Do you need a Fire Risk Assessment?

1. Who’s responsible

If you’re an landlord, business owner, occupier, or other non-domestic premises, you’ll be the person responsible for fire safety. You’re known as the ‘responsible person’. The Fire Safety Order also applies if you run a bed and breakfast, guesthouse or let a self-catering property as you have paying guests.

Responsibilities

As the responsible person you must:

• carry out a fire risk assessment of the premises and review it regularly
• tell staff or their representatives about the risks you’ve identified
• put in place, and maintain, appropriate fire safety measures
• plan for an emergency
• provide staff information, fire safety instruction and training

Non-domestic premises

Non-domestic premises are:

• all workplaces and commercial premises
• all premises the public have access to
• the common areas of multi-occupied residential buildings

2. Fire risk assessments

As the responsible person you must carry out and regularly review a fire risk assessment of the premises. This will identify what you need to do to prevent fire and keep people safe.

You’ll need to consider:

• emergency routes and exits
• fire detection and warning systems
• fire fighting equipment
• the removal or safe storage of dangerous substances
• an emergency fire evacuation plan
• the needs of vulnerable people, eg the elderly, young children or those with disabilities
• providing information to employees and other people on the premises
• staff fire safety training

Help with the assessment

You can do the fire risk assessment yourself with the help of standard fire safety advice documents.

You’ll need to appoint a ‘competent person’ to help, eg a professional risk assessor, if you don’t have the expertise or time to do the fire risk assessment yourself.

Your local fire and rescue authority might be able to give you advice if you’re not sure your risk assessment’s been carried out properly. However, they can’t carry out risk assessments for you.

Completing a PQQ can seem like a daunting task.

There are lots of sections and information about your company that you may not have had to think about before. Submitting a good PQQ doesn’t mean it will be a winning PQQ but it does mean you have a much better chance if you have shown you have taken the time to complete it properly.

It goes without saying a good PQQ has no errors or information missing and that you have answered all questions as fully as you can.

We have compiled a handy top ten tips list that should should help:

Top Tips

1. Read the PQQ fully as the beginning so you can understand what is required of you.
2. When putting the PQQ together take it one question at a time.
3. Always provide evidence and supporting documentation when asked for.
4. Ensure your answers focus on the requirements set out in the specification and evaluation criteria.
5. Provide all of the information requested. If you cannot provide some of the information, for whatever reason, ask for advice or as a minimum give a reason for not providing the information so they know you have not just skipped that section.
6. Where relevant, cross-reference the answers or responses in your PQQ to the questions as this will make it easier to evaluate.
7. Be clear on your pricing model and state any assumptions you have made when pricing. This will enable the assessor to see the reasons you may be more expensive or indeed cheaper.
8. The assessor can only evaluate what you have submitted. The assessor cannot refer to any previous knowledge or experience it has had with you unless it is in your submission
9. Make sure you are aware of the objective of the contract – this will help focus your submission.
10. Don’t be put off by the PQQ documentation – you can always ask for help.

A must for every PQQ is that you complete and return the document by the deadline and in the correct format that has been requested. Failure to do that simple thing could mean your PQQ isn’t even looked at.

If you still feel you need some help we are more than happy to see if there is anything we can do.

Get in touch with us via our General PQQ submission.

What are the benefits of using Elearning?

There are a number of benefits to Elearning whether you choose to use it on its own, or to enhance any existing in house training you may provide.

It saves time and is cost effective

Instead of having to arrange a training session at a set time and place you can carry out Elearning at a time and place that suits you. This helps to reduce the time taken away from the office, removes travel costs and increases workplace productivity.

Learning with 24/7 access

Many traditional training courses operate within normal 9-5 office hours. Meaning you and your staff have to leave your jobs and take time out of the office to attend. This can also mean additional hassle of travel to and from the venue. Most Elearning courses have an average completion time of an hour, and CPD approved courses allow once completed, to print out certificates of proof.

It’s discreet

Not every employee will feel comfortable learning in a large group. We all learn at different speeds and levels and may find some topics harder to understand than others. Elearning allows your staff to learn on their own and to tackle the subject at their own pace.  The interactive tasks that are set ensure a thorough understanding throughout each module.

