ISSUE 3 | JANUARY 2023 HEALTH & SAFETY ADVISER ONLINE IN-DEPTH GUIDANCE AND SUPPORT FOR COMPANY OWNERS, DIRECTORS, HEALTH & SAFETY EXPERTS AND MANAGERS Keep Your Employees Safe While Managing Your Energy Costs Discover our top 5 tips for reducing energy costs plus essential risk management controls. SEE PAGE 6 >> 7 New Year’s Resolutions to Drive Health and Safety Improvements Why not celebrate the New Year by tackling these common workplace issues? SEE PAGE 5 >> Deal with the Dangers of Complacency in Your Workplace We reveal how complacency can destroy your best efforts to keep employees safe. SEE PAGE 8 >> Why You Must Retain Key Knowledge when Staff Leave Dear Reader, As Benjamin Franklin once said, ‘An investment in knowledge always pays the best interest’. The knowledge in your organisation will be spread far and wide but there will always be a few key individuals who hold knowledge that nobody else does. So, what happens when they leave? I once worked for an organisation that decided to let go a huge number of staff over a very short period of time. The result – pandemonium when it was found that those remaining were left in the dark about how to carry out certain functions. When you are aware that employees are going to leave the organisation, then make sure that they pass on key health and safety information before they depart. Start the process early so that responsibilities can be reallocated and key training undertaken. Where time is short, get them to write procedures down so that they can be referred to as needed. That way you can be sure that any transition is literally pain free! Inside this Issue: 7 New Year’s Resolutions to Drive Health and Safety Improvements SEE PAGE 5 >> Keep Employees Safe while Managing Energy Costs with 5 Practical Tips SEE PAGE 6 >> How You Can Tackle the Dangers of Complacency in Your Workplace SEE PAGE 8 >> Ask the Experts: Safety Markings, Telescopic Ladders, Dog Attacks SEE PAGE 9 >> 3 Key Actions to Tackle Cancer in Your Workforce SEE PAGE 10 >> Reduce the Risk of Fire and Explosion from Your LPG storage SEE PAGE 11 >> Online Resource Centre Yours Sincerely, You can download and customise all of the tools found in this issue at: www.safety-adviser.co.uk/resources Access hundreds of actionable solutions by way of legally-compliant tools, such as checklists, policies, risk assessments and Toolbox Talks covering the core areas of health & safety. You can download these immediately, edit and customise these to your organisation’s needs. Go to: www.safety-adviser.co.uk/resources and enter your personal password. Or, if you have not yet created a password, simply follow the instructions on screen. Ask the Experts Email Helpdesk Editor-in-Chief: Ian Bollans CMIOSH, CMCIEH About the Editor Ian Bollans has over 40 years expertise in health and safety: as an Inspector, trainer and Head of Health and Safety for Local Government. He has authored two seminal safety publications. Ian is a Chartered Member of IOSH and of the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health. 2 Get free personal, 1:1 advice from our team of experts, including the Health & Safety Adviser Editor-in-Chief, Ian Bollans, Risk Assessment & Compliance Editors, Carolyn Dukes and Linda Crossland-Mead and HR Adviser Editor, Jackie Le Poidevin. Just email hsadviser@agorabusiness.co.uk on any health & safety, HR and employment law issue you are facing and you will receive an answer within 48 hours. www.safety-adviser.co.uk/resources NEWS AND TRENDS Severed Hand and Large Fine Reinforces Need for Robust Assessments A fine of £115,000 was the result following an accident in which an employee’s hand was severed in a machine. The court heard how maintenance work went horribly wrong after a failure to carry out a risk assessment and to follow safe systems of work. Read on to discover how it happened and the essential controls you should have in place when maintaining your equipment. A maintenance worker was repairing a box-making machine when his sleeve became caught in the chain drive, dragging his hand into the machinery. The equipment was not isolated at the time of the accident as was common practice among employees. Although his hand was reattached, his use is severely limited and he is unable to work. ● The HSE investigation found that the company’s risk assessment did not cover maintenance activities and there were no safe systems of work or training to ensure safe isolation and access. They also found that it was a regular occurrence to bypass a gate that was supposed to keep workers away from dangerous moving parts of the machine which indicated a lack of adequate supervision. His employer, Riftward Ltd based in Wrexham, was fined £115,000. Issues to Consider ● Check that your risk assessments for equipment and machinery covers the risks from maintenance and repair activities. This is a common oversight despite such activities causing numerous significant injuries each year. Don’t carry out a desktop exercise but speak to the persons carrying out the work and the users of the machine. Their actual working practices could easily differ significantly from what you think happens. Also check that the risk of entanglement is addressed, whether it’s clothing, long hair or jewellery. Develop robust ‘lock out tag out’ procedures to ensure that equipment is effectively isolated while work is being carried out and cannot be turned back on until all work has been completed safely, such as a permit-to-work system. Train employees (engineers and machine operatives) so that there can be no misunderstanding as to what is required. Tip ✓ Even where you rely on outside contractors to carry out your maintenance, you still must develop procedures to keep them safe. Ask to see their risk assessments before allowing them to continue. ● Where you experience continuing problems with equipment as in this case, then expect employees to get frustrated and take shortcuts. Take any feedback from employees on equipment problems seriously and act on it quickly. Increase your levels of supervision in the meantime to reassure yourself that safety procedures are being followed. ● A degree of supervision is always necessary, even if you think your employees are experienced, so review the levels that you provide. For higher-risk activities or where workers are young