Legal Action for Thomson after Passengers Suffer with Food Poisoning

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Nine Passengers who spent Christmas on the Thomson Celebration Cruise Liner were struck down with food poisoning on Christmas Day. They were supposed to be enjoying a holiday of a lifetime, instead the individuals suffered with sickness, diarrhoea and fevers. The group have made claims that there was human excrement in the swimming pools, that birds were causing contamination on the tables outside, insects were found all over the dining rooms and that the food and drink was not suitable for consumption.

The combined cost of the Christmas Cruise around the Red Sea was £11,500. Although the individuals complained about the state of the ship and the food they claim that many of the staff were not helpful, some of whom seemed to be unwilling to investigate their complaints and try to help resolve the problems. In addition lack of cleanliness all of the claimants say that their bedrooms had unpleasant smells, the bathroom water was discoloured and that the cruise ships employees did not wear gloves or clean clothes when handling food.

Food was Not Suitable for Consumption

Other direct complaints against the food on the ship are:

  •  It was served at the wrong temperatures
  • Old food was mixed in with fresh food
  • Meat wasn’t cooked thoroughly
  • Bottled water was served with lids removed and the colour was murky
  • Staff didn’t have high standards of hygiene

According the court papers Thomson failed to ensure that the spread of illness was contained on the ship, and that the standards were not enforced or monitored. The passengers therefore are claiming that Thomson has breached their contract and that they were negligent. Some of the passengers have spoken about how their holiday was completely ruined by illness. Many experienced anxiety after seeing loved ones fall ill and being ill themselves.

Food Safety Training

Any business or industry that is responsible for handling food must ensure that all of the employees are adequately trained. Food poisoning can result in extreme suffering and even death. Anyone affected by food poisoning as a result of negligence has the right to claim for compensation and bring legal action against those responsible. Food safety training is easily available and the costs are minimal. Call 0844 576 6750 to organise training for your employees.

Site Management Health and Safety Responsibilities

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Mangers have a huge amount of responsibility placed on their shoulders every minute of every day. Site management involves many different skills, one of which is health and safety. It is the responsibility of the manager to help to reduce the risks on site and manage all of the contractors and sub-contractors to ensure that all work performed doesn’t add any unnecessary risks to anyone’s health and safety.

Managers not only have a moral duty to help protect others, they are also bound by laws such as the Health and Safety at Work Act and the CDM. More regulations are applied when dealing with machinery too, and it can be very difficult to ensure that they are aware of each regulation and show compliance. Compliance needs to be seen as it can help to prevent prosecution if an accident should occur, and it also helps to prevent Notices being handed out by Health and Safety Executive Inspectors carrying out spot checks.

How to Stay On Top of the Health and Safety on Site

Health and safety training is essential and one of the most appropriate courses for managers to attend is the SMSTS course provided by the CITB. The course lasts just five days. In those five days managers are provided with a large amount of valuable information and skills which can help to reduce the risks, improve health and safety management skills and develop an understanding of the laws and legal system.

SMSTS is suitable for all construction site managers and supervisors. It is also a good course for all construction business owners to attend to help them understand what is required by them and their managerial staff. During the five days the CDM is looked at in detail and you will learn vital skills such as site set up and communication skills.

Other core elements include risk assessments and method statements. Risk assessments play a very important role in the health and safety in the workplace. By being aware of the risks and hazards it is possible to reduce the dangers by finding ways of working safely using training, machinery and safe methods of work. Call 0844 576 6750 if you would like to find out more about the SMSTS courses.

Death Caused By Fall from Height Highlights Health and Safety Needs in the Construction Industry

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A worker was tragically killed while working on a fragile roof on a construction site in Penryn. Work was being carried out on an industrial building at the time of the accident. Paul Gibbons fell 8 metres through an asbestos cement roof to the floor. He was immediately taken to hospital where he later died from his injuries.

This case has highlighted the need for strict health and safety policies and procedures on all construction sites. Mr Gibbons was a self-employed contractor who had been hired by Acryglor Ltd, now trading under the name of Onyx Europe Ltd. The company was investigated by the Health and Safety Executive who discovered many failings. The firm had not put in place adequate safety measures, even though their employees were working at height.

Poor Planning and Inadequate Safety Measures

The work performed by Mr Gibbons had not been properly planned. There were no nets in place to prevent falls and not a single crash deck platform had been put in place. The company was criticised for not having a planning coordinator who could have helped to develop a strong construction plan, taking in all of the risks involved and coming up with a plan to prevent accidents and reduce the hazards that come with working at height.

The director of Acryglor Ltd, Mr Peter Williams has debts to a value of £1.5 million and earns £15,000 per year. He was fined for breaching Section 37 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act. He was fined £2,500 and ordered to pay £2,500 in court costs.

Receive the Best Training to Reduce the Risks

Health and safety training can prevent such tragic accidents like this one from occurring. Working at height is responsible for one in five deaths in the construction industry. Careful planning, the introduction of safety measures and safe methods of work can all help to reduce the fatalities and serious injuries which come from falls. If you would like to provide training to your site managers the SMSTS course is one which can help to save lives. Call 0844 576 6750 and ask about training for site managers and supervisors today.

