3 Step Guide

Changes for First Aid Being Discussed

Plans are under discussion to remove the requirements for providers of first aid training courses to be first approved by the Health and Safety Executive. The changes will be applied to the Health and Safety First Aid Regulations if they are approved. The proposals for change came after a report was conducted by Professor Lofstedt that was independently researched and since accepted by the Government.

To decide what happens next the Health and Safety Executive are currently conducting consultations over the next six weeks. After the consultations the board will then make their plans and recommendations known to the ministers after the responses have been considered. These are not the only changes that are currently being discussed. The HSE are also considering if the Approved Code of Practice is really useful when it comes to showing companies and individuals how to be in compliance with the health and safety laws.

Proposed Changes in First Aid

The changes to first aid training regulations will mean that it might not be necessary to seek out first aid training courses that have been approved by the HSE. As it stands the courses must be approved such as is the case with the First Aid at Work HSE course. However, the changes will not mean that any course will be suitable. The training will still have to comply with the recommendations and the Regulations. Employers will still need to make sure that there are enough trained first aiders within their organisation as determined by an adequate first aid risk assessment.

The changes will not be applied until at least 2013. In the meantime if you do need to provide first aid training for your workers you will need to comply with the current regulations. You can book places on the 3-Day First Aid at Work HSE course for as many people as you need. The training is available all year round and in multiple locations all over the country via the British Red Cross and St John Ambulance.

Why Everyone Should Know First Aid

No matter where you work or what sort of industry you work in, everyone in the workplace should be trained in basic first aid.

First Aid is not difficult and it doesn’t take very long, but it is an essential skill that all of your employees should have. Here are a few of the reasons why everyone in the workplace should know first aid:

A Natural Disaster Can Occur at Anytime

Would everyone in your workplace know what to do if a hurricane, earthquake, tsunami or other natural disaster struck unexpectedly? These sorts of disasters can happen at any time and if they occurred while you were at work many of your colleagues could be injured and in need of first aid. Having the right training means that the least injured co-workers could tend to the others while they waited for help to arrive and perhaps save their lives.

Training Could Save a Life

A knowledge of basic first aid means that you could help a co-worker who is suffering from a seizure, cardiac arrest or other health emergency. Performing CPR on a non-breathing victim could mean the difference between them being dead by the time the ambulance arrives or being able to be revived and saved. Performing CPR doesn’t always work in an emergency, but it has the potential to save someone who is not breathing and it is always worth knowing how to perform it properly.

Knowledge Reduces Panic

When an emergency occurs and you don’t know what to do, it can be a terrifying feeling. You might become paralysed with shock and fear and fail to act and help the victim. Taking first aid training helps you to act quickly rather than freeze up in an emergency situation.

Learning Construction Safety in the Classroom

Many aspects of construction are taught in a practical fashion. Health and safety on the other hand needs to be approached in a classroom setting to ensure you understand your legal and moral duties fully. If you are a business owner, a manager, supervisor or are given a role of responsibility on site you will need health and safety training to protect you and the people under your control.

One of the most suitable health and safety courses to choose is the NEBOSH construction certificate. This is an excellent course that covers multiple topics in just three units. You will learn about how to manage health and safety, how to identify hazards and finally the practical application of health and safety. By the end of the course you should leave with plenty of knowledge and worthy skills that will prepare you for your role of responsibility within the construction industry.

Construction and the Law

There are multiple regulations that you must work within to help keep control of the risks and hazards found in this dangerous industry. If you fail to abide by these regulations and legislation you risk being prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive, even if there is no accident or incident to report. When being prosecuted you could be fined, the company you work for could also be fined and you could even face a custodial sentence.
Understanding the laws and regulations gives you knowledge of how to avoid breaching them through your management or supervisory role. On the NEBOSH Construction Certificate you will look at these laws and the basic foundations of health and safety to protect you against prosecution. You will be taught plenty of techniques that can be applied and used to show the HSE that you are complying with the laws.