or inexperienced, increase your supervision levels accordingly. Accident Highlights Why Your Risk Assessments May Not be Suitable and Sufficient S tagecoach Devon Ltd was fined £380,000 after one of its employees received life-changing injuries after being struck by a bus at a depot in Torquay. Being struck by a moving vehicle is the second biggest cause of fatal accidents, so why didn’t the company take the right precautions? We reveal the common oversight that they, and many other employers, still make and what should have been done. The employee was assisting another driver who was trying to reverse a bus out of its parking space in a busy and cramped depot when he was crushed between a stationary vehicle. The depot was dark and as it was early in the morning there was a lot of vehicle and pedestrian movements occurring. A dedicated banskman was employed but they were always occupied at the top part of the depot where traffic was heavier. Consequently, it become common practice for drivers in the lower depot to assist each other – a task that had not been trained for. The crushing caused extensive injuries to his arm and following a HSE investigation, Stagecoach Devon Ltd pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and were fined £380,000. Key Takeaways A common error that the company made was that although they had undertaken a risk assessment, it was not site-specific. This meant that due to the restricted nature of the site, there were more reversing vehicles than usual, overstretching the single banksman. Where you have multiple site operations, then check that your risk assessments relate to the actual conditions and work practices on site. Don’t rely on a generic assessment unless you are satisfied that there is no possibility of variation between your operations. Take each of your site managers through your risk assessments to weed out possible variances and then adapt your assessments to fit the site operations. www.safety-adviser.co.uk/resources 3 NEWS AND TRENDS Looking for Inspiration? 3 Best Practice Ideas L earning from others makes good sense. Not only can you pinch some good ideas but you can also avoid pitfalls along the way. The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work has recently published its ‘Good Practice Awards’, highlighting some excellent projects. We summarise some of the initiatives that could well inspire you to take a closer look at your workplace. 1. Best Practice: Incorporate the Needs of an Ageing Workforce A large hospital department had a workforce whose average age was 50 years. They decided to review how they took employees’ needs into consideration in different stages of their lives. They held a number of risk management workshops designed to identify risk factors and to encourage suggestions on suitable control measures. From these workshops a number of initiatives were brought forward: ● ● ● ● Healthy lifestyle classes looking at back exercises, healthy eating and relaxation techniques. A decision to involve employees in trialling and purchasing new equipment and PPE. The formation of mixed age teams to provide assistance for older employees carrying out strenuous work. A project group to monitor implementation and effectiveness. Actions 1 Review how you make purchasing decisions, making sure that employees have effective input. 2 Where you have older workers or workers with a disability, then review the work undertaken to determine whether it is within their capabilities. Consider the benefits of pairing with a younger worker. Not only will they be able to assist in more strenuous work but the older, more experienced employee can mentor and pass their skillset. 3 4 Where you implement any safety improvements, look to get input from a wide range of people as to its effectiveness. Quite often a small amount of user feedback can make all the difference between success and failure. There is much evidence to suggest that wider workplace health interventions can reduce absenteeism in the workplace by reducing both physical and mental illnesses. Why not look at setting up a small project group to see what could be achieved in your workplace? Our next example may provide some inspiration. 2. Best Practice: Ensure Employees are Healthy and Satisfied at Work An insurance company recognised the benefit of employees taking care of their health as a daily habit, both at home and in the office. A number of initiatives were undertaken: ● ● ● Online workshops with a health specialist. Plus engagement of an occupational physician to analyse the type of sick leave being undertaken and to plan interventions to reduce staff absenteeism. Engagement of a professional to advise and instruct employees on achievement of good workplace ergonomics. Workshops to build resilience against stress and burnout, including psychological support. Actions 1 Research some interventions that you might want to introduce in your workplace. It doesn’t have to be grand but focus on something that appeals to you and your employees. 2 Use your sickness absence records to determine whether there are any discernible patterns, such as bad backs or stress, that may hint at an underlying problem. 3 Involve staff in the decision-making process and ask for their ideas as to what would appeal to them. 3. Best Practice Reducing the Strain of Physically Demanding Work A cleaning company had trouble retaining experienced employees and had a relatively high sickness and absence rate. As its work was physically demanding, it decided that in order to increase productivity it would work towards reducing physical strain – a significant cause of sickness. It decided to take a three-pronged approach, targeting its interventions at individuals and its organisational and technical arrangements. Its measures included: ● ● Engaging an ergonomics specialist to work with employees identifying problems and changing working methods. Together with awareness sessions to keep reinforcing the message. Making tools lighter and more ergonomic, task rotation and assistance for the highest risk tasks. Actions 1 Where you have identified a potential issue, then consider getting a specialist to assist you. There might well be an upfront cost but you will recoup that through time savings. 