 minutes recommended on the long question (20 marks) you are left with nine minutes each for the other ten questions.

ATTEMPT ALL THE QUESTIONS

If time allows try and get an answer down for all the questions. Every mark counts. If you are very short of time get the main points down. There are no marks for things you knew but didn’t write.

WRITE LEGIBLY

Nobody is expecting illuminated manuscripts but you could provide perfect answers to all the questions and it would come to nothing if your handwriting cannot be deciphered.

USE ALL THE TIME AVAILABLE

If by some miracle you find you have finished the exam with time to spare don’t flee the exam room. Go over your answers and see if there are any you could improve or anything that you have missed (If you do finish before time you have probably missed about three questions).

DON’T PANIC

You do know the answers. It’s just a question of getting them out of your head and onto the paper in a form the examiner will recognise.

Phil

Passing NEBOSH Diploma Exams

2007-06-02T22:14:00.000Z

Introduction

There is a certain degree of stigma attached to NEBOSH exams, which is certainly not helped by the notoriously low pass rates. It cannot be denied that they are very demanding, but would the qualifications be worth obtaining if assessment were via a simple multiple-choice exam? Whatever the merits of other health & safety qualifications, it cannot be argued that NEBOSH awards are still the number one choice of most prospective employers.

Despite what some say, it is not possible to learn the course material parrot fashion for the final exam. However, with hard work and an understanding of key concepts and basic principles, there is no need for any exam paper to be the cause of nightmares. Everyone studies in their own way, but the following are some general guidelines that just may make the difference between a referral and a pass with flying colours.

The “Blue Book” (Guide to the NEBOSH Diploma)

The “Blue Book” is vitally important as it details the syllabus of the NEBOSH Diploma. It should be used to guide your studies AND revision. Your ultimate aim should be to be able to talk a little about every section of the contents. Note that we said “talk about”, not write an essay on!

Exam questions are based on the expected learning outcomes detailed in the blue book, so if it’s in the book, it could be in the exam.

Making Notes

When working through the course notes, you should ideally (time permitting) be making your own notes as well. Do not rewrite the course notes in full! This makes your studies become a chore to be dreaded and page after page of unbroken text will be next to useless as a revision tool. Try and make your notes light-hearted, easy to read and brief - use as many diagrams, pictures and real life examples as you can think of.

You should be using the blue book as a guide to note making – remember it details what you are expected to learn from each study unit.

Revision

If you have made good quality notes when working through the course notes, they will be invaluable when you are revising for your exams. Don’t worry if the notes you made are too brief – if there’s a section you don’t understand, just reach for the course notes and re-read the relevant parts.

It will help things sink in if you do some “active” studying rather than just reading. Try talking things through with colleagues, making Powerpoint presentations (see picture) or making your own databases e.g. case law, disasters or legislation.

Identifying Weaknesses

Although it may be a painful exercise, work your way through the blue book and try to identify all your weak areas. If you know a subject well, you will still know it when the exams come. When you know what you’re weak areas are, you can start working on improving them, so should the worst happen and an exam question appears, you’ll at least be confident enough to have a go.

Exam Question Practice

The best way of preparing for what you will have to face on exam day is by practising exam questions. You can work under exam conditions if you wish, but it will be of great help to just get to know what the examiners are looking for and how to go about structuring your exam questions.

NEBOSH produce examiners reports for many exam sittings, which detail exam questions, expected answers and where many candidates went wrong. It is fair to say that certain questions (and types of question) often reappear in exams – good preparation may give you a vital head start.

If you want to have a go at some exam questions, but don’t have suggested answers, many tutors will be prepared to have a look at them and give you some feedback – contact your tutor for advice.

A word of warning – don’t let exam day be the first time you attempt an exam question!
.

Exam Technique

Finally, onto exam techniques itself. All NEBOSH questions have an “action verb” and this provides a tip to how much detail should be included in the answer:

Questions starting with “Outline”, “Identify” or “List” indicate that little depth is required. Even so, there is a difference between the instructions. If you provide a simple list when an outline was asked for, you will be unable to pick up maximum marks.
Questions starting with “Describe” or “Explain” require much greater depth – a “bullet-point” answer will probably not be detailed enough to gain full marks.
Occasionally, exam questions will give you a specific instruction e.g. draft a management brief. In this case, marks would be available for explaining and justifying your arguments so that a person unfamiliar with health & safety would be able to understand.

For the longer questions (20 marks and above), it is important to start your answer with some sort of plan – this might be a table, flow chart, mind-map etc. It will help you make sure you cover all the points in your answer. When you are ready to start your answer, just draw a line under your plan and carry on. Don’t cross the plan out – you may get some marks for it if you miss something out of your answer.

Depending on the exam you are taking, you will be allowed a certain time limit. Before you sit the exam, work out how much time this allows you for each question and STICK TO IT. Don’t be tempted to keep writing and writing because you know a subject well – there are no marks for “star quality”, like knowing when Lord Robens’ birthday is. The majority of the marks you pick up will be in the first few sentences. Similarly, if you don’t know a question, don’t leave it blank. Give yourself the time you have allowed, think through it and try to structure an attempt at an answer – those 2 or 3 marks you manage to grab here might just make the difference.

Phoenix Health & Safety
T: 0845 500 8811 E: info@phoenixhsc.co.uk
www.phoenixhsc.co.uk

Nick Higginson MSc CMIOSH Dip2.OSH SpDipEM MIIRSM