Grove Services (UK) Limited.

Sunnyhill House, 3 – 7 Sunnyhill Road, London. SW16 2UG, United Kingdom.
Tele +44 020 8696 6200 fax +44 0870 912 8387.

Grove Services (UK) Limited are an independent service company providing health safety and environmental services.

Are subscribing members to the British Standards Institute (BSI).

Foundation members of the British Quality Foundation (BQF).

Members of the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA).

Accredited with Quality Assurance to BS EN ISO 9002.

We have six years of certificates for the health and safety commission for 1996 / 1997 / 1998 / 1999 / 2000 / 2001 & 2003.

We employ competent employees only, we only employ corporate members of the 'Institute of Occupational Safety and Health' (IOSH) the senior director is at a 'Registered Safety Practitioner" 'RSP' status within 'IOSH', 'CMIOSH', 'MIOSH' & 'RSP'

Health and Safety at Work Etc Act 1974 'HASAWA'

The issue of a suitable health and safety policy statement is a legal requirement where five or more people are employed - where less than five it need not be in writing.

The policy statement should generally consists of three sections; -

· The statement of intent of the organisation.

· The organisation of the operation, who does what and what responsibilities they have.

· The arrangement section should set the objectives and aims of the organisation. This could mean compliance with current good practice and regulations and setting standards for the workplace.

When the policy is written it must be brought to the attention of the employees – providing them with copies and access to the policy is required. When any revisions have been made it must also be brought to the attention of the employees.

The employer must take active steps to promote it to be effective, this could include training sessions for employees, when working with others and perhaps advising clients and other trading partners.

Services we can provide.

We can prepare, write, issue, review and revise safety policy as required under Section 2(3) of the “Health and Safety at Work Etc Act 1974”.

Complete suitable audits and reviews - spot checks or full inspections, identification of hazards and reporting of incidents, accidents and near misses.

Link to:

audit checklist doc.

Accident statistics doc.

Legal chart doc.

Training doc.

Workplace pro forma doc

Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998. 'PUWER'

The requirements of this regulation covers many areas of work equipment, from office equipment to large presses and machinery found on production lines. Many of the provisions found will not apply to the more basic types of equipment. For hazardous work equipment careful assessment will be required to ensure that the relevant provisions of the Regulations are complied with.

Taking into account suitability of equipment, maintenance inspections, specific risks, dangerous parts of machinery, protection devices, controls and control systems and lighting.

Link to PUWER assessment doc.

The following are likely to apply;-

· inspection and maintenance of the work equipment,

· provision of information, instruction and training,

· marking of controls,

· provide lighting on equipment that is necessary,

· ensure that mobile work equipment for carrying persons is suitable,

· ensure that mobile equipment has protection for rolling over,

· ensure that mobile equipment has suitable facilities to prevent unauthorised starting,

Newer equipment should bear a “CE” mark to indicate that is conforms to relevant safety standards for the supply of equipment within the EC – but this may not necessarily protect the user and the employer where conditions are unsafe.

If equipment is purchased the risk associated with the operations must be suitably controlled. This could be by providing guards (fixed or automatic etc). Provision of training for the newly introduced work equipment and ensuring that safe working practices are issued, adopted and followed and ensuring that users of the equipment are competent.

Regular service and maintenance of the equipment will be required, suitable maintenance schedules should be adopted and include the nature and frequency of these maintenance tasks should allow for and include, the manufactures or suppliers recommendations,

Link to:

assessment PUWER doc.

Hand arm vibration doc.

Vibration doc.

Vibration table doc.

Services we can provide.

Risk assessments, training advice and information.

Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992.

There are many persons being injured in the workplace due to poor lifting techniques. This regulation has been applied to cross-cover all workplaces. It requires the need to adopt a risk management approach to reducing risks of injury when persons undertake manual handling activities.

The definition of manual handling includes the following; -

Any transporting or supporting loads – this includes putting down, pushing, pulling, carrying and supporting a load whilst in a static position.

Where an effort is applied either directly or indirectly to a rope or level it is still considered to be manual handling.

Generally the main requirements for manual handling adopt a hierarchy of risk to avoid the need to carry out manual handling and assess the risk.

Services we can provide.

We can provide manual handling training to employers and employees.

Link to assessment manual handling.doc

Personal Protective Equipment Regulations 2002.

Taking into account suitability, design, usage and user.

We can complete thorough inspection of harness and associated personal protective equipment.

Identify the hazards.

When assessing the need first identify the hazards that may be present, such as eye protection, splashes of liquids, airborne dust etc, it might be appropriate to issue impact-resistant eye protection.

Employers need to take into account the nature of the hazard and the demands of the job.

Physical effort required methods of works, how long the PPE has to be worn, need for good visibility etc.

Provide more than one size. The general rule is that personal protective equipment should always fit the worker and not the other way around.

Workers who may have been involved with the selection process are more likely to accept the need for the provision of personal protective equipment.

Periodic examination could include the cleaning, disinfection, repair and replacement, and testing of the equipment.

Some equipment requires basic checks other equipment such as harnesses require greater inspection by a competent person.

