COMPANY NEWS
TRAINING
All necessary criteria and restrictions will be personally communicated both directly at the time of booking and again through joining instructions ahead of all planned courses. It is vital that these are understood and, particularly for the First Aid and CITB courses, relevant information clearly passed to candidates.
And do please be sure to inform us ahead of the course date of any candidate who may require assistance in any way, especially with reading or writing; we need advance notice to be able to provide this help.
Please contact Vicki at Wenlock Health & Safety Ltd (WHS) on 01952 885885 or enquiries@wenlockhs.co.uk or vicki@wenlockhs.co.uk to book places. In addition to those below, please enquire about our other courses available; the full range is also detailed on our website: https://wenlockhealthandsafety.co.uk/
MENTAL HEALTH FIRST AID
According to a recent survey, the annual cost of poor mental health has increased by a whopping 25% since 2019. It is therefore in everyone’s interest that potential mental health issues and difficulties are spotted within the workplace and that sensitive and timely action is taken to assist individuals before the symptoms lead to something much worse. And it’s sobering to realise that, as we’ve reported many times before, construction is the worst industry within the UK for suicides.
It is with these tragic statistics in mind that WHS regularly runs mental health ‘first aid’ courses in order to equip businesses with the tools to help their employees and colleagues (and friends and families). The next is as follows; they are always popular so do book your place/s early.
The 1-day FAA Award in First Aid for Mental Health (Level 2 RQF) provides the knowledge to recognise a range of mental health conditions, start a supportive conversation and assist to seek professional help.
Date:
5 August 2022 (Friday)
Cost: £85 + VAT per person
FIRST AID
1-day Emergency First-Aid at Work course dates are listed below; Covid-specific controls will still apply for this particular course for the moment and they will be advised within the joining instructions. Demand is always high, so book places as soon as possible to avoid disappointment:
Dates:
1 August 2022 (Monday) new date added
24 August 2022 (Wednesday)
27 September 2022 (Tuesday)
19 October 2022 (Wednesday)
21 November 2022 (Monday)
Cost: £85 + VAT per person
IOSH MANAGING SAFELY
3-day IOSH Managing Safely course
Duration: 3 consecutive days
Dates:
28, 29, 30 September 2022 (Wednesday – Friday)
Cost: £395 + VAT per person
CITB COURSES
It must be noted that CITB attendance rules are very strict; they must be understood and are reiterated here:
- CITB specifies that candidates must be available to attend each session within the course; failure to do so may require a repeat course.
- Attendance is absolutely vital once booked; because of CITB rules, we may be forced to cancel a course on that morning if some candidates fail to take part, to the detriment of all candidates.
- Basic refreshments will be available; however, no lunch is provided and candidates are to make their own provision (bring their own or there are shops nearby and a small café on site).
Candidates must arrive by 8.15*am for registration; all courses start at 8.30 am and finish at around 4.30 pm.
* Please reiterate to all candidates the absolute need to make their way up to the WHS offices and log your registration number once inside upon arrival to avoid being charged for parking.
- Site Management Safety Training Scheme (SMSTS)
Duration: 5 days; 1 day per week
Dates:
19, 26 August, 2, 9 & 16 September 2022 (Fridays) dates amended from last newsletter
3, 10, 17, 24 & 31 October 2022 (Mondays)
16, 23, 30 November, 7 & 14 December 2022 (Wednesdays)
Cost: £495 + VAT per person
- Site Management Safety Training Scheme (SMSTS) Refresher
Duration: 2 days
Dates:
15 & 16 August 2022 (Monday & Tuesday)
5 & 6 October 2022 (Wednesday & Thursday)
5 & 6 December 2022 (Monday & Tuesday)
Cost: £265 + VAT per person (10% discount when booking 2 or more people)
- Site Supervisors Safety Training Scheme (SSSTS)
Duration: 2 days
Dates:
19 & 20 September 2022 (Monday & Tuesday)
9 & 10 November 2022 (Wednesday & Thursday)
Cost: £230 + VAT per person (10% discount when booking 2 or more people)
- Site Supervisors Safety Training Scheme (SSSTS) Refresher
Duration: 1 day
Dates:
10 August 2022 (Wednesday)
12 October 2022 (Wednesday)
20 December 2022 (Tuesday)
Cost: £160 + VAT per person (10% discount when booking 2 or more people)
- CITB 1-Day Health & Safety Awareness
Duration: 1 day
Dates: 8 August 2022 (Monday)
20 October 2022 (Thursday)
12 December 2022 (Monday)
Cost: £125 + VAT per person (10% discount when booking 2 or more people)
CDM TRAINING IS VITAL
In the last newsletter, we highlighted the very tragic and wholly preventable consequences of not adhering to the requirements of the Construction (Design & Management) Regs (CDM). CDM became law way back in 1994 for a very good reason: by ensuring all parties to the project work as a team, health & safety can be discussed from the outset and sound strategies established through all stages (from planning through design and construction to eventual end use) to ensure the health & safety of everyone involved and affected by the work. CDM is simply a common-sense approach to organising the health & safety aspects of a project from start to finish, whether it’s a £multi-million project or a small refurbishment.
