A quick browse of the (numerous) reports of deaths in the construction industry will nearly always contain that common phrase ‘completely avoidable’. According to one HSE Inspector, Graham Tompkins, this was the case in the death of fifty seven year old Nigel Sewell at a building site in Kneesworth in September 2011. The HSE spokesman… Read more »
The Supervisors Certificate for Construction Workers
With a range of major new infrastructure projects in the pipeline in the UK, having suitable construction qualifications is essential. For site supervisors the most suitable qualification is the SSSTS course, or the management equivalent. Those who have passed the training successfully will be issued with a certificate to prove it. The CITB certificate demonstrates… Read more »
What to Do After Your CITB SMSTS Course
You’ve passed the SMSTS course — so what now? Earning the qualification is the start, not the finish line. The managers who get the most from it are the ones who turn five days of training into lasting practice on site. Here’s how to lock in what you’ve learned, what to expect with your certificate,… Read more »
Study Tips for the Site Management Safety Training Scheme
The Site Management Safety Training Scheme (SMSTS) is the standard qualification for construction site managers — and a solid foundation in the health and safety duties that come with a management role. If you haven’t studied or sat an exam since school, the five days and the final assessment can feel daunting. They needn’t. The… Read more »
How to Deal with & Prepare for Emergency Situations in the Workplace
If you’re a business owner or manager, keeping your employees safe at work is your responsibility — and that means being ready before something goes wrong. Could you confidently handle a fire, a serious injury or a gas leak right now? If the honest answer is “not sure”, the time to plan is now, not… Read more »
Role Play is Essential for Teaching First Aid Qualifications
Some things can be taught with a pen and paper and a worksheet, but other skills demand a hands on learning environment in order to be taught in a full and comprehensive way. In a mathematics class you don’t have to act out the addition and subtraction to understand it – but when taking your… Read more »
Supporting Staff After Traumatic Situations
Imagine there has been a serious accident at your workplace and someone has been severely injured. Luckily your staff had the appropriate first aid at work qualifications and they dealt with the situation in the best way that they possibly can. Perhaps the victim was left with serious injuries or maybe they even perished as… Read more »
Remain Calm in an Emergency Situation
In an emergency, panic is a natural human reaction — especially when someone is seriously injured. The danger triggers your brain’s “fight or flight” response, and that instinct works against the calm, logical thinking a first aid situation demands. The good news: the right training changes how you react, turning panic into a practised, almost… Read more »
Stop, Look, Listen; Risk Assessment Basics and Training
As we all know, prevention is a far better approach than cure. This applies in the Health and Safety arena as much as in any area of life and the basic principles of Health and Safety in the workplace are grounded in the ability to conduct effective risk assessments. Risk assessments are something that we… Read more »
Small Firms Fall Victim to New Health and Safety Laws
In the five years since the Corporate Manslaughter and Homicide Act 2007 came into force (in 2008) the number of prosecutions under the act has risen sharply. Figures released by the Criminal Prosecution Service (CPS) demonstrate that the number of cases in 2012 rose by 40 per cent on the previous year. In addition to… Read more »