#Health&Safety

19 10 2023

COSSH and Workplace Facilities | Consensus HR – Herts, Beds

Matthew Chilcott Blog, General, Health & Safety #bedfordshirebusinesses, #COSHH, #Health&Safety, #hertfordshirebusinesses, #outsourcing, #WORKPlace facilities, bedfordshire, Business, Business Owners, hertfordshire, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, outsourcedHR, Small Business, SME, SME's, stevenage

Make sure you know your COSHH essentials

A variety of harmful substances are found in our working environments – knowing how to control these safely is key to safety and protection from harm.

If you work with hazardous substances, our Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) website can help you understand the actions you should take to stay healthy.

Download HSE’s publication Working with substances hazardous to health: A brief guide to COSHH, which explains how to control exposure and comply with the regulations.

Our COSHH Safe Handling Chemicals poster also provides crucial guidance on how to handle chemicals safely in your workplace, including a useful hazardous signs check.

Make sure you have the right workplace facilities

Employers must provide welfare facilities and a working environment that’s healthy and safe for everyone in the workplace, including those with disabilities.

This means you must have:

welfare facilities
a healthy working environment
a safe workplace

Find out in more detail what you must provide for a safe and healthy workplace.

Employers are also required to provide enough toilets and washbasins for those expected to use them. Follow our guidance for toilets and washing facilities

Here are a few of our previous Health & Safety blogs which businesses and owners should be fully aware off and actioning:

Contact us now

If you have any questions about Health & Safety and what you should be providing within your business, give us a call now.

YOUR OUTSOURCED HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.

For further information on any of the HR subjects we provide, please click the heading below:

02 10 2023

Monthly HR blog Newsletter – September 2023 | Consensus HR, Herts, Beds

Matthew Chilcott Blog, Employment Law, General, Newsletter @sg1businessclub, #consensushr, #Health&Safety, #hertfordshirebusinesses, #HRNewsletter, #networkinbeds, #september2023, bedfordshire, Business, Business Owners, hertfordshire, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, Small Business, SME, SME's, stevenage

In our Monthly HR blog Newsletter for stories from September 2023 we have:

New Employment Law Update – 2023 /24
FCA proposes new diversity and misconduct rules
Therapy sessions start for new long-term sick
REC survey: UK businesses remain positive about hiring & investment

Health & Safety:

Managing the risk of working from height
Take action now and make a positive impact

These are just a few of our blogs written for September 2023 and more can be seen by visiting our website.

New employment laws: update – 2023 /24 | Consensus HR – Herts, Beds

A Consensus HR, we always ensure our clients are kept up to date on new and changes to current Employment Law as they happen and 2023 so far has been a busy year for employment law, with a number of new laws gaining Royal Assent. Many of these will not come into force until 2024 or beyond, however, giving employers plenty of time to become familiar with the new requirements and plan how they will be introduced and implemented into their organisation.

FCA proposes new diversity and misconduct rules | Consensus HR – Herts, Beds

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and Prudential Regulation Authority have set out proposals to boost diversity and inclusion across the financial services industry. The rules would require large banks and insurers to report diversity and inclusion data to regulators and set new targets to address under-representation. In a consultation paper, the bodies say firms would have to develop a diversity and inclusion strategy setting out how they will meet their objectives and goals.

Therapy sessions start for long-term sick | Consensus HR – Herts, Beds

Therapists employed by the state will this week begin consultations with the long-term sick after ministers expressed frustration that the NHS is not doing enough to get people back work.

REC survey: UK businesses remain positive about hiring & investment | Consensus HR – Herts, Beds

Businesses plan to continue hiring workers and investing, with a poll from the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) showing confidence in both areas remained positive in the three months to August.

Managing the risk of working from height | Consensus HR – Herts, Beds

The latest Health & Safety Executive (HSE) bulletin talks about working at heights and how this is the most common kind of workplace fatality. This article provides a fantastic step by step guide for businesses.

