Category: Health & Safety

For those working outdoors, there is the added risk of sun exposure. Exposure to ultraviolet radiation (UV) from the sun can cause skin damage including sunburn, blistering and , in the long term, skin cancer.

UV exposure can occur even on overcast days. Bear in mind that UV radiation is at its peak between 11am and 3pm and efforts should be concentrated at reducing exposure during these times.

Where the environment has a high temperature or humidity, there is an increased risk of heat stress. Heat stress is not only a risk to outdoor workers but also to workers within high temperature workplaces, such as those involving hot industrial processes or where the space is unventilated and naturally accumulates heat, e.g. in attics.

THE CURRENT SITUATION

According to the latest available statistics:

• There
  are around 16,700 new melanoma skin cancer cases in the UK every year, that’s
  46 every day (2016-2018)
• There
  were 2,341 deaths from melanoma skin cancer in the UK between 2017-2019
• Over
  the last decade, melanoma skin cancer incidence rates have increased by around
  a third (32%) in the UK. Rates in females have increased by more than a quarter
  (27%), and rates in males have increased by almost two-fifths (38%)
  (2016-2018). 86% of melanoma skin cancer4 cases in the UK are preventable.
• Melanoma
  skin cancer is the 5^th most common cancer in the UK, accounting for
  4% of all new cancer cases (2016-2018)
• Melanoma
  skin cancer is the 20^th most common cause of cancer death in the UK,
  accounting for 1% of all cancer deaths (2017-2019)

LEGAL REQUIREMENTS

• The
  Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992
  require that a ‘reasonable temperature’ should be maintained inside buildings
  used as workplaces
• The
  Approved Code of Practice (L24) goes on to provide that,
  where reasonable comfort cannot be achieved, e.g. because of hot processes,
  ‘all reasonable steps should be taken to achieve a temperature which is as
  close as possible to comfortable’
• The
  Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 – places a duty on every
  employer to ensure, as far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety,
  and welfare at work of all their employees. ‘Health’ includes mental health
• The
  Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992 (as
  amended) require that employers select, provide, and maintain suitable PPE for
  employees and that they should instruct staff in how and when to use it. PPE
  worn by employees, the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) at Work Regulations
  require employers to consider the work environment such as the weather, if the
  work is outside
• The
  Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015
  also require that indoor construction site temperatures be ‘reasonable’
• The
  Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 –
  place a duty on employers to make a suitable and sufficient assessment of the
  risks to health and safety to which employees are exposed whilst they are at
  work.

The regulations also require that workplaces should be adequately thermally insulated which, although in most cases is a reference to retention of heat, could be construed in extreme environments as providing insulation from heat. Furthermore, regulations require that the excessive effects of sunlight on temperature must be avoided.

No upper limit of temperature is given, though, based on industry and HSE guidance, anything above 24°C is not regarded as comfortable.

SUN EXPOSURE

UV exposure can occur even on overcast days. Bear in mind that UV radiation is at its peak between 11am and 3pm and efforts should be concentrated at reducing exposure during these times.

Clothing can be purchased with sun protection factors assigned, although HSE’s general advice is that a fine weave will provide more protection than a loose weave. This should be taken into account when specifying corporate clothing for outdoor workers.

Sunglasses should be provided where needed to protect workers from the hazard of UV radiation. This is especially the case for those working around water or on snow. Ultraviolet light is intensified and potentially more damaging to the eyes and visual system when it is reflected off the surface of water or snow. Sun exposure has been connected with eye diseases including cataracts and macular degeneration, dry eyes, corneal growths and keratitis or sunburn to the cornea. Sunglasses provided for workers should meet BS EN ISO 12312-1:2022.

HEAT STRESS

To protect those working out of doors, employers need to consider, in their risk assessments, protection from the sun and whether workers need protection from heat stress.

Heat stress is not only a risk to outdoor workers but also to workers within high temperature workplaces, such as those involving hot industrial processes or where the space is unventilated and naturally accumulates heat, e.g. in attics. It is also a concern where work is strenuous and involves wearing protective clothing and for outdoor workers in hot environments. Where the environment has a high humidity, there is an increased risk of heat stress.

What is Heat Stress?

