Monday 30 November 2009

The illness in Planet Earth

Planet Earth is unwell, argues James Lovelock in BBC's "The Green Room". Emissions of greenhouse gases and other environmental changes have, he says, brought humanity and the natural world to the edge of crisis.

Read more from this BBC article at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/5153722.stm


safety health environment she ltd


www.she.ltd.uk

Solar panel costs 'set to fall'

The cost of installing and owning solar panels will fall even faster than expected according to new research.

Tests show that 90% of existing solar panels last for 30 years, instead of the predicted 20 years.

Read more from the BBC report: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/8386460.stm

safety health environment she ltd


www.she.ltd.uk

Sunday 29 November 2009

worksmart health and safety law

Employers have to comply with health and safety rules. They are there to protect you, your colleagues and visitors to your employer’s premises. As well as rights, they give you, as an employee, certain responsibilities too. For example, if you interfere with anything provided for health and safety purposes you could be prosecuted.

Read more from worksmart.org:

http://www.worksmart.org.uk/rights/health_and_safety

safety health environment she ltd


www.she.ltd.uk

Health and Safety Legislation

It's important to know how workplace legislation applies to you. Use this site to find the legislation relevant to your industry; watch out for changes in the law; and to discover where you can go for more advice and guidance.

http://www.hse.gov.uk/legislation/index.htm

safety health environment she ltd


www.she.ltd.uk

India radioactive leak

Indian officials are investigating the leak of a radioactive substance into drinking water at an atomic power plant in the south of the country.

Fifty-five workers at the Kaiga plant needed medical treatment for excessive exposure to radiation after tritium contaminated a water cooler.

Officials said the leak might have been deliberate.

www.she.ltd.uk

safety health environment she ltd

Saturday 28 November 2009

safety at street works

Links to the DFT website:

http://www.dft.gov.uk/pgr/roads/network/local/streetworks/cop/safetyatstreetworksandroadworks

safety health environment she ltd

www.she.ltd.uk

Free HSE safety downloads

follow the link for free safety downloads

http://books.hse.gov.uk/hse/public/home.jsf


safety health environment she ltd


www.she.ltd.uk

Working Well Together campaign

The Working Well Together campaign runs 30– 40 events across England, Scotland and Wales every year. Most of the events are free to attend and we usually feed you too!

http://www.wwt.uk.com/eventsall/11/2009.aspx

safety health environment she ltd


www.she.ltd.uk

HSE's assessment of new nuclear power stations

The HSE have published a number of reports following Step 3 of the assessment process for new power station designs. Step 3 provides an overall safety and security review and analysis of the proposed reactor designs.

Read more from the HSE http://www.hse.gov.uk/newreactors/reports.htm

safety health environment she ltd

www.she.ltd.uk

Tuesday 24 November 2009

Myth: Health and safety rules stop classroom experiments

The reality: Hands-on lessons are an essential part of learning. They bring science to life and also teach kids how to handle dangerous substances safely.

Read more from the HSE http://www.hse.gov.uk/myth/nov09.htm


safety health environment she ltd

www.she.ltd.uk

Milton Keynes scaffolding fine

Fatal scaffold collapse prompts £126,000 fine

Construction firms involved in a major scaffolding collapse at Milton Keynes have today been ordered to pay £126,000 for their role in the incident which left one man dead and two others seriously injured.

John Robinson, and his son Mark, were working on the Jury's Inn site in Witan Gate, Milton Keynes on April 11 2006, alongside Ivan Penkov. All three men were on the 40-metre-high scaffolding when it collapsed.

They fell to the ground and were trapped under rubble until rescue workers could reach them.

Father of three, John Robinson, 49, was taken to hospital suffering from serious injuries to his left leg. Three days later he died from a pulmonary embolism, as a result of the damage to his leg.

John's son Mark Robinson suffered a punctured lung, broken vertebra and ribs and significant cuts and bruising in the fall. He was unable to work for a period after the incident.