2 Continually reinforce your health promotion messages. Don’t rely on a single avenue as staff can become ‘immune’ to this but use a variety of channels such as your intranet, staff meetings and surveys. IMPRINT HEALTH & SAFETY ADVISER Publisher: Agora Business Publications, Ground Floor – Water Mill, The Water Mill Park, Broughton, BD23 3AG • Tel: 01756 693 180 Website: www.agorabusiness.co.uk • Email: cs@agorabusiness.co.uk • Reg No: OC323533 • VAT No: GB 893 3184 95 • Editor-in-Chief: Ian Bollans CMIOSH, CMCIEH • Publishing Manager: Niki Haunch • ISSN 2047-7147 This publication is for general guidance only and is not intended to address the circumstances of any particular individual or entity. Any legal advice is relevant at the date of publication and may be subject to change. Documents may need to be tailored to suit individual circumstances and professional advice should be sought before any action is taken, or any decision is made to refrain from action. 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We help you achieve through information you can trust. 4 www.safety-adviser.co.uk/resources SAFETY IN PRACTICE Adopt these 7 New Year’s Resolutions to Drive Health and Safety Improvements M aking resolutions each New Year is a bit of a tradition and tend to focus on personal elements. Why not make some for revamping health and safety in your workplace and engage your workforce in achieving them? In this article we suggest some resolutions you could adopt to tackle common health and safety problems in the workplace and help ensure that your employees can celebrate a year with no injuries. Resolution 1: Review Risk Assessments Many organisations fall into the common trap of carrying out risk assessments and then never reviewing them. If this sounds vaguely familiar, then take action this year to solve this problem. Check that all your assessments have a sensible review date. It’s up to you to decide the frequency of review but base it on risk, with riskier activities such as working around vehicles or working at height being reviewed at least annually. Set up a system to record review dates so that you can keep track of what is due and check that they have been done. Tip ✓ Make risk assessment review a performance item in your managers’ annual appraisals – it tends to concentrate the mind! Resolution 2: Evaluate Your Active Monitoring This is something I mention pretty often in Health & Safety Adviser – only because it is so important if you are to maintain high standards. I have always been amazed at the degree of disconnect between management and actual work practices, so think hard at the levels of workplace monitoring that you actually do. Why not introduce a programme of workplace inspections and audits, making sure that you involve your senior managers in the process? It sends a powerful message across the organisation and galvanises the actions of middle management. Instruct managers to make regular tours of the workplace with copies of the risk assessments so they can compare theory with practice! Resolution 3: Train Your Managers You may well ensure that shopfloor workers receive the training they need but have you considered the level of training that you give your managers? After all, they will be the ones responsible for putting company policy into practice, so make sure that you give them the right tools to do that. Run a training workshop so that they are clear about their roles and responsibilities, fully understand company policies and procedures and how to put them into practice. Determine whether you wish to send managers on an IOSH course such as ‘Managing Safely’ which can be completed online for approximately £200. that could be affected by these. Make sure that you have applied the correct ‘hierarchy of controls’, for example, by removing the need to work at height before issuing fall arrest equipment or tackling slippery floors before issuing safety shoes. Review your risk assessments to check that these have been considered and applied rather than relying on PPE. Hold toolbox talks with your employees to satisfy yourself that they understand the risks they face and the control measures that should be employed to ensure their safety. Make sure your managers appreciate the need to actively monitor higher-risk work activities. Resolution 5: Reduce Incidences of Ill Health Don’t neglect that ill health caused by workplace conditions could be a bigger problem in many workplaces than accidents. Check that your COSHH assessments are up to date and that you have actively considered safer alternative substances or processes. Ensure that you have considered often overlooked potential problems such as dust and diesel fumes. If you have not got a health surveillance system in place and your employees are exposed to substances that could cause a health condition such as asthma or dermatitis, then do consult with an occupational health specialist to help you establish one. They don’t cost much to run and give you and your employees added reassurance that their health is being protected. Resolution 6: Engage with Your Employees The most safety-efficient organisations have a process for engaging and involving their employees in managing their own health and safety. If your organisation is small then direct consultation with employees may be the best option, otherwise, look to appoint safety representatives and establish a workplace health and safety committee. Provide training to those involved so that they can be effective in their roles. Resolution 7: Review the Past Year Don’t make any resolutions until you have reviewed how the last year went. Did you have any accidents or near misses or employees that went off with a bad back or stress? Look at your own performance in managing your employees’ safety and be honest if there is any room for improvement. Use that information to help guide your priorities for this year. Hopefully next year you can look back and note some significant improvements. Resolution 4: Tackle Top Accidents Download Help to drive down accident statistics by tackling the top culprits. For fatal accidents, falls from height, being struck by a moving vehicle and moving objects are the top three. For non-fatal accidents, slips and trips, manual handling and being struck by a moving object are the three worst. Take a deep and critical review of any work activities Use your Action Planning