Archive - Sep 2008
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September 18th
Thu, 09/18/2008 - 16:41 — ProActive Healt...
Scaffolding is often used on construction sites due to the need to get higher in the ground with stability. Ladders work well for specific areas, but they can’t reach the entire length of the home. For example brick layers or employees putting siding on a home will need scaffolding to reach the higher areas of the home or building.
Under the Health and Safety Executive, there have been several regulations regarding scaffolding. The HSE and health safety regulations state that all boards on the scaffolding must be tied down. Next under the health and safety regulations all scaffolding in use must be inspected every seven days and after severe weather conditions by a competent person. A competent person is one who has been trained to do the inspections and understands the health and safety regulations. Typically a construction company will employ a person for the health and safety department and risk assessment needs of the business.
You have a couple of options when employing the health and safety personnel. You can have a full time employee that works directly from your company. You other option is to hire a health and safety consultant, like the employees at ProActive. The health and safety consultant will be well versed in all health and safety regulations regarding construction sites. The consultants will work either full or on an as needed basis for your construction business. Their job is to make sure all safety regulations are being adhered to for the prevention of accidents, injuries, or other incidents. They will either train your employees or do the scaffolding inspections required by the health and safety policies. When consulting they ensure that all risks are accounted for and that there is a risk management plan in place. There are a few links offered below for further information directly from the HSE regarding health and safety regulations.
These links combined with the information from ProActive will guarantee that all safety inspections will be according to the health safety regulations your company must follow.
Thu, 09/18/2008 - 16:31 — ProActive Healt...
In 2005 the Food Hygiene regulations were modified to better assess the health and safety in the food industry. As you may know restaurants and catering businesses must maintain a high level of health safety in the workplace. The new regulations specify what food is intended for human consumption with more accuracy than earlier legislation. The aim of the corrections was to improve hygiene notices, prohibition orders, emergency orders, and remedial action and detention notices. There were also changes to the procurement and analysis of samples.
The current legislation will state very specifically where one can get food, how long one must wait to obtain certain foods that require quarantine, and at what temperatures food must be kept at. While it all seems pretty normal and full of common sense it is up to the owner or manager of a restaurant or catering facility to make sure that all health and safety regulations are adhered to by the employees.
Not all employees working in restaurants or catering businesses have had the required training. In fact many of the wait staff has not gone through the hospitality schools in order to learn how to be on the wait staff. It is these employees with a company that need the proper training more than kitchen staff. Of course all staff must be aware of the health and safety regulations for the hygiene as well as other regulations. The changes in 2005 make the needs very clear to anyone in management.
Still if you find that you need more help in understanding the risks in your place of business or even training the employees you can find help. ProActive consultancy offers health and safety employees to overview a place of employment for risk assessment.
The health and safety consultants will examine every area of the company to make sure you are within regulations. These consultants may also help you ready for yearly and surprise inspections when necessary.
Thu, 09/18/2008 - 16:30 — ProActive Healt...
Fire safety is something every company must be concerned with. Whether the building may catch fire due to issues in the electrical system or due to some other factor fire is one of the more common issues in health and safety. As a result of the fire risks that apply to a business it is imperative all businesses and companies are under the fire safety regulations as described by the HMG and HSE.
The health safety regulations state that all companies must have at least one fire extinguisher. However, the size of the building will state the true amount you need to have. Most fire safety rules require a Class A fire extinguisher because that is the usual fire risk. A Class A fire is typically is the least volatile when you consider the Class B or others in which chemicals are involved. Class A would be an electrical fire, fire due to matches, or other issues that doesn’t involve any type of chemical.
According to the HSE and HMG for the Class A fire a business would need one fire extinguisher approximately every 200 metres squared. This means you need at least 2 fire extinguishers per floor of a building. A very good rule would be that no person in the building should have to travel more than 30 metres to reach a fire extinguisher.
For more information regarding the amount of fire extinguishers needed you can refer to BS 5306-8. You may also speak with ProActive regarding the fire risk assessment. ProActive has health and safety consultants to confer with you regarding all aspects of health and safety regulations, including fire safety. These consultants are able to answer any questions you have regarding the amount of fire extinguishers your company, factory, or office building may need. The health safety consultants can also help you set up a risk management plan for fire safety to ensure all employees and visitors get out of the building in case an accident occurs.
Thu, 09/18/2008 - 16:29 — ProActive Healt...
Drug and alcohol in the workplace are two things that don’t mix. When a person is intoxicated or under the influence of drugs they can make life threatening mistakes for themselves or other employees. As an owner or manager you know that your business or company must do drug and alcohol screenings. Many of the screenings are done when the person is hired and then subject to surprise tests according to the policies of the company. By doing the screenings a company is able to comply with the health and safety regulations set forth by the HSE.
There is also another side to the drug and alcohol testing. Any time there is an accident at your company it is imperative that a drug and alcohol test is completed on the person who caused the accident. This will later rule out issues that could surround the accident claim. An insurance company will also require the drug and alcohol testing.