Considering the risks associated with work at height and putting in place sensible and proportionate measures to manage them, is an important part of working safely.

Take action now and make a positive impact | Consensus HR – Herts, Beds

Everyone needs support at work: take action now and make a positive impact.

This is yet another great article from the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) with some very useful development tools and information for your business and team and is one of the many subjects we help companies with when it comes to their teams and businesses and the world of HR and Health & Safety.

Contact us now

If you need support with HR and Health & Safety, give us a call now to discuss and let us take the pain away whilst making you an employer of choice.

YOUR OUTSOURCED HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.

For further information on any of the HR subjects we provide, please click the heading below:

Managing the risk of working from height | Consensus HR - Herts, Beds

28 09 2023

Managing the risk of working from height | Consensus HR – Herts, Beds

Matthew Chilcott Blog, General, Health & Safety #Health&Safety, #hertfordshirebusinesses, #outsourcing, #workingatheights, bedfordshire, Business, Business Owners, hertfordshire, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, outsourcedHR, Small Business, SME, SME's, stevenage

Considering the risks associated with work at height and putting in place sensible and proportionate measures to manage them, is an important part of working safely.

Our step-by-step guide can help you control risks when working at height.

It is also vital to make sure any scaffolding is stable and safe at all times.

Our scaffold checklist explains when a scaffold design is required. It also covers the level of training and competence needed for those erecting, dismantling, altering, inspecting and supervising scaffolding

Here are a few of our previously written blogs on Health & Safety and information received from the HSE.

Contact us now

If you need support with HR and Health & Safety, give us a call now to discuss.

YOUR OUTSOURCED HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.

For further information on any of the HR subjects we provide, please click the heading below:

14 09 2023

New report warns of costly impact of illness on UK economy | Consensus HR- Herts, Beds

Matthew Chilcott Absence Management, Blog, Employment Law, General, Health & Safety @sg1, #Health&Safety, #illness, #outsourcing, #sickness, bedfordshire, Business, Business Owners, hertfordshire, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, outsourcedHR, Small Business, SME, SME's, stevenage

The level of illness among the UK population is costing lives and harming the economy, according to a new report. An additional 491,433 people were off work due to their health in the three months to July, reaching a record high. The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) warns that the issue has become a “serious fiscal threat” to the UK. The think tank attributed the rise in illness to long NHS waiting lists and other barriers to accessing treatment. The IPPR report also highlighted the decline in the quality of healthcare in the UK compared to other European countries, and called for urgent reforms to improve healthcare services and save taxpayers up to £205bn over a decade. Lord Bethell, former health minister and commissioner, emphasized the need for action to reduce demand for healthcare through prevention. Downing Street has acknowledged the need for improvements in tackling long-term sickness and announced a £3.5bn package of measures to support people with disabilities or health conditions to enter the workforce. However, concerns have been raised that these reforms could force people into jobs when they are not well enough.

Sky News

Our HR comment: – New report warns of costly impact of illness on UK economy

Matthew P Chilcott, FCIPD, ACEL, Owner of Consensus HR comments: “This is a very worrying article on Sky News and we wrote about this a while ago when a similar article was published in the press. Long term sick is a problem for many companies and must be managed correctly with the use of medical professionals. This process can be very time consuming but employers need to ensure that they manage it properly for the benefit of the employee and the business along with healthy working practices helping to ensure that when the team are working, it is in a healthy environment. At Consensus HR, we have managed many ill health cases at work through the use of good practice and our Occupational Health providers to get workers back into work the best way for them and their health and the success of the business”

Contact us now

If you have long term sickness within your business and would like to talk to somebody about the best way to manage it to best practice and the law, give us a call now.

YOUR OUTSOURCED HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.

