COMPANY NEWS
Forthcoming Courses
Forthcoming dates and fees for courses for the remainder of 2019 and early 2020 are as follows. Please contact Vicki at Wenlock Health & Safety Ltd (WHS) on 01952 885885 or vicki@wenlockhs.co.uk to book.
Note that all courses will be held at our offices in Jackfield, Telford. However, if any organisation requires attendance by 6 or more employees, a specific course can be arranged at a date, time and location to suit. Please contact the WHS office to discuss your requirements and agree costs.
All course fees below include tea & coffee and all course literature. However, lunch is included on some, but not all, courses; it is important to check the details below.
First Aid
Forthcoming dates for the WHS 1-day Emergency First Aid courses are as follows:
Duration: 1 day (6 hours)
2019 dates:
- 21 October 2019
- 14 November 2019 (this is an additional date due to high demand)
- 26 November 2019
- 18 December 2019
Cost: £75 + VAT per person
Lunch is NOT provided
2020 dates:
- 27 January 2020
- 25 February 2020
Cost: £85 + VAT per person
Please note the small price increase because LUNCH IS PROVIDED 2020 ONWARDS
WHS can also run the full 4-day First Aid at Work course for companies who need additional skills and wish to send 4+ candidates; contact Vicki for fees. However, do initially discuss first aid requirements with your own WHS consultant to assess whether the 4-day course is actually appropriate for your circumstances.
First Aid for Mental Health
Duration: 1 day Level 2 RQF (6 hours)
Dates:
- 2 October 2019 (Wednesday)
Cost: £75 + VAT per person
Lunch is provided
Previous courses sold out immediately so please book as soon as possible to be sure of securing places.
IOSH Managing Safely
Duration: 3 days
Dates:
- January 2020 (date to be confirmed)
Cost: £395 + VAT per person
Lunch is provided
HSE NEWS
Vibration – IMPORTANT
The HSE has revised the guidance document (L140) related to the Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005; downloadable free of charge from: http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/priced/l140.pdf
However, it is important to realise that the Regulations have not charged in any way and the basics of vibration risk assessment, the establishment of adequate monitoring and controls and the requirement for health surveillance still apply. Very few companies carry out proper vibration assessments, even fewer undertake health surveillance; ‘controls’ tend to consist of cursory monitoring of vibration exposure periods. WHS continually draws attention to the fact that companies who do not comply with the Regulations may be subject to HSE enforcement, and to the fact that the HSE is increasingly focusing on ‘harm’ issues such as manual handling and vibration. Refer to the prosecutions section at the end of the newsletter.
To assist with sound vibration assessment, the HSE has also amended their Vibration Calculator to include a highly visible warning when exposure limits are likely to be exceeded. Go to: https://bit.ly/2kK0Jd2 for the new Vibration Calculator, the ‘Ready Reckoner’ and HSE guidance on how to use both. Use the Calculator to help assess the risks from your equipment and processes, but don’t forget to retain the results (print or save a screen print) and issue appropriate instruction to your employees or the whole exercise will be pointless.
If you need further assistance, don’t hesitate to contact WHS; we’re here to help.
First-Aid – IMPORTANT
Although the Health and Safety (First-aid) Regulations 1981 have not changed, the HSE has issued fresh advice and a very useful means of assisting with assessing first-aid requirements. Go to:
http://www.hse.gov.uk/simple-health-safety/firstaid/index.htm and simply follow the steps.
Do note, however, that the advice given on the HSE’s website does stress the need to include ‘mental health first-aid’; refer to: https://bit.ly/2kMFpUp
WHS runs regular certified mental health first-aid courses; page 1 of this newsletter gives details. Because of the recent emphasis on stress and mental health, both by the HSE and through the media, these courses do (commendably) sell out quickly. Contact WHS as soon as possible to book your place to ensure that mental issues within your workforce can be identified at an early stage and before it’s too late.
INDUSTRY NEWS
Why Wear Safety Eyewear?
Just take a look at the following link which clearly demonstrates why it is so vital to wear safety goggles whenever there is even the slightest chance of an eye injury: https://bit.ly/2n2iZPW
As the injured worker emphasises, why risk your safety for the sake of a £3 pair of safety goggles? So, .put away that bravado and think ‘safety first’. Your family will thank you!
Abrasive Wheels Training
The short video about eye wear also illustrates the importance of having good abrasive wheels training. Yes, the safety eyewear saved his sight, but the worker was still severely injured. And the cause? Listen to the video again.
Then ring WHS to book abrasive wheels training if any of your workers who use cutting or abrasive discs haven’t had it within the last 3 – 5 years.