Facts about the NEBOSH Construction Certificate

If you are interested in the NEBOSH Construction Certificate you will need to book your place online or by speaking to a training advisor. The course can be taken in a classroom setting or you can enrol on a distance learning course so you are able to study at home or in designated time in the workplace.

Construction laws cannot be ignored. Book your place on a suitable health and safety training course and gain control.

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Drug Misuse at Work

One of the concerns with health and safety at work is alcohol and drug abuse. The effects of such abuse can be seen in many different parties, not just the abuser. It can lead to health problems, time off work and reduced activity and productivity.

With the NEBOSH Working with Wellbeing course you can learn techniques on how to avoid problems with substance abuse within your organisation.

Drugs at Work and the Law

There are two pieces of legislation that relate to drugs in the workplace. These are:

  • Health and Safety Act Work Act Section 2
  • Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999

It is also an offence to allow or permit any person to produce, supply or use drugs on your premises under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. Furthermore the Road Traffic Act 1988 states that anyone in control of vehicles must not be under the influence of drugs as well as the Transport and Works Act 1992. If you operate a business with drivers it is important to make sure no unfit drivers are allowed to have control of any vehicle.

Create a Solid Policy and Share it With Your Employees

The use of drugs can cost you money due to time off work and a reduced level of productivity in the workplace. It can also increase the risk of accidents, leaving you and others at risk. Therefore it is important to introduce a substance misuse policy. As an employer it is more beneficial to provide help and support to anyone found using drugs rather than punishing them directly. However in your policy you should make it clear that the police will be contacted if drugs are found. Your policy should also make it clear that if an employee comes and admits they have a problem it is better to provide them with help rather than firing them.

You can find out more about the misuse of drugs and alcohol on the course from NEBOSH. To book you or your human resource team, supervisors or managers on the NEBOSH Working with Wellbeing course simply contact us on 0808 1966 830.

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Managing the Dangers of VDUs

While many people consider the office to be a safe place to work there are multiple hazards faced by the workers. Although it is a low risk workplace there is still the need for the creation of risk assessments and creating safe working measures to ensure the health and safety of the employees and visitors is taken care of. The IOSH Managing Safely course is an ideal educational course to take for business owners and managers within the organisation in order to maintain strong health and safety procedures.

Dangers in the Office

One of the dangers in the office is the use of VDUs or visual display units. Some employees may experience health problems because of working with a VDU however often the effects are caused by how the VDU is used. Depending on the positioning users may experience problems such as repetitive strain injuries. Symptoms of RSI include wrist, arm, neck,
shoulder, back and hand pains. These are often called upper limb disorders and many of the problems can be helped by encouraging frequent breaks and designing work stations to be more ergonomic.

Stress in the Workplace

The above symptoms can also be induced because the person operating the VDU is under work related stress. The stress could be down to workload, deadlines, not having the correct training or a feeling of not being in control of the situation. Another problem is eye strain and although there has been no link to permanent damage caused to the eyes from the VDUs it is acknowledged that prolonged use can lead to sore eyes and headaches.

Employees Need Support from You

As part of your health and safety policy it’s important to inform all of your employees that they can come to you if they experience any problems as mentioned above. When they do you will need to provide solutions and support to help to alleviate the problems. You could perform a risk assessment to spot the causes of the aches and pains and to help you to
identify how you can solve the issues. You may need to provide more training, offer additional support to reduce the workload, redesign their work space or find alternative solutions.

If you would like to learn more about the dangers faced in low risk office environments consider joining a health and safety course awarded by the IOSH. Alternatively, take a look at our DSE tips and advice page.

Are You Aware of Your Environmental Responsibilities?

Environmental management training helps to open your eyes to the responsibilities your organisations have when concerning the environment. There are many areas that need to be managed effectively to help you to comply with the Regulations in this area. If you or your employees have been given the role of managing the environmental factors and issues in your organisation it is important to provide training opportunities to ensure the work is performed efficiently.