For further information on any of the HR subjects we provide, please click the heading below:

07 09 2023

Latest construction campaign to prevent ill health from moving and handling materials – Consensus HR

Matthew Chilcott Blog, General, Health & Safety #construction, #Health&Safety, #ill health, #prevention, bedfordshire, Business, Business Owners, hertfordshire, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, outsourcedHR, Small Business, SME, SME's, stevenage

Moving and handling heavy or bulky objects on construction sites is needlessly harming the health of tens of thousands of workers every year.

Working in construction is a physically demanding job and many construction workers’ health is suffering due to pain in muscles, bones, joints and nerves that affect every aspect of their lives and in many cases their ability to work and earn a living.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is warning construction workers that the long-term impact on their health can leave them struggling to stand, walk, or sit down.

From 4 September 2023, HSE inspectors will be carrying out inspections of construction sites, focusing on the health risks of moving and handling materials on site.

Supporting the inspections initiative is HSE’s communications campaign ‘Work Right Construction. Your health. Your future’, to raise awareness of the risks when moving and handling materials on site and provide advice for employers and workers.

Inspections in 2022 found widespread methods that can protect workers such as the use of mechanical equipment to handle large glazing panes, using small inexpensive air bags to help to position heavy doors when being installed, and the use of all-terrain pallet trucks to move blocks and brick-lifters to carry bricks around site.

However, inspectors also found many examples of poor practice, some of which resulted in enforcement action, such as a worker lifting an 80kg kerb on his own without any assistance from machinery, lifting aids or colleagues, and a 110kg floor saw that had to be moved into and out of a work van by two operatives at a street works site.

The law requires employers to control the risks of ill health of their workers, which includes pain in muscles, bones, joints and nerves that can develop over time, known as musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs). However, in the most recent period an estimated 42,000 people in the construction industry suffered from a work-related musculoskeletal disorder, which can cause years of agonising aches and pains. This amounts to 53% of all ill health in the construction sector.

If moving and lifting is managed properly, a physical job on a building site should not disrupt every part of workers’ lives.

Before work starts, moving and handling risks should be considered and prevented where possible at the design stage. Once on site, employers should talk to workers about controlling existing risks and make sure appropriate measures are in place, such as the right training, aids and equipment.

Matt Birtles, principal ergonomist at HSE, said: “It is important that the issue of manual handling is not downplayed. Serious aches, pains and strains should not be accepted as routine when working in construction. These can dramatically affect every part of someone’s life – with sufferers struggling to get themselves dressed and undressed, and unable to pick up their children or grandchildren.

“The culture of a site may mean many people feel uncomfortable talking about these issues but if your back has gone or if you’re in agony whenever you move your arms, measures need to be put in place to address the causes.”

HSE’s Acting Head of Construction Division Mike Thomas said:

“MSDs affect the lives of tens of thousands of construction workers and can lead to a lifetime of suffering. However, there are simple measures that can be taken to prevent this.

“Everyone involved in construction has a role to play in keeping people safe and healthy. We want everyone in the industry, from designers to contractors and their workers, to be aware of the risks associated with any moving or lifting task and put appropriate measures in place.

“The health of workers must be considered when planning construction work so that they can carry out their jobs without fear of injuring themselves or developing aches, pains and strains, including being provided with the correct equipment to lift and move materials safely.”

Contact us now

We always like to keep our clients up to date on Health & Safety and if there is anything we or our associates can do for you, contact us now.

YOUR OUTSOURCED HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.

For further information on any of the HR subjects we provide, please click the heading below:

06 09 2023

Mentally ill to be told to work from home in benefits shake-up. | Consensus HR – Herts, Beds

Matthew Chilcott Absence Management, Blog, Disciplinary & Grievance, Employment Contracts, Employment Law, General, Health & Safety, Performance Management, Recruitment #employeehealth, #Health&Safety, #mentallyill, #outsourcing, #workingfromhome, bedfordshire, Business, Business Owners, hertfordshire, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, outsourcedHR, Small Business, SME, SME's, stevenage