Employers should ensure that:-

PPE is to be examined by a trained and competent person before it is issued to workers to ensure it is in good working order. Arrangements should be in place to clean and disinfect PPE that may be used by numbers of persons. Users of selected PPE should examine the equipment before using it to ensure that it is not defective. That the manufactures maintenance schedules are completed and that any examination and tests are recorded.

Services we can provide.

We can assist with the selection prior to use, inspections of equipment i.e. hard hats, fall protection harnesses hearing protection etc.

Asbestos.

We can provide suitable training sessions either to management or operatives, using power point presentations, identifying where asbestos could be found and located, what to do if it is located, including working procedures.

Surveying, sampling and assessment of asbestos containing materials to MDHS 100.

Condition surveys and guidance on sealing or removal. Selection and control of contractors.

Audits, checks and inspection of the working areas, prior to and during operations.

Provide advice, guidance and information for compliance with the required ‘duty to manage’ asbestos in non-domestic premises.

document link – Asbestos material assessment doc.

Control of Asbestos 2006 .

Consolidation of three sets of regulations – on “control”, “licensing” and “prohibitions”.

The “at work” removed as the newer requirements replace previous regulations “Asbestos (Prohibitions) Regulations 1999” which apply not just to the workplace , for sale, supply and use of the material.

Significant changes include the following.

Duty for training of persons who may be accidentally exposed to the material. In particular maintenance staff, IT, BT etc, plumbers, electricians and the like.

You already have to provide information, instruction and training for various reasons under the “Health and Safety at Work Etc Act 1974”, they are now more explicit under the new regime of the regulations and the ACOP.

This shall include as a minimum: -

• The health risks caused by exposure to the material.
• Materials that could contain asbestos and where they are likely to be.
• How to reduce asbestos risks during work.
• The action to be taken in an emergency i.e. an uncontrolled release of material in particular dusts.

Therefore it may be prudent to check the competence levels of contractors and their sub-contractors and their knowledge with the up to date with the new requirements.

Exposure to asbestos could result in criminal action under the “Health and Safety at Work Etc Act 1974” and civil implications.

So if you have asbestos in your location do you provide the training on site as well as induction or do you restrict their activities or?

The duty to manage asbestos – as having access to relevant information - can be traced back some decades – many forward thinking organisations had registers or logs available and use to review them from time to time, Since the “Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2002” and since May 2004 there was a requirement to “Manage the materials” not a duty to survey, therefore assess the location, this includes identification, location, condition and regular review based on its condition and location.

Some still have not complied with this, I am aware of locations that have had in-depth surveys and thought this was enough, other locations have still not completed any assessment or identification. This should have brought around the principle of a “Management Action Plan” based on the completed assessment, including regular reviews.

There are planned changes with the enforcing authorities with respect to the duty to manage and the HSE is planning training programmes for inspectors to inspect the compliance requirements of duty holders.

For demolition works – refurbishment must be included – there is a requirement to ensure that a risk assessment is in place. This means that the documentation such as the method statement or safe system of work must state and identify asbestos risks and how they are to be controlled; -

• It is there do not touch
• It is there it is marked
• It is there it is signposted
• Do not assume that individual understand the English language

No new requirements for construction are seen; the regulations require “so far as is reasonably practicable” the removal of asbestos material prior to any works occurring. It may be practical to encapsulate or seal it, the register must be updated whether it remains or is removed.

Therefore prior to works a suitable survey is required to a “type 3 standard full access sampling (pre-demolition major refurbishment survey)” detail to be found within “Methods for the Determination of Hazardous Substances MDHS 100, surveying sampling, and assessment of asbestos containing materials”.

The material that is left – whether encapsulated or otherwise must be further controlled by the issue of risk assessment, method statement or “safe systems of work” for the future. This must be controlled by good management from the location management or organisational management.

New control limits have been introduced, simple terms this is how much you can be exposed to materials.

Previously these were: -

• Blue and brown (Crocidolite / Amphibole) asbestos the limit was 0.2f/ml (fibres per millilitre of air).
• White 0.3f/ml – generally chrysotile.

The control limit is to be 0.1f/ml for all types of asbestos; this should make the competent analysis work easier as they do not have to check for content blue / brown / white.

If the risk assessment identifies that the control limit is likely to be exceeded a license is likely to be required. The working areas will need to be marked as a “respirator zone”.

Textured coatings such as “Artex” etc are now no longer under the regulations. White asbestos chrysotile was added to the coating as a binding agent into the 1980’s and finally banned from being added in 1992.

Research by the “Health and Safety Laboratory” in 2005 into risk with working with textured coatings concluded that the exposure levels likely to be encountered when working with or removing the substance were much lower than previously thought. (Burdett, G and Revell G (2005) an investigation into the airborne fibre release during the removal of textured coating from domestic premises).

Over 115 MP’s signed an early day motion against the proposed change; there was opposition from various Trade Unions. The technical committee of ARCA “the Asbestos Removal Contractors Association” criticised the HSL study and that the study was floored in terms of research methodology leading to under-estimated exposures.

Could this have been that removal of textured coatings – a costly exercise – with financial benefits to stripping organisations could see a turn down in business?