The IEMA Environmental Awareness training for managers covers several important topics. The delegates will learn about how environmental issues, both global and local, evolve. The course will then teach the delegates how to incorporate these issues into the general management of the company. On the training course the delegates will also be given the opportunity to learn about the kind of impacts that the organisation may have on the environment and how to bring in ways of reducing them.

The IEMA Certificate in Environmental Management covers several other important topics including:

  • How to put in control measures so that your operations and waste do not cause pollution issues
  • How to come up with processes that can be used to assess the progress of the management and the environmental performances
  • General terms about the earth’s natural systems
  • Social and ethical aspects of sustainability
  • Economic advantages of sustainability
  • Understanding the key points in the environmental legislation

Examinations

At the end of the training all of the delegates will be required to sit an open book exam. The exam lasts for three hours and will show that the delegate has understood the concepts covered on the training course. If the exam is passed successfully the IEMA Associate Certificate is awarded.

Do You Need to Provide Environmental Training?

It is important to give training to anyone that has responsibilities when it comes to environmental issues in the workplace. They will be able to then control, manage and monitor the effectiveness of any new alterations. You may even find that your company is able to save money due to saving and reducing the energy that you use.

Book a place for your manager on the environmental management training by contacting us on 0808 1966 830 today.

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Do You Really Want to Be Fined?

One way to help prevent being prosecuted by the HSE is to ensure all of your workers have received health and safety training. Even small sized businesses and the self employed that contract additional help have to give training to their workers to help reduce the risks.

Benefit from Health and Safety Training

Everyone can benefit from such action. The employees gain education on how to keep themselves safe and work for the greater good of everyone as well as gaining an additional qualification. Employers have the advantage of showing compliance with legislation, reducing the risks to their staff whether full time, part time, permanent or temporary. The business owners also benefit from lowering the chances of financial problems that come with sick and injured employees. More importantly as an employer you know you are working within your morals to help keep those that work for you safe and healthy while at work.

CCNSG and CITB Safety Training – Affordable and Valuable

If you’re taking on a new member of staff it’s vital to ensure they have adequate training. Ask to see what qualifications they have already earned such as the CCNSG Safety Passport. You should also check to see if any of their current qualifications are coming to an end as many require the candidate to take a refresher to avoid the certificate from becoming fully invalid.

If they require additional training to bring them up to scratch there are many excellent courses to consider. The CITB 1 Day Health and Safety Awareness course is ideal for those that have no responsibilities on site. Labourers, extra hands and new trainees can greatly benefit from the basic safety skills that are taught in a relaxed and friendly classroom environment.

Site Supervisor Safety Training Scheme

If the one day health and safety awareness training is too basic, or you would like to continue their training the next step is to consider the SSSTS course. You can find out all the details about both of these options by calling our team on 0844 576 6750. Educate and train all of your employees and reduce the risk of being prosecuted for failing to ensure their safety.

How to Improve Your Environmental Management

Concentrating on your environmental management is an excellent way of saving money within the company and of course becoming more environmentally responsible. The work you put into creating an excellent management system will pay off through helping you to show you are a caring and considerate organisation, helping customers to respect and trust your services, as well as reducing spending in many areas.

Tips on How to Improve Your Environmental Management

To help you get started here are some tips on areas in your company that need to be focused upon.