Read more from the HSE by following the link

http://www.hse.gov.uk/press/2009/coie10009.htm


safety health environment she ltd

www.she.ltd.uk

Sunday 22 November 2009

Environmental news - melting ice

World's largest ice sheet melting faster than expected

East Antarctic sheet shedding 57bn tonnes of ice a year and contributing to sea level rises, according to Nasa aerial survey


The world's largest ice sheet has started to melt along its coastal fringes, raising fears that global sea levels will rise faster than scientists expected.

The East Antarctic ice sheet, which makes up three-quarters of the continent's 14,000 sq km, is losing around 57bn tonnes of ice a year into surrounding waters, according to a satellite survey of the region.

Read more on the Guardian article at http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/nov/22/east-antarctic-ice-sheet-nasa

safety health environment she ltd

www.she.ltd.uk

Work related violence

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) defines work-related violence as:

Any incident in which a person is abused, threatened or assaulted in circumstances relating to their work

This can include verbal abuse or threats as well as physical attacks. Find out what the HSE is doing to address the issue of work related violence and provide access to a range of information.

Read more from the HSE at http://www.hse.gov.uk/violence/index.htm

safety health environment she ltd

www.she.ltd.uk

Friday 20 November 2009

Flood alerts

Environment chiefs visit flood-hit Cumbria

Released 20 November: Environment Agency Chairman Lord Chris Smith has joined the Secretary of State Hilary Benn in Cockermouth this morning where the worst of the flooding hit Cumbria overnight.

Emergency services continued evacuations, some by helicopter, through the night with severe flooding in Cockermouth and Keswick where flood defences were overwhelmed by record rainfall. The Environment Agency gauging station at Seathwaite Farm recorded 314.4mm over 24 hours until 00.45 this morning – a record for England.

Environment Agency Chairman Lord Chris Smith said: “This is an extremely serious incident – our thoughts are with those people whose homes have been flooded.

Get the latest from the Environment Agency

http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/news/113477.aspx

safety health environment she ltd

www.she.ltd.uk

Thursday 19 November 2009

congratulations to MFP on getting ISO14001:2004

she ltd congratulate Midland Filter Products MFP on gaining an Environmental Management System EMS ISO14001:2004. They passed there second stage audit with only 3 observations

Well done

Kevin Jones
she ltd

safety health environment she ltd


www.she.ltd.uk

Wednesday 18 November 2009

stress at work

Dealing with my personal issues
Stress can be an unnoticed and gradual build up of the many pressures experienced in work, at home and in everyday life. Most people are able to cope with the big issues in life and can find them exciting but for some they are too demanding or combined with everything else going on, they can become overwhelming, resulting in stress.


http://www.hse.gov.uk/stress/dealingwith.htm

safety health environment she ltd

www.she.ltd.uk

Monday 16 November 2009

Act on CO2

Reduce your CO2 emissions


Many scientists agree that the level of CO2 in our atmosphere is getting dangerous, and that the consequent climate change effects are happening faster than anticipated. As more than 40% of the UK’s CO2 emissions result from the choices we make as individuals, we can take action on this global issue by reducing our own CO2 emissions.

Find out more from the Act on CO2 Govt website

http://actonco2.direct.gov.uk/actonco2/home/what-you-can-do/Reduce-your-CO2-emissions.html

safety health environment she ltd


www.she.ltd.uk

Cowboys and Gas don't mix

If you use an unregistered gas engineer you could be putting your life at risk
Anyone employed to work on gas appliances in domestic premises must be Gas Safe registered and competent in that area of gas work. By using a Gas Safe registered engineer, and by checking the back of their ID card to see if they are qualified to do the type of gas work you want, you can be sure that any work completed by them will be done competently and safely.

HSE advises that you should arrange for regular maintenance and an annual safety check to be carried out on your gas appliances and installation by a Gas Safe registered engineer. Landlords have a legal duty to ensure that this is carried out.

Unsafe gas work can lead to a gas leak, fire, explosion and exposure to carbon monoxide, which could result in you, your family or friends being seriously injured or killed.