How is Your First Aid?

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As an employer you have certain health and safety responsibilities. One of these is in regards to first aid. It is essential to make sure that first aid provisions are provided. This includes having the right personnel ready to assist with all emergencies, the right equipment and facilities. If you are found to be failing your employees by not providing adequate first aid in the workplace the Health and Safety Executive will prosecute, but that should not be the only reason why your first aid needs to be in top shape. If any accidents or medical emergencies occur it is your legal and moral duty to try and effectively deal with the situation and treat the affect persons as quickly as possible.

Are You Complying with the Law?

The Health and Safety First Aid Regulations apply to all workplaces, even those which have fewer than five employees and also to the self-employed. Therefore training in first aid is essential. When making your assessment of your current first aid policy you should include the public and non-employees although this is not a legal requirement. However, it helps to make good practice and will help you to deal with any problems should they arise more effectively.

Choose the Right First Aid Training

First aid training courses can be completed in very little time. It is possible to ask for on-site training if you wish or choose to go to a local training centre. You can choose from appointed person course, general first aid and even be trained in how to use a defibrillator. It’s a great idea to attend the courses yourself to ensure you are up to scratch on how to treat casualties in a large number of emergencies such as:

  • Strokes, heart attacks
  • Diabetes and epilepsy
  • Cuts, burns and bone fractures
  • Unconscious casualties

You will also be able to understand your legal duties and how to report and record incidences in accordance with the law. You can choose appointed persons in addition to receiving your own training. These people will be responsible to help in an emergency situation. It’s important to make sure you have back up support available if the main appointed person is not always available at work or to cover absences and holidays. Find out more about appointed persons first aid training by calling 0844 576 6750 and obtain advice on the next moves to take.

Construction Site Safety Management and the CDM Regulations

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The Construction Design and Management Regulations 2007 can cause a lot of confusion for site managers. It is vital that you have a good understanding of your duties under these regulations.

You will also need to know what the regulations are and how you can follow them closely to avoid prosecution and accidents. Construction site safety management courses can help you to form a solid understanding of the CDM and also reduce the health and safety risks on site.

What is the CDM About?

CDM Regulations are designed to focus the attention on planning and managing construction projects. They cover the whole process from design onwards and play an important role in the whole project. It is essential that health and safety is thought about throughout the entire life of a project and the CDM are used to ensure this is so, reducing the probability of health and safety considerations being only an afterthought.

You Must Be Competent

It is important to be able to prove that you are competent when working safely. This is especially important for managers and supervisors, who have legal duties to others. Competence is necessary as those who are competent often work safer than those who are not. Therefore training is essential and you can find many excellent courses designed to make managers competent for their own safety, the safety of others and to show a compliance with the health and safety laws.

Finding a Suitable Course

If you require training, or wish to send your employees on courses you may be wise to consider the SMSTS course. This is a five day course which looks into the CDM Regulations as well as many different areas of construction site safety management. These courses run throughout the year and are available at many different training centres up and down the country, making them easily assessable. The skills learnt on the SMSTS are then put into practice on site helping to reduce and manage risks effectively.

To find out more about construction site safety management and the available courses you can look online for course details. For further information you can call 0844 576 6570 and speak to an advisor about the best CDM training courses available.

Supermarket Chickens under the Spot Light

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In a recent study carried out the consumer watchdog, ‘Which?’ The study has highlighted a serious problem with supermarket chicken and highlighted the importance of food health and safety training. During their investigation the deadly bacteria Campylobacter was discovered in 18% of the 192 chickens that were tested. Campylobacter was responsible for 88 deaths three years ago and it is responsible for over 371,000 cases of food poisoning in 2009 according the Food Standards Agency.

Further tests in the lab showed campylobacter wasn’t the only problem as 4% of the tested chickens were contaminated with listeria. The results of the investigation have been branded unacceptable and show the importance of health and safety when dealing with any part of the food production and preparation process.

Hygiene is Vital in the Preparation of All Food

There were nine supermarkets tested during the study which were:

  • Aldi
  • Co-Op
  • Marks and Spencer
  • Morrisons
  • Asda
  • Tesco
  • Waitrose
  • Sainsbury’s

The representative of all the above supermarkets excluding Aldi, The British Retail Consortium, said that ‘Which?’ were doing nothing but scaremongering the public. Campylobacter is a common bacterium which can be killed providing good hygiene practices are followed. However if the health and safety in food preparation is lacking it could lead to serious cases of food poisoning and even death. This is why it is essential to ensure that all food which goes through your kitchens is carefully handled by qualified people.

Find the Best Training for Food Safety

There are many food safety training courses available. If you have the right employees fully trained you can help to prevent food poisoning and protect people from being made ill after eating at your premises. Good hygiene and safe food practices will ensure that all the food is prepared safely, cooked thoroughly and is less likely to cause any infections or contamination.

Training is essential whether you are responsible for preparing or manufacturing food. The many available courses to consider include:

  • Food Safety in Catering
  • Supervising Food Safety in Catering
  • Managing Food Safety in Catering
  • HACCP for Food Manufacturing

If you are looking for a great food safety training course for you or your employees you can call 0844 576 6750 to receive some great advice.

