General Info

The Health and Safety Executive have recently introduced some updates to their current guidance on the First Aid at Work Regulations that you will need to be aware of. The updates include emphasising employers responsibilities to take account of employees mental health when undertaking their first aid needs assessment and states the following: It may be helpful to have people trained to identify and understand mental ill health symptoms who are able to support someone who is experiencing [...]

When worn correctly RPE (respiratory protective equipment) should protect the wearer from airborne hazards (particulates, dusts, gases etc). Recent research has shown that around 50% of RPE used does not offer the wearer the level of protection assumed. The major reason for this is that it simply does not fit! As people come in all sorts of shapes and sizes it is unlikely that one particular type or size of RPE face piece will fit everyone. A [...]

Work at height activities still remain one of the categories where an accident could lead to serious consequences. During a recent round of construction site health and safety inspections several deficiencies were identified where persons could fall from height or materials that they were using could be knocked from height and cause potential injury to persons below. Contact us if you require any advice or guidance on work at height activities including planning, risk assessment and checking [...]

The Health and Safety Executive has updated and expanded its advice to help employers provide adequate ventilation in their workplaces during the pandemic. This guidance builds on helping you to identify and take action in poorly ventilated areas. It also provides guidance on other factors to consider when assessing the risk from aerosol transmission, and determining whether adequate ventilation is being provided to reduce this risk. You should be maximising the fresh air in a space and this [...]

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has written to fabricated metal businesses across Great Britain to check that they are managing the risks of welding fumes and metalworking fluids. Inspectors will be checking that businesses are complying with the guidance to manage the risk of respiratory diseases. If your business receives a letter, you should respond as soon as possible and by 24 March at the latest. Inspectors will be out visiting fabricated metal businesses across Great [...]

During a recent site visit we identified a large amount of waste materials across the site which were not being controlled in a suitable manner to reduce the risk of a fire occurring. The materials shown were stored directly under some windows into their premises that were not fire rated. This type of hazard provides an easy means for a fire, which could be caused accidentally or by arson, to spread back into the building and cause [...]

Today we visited a customer to undertake a routine health and safety audit. The customer had taken a number of steps to implement current Government guidance and create a COVID Secure workplace. One area was their current boardroom which had been set up with Perspex screens between each seating location. This allowed the customer to maintain their current meeting schedules with the maximum number of attendees possible. Current guidance does state that where 2m social distancing cannot [...]

Today we observed an emergency escape route that was blocked by combustible materials and over grown vegetation. Current legal requirements state that the responsible person must ensure that routes to emergency exits from premises and the exits themselves are kept clear at all times. Keeping the internal escape routes themselves clear is only one part to consider. The responsible person must also ensure that the external route is clear to enable persons to safely evacuate away from [...]

During fire risk assessment visits and general health and safety audits we are seeing more and more fire doors being wedged or propped open within the workplace. This is generally being undertaken to reduce the need for physical contact taking into account the spread of COVID 19. Whilst current COVID workplace guidance does indicate that doors should be open where possible to reduce contact, this is at the exception of fire doors which should be closed at [...]

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have indicated that they require certain cases of COVID-19 to be reported under the Reporting or Injuries Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR). Specifically they have indicated the following circumstances when a RIDDOR report must be made: an unintended incident at work has led to someone’s possible or actual exposure to coronavirus. This must be reported as a dangerous occurrence. a worker has been diagnosed as having COVID-19 and there is reasonable [...]