Read more from the HSE website

http://www.hse.gov.uk/gas/gas-cowboys.htm

safety health environment she ltd


www.she.ltd.uk

Saturday 14 November 2009

Human factors and ergonomics

People are involved in all aspects of work, which is why HSE recognises the importance that human factors can play in helping avoid accidents and ill-health at work.

http://www.hse.gov.uk/humanfactors/index.htm

safety health environment she ltd


www.she.ltd.uk

Friday 13 November 2009

Has compensation claims gone to far?

Have compensation claims gone to far now that three year olds can claim against other three year olds?

A mother has won the right to compensation for her son, two years after he was hit 11 times by another three-year-old boy with a car jack.

Jay Jones, of Wirral, Merseyside, needed stitches after he was attacked while the boys were alone in a car.

The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority twice refused to pay out as it disputed whether a three-year-old could be guilty of a crime of violence.

But the Tribunals Service has ruled in favour of Jay's mother, Renai Williams.

Read more on the BBC report

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/8357870.stm

safety health environment she ltd

www.she.ltd.uk

Oil giant guilty over Buncefield

Oil giant Total UK has pleaded guilty to charges relating to the explosion at the Buncefield oil depot in Hertfordshire in 2005.

At the Old Bailey, it pleaded guilty to two charges under the Health and Safety Act and one of causing pollution.

The blast in Hertfordshire in December 2005 caused widespread damage and left 43 people injured.

Read more from the BBC at:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/beds/bucks/herts/8359005.stm

safety health environment she ltd

www.she.ltd.uk

Thursday 12 November 2009

Britain's renewable energy targets are 'physically impossible', says study

The Institution of Mechanical Engineers' 'battle plan' for climate change includes geo-engineering and nuclear power

It will be physically impossible for the UK to meet its renewable energy targets in both the short and long term, according to a group of engineering experts.

In a new study, they called for the government to adopt a "war-time" mentality in their approach to dealing with climate change and consider experimental approaches such as artificial trees that soak up carbon dioxide to buy the time needed to build the required level of low-carbon infrastructure in the UK.


Read more on the guardian report at
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/nov/12/britain-renewable-energy-targets-impossible


guardian.co.uk

safety health environment she ltd

www.she.ltd.uk

Boss fined £60,000 for arm horror

Northants News (Evening Telegraph):

A businessman has been fined £60,000 after ordering a worker to clean a moving machine that trapped and mangled his arm.

The worker at Islip Furnace industrial estate in Kettering Road, Islip, was so badly injured that his arm had to be amputated.

A second man who suffered similar injuries did not lose his arm but is still undergoing operations to repair the damage.

Paul Richard Llewellyn James, 58, of Cranford, admitted two breaches of the Health and Safety At Work Act 1974 when he appeared at Northampton Crown Court. He was also ordered to pay £17,500 in court costs.

Sentencing Mr James, Judge Charles Wide said: "It is perfectly clear to me you had a slap-dash approach to safety. These very serious matters amount to cost-cutting for profit."

Read more on the ET story at

http://www.northantset.co.uk/news/Boss-fined-60000-for-arm.5817174.jp


safety health environment she ltd

www.she.ltd.uk

Saving the environment with GMTV?

Check out what GMTV have to offer to help you be "greener" at


http://www.gm.tv/lifestyle/home-and-garden/41316-going-green-saving-energy.html

safety health environment she ltd

www.she.ltd.uk

Wednesday 11 November 2009

HSE Risk management

Risk management involves you, the employer, looking at the risks that arise in the workplace and then putting sensible health and safety measures in place to control them.

http://www.hse.gov.uk/risk/index.htm

safety health environment she ltd

www.she.ltd.uk

Workplace safety questionnaire

This is a workplace inspection checklist. There are 65* questions to answer. It will take approximately 30 to 50 minutes to complete and will help with compliance to the Health and Safety legislation.

Currently free as it is under construction...

http://www.qservices.co.uk/she/questionnaires.asp

safety health environment she ltd

www.she.ltd.uk

Fire Risk Assessment online

This fire risk assessment is for employers / premises owners responsible for fire safety. There are 86 questions to answer. It will take approximately 45/60* minutes to complete and will help with compliance to the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.


*Note the questionnaires do not have to be completed all in one go, you can complete as many questions as you like, log out and when you return to the questionnaire it will default to the next question to be answered.

