Available Now: Specialist Health and Safety Advice for SMEs

Are you the owner of a small or medium-sized enterprise?

If so, does your business comply with current health and safety legislation? And do you have a clear, written policy which covers health and safety in the workplace? (A business with five or more employees is legally obliged to provide a written H&S policy statement).

If the answer to the above is ‘no’, or you’re not sure, then you almost certainly need the services of a professional health and safety consultancy, to help you to identify workplace threats and deal with them before they cause you problems.

Businesses of all sizes are throwing vast amounts of money down the drain through not managing their workplace health and safety ‘policies’ cost-effectively. A specialist health and safety consultancy could reduce those losses considerably and help ease the strain on your budget.

In the UK, one person is killed at work every other working day and a further 6000 are injured. In addition, 28.5 million business days were lost due to work-related illnesses last year. A sobering thought . . . particularly if you’re a small business owner.

As a director, or employer, you may think that your liability insurance will protect you in the event of a serious injury to one of your workforce. However, the stark reality is, that insurance policies cover only a fraction of the ‘true’ cost of accidents.

Most policies will not cover:

· Sick pay

· Loss of product and raw materials

· Plant and equipment repairs

· Overtime and temporary labour

· Delays to production

· Investigation time

· Fines

Did you also realise that company directors, business owners and managers can be held responsible for failing to comply with health and safety laws?

Consider for a moment, if the worst were to happen, whether your company or business could stand losses on a potentially massive scale, let alone the damage to your reputation. In the event of such an accident occurring, your systems, procedures and employees would all come under direct scrutiny from health and safety inspectors – and very possibly – the media.

A specialist health and safety consultancy will help you devise a plan for complying with your legal obligations, before they become liabilities. Another benefit of doing so, is that external consultants can also be retained as ‘Competent Advisors’, and as such, be named in your health and safety policy. (The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 stipulates that all organisations must appoint a ‘Competent Person’ to advise on health and safety matters.)

With your health and safety ‘blueprint’ in place, you’ll be able to monitor standards, carry out health and safety audits, and review policy and performance at regular intervals. Every single one of your staff will know what is required of them and when.

In investing in your employees’ health and safety now, you will be achieving far more than simply complying with current legislation. You’ll be creating a ‘positive health and safety culture’ which will enhance the levels of co-operation and competence in your workforce, as well as improving communication between management and employees.

And that can only be good for business.

For Health and safety in Dartford contact SEE Improvements.

Plymouth scaffolder erected dangerous scaffolding

A Plymouth man who erected scaffolding and left it in a dangerous condition had ignored an order to undertake safety training, city magistrates' heard.

A Health and Safety Executive (HSE) inspector visited a residential property in Alma Road, Plymouth on 16 March 2009 and found several basic safety failings in scaffolding erected by Arthur John Tucker for roofing work.

Plymouth Magistrates Court heard only one guard rail was found on the working platform that required two, no safety harnesses were used to erect the scaffold and an unsecured scaffold pole was resting on a broken concrete block wall.

HSE served a prohibition notice ordering work to stop and Mr Tucker was also served with an improvement notice to undertake training in scaffolding safety, which he had not previously done.

Despite these orders inspectors returning to the site found Mr Tucker had failed to carry out the training under and were forced to prosecute.

Mr Tucker, of Skylark Rise, Woolwell, Plymouth pleaded guilty to contravening the requirements of an Improvement Notice to provide sufficient training for himself and his employee under Section 33 (1) (g) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. He was given a conditional discharge and ordered to pay £2,108 in costs. The magistrates also ordered Mr Tucker to complete the additional training for himself and his employees within 18 months of the hearing.

After sentencing, HSE Inspector, Barry Trudgian, said:

"It is absolutely imperative that scaffolding is erected safely by well trained workers to avoid often catastrophic incidents.

"Mr Tucker not only illustrated his lack of professionalism when the scaffolding was erected but he then ignored a legal order intended to increase his competence. He has found today that compliance with these notices is compulsory, not optional.

"Proper training in scaffolding techniques would have easily avoided the basic mistakes made and created a much safer environment for his own workers and the roofers relying on his workmanship."

For more information on HSE legislation and guidance on working at height, go tohttp://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/safetytopics/scaffoldinginfo.htm

SEE Improvements health and safety consultants in Dartford and Bexley carry out regular site inspections at construction sites in London and the south east.