Template to help plan actions for your chosen resolutions. You can download and adapt this template from your Online Resource Centre at: www.safety-adviser.co.uk/resources www.safety-adviser.co.uk/resources ⇣ 5 KEY TOPIC Keep Your Employees Safe while Managing Your Energy Costs with 5 Practical Tips T he recent and future increases in the cost of energy is unprecedented and both domestic consumers and businesses face difficult times ahead as they see massive energy bills hitting the doormat for the foreseeable future. In this article we offer some simple and effective tips on how you could reduce your bills, but also some of the health and safety implications that you may potentially overlook when implementing these cost-reduction methods. With cuts in the gas supplies to Europe and a worldwide surge for energy, supply shortages have pushed up prices considerably. Even with Government support, bills will be much higher this year. Faced with such a surge in prices, many businesses are desperately trying to find ways to cut their costs. We offer some top tips that you should consider introducing. 5 Tips to Reduce Your Energy Costs Although there are numerous ways that you can reduce energy consumption, we give some suggestions ranging from short-term no-cost measures, to longer-term investment strategies to help keep your costs down. Tip 1: Look to the Long Term Download Use your Energy Efficiency Checklist to audit the approach you are taking to securing energy efficiency. You can download this checklist from your Online Resource Centre at: www.safety-adviser.co.uk/resources Opportunity ✓ Businesses are always looking at the ‘green credentials’ of others who they wish to do business with. Showing a commitment to reducing your carbon footprint could open up the door to new contracts! A typical business will spend 40% of their energy costs heating their building, so look as to how you can maintain efficient temperature control avoiding overheating the workplace but still maintaining a comfortable working temperature. Turning down the thermostat by just 10C can save 8% on energy costs. Think about installing SMART thermostats where you can remotely control temperatures. Just remember that although the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 only require the maintenance of a ‘reasonable’ temperature in your workplace, the HSE Approved Code of Practice states that 160C should normally be the minimum temperature – this can be reduced to 130C where ‘rigorous physical effort’ occurs. If you are still working a hybrid model for homeworking, then think about consolidating your workspace to avoid under-utilisation of your accommodation. Tip 2: Take Advantage of Grants and Tax Breaks There are a variety of grants, loans and other financial assistance available for a range of businesses who want to invest in energyefficient equipment. Talk to your local chamber of commerce, trade association or the Federation of Small Business to find out whether there are any particular schemes in your area. Visit the Ofgem website at: https://bit.ly/3Bab5Hq for a link to various schemes and detailed guidance. ✓ Talk to a tax expert who can advise on the latest position for claiming tax allowances for energy efficiency measures – they can be very generous! Tip 5: Spread the Word Employees will be conscious of the increased cost of living, so capitalise on this and promote energy efficiency measures to your employees. Place posters around the workplace and get your managers to raise the issue at team meetings and seek suggestions as to how costs can be cut. Why not run a competition to solicit some ideas and offer a reward for the best ideas? Quick Wins ✓ Look to develop some quick wins for energy efficiency. This will help demonstrate the potential savings that could be made and help directors to decide on priority investments for the future. Tip 3: Get Expert Help Don’t Let Health and Safety Fall by the Wayside There is no substitute for receiving expert advice, so look to obtain an independent energy audit of your business to highlight where Whatever measures you adopt in your drive towards energy efficiency, bear in mind that there could be health and safety 6 ⇣ Tip 4: Control Heating Costs While it’s important to try and control short-term costs, look to the future for the long-term approach you should be taking to energy efficiency. After all, energy costs will always be a significant cost to your business, so having a plan to keep these to a minimum makes sound business sense. Why not look more closely at gaining certification under BS EN 50001: 2018 ‘Energy Management Systems’ for an internationally recognised standard for reducing energy use and cost. If it sounds like it could be for you, then visit the BSI website at: https://bit.ly/3cHwkac for more information. Tax Tip money-saving improvements can easily be made, both in the shortand long-term. There are many organisations offering their services, so look for ones that can offer an audit that meet the requirements of BS EN 16247 and make contact with previous customers. www.safety-adviser.co.uk/resources KEY TOPIC implications in the decisions you take. We take a closer look at some of the more common issues that you might encounter, together with the practical controls you should be considering. Control Your Lighting Risks Numerous businesses are looking to achieve significant savings by switching lighting systems to more energy-efficient system such as LED. As savings can run to some 90%, it’s certainly tempting to look at reconfiguring your lighting. Keep on Top of Equipment Replacement Control these Risks from Lighting Upgrades Potential Measures ● Install timers to turn off lights automatically. ● Install movement sensors in little-used areas. ● Install daylight sensors that turn lights off when there is enough daylight. ● Install additional switches to help ‘zone’ your lighting. ● Provide energy efficient desk lamps. ● Switch to LED lighting. How to Control the Risks ● Ensure all electrical alterations are carried out by a competent electrician such as a member of the NICEIC or NAPIT. ● Where replacing bulbs look to provide safe access such as podium steps or a tower scaffold. Don’t assume that ladders will always provide the safest means. Don’t use desks or chairs. ● Replacing old, inefficient