ARCA commissioned a report and they concluded that if anything the stringency of methods used in the removal of textured coatings should be “increased rather than decreased”. (Howie R (2005) an assessment of the scientific validity of the health and safety commissions proposals to remove textured decorative coatings containing asbestos from licensed activities)

The “HSL” then completed further investigations to address the ARCA report, this concluded that even poorly controlled textured coating removal would not result in the control limit of 0.1f/ml or air being exceeded and the risks are comparable to works with other asbestos material that do not require a license. (Burdett G and Revell G (2006) Summary report in additional work carried out on the monitoring of chrysotile containing textured decorative coatings).

They are therefore not a licensed removal works and can be completed by persons who may be considered to be competent. The HSE / HSL had considered the works with textured coating to be an unnecessary regulatory burden.

Basic controls are required and these should be included within the risk assessment, the method statement of safe system of work. These should include: -

• Personal protective equipment to be issued and used.
• Personal decontamination.Area segregation and control of the segregation.
• Disposal of the waste – what is the waste stream, where does it go to and can this be proved.

Generally the requirements used to be for licensable works “works with asbestos coating, insulation and insulation boards which exceeds two hours duration in any seven days”.

Now work where asbestos fibres are firmly within a matrix; -

• Textured coating.
• CementTiles.
• Plastics.
• Or other composite asbestos containing materials.

Will not require a license.

Work with asbestos will require a license unless the assessment shows that the task to be “sporadic and of low intensity and the personal exposures will not exceed the control limits”. Therefore consider the operation, are power tools to be used, is the area dry and / or likely to cause dusts.

“Notification” for licensable works had to be to the HSE via a form ASB5 at least fourteen days prior to works commencing. This occurred when the action levels – personal exposure limits averaged over a 12-week period – were likely to be exceeded.

The “Control of Asbestos Regulations” the action levels have been revoked and the notification is linked to required work that could exceed the control limits.

Under The “Control of Asbestos Regulations” and the revoked regulations medical health surveillance was and is required. They have now removed a link between action levels and medical surveillance.

In general work with the removal and encapsulation will still be carried out by licensed contractors, there is an available list on the HSE web page www.hse.gov.uk.

Employers will still be able to work with the lower hazard materials – by risk assessment, method statement and / or safe system of work – providing these documents have the sufficient control measures, are competent to do so and are suitably managed.

Since 1998 it has been a requirement for any organisation carrying out either air monitoring, bulk sampling identification of asbestos to conform to ISO 17025 – UKAS – United Kingdom Accreditation Service – being the only recognised accreditation body for this quality standard in the UK. Many analytical companies either have the standard are working towards the standards.

When stripping works occurs suitable and sufficient risk assessments / method statement and / or safe systems of work are to be available – on site and viewed by the operational staff. It must be managed by a suitably competent person.

For completion following clearance of licensable works and prior to handover there is to be a four stage procedure;-

• Stage 1; - preliminary check.
• Stage 2; - thorough visual examination.
• Stage 3; - clearance air test.
• Stage 4; - final assessment.

By an organisation conforming to ISO 17025 from April 2007. Many analytical companies either have the standard are working towards the standards.

There has been a move away from the “European Reference Method” for fibre counting to the “World Health Organisation” (WHO) system. It is not expected to have great impact on duty holders, the “WHO” method is more stringent and is likely to require greater standards for decontamination – where licensed works have occurred, there will be an air test prior to handing over stage 3 of the 3 stage clearance.

Summary.

· The new requirements in place since mid November 2006.
· Brings together regulations – licensing, controlling and prohibitions.
· Grouping together licensing, control limits and medial surveillance.
· Removal of textured coatings from licensable works – but must be suitably controlled.
· Future will tell if others who work near to asbestos will decontaminate areas properly – possible affect the domestic areas as there will be no independent check when clearing ACM’s.
· Control level changes.
· More explicit duty to provide information, instruction and training.
· Consideration of “Employers Liability Insurance”.

Construction (Design and Management) Regulations (CDM).

Construction (Design and Management) Regulation 1994 and 2000 are to be revoked along with the Construction (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations. They are to be combined into one set of regulations under the title “Construction (Design and Management) Regulation 2007”.

The Regulations require a Principal Contractor and a CDM Co-ordinator to be appointed, but only if a project is notifiable.

A project is notifiable if it lasts more than 30 working days or involve more than 500 person days, for examples 50 people working over ten days.

A formal Health and Safety Plan has to be prepared by the CDM Co-ordinator and the Principal Contractor prior to construction work commencing on site.

Document links - Health and Safety Plan.doc, Pre construction information.doc

The Client remains responsible for ensuring that client duties are met. Clients must ensure that Designers, Contractors and others are competent. Clients must allow sufficient mobilisation time for contractors to plan and prepare for the works.

For notifiable projects the ‘Lead Designer’ may be appointed as CDM Co-ordinator but duties are wider than just design co-ordination

Clients must ensure that arrangements for managing the project are suitable to ensure construction work can be carried out without risk to safety of any person. The client can no longer delegate or ‘contract out’ of their legal duties by appointing a Clients Agent. This loophole has now been closed and avoids the confusion over criminal liability in relation to CDM duties i.e. the liability will rest with the client.

Clients should make periodic checks through the life of the project. For non-notifiable projects only simple checks are required, these simple checks are:-

• Protection for workers
• Welfare facilities in place
• Co-operation and communication – designer/contractor.