Ministers are to consult on a change to the rules for benefit claimants meaning that those with mobility and mental health problems will be told to look for work they can do from home. The move comes as the government looks for ways to fill job vacancies and cut the benefits bill. The reforms, proposed by Mel Stride, the Work and Pensions Secretary, come as the proportion of those assessed for incapacity benefits and classed as unable to work has tripled to 65% since 2011, costing the taxpayer £26bn a year. Mr Stride said this was “holding back the labour market and the economy but perhaps most important of all, it is holding back human potential.” But disability campaigners said the changes would cause “huge anxiety” and amounted to a “cynical” attempt to reduce benefit payments. The changes would not come into force until 2025, however, due to “the need to make changes to regulations and ensure appropriate training for health assessors,” Mr Stride said.

Our HR comment – Mentally ill to be told to work from home in benefits shake-up.

Matthew P Chilcott, FCIPD, ACEL, Owner of Consensus HR comments: “This is an interesting article and suggestion by the Government and whether it solves the problem it is seeking to solve, is the question. It one context it will help but is people with a mobility or mental health problem working from home the right answer. Should they not be in the workplace working and communicating / mixing with fellow workers? Could flexible working be the answer, where they work 3 days in the office and two days at home? Obviously I am not the medical professional but the HR one and as with us when we have to deal with anything medical, I always say, we must go to the professionals who have the qualifications and experience to answer these questions through the use of Occupational Health of GP reports so that we can make the necessary reasonable adjustments or a phased return to get them back into the workplace. Believe me, this is never easy for both the company or the member of the team involved.”

What are your views?

Contact us now

If your company is having problems with high sickness or mental health within the workplace and would like to talk to somebody on how to get them back into the workplace, give us a call now.

YOUR OUTSOURCED HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.

For further information on any of the HR subjects we provide, please click the heading below:

17 08 2023

Protecting loneworkers | Consensus HR, Herts, Beds

Matthew Chilcott Blog, General, Health & Safety #Health&Safety, #herts, #lone working, Business, Business Owners, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, outsourcedHR, Small Business, SME, SME's, stevenage

Lone working: protecting those who work alone

Lone workers can be at greater risk of harm as they may not have anyone to help or support them if things go wrong.

Employers should provide training, supervision, monitoring and support for those working alone.

Our free-to-download leaflet Protecting lone workers: How to manage the risks of working alone is for anyone who employs lone workers, or engages them as contractors etc, including self-employed people.

The leaflet is supported by:

HSE’s lone working webpages which include advice aimed at lone workers themselves
a video setting out the key advice on how to protect those working alone

Our HR Comment: Protecting lone workers | Consensus HR, Herts, Beds

Matthew P Chilcott, FCIPD, ACEL, Owner for Consensus HR comments: “This is another excellent tool from the Health & Safety Executive in relation to Protecting Lone Workers and is key for businesses if you have any of the team working alone. This always reminds me of when I worked with retail and our petrol garages were 24 hours, 7 days a week and at night, a member of the team would at some stages be working on their own and what action we would take to ensure they were protected and knew fully what action to take if needed whilst there also being somebody fully contactable by phone. This advice also gives an excellent video to demonstrate lone working.”

Contact us now

If you would like to discuss your companies current Health & Safety, give us a call for an informal chat | Update from Consensus HR, outsourced HR solutions. Herts, Beds, Cambs. Give us a call now if you wish to discuss.

YOUR OUTSOURCED HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.

For further information on any of the HR subjects we provide, please click the heading below:

Wilko collapses into administration | Consensus HR - Herts, Beds

14 08 2023

Hand-held power tools video | Consensus HR – Herts, Beds

Matthew Chilcott Employment Law, General, Health & Safety #Health&Safety, #herts, #hse, #powertools, Business, Business Owners, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, outsourcedHR, Small Business, SME, SME's, stevenage

Hand-held power tools video

This is another excellent tool / video provided by the HSE for employers who use Hand-held power tools with some great links and further PDF information such as ‘Supporting enforcement to protect the health of workers using hand tools.’