It is very disappointing that almost 30 years after the advent of CDM, many contractors, clients, project managers and designers still have no idea of what’s required and why. The demand for CDM training has diminished over very recent years but it is vital for a clear understanding of where you fit into the process, what’s involved both legally and ethically, and what is owed to you by others. (This last point can be extremely beneficial to you – why take on the responsibilities and liability which actually fall on other parties?).
Whether you are a contractor, developer, project manager, designer, architect, specialist, tradesperson, landscaper, or one of a hundred other parties involved within the construction industry, CDM covers you all. Before anything serious or untoward happens, do book a CDM course or CDM refresher to make absolutely sure you fully understand the concepts and what’s required, and that your systems are properly compliant.
Ring the WHS office on 01952-885885.
See the item below concerning Design Risk Assessment which is a major part of the CDM process.
PHONE ISSUES
Many of you, both at home and at work, may have recently had your landlines switched to digital by your providers. The switch to digital is nationwide and, whilst those of us who enjoy good mobile and internet coverage may not have noticed any difference, those in poorly serviced areas, may well have been experiencing serious issues (the worst being some people in remote areas where mobile signals are so poor they’ve not been able to summon emergency services when electricity supplies are down!).
WHS is suffering (and, we’ve been told, stuck with) similar issues, meaning that we are unable to make or receive calls when our internet is down for any reason. Neither are we necessarily aware that a caller has been trying to make contact if the line is in use.
So please bear with us as the faults are not of our making; do try both the landline and our mobiles if you need to make contact. Many thanks.
HSE NEWS
HSE DUST CAMPAIGN BITES
These newsletters have highlighted on many occasions that the HSE are currently engaged in a nationwide and industry-wide campaign against exposure to occupational dusts – and that campaign is now starting to have a deep effect. Many of our customers have received HSE visits recently, and it is very disappointing to hear just how many enforcement notices have been issued.
So, yet again we must remind everyone that it is mandatory to take care, not just of the safety of the workforce, but their health and well-being too – including dusts, hazardous substances, noise, vibration, manual handling and stress. In all cases, risk assessments must be carried out for the processes and tasks involved, and the individuals too in many cases so that personal capabilities are properly assessed. In all cases, risks must (legally) be eliminated where at all possible, or reduced to a reasonable level, with PPE only acting as a back-up precaution rather than a first option.
In addition, when it comes to dusts, there are many aspects that the HSE look for including the effectiveness and maintenance of extraction systems, methods of cleaning premises, dust monitoring and health surveillance. You will all have received a separate email on 7 July 2022 entitled ‘Safety Alert: HSE Campaign on Dust Management’ – make sure you read it thoroughly and adhere to what’s required.
Here are a few examples of the very poor conditions the HSE found during the campaign so far; every one of these businesses was hit with enforcement:
There is ample additional information on www.hse.gov.uk , for instance:
- Respiratory diseases: https://bit.ly/3RfARjM
- Control of wood dusts: https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/wis23.htm
- Control of site dusts: https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/cis36.pdf
And some excellent online HSE videos available which you would do well to show the workforce within a thorough tool-box talk to reinforce the points and let them all know that your work depends on their compliance:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUgskOJdB41CTygfAKAzlYdvry8WBj8yO
If you have any questions, please do contact your WHS consultant or the office; it is better to ask now than wait for enforcement.
PERSONAL RISK ASSESSMENT – PREGNANCY
The HSE issued a bulletin recently saying its advice on personal risk assessment for pregnant employees has been amended. There is little practical change but you are now obliged to carry out an individual risk assessment when the employee informs you that she:
- is pregnant
- has given birth within the last 6 months
- is breastfeeding
Good guidance on how to carry out that risk assessment, and many other issues, can be found on the HSE’s website: https://bit.ly/3yluDrc
including a short video: https://bit.ly/3QRgzwB
In addition, there is good advice and guidance for the pregnant ladies and new mums themselves also on the HSE’s website: https://bit.ly/3u9pekn
so please also pass this link to the employee/s in question.