The client / CDM Co-ordinator has to go to the construction site; they will have to ask and may have to prove by documentation, asking for access to copies of site reviews, audits or access to minutes of meetings.

Clients must provide H&S information as part of the tendering process. Clients should carry out necessary surveys in advance i.e. brown field site / asbestos location or access registers / structural condition reports etc. Information provided should be sufficient to ensure that significant risks can be planned for.

If a client does not make appointments they become legally liable for CDM C and PC duties.

The CDM Co-ordinators Duties. A new duty holder has been introduced. CDM co-ordinator is a project advisor in respect of safety risk management. The CDM 1994 Planning Supervisor role ceases to exist. The new CDM Co-ordinator has a less ambiguous role than the old Planning Supervisor. One of these duties is to advise on the competence of appointees to the construction project.

Competence is now more clearly defined in the ACOP and more prescriptive. Nothing more than initial design work should be done before a CDM Co-ordinator is appointed. They should give advice and assistance to clients. They should manage the flow of safety information between clients’ designers and contractors.

Document link - Competence.doc

They should provide designers with pre-construction information. CDM co-ordinator has a continuing role during the construction phase. They should pay attention when unforeseen problems are encountered on site – design changes etc. They must ensure that the designs of temporary works are compatible and permanent works can support temporary works.

The Designers Duties. Identify and eliminate hazards and reduce risks from hazards where elimination is not possible. Consider safety of those who will maintain, repair, clean, refurbish and demolish the structure. This duty applies to concept design as well as feasibility studies.

Designers to weigh factors and reach reasoned professional decisions. The greater the risk the greater the weight to eliminating or reducing it. The first thing designers need to do is eliminate hazards. Eliminating hazards removes the associated risk, reducing the overall risk to an acceptable level. Providing generic risk information is not acceptable. Designers are not legally required to keep records of the process but it can be useful.

Significant risks are those that:-

• Are not likely to be obvious to a contractor.
• Unusual.
• Difficult to manage.
• Information should be brief and in a form suitable for users.
• Noted on drawings.
• Written information.
• Suggested construction sequences.

There is a new duty on designers to ensure that any workplace they design complies with the relevant sections of the “Workplace (Health Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992”. A designer needs to ensure that common parts of the structure are accessible and can be cleaned and maintained safely.

The PC Duties. Must plan manage and co-ordinate work during the construction phase. They must have adequately resourced competent site management. Provide suitable welfare facilities. Prevent unauthorised access to site, hoarding or controlled access could be considered. Enforce site rules. All workers must have safety induction information and training. They must take the lead and encourage co-operation and co-ordination between contractors. Provide timely communication of activities. Prepare the Construction Phase Plan; generic plans will not satisfy regulations. Address later activities that will require careful planning. Monitor the requirements to ensure issues addressed in the plan are appropriate and followed in practice.

Competence. This is a big change under the new CDM 2007 regime and a new prescriptive approach has been adopted. Competence is now a 2 stage process for all the main duty holders. Each duty holder has to satisfy core criteria and competence is measured by:-

• Task knowledge.
• Safety knowledge.
• Experience and ability.

Demolition. Under CDM 2007 demolition does not trigger appointment of a CDM Co-ordinator but a written plan is required for all demolition work. This would be completed by the Principal Contractor. If the demolition project is notifiable then a CDM Co-ordinator would have be appointed.

Links: -

Competence

Health and Safety Plan

Pre construction information

Legal.

Help line available at two levels during normal working hours 'help desk' by telephone and '24-seven' twenty four hours three hundred and sixty five days facility as required.

Training.

We can provide selected training for various needs including, but not limited to; -

· Noise in the workplace,
· Manual handling,
· Control of Substances Hazardous to Health,
· Material safety data sheets,
· Accident prevention,
· Confined space working,
· Health and safety awareness,
· Use and selection of personal protective equipment,
· Legionella – legionnaires disease,
· Asbestos awareness for management and operatives.
· Mobile towers – safe erection, use and dismantling,
· Risk assessment awareness,
· Ladders and their safe use,
· Construction (Design and Management) training such as the role of the CDM co-ordinator, the duties and obligations of the principal contractor, the requirements of the client.

Services we can provide.

We can provide many types of courses specific for your needs – contact us via e-mail. We can provide training seminars to enable the employer to complete their own internal risk assessments.

Recognised health and safety awareness training providers under the 'CSCS' scheme operated through the CITB (Construction Industry Training Board).

Link to training doc.

Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992.

The regulations deal with the structure and layout of the building as they affect workers and facilities for workers.

They apply to the following areas of the workplace: -

· Maintenance of workplace and of equipment, devices and systems,
· Ventilation,
· Temperature in indoor workplaces,
· Lighting,
· Cleanliness and waste materials,
· Room dimensions and space,
· Workstations and seating,
· Condition of floors and traffic routes,
· Falls or falling objects,
· Windows, and transparent or translucent doors, gates and walls,
· Windows, skylights and ventilation,
· Organisation etc of traffic routes,
· Doors and gates,· Escalators and moving walkways,
· Sanitary conveniences.
· Washing facilities,
· Drinking water,
· Accommodation for clothing,
· Facilities for changing clothes,
· Facilities for rest and to eat meals.

Link to workplace pro-forma doc.

Services we can provide.