As part of HSE’s Science Review 2023, a video to highlight HSE’s research into noise and vibrations emissions in battery and traditionally powered hand-held power tools was published.

Watch the video on YouTube

You can also read the following associated articles from HSE’s Annual Science Review 2023:

Supporting enforcement to protect the health of workers using hand tools (.pdf)

Protecting angle grinder users from ill health caused by noise and vibration (.pdf)

Contact us now

If you are worried about your companies Health & Safety contact us now | Update from Consensus HR, outsourced HR solutions. Herts, Beds, Cambs. Give us a call now if you wish to discuss.

YOUR OUTSOURCED HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.

For further information on any of the HR subjects we provide, please click the heading below:

11 08 2023

Ensure you are working safely at height | Consensus HR, Herts, Beds

Matthew Chilcott Blog, Employment Law, General, Handbook, Health & Safety, Training & Development #Health&Safety, #herts, #outsourcedHR, #outsourcedhumanresources, #outsourcing, #stevenage, #workingatheights, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, Small Business, SME

Here is the latest article from the HSE (Health & Safety Executive) in relation to working at Heights which is the most common kind of workplace fatality and a few of the Myths that the HSE have dealt with in the past:

A few of the common working at Height Myths:

· HSE have banned the use of ladders on building sites

No, this isn’t the case. Ladders and stepladders can be a sensible and practical option. They can be used for work at height when the use of other work equipment is not justified because of the low risk and short duration (short duration means working on a ladder for no more than 30 minutes at a time); or when there are existing workplace or site features which cannot be altered.

· You need to be formally ‘qualified’ before using a ladder at work

No, you do not. You need to be competent. This means having the necessary skills, knowledge and experience to use a ladder properly for the work you will carry out, or, if you are being trained, you work under the supervision of somebody who can perform the task competently. Training often takes place on the job and does not always have to take place in a classroom. What matters is that an individual can apply what they have learned in the workplace.

· I am working at height if I’m walking up and down a staircase at work

No, you are not. Work at height does not include walking up and down a permanent staircase in a building.

Falls when working at height remain the most common kind of workplace fatality.

HSE’s annual fatality statistics reported that there were 40 fatal injuries caused by falling from height in 2022/23.

Make sure you take the necessary precautions and visit our working at height website for guidance on how you can protect workers.

The site also has a range of useful information and sources of advice for employers. They include

key messages to follow before working from height and some common work at height myths.

You can find guidance on the safe use of ladders and stepladders, which includes advice on when and how you should use a ladder at work.

Contact us now

If you are worried about your companies Health & Safety contact us now | Update from Consensus HR, outsourced HR solutions. Herts, Beds, Cambs. Give us a call now if you wish to discuss.

YOUR OUTSOURCED HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.

For further information on any of the HR subjects we provide, please click the heading below:

26 07 2023

Health & Safety Update | Consensus HR – Herts, Beds

Matthew Chilcott Employment Law, General, Health & Safety #Health&Safety, #herts, #outsourcedhumanresources, Business, Business Owners, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Consultants, HR Support, outsourcedHR, Small Business, SME, SME's, stevenage

One hundred and thirty-five workers were killed in work-related incidents in Great Britain in the last year, according to figures published by the Health and Safety Executive.

The industries with the highest deaths were construction (45), agriculture, forestry, and fishing (21), manufacturing (15), and transportation and storage (15). Agriculture, forestry, and fishing has the highest rate of fatal injury per 100,000 workers of all the main industrial sectors followed by waste and recycling.

The annual data release published by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), Great Britain’s workplace regulator, covers the period from April 2022 to March 2023.

The three most common causes of fatal injuries are falls from height (40), being struck by a moving object (29), and being struck by a moving vehicle (20).

The total of 135 worker deaths in 2022/23 is higher than the previous year (123) but is in line with pre-pandemic levels. The figure for 2020/21 was 145.