N.B. And a pertinent reminder that personal risk assessment can, and really should, be carried out for all employees with any specific issue that may compromise their ability to carry out their work e.g. age (older as well as young employees), health, capability and personal issues, disabilities, etc as well as the obvious temporary health ‘condition’ of pregnancy
INDUSTRY NEWS
LADDER SAFETY – A DISTURBING NEW REPORT
The Ladder Association has just issued a new report that makes extremely disturbing reading; they found that 82% of telescopic ladders tested did not comply to the requirements of industry standard EN131-6, despite many stating they were compliant and being purchased at some of out most trusted suppliers. The Association has called on government and trading standards bodies to do more to tackle this potentially lethal issue.
In the meantime, what can we do to make sure the ladder we buy is safe for use and EN131-6 compliant? The key thing is to do some thorough research before buying an item:
- Never make decisions based on price – your life is worth more than any cost saving
- Make sure the brand has a UK or EU address
- Check product reviews
- Avoid on-line purchases; see the item before buying it
- Buy a product with third party conformity e.g. from a Ladder Association member holding a conformity certificate; a full list of members can be found on: www.ladderassociation.org.uk
- Always thoroughly check the item’s condition before completing the purchase where possible, or as soon as received
- Make sure the item has the EN131-6 mark actually on the ladder
- Make sure there is an instruction manual enclosed, and keep that manual
- DON’T USE any ladder you suspect may be dangerous or non-compliant!!
The full report, together with additional advice, a video of the testing, and what to do about any ladders you currently have, can all be found on: https://bit.ly/3yY0GOl
where you will also find a link to report any ladders you suspect may be dangerous to Trading Standards:
https://ladderassociation.org.uk/report-unsafe-ladders/
DESIGN & RISK ASSESSMENT
Repeating the serious message above, CDM applies to all parties within the construction process, whether it’s a major project or a minor modification to an existing structure. And a major player within the project team is the designer. The work may require only one or multiple designers, and ‘design’ may take many forms, not just the traditional architectural aspects of the scheme, including the design of M&E systems, elements of the structure such as stairwells, floor systems and roof trusses, cladding systems (a big issue now after Grenfell), external elements such as lighting and ground stabilisation, roads, drainage, landscaping, and all manner of other aspects all of which have to be ‘designed’ by someone. All these designers fall under CDM.
One of the important aspects of safe design is the Design Risk Assessment (DRA) which is required by law (under CDM and other regulations as well) with the aim of identifying potential residual health & safety risks through construction and end-use, and organising mitigation measures (over and above normal day-to-day construction issues) to eliminate or reduce the levels of such risks.
This is another aspect of CDM that appears to have been increasingly neglected over recent years but the lack of written evidence that a designer has done his or her job properly and adequately considered health & safety through design can land that person with a hefty fine or (in the worse case scenario if there’s a serious accident) a prison sentence. WHS can help establish a practical DRA system to help organise and document your approach and decisions; please do feel free to contact the WHS office for assistance.
As stressed above, it is vital that all designers know what their responsibilities are and how to address the various health & safety issues involved with their design. Unless you have had good and recent CDM training, do book a CDM or CDM refresher course as detailed above, especially if you are ever engaged as Principal Designer!
INNOVATIVE FALL ARREST SYSTEM
Some of you may have already seen a new personal fall arrest system known as the Gridmesh Anchor. It is an innovative system that enables individuals to anchor safely to a previously installed grid-mesh. It enables the worker to access many awkward locations without the need for rope technicians or scaffolding and can thus be used in a multitude of circumstances and industries. Also supplied with the fall arrest kit is a galvanised steel sling assembly for lifting <1.2 tonnes. And the whole kit including the carrying case only weighs 21 kg.
Take a look at the Gridmesh Anchor Personal Fall Arrest Kit, including full specification and a useful video, on:
https://bit.ly/3OzU1PI
A couple of points to note before using the Gridmesh Anchor:
- Always check the permitted loadings for the grid-mesh
- Always include the anchor system and the grid-mesh in your mandatory inspection regime
GENERAL NEWS
SKIN CANCER
We’ve reached that time of year again, the time when we’re all crossing our fingers that the summer sun comes out and stays out! And it’s a natural reaction for all of us to shed clothing when this actually happens in this country – but beware, apart from the legal aspect of shedding PPE, the risk of skin cancer is ever-present.