We can carry out workplace audits and / or hazard spotting exercises in the workplace.

Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999.

The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 (The Management Regulations). Regulation 3 requires that suitable and sufficient assessment be made of: -

·The risks to the health and safety of all employees whilst they are at work;
·The risks to health and safety of all persons arising from company’s operations;
· The identification of the measures required to comply with the relevant statutory conditions.

The Risk Assessments will be documented and revised if there is significant change in the risk. These Risk Assessments will be reviewed at least annually.

Interpretation of Risks.

·Hazard: A situation likely to cause injury or damage to persons or property.
·Hazard Material: A material likely to cause injury or damage to persons or property.
·Risk: The probability that the hazard (hazardous material) will cause injury or damage to persons or property.

Link to: -

Assessment guidance doc. - Audit checklist doc. - Checklist hazard doc. - Five steps doc. - General hazards doc. - Hazards doc. - Assessment shift workers doc.

Risk Assessments

Risk assessments will take account of the requirements of Regulation 4 and the associated schedule 1 of the regulations. These refer to the “Principles of Prevention” to be applied as set out below

(a) Avoidance of risks;
(b) Evaluation of the risks, which cannot be avoided;
(c) Combating risks at source.
(d) Adapting the work to the individual, especially as regards to the design of workplaces, the choice of work equipment and the choice of working and production methods, with a view, in particular, to alleviating monotonous work and work at a predetermined work-rate and to reducing their effect on health.
(e) Adapting to technical progress.
(f) Replacement of the dangerous by the non-dangerous or the less dangerous.
(g) Development of a coherent overall prevention policy which covers technology; organisation of work, working conditions, social relationships and the influence of factors relating to the working environment;
(h) Giving collective protective measures priority over individual protective measures and
(i) Giving appropriate instructions to employees.

Health Surveillance

Where indicated by risk assessment, the Company should provide health surveillance appropriate to health and safety risks identified by that assessment.

Where such health surveillance is indicated, the Company will require potential new employees to provide evidence to show that their surveillance has been in operation before the employment.

Health and Safety Assistance

The company should train supervisors to a suitable level of competence in health and safety. Such "Competent Persons" shall then be appointed to assist in the management of health and safety in the workplace.

The company should also appoint a qualified competent person, to be available to the for advice and assistance as required. This need not be an external appointment.

The company should arrange, for regular formal and informal consultation with its employees consultation on matters of health and safety, these could include ‘toolbox-talks’.

Formal meetings should be held as required, to discuss matters of health and safety. These could be in accordance with the Health and Safety (Consultation with Employees) Regulations 1996. Such formal meetings should be recorded in the Health and Safety meetings file.

Procedures for Serious and Imminent Danger

The company should establish procedures for serious and imminent danger. These may include bomb threats to the building, site or area, potential collapse of structures or working platforms, release of hazardous substances, fire

These procedures should as far as reasonably practicable be provided to the site. Where employees have been exposed to such situations, they should be provided with information on the hazards and any steps to be taken for self-protection.

The procedures should provide for work to stop and employees to go to places of safety for role call, a return to work should be prevented until the serious or imminent danger is passed.

Contacts with External Services

The emergency procedures set out should include advice on the local emergency services.The procedures should be site specific and include the methods of contact in emergency whether this is direct or via the site supervisor or other employers in shared workplace areas.

Information for Employees

Employees should be provided with comprehensible and relevant information on the following and will be required to confirm in writing that they have understood that information.

· Risks identified by the assessment
· Protective and preventative measures
· Emergency procedures
· The identities of appointed competent persons
· Risks in workplaces where other employers are also present.

Co-operation and Co-ordination

Where other employers share the workplace the should: -

· Co-operate with others to enable them to comply with statutory obligations
· Co-ordinate the safety measures required
· Inform other employers of the risks created in the course of the company's work. In addition the company should provide comprehensive information on the work and procedures for the other employers.

The Company as Host Employer

Where the Company employs other employers as sub-contract or to provide a service, it should ensure that the employer / employees from the outside undertaking who are working on behalf of the company are provided with comprehensible information on: -

· Risk to employees health and safety arising out of the work of the Company (host) employer
· Measures taken by the company, and
· The protective and preventative measures taken by the company as if they were its own employees.

Capabilities and Training

The company should; -

· Take account of the capabilities of employees as regards to health and safety
· Provide health and safety training to employees: -
· On their recruitment - on exposure to new or increased risks, i.e. transfer to different work, new work equipment, technology, or systems of work.

Employees Duties

The Company should advise employees by training information and consultation that they are required to use machinery, equipment, dangerous substances, transport safety devices etc in accordance with the training and instructions given by the company.Employees should also co-operate with the company and report any shortcomings in the health and safety arrangements.

Temporary Workers

Before any new temporary employee shall commencement employment, the company should: -

· Check the qualifications and skills required to carry out the work safely.
· Provide information on the qualification and skills required to do the work safely.
· Require the temporary employee to confirm that he/she has read and understood

New or Expectant Mothers

When the company employs new or expectant mothers, it should: -

· Carry out specific risk assessment, which takes account of the work to be carried out, substances use and hours of work.
· If it is not possible to avoid such risks and alternative suitable work cannot be found, then it may be necessary to suspend the employee from work. (Subject to the provisions of Employment Rights Act 1996)
· The company should ensure that a medical certificate which confirms the fact so that the necessary changes can be to work patterns or duties.