The risk assessment for drug and alcohol is quite simple. A professional will use a breathalyzer much like the police use to determine if there is drug or alcohol in the persons system by their breath. The breathalyzer must be calibrated before every use, which is why a professional like a ProActive health and safety consultant is needed for the drug and alcohol risk assessment.
The consultants at ProActive have been under the proper training required for the health and safety of employees at any company. This includes the drug and alcohol testing training. If you suspect an incident has occurred as a result of drug or alcohol you are able to call ProActive’s consultants do come out to the business for testing. They will also be able to file a report on what they found regarding the accident as a whole. Health and safety consultants do accident assessments to better their risk assessment plans. By allowing a health safety consultant into your company you can prevent most accidents or injuries on the job.
September 16th
Tue, 09/16/2008 - 13:55 — ProActive Healt...
Health and safety regulations cover every type of work place there is. There may be special addendums to the health and safety regulations of certain companies because they pose more danger on the job. An office is often overlooked by owners and employees regarding the health and safety regulations.
We tend to think an office can’t offer any danger that would require us to be concerned mostly about safety measures; however, this really isn’t the case. The office certainly has dangers albeit not as common as a factory or construction site.
The main concern for an office is health. Health in the bathroom, lunch area, and even at the desks is imperative. In an office building you usually have heating and air from a unit rather than fresh air. You may also have asbestos if the office building is older. Health issues can arise from improper cleaning of an office building such as not cleaning out the heating and air ducts regularly. Bacteria can grow in the bathroom if the wrong cleaning supplies or no cleaning supplies are used. While it seems pretty obvious what the dangers can be in the office you still need to consider the health and safety regulations.
Safety regulations in an office that are most common deal with fire safety. There is more cause for office fires due to equipment in the office. Electrical fires are most common. As you can see just by our brief explanation health safety in the office is paramount.
As an owner or manager you must guarantee your employees that their jobs will be safe and that all regulations will be considered. In an office it is not usually necessary to employ a full time health and safety personnel. For many owners this means that one person in the office has many duties including the paperwork, risk assessments, and claims for the health and safety.
The employee in the position may not be properly trained for the position. There are health safety consultants like ProActive consultants who will work for your company on an as needed basis. They can training your employee, train your other office staff, and do the required paperwork. They work either as part time or full time consultants to ensure your workplace is safe. Well versed in health and safety regulations you may need them once a year for the annual risk assessment update. At ProActive the consultant job is to make sure your company is covered for the regulations, but furthermore that your employees are not stressed over the needs of health safety regulations.
Tue, 09/16/2008 - 13:45 — ProActive Healt...
When you have employees you can expect to receive a routine or surprise visit from the HSE regarding the health and safety inspections. The inspector is going to look at your work environment for any risks that could be posed and how you have implemented your risk assessment plan to avoid any known risks. The safety inspector will also advise you regarding how you met the needs of the health safety regulations.
At any time a health and safety inspector may visit your place of work for an inspection. They do not have to give you notice. With a lack of notice it can be difficult to prepare for the health safety inspection. However, there are things you can always ensure are correct. You need to do your own risk assessment in your company. This risk assessment will look at the workplace, activities, management risk plan, your provisions for health safety and welfare, as well as whether you are complying with the health and safety regulations.
To do these things you need to make sure you have the MSDS manual for all chemicals at work. You also need to make sure employees know where the health and safety manuals are and how to use them. Your employees must understand the risk management plan in place. They should also know the accident procedures such as where the first aid supplies are kept, fire extinguishers, and how to file a claim.
To ensure that you will meet the needs of the health and safety inspector and fire marshal you may need help. Often times in a place of business the management is required to deal with the risk assessments and accident management plans. However, according to the regulations of health and safety one must employ a qualified health and safety personnel.
For all your needs to be met and to pass the health and safety inspections it is important that you hire a professional for your staff. ProActive consultancy provides health and safety consultants to help you meet your inspection and health safety regulations. They will walk through your company and assess any potential incidents. ProActive employees can also fill out the paperwork and be on hand to help with the inspection procedures. When you need a qualified individual either on a consulting or full time basis ProActive is your answer.
September 15th
Mon, 09/15/2008 - 19:53 — ProActive Healt...
A construction site is considered to be one of the more dangerous places to have a job. There are more accidents every year at a construction site, and therefore claims with a construction company than most other businesses. Part of the reason for the massive amount of claims is the tools, ladders, and other hazards you must deal with on a daily basis. Dust can be a hazard if the proper protection is not worn.
Corporate construction businesses are going to offer more accidents than a house or general construction business. In this case we mean a building company that will build office buildings, hotels, and other large structures have more dangers than their counterparts in the business.
The health and safety acts of 1974 and 1992 have offered the health and safety guidelines and legislation that must be followed. In order to offer the best protection and prevention on a construction site the health safety issues must be known. Every construction business needs to have a health and safety consultant to assure the inspectors all risk assessment is being cared for and that the health and safety regulations are being observed.