If your looking for any Health & Safety Elearning courses we have some that you may be interested in.

Asbestos Awareness

Manual Handling Awareness

Working at Height

Which Accreditation is best for my business?

The question which accreditation is best for my business is asked on a daily basis, as a consultant that is not a question we can answer for your business. There are a number of factors you should take into account when you are making the decision:

• Have you been asked by a client to have a particular one?
• Are you looking to get on a certain clients supplier list – they may have a preference?
• What is the purpose of the accreditation?
• Do you have a budget in mind?
• Do you have all the necessary paperwork?

If you have an answer to any of the above then that accreditation is the best one for your business as there is already the promise of a return on your investment.

Our advice where a client has no preference and there is a possibility that they will need both in the future is to follow this process:

Which assessment company do you select?

CHAS
PQS
Construction line
Safe Contractor
SMAS
CQMA
Builders profile
Avetta

The most expensive is CHAS, and the least costly is PQS. Due to the Deem to Satisfy system by SSIP, a PQS accreditation is equivalent to a CHAS accreditation, and for a small fee, you can obtain certificates for both.

The driver for selection usually is your customer; if they insist on CHAS, you can get accredited with PQS and request a certificate for CHAS within the process.

Impartial advise

Feel free to call us, and we can advise you on the best selection for your needs. We have completed thousands of applications and understand the market inside out. We don’t mind which company you select; the assessment process is the same, thanks to SSIP.

Who is Seguro

Seguro Health and Safety Management employs qualified health and safety consultants who complete the application to obtain accreditation from all the assessment companies. Seguro removes the pain of completing all the documentation and ensuring you comply.

Stage one: Apply for your PQS accreditation as this can be used for the Health & Safety Section of CHAS or Constructionline as well as being able to be used for many deem to satisfy schemes under the SSIP umbrella scheme.

Stage Two: Once you have your certificate for PQS apply for your CHAS and Constructionline status.

Each business is individual so if you want to get bespoke advice, please give us a ring on 0800 031 5404

 

Health & Safety when you have 5 employees or more

As soon as you have 5 employees or more, you have a legal requirement to comply with all work-related health and safety legislation.

Your obligations are outlined in the Safety at Work Regulations 1974.

How this changes from less than five employees is you now need to ensure you have:

• Written Health and Safety Policy
• Written Health and Safety Policy Statement
• Written Risk Assessments
• COSHH assessments
• Toolbox talks
• A competent person either within your business or a consultant.

We act as competent people for over 800 companies. When we act as your competent person, we will complete all the documents you need to comply and keep the documents up to date as legislation changes. You also have access to over 1,000 documents including risk and method statements, COSHH data, toolbox talks, and more. We charge a small monthly fee. 

If you are not sure exactly what your business will require, you can find details on it by visiting the HSE website. Every business is different, and a competent person will be able to cover all aspects for you.

If you wish to employ your own competent person, they should be fully qualified in all aspects of Health & Safety; this can prove to be an expensive requirement if you employ them full-time. 

There are a number of resources on the HSE website that will be able to help you with any changes that may affect you as you continue to grow.

We are a friendly and professional team of people working to help and support like-minded people to get on with their work as we work in the background.

Complete the form on this page and we will arrange a call so you can learn more, call 0800 031 5404

 

What are Toolbox Talks?

Toolbox Talks are a good way for employers and supervisors to ensure employees are all given key information and details of business processes in the simple structure. They are quick 15 minute sessions which can ensure your employees are up to date with important information  They are ideal for training of Health & Safety topics as well as good housekeeping.

Why are they called Toolbox Talks?

The term Toolbox talks originated as they were originally used for the Construction industry as a way to give employees quick precise training on Health & Safety topics such as Manual Handling and PPE.  These are now being used more industry wide as a way to communicate with employees topics that are important to the day to day running of the business.

How do I deliver a Toolbox Talk?

The best way to deliver a Toolbox talk is to have the information on screen as well as a handout for your employees to make notes as you are going through it.

Download 70 FREE toolbox talk now.

What’s included with the FREE toolbox talks download

The full list of all 70 toolbox talks are listed below.

TT1 – Abrasive Wheels
This talk will cover hazards and using portable and bench-mounted abrasive wheels.