Focusing on Risk Assessments

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The Health and Safety Executive consider one of the most effective ways to reduce accidents is by managing risk. You can do this by performing risk assessments and using them to determine safe processes and methods of work. If you do not have risk assessment training it is important to seek out the best course for you.

Managers and those in a supervisory position need to have risk assessment training to ensure that the workplace remains safe and to show you are complying with the legislations and regulations regarding health and safety in the workplace. You can attend a course to help you discover what the hazards are, how to spot ones and what to do before any work commences which could possibly involve any dangers to those carrying out the work.

Find the Right Course for You and Your Managers

You can use risk assessments to highlight the people who are at risk, what the risks are and how they can be combated. This may involve further training, introducing new equipment or machinery or any other practice which can limit the risks. There are many courses available which are designed to pass on the necessary skills for managers, business owners and supervisors which have a legal responsibility to carry out risk assessments as part of their work.

Not only will courses help to show the process and requirements involving risk assessment, it can teach why the assessments are required and the laws and legal action which can be taken if assessments are found to be inadequate.

Varying Length and Levels of Training Available

You can find many courses, some of which can be carried out online and in the comfort of your own home. Employers are also able to offer the training in the workplace or send employees on the tutor led courses at a local training centre. The duration of the courses varies and so do the qualifications. It’s important to find the most suitable course depending on your previous training, your responsibilities in your place of work and also to discover the best ways of receiving the training. If you would like some advice, or book a place on one of the risk assessment training courses, call 0844 576 6750.

Training On-Site for Your Convenience

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There are many ways of providing health and safety training to your workforce. Some employers like to send their employees on courses at nearby training centres. This is great providing they are able to easily reach the training centre, or if the days of the course are convenient. Another option is elearning. These courses are offered online so that you can provide your employers with training at times to suit you. They can learn on your premises or even at home on their own time. Finally you can easily arrange on-site training.

Have the Expert Come and Teach your Workforce

On site health and safety training is perfectly suited if you have more than one person that requires the education. You can arrange for a qualified tutor to come to your premises, or arrange to meet at a suitable location. The course materials are provided and the tutor is able to show practical skills and address any confusion concerning the core elements.

Not all courses can be provided on site but there is a great range of courses which can be taken at a location to suit you. There are lots of awarding bodies such as NEBOSH, IOSH, SSSTS, SMSTS, HSE, CCNSG and IEMA.

Providing the Right Course for Your Employees

There are various courses covering all sorts of industries and your certain requirements. These include health and safety at work on basic levels moving right up to management and owners. You can find great courses for first aiders and your appointed persons. There are loads of one day’s courses or longer courses that spread out over a few days to a week. Some of the common courses provided include:

  • Site Management Safety Training Scheme
  • Working/Managing Safely
  • Safety for Senior Executives
  • Construction Certificate
  • Environmental Certificate
  • Supervisor Passport
  • Certificate in the Management of Health Wellbeing at Work

You can find the right advice by contacting course providers. They will help you to locate the best courses for your employers and arrange the tutors to come to provide the health and safety training on-site. Call 0844 576 6750 to find out more.

Gain the Basic Health and Training You Need

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If you have recently been awarded a job on a construction site, or in the civil engineering industry you will need to be given some training. Health and safety training is needed for anyone working in any industry, but the construction industry is such a high risk industry the training needs to be complete and delivered quickly. As an employer or a business owner your duty involves providing the right level of training in order to comply with the law.

Tutors Provide Training of the Highest Level

At the very lowest level of health and safety education there is the one day tutor led health and safety awareness course. This is ideal for anyone in the two industries to gains some excellent knowledge and skills that will help to complete a safe working environment for your whole workforce. Anyone attending the course will receive excellent training from a qualified professional. They will be able to give a clear understanding of what is expected of your employee when they are working for you.

In addition to working on their own skills your employees will learn what is expected from you. They will understand that any concerns concerning their safety and that of their colleagues can be raised with the owners or the appointed health and safety manager. Everyone on a construction site or in the civil engineering industry needs to be aware of the dangers, and if people stay quiet and don’t raise their concerns it can lead to potentially fatal accidents. Communication between everyone helps to reduce the risks.

Gain a Qualification

Everyone can gain from the one day course. The participants are required to sit a multiple choice assessment that will need to be passed in order to gain the certificate. Employees will achieve a recognised certificate which can be placed on their C.V. Employers obviously gain an employee with basic health and safety training, and can show that they are working towards complying with health and safety laws and regulations.

Choosing the right type of certificate and qualification is important. If you would like to find out more about health and safety training, call 0844 576 6750 for more information.

Man Helps at Accident Scene Days After Attending First Aid Course

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A man who attended a St John Ambulance first aid course just last week found his skills were called on when he helped at the scene of an accident on Monday.  Wayne Duggan was driving one of his two children to an after-school sports session when he chanced upon congestion outside Castle Rushen High School. Click here to read more..

Locate and book a first aid course in your area today!