Protection of Young Persons

Where the company employs young persons, it should: -

· Carry out a specific risk assessment,
· Where control measures taken against risk leave a residual significant risk, the young person will not be permitted to do the work.

Link to:-

Young persons risk assessment.doc

Services we can provide.

We can complete many types of risk assessment, identification of hazards, evaluating the risks, principles to be applied, health and safety arrangements, health and safety surveillance, health and safety assistance, employees duties, risk assessment for new and expectant mothers.

We can act as your access to competent advice – contact us about our rates and fee structures.

Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 'LOLER'.

Check and inspect lifting equipment and operation of the equipment to ensure that it has received periodic examinations and inspections.

Taking into account protection against slips, trips and falls, means of access and egress, operator and user protection, the means of summoning assistance and / or help, marking of the lifting equipment.

Link to:-

LOLER doc

LOLER advice doc

Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992 'DSE'.

Workstations should meet the requirements of the Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations. The employer has to undertake a risk assessment of the workstation and analysis of work stations, taking into account requirements of those workstations, assessing health and safety risks of working with display screen equipment (visual display units (VDU)) use of the mouse and mobile and portable laptop computers.

You should ensure that the person completing the assessment is competent to do so. You must remember to include others who work away from the office – persons who work from home / travelling business representatives etc. Information, instruction and training as required must be provided to the users of the equipment.

Services we can provide.

Initial assessments and on-going assessments of the workstations.

Link to:-

Assessment DSE (assessment DSE doc & assessment DSE 1 doc). Assessment workstation.doc

Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 'COSHH'.

The regulations have been amended by the “Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (Amendment) Regulations 2004”, the definitions for exposures have been altered from OES and MEL to read “workplace exposure limit” (WEL).

The “workplace exposure limit” is for a substances hazardous to health means the exposure limit approved by the Health and Safety Commission for that substance in relation to the specified reference period when calculated by a method approved by the Health and Safety Commission, as contained in the HSE publication “EH40 workplace Exposure Limits 2005” as updated from time to time.

Where there is exposure to substance hazardous to health, control of that exposure shall only be treated as adequate if –

• The principles of good practice for the control of exposure to substances hazardous to health set out in the schedules are applied,
• Any workplace exposure limit approved for that substances is not exceeded, and
• For a substance which carries the risk phrase R45, R46 or R49 or for a substance or process which is listed in schedule 1 or which carries the risk phrase R42 or R42 / R43 of which is listed in Section C of HSE publication “Asthmagen? Critical assessments pf the evidence for agents implicated in occupational asthma” as updated from time to time.

There are other amendments to the regulations and this should not be read and taken as a complete update.

The requirements of the regulations are listed below: -

Regulation 6 – assessment of health risks created by working with hazardous substances.
Regulation 7 – prevention or control of exposure to substances hazardous to health.
Regulation 8 – use of control measures.
Regulation 9 – maintenance, examination and test if control measures.
Regulation 10 – monitoring of the exposure at the workplace.
Regulation 11 – health surveillance
Regulation 12 – provision of information, instruction and training.

We can complete assessment of health risks created by working with hazardous substances.

General Information.

Failure to comply with the COSHH regulations can lead to legal prosecutions under the ‘Health and Safety at Work Etc Act 1974’ and is subject to penalties under the act and can lead to civil claims.

It aims to establish suitable levels to which all employers and employees must work by using basic principles of Occupational Hygiene such as identification, evaluation and control. The COSHH regulations lay down the essential requirements along with stepped hierarchical approach for the control of substances and for the protection of persons who may be exposed to those substances. In effect they require employers to plan, manage and monitor the use of chemical, micro-organisms and other substances hazardous to health.

Substances hazardous to health have been defined as “all substances that have the potential for causing harm to person’s health”. A substance that is hazardous is not just a single chemical substance or compound, it includes mixtures of these compounds, micro-organisms, allergens or the synergistic effects between them.

The COSHH regulations apply to all substances that may already have been classified as being in the very toxic, harmful, corrosive or irritant under the ‘Chemical (Hazard Information and Packaging for Supply)(Amendment) Regulations’).

Biological agents capable of causing infection, allergy, toxicity or other human health hazards, in the form of dust at a substantial concentration in air. Not listed in the category above, but which can create a health hazard comparable to any of them.

These factors are defined as hazardous to health, but additional factors need to be taken into account. Such as different forms of the substance may present different hazards. Many substances contain impurities that could present greater hazards than the substance they contaminate. Some substances have a fibrous form which may present a potentially serious hazard to health if the fibres are of a certain shape and size. Combined or sequential exposure to various substances may have an addictive or synergistic effect.

Excluded from these regulations are asbestos, lead, materials producing ionising radiation’s and below ground in mines. These have their own legislation and regulations that would govern their exposure.

Assessment.

The COSHH regulations require that no work, which is liable to expose persons to substances hazardous to health, shall be carried out unless an assessment has been made. An assessment can be defined as “an evaluation of the risks to health and then deciding on the required action to remove or reduce those risks”.

