Risk Assessments and the Fire Safety Order

Risk assessments are designed to help plan out jobs in advance to highlight any potential dangers and to assist you when it comes to planning how the job will be carried out. If you own a business of any size it is important to learn the importance of risk assessments and how to carry them out adequately.

It is not possible to simply download a copy of any old risk assessment and add your business name to the top. Each and every business is different and has different risks to consider. You need to create your own unique assessments based on the challenges you will face. The aim of the assessment is to then work out the hazards and come up with methods of work which will reduce or overcome those risks without causing harm to others.

Follow Through on the Findings

Having a completed risk assessment is not enough. In order to help prevent prosecution after an incident you will need to show that you worked using the assessment and acted on the findings which were found as a result. You may need to complete a risk assessment for many jobs carried out each day and it is vital that you and your employees are aware of the methods that are in place to reduce the risks.

Fire and Risk

Risk assessments are not only required when carrying out tasks. It is also essential that companies create assessments to prevent the risks from fire to satisfy the Fire Safety Order 2005 – UK Fire Regulations. By failing to complete this type of health and safety necessity a business owner, company director or a managing agent is open to prosecution and possibly imprisonment.

Seek Professional Advice from Health and Safety Consultants

With the stakes of fire being so high for everyone involved Fire Risk Assessments services can be extremely beneficial. The experts will be able to establish the main risks for your business and help you to come up with prevention methods and solutions that not only help to prevent firs, but also work in line with the laws and regulations regarding fire and the work place.

It doesn’t matter whether you have a small shop with a small stock room or a huge plant full of warehouses; you still need to adhere to the Fire Safety Order 2005. As an owner/director or managing agent the responsibility lies with you to make sure that the Fire Risk Assessment is created, followed and based on your specific building and line of work.

Health and safety consultants are able to help you create the assessment and this will need to be reviewed on a regular basis to make sure it is still relevant. This is especially important when you introduce new methods of work, new equipment or carry out maintenance or expansions on the building.

Learn More about Fire Risk Assessments

TO find out more about the assessment service provided by health and safety consultants get in touch with the professionals. You can call Veritas Consulting on 0800 1488 677 or visit the website to read more about the importance of this service.

County Council in Warwickshire Fined for Failing Self-Employed Worker

The Health and Safety Executive have prosecuted the Warwickshire County Council. They decided to prosecute the council after one of their contractors was injured on the job.  A self-employed heating contractor was badly injured when he was working around machinery which was not properly guarded. As a result of the accident the contractor, John Shields, severely damaged his fingers, losing most of two of his fingers.

Dangerous Machinery Costs Worker His Fingers

Sixty four year old Mr Shields was working at Shire Hall which is in Warwick. While he was checking a pump which supplied heat his hand was caught and pulled into the belts which were running. As a result of the injuries Mr Shields had to have two fingers almost entirely amputated. Now he lives with a constant tingling and a stinging sensation in his hand. The pain is managed by pain killers and gets worse in the cold weather.

Completely Avoidable Accident Had the Legal Requirements Been Followed

The injuries have meant that Mr Shields has not been able to return to work since the accident which occurred in October 2009. He finds it difficult to perform many daily tasks which others may take for granted. All of these problems could have been avoided if the county council in Warwickshire had followed the legal requirements in place about the exposure of moving parts in machinery. Had they worked with health and safety consultants the accident could have been avoided and the Health and Safety Executive would never have prosecuted.

Adequate Guarding a Must

The Nuneaton Magistrates Court heard Warwickshire County Councils guilty plea.  They admitted that they had breached Regulation 11(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations of 1988. As a result the council were then given a fine of £7,000 and a total of £5,235 in court costs.

This case is a clear example of what can happen when the laws and regulations are not adhered to. Adequate measures must be taken to ensure safety in the workplace and that workers are not exposed to dangerous machinery parts.  It is your legal duty to make sure that all workers on your site are protected whether they are self-employed contractors or employees.

Learn the Regulations for Your Industry

Health and Safety Consultants are able to help any business in any industry discover the requirements of the Provision and Use of Work Regulations in order to avoid accidents and prosecutions. The health inspectors working for the HSE made it fully aware that it is not acceptable to fail to guard dangerous machinery parts.

Use the health and safety services to make sure that your employees and any contractors are working in safe environments. If you would like to discuss the health and safety services in greater detail call the consultants at Veritas.  Contact the experts by calling: 0800 1488 677. You will be able to choose between many different services including:

• Health and Safety Audits
• Training for you and your employees
• Workplace, office and construction safety and more.

5 Workplace Hazards To Avoid This Christmas

The crispness in the air and the subtle jingle of bells around the community signal a festive time of year and what better way to celebrate the holidays than at the place you spend the most time. A little decorative flare, inspirational music, spirited lights and office parties are a few of the many ways to perk up the work space. In choosing to liven up at work use caution and safety to avoid the common hazards of carelessness that can occur around the holidays.