Read the shocking statistics: ( https://bit.ly/3o0NT7c and https://bit.ly/3RGjjh0 )
- Nearly 60% of construction workers reported having sunburn at least once in the past year
- Approximately 50 people a year die from skin cancers caused by exposure to the sun
- There are approximately 240 new cases of malignant skin cancers each year; most victims are under 65
- There are at least 1,500 new cases on non-malignant skin cancers each year, with around 12 fatalities
- And the highest incidence of fatal skin cancers is within the construction industry
So, before you cast caution to the wind, may we remind you of the following:
- The sun’s harmful UV rays are highest during the hours of 11 am to 3 pm when the sun is at its highest and strongest; spend as much time in the shade as possible during those periods
- Shade and clothing are better protection against UV rays than sunscreen, and sunglasses are only useful if the lenses have UV protection
- Sunscreen give protection if shade and clothing are impractical but should not be used as a substitute
- The risk to the individual of sunburn depends on a number of factors including sun-sensitivity; therefore, a suitable level of sun protection factor (SPF) must be sought by that individual (minimum SPF15 but can be as high as SPF50 for very high risk individuals…which include all construction workers!)
- The UV index (given on daily weather forecasts) gives a good indication of how strong the Met Office expects the sun’s rays to be; the higher the figure, the higher the risk. 3 and above, you need to take precautions. The hour-by-hour Met Office UV forecast can be found on: https://bit.ly/3OowCAz
For more information, visit the Cancer Research page:
https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/causes-of-cancer/sun-uv-and-cancer/sun-safety
And one last reminder, there is no law on when it is too hot or too cold to work – as usual, everything revolves around sound competent risk assessment. Information on this, and suggestions for sensible approaches to caring for your employees, can be found on the HSE website: https://bit.ly/3A7UGTZ
AND A FINAL NOTE ON PPE
We have been (and maybe will continue to be) experiencing extremely high temperatures – which, don’t forget, need to be risk assessed, along with every other work issue, and suitable precautions established.
But just a reminder that high temperatures are not an excuse for shedding PPE! PPE is there for a reason – preventing contact with plant and vehicles, preventing exposure to dusts, not having your head split open when something falls on it, etc, etc. It is required by law for very good reasons so:
- Employees wear it
- Employers enforce the wearing of it!!
No excuses!!
PROFESSIONAL INDEMNITY
Do you know whether you should have professional indemnity (PI) insurance? Many businesses misunderstand the purpose of PI and are therefore not sufficiently insured. So, to summarise, any business within the following categories really should have PI unless prepared to run the risk of a law suit with no chance of someone else footing the bill:
- Providing advice or professional services to clients – including consultancy and contracting
- Providing designs of any description to clients – including contractors
- The client has requested that PI is arranged to cover work carried out for him/her – including consultancy, freelancers and the self-employed, and contractors
- An industry or regulatory body requires the business has PI
- Any business that wants to protect against allegations of mistakes or negligence in the work carried for clients
In addition to those mentioned above, the need for good PI insurance extends (but is not limited) to:
- Business and management consultancies
- IT professionals and web designers
- Technical personal and engineers
Employer’s liability insurance is legally required, PI is not – but can you really do without it?
ENVIRONMENTAL AWARENESS
Of course, the biggest talking point for several years has been how to tackle global warming and the depletion of the World’s resources, and how to protect our wildlife and the natural environment. The issue is Worldwide obviously but we can contribute a huge amount ourselves by simply organising and improving the way we operate, especially in construction. Our industry is seen as a destroyer of our environment but, with a little thought and planning, we can become a leader in tackling these issues both in the short and long term levels.
WHS has, for many years produced an Environmental Management System (EMS) which aims to impart the information necessary to avoid pollution and prevent waste; the EMS now contains additional information concerning planning ahead to reduce the impact of projects on both their local environment and the planet.
As with CDM, environmental law applies to everyone from the biggest client to the sole trader, from the biggest project to minor redecoration. So the EMS is very useful and necessary information for everyone, particularly the sections related to the legal requirements and how best to undertake your legal responsibilities.
If you don’t already have an EMS, now is the time to purchase one. For just £150 + VAT, you get all the information you need to ensure compliance, and this is renewed every year free of charge as long as you remain a subscribing WHS customer.
RESPONSIBLE SOURCING OF MATERIALS
Still staying with the topic of environmental awareness, responsible sourcing of materials can contribute a lot towards sustainability. Always consider where your materials come from (certified sustainable sourcing, distance travelled, etc) and recycle or use recycled materials wherever possible. And question the need to use certain materials; just because ‘we have always used them’ doesn’t mean we have to continue to use them. There is a lot of innovation out there working hard to eliminate and reduce environmental impact so keep up to date and bring those ideas to the table to encourage clients and project teams to be responsible in approach.