Heat stress occurs when the body is forced to work hard to control its core temperature. This can occur when:

• Sweat
  evaporation is restricted by the type of clothing and / or the humidity of the
  environment
• Heat
  will be produced within the body due to the work rate and, if insufficient heat
  is lost, core body temperature will rise
• Core
  body temperature rises causes the body to react by increasing the amount of
  sweat produced, which may lead to dehydration
• Heart
  rate also increases which puts additional strain on the body
• If
  the body is gaining more heat than it can lose the deep body temperature will
  continue to rise
• Eventually
  it reaches a point when the body’s control mechanism itself starts to fail

As deep body temperature rises, the body reacts by increasing the amount of sweat produced, which may lead to dehydration. The heart rate increases placing additional strain on the body. Eventually it reaches a point when the body’s control mechanism starts to fail. Typical symptoms are:

• An
  ability to concentrate
• Muscle
  cramps
• Heat
  rash
• Severe
  thirst – a late symptom of heat stress
• Fainting
• Heat
  exhaustion – fatigue, giddiness, nausea, headache, clammy skin
• Heat
  stroke – hot dry skin, confusion, convulsions, and eventual loss of
  consciousness. This is the most severe disorder and can result in permanent
  brain damage or death if not detected at an early stage

Treatment of the early symptoms, by removing the individual to a cool environment, it is essential to avoid heat exhaustion or heat stroke.

If managers are worried that an employee is showing signs of excessive stress, they should encourage them to see the GP, or refer them to the organisation’s occupational health service where available.

Risk-assessing Heat Stress

When carrying out a risk assessment, the first aspect of the assessment is to understand the degree of hazard involved. The factors that need to be considered are the:

• Air temperature – this is the temperature of the air surrounding the body
• Radiant heat – thermal radiation is the heat that radiates from a warm object and can be present even if there are no heat sources. Radiant temperature has a greater influence over air temperature on how we lose or gain heat from the environment. Examples of radiant heat are sun, fire, ovens, molten metals, and dryer machinery.
• Air velocity –  the speed at which air moves across the employee to keep them cool, if the air is cooler than the environment. Instances where air velocity is an important factor to thermal comfort include still or stagnant air in an indoor environment that is artificially heated, which can feel stuffy. Also phycisal activity increase air movement, so air velocity may be corrected to account for a person’s level of physical activity.
• Humidity – when water is heated and evaporates into the surrounding environment, the resulting amount of water in the air will provide humidity. Relative humidity is the actual amount of water vapour in the air and the maximum amount of water vapour that the air can hold at that air temperature. Relative humidity between 40% and 70% does not have a major impact on thermal comfort. In workplaces which are not air conditioned, or where the weather conditions outdoors may influence the indoor thermal environment, relative humidity may be higher than 70%. Humidity in indoor environments can vary greatly and may be dependant on whether there are drying processes (paper mills, laundry etc) where steam is given off. High humidity environments have a lot of vapour in the air, which prevents the evaporation of sweat from the skin. In hot environments, humidity is important because less sweat evaporates when humidity is high (80%+). The evaporation of sweat is the main method of heat reduction. When non-breathable vapour-impermeable personal protective equipment (PPE) is worn, the humidity inside the garment increases as the wearer sweats because the sweat cannot evaporate. If an employee is wearing this type of PPE (e.g. asbestos or chemical protection suits etc) the humidity within the PPE will be high.
• Levels of physical work – the more physical work a person does, the more heat they will produce. The more heat produced; the more heat needs to be lost so they don’t overheat. The impact of metabolic rate on thermal comfort is critical. A persons physical characteristics should always be borne in mind when considering their thermal comfort, as factors such as their size and weight, age, fitness level and sex can all have an impact on how they feel, even if other factors such as air temperature, humidity and air velocity are all constant.
• Clothing insulation – the amount and type of clothing being worn (impervious clothing impedes heat loss and is said to cause heat stress at temperatures as low as 21°C if activities are strenuous). Wearing too much clothing or PPE may be a primary cause of heat stress even if the environment is not considered warm or hot. It is important to identify how the clothing contributes to thermal comfort or discomfort. By periodically evaluating the level of protection provided by existing PPE and evaluating newer types of PPE it may be possible to improve the level of thermal comfort. Where PPE is uncomfortable it will also encourage workers to remove them and therefore change the risk of exposure or protection from hazards – which would be a detrimental consequence.

