Welcome to the December edition of our Health & Safety Questions

Please find below the five questions we thought were worth sharing from this months queries that have come into our office here at Seguro.

Why don’t I just go straight to CHAS?

We provide a service to help companies prepare their documentation to demonstrate their ability for carrying out their works safety.  Many companies have the skills but not the paperwork, we work with those companies providing a safety advisor service for the duration of their CHAS to ensure they implement the documents produced. (companies less than 5)

What does it mean that a company has a CHAS accreditation?

This means that a company has had their Health & Safety assessed by an SSIP umbrella body.

How do i get an SSIP certificate?

You can approach one of the many companies found on ssip or you can enquire with us how we can help you gain accreditation.

Do Constructionline carry out an onsite inspection?

No all assessments are carried out on the documentation you provide with your application.

How long does it take for Constructionline to do my assessment?

Constructionline can take up to two weeks to assess the documentation that you submit.

Welcome to the November edition of ask Seguro

Please find below the five questions we thought were worth sharing from this months queries that have come into our office here at Seguro.

Should i apply for CHAS or Safe Contractor?

Which accreditation is very much a business decision and tends to be dictated by the client you are working for. They are both part of the SSIP umbrella group so you can deem to satisfy for the other one should you need it.

Im a sole trader why do i need CHAS?

CHAS is an assessment of your companies Health & Safety so the number of employees is not applicable, even as a sole trader you still need to be able to demonstrate that you know how to carry out your work activities safely.

I cant download your free toolbox talks.

We offer a free Toolbox talk pack which you can download by clicking here, as long as you follow the instructions you will be sent an email with the link to download.

How long does it take for CHAS to do my assessment?

CHAS can take up to two weeks to assess the documentation that you submit. You will receive all communication through the new portal.

Welcome to the October edition of ask Seguro

Please find below the five questions we thought were worth sharing from this months queries that have come into our office here at Seguro.

How does a small building company become CHAS accredited?

CHAS is applicable to all companies and has the same set up process in place, you can find out how to apply by clicking here.

How can you check a supplier on CHAS?

CHAS is part of the SSIP group so you can find out if a company is SSIP registered by logging here.

How much does CHAS cost?

There are different fees depending on your size and the activity your company carries out. Please see the price chart here.

How much to outsource CHAS?

There are various consultants that can help you in the perpetration of your documentation, this is also a service we offer more information can be found here.

What health and safety training do i need for CHAS?

Each company will need various training depending on their activity there are three courses that tend to cover all the requirements and these can be carried out via E-learning. Learn more about e-learning.

Which Accreditation is best for my business?

This is a question here at Seguro that we get 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 accreditaiton 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:

Stage one: Apply for your CHAS accreditation as this can be used for the Health & Safety Section of 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 CHAS apply for your 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. The fee does not cover the costs during the first year, but over time, it does.

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 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 for you to go through as well as a handout for your employees to make notes as you are going through.

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.

Health & Safety questions in January

Welcome to the January edition on ask Seguro?

Please find below the five questions we thought were worth sharing from this months queries.

1. Can i change my name with CHAS?

You can change your name by phoning CHAS on 0208 545 3838

2. Why do i get emails from Constructionline about updating information?

Unlike CHAS you will receive emails from Constructionline as and when the documents run out you have uploaded. These will all have various dates so you will get a reminder email for each section as it becomes due.

3. Do i have to have a risk assessment for COVID19

Any of our clients who are looking for assistance please get in touch.

4. Do i need site visits from my competent safety advisor?

No you can have a competent Safety advisor that looks after your business remotely, if needed they will be available to visit site and help with all HSE issues and requirements.

5. I paid for my CHAS last year but never submitted it – do i have to pay again?

You will need to pay again as your assessment fee will have expired

CHAS or Not?

Are you thinking about getting your CHAS accreditation but not sure if it is the right one for you and your business. Most of the requests we get to help people with their CHAS application are from companies who have been asked to have CHAS by a client that they are working with for the first time or for a tender they are applying for.

CHAS is part of the SSIP umbrella group so is seen in the industry as a measure of a companies ability to deliver their services complying with Health & Safety. As CHAS measures the Health & Safety process within your company looking at your risk assessments and method statements that you use on current projects achieving the accreditation shows you meet the required standard.

CHAS accreditation can help you to gain more work as well as opening doors for you to work with larger clients and public bodies. There is a membership fee applicable and if you choose to get help with completing the paperwork there will also be a fee payable for that process. So the business decision needs to be made by you.

Is the initial cost worth it for the potential gain?

For more information on CHAS and how to prepare the documentation needed please see our CHAS information.

Remote Competent Safety Advisor Vs Onsite Visiting

We often get asked the question about our Competent Safety Advisor Service to see what the benefits are compared to having someone employed onsite. The obvious one is cost, it is much more cost effective to have a remote competent person as a service, a service like ours starts from £50 per month compared to a full time salary.

Why use an outsourced service?

• We supply a comprehensive Health and Safety Management System
• We develop a bespoke company Health and Safety Policy for your business
• We work with you to develop a company employee handbook
• We develop an Environmental Policy specific to you
• We provide assistance in Accident Reporting to Enforcing Authorities/Accident Investigation
• We will liaison with Enforcing Authorities on your behalf

Ongoing support

• Access to telephone advice on an unlimited number of occasions
• Updates on any changes in Health and Safety legislation
• Access to over 80 risk assessments and various supporting documentation held on our website
• Yearly review of all documentation and revised documents issued
• Monthly newsletters giving you latest Health & Safety News as well as legislation updates.

With over 200 clients we provide a comprehensive service that is affordable and reliable so SME’s can have peace of mind that they are compliant with their legal obligations.

There are no hidden fees and we pride ourselves with having an 95% retention record year on year. You can see testimonials on our website or on Trust pilot which is an independent review platform.

If you would like to speak to us or get more information please get in touch.