TT2 – Accident Prevention & Control
Covers the cause, costs, and prevention of accidents.

TT3 – Accident Reporting & Investigation
Health and safety law requires that the following types of accidents be reported to the HSE:

• Fatalities and major accidents
• Injuries resulting in more than 7 days off work or inability to carry on with normal work
• Dangerous occurrences

TT4 – Alcohol and Drugs
This talk will cover the effects of alcohol and drugs on your safety and others.

TT5 – Asbestos
This talk will cover where you will find asbestos, how it can affect you and hazardous work.

TT6 – Benefits of Safety
This talk will cover how everyone benefits from working on a safe site and the costs of not doing so.

TT7 – Buried Services
This talk will cover gas, water mains, sewers and colour coding for buried services.

TT8 – Cartridge-Operated Tools
This talk will cover before use, safe use, hazards and after use of tools.

TT9 – Chainsaws
This talk will cover preparation for use, refuelling and safe use of chainsaws.

TT10 – Control of Dust & Fumes
This talk will cover some sources and dangers of dust and fumes, as well as examples of precautions that can be taken.

TT11 – Control of Noise
This talk will cover hazards, controlling noise and ear protection.

TT11 – COSHH
This talk will cover risk assessment, hazards, control measures and safe use of substances.                                                                                                        

TT13 – Electricity on Site
This talk will cover underground cables and overhead power lines.

TT14 – Excavations
This talk will cover precautions and accidents.                                                                                       

TT15 – Fire Prevention & Control
This talk will cover fire prevention, precautions, types of extinguishers and actions on fire.

TT16 – First Aid
This talk will cover the following: before first aid, when first aid is required, and basic first aid.

TT17 – General Safety Legislation
This talk will cover details of legislation introduced to protect your health and safety whilst at work.

TT18 – General Site Health & Safety
This talk will cover responsibilities under health and safety legislation and on-site safety.

TT19 – Health & Safety at Work Act 1974
This talk will cover legal responsibilities and penalties under the Act.

TT20 – Health on Site
This talk will cover types of health issues affecting construction workers and the preventative measures.

TT21 – HFLs & Petroleum Based Adhesives
This talk will cover the hazards, storage and use of these products.

TT22 – Hoists and Hoist Towers
This talk will cover safe working practices when using hoists.

TT23 – Hydro Demolition
This talk will cover the dangers associated with hydro demolition and how they can be overcome.

TT24 – Ladders
This talk will cover before-use checks, use of ladders and hazards.

TT25 – Lead Hazards
This talk will cover the effects of lead on the body, the methods of controlling exposure and sources of exposure.

TT26 – Legal Duties of Employees
This talk will cover the legal duties of employees under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and regulations.

TT27 – Lifting Accessories
This talk will cover slings, chains, shackles, hooks and eyebolts.

TT28 – Lifting Equipment & Operations
This talk will cover the procedures to follow to ensure that lifting operations are carried out in a safe manner.

TT29 – LPG & Other Compressed Gases
This talk will cover hazards, use, storage and transport.

TT30 – Manual Handling
This talk will cover considerations and good techniques for manual handling.

TT31 – Mobile Elevating Work Platforms
This talk will cover the hazards and safe operating methods for MEWPs.

TT32 – Mobile Plant
This talk will cover the dangers associated with mobile plant and how they can be overcome.

TT33 – Mobile Scaffold Towers
This talk will cover erection, use, stability and hazards.

TT34 – Needle-stick Injuries
This talk will cover the actions you should take if you discover a needle and if you prick your skin with it.

TT35 – Personal Hygiene
This talk will cover the price that you may have to pay for poor standards of personal hygiene and what you can do to prevent it.

TT36 – Personal Protective Equipment
This talk will cover the measures necessary to ensure that the use of PPE is effective.

TT37 – Piling
This talk will cover The dangers and precautions to be taken.

TT38 – Plant & Equipment
This talk will cover safe operating procedures for plants and equipment; please note that lifting equipment, woodworking machines, MEWP and electrical hand tools are covered in other toolbox talks

TT39 – Pollution Control
This talk will cover sources of pollution and ways in which operatives can ensure that they don’t contribute to the pollution of the environment.