equipment with modern energy-efficient designs can be tempting but don’t forget to review the health and safety performance of the equipment as well. Energy savings could easily be offset by having to introduce additional control measures, such as installing noise barriers, or having to get workers to wear PPE. Always select equipment that has a good ergonomic fit with the work that has to be undertaken, so involve your employees in your purchasing decisions. A common mistake is not to undertake post-installation checks to ensure that safety devices are working as intended, so take care to avoid this. Ensure that in addition to safety devices, the equipment is supplied with operating instructions and employees are fully trained in its safe operation. Regularly check the operation of movement sensors to ensure lights activate when needed. Avoid Health and Safety Cutbacks When times are difficult it’s always tempting to look everywhere for potential savings but don’t fall into the trap of cutting back on your budgets for health and safety. Purchasing cheap PPE, for example, is often fraught with dangers as was clearly illustrated by the huge amount of unusable PPE bought during the Covid pandemic! Stick with suppliers you can trust and avoid trying to re-use disposable PPE – it’s called disposable for a reason! Keep on top of your regular maintenance and inspection regimes, as not only does it help protect your workers but also keeps your equipment running efficiently and effectively as well. Check Your Ventilation Rates Avoid Risks from Keeping Warm Rather than heat large, under-utilised workspaces, you may decide to provide localised heating sources through the use of portable heaters. Select electrical equipment carefully and avoid heaters with open heating elements and, instead, choose ones such as infra-red or ceramic bar heaters with thermostatic controls and tip switches. Place any trailing cables under cable covers and place the equipment on your PAT testing programme. Check that you are not overloading any electrical circuits. Be aware that some electrical heaters can draw as much as 3kW! If using LPG heaters, choose ones that are of a cabinet design and fitted with flame failure devices and oxygen sensors. Avoid using in confined spaces and keep well clear of any combustible materials. Store cylinders in a safe well-ventilated place outdoors and ensure staff are aware of actions to take in case of leakage. Tip ✓ Where you have homeworkers, remember that they might be struggling to pay their heating bills. Check in on them occasionally to see how they are coping and are not getting stressed about costs. You will obviously want to retain as much heat in your building as possible during the cooler months and will want to avoid opening windows that will let that costly warm air escape! Be aware that there is not only a legal requirement to maintain workplace temperatures but also to ensure adequate ventilation. Tip height away from windows and draughts, ensuring that they at least 50cm away from the nearest person. Take several measurements throughout the day, at times when the room is occupied, to represent changes in activities, the number of people using it and ventilation rates. Where readings are around 1000ppm, this will indicate that ventilation rates are approximately 10 litres per second per person which is the recommend level for most settings. If your readings are above 1500ppm, then take this as an indication that ventilation needs to be improved. ✓ Effective ventilation will help keep the spread of diseases such as Covid, influenza and the common cold under control. Reducing sickness absence also has a beneficial impact on your business costs. In reality, you will have to strike a balance between heating and ventilation so look to provide CO2 monitors that can provide an indication of when ventilation standards are falling. Use nondispersive infrared (NDIR) CO2 monitors and place these at head Additional layers of clothing may seem like a good idea to help keep warm but ensure that your risk assessments address the risks of clothing or gloves becoming entangled in equipment such a pillar drill or other rotating machinery. Where clothing requirements are specified for safety purposes, then ensure that rules are being followed through a process of active monitoring of the workplace. If you have installed plastic curtain strips on doors or to partition work areas to prevent heat loss, then check that visibility is not reduced where vehicular traffic such as forklifts pass through these strips. This can happen gradually over a period of time as they are easily scratched. Look to separate pedestrian and vehicle movements by using separate doors or clearly demarcate which side pedestrians must use. www.safety-adviser.co.uk/resources 7 HEALTH AND SAFETY IN PRACTICE How You Can Effectively Tackle the Dangers of Complacency in Your Workplace W hen your employees are exposed to the same risks, day in and day out, without suffering injury then a gradual desensitisation to those risks can occur – after all, no harm has come of them! That’s when shortcuts start to creep into your safe systems of work and errors of judgement made. We unearth the reasons why complacency can undermine your best efforts and how to gain back the initiative. If I had to rank the worst enemies of health and safety, complacency would have to be sitting up near the top. Many of my accident investigations would unearth phrases such as ‘I just wasn’t thinking’ or ‘Well, it’s never happened before’. As the famous American General Colin Powell said ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ is the slogan of the complacent, the arrogant or the scared. It’s an excuse for inaction, a call to non-arms’. Complacency is a state where employees or management fail to remain diligent about safety in their work environment. They often associate safety with an absence of injury and if nobody has been harmed then there is little or no risk. For obvious reasons, it’s not a good situation to be in, so what can be done to keep both your workers and management on their toes? Follow our guide below to ensure that vigilance rules in your organisation. Avoid Organisational Complacency It’s not just employees that can get complacent, organisational complacency can be fatal as