  1. Recycling and reusing smaller items such as paper within the company is a good way of saving money and reducing the amount of waste your firm produces.
  2. Conserve how you use energy. Reduce the amount of water that’s used and consider harvesting rain water in water tanks. Turn off electrical equipment when not in use, upgrade to energy efficient machinery and equipment. Speak to your suppliers to find out more about saving and conserving energy.
  3. Look at your suppliers and find eco-friendly alternatives to show you are concerned about meeting your environmental responsibilities.
  4. Use eco-friendly products for all of your processes. Switch to recycled paper goods and organic alternatives to chemicals as well as component parts, supplies and any parts you may use in production.
  5. Donate money to a local project designed to reduce impact on the environment.
  6. Look at ways to streamline your logistics. Reduce the amount of mileage your company does to deliver goods or source your supplies.
  7. Educate your employees on how they can play an important role in helping your company to fulfil the environmental responsibilities. Consider encouraging cycling to work, car pools and educate on the acts they can do to benefit the team.
  8. Add information about how you are working to help the environment to your website, emails and marketing materials to help educate the community and other businesses.

Environmental Management Training

Environmental management training can provide you with techniques and methods that will ensure you comply with laws and work to make a difference. If you would like to sign up for one of our many courses designed to improve environmental management skills you can do so by calling 0808 1966 830.

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Safety on High Roofs and Working at Height

When working on roofs all individuals are being put at high risk. These risks come from working at heights and they need to be controlled in order to reduce the potential for an accident from occurring. Training is therefore required, something made readily available from health and safety providers including NEBOSH and the IOSH.

Risk assessments play an important role when it comes to safely working at height. The risks have to be identified and then either eliminated or reduced through the introduction of additional workers, safety protection gear and equipment and useful training. There are many dangers that are always present including falling through fragile materials, falling off the edges of the roof or using machinery and equipment when not stable.

Planning Plays a Huge Role in Safety

Working at height is extremely dangerous and the figures provided by the Health and Safety Executive highlight the dangers. Roofers account for around 24% of the employees that are killed when working at height. The most common reason for these falls is because the workers have fallen through the materials on the roof such as the roof lights and roofing sheets, made from asbestos sheets.

Before work commences it’s important to conduct risk assessments, safe systems of work and to create method statements. The method statement needs to show how prevention and control methods are to be used and what the dangers are present to both the workers and the people that could be walking below, including the public. All of the findings have to be shared with those that will be working at height. Additional training has to be provided if necessary. Safe access to the roof must be provided as well as safety equipment and protective gear that could prevent an accident or protect the individual should they fall.

Get the Health and Safety Training You Need

If you are self-employed or an employer you will need to have health and safety training. If you are not working on the site you will need to ensure all of your supervisors and managers have training to keep everyone safe.

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Working with Vehicles Safely On Site

In the construction industry there are many times each day when workers have to work alongside vehicles. There are all sorts of risks involved when this occurs, namely a pedestrian worker being struck or run over by a vehicle. This is sadly a common cause of injuries and therefore is something that has to be carefully managed by the site supervisor, manager or employer.

A recent court case highlights this problem and serves as a stark warning to those that are responsible for the health and safety on site. At Carlisle Crown Court on 8th October, a building maintenance firm in Cumbria were fined after one of their employees was struck by a vehicle. The employee, 62 year old Ken Brown, was run over as he was directing the vehicle down a one way road on a nuclear site they were working on. He had performed this job several times a month for over one year and yet this time he was run over. The injuries to his leg were so severe he had to have it amputated in hospital.

Huge Fine for Failing Employee

Johnson Controls Ltd was fined £65,000 after they pleaded guilty for breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act. On top of the fine the company also has to pay £8,162 in court costs. The investigation performed by the Health and Safety Executive inspectors discovered that Mr Brown had not received any specific training on how to safely direct the vehicle. They also found that his employers had not created a safe system of work that could have reduced the risks and prevented the accident.

The SMSTS Course

The SMSTS is an excellent course that can provide site managers with excellent training to help prevent accidents like this occurring. The course is available all over the country and informs managers of their legal responsibilities as well as providing them with the skills they require to manage their workers safely. These include techniques such as method statements, safely setting up the site and risk assessments. A risk assessment can be used to prevent accidents with vehicles and to create safe systems of work.

To discuss the SMSTS training in greater detail or to book a place on the course please call us on: 0808 1966 830.

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