Did you know that health and safety law applies to work activities on the road in the same way as it does to all work activities and employers and self-employed persons need to manage the risks to drivers.
Effective management of work-related road safety helps reduce risk. It could also result in, for example:
■ fewer injuries to drivers;
■ reduced risk of work-related ill health;
■ reduced stress and improved morale.
Assessing Risks on the Road
Employers/self-employed persons are responsible for assessing the risks to health and safety within their businesses. Below are some tips for employers/self-employed persons on how to complete a risk assessment for driving for work:
1. Identify the hazards
Look for hazards that may result in harm when driving on public roads. Remember to ask your employees, or their representatives, what they think as they will have first-hand experience of what happens in practice. The main areas to think about are the driver,
the vehicle and the journey.
2. Who might be harmed?
Decide who might be harmed and how. This will usually be the driver, but it might also include passengers, other road users and/or pedestrians. Also consider whether there are any groups who may be particularly at risk, such as those new to
the job and those driving long distances and working long hours.
3. Evaluate the risks
Having identified the hazards, decide how likely it is that harm will occur. You are not expected to eliminate all risks, but you must make sure you know about the main risks and how to manage them responsibly.
4. Record your findings
Record your significant findings – make it simple and focus on controls. If you have five or more employees, you are required by law to write it down.
5. Regularly review your risk assessment
It makes sense to review your risk assessment on a regular basis.
A check list can be viewed on the HSE’s website, or please feel free to contact us if you need any support in protecting your drivers.
Despite the changeable weather in the UK, it is now even more important than ever to consider sun exposure for those working outside. However many outdoor workers:
1. Take their tops off 2. Don’t wear a hat 3. Sit outside in the sun when taking a break 4. Don’t wear sun cream 5. Don’t drink plenty of water
Lots of outdoor workers do not protect themselves for many reasons, for example bravado, uncomfortable equipment, and not understanding why they need to protect themselves.
What is UV and why is it a hazard?
Sunburn is caused by ultraviolet radiation (UV) from the sun. You can’t feel UV rays. The heat we feel from the sun comes from infrared rays (IR), these IR rays can’t burn you. This is why people can and do still burn on cool days. Too much UV radiation from the sun can damage your skin cells. If this builds up enough damage over time it can cause abnormal cell growth which can then lead to skin cancer.
Cancer Research UK state that ‘’Overexposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun or sunbeds is the main cause of skin cancer and over 8 out of 10 melanomas in the UK (around 11,100 cases every year) are linked to too much exposure to UV rays from sunlight or sunbeds’’.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) state that UV radiation should be considered an occupational hazard for people who work outdoors. It is not only the possibility of skin damage that needs to be considered. Outdoor workers also need to be protected against damage to their eyes, overheating and dehydration.
What should workers do?
Take care around midday and do not spend too long in the sun unprotected.
Cover up and spend time in the shade between 11am and 3pm when possible. Use at least factor 15 sunscreen on exposed skin.
Outdoor workers should check their skin regularly for any unusual moles or spots and should visit their GP promptly if they find anything that is changing in shape, size or colour, itching or bleeding.
What should employers do?
Risk assessment is one way to help employees be aware of the risk to sun exposure but cannot control the risks alone.
Ensure outdoor workers are well informed, have the right equipment and understand the risks.
Listen to the concerns employees have and actively involve them in choosing controls to help them.
For more information on our risk assessment and training services please contact us.
Sarah Mellor CMIOSH MIIRSM Salopian Health & Safety Limited T: 01630 657084 E: enquiries@salopiansafety.co.uk W: SalopianSafety.co.uk
The concept of risk assessments has been around for many years. It is alarming how many risk assessments we are asked to review which have fundamental sections missing making the assessment ineffective.
Below are some common mistakes that we have come across:
1. Done only for legal reasons
Yes they are a legal requirement for anyone who employ 5 or more employees however they must add value and be of a benefit to your company by reducing risks and keeping your workforce safe.
2. Done from the office
Many risk assessments are done from the office without physically assessing the area or activity. This is when it’s highly likely that critical risks can be overlooked and therefore inadequate controls are implemented.
3. Focussing only on control measures in place
Of course you need to state what existing controls are in place, but more importantly you need to identify those controls that should be in place which aren’t.
4. No ranking
Because you need an overview of all of your risks and be able to prioritise the actions, you need to have a ranking system so high risk actions can be addressed first.