Great Britain is one of the safest places in the world to work. There has been a long-term downward trend in the rate of fatal injuries to workers, though in the years prior to the coronavirus pandemic the rate was broadly flat.

A further 68 members of the public were killed following a work-related incident in 2022/23. This is a decrease of 20 from last year.

HSE’s Chief Executive Sarah Albon said: “Any loss of life in the workplace is a tragedy.

“While these figures show Great Britain is one of the safest countries in the world to work, safety must continue to be at the top of everyone’s agenda.

“Our mission is to protect people and places and we remain committed to maintaining safe workplaces and holding employers to account for their actions.”

HSE has also published the annual figures for Mesothelioma, a cancer caused by past exposure to asbestos. The figures show 2,268 people died from the disease in 2021. This is a fall of 302 compared with the 2,570 deaths in 2020 and substantially lower than the average of 2,520 deaths per year over the period 2012-2019.

Asbestos-related diseases take decades to develop. Most people with them today will largely have been exposed before the tightening of controls and the use of asbestos was banned in 1999.

The current regulations state that where asbestos is present in buildings it must be managed, maintained in a good condition, and stay undisturbed. If this level of protection cannot be achieved, then asbestos must be removed.

These regulations have led to a significant reduction in exposure and the number of people developing asbestos-related illness is predicted to fall as we get further from the date asbestos was banned in 1999. Prior to that point, asbestos was used extensively in construction.

HSE’s approach to asbestos management is based on evidence that is constantly reviewed. HSE has recently launched a campaign called Asbestos & You to raise awareness of the risks associated with the dangerous substance.

Find out more about the Asbestos and You campaign, and visit HSE’s website for further guidance on asbestos.

Contact us now

Misconduct issues can hit any business, of any size. Update from Consensus HR, expert outsourced HR services. Herts, Beds, Cambs Give us a call now if you wish to discuss.

YOUR OUTSOURCED HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.

For further information on any of the HR subjects we provide, please click the heading below:

Employment Tribunal: The Potential Cost to Your Business

21 07 2023

Employers could legally have to offer free health checks to staff

Matthew Chilcott Blog, Employment Law, General, Health & Safety #employeesickness, #employmentlaw, #Health&Safety, #outsourcedhumanresources, #outsourcing, Business, Business Owners, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultant, HR Support, Small Business, SME, SME's

Employers could be legally required to offer free health checks to staff under new rules proposed by ministers. Under plans designed to reduce workplace absence, the government could also expand tax breaks for services such as eye tests and basic medical check-ups to cover a wider range of medical services. In a document setting out the consultation on tax breaks, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt and Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride warned there are now 6.5m working age people who are neither in work nor looking for a job, and 2.6m people economically inactive due to long-term sickness. They wrote: “Typically, for every 13 people currently working, one person is long-term sick. Maintaining workforce participation is crucial to ensure that we have enough workers to support the future needs of the UK and maximise productivity growth.” A separate consultation from the Department for Work and Pensions suggests that larger firms could be required by law to offer a basic level of occupational health services to staff. Analysis shows that just 45% of British workers have access to occupational health services at work, falling to 18% among small businesses. The two ministers observed: “Greater access to good quality occupational health services has the potential to reduce UK productivity losses caused by long-term sickness and disability, and improve people’s lives by reducing sickness and ill-health.” Separately, writing for the FT, Brooke Masters says the more employers insert themselves into supporting mental health, the more they open themselves up to claims that they are falling short.

Financial Times

The Times

Daily Mail

Our HR Comment- Employers could legally have to offer free health checks to staff

Matthew P Chilcott, FCIPD, ACEL, Owner of Consensus HR comments: “At Consensus HR we are seeing an increase in the need to use our Occupational Health Providers more for independent professional advice on how to manage employees sickness and this article in the papers demonstrates in statistics how big a problem this is becoming. This proposal looks like a good idea but obviously it is at its early stages and it will not be until it progresses will be know the true costs to employers financially and operationally. We will keep you updated.”