WHAT YOU CAN DO

Actions that an employer can introduce to help manage working in the sun and heat include:

• Scheduling
  indoor jobs for the middle of the day and outdoor tasks to the start and end,
  to avoid peak exposures
• Rotating
  staff to limit exposure times
• Providing
  shelter either for the work or, where not practicable, for breaks
• Encouraging
  or requiring staff to cover up and wear sunglasses
• Providing
  hats that shade the neck, face and ears
• Providing
  SPF 15+ sunscreen
• Include
  sun exposure and heat stress within risk assessments as appropriate to the work
• Consult
  with workers when undertaking risk assessments and before introducing new ways
  of working
• Provide
  cool drinking water and encourage workers to drink plenty of water regularly to
  prevent dehydration
• Increase
  the number of rest breaks in cool / shaded locations. Av cooled rest area may
  be required indoors
• Ensure
  that contractors are also aware of the risks and are taking preventative
  actions
• Give
  sun protection / heat stress advice to staff and managers
• Take
  account of sun and heat stress risks in first aid provisions
• Consider
  the risks of heat stress when selecting clothing and PPE
• Take
  action to reduce exposure to a safe level, e.g. by the timing of work, managing
  exposure times, providing shelter
• Provide
  training for your workers, especially new and young employees telling them
  about the risks of heat stress associated with their work, what symptoms to
  look out for, safe working practices and emergency procedures
• Defining
  safe systems of work and training managers and staff in them (in industries
  with a significant heat stress issue these should ve based on medical
  assessment and advice)

Actions that an employee can introduce to help manage working in the sun and heat include:

The HSE has produced a sun protection six-point code for workers:

• Keep
  your top on so you do not expose unprotected areas; clothing forms a barrier to
  the suns harmful rays, especially tightly woven fabrics
• Wear
  a hat with a brim or flap that covers the back of the neck and ears to avoid
  sunburn
• Stay
  in the shade whenever possible, especially at lunchtime
• Use
  a high factor sunscreen of at least factor SPF15 on exposed skin. Apply as
  directed on the product
• Drink
  plenty of water to avoid dehydration
• Check
  your skin regularly for unusual spots or moles that may have changed. See a
  doctor immediately if you see anything that has changed in shape, size, colour,
  or is itching or bleeding
• Remember:
  those with pale skin, freckles, moles, a family history of skin cancer or those
  who work outdoors have increased risks of skin damage
• Ensuring
  they behave responsibly to themselves and others to minimise pressures and
  demands
• Reporting
  concerns to their line manager
• Request
  welfare meetings – to have opportunities to express any concerns
• Considering
  opportunities for counselling when recommended
• Ensuring
  they are meaningfully involved in the stress risk assessment process
• Seeking
  advice from Human Resources, Occupational Health, or their GP when needed
• Being
  supportive of their colleagues as far as they are able

Written by Daniel Prosser, MSc CMIOSH OSHCR
Safety, Health and Wellbeing Professional

LinkedIn

From October 2023 until March 2024, the HSE will be inspecting manufacturing businesses that use metalworking fluids or coolants in their machining processes.

Inspectors will be focussed on how employers are ensuring workers are protected from exposure to fluid or mist generated by computer numerical control (CNC) machines and that regular health checks are in place.

There are 3 areas where manufacturing companies, particularly smaller companies, commonly fall down on compliance:

• Not having Local Exhaust Ventilation
  (LEV)
• Not completing regular fluid quality
  checks
• Not providing regular health checks
  for lung and skin conditions

Be prepared for inspection

Metalworking fluid is a hazardous substance that comes under COSHH regulations (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002).

Exposure to metalworking fluids can cause harm to lungs and skin through inhalation or direct contact with unprotected skin; particularly hands, forearms, and face. Breathing in the mist generated by machining can lead to lung diseases such as occupational asthma and occupational hypersensitivity pneumonitis.

To reduce exposure, you need control measures in place. LEV should be fitted on CNC machines to carry away any harmful metalworking fluid mist, which is difficult to see in normal lighting.

Fluid quality should be regularly checked, focusing on concentration, pH, bacteria, and contaminants. Fluids systems can become highly contaminated with harmful bacteria.

Where there is exposure to fluid or mist, it is a legal requirement to carry out health surveillance even when preventative controls are in place. You will need to involve an occupational health professional and workers should be encouraged to report any health symptoms that occur.

Some helpful links that will provide more information include:

• Metal Working
• Health
  Surveillance

Written by Daniel Prosser, MSc CMISOH OSHCR
Safety, Health and Wellbeing Professional