well. Directors and managers take their ‘eye off the ball’ as nothing bad has happened to date and there may be other pressing business needs that require attention. Look to the following measures to prevent this happening: ● ● ● Keep your directors regularly briefed on the current risks, necessary control measures and company performance. They should be able to state the major risks faced by the organisation and fully understand their responsibilities for providing sufficient resources to tackle them. Ensure that all levels of management have clearly defined roles and responsibilities and that they have received training so they can achieve them in a consistent fashion across the organisation. Ensure that there is a system to hold them accountable for their performance. Make safety performance an item during appraisals. Ensure directors are regularly seen on the shop floor taking an active interest in health and safety, talking with employees about improving safety and working with their managers to improve systems and performance. Health and Safety Challenge ✓ Try and develop a culture where management actively seeks out whether there is a problem rather than wait until one is reported. Ask yourself ‘how do I know that there isn’t a problem somewhere?’ Increase Risk Awareness A proper appreciation of the risks faced by your employees is essential if you want to avoid health and safety standards slipping. Use our checklist (see top right) to ensure you have a comprehensive and company-wide approach. 8 How Risk Aware are Your Employees? To be confident about risk awareness in your organisation, you should be able to confirm the following points. Do you involve employees in the risk assessment process? Are employees involved in devising suitable control measures? Yes No n n n n Do you involve safety representatives in accident and near miss investigations? n n Do you use examples of real-life accidents during training to emphasise risks? n n n n n n n n Do you involve safety representatives in workplace inspections and audits? Are all employees subject to induction and job-specific safety training? Do managers regularly observe work practices and provide feedback on safety performance? Train and Inform Training is a fundamental weapon against complacency, so review your training provision to ensure that you have identified all training needs and that a programme has been developed and implemented. Ensure training is relevant and practical. Try and avoid lengthy PowerPoint presentations and opt instead for ‘toolbox talks’ coupled with plenty of hands-on activities. For high-risk activities, provide a degree of ‘overtraining’ so that actions become more automated – similar to the techniques used in the Armed Forces. Skills can be lost as well as gained, so include refresher training at appropriate intervals – more frequently for high-risk work or where workplace monitoring and observations reveal a slip in standards. Think about running safety campaigns to tackle specific issues but make sure to involve employees in the process or hand responsibility to your safety committee! There are plenty of eye-catching posters and leaflets that are either free or available at low cost. Change these frequently to maintain interest. Monitor the Workplace You are under a legal duty to ensure that your health and safety arrangements are being effective. So this means that you should be taking an active approach and monitoring what is happening in your workplace. Ensure that you have a programme of inspections and audits scheduled and that action plans are drawn up following these. Check that managers are undertaking active monitoring such as checking that proper isolation procedures are being followed when carrying out machine maintenance, checking that contractors are following their own risk assessments and method statements and that employees are following the training they have been given. www.safety-adviser.co.uk/resources ASK THE EXPERTS Each month, we bring you three of the best questions we’ve received from our readers via the Ask the Experts service – along with answers from your expert Editor, Ian Bollans. Do you have a question you would like to ask? If so, please contact us by email at hsadviser@agorabusiness.co.uk and you’ll receive a response within 48 hours. What are the New Safety Markings? Question: We understand that safety markings on various types of equipment and PPE has recently changed. Currently we have quite a bit of PPE that is ‘CE’ marked and all of our workplace equipment is similarly marked. Can we continue to use such equipment or do we have to replace this to comply with the new safety marking requirements? Steve Woodfield, Director, Nottingham. You will be pleased to hear, however, that CE marked products manufactured and imported before that date can still be sold without the need to re-test and remark the product, so you will still find lots of supplies and equipment bearing the old mark for some time to come. As regards the equipment and PPE you already have, it’s fine to continue to use them as they are without any further action on your part. Answer: The Government had planned for the UK Conformity Assessed (UKCA) mark to replace the ‘CE’ mark previously used for safety markings from 1 January 2023. They have recently announced that they have further extended the deadline to come into force on 1 January 2025. As always, I would strongly recommend that that you use a reputable supplier for any equipment and PPE purchases as, unfortunately, there are still many sub-standard items on the market. Trial any new purchases, involving your employees in the process before committing to any large-scale or expensive purchases. Should I be Concerned About Our Telescopic Ladders? Question: I have come across an article that suggests telescopic ladders may be unsafe after a number of test purchases revealed serious faults. We have a number of these which are used by our visiting engineers and, to be frank, are extremely useful as they are flexible and take up little space in the vans. What should I be doing to ensure that they are safe? Edward Deal, General Manager, Derby. Answer: The survey you mentioned resulted in 82% of such ladders failing to meet the required standard of EN131-6 and, in many instances, were unsafe to use. For any future