Every employer is required to carry out an assessment of the risks to health created by any activity likely to expose employees to any substance hazardous to health. The purpose of the assessment is to enable a valid decision to be made about measures necessary to control substances hazardous to health arising out of or in the course of work.

A suitable and sufficient assessment should include: -

· An assessment on the risks to health.
· Steps required which need to be taken to achieve adequate control of exposure.
· Identification of other action necessary to ensure control.

How far you have to go with control measures, monitoring, health surveillance will depend on the results of the assessment. A number of tasks must be included within the assessment.

1. Assembling information about the substance.
2. The work and working practices and procedures.
3. How the substances are used.
4. Evaluating the risk to health.
5. Deciding what other further precautions are needed to comply with the regulations.
6. Recording the assessment, unless the risks are so low that it is unnecessary to record them.
7. Reviewing and revising the assessment when changes take place i.e. work practices and procedures, how the substances are used.

The following is an aid to assessing what may be required to complete the assessment process to meet the whole of the COSHH regulations.

The following hierarchy of control measures available is to prevent exposure to substances hazardous to health.

· Substitution with less toxic substance.
· Isolation or enclosure of process.
· Local exhaust ventilation.
· General ventilation.
· Personal protective equipment (PPE).
· Controlled exposure.
· Hygiene measures.

Although substitution with a harmless or less hazardous substance is the ideal option, in practice engineering controls or personal protective equipment are the measure most widely used and employed.

Local exhaust or extract ventilation is the standard control measure for dealing with dusts, vapours and fumes that are generated from a source point.

All control measures should be properly maintained and regular checks should be made to ensure they continue to work or operate as intended, so that prevention or adequate control of exposure is sustained.

Where local exhaust prevention is provided it shall be thoroughly examined and tested at least every fourteen months.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is the last line of defence against substances hazardous to health. It is unacceptable to require employees to be encumbered by PE when the process itself could or should be enclosed, or the hazardous substances could be eliminated by substitution.

Other methods to control exposure are to: -

· Stop using the substance.
· Use the same substance in less hazardous form.
· Prevent or minimise the extent to which dusts, gases, vapours and fumes are given off.
· Limit the area of contamination.
· Restrict the numbers of employees exposed.
· Introduce regular cleaning.
· Provide safe means of storage and disposal of substances.
· Prohibit eating, smoking or drinking in the locality.
· Provide adequate welfare facilities and washing and changing areas.
· Set up and control system to ensure that clothing and equipment are properly used and maintained.

The control methods are not restricted to inhalation (breathing), but must also be able to tackle ingestion (through mouth), through skin absorption and general contact where these routes of entry into the body are potentially harmful.

Control measure employed shall also include for any contingency plans for emergencies such as spillages.

Maintenance of Controls.

All control measures that are provided to meet the requirements of the regulations must be maintained to ensure that they continue to be effective in preventing or adequately controlling exposure of employees to substances hazardous to health.

The term “maintenance” covers any work completed to sustain the efficiency of control measures not just carried out by maintenance personnel. It includes visual checks, inspections, and testing, servicing and remedial works.

For some examinations, such as local exhaust ventilation, a detailed specification is provided within the code of practice, for other areas only the outline is indicated.

The operation and use is also effected by the need to protect adjacent work areas and the possible release of harmful emissions into the environment.

Monitoring.

Monitoring means the use of valid occupational hygiene techniques to conclude a quantitative judgement of the exposure of employees to substances hazardous to health.

When monitoring is required it should be completed at least every twelve months, except where frequencies are stated in the relevant schedules of the regulations.

Monitoring strategies are required to maintain adequate controls, protect the workforce health and at the assessment stage, to establish the extent to which potentially hazardous substances represent a risk to health.

Airborne contaminants involve the periodic use or continuous sampling of the atmosphere at the workplace and will sometimes require sampling in the breathing zone by the use and means of personal sampling equipment.

The ‘Health and Safety Executive” (HSE) document EH42 provides useful advice on the principles of monitoring. This should be used with the HSE guidance note EH40 that deals with occupational exposure standards.

Health Surveillance.

The aims of health surveillance where employees are exposed to substances hazardous to health in the course of their work are: -

· The protection of the health of the individual employees by the use of detection as soon as possible, of any adverse changes which may be attributed to exposure to substances hazardous to health.
· The collection, maintenance and the use of date for the detection and evaluation of hazards to health.
· To assess, in relation to specific work activities involving micro-organisms hazardous to health, the immunological status of employees.

Health surveillance includes the keeping of individual health records and setting up of procedures for monitoring employee health.
· Biological monitoring, the measurements and assessment of workplace agents and the metabolites.
· Biological affect monitoring, the measurement and assessment of early biological effects in exposed workers.
· Medical surveillance, clinical examinations and measurements of physiological and psychological effects of exposure to hazardous substances in the workplace, as indicated by alterations in body function or constituents.
· Enquiries about symptoms, inspections or examinations by a suitably qualified person.
· Inspection by a responsible person.
· Review of records and occupational history during and after exposure, to check correctness of the assessment or risks to health and to indicate if the assessment requires reviewing.