It is currently under construction therefore it is FREE. Why not take a look?

http://www.qservices.co.uk/she/questionnaires.asp

safety health environment she ltd

www.she.ltd.uk

Monday 9 November 2009

Display Screen Equipment DSE (Computer) self assessment

This is a (free) risk assessment for computer users. There are 22* questions to answer. It will take approximately 20 to 30 minutes to complete and will help with compliance to the Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations.*Note the questionnaires do not have to be completed all in one go, you can complete as many questions as you like, log out and when you return to the questionnaire it will default to the next question to be answered.

http://www.qservices.co.uk/she/questionnaires.asp

safety health environment she ltd

www.she.ltd.uk

HSE videos

Follow the link for a selection of the videos from HSE's topics and industries websites

http://www.hse.gov.uk/resources/videos.htm

safety health environment she ltd

www.she.ltd.uk

Podcast on Asbestos: The Hidden Killer

In this episode: HSE's Steve Coldrick talks about HSE's Asbestos - the Hidden Killer campaign.

Latest news: Sugar giant Tate and Lyle fined more than a quarter of a million pounds, A sixteen year old schoolgirl lost 6 fingers and both her thumbs at school. Landlords are being reminded of their gas safety responsibilities to tenants after a landlord was jailed for 16 months.

http://www.hse.gov.uk/podcasts/2009/asbestos.htm

safety health environment she ltd

www.she.ltd.uk

Saturday 7 November 2009

Dangers of 'cowboy' gas fitters underlined

Dangers of 'cowboy' gas fitters underlined

Gas Safe Register warns homeowners that cut-price gas fitters can endanger their homes and their lives

Homeowners are risking their lives by using "cowboy" gas fitters in an attempt to save money, a government body has warned.

Research carried out for Gas Safe Register (GSR), the successor to Corgi, shows that 100,000 gas cookers and hobs are installed illegally every year by fitters without the required skills or qualifications to carry out the work.

Read more on the Guardian article

http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2009/nov/05/danger-cowboy-gas-fitters

safety health environment she ltd
www.she.ltd.uk

Thursday 5 November 2009

Vote on our poll on IOSH

IOSH (Institute of Occupational Safety and Health) states that it is the "voice of the profession" however I have found it very difficult to progress through the ranks. I have been a professional for over 10 years but cannot progress higher because I haven't got the right piece of paper. I am a practical person with years of practical safety experience, however without the relevant certificate I cannot progress and feel effectively "excluded". Is it sour grapes, possibly...? So I am asking YOU ... vote in our blog poll on IOSH (Good or Bad), how do you feel?

safety health environment she ltd

www.she.ltd.uk

Do we need an alternative to IOSH?

IOSH (Institute of Occupational Safety and Health)states that it is the "voice of the profession" however I have found it very difficult to progress through the ranks. I have been a professional for over 10 years and have found if you haven't got the right piece of paper you are effectively excluded. Is this sour grapes on my behalf?

IOSH states:
"With more than 35,000 members, we’re the world’s biggest professional health and safety organisation. We set standards, and support, develop and connect our members with resources, guidance, events and training. We’re the voice of the profession, and campaign on issues that affect millions of working people." Is this true?

Let me know your experience of IOSH (good or bad)!

Kevin Jones
kevin.jones@she.ltd.uk

safety health and environment - she ltd

www.she.ltd.uk

What's the environmental impact of mail delivery?

Is there any difference in using second and first class mail in terms of environmental impacts? Is first class mail transported by airplane and second class mail not?

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/green-living-blog/2009/nov/05/environmental-impact-mail

safety health and environment she ltd

www.she.ltd.uk

Raising environmental awareness in industry

Envirowise

Whilst many businesses recognise the benefits of devising strategies for reducing waste and becoming more resource efficient, difficulties can often arise during the implementation phase of these strategies. Typical issues that prevent successful implementation include a lack of senior management buy-in and support, a lack of staff support, a lack of material or time resources, or a communications break down.

Read more

http://www.envirowise.gov.uk/uk/Topics-and-Issues/Managing-Behaviour-Change.html

safety health and environment she ltd

www.she.ltd.uk

Waste management and recycling

HSE have produced guidance on health and safety in the waste management industry...

