Olympic Construction Praised on Health and Safety Record
All health and safety consultants will inform you that the construction industry is one of the most dangerous industries as far as health and safety is concerned. However, the Olympic build has proven that when work is properly planned, managed and supervised health and safety risks do not have to be so high.
Lessons Could Be Learnt from Report on Olympic Build
In the news this week there has been many reports praising all the work that has gone into making sure the construction of the London Olympic buildings was carried out correctly. It is hopeful that other construction firms and freelancers will take note of the excellent health and safety record and work hard to reduce the number of accidents which occur in any sized job.
The Health and Safety Executive have released a report which states that the Olympics Delivery Authority decided to take a ‘no scapegoat’ approach. The Olympic build has taken 66 million hours to complete and during all of those hours there have only been 114 injuries and 8 dangerous incidents. The HSE have included details such as:
- Leadership and Worker Involvement
- The Construction Regulations 2007
- Occupational Health Provisions
- Safety Culture
- Preconditioning for Success
- Communication and Action for a Safer London 2012
- Supply Management for Health and Safety
- Delivering Health and Safety
- Temporary Structures
- Major Sporting Health and Safety Literature to Assist Management Risks
The HSE Director for the Olympics, Stephen Williams, suggested that the report shows that the industry does not have to be so accident prone. By taking on a no scapegoat approach to construction workers are able to highlight problems without worrying of any backlash coming from their concerns.
Health and Safety within the Construction Industry
If you work in construction it is vital that you follow the laws, regulations and guidelines which are there to protect you and your employees. Health and Safety Services are available to make sure you are fully aware of where you stand and to educate you on how to reduce the risks involved in this dangerous industry.
The health and safety services offered by Veritas Consulting include assisting you with your CHAS application. Being CHAS registered can help you to win more contracts and gain work within the public sector. It is also a great way to check over and freshen up your policies and procedures.
Health and safety consultants are able to help with the entire application process. They will also assist your business by guaranteeing CHAS Registration Accreditation, provide you with a health and safety package, and write your corporate health and safety policy. The other health and safety services which are provided with the CHAS application may include:
- Producing risk assessments
- Writing method statements
- Perform constructions site inspections
- Help with health and safety questionnaires
- Completing the CHAS application form
- Helping with the construction phase plan and more
If you want to make sure the environment that you and your employers work in is as safe as possible there is a lot that can be taken from the success of the Olympics build. If you require further assistance with your CHAS application or any other health and safety services contact the professionals. Call 0800 1488 677 for more information.
Lack of smoke Alarm knowledge gets alarm bells ringing
The on-going issue of ensuring that people have fully functioning smoke alarms is a problem that has alarm bells ringing inside fire safety experts’ heads! How so? Well a couple of fire services have conducted surveys about smoke alarms, with some very worrying findings.
Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service conducted a survey at Lichfield’s Argos store. People were asked if their home has a smoke alarm and how often it is checked. Of the 60 people asked, 85% had a smoke alarm fitted in their home, however 70% admitted that they don’t test their alarm regularly and don’t know if it actually works.
It is often said that 1 in 4 smoke alarms currently do not work! Obviously an alarm without batteries makes the alarm completely useless and potentially results in a tragic and unnecessary loss of life. Often batteries are removed due to an alarm constantly going off – largely due to being placed in or near to the kitchen.
However, some downright bizarre reasons for one in four alarms not working have been shown in a survey conducted by Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service. The article by The Metro reported the bizarre places where smoke alarms had been placed was researched and recorded in the survey. For example, an alarm had been found by firefighters on top of the TV as the owner thought the set would catch fire! The ideal location for smoke alarms is not “perched” on top of anything, but smack bang in the middle of the ceiling – or as close as possible to the centre. The alarm should be at least 30cm (one foot) away from a wall or light.
As well as smoke alarms protecting the welfare of television sets, one smoke alarm has been given the sole job of stopping smoke getting into a cupboard! Yes. That’s right. Some ill-advised crack-pot had fitted an alarm inside the door of a kitchen cupboard and has told firefighters that it was there ‘to stop the smoke getting to it.’
The entire concept of logic and good taste was also rocked to its very foundations in the aforementioned Metro article, as it also reports that a homeowner bafflingly said: “I don’t want a smoke alarm unless you’ve got one in pine to match the ceiling.” We can only hope that this comment’s jokey “tongue in cheek” tone had been lost when put down in print.
Unsafe Gas Works Results in Community Service Order
If you are self-employed then you will need to take responsibility for your own health and safety. It can be difficult to know where your duties lie, which is why it is a good idea to contact health and safety consultants to help you stay within the law and prevent any accidents affecting you and the public.