Welfare
And, whilst on the subject of water systems, do note (as we have stressed on countless occasions) that poorly maintained and/or filthy welfare facilities (sanitation or canteen facilities) are totally unacceptable; they are illegal and may well result in HSE action being taken against the offending company.
Despite our warnings, we STILL see disgusting welfare facilities in a variety of premises and several have, as predicted, recently resulted in HSE enforcement. And deservedly so as this example shows:
This company expected their visiting drivers to use this. What does this say about a company’s attitude to health & safety? The HSE agreed and issued a serious warning. Refer also to the prosecutions section at the end of the newsletter.
Legionella & CDM
As highlighted in the previous newsletter, WHS now offers Legionella Awareness training to ensure that businesses, project managers, contractors and designers are able to properly acquaint themselves with the serious and very real risks. Contact the WHS to book a course.
In the meantime, the following points about legionella are worth noting:
- The Construction (Design & Management) Regulations (or ‘CDM’) cover design for safe end-use; the possibility of legionella being created within both standard water systems and additional water fixtures or features MUST therefore be considered by both the client and designer and thence incorporated into design risk assessment.
- Are water features and/or anything over and above standard water supply systems really necessary? Installing showers into office environments is very good for staff well-being but, if they are only used very infrequently, an additional risk of legionella spores developing will be introduced. Ponds and fountains are very pleasant to look at but there may be a possibility of sprays introducing the legionella bacteria into the air. So, clients and designers need to know the facts. Is business client happy to pay for the necessary additional checks and maintenance or would he/she prefer to avoid introducing such risks into the work environment. Don’t forget, both clients and designers would be under investigation if a legionella outbreak occurred.
- A full risk assessment for all existing water systems, followed by flushing & testing by a legionella professional, is required before the refurbishing of any building previously left unoccupied.
- Any structure that incorporates water systems or features will require weekly flushing during unoccupied periods, even new-builds. All such tasks and situations will be subject to risk assessment and controls.
Legionella – General Comments
Consult HSG274 Parts 1, 2 & 3 for full details of legal requirements related the control of legionella in various water systems; go to: http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/hsg274.htm
and follow the links to the freely downloadable documents.
Legionella (or Legionnaires Disease) is reportable to the HSE under RIDDOR, even if the patient is a member of the public visiting a premises such as a museum, water park, leisure centre, etc. which is deemed a ‘work environment’ (i.e. people are employed there). Do note that the relevant local authority MUST also be notified in writing within 3 days of the verified OR SUSPECTED outbreak.
It is not reportable under RIDDOR if the patient contracted the disease in a purely domestic environment and not as a result of any employed ‘work’ carried out.
Telescopic Mobile Towers
WHS has encountered a growing number of these light-weight and easily-handled telescopic mobile towers being used. Whilst these may present an easy solution to transporting and erecting work at height access equipment, WHS would stress the following:
Mobile towers must meet the standards of EN1004 so, unless the equipment is stamped with that verification, it cannot be guaranteed safe. And the mere fact that the equipment is ‘telescopic’ automatically compromises the safety standards laid down in EN1004, particularly the Safe Working Load. Therefore, this type of tower must be regarded as for light work only – and no side-loadings.
In addition, the outriggers are very small and, therefore, unless the equipment is positioned on very solid and totally level ground, stability cannot be guaranteed. Note that the tower in the photo needed to be positioned on board to ensure stability.
PASMA training (or suitable equivalent) must be given to all persons erecting mobile towers; PASMA does not include this type of equipment in its training as it does not meet EN1004. Indeed, PASMA actively advise against the use of such equipment.
As always, use of such equipment is subject to risk assessment; the judgement as to whether the equipment is suitable for the purpose intended is down to you. If in doubt, do not use this type of tower, no matter how quick easy and cheap it may be!
GENERAL NEWS
Ensure Accuracy!
You will all be aware that safety and directional signs often have to be written in one or several languages these days. But please do get a fluent translator to write the text, and double check before issue.
To illustrate the point, take a look at this. If anyone of you can speak Welsh, you’ll already be laughing….
The Welsh text reads “ I am currently out of the office. Please submit any work to the translation team”!!!!
The Use of Drones
There has been a great deal of discussion recently about the potential harm that can be caused by unlicensed use of drones, an issue that should have been addressed by the government years ago.
However, the use of drones at work can also have huge beneficial effects because they are able to access areas that are either inaccessible to workers or present risks when doing so. For example, it is now commonplace to inspect high-rise structures and bridges remotely using drones. The operation is a fraction of the cost of traditional methods requiring the installation of access equipment, and eliminates the risks presented to those installing the access equipment, entering the confined space and carrying out the work.
Remember the basis of the General Principles of Prevention (risk assessment)? To ELIMINATE the risks is ALWAYS the first choice – and the use of drones for accessing hazardous environments can do this.