5. Not specific to your company
More and more often we are seeing examples of risk assessments which have been purchased ‘off the shelf’ so companies can ‘tick the box’ stating they have risk assessments. However you need to remember the reason for undertaking risk assessments in the first place; to carefully examine what can go wrong in your company and what action needs to be implemented to avoid harm or ill health. Therefore it is critical that risk assessments are suitable and sufficient ie: relevant to your company activities and specific.
If you would like any training to enable you or your workforce to undertake effective risk assessments or you would like us to undertake them for you, then please get in touch.
Portable Appliances are best described as any electrical item with a plug on. Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) is a procedure you should regularly have undertaken to ensure your electrical items are safe to use.
All types of work settings have electrical appliances in them. It may be a care home, school, office, shop, kitchen, industrial unit or a hotel. When considering having your electrical items PAT tested you need to consider how often items are used, moved, who is exposed to them (staff, general public, children) and what environment they are in. All these factors affect how often you should have your appliances inspected.
Why do I need to get them tested?
It is a legal requirement under The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998. Every employer should ensure that work equipment is maintained in an efficient state, in efficient working order and in good repair.
In the event of any accidents or serious incidents involving the use of electrical equipment the Health and Safety Executive would want to see evidence that shows you have taken steps to ensure your electrical items have been maintained and inspected on a regular basis.
Do you want peace of mind that you are legally compliant? If so please contact us and we will be happy to discuss your requirements and provide you with a no obligation quote.
Health and safety is about saving lives, not stopping our lives. By engaging competent people to advise you on sensible risk management, you can ensure people are properly protected from real risks while still having fun.
How many times do you hear stories stating certain events and activities have been cancelled due to health and safety? School trips, playing conkers, graduates ordered not to throw their mortar boards in the air to name a few. But if you actually find out what are the true reasons for this nonsense, it is more to do with saving money on insurance or not wanting to invest the time or money in having a competent person carry out a proper risk assessment.
So what is distorting the health and safety message?
If competent advice is not sought, health and safety regulations can be misinterpreted, because the
individual does not have the right level of understanding and experience; risks can be exaggerated, excess paperwork can be created and activities and events are cancelled.
Health and safety is also often used as an excuse to save money or justify unpopular decisions. Who would argue with a manager for stopping an activity for “health and safety reasons”? However, a competent health and safety adviser can actually help these fun events take place by letting an insurer know that the organisation is taking risk management seriously.
Employers are required by law to appoint a “competent person” to give health and safety advice so they can be confident that risks are being managed sensibly and effectively.
Competent health and safety practitioners will have a sensible, practical and pragmatic approach to health and safety and will be able to balance your business needs with legislative requirements to ensure that you get the right approach.
For more information on sensible and competent risk management please contact us.
No one can afford to let back problems interfere with work, therefore it’s best to look for ways to prevent or alleviate pain in your back. In cases of unspecified medical conditions, back aches could probably be the result of a combination of factors. These may range from genetic to lifestyle-related problems. Certain sedentary jobs are also known to aggravate the back. Back pain can make it difficult to concentrate on the job at hand, but making the effort to find out what triggers workplace back problems can help you avoid it.
Additionally, many occupations which involve awkward handling ie: nursing also makes significant demands on the back. Even so, routine office work can still cause back distress. Back pain can be avoided by understanding what causes it and focusing on prevention. The predominant work-related factors associated with back pain are exerting too much force, repetitive physical movements, awkward body postures and even mental pressure or stress, which lead to muscle tension.
If there is no direct medical problem, then back aches are commonly due to lack of exercise-it’s always best to remain fit. If a back problem persists despite exercise, then you need to consider looking into the cause. For instance, it could be a wrong chair, incorrect height of a table or continued wrong posture. Remember, even if you have a job that requires continued activity, it is not an alternative to exercise. You need to regularly include a balance of cardiovascular workouts and muscle training in your exercise program to help keep your back in healthy condition. You also need to keep your weight in check which will minimise stress on your back.
Certain strengthening and stretching exercises that focus on toning your back muscles are very helpful for preventing back aches. Strengthening exercises help your back muscles as well as your lower spine. Strong and flexible muscles keep the back fit and healthy. Finally, if you have anything stressful weighing on your mind, then you need to address it immediately. Being under constant mental stress causes your muscles to tense.
If you are concerned that your workstations at work are contributing to back pain, we can help. Call us today for a chat with no obligation.