Builder Worked On Gas without Being Gas Safe Registered
A self-employed builder has recently been prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive after he decided to work on a gas installation. The work he performed was unsafe and therefore lives were put at risk at a house in Lockerbie.
While working on a client’s home on the plastering and general repairs, Kevin Graham decided to install a gas fire which the owners of the home had recently purchased. He told the customers that he had recently put one in his own home and that the job was not difficult. The only problem was Mr Graham is not registered as a Gas Safe engineer, therefore he is not legally allowed to install any gas appliances.
The fire was used throughout the winter of 2009, until the owner noticed a smell of gas in the home in early 2010. They called out a gas engineer who worked for a local plumbing and heating firm who did a check of the fire. After noticing a gas leak from the back of the fire the gas engineer prohibited use of the fire effective immediately. The same engineer then contacted the HSE about their concerns regarding the fire and the installation.
Numerous Safety Issues Discovered
A proper investigation of the fire was then carried out by a Gas Safe Register Inspector. During their investigation they confirmed that the fire was leaking LPG and that the connect fitting was loose which supplied the fire with gas. Furthermore there was an 11 meter long pipe which was not safely installed. There was no support and this put a lot of stress on the joints, which could have resulted in another gas leak.
Another problem was noticed when inspecting the flue which could have meant smoke and fumes remained in the property rather than escaping out of the flue. There were unsealed gaps and Mr Graham also used expanding foam which was a fire risk in itself. The gas fire was not secured to the surround and as a result there was even more chance of dangerous fumes leaking into the home.
With all of these issues being discovered the Health and Safety Executive placed a Prohibition Notice on Mr Graham. This meant that he was not allowed to work on any pipe work or gas fittings effective immediately. Mr Graham then attended Dumfries Sherriff Crown Court on October 11th and was given a 240 hour community service order.
Are You Working Within the Law?
Health and Safety Consultants can help you understand what you can and can’t do when self-employed. One of the great health and safety services are the audits. These will help to highlight any areas of weakness and make sure you are following the laws in place to protect you and others. Call 0800 1488 677 to speak to health and safety consultants today.
Explosion at Market Stall Injures Employees
Health and Safety consultants are not only available to help you with your policies in the office or on site. You can also ask for assistance if you will be working, or have employees working at temporary work premises, such as market stalls of food vans. Preparing food involves many dangers, and a lot of training is required to make sure that your workers are operating safely at all times. Other jobs that need to be carried out are the safety checks of the equipment and risk assessments.
At an annual food festival in Manchester over the weekend, the dangers of working on market stalls were highlighted when some gas cylinders exploded. Three men were injured, one of which was a 38 year old man who suffered burns to his hands as well as his legs and face. He was taken to hospital along with two other workers who also suffered burns to their legs and arms.
Men Transferred to Burns Unit
The explosion happened at the Chilli Coco Stall which was located on Albert Square which is in the heart of Manchester City Centre. Although none of the injuries were described as life threatening, it is believed that two of the three men have now been taken to the special burns unit of Wythenshawe Hospital.
After the explosion a complete evacuation of Albert Square was conducted by the police force. It is thought about 200 people had to be taken away from the area for fears of further explosions. The market stall was completely engulfed in flames and it took the Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Services to come and get the flames under control.
Explosion Cause Panic in the Streets
The scene was one of panic and fear, with many people fleeing the scene in hast as they were not sure of what was happening. Due to the panic many people fell and were hurt in falls as they ran across the road. The fire fighters told the press that they had to isolate three propane cylinders to help prevent the situation from getting a lot more intense.
The Health and Safety Executive have been informed of the incident and will be investigating to see if the accident could have been prevented. The police and fire fighters are working hard to try and discover the cause of the explosion. Witnesses described hearing the sound if gas followed by a huge fireball, and another witness said that she heard three explosions and saw one man writhing in agony on the floor.
Prevention is Better Than a Cure
If you ever work on a market stall or mobile stand it is important to consider the health and safety implications. If you would like to prevent accidents like this from occurring why not call the Health and Safety Consultants to discover your legal duties as an employer or business owner.
There are many health and safety services which could prevent terrible accidents like this from occurring. There is intensive training available to managers and employees, fire risk assessments and more. Call 0800 1488 677 to find out more.
CDM Coordinators an essential piece of the Risk Management puzzle.
The construction trade have long been known for the hazardous nature of the work. In an effort to dampen down the accident rate on construction projects, the Construction Design and Management Regulations were updated to provide a more comprehensive control authority. A key part of the CDM regulations is the increased responsibilities bestowed upon CDM Coordinators.