Care home fined for grave lapse in Fire Safety

The proprietors and director of a care home in Newcastle have been punished with a fine of greater than GBP 22,000 for violating fire safety ordinances.

Manager Linda Parkin of Bowland Lodge was ordered to pay a fine and cost totalling GBP 2,400 when she admitted to locking one of the fire exits.

The Bowland Lodge proprietor, Tirsul Ltd, was declared chargeable by Newcastle Magistrates this month to five accusations pertaining to serious infringements of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. Tirsul Ltd was decreed to pay a fine amounting almost GBP 19,000 and GBP 1,600 in costs.

Group Manager of Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service,, Darren Boddy, said that the Service essays to operate alongside businesses to effect a safe community, and its programme of enforcement is balanced with the risks attached. Even so, if there are dangerous or regular lapses in safety regulations that threaten lives it will take action legally.

Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service charged Tirsul Ltd after the Lodge was involved in a fire in the third week of August 2009. Crews established that a fire exit had locked and nailed closed. A subsequent audit of the Lodge showed numerous graver fire safety breaches.

Tirsul Ltd was charged with flouting regulations like the locked exit, not having a desirable and decent fire risk appraisal, no compartmentalization that would prevent smoke spread, inadequately maintained floors, walls and ceilings to prevent the fire from fanning out, besides an insecure escape route externally due to construction work ongoing at the time.

To ensure your fire safety is up to date and sufficient call health and safety consultants in Bexley and Dartford

Shropshire man fined for failing to protect workers

A Shropshire man has been fined for running a plastics recycling business without having compulsory insurance in place to protect his employees. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecuted Brian Woods, trading as Brian Woods Recycling, following a complaint from an employee at the factory on Lilleshall Grange Industrial Estate, Abbey Road, Lilleshall, Newport. Telford Magistrates' Court heard that Mr Woods, aged 55, who employs three people, had displayed an Employers' Liability Compulsory Insurance certificate at the premises but did not pay the insurance premiums. After writing to him several times extending the deadline for payment, the insurance broker sent a final letter to Mr Woods on 9 August 2010 stating that his policy was cancelled and requesting him to return the certificate. The court heard that Mr Woods had run the business from 17 August to 13 October last year with no employers' liability insurance in place. Mr Woods pleaded guilty to two breaches of Section 1(1) of the Employers' Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act 1969, and was fined £2,500 with costs of £1,000 on 21 March 2011. HSE Inspector Sara Cragg said: "Employers are responsible for the health and safety of their staff while they are at work, and must protect them with compulsory insurance. "Employers' liability insurance is designed to ensure employees are covered if they are injured or made ill by their work. "Failing to have this insurance leaves members of staff vulnerable in the event of an accident or ill health. This case is a warning to all employers about how seriously HSE takes this issue." More information on Employers' Liability Compulsory Insurance is available at http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/hse40.pdf [1] Looking for health & Safety in Dartford then contact SEE Improvements for your free H & S consultation.

Does your business need a Competent Person?

The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 state:

Every employer shall appoint one or more competent persons to assist him in undertaking the measures he needs to take to comply with the requirements and prohibitions imposed upon him by or under the relevant statutory provisions and by Part II of the Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations 1997.

Reference: http://www.opsi.gov.uk/SI/si1999/19993242.htm

What can a Competent Person Service provide?

· Reviews and updates of your existing Health, Safety and Environmental policy documents.

· Reviews of any existing method statements and risk assessments.

· Help with how to complete tendering questionnaires.

· Reviews of training certificates and training matrices.

· Regular review meetings.

· Inspections and audits.

· Electronic newsletters with changes in legislation, news, etc.

· Advice when you need it.

SEE Improvement Solutions Ltd provide ongoing support to businesses (SMEs) who do not have the resources available to employ a full time health & safety professional.

If you a need a Professional Health and Safety Consultancy in Kent Contact See Improvements for your free consultation.

Construction firm fined for demolition site asbestos failings

Date:

23 March 2011

Release No:

HSE/EM166/11

A construction company has been fined for its role in exposing workers to asbestos in Derby.

Quarnmill Construction Ltd was preparing the former Allens Printers building in Webster Street for demolition in October 2009 and had employed a contractor to remove asbestos-containing materials.

The company provided the contractor with a survey detailing the work to be done, but did not check his suitability to carry out the work, or that he held a licence to remove asbestos, as required by law.

Once work was underway, Quarnmill informed the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) that they thought the site had become contaminated with asbestos as a result of the work the contractor had carried out.