TT40 – Portable, Hand-held Tools
This talk will cover before-use checks, the use of electric tools and hazards.

TT41 – Powers of the HSE
This talk will cover what you should be aware of and what to do if an inspector visits your place of work.

TT42 – Protection of Eyes
This talk will cover hazards and wearing eye protection.

TT43 – Protection of Skin
This talk will cover hazards to the skin and precautions to protect the skin.

TT44 – Risk Assessment & Method Statements
This talk will cover what risk assessments and method statements mean to you.

TT45 – Road & Street Safety
This talk will cover the precautions necessary to protect operatives and road users.

TT46 – Safe Stacking of Materials
This talk will cover general points and stacking of bricks, timber, pipes and prefabricated panels.

TT47 – Safe Working at Height
The talk covers the hazards of working on roofs and safety when working at height.

TT48 – Safety in Demolition
This talk will cover before and during the demolition, as well as hazards on the demolition site

TT49 – Safety Inspections & Consultation
This talk will cover the benefits of safety inspections and consultation.

TT50 – Safety Nets & Suspension Equipment
This talk will cover items to be considered before, during and after using safety nets and suspension equipment.

TT51 – Safety with Steelwork
This talk will cover the hazards associated with the erection of steelwork and the precautions to be taken.

TT52 – Security on Site
This talk will cover the hazards to unauthorised visitors and ways of preventing unauthorised access.   

TT53 – Signallers and Slingers
This talk will cover lifting gear, before lifting, during lifting and potential hazards

TT54 – Site Transport
This talk will cover the dangers associated with site transport and how they can be overcome.

TT55 – Slips, Trips and Falls
This talk will cover the causes and prevention of slips, trips and falls.

TT56 – Sun Safety
This talk will cover the facts and statistics about skin cancer, who is at risk and how to protect yourself.

TT57 – System Scaffolds
This talk covers safety features, which are specific system scaffolds. In addition to other safety features that are common to all scaffolds,

TT58 – Trackside Safety
This talk will cover some hazards and precautions associated with working on railways.

TT59 – Trestles and Stepladders
This talk will cover folding adjustable trestles and stepladders.

TT60 – Tube & Fittings Scaffolding
This talk will cover access, loading, hazards, inspection and security.

TT61 – Vehicle Fuels
This talk will cover the hazards created by different fuels and the precautions necessary.

TT62 – Vibration
This talk will cover the sources, effects and methods of overcoming excessive vibration.

TT63 – Waste Management
This talk will cover the risks to health and safety resulting from poor housekeeping.

TT64 – Water Jetting
This talk will cover the dangers associated with water jetting and how they can be overcome.

TT65 – Weil’s Disease
This talk will cover the effects and symptoms of Weil’s disease, the measures you should take to avoid it, and who may be at risk.

TT66 – Welfare Arrangements
This talk will cover the factors determining whether site welfare facilities are adequate.

TT67 – Woodworking Machines
This talk will cover the safety precautions in the use of hand-held circular saws and floor-mounted woodworking machines.

TT68 – Working in Confined Spaces
This talk will cover hazards, such as before entry, work in confined spaces, and emergency procedures.

TT69 – Working over Water
This talk will cover the prevention of drowning and rescue from the water.

TT70 – Young People on Site
This talk will cover why young people are vulnerable and what we should all be doing to safeguard their health and safety on site.

Download the 70 FREE toolbox talk now.

CHAS and Constructionline Enquiries

Over the last few months we have had a large influx of clients that have been asked for an SSIP accreditation as well as Constructionline. There are a number of ways you can achieve this:

Constructionline

You can start your Constructionline Application as normal but request that you also get assessed for Acclaim. This will mean that your health & Safety will be assessed by Constructionline. The assessor will feedback and further information they need and the process can take up to 3-5 weeks to complete.

CHAS and Constructionline

In order to get both accreditations we would recommend that you start the process for CHAS first, this can take an average of 4 weeks from start to completion. Once you have your CHAS certificate you can then apply to Constructionline when you apply you would tick yes to having an SSIP certificate and upload your CHAS certificate here.

There is then no need to apply for acclaim and you would go ahead with you constructionline application as normal.

If you looking for help with applying for both accreditation’s we can help with that here at Seguro.