These pages cover the main causes of injury and illness. Each topic provides information and advice to help improve health and safety in the waste management and recycling industry.

http://www.hse.gov.uk/waste/index.htm

safety health and environment - she ltd

www.she.ltd.uk

Tuesday 3 November 2009

Office safety

DSE: display screen equipment means any alphanumeric or graphic display screen. Exclusions include “small data or measurement display”

Work Stations: any assembly including the screen, keyboard, other parts of the computer and its accessories, the desk, chair and the immediate work environment.

Hazards identified: the main risks that may arise in work with DSE are:

·Musculoskeletal disorders such as back pain or upper limb disorders
·Visual fatigue
·Mental stress

The risks to individual users are low but can be significant if good practice is not followed.

Who is at risk?
The user is at risk: an individual who is defined as a display screen user or operator. Risk is dependent on the nature and extent of their use of the equipment. The likelihood of risk factors associated with DSE use is related to the frequency, duration, intensity and pace of spells of continuous use. DSE users are classified as those who:

·use DSE daily and
·who use DSE continuous
·have to transfer information quickly
·high levels of attention and concentration on the Display Screen Equipment
·there work is dependent on DSE use (individuals who have little choice about using it)

Controls required
Problems will be avoided by ensuring good workplace design, so that individuals can work comfortably, and by ensuring good working practices (like taking frequent short breaks from the VDU).

Employer’s Responsibilities
The employer is responsible to assess work station requirements, assess the work being done, assess the special needs of individuals, ensure workstations meet minimum requirements, plan work, provide information and arrange eye tests for those defined as users

To check out our online DSE assessment go to
http://www.qservices.co.uk/she/questionnaires.asp

safety health and environment - she ltd

www.she.ltd.uk

Rent our training room

Contact us to rent our training room

safety health environment - she ltd

www.she.ltd.uk

Monday 2 November 2009

Final round for UN climate talks - BBC

The latest round of UN climate talks opens in Barcelona on Monday with major divisions remaining between countries.

The week's session is the final chance for negotiators to hammer out a text before December's Copenhagen summit. Read more from the BBC report

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/8334985.stm

safety health and environment - she ltd

www.she.ltd.uk

HSE's Business Advice Open Days

Nationwide - free quality advice and information; helping you run a successful business.

Business Advice Open Days are the largest cross government business support roadshows of their kind, dedicated to providing free information and support to your business.

What support is available?
full team of experts at each event
advice and support - health and safety, starting a new business, business growth...
help to understand and meet legal requirements
enhance your business - funding, marketing and new technology.

To find out more from the HSE go to http://www.hse.gov.uk/campaigns/conferences/baod.htm

safety health and environment - she ltd

www.she.ltd.uk

EE Estates Excellence

HSE's Working together to make a difference

Estates Excellence brings together business owners, commercial landlords and expert partners to improve health and safety in the workplace. Here you can find out:

* how the HSE can help you assess your knowledge of health and safety
* how the HSE bringing training and guidance to your workplace
* how the HSE focus on the most relevant actions for your business
* who’s involved – and how you can join in
* why good practice in health and safety is good for your business.

http://www.hse.gov.uk/estatesexcellence/index.htm

safety health and environment - she ltd

www.she.ltd.uk

RoSPA

RoSPA's mission is to save lives and reduce injuries.

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents is a registered charity established more than 90 years ago that aims to campaign for change, influence opinion, contribute to debate, educate and inform - for the good of all.

Learn more about RoSPA at http://www.rospa.com/index.htm

safety health and environmental services - she ltd
www.she.ltd.uk

Child Safety around cars

Every parent knows that it is impossible to keep an eye on young children every second of the day. Youngsters want to explore and try things out, without understanding potential dangers. Sadly, there have been tragic incidents on the driveways of residential properties and when children have been left alone in cars.

RoSPA has produced a short online survey to gather information about these types of incident

http://www.rospa.com/childrenincars/index.htm

safety health and environmental services - she ltd
www.she.ltd.uk