Quarnmill Construction Ltd, of Derby Road, Aston on Trent, pleaded guilty to breaching regulation 4(1)(a) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007 for allowing such failings at a site it controlled. The company was today fined £13,000 and ordered to pay costs of £2,700 by Derby magistrates.

After the hearing, HSE inspector Carol Southerd commented:

"Quarnmill did not check the competence of the contractor to do this job nor that he had a suitable licence. This check is required by law.

"His unsuitability was eventually discovered after a consultant checked the HSE website and reported him, but by this time it was too late.

"Asbestos is the single greatest cause of work-related deaths in the UK. Employers need to protect their workers now to prevent them contracting an asbestos-related disease in the future."

For further information about the dangers of asbestos, and working safely with asbestos containing materials, visit www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos

Notes to editors

The Health and Safety Executive is Britain's national regulator for workplace health and safety. It aims to prevent death, injury and ill health. It does so through research, information and advice, promoting training, new or revised regulations and codes of practice, and working with local authority partners by inspection, investigation and enforcement. www.hse.gov.uk

The contractor cannot be named for legal reasons as proceedings against him are still active.

Regulation 4(1)(a) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007 states: "No person on whom these Regulations place a duty shall appoint or engage a CDM co-ordinator, designer, principal contractor or contractor unless he has taken reasonable steps to ensure that the person to be appointed or engaged is competent."

Information about asbestos can be found on the HSE website at www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos

Source: hse.gov.uk

SEE Improvements Health & Safety news

How a specialist Health and Safety Consultancy Can Add Value to Your Business and Minimise Losses

As a business owner or manager, maintaining a sound health and safety policy should be your number one priority.

By law, you as an employer, are responsible for the safety of your employees. Therefore, it’s vital that you have a system in place for monitoring and containing health and safety hazards, thereby reducing risk of illness and injury. An established heath and safety consultancy can help you achieve this cost-effectively, with the minimum of fuss.

Utilising the expertise of an independent health and safety consultancy can benefit your business in a number of ways:

· As a director or owner, you may be so close to the business, that it’s difficult to take a step back and view your set-up dispassionately. Or perhaps you’ve always done things the same way, without questioning whether your methods and systems actually work, or how they might be improved. A specialist health and safety consultancy will be objective in their analysis of what you are doing well, and help you improve those things that aren’t up to scratch.

.

· In appointing an independent consultant to your business, you will be demonstrating your commitment to workplace health and safety – your staff will recognise that you take their welfare seriously and are more likely to feel valued as team members.

· Correctly training your employees in how to operate equipment safely will mean the likelihood of fewer accidents, resulting in less staff absence and better productivity levels. Plus, workers who are competent at doing their jobs have been shown to be happier!

· If you are a contractor, your customers will feel more positive about hiring your team, knowing that you take safety seriously and that all risks have been contained as far as possible. You will also be viewed more favourably in any tender processes you undertake.

Occupational Health Hazards

Are you aware that occupational health problems can cost your business four times as many absence days as injuries? Hazards include exposure to chemicals, asbestos, dust, manual handling and vibration tools, noise and stress. Most times you won’t know about the problem until your employee has reported sick, because unlike with a major incident or accident, workers don’t tend to mention it until they feel unable to carry on.

A professional health and safety consultancy can help you address the everyday risks and hazards your workforce faces, and help you and your employees go about your business with the minimum risk of injury or illness.

It’s a legal requirement that you take steps to make your place of business a safe and hazard-free place to work in as far as is practicable. It’s also a requirement that you involve your workers in consultations to identify the danger ‘hot spots’ and areas of concern in your workplace. These consultations can either be done directly, or through an appointed safety representative.

Don’t wait until the unthinkable happens, before you take action. One serious accident has been known to cost a business its livelihood. And you could face prosecution for failing to protect your workforce adequately.

Many specialist firms offer free health and safety consultationss that will identify potential hazards – ‘accidents waiting to happen’ – and help you address the problem. They will assist you in formulating a strategy for helping your workers keep healthy and safe.

Good leadership comes from the top. For total peace of mind, don’t you owe it to yourself and your workers to request a free, no-obligation health and safety check-up now?

SEE Improvements Health and Safety News

For Professional Health and Safety Consultants in Bexley, Dartford, Woolwich, Greenwich, Lewisham, Grays And Bromley Contact See Improvements today.