To make the point more important there are health and safety inspectors that will inspect a construction site. These inspections can be planned or surprises. It pays to have a construction company within all limits of the health safety regulations.
As a business you can hire people two ways. You can have a consultancy like ProActive that supplies full time employees with the proper training on construction sites. Your other option is to hire a person that answers an ad for the risk management position.
To take the risk out of hiring a complete stranger it is better to hire a company that you know has checked credentials and that the consultant has proper training. To lower your risk and to save on claims being turned in every year it is to your benefit to have a health and safety consultant that is well versed in construction risk assessment. By protecting your employees to your top ability you are able to assure all health and safety personnel involved that the regulations are being taken seriously. A health and safety consultant through ProActive will always be available for questions and to help you at every new construction site.
Mon, 09/15/2008 - 19:43 — ProActive Healt...
Working with glass can be dangerous whether you are working with glass bottles in a factory or a glazier. Glass has the potential to be extremely harmful to you if dropped or miss handled. At any work place or construction site there are health and safety regulations that must be followed. Health safety hazards must be marked, but it is more than that.
Under the Health and Safety at Work Act of 1974 those working with glass are protected. This legislative act specifies how glass should be handled. There was also an addendum to the legislation with the Workplace, Health, Safety, and Welfare Regulations of 1992. Under this act anyone in glazing and other forms of glass usage will be protected. It will not matter whether it is a door, partition, or gate that course the injury or could cause an injury by law it needs to be marked as a possible risk.
Also under the act are the rules for handling the glass. The proper safety materials and protection needs to be offered. In this case if a glazier works with glass they will need clothes and other protective clothing supplied by the company. A person placing a window in at a home, on the construction site will need to have the required number of hands to help put the window in and the safety protection.
Safety protection generally means gloves, eye protection, and the proper clothing. Eye protection is essential in any business where objects could reach the eyes and create damage. If you have more questions regarding the health and safety of glass work you may want to seek a professional such as ProActive. ProActive consultants offer health and safety training. The consultancy will also work with your employees to make sure that the health safety standards are in place for risk management and prevention of most on the job accidents. Acting now with hiring ProActive can save you complaints, claims, or failed inspections in the future as well as protect you and your employees from possible dangerous you don’t recognise.
September 14th
Sun, 09/14/2008 - 20:31 — ProActive Healt...
Your place of employment needs to be safe. In certain types of companies there will be a need for a MSDS manual to protect the employees from risks as well as when accidents occur. We will look at what the MSDS is all about and then offer a few solutions for you and your business. Health and safety regulations state that any business working with harmful or hazardous chemicals must have an MSDS manual. Furthermore all businesses must have a risk assessment management plan for the health safety of employees. Each company must have at least a list of the chemicals on site and data sheets that offer clean up information. Even an office building will need to have data sheets. This is due to the cleaning chemicals in an office that could be potentially harmful.
Now that you understand why MSDS or Material Safety Data Sheets are for let’s look at what they will contain. Most of the MSDS sheets or the manual will have a list of the products by name broken down into a quick reading sheet. The sheet will have ingredients, protective gear needed to be worn around the chemical component, as well as hazard identification and the stability of the chemical.
The manual is meant to be a preventative measure for health and safety concerns at the workplace. Construction sites, factories, and other places will all have these MSDS manuals. If you do not have anyone on your staff at the moment that can create the needed manual then you will need help. ProActive can provide you with that help. The ProActive health and safety consultants will work to make sure the materials needed are offered to create the MSDS or they will create it for you. They will also be able to maintain the records as things change. Consultants will hold training classes to tell employees what the manual is for and where it is kept. They will also be able to help with accident and clean up procedures.
The ProActive consultancy works in a full or part time capacity depending on your needs. They make it easier for your managers or you as the owner to get more important work completed.
Sun, 09/14/2008 - 20:22 — ProActive Healt...
There are health and safety regulations for Fire Extinguishers that you need to know when you own a business or manage one. The current fire code is the Regulatory Reform Order 2005. It states that all fire extinguishers must be in good repair and working order. In fact there is a health and safety inspector or fire marshal that will inspect each fire extinguisher you have on the job at least once a year. They must do this according to the health safety regulations.
Depending on the size of your company you may need a couple of fire extinguishers or more than 20. You also have different classes of fire extinguishers. You have the Class A in which you have wood, paper, and cloth materials that will need to be put out. Then you have the Class B which is foam for liquids and chemicals that might be at your shop. You must have the appropriate fire extinguisher for the job that will be at hand.
There are numerous types of fire that could occur, and as long as you are offering preventative tools for the spreading of a fire you will be covered. However, there are the health and safety regulations that need to be considered. As we mentioned the size of your business, type of business, and the location will determine your needs.
You will need an employee that knows what your fire safety regulations are. If you do not have one working for your business you have two options. You can hire a full time employee for the health and safety regulations or a person that will work with you on an as needed basis. ProActive health and safety consultants will be able to work in both capacities. Since they are consultants you may find they are trained for the needs at hand. By acting now you can assure yourself and your staff that the appropriate fire extinguishers are at your business or company.