CDM Coordinators are now placed in a more closely involved, although still advisory, role in design risk management matters than ever before. This allows them to get an overview on the implementation of all necessary measures for worker health and safety on a construction project before work commences. With the ability to direct attention to missing resources and incomplete arrangements in a timely manner long before physical labour begins, CDM Coordinators possess a sharper arrow in the quiver of workplace safety.
From a legal standpoint, the CDM Regulations are to keep health and safety concerns tied firmly to the principal contractor, so that they have a functioning interest in making certain that all subcontractors and labour are fully committed to jobsite safety during construction.
In a way, then, the decreased legal responsibility of the new CDM Coordinators as compared to their predecessors, the Planning Supervisors, has actually led to a more unified commitment to reducing injuries. Placing the construction design risk management team back on the hook again giving them a powerful incentive to pay attention to the recommendations of the CDM Coordinator. No longer is it possible to ignore the recommendations of onsite CDM Coordinators, and fob off the possible consequences on someone else.
The principal effect of the CDM regulations is therefore to put everyone back on the same team, when it comes to ensuring that large construction projects are operated with a safety first mentality. CDM Coordinators are vitally important for the client, design team and principal contractors and sub-contractors.
Get on with CSCS Tests & CSCS Cards
With regard to the construction industry, CSCS cards are obviously the wave of the future. CSCS cards are designed to properly categorise the skill set of every single person to set foot on a project. Before being issued one of these cards, the applicant must undergo a rigorous program of CSCS tests and, increasingly, CSCS training classes as they enter the industry and work their way up the ladder of success.
Before anything else, CSCS training in Health and Safety, and successful passing of the CSCS tests on these subjects, is required. Once this initial hurdle has been overcome, the applicant is eligible to apply for several base level CSCS cards, including the yellow Site Visitor card and the various forms of red Trainee cards. Workers that meet higher level NVQ/SVQ levels, or take CSCS training to raise their skills, can become eligible for the green CSCS cards after passing the intermediate CSCS tests.
Workers proceed up the ladder, with each step requiring a new series of CSCS training, new CSCS tests, and new CSCS cards. While not every construction project in the UK currently requires CSCS training for its workers, it is clear that not needing CSCS cards on the job will soon be the rare exception to an increasingly ironclad rule. CSCS tests represent assurance to the employer that the worker is up to the job, even as the CSCS tests also tend to become the worker’s guarantee of employment, as unskilled and semi-skilled labour finds themselves excluded from consideration due to their lack of CSCS training.
Obtaining CSCS cards is not difficult. Those desirous of making a career in any of the building trades are advised that now is the best time to get started on the regime of CSCS tests and CSCS training. Courses and certification are on offer practically everywhere. Getting in line for CSCS certification now means that everyone else will have to get in line behind you.
Justice Taking Priority in Health and Safety Cases
Until now it has always been a rather long process for cases to go through the courts after someone has been injured or killed in the work place. After the incident there needed to be an investigation and an inquest to discover exactly what happened, which was then followed by the prosecution of the firm by the Health and Safety Executive. However, times are changing and the HSE is looking at ways to speed up the process so that justice is achieved more rapidly.
Years of Anxiety Reduced as Families Find Justice Sooner Rather than Later
It often takes years to achieve justice, and only in rare circumstances have court cases taken place before the inquest has been completed. Now the path to justice will be a lot smoother after an agreement has been reached between the people who investigate and prosecute. If there is a death on your business premises, and there are no charges of manslaughter or homicide, it is now possible to go ahead with the prosecution before the inquest.
Work Related Death Protocol Given an Overhaul
This is due to the recent changes in the Work-Related Death Protocol. The aim is to speed up the process for the families who have lost a loved one. This will help them to grieve and reduce the stress which is added by the prospect of a court case in the distant future. These changes have been given the support of the Coroners Society and are due to be announced by the Work Related Deaths National Liaison Committee, although the changes have already been introduced as of October 1st 2011.
Health and Safety in the Workplace
As a business owner it is your responsibility to do everything within reason to ensure the safety of your workers. It doesn’t matter if the industry you work in is considered to be high or low risk. Should one of your workers die as a result of the injuries caused by a work related accident which could have been avoided then you will be taken to court and face a possible fine or even a prison sentence.
To help you to understand the laws and regulations that are in place to prevent such accidents from occurring you can hire health and safety consultants to work with you. There are numerous health and safety services which can be of huge help to any business. By doing everything possible to protect your workers you can prevent prosecution by the HSE and more importantly help to reduce the risks which are constantly present.
If you are unsure of what you need to be doing it is a good idea to request a health and safety audit. This will look at the policies and procedures that you have in place and highlight the areas of weakness which are putting lives, and your business, at risk. Call 0800 1488 677 to speak to health and safety consultants who can help protect you and your employees.