Contact us now

Long term sickness and health issues can hit any business, of any size. Update from Consensus HR, expert outsourced HR services. Herts, Beds, Cambs Give us a call now if you wish to discuss.

YOUR OUTSOURCED HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.

For further information on any of the HR subjects we provide, please click the heading below:

29 06 2023

Health & Safety Update

Matthew Chilcott General #Health&Safety, Business, Business Owners, HR, HR Advice, HR Consultants, HR Support, Small Business, SME, SME's

Health & Safety Update – 28th June 2023

Here is the latest from The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) which also includes an excellent animation on what to expect when you receive a visit from an HSE Inspector and reminds me of my days when managing Health & Safety for South Mimms Welcome Break and training for Veolia Water in Hertfordshire.

Companies need to ensure that the relevant HSE records are kept such as training that has been carried out with members of the team on Health & Safety such as Risk Assessments, First Aid, Manual Handling, DSE, COSHH, Working at Heights, Abrasive Wheels, and fire to name a few and that the team are demonstrating the correct behaviours and attitudes in the workplace.

This latest information forms the HSE also includes the process of fees for intervention and query and dispute process which came into effect on 1 October 2012 and which as with all information received from the HSE should be fully understood and appropriate action taken.

This week’s edition includes:

advice on what to expect when you receive a visit from an HSE inspector
news of the winning entry in HSE’s MSD ‘Risk-reduction through design’ award
guidance and information about managing vehicle and driver safety at work
links to recent HSE enforcement prosecutions and some of our latest job vacancies

For more health and safety updates visit our website

What to expect when an inspector calls

Make sure you are prepared when an HSE inspector calls at your business.

Our downloadable leaflet When a health and safety inspector calls tells you:

what to expect when we visit your business
how to let workers and their representatives know about information an inspector may provide during a visit

We have a short animation explaining how inspections are carried out and why they help keep people healthy and safe at work.

There are currently a series of inspections taking place in the construction and woodworking sectors. Find out more:

Fine for company after worker is killed in crash with litter picking vans

The company, Serco Limited, was fined £240,000 following the fatal incident.

The man was killed when the lorry he was a passenger in crashed into litter picking vans blocking a lane of a dual carriageway. HSE’s investigation found that Serco had:

· failed in its health and safety management of litter picking activities on high-speed dual carriageways

· not provided its employees with appropriate work instructions to ensure the litter picking activity was safe

· failed to supervise and monitor the high-risk activity to ensure it was carried out safely

Read this press release for more details on the incident.

Other recent prosecution cases include:

· Transport company fined £255,000 after worker fractures skull

· Private health care provider fined for exposing workers to chlorine gas

Vehicle and transport safety at work

Help prevent accidents by assessing and managing vehicle and driver safety – wherever you work.

Vehicles at work continue to be a major cause of fatal and major injuries.

Last year’s figures for 2021/22 show that 23 workers were killed when struck by a moving vehicle.

Our vehicle and transport safety website has a range of guidance, advice and other resources to help reduce the risks and keep workers safe.

Fine for company after worker is killed in crash with litter picking vans

The company, Serco Limited, was fined £240,000 following the fatal incident.

The man was killed when the lorry he was a passenger in crashed into litter picking vans blocking a lane of a dual carriageway. HSE’s investigation found that Serco had:

failed in its health and safety management of litter picking activities on high-speed dual carriageways
not provided its employees with appropriate work instructions to ensure the litter picking activity was safe
failed to supervise and monitor the high-risk activity to ensure it was carried out safely

Read this press release for more details on the incident.

Other recent prosecution cases include:

Contact us now

If you need support with your team’s HR and sickness is causing your business stress, call or email us now.

YOUR OUTSOURCED HUMAN RESOURCES DEPARTMENT.

For further information on any of the HR subjects we provide, please click the heading below:

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