Of course, the biggest environmental impact presented by the construction industry is the massive use (over use?) of concrete. The production of concrete accounts for a whopping 8% of all carbon emissions worldwide, and one of the reasons for the huge increases in emissions over recent decades has been the push for development within large economies such as China. However, yet again, innovation has produced an answer to limiting the impact of our addiction to concrete. Hanson, Cemex and other concrete producers now sell low carbon concrete (in some cases, zero carbon concrete is claimed). So, if all avenues towards not using concrete have been exhausted (can we use natural building products instead?) the project team should consider the use of these low carbon concretes. Every little helps, as they say!
AND FINALLY
Safe systems
- Bridghouse Pallet Services Ltd was fined a total of almost £9,000 and its client, Seal It Services Ltd, a total of almost £55,000, after the Bridghouse driver was struck by falling pallets being off-loaded by a Seal-It forklift. Neither company had established systems to ensure the delivery drivers were kept well out of the way whilst pallets were being off-loaded, a simple enough process to work out and instigate.
N.B. Note that the company who took the majority of the blame in this case was the client, the establishment where the delivery was being made. ALL businesses are liable for the safety of those entering their premises for whatever reason – and this includes delivery drivers. Make sure that you do have adequate systems in place to segregate ALL personnel from loading/off-loading operations and fork-lifts, including delivery drivers. And, if the delivery drivers themselves are loading/off-loading, everyone else should stay out of their way too.
- Company Director, David Sharp, was fined a total of almost £33,000 and disqualified from being a director for 7 years after an employee was very seriously injured when he attempted to retrieve something from the mixing pan of a concrete mixer; he had been pulled into the mixer and, as a result lost his left arm and his right arm from the mid-forearm, as well as sustaining injuries to his face and many other parts of his upper body. Sharp was found to be wholly responsible for the incident.
Falls from height
As always! And a reminder that the Work at Height Regs apply to ALL industries
- NSG Pilkington (UK) Ltd was fined almost £81,000 after an employee sustained serious injuries falling 3 metres through a roof; no safe system of work had been discussed or established.
- Floors ‘n’ Carpets Ltd were fined a total of almost £133,000 after a worker fell 9 metres through a skylight. Three employees of contractor, Nizmuddin Gorji, (who had already pleased guilty to failing to provide fall prevention systems or training) were over-cladding the existing premises, when one fell through the unprotected skylight.
N.B. Again, it must be noted that the employing company who took the majority of the blame in this case too. A reminder that the employing company is responsible for ensuring that contractors are both competent and provided with adequate information about existing conditions (the fragility of the roof components)
- Manufax Engineering Ltd was fined a total of over £29,000 after a worker fell 3.9 metres from the top of a machine during maintenance, sustaining multiple fractures. The worker had to step beyond an access gantry in order to reach a certain part of the machine – with predictable consequences.
- Two men were both given suspended prison sentences after a worker fell 5 metres through fragile asbestos roof sheets and later died of his injuries. Ian Blacklin was given a 16 month sentence and Dennis Spence given 14 months and ordered to pay £1,800 costs. The method of work was unsafe, there were inadequate fall prevention measures and no appropriate supervision.
- Side Extension Ltd was fined a total of over £60,000 after the death of an 86-year-old lady at a private property during refurbishment. The poor lady had walked up a flight of stairs and along the first floor landing but fell from the edge of an unprotected stairwell where bannisters had been removed; she sustained serious injuries from which she later died.
N.B. This type of disregard for public safety is inexcusable. Domestic occupants are entitled to the same standards of safety precautions as site workers and, as in this case, even more stringent precautions MUST be established where vulnerable persons are involved or affected by the works.
Asbestos
- Two former company directors of Keebar Construction were each given 14 month suspended prison sentences, order to pay costs of almost £45,000 and to carry our 120 hours of unpaid community work, and suspended from being directors for 10 years, after allowing disturbance and breaking up of large quantities of asbestos containing materials (ACMs) during a department store refurbishment. When the HSE visited, they found 1,315 sq.m. of contaminated waste strewn across shop floors and the stairwell.
- Company director, Salar Zardooi, was ordered to pay £2,000 costs and carry out 200 hours of unpaid community work after allowing disturbance of ACMs during refurbishment of student accommodation in Manchester; the company, Sal Construction Services Ltd, was fined a total of over £32,000. When the HSE visited, they found debris, including lagging, strewn across the site and yard; as we all know (don’t we?), lagging is one of the most harmful forms of asbestos and must be removed by a law by a properly licensed contractor.
Vibration
- Westbridge Furniture Designs Ltd was fined a huge total of over £164,000 after two employees developed carpal tunnel and nerve damage from uncontrolled exposure to vibration from hand-held tools. The company had failed to recognise or assess the issue, even after carpal tunnel was first diagnosed, and no health surveillance or mitigation measures were taken.
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