Common workplace mishaps coinciding with the holidays:

1) Unnecessary injury from falls and slips when hanging celebratory decorations or poor workspace lighting from using festive lights instead of normal overhead illuminations.

2) Fire and electrical problems from exposed wires, shortages or leaving lights on for extended periods of time. This also extends to use of an open flame decoration or improper care with Christmas trees.

3) Too much alcohol involved celebration after hours.

4) Placing decorations or tools carelessly in the path of traffic.

5) Acts of nature that spill into the workplace, including improper cleanup of melted ice from winter storms or contagious illness spreading amongst workers feeling pressure to prevent lost work time.

Employers and employees can take measures to ensure fellow colleagues and the workspace remains a safe and pleasant haven for conducting business while also portraying holiday cheer.

• Get permission to use, assemble or display any holiday items intended for decorating the office. Talking to the boss can help you figure out if your decorations meet safety standards.
• Hang decorations using appropriate tools, such as a ladder instead of the countertop or swivel chair. Ask a colleague to help stabilize the base of the ladder. Avoid placing decorations in spaces that are hard to reach or that require elaborate construction to reach. You can create a marvellous display without hurting yourself by falling or pulling a muscle.
• Use the appropriate workspace lighting during work hours. The newly hung lights might look amazing but are not appropriate for illuminating the office.
• Remain extremely conscious of fire safety: keep paper, plastic, rubber or flammable decorations away from hot surfaces, lights or heaters. Check all wires of electrical items to ensure they are properly encased and insulated. Avoid using open flame candles. It is against most health and safety regulations in businesses to have an open flame in the workspace. Keep a fire extinguisher on hand and ensure all co-workers know where and how to operate the extinguisher. Remember: Pull, Aim, Squeeze, Sweep, or P.A.S.S., if you must use the extinguisher.
• If drinking at the office party occurs, do so responsibly and with a sober designated driver.
• Pick up all straggling tools or decorations and remove them from the path of traffic.
• If you experience inclement weather that leaves ice on the shoes or soaks your wardrobe, do not leave these items dripping to dry around electric decorations. Use common sense when it comes to covering cough or sneezes like washing your hands and if at all possible take time off to heal.

Have fun during the holidays. Enjoy your workspace and your co-workers but use good common sense to prevent unnecessary hazards on the job. Sensible decisions, reviewing compliance regulations, having a pre-holiday pep talk and heeding the tips can help your office have a festive, tragedy-free holiday season.

This post has been provided by a guest Blogger

Health and Safety Helps Firework Displays Go Off with a Bang – Of the Right Sort!

This time of year is always a lot of fun with Halloween and Fireworks night.  If you are planning to hold a fireworks display or have a bonfire it is worth taking a few moments of your time to read some health and safety advice to make sure the event is one of entertainment and not disaster.

Health and safety consultants are able to help you to understand where you stand with the laws and regulations if you are holding a public display.  It is vital that you make sure the whole event is planned properly and that you have procedures available should any accidents occur during the event.

The HSE have put up a useful guide to help prevent accidents so here are a few of the major points which could mean the difference between a successful event and one which ends in injuries.  This is broken down into two sections, what to do before the event and on the day.  You can contact health and safety services to assist you if you are unsure of any of the guides, it is always better to be safe than sorry.

Preparations for a Fireworks Celebration

• Think about the type of display you will be having.  Fireworks come in different categories, 1, 2, 3 and 4. As an amateur you are allowed to light and be in charge of the fireworks within categories 1 to 3, however, category 4 fireworks have to have a professional operator.
• Look at the area where you will be holding the event.  There must be enough room to have the display far enough away from the spectators as the fireworks need to land at a safe distance.  Look out for power lines above the area too as you may need to move the display area to avoid disaster.
• Alcohol at the event needs to be positioned far from the display.
• Consider where you will be storing the fireworks up until the display.
• Make sure the supplier and manufacturer is reputable to make sure you are not sold faulty and dangerous goods.
• Have a plan in place so that everyone knows what to do if an accident was to occur. Consider whether you will need to have the St. Johns Ambulance or any emergency services present.
• If you have decided to use professional firework operators work closely with them so that you all know who is in charge in case there is an emergency.

Firework Display Night

• Take a walk around the area and consider the weather conditions, is it too windy? Will the rain cause any additional safety problems?
• Mark out restricted areas where spectators are not allowed to cross to keep them separated from the fireworks.
• Designate the job of lighting the fire to one person and never use petrol or other fuel to start the fire.
• Talk through safety procedures with any helpers.
• Only light a firework once, never go and try to relight it if it fails.
• Place a first aid kit in one area and signpost this area in case anyone is hurt.