There are many companies now offering drone services; try Stag Communications:
https://www.stagcommunications.com/drone
AND FINALLY
With sincere thanks to the HSE for all photographs
In this newsletter, we concentrate on ‘health’ rather than injury. As we have stressed so many times before, the HSE has been actively targeting the ’health’ side of health & safety for several years now but WHS still sees poor, or even non-existent, controls which then often result in HSE enforcement.
Health is still not taken seriously within UK industry as a whole, despite so many of our workers dying each year from asbestos-related diseases and silicosis, or becoming permanently disabled through excessive manual handling or prolonged exposure to noise, vibration, or hazardous substances. We at WHS know how difficult it is to control the health issues in industries that often rely on the workforce for the majority of operations. However, legislation has been around for 15, 25, even 45 years to prevent health risks and, with all the equipment available these days to combat such issues, not to mention the requirement to combat health risks during design stage, there is no excuse for NOT properly controlling health risks.
Vibration
- Celtic Rock Services Ltd was fined a total of over £40,000 after a number of workers were diagnosed with Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS). The Company is a specialist in rock drilling, cliff stabilisation and the installation of rock anchors and often used manually-held equipment rather than plant because of the difficult working environments. However, despite workers declaring symptoms as much as 16 years previously, risk assessment had not been updated to reflect current equipment, work methods had not been altered to reduce risks, and no health surveillance or monitoring had been established – ALL of which are required BY LAW.
In addition – please note – the Director of Celtic Rock Services Ltd was given a 12-week suspended custodial sentence, a 12 week curfew (how embarrassing is that?!) and ordered to pay £3,560 costs.
- Dacorum Borough Council (Hemel Hempstead) was fined a massive total of almost £130,000 after several maintenance staff contracted HAVS from prolonged use of power tools. The workers had been employed for grounds maintenance and street care which (all too obviously) employs a lot of hand-held powered equipment. However, little or no risk assessment had been carried out, no controls had been introduced into working methods, nor had staff been trained in controlling vibration and recognising symptoms of HAVS.
We question how many local authorities and grounds maintenance employers do actually try to reduce risks from vibration to their employees; it is likely that we will see many more court cases.
Welfare
Following from the article above:
- R&S Builders (Mcr) Ltd was fined a total of almost £10,000 for inadequate welfare facilities. The Company had failed to provide the minimum standards of welfare, including hot and cold running water.
Be warned – provision of decent welfare and the stocking of adequate consumables is LAW and the HSE will act if the law is not complied with.
Hazardous substances
- GO Stonemasonry Ltd was fined a total of £18,000 for exposing employees to uncontrolled silica dust. The Company had not provided dust extraction equipment, respiratory protection, appropriate methodology or health surveillance.
- Playground installation and landscaping contractor, Playscape Design Ltd, was fined £23,000 after exposing workers to silica dust. Two workers on a garden centre project had been cutting flag stones with power tools without wearing any respiratory protection.
Despite being served an Improvement Notice to improve controls, the Company was then found to be acting in exactly the same way on a subsequent project, prompting the prosecution.
- Allow wheel refurbishment company, Wheelnut Ltd, was fined a total of almost £34,000 after an apprentice was overcome by fumes in the workshop. The apprentice had entered a room used for stripping the wheels which contained Dichloromethane (DCM), Methanol and Hydrofluoric Acid and was later found slumped over a barrel.
The risk and COSHH assessments were found to be inadequate, no extraction systems were in place and, although respiratory protection was provided, its use was not enforced and workers had not been properly trained
Asbestos
- Farul Kamali, owner of the Marco Polo restaurant in Wickford, was fined a total of over £9,000 after he allowed asbestos insulation board to be removed and broken up during a refurbishment. No survey had been carried out until the materials had been torn down.
As this photo shows, the results were shocking! And this case goes to prove that the Client (i.e. the instigator of any ‘construction’ work) is well and truly responsible for the safety of his workers and anyone else affected in this case, the public)
- Sherwood Homes Ltd was fined a total of almost £180,500 and its Director, Peter Kiely, a total of £13,500, after ignoring the findings of an asbestos survey and ordering the removal of asbestos without controls.
Apparently, the extra work required to remove the asbestos identified in the survey would have increased the costs and timescale, and the Director therefore chose to ignore the issue! Was it really worth the risks, not only to the health of his employees, but to his and the Company’s pockets?
- Mohammed Arshad, a contractor working on a domestic refurbishment, was fined a total of £2,200 after stripping out asbestos insulation board from the garage himself. He had been reported to the HSE by an eagle-eyed member of the public who suspected that the waste materials were asbestos.
WHS is working for you; help us to help you.
Our aim is to keep people safe and to keep your company working.
To contact WHS, ring: 01952-885885