LinkedIn

Around 12,000 people die every year in the UK from lung diseases linked to past exposure to hazardous substances at work.    Wood dust can cause serious health problems. It can cause asthma, which carpenters and joiners are four times more likely to get compared with other UK workers. The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations 2002 require that you protect workers from the hazards of wood dust. Hardwood dust can cause cancer, particularly of the nose.  Settled dust contains the fine particles that are most likely to damage the lungs.  HSE Inspectors are visiting woodworking businesses across Great Britain to ensure duty holders know the risks associated with woodworking, including wood dust, and have adequate controls in place to keep workers safe and protect their health.  They will be looking for evidence that employers have considered the control measures required to reduce workers’ exposure to wood dust; workers understand that exposure to wood dust can damage their long-term respiratory health; and that adequate and effective control measures are in place to protect workers from harm.   Full guidance on Health & Safety in the Woodworking Industry can be found here, but below is a brief overview:     Both hardwood and softwood dusts have a Workplace Exposure Limit (WEL) which must not be exceeded. ·       The WEL for hardwood dust is 3mg/m3 (based on an 8-hour time-weighted average). ·       The WEL for softwood dust is 5mg/m3 (based on an 8-hour time-weighted average). ·       For mixtures of hardwood and softwood dusts the WEL for hardwood dust of 3mg/m3 applies to all wood dusts present in that mixture. Adequate control of wood dust is achieved when: ·       The eight principles of good control practice are applied as set out in Schedule 2A of COSHH. ·       Exposure is below the relevant WEL; and ·       Exposure is reduced to as low a level as is reasonably practicable. ·       Provide dust extraction (also known as local exhaust ventilation or LEV) at woodworking machines to capture and remove dust before it can spread. ·       Ensure LEV has been examined by a competent person within the last 14 months and you have also considered if DSEAR is applicable to your business.  The Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002 (DSEAR) (hse.gov.uk) Safe collection of wood waste: Prevention of fire and explosion wis32(rev1) (hse.gov.uk) ·       As breathing in wood dust can cause asthma, it is important for businesses to identify any health effects early. This can be done by having a suitable health surveillance programme in place. Health surveillance would cover areas such as respiratory and audiometry although various other testing maybe required based on the hazards associated with your processes. ·       Be sure to consider new starters before exposure, or within 6 weeks to provide a baseline. ·       Schedule ongoing testing, normally on an annual basis, but take advice from your occupational health professional. ·       Maintain employees’ health records and promote reporting of symptoms between testing. ·       Where you need to use RPE you should: select the right mask and cartridge ensure it fits properly by having it ‘face fitted’, and by being clean shaven, look after it / change it regularly in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions. ·       Ensure a clean working environment is maintained using an M Class vacuum – never brush or use compressed air ·       Ensure you review the materials you are using for example there may be a potential for the release of formaldehyde or other binders when working with some MDF products, although provided it is sourced from a reputable UK/EU supplier it should be at low levels. https://www.hse.gov.uk/woodworking/faq-mdf.htm ·       Some woods are also classed as “toxic” ensure you have the correct management controls in place to manage this in your business. ·       Ensure an inspection schedule is in place to ensure machine guarding is utilised and is in good working order, being used by all operators Inspectors will be considering other things, such as braking, tooling, working at height and transport, so be sure to have these issues well considered and documentation up to date.   What are the HSE Inspectors typically looking for? Find out here

Written by Daniel Prosser, MSc CMIOSH OSHCR
Safety, Health and Wellbeing Professional

LinkedIn

You must ensure compliance with all relevant health and safety regulations as a business owner. A failure to comply may result in severe fines and penalties, as well as creating an unsafe working environment.

It is important to be aware of a few key things in order to keep your business compliant.

• You must have a comprehensive health and safety policy in place. This policy should outline the specific measures you take to protect your workers and the consequences for violating the policy. You should ensure that all of your employees know the procedure and understand their roles in upholding it.
• You need to ensure that your workplace is free from hazards. This means regularly assessing the workspace and taking steps to address any potential risks.
• You should also provide your employees with proper safety training and equipment to safely perform their duties.
• Finally, you must have procedures for dealing with incidents and accidents. This includes documenting all incidents, investigating their causes, and taking appropriate corrective action.

Following these steps can help keep your workplace safe and compliant with health and safety regulations.

What Is Health and Safety Compliance?

Health and safety compliance refers to following the rules and regulations related to health and safety in the workplace. Among these are wearing the appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), using safe work practices, and understanding emergency procedures. Compliance is important because it helps to protect workers from injuries, illnesses, and fatalities. In addition, it helps to create a safe and efficient work environment.

By following health and safety procedures, businesses can avoid liability issues, reduce insurance costs, and improve employee morale. When everyone understands and complies with the health and safety guidelines, it benefits everyone involved.

The Benefits of Health and Safety Compliance

Compliance with health and safety standards offers a wealth of benefits for businesses, employees and customers. Perhaps most importantly, compliance helps ensure employees’ safe working environment. Companies can help protect their workers from serious injuries by minimising potential risks and hazards. In turn