purposes, always purchase from a reputable supplier such as a member of the Ladder Association for reassurance. For your existing ladders, check that the equipment bears a label that it complies with the standard – if they do not, then don’t use them. If you are confident you bought from a reputable supplier then they are likely to comply. If bought online from an unknown source, you could be in for a problem, so check over the ladders to determine whether there is undue flexing or bending and that all locking and release mechanisms are working as intended. Check that the treads are securely fixed to the stiles and the ladders feel stable in use. Make sure that the user manual is available and employees are trained in the correct use and operation of the ladder mechanisms. Check that when transporting ladders, nothing is stored on top of them and issue instructions to keep them clean with a clean dry cloth. What Can I Do to Protect Against Dog Attacks? Question: We have a number of delivery drivers who make many visits to commercial and residential properties. They often encounter dogs as part of their work and there have been numerous occasions where aggressive dogs have been encountered. It is only recently, however, that one of our drivers was bitten. What precautions do you think I should be taking? Janice Long, Group Logistics Manager, Mansfield. Answer: The RSPCA estimate that there are around 13 million dogs in the UK and, while many are well-behaved, there is a significant proportion that can be aggressive. While most signs of aggression do not transpire into an actual attack, the experience can still be unnerving to say the least. Begin by educating your staff on how to behave around dogs such as not making sudden movements, avoiding approaching the dog from behind or cornering it. They should be able to recognise warning signs such as raised fur, bared teeth or snarling. Where your workers feel unsafe, then they should not attempt a delivery and make alternative arrangements for collection. Where possible, use timed deliveries as this will enable the owner to keep the dog inside. Where persistent problems occur, then contact the homeowner stating that they should make alternative arrangements for their delivery such as providing a safe place for receipt of the goods. Make sure that your vans are provided with a travel first aid kit so that they can administer treatment until they can be treated properly. www.safety-adviser.co.uk/resources 9 ??????????? NEWS & TRENDS 3 Key Actions to Tackle Cancer in Your Workforce C ancer Research UK estimate that a staggering 38% of cancers are preventable and with new cases running at nearly 400,000 a year, that’s a lot of people who wouldn’t have to go through the worry and pain of this disease. With World Cancer Day falling on 4 February, why not join the fight against cancer in your workplace? Discover the practical actions you could be taking to protect your workers. HSE research estimates that 5.3% of all cancers are attributable to past exposure in the workplace, with some 40% of these occurring due to work in the construction and building maintenance trades. As with most occupational health issues, disease progression is slow and, in the case of cancer, when diagnosis is made, it may already be too late. To keep your workforce healthy, look to take the following preventative actions. Action 1: Your workplace may well contain more cancer-causing substances than you think. Asbestos, radon, diesel fumes, wood dust, concrete dust and benzene are frequently encountered occupational hazards but there are dozens of more substances that are classed as carcinogens. Exposure to such substances should be covered by your COSHH assessments – so check. Make sure that you have considered the hierarchy of controls that you have adopted, checking that you have looked at controls such as elimination or substitution before embarking on lesser measures such as PPE. As there is often not a second chance with cancer, it’s vital to keep on top of your workplace monitoring and train employees to a high level so they are fully aware of the risks and the stringent controls that they should work to. Speak to an occupational health specialist about relevant health surveillance techniques. Action 2: Where you have a person suffering from cancer, always conduct return to work interviews to ascertain what ‘reasonable adjustments’ can be made. For more complicated cases, look to engage an occupational health specialist who can help undertake an individual risk assessment, making sure that you involve the employee throughout the whole process. Action 3: Take some positive action and look to raise awareness of how employees can both reduce their risk of cancer and the importance of recognising the early signs of the disease. Charities such as Cancer Research UK can help tailor packages for your workplace. Even just placing a few posters around your workplace can make all the difference to an individual. 5 Ways to Check the Suitability of Your Vehicle Movement Risk Assessments S egregation of vehicles and pedestrians is vital if you want to avoid one of your workers being killed or seriously injured. You would not want to walk along the hard shoulder of a motorway but many employers are still happy to place their workers at similar risk in their workplace! Discover the reasons why a worker died at a Birmingham racetrack and why you need to be checking your risk assessments. A stock car racing organisation, Incarace Ltd, was fined £50,000 plus £20,000 costs following an incident in which a sponsor was killed on the racetrack in Bordesley Green, Birmingham. The victim had entered the stadium in order to present awards to the winning driver of the race, when he was struck by a large tractor which was recovering vehicles. An investigation by Birmingham City Council found that the risk assessment was not ‘suitable and sufficient’ and control measures for separating pedestrians and vehicles were consequently not implemented. The victim did not hear the approaching tractor and the driver could not see him either. 5 Tips to Check Your Assessments 1 2 10 Critically examine your existing assessments to determine whether you have placed segregation as your number one control measure. You should look to achieve physical segregation such by the use of robust barriers and separate entrances. This is particularly important where vehicles are reversing or manoeuvring in close proximity to pedestrians. Ensure that all your pedestrian routes are clearly marked and employees abide by your rules and stick to them. Consider in your assessments the possibility of a lack of situational awareness by pedestrians. In this case the victim could not hear the approaching tractor due to the noise of the race cars. Another common distraction is the use of mobile phones, so in higher-risk situations, consider banning their use. 3 Drivers of vehicles also need a high degree of situational awareness, so review how effectively they can spot pedestrian hazards. Sit in the vehicle cab with the drivers to determine how well you manage this. Look to improve their chances of spotting a pedestrian by installing camera or proximity alert systems. Lighting levels are important but don’t forget to check that glare is not causing a problem. 4 Wherever possible, limit the amount of vehicle reversing and manoeuvring that takes place. Where this is unavoidable, use trained banksmen to assist. High visibility reflective jackets are also a must. 5 As they say, ‘familiarity breeds contempt’ and where workers are repeatedly exposed to a hazard without incident, then complacency creeps in. Look to tackle this hidden danger by reading our article on page 8. Tip ✓ Monitor vehicle and pedestrian movements at various points during the day to determine what actually happens. Include busy periods such as at shift changes. www.safety-adviser.co.uk/resources PRACTICAL TOOLS Reduce the Risk of Fire and Explosion from Your LPG storage L iquefied petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders can pose a significant risk to employees and property from fire and explosion should their contents leak. Keep your insurers happy and your employees and premises safe by adopting a few simple safety measures. Use our checklist below to ensure that you storage meets basic safety requirements. This checklist can be downloaded from your Online Resource Centre at: www.safety-adviser.co.uk/resources safety-adviser.co.uk/resources Liquefied Petroleum Gas Storage Checklist Check that your LPG storage can meet the following requirements. Storage Arrangements Download ⇣ Have you carried out an assessment under the Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002 (DSEAR)? Have you included LPG storage in your fire risk assessment? Have you considered the risks from arson? Are cylinders stored in a secure location such as an LPG store or cage so as to prevent unauthorised access? Do you treat empty cylinders as if they are full? Is access restricted to authorised personnel only? Is the storage area well-ventilated? Do you have adequate separation distances between your storage area and any boundary, buildings or fixed ignition sources (1m minimum for up to 400kg storage). Is LPG stored at least 2m distance from any openings into buildings, cellars, or pits such as gullies and drains? Do you avoid storing cylinders below ground? Are cylinders protected from excessive heat such as sunlight and standing water? Is the area clear from combustible materials, including wind-blown leaves? Is the area kept free from weeds (avoiding the use of chlorate-based weedkillers)? Are cylinders stored at least 3m distance from other types of gas cylinders such as oxygen? Are cylinders stored in the upright position? Are warning notices clearly displayed including ‘LPG – Highly Flammable’ and ‘No Naked Flame’? Have you assessed the risk of ignition sources in the vicinity, such as vehicles and lighting sources? Do you store the minimum amount necessary inside your premises (this should be a maximum of 70kg with all cylinders less than 20kg capacity)? Have you undertaken a manual handling assessment for the movement of cylinders? Have you assessed the risk from vehicle movements when receiving LPG supplies? Yes No n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n n Emergency To reduce the risk of leakage are outlet valves closed while the cylinder is in store? Do you inspect cylinders regularly for leakage? Have employees been trained in the emergency procedures to follow in case of a gas leak or fire? Is there a written procedure displayed which details emergency actions to take? Are there suitable fire extinguishers (9kg dry powder) which are conveniently located in case of a fire? www.safety-adviser.co.uk/resources n n n n n n n n n n 11 HEALTH & SAFETY ADVISER Health & Safety Adviser is a comprehensive specialist information service for Health & Safety Managers, Managing Directors and anyone with responsibility for health & safety within their organisation. The Health & Safety Adviser service helps you provide a safe working environment for employees, contractors and visitors. By keeping you up to date with the latest legal health & safety changes, you can be guaranteed that you are always doing all the right things to protect your workers’ safety & health. You also get full access to your exclusive Online Resource Centre and unlimited support from the Ask the Experts Email Helpdesk. Online Resource Centre Access hundreds of actionable solutions by way of legally-compliant tools, such as checklists, policies, risk assessments and Toolbox Talks covering the core areas of health & safety. You can download these immediately, edit and customise these to your organisation’s needs. Go to: www.safety-adviser.co.uk/resources and create your own personal account. Ask the Experts Email Helpdesk Get free personal, 1:1 advice from our team of experts, including; Health & Safety Adviser Editor-in-Chief, Ian Bollans. Risk Assessment & Compliance Editors-in-Chief, Carolyn Dukes and Linda Crossland-Mead. HR Adviser Editor-in-Chief, Jackie Le Poidevin. Just email your query to hsadviser@agorabusiness.co.uk on any health & safety, HR and employment law issue you are facing and you will receive an answer within 48 hours. What’s in the Next Issue: ● 5 Golden Rules for Ensuring Safe Maintenance Essential considerations to keep your maintenance staff safe. ● 7 Top Tips to Protect Your Mobile Workers Discover the best way to protect employees while offsite. ● Keep Your Pallets Safe while Stored at Height Prevent serious injuries in your warehouse with this essential guide.