Health and safety consultants will be able to advise you further on any insurance which is useful to have when planning public events. Contact 0800 1488 677 to speak about health and safety services further to make sure your event is helped safely and responsibly.

Health and Safety took the fun out of Learning; Now the fun is coming back

Schools have found that the health and safety laws regarding school trips have been too much to cope with.  As a result there have been fewer school trips in recent years.  Gone are the days when teachers take children out to enjoy a summer day.  However the Health and Safety Executive have decided to cut down on all the red tape involving school trips and excursions to allow teachers more freedom to control their outings.

Too Many Guidelines Led to Confusion

Although the school health and safety risk assessments are not one of the services offered by health and safety consultants, it is still an interesting turnaround from the Health and Safety Executive.  The risk assessment which has to be completed by the teachers was confusing and off putting.  The guidance pages consisted of over 150 pages to help the teachers when filling in the form.

However it appears that schools have got the wrong end of the stick, and perhaps the extensive guidelines have been the cause of this confusion. It is little wonder that with so much paperwork the school trips began to become less common.

The HSE has reduced the guidance booklet to just 8 pages, which they hope will help to bring the fun back into schools and give children more free learning experiences which extend outside of the school grounds. Many schools previously believed that the risk assessment, and relevant permission slips from parents were needed for every single trip, although the government have said that this is not the case.

When Risk Assessments Aren’t Needed

The new guidelines inform teachers that routine local visits do not require risk assessments.  This may include swimming trips to local pools, visits to the local museums or libraries or local visits within school hours.  In the guide are some simple guides for teachers and the heads to let them know where they stand within the laws and regulations.

When Risk Assessments Are Needed

Risk assessments in the work place are still a vital health and safety services which is offered to businesses all over the UK.  A risk assessment needs to be carried out before a new project or job is undertaken.  Health and safety consultants, such as Veritas, are able to highlight problem areas and help prevent accidents from occurring.

Understanding the risk assessment regulations may be tricky which is where health and safety consultants can really help.  Explaining your duties as an employer can make sure you do everything in your power to reduce the risk of accidents and death.

Fire Risk Assessment Services

Veritas Health and Safety Consultants provide in depth Fire Risk Assessment. If you fail to follow the Fire Safety Order you could face a court appearance and possibly a prison sentence on top of a fine.

The fire risk assessment will help to put together a comprehensive plan to prevent fires from occurring. They also provide a method of acting in a safe way to prevent further accidents in case there is a fire. Call 0800 1488 677 to speak to expert health and safety consultants today.

One of world’s biggest fire losses – Germany 1977

One of world’s biggest fire losses took place at the Ford factory in Cologne, Germany in 1977. This short documnentary “burning questions” follows the subsequent investigation into whether the then rules covering fire sprinklers were adequate in such situations.

Fire Risk Assessments – comply don’t fry

Fire Risk Assessments – Why they’re needed to meet regulations and look after your employees

Fire Risk Assessments are required by The Fire Safety Order 2005 UK Fire Regulations – and for good reason too! In a nutshell, a fire risk assessment is used to determine the chance of a fire occurring in any workplace premises. This assessment can then be used to create precautions within the workplace which reduce fire risks and help prevent fires from occurring.

This has three distinct benefits:

1. Applies with essential regulations
2. Makes sure that you and your employees are working in a safe environment when it comes to the risks of fire
3. Limits the potential for fire damage to your premises

How do Fire Risk Assessments work?

• Under the UK Fire Regulations, someone must be legally-designated the “Responsible Person”. This person then as the duty and responsibility to carry out the fire risk assessments and deal with the outcome.

• This can be anyone; either you, or a member of staff, or a separate company/individual if you cannot find anyone within your business who has the knowledge and expertise to confidently carry out a reliable fire risk assessment.

• The responsible person must use a fire risk assessment form, and then analyse the entire premises for any potential hazards which carry a risk of causing a fire. Any hazards which could cause further damage or danger in the event of a fire should also be taken into account.

• Once fire hazards have been identified and noted, precautions must then be decided upon if actions are required to reduce the risk of fire harm or damage

However, it may not be simple as that, as there’s one catch:

The UK regulations state that the responsible person must make a suitable and sufficient assessment of risks. The responsible person must also comply with the requirements and prohibitions stated in the order. If you do not have someone available who has the knowledge and expertise to do this, then your fire assessment may not meet requirements, and you may break the law. As well as requiring the ability to carry out the fire assessment, the responsible person must also be able to correctly remedy any hazards which are found. This may require knowledge of fire extinguishers, emergency plans, fire-resistance and so on.

For the sake of complying with the law, protecting your staff and protecting your premises, it may be worth hiring someone who can help. With Veritas Consulting, you can hire one of our fire risk assessors to assess your premises, carry out a detailed professional assessment, and make sure that fire risks are as limited as possible.

Click here to find out more about our fire risk assessments.