In this issue
Shattered lives
Boiler safety
Environmental tips
Shattered lives
HSE's slips, trips and falls from height campaign
HSE will be running a new campaign in February and March 2008 on slips, trips and falls in the workplace.
More than 1,000 workers a month suffer a serious injury following a slip, trip or fall. The campaign is aimed primarily at those most at risk of a slip, trip or fall at work and those best placed to take action - construction workers, electricians, gas fitters other tradespeople, and site managers, kitchen managers and chefs, food retail staff, area and store managers, food operatives and their shift managers.
However slips, trips and falls accidents do happen in any workplace and we would urge anyone where slips, trips and falls are a risk to get involved in the campaign.
To find out how you can get involved sign up for the free regular update.
For more information go to:
http://hse.gov.uk/shatteredlives/index.htm
Boiler Safety/ HSE Statement following scalding death
The HSE issued a statement following the death of Rhianna Hardie
http://hse.gov.uk/press/2008/e08001.htm
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is issuing a safety alert aimed at homeowners, tenants, landlords and the plumbing industry following two strikingly similar fatal incidents in the last four years where a large volume of near boiling water poured through bedroom ceilings onto occupants sleeping below.
The purpose of the alert is to raise awareness of a rare but potentially serious scalding risk from domestic hot water systems which include a fixed all-electric or part-electric immersion heater in conjunction with a plastic cold water storage cistern or ‘tank’ located in the roof space.
Homeowners and landlords should pay particular consideration to those systems over ten years old, or where they may have concerns over the quality of the installation or repair work carried out.
An overheating immersion cylinder will normally show warning signs so serious incidents are likely to be extremely rare. There are also a number of steps that can be taken to reduce the risk:
Occupants should be aware of warning signs (such as excessive noise from the hot water cylinder) indicating possible thermostat failure and overheating of the water in the cylinder;
Storage cisterns should be installed on an adequate supporting base. The incidents that prompted this alert occurred primarily because the plastic storage cisterns were not supported across their entire area. In other words, the base of the cistern protruded over the edge of the base support board. (See the alert for further information.)
A safety cut-out feature, independent of the immersion heater thermostat, can be fitted to limit the temperature of the stored water, should the thermostat fail.
The risk is greatest when cisterns are located above bedrooms. This is most likely in houses built between 1945 and 1975. Often these homes have, or used to have, a back boiler. If the cylinder is located in a bedroom it is probable that the cistern may be directly above it. Whenever a galvanised (metal) cistern is replaced by a plastic one, the thermostat to the immersion heater should be examined and preferably replaced by one with a safety cut-out.
For more information:
http://hse.gov.uk/press/2007/e07027.htm
Environmental Tip of the Month
Little ways you can save the Planet
New to safe environment, check out the tip of the month where altering one thing you do can make a difference!
"The lights are on but nobody's home"
Turning off the light when you leave the room is a very easy and obvious way of saving energy, but a surprisign number of empty rooms and whole buildings blaze with light at night. One way of stopping this is to fit movement sensors so that lights are only activated when needed." [source 1001 ways you can save the Planet]
For more information check out the blog:
http://safetyadviser.blogspot.com/
Check out our new listing on "the best of Wellingborough":
http://www.thebestof.co.uk/wellingborough
Kevin Jones
kevin.jones@safetyadviser.co.uk
Taking the pain out of Health + Safety at www.safetyadviser.co.uk
HSE's slips, trips and falls from height campaign
HSE will be running a new campaign in February and March 2008 on slips, trips and falls in the workplace.
More than 1,000 workers a month suffer a serious injury following a slip, trip or fall. The campaign is aimed primarily at those most at risk of a slip, trip or fall at work and those best placed to take action - construction workers, electricians, gas fitters other tradespeople, and site managers, kitchen managers and chefs, food retail staff, area and store managers, food operatives and their shift managers.
However slips, trips and falls accidents do happen in any workplace and we would urge anyone where slips, trips and falls are a risk to get involved in the campaign.
To find out how you can get involved sign up for the free regular update.
For more information go to:
http://hse.gov.uk/shatteredlives/index.htm
Boiler Safety/ HSE Statement following scalding death
The HSE issued a statement following the death of Rhianna Hardie
http://hse.gov.uk/press/2008/e08001.htm
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is issuing a safety alert aimed at homeowners, tenants, landlords and the plumbing industry following two strikingly similar fatal incidents in the last four years where a large volume of near boiling water poured through bedroom ceilings onto occupants sleeping below.
The purpose of the alert is to raise awareness of a rare but potentially serious scalding risk from domestic hot water systems which include a fixed all-electric or part-electric immersion heater in conjunction with a plastic cold water storage cistern or ‘tank’ located in the roof space.
Homeowners and landlords should pay particular consideration to those systems over ten years old, or where they may have concerns over the quality of the installation or repair work carried out.
An overheating immersion cylinder will normally show warning signs so serious incidents are likely to be extremely rare. There are also a number of steps that can be taken to reduce the risk:
Occupants should be aware of warning signs (such as excessive noise from the hot water cylinder) indicating possible thermostat failure and overheating of the water in the cylinder;
Storage cisterns should be installed on an adequate supporting base. The incidents that prompted this alert occurred primarily because the plastic storage cisterns were not supported across their entire area. In other words, the base of the cistern protruded over the edge of the base support board. (See the alert for further information.)
A safety cut-out feature, independent of the immersion heater thermostat, can be fitted to limit the temperature of the stored water, should the thermostat fail.
The risk is greatest when cisterns are located above bedrooms. This is most likely in houses built between 1945 and 1975. Often these homes have, or used to have, a back boiler. If the cylinder is located in a bedroom it is probable that the cistern may be directly above it. Whenever a galvanised (metal) cistern is replaced by a plastic one, the thermostat to the immersion heater should be examined and preferably replaced by one with a safety cut-out.
For more information:
http://hse.gov.uk/press/2007/e07027.htm
Environmental Tip of the Month
Little ways you can save the Planet
New to safe environment, check out the tip of the month where altering one thing you do can make a difference!
"The lights are on but nobody's home"
Turning off the light when you leave the room is a very easy and obvious way of saving energy, but a surprisign number of empty rooms and whole buildings blaze with light at night. One way of stopping this is to fit movement sensors so that lights are only activated when needed." [source 1001 ways you can save the Planet]
For more information check out the blog:
http://safetyadviser.blogspot.com/
Check out our new listing on "the best of Wellingborough":
http://www.thebestof.co.uk/wellingborough
Kevin Jones
kevin.jones@safetyadviser.co.uk
Taking the pain out of Health + Safety at www.safetyadviser.co.uk
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