For certain substances and processes which may give rise to identifiable adverse health effects, the health surveillance measures must be carried out. These records must be kept for at least forty years.Information, Instruction and Training.Every employer undertaking work which may expose any employees to substances hazardous to health has a duty to ensure those employees are provided with such information, instruction and training as is suitable and sufficient for them to know about the hazards and risks to health. It should include, but is not necessarily limited to the following: -

· The risks to health created by exposure.
· The precautions that need to be taken.
· Instructions and training on how to use and maintain control measures.
· Information on any environmental monitoring and health surveillance conducted and completed.
· Emergency procedures.

It is also the responsibility of the employer to ensure that any persons carrying out work in connection with the employer’s duties under COSHH, such as ventilation contractors, environmental advisers/consultants, medical staff and other non-employees have such information, instruction and training as is necessary for them to complete their work task safely and effectively.

Construction.

Compliance with the "Construction (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1996".

Full site inspection, audits of documentation and hazard spotting exercises.

Recognised health and safety awareness training providers under the 'CSCS' scheme operated through the CITB (Construction Industry Training Board).

Provider of 'Tool-box-talks' documentation.

Regular and routine site safety inspections.

Link to: -

Construction (HSW) doc. - Construction head protection2 doc.

Fire and Fire Precautions in the Workplace.

We can complete fire risk assessment as required under the “Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005”.

This includes the following stages: -

• Hazard spotting.
• Eliminate, control or avoid the risks.
• Checks on existing fire provisions of services.
• Combustible materials.
• Persons at risk.
• Means of escape.

Documentation.

Supply and implementation of detailed 'Safety Management Systems" with links to "quality assurance" (QA) system and BS 8800; Both have its links to ISO 9002 - "QA" - systems and ISO 14000 series.

Environmental impact assessments, policy statements and procedural requirements.

Internal air quality, air quality monitoring, for levels of carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO²), relative humidity (RH) & ambient air temperature.

Noise at work assessments, advice on selection of suitable control measures.

Sick Building Syndrome, Identification including temperature humidity, air quality, lighting, dust levels, microwave radiation.

Bacteriological analysis, Various checks and tests for identification of microbiological contaminants or levels of contaminants present.

Legionella – Legionnaires Diseases.

In general, conditions, which permit legionella to proliferate and aerosol to be created, should be avoided.

Where, this is not practical, the risk should be minimised and controlled by reducing the release of water droplets and controlling the water quality. In relation to all water systems, proliferation may be avoided by: -

1. Protect systems against external contamination, such as providing lids to storage tanks.
2. Avoid water stagnation by keeping the pipe lengths as short as possible and tanks no larger than is necessary. Eliminate "dead legs" wherever possible.
3. Maintain design temperature in both hot and cold water systems by providing efficient heating for hot water systems and adequate insulation for all pipes and fittings.
4. Keep systems clean, tanks and other items need to be readily accessible for cleaning.
5. Maintaining effective management of the services.

Control strategy features.

These have been identified by the "Health and Safety Executive" “Legionnaires’ Disease – The control of legionella bacteria in water systems” Approved code of practice and guidance reference L8.

· Establish control level. The effective level of the control parameters (such as temperature, concentration of biocide etc) will need to be identified.
· Achieve Control Level. The system should be capable of delivering and maintaining the effective level. (The rate of addition of some components may need to be varied as the rate of water usage changes).
· Ensure Control Level. There should be some means of measuring the parameter to ensure that it is being achieved throughout the system.
· Records. To be kept of the procedures/precautions.

Control Measures.

The traditional approach is that hot water should be stored at 60° C and distributed so that, after one minute of running a temperature of at least 50° C is attained at outlets. Cold water storage and distribution should be at 20° C or below.

At water temperature of 43° C and above there is a risk from scalding. Where a significant scalding risk has been identified the use of thermostatic mixing valves at baths and showers should be considered to reduce the water temperature. These need to be placed as close as possible to the point of use.

For most systems routine inspection and maintenance will usually be enough to ensure control if the following checks are made and appropriate remedial action taken when necessary.

· Water temperature at calorifier / cylinders / hot water heaters.
· Water temperature at a representative number of outlets.
· Condition and cleanliness of storage tanks.
· Condition of calorifier / cylinders / hot water heaters.
· Condition of accessible pipe-work and insulation.
· Operation of thermostatic mixing valves.

We can provide.

Legionnaires Disease, risk assessment as required by "The control of legionella bacteria in water systems" Approved Code of Practice and Guidance (ACOP).

Sampling for legionella and water quality, bacteriological sampling and inspections, checks, reports and analysis.

Information, instruction and training programmes, reviews of current practices, advice and re-assurance.

Work at Height.

We can provide various types of resources for operations of this nature, including risk assessment and issue of selected personal protective equipment.

We are able to act as a competent person for the regular and routine thorough inspection of the protective equipment i.e. harnesses.

Other Areas.

Confined Spaces - advice and training.

Link to confined space doc.

RIDDOR - Reporting of injuries, diseases and near misses.

Link to reporting injuries etc doc.

Control of lead at work - assessments, safe systems of work.

Link to lead 2002 doc .

Electricity at work – inspection, reporting and advice on PAT (portable appliance testing).

Link to assessment elect’ PAT doc & PAT test doc.

Control of contractors – selection and use.

Link to contractors commitment doc.

We are able to assist in approval to the “CHAS” – Contractors Health and Safety Management Systems