Are you wondering how Brexit will affect Health & Safety?

We all know there are many different views on how this will affect us and only time will tell, we have been reading some of the information available on the web and thought it might be useful to get it all in one place for you to have a read.

We have picked some health & Safety topics as well as general construction related industry news.

www.shponline.co.uk

www.technical-publicity.com

www.lexology.com

www.theguardian.com

NB – these are not the views of Seguro we are just collating public information.

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Safecontractor Scheme

Safecontractor is part of the Alcumus Group. The Safecontractor scheme is a web based portal where suppliers can complete an online version of an Health & Safety PQQ. This is then assessed and measured to ensure that your company complies with the guidelines set out.

As Safecontractor is a set of guidelines clients can use this to measure companies without having to get individual PQQ’s filed in for each occasion. There are over 24,000 members currently in the scheme.

The process for safe contractor takes on average 8 weeks once you have submitted your documentation to them for review. Safecontractor is a good way to show you have demonstrated your Health & Safety competence and both new and existing clients will recognise that.

Safecontractor is part of the SSIP umbrella organisation of accreditations so gaining Safecontractor can also deem you to satisfy for other accreditations should your clients require them such as CHAS of exor.

To find out more about deeming to satisfy please read our blog

If you are looking for help in completing your Safecontractor application get in touch with us today.

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How to make sure you are compliant in 2016 – Health & Safety Legislation

Throughout the year the HSE release various updates to existing legislation in order to ensure that the legislation stay current and suitable for the changing workplaces we all work in.

There are various ways for you find this information out:

• Periodically visit the HSE website to see if there are any changes posted.
• Search online to see if you can find anything.
• Become a member of a professional body
• Sign up to various magazines.
• Outsource your Competent Safety Advisor resource.

As part of our Competent Safety Advisor service we ensure that on a monthly basis you are provided with all changes should they affect you or not. That way you are fully informed and up to date on all changes and can make the business decision yourselves if you need to be aware.

There are additional benefits to our service that can ensure that going into 2016 Health & Safety isnt something yo need to worry about you can concentrate on your business.

• A comprehensive Health and Safety Management System – complete with policies, procedures, forms, checklists, etc to ensure compliance with legislation
• Development of your company Health and Safety Policy
• Development of a company employee handbook
• Development of an Environmental Policy
• Assistance in Accident Reporting to Enforcing Authorities/Accident Investigation
• Liaison with Enforcing Authorities on your behalf
• Access to telephone advice on an unlimited number of occasions
• Updates on any changes in Health and Safety legislation

Below is a copy of our latest legislation updates, if you think we may be able to help you on a monthly basis please get in touch.

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How to Stay Safe at Christmas

Christmas is a special time for celebration and should not end in tragedy because of the extra hazards that are present at this time of year.

Here are a few hints and tips to keep you aware:

Fairy Lights

• Check the fuses are the right type (see the box for the maximum size of fuse you should use).
• If bulbs blow, replace them.
• Don’t leave fairy lights on when you go out or when you go to sleep.
• Don’t let the bulbs touch anything that can burn easily, like paper.
• Don’t overload sockets.

Decorations

• Decorations made of light tissue paper or cardboard burn easily.
• Don’t attach them to lights or heaters.
• Don’t put them immediately above or around the fireplace.
• Keep them away from candles.

The awareness video below has been used by fire services and safety consultants to demonstrate how quickly something small can take hold.

More information can be found on the fire saftey website

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Depending on which industry you work in there are a different variety of hazards you may come into contact with.

One example is an office worker is much less at risk from being burnt than a chef as you would expect.

There is however a range of common accidents and injuries which occur across all occupational sectors – and slips / trips and falls invariably top the table.

In 2013/14

• over half the fatal injuries to workers were of three kinds: falls from height; contact with moving machinery; and being struck by a vehicle (RIDDOR)
• falls and slips & trips, combined, account for over a third (35%) of employee injuries. They made up more than half of all reported major/specified injuries and almost three in ten (29%) over-seven-day injuries to employees (RIDDOR)
• handling was the most frequent cause of over-seven-day injury (RIDDOR)
• an estimated 1.9 million working days were lost due to handling injuries and slips & trips (LFS).

Source HSE

Overall, the three most common types of accident/injury were:

• Trips/slips or falls
• Machinery / Moving Objects
• Manual handling/lifting

Some of the most common injuries were:

• Sprains and strains
• Back injury
• Head injury
• Neck injury
• Repetitive Strain Injury

Most Common Risks

Overall, slips/trips and falls or damage caused by manual handling/lifting remain the main culprits of injury in the workplace.

Some of these risks may have been able to be managed if a risk assessment and workforce training had been carried out. If you need an up to date risk assessment or tool box talks download our free documents below:

RA1 – Working at Heights

Slips, Trips and Falls Tool Box Talk

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A monthly long inspection by the HSE has found that 40% of construction sites are failing to properly protect their workers. Nearly half of the sites visited had conditions that were unacceptable and operated dangerous practices.

1 in 5 sites were issued with formal enforcement notices with 35% of notices served for reasons such as management of asbestos, harmful dusts, inadequate welfare provision and noise/vibration.

HSE chief on Construction Philip White said:

“We also find health is often overlooked as its implications are not immediately visible, however the effects of uncontrolled exposure to deadly dusts such as asbestos and silica can be irreversible”

For examples of good and bad practice visit the HSE’s Safe Sites Pinterest gallery

For more on this story visit the HSE website

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Construction companies encouraged to attend safety event

With the majority of workers being killed or injured on construction sites coming from small/medium sized companies, they are being encouraged to attend a health & safety awareness event in Aberdeen on  17th September 2014.

The event organised by the HSE will focus on safety issues for construction workers, especially groundworks.

Isabelle Martin, HSE Principal Inspector, said:

“Incidents at the groundworks phase, for example trench collapses, can often be fatal, so it is vital that managers and company owners understand how to reduce risks on their sites.”

The event aims to give practical advice and guidance on issues that can impact on a business and ultimately lives.

The safety and health awareness event will be held in the Engineering Lecture Theatre of Scotland’s Rural College’s Cruickshanks Building on the Craibstone Estate, Bucksburn, Aberdeen AB21 9TR on Wednesday, 17 September 2014 .

For more information contact Barbara Bell at barbara.bell@hse.gsi.gov.uk,  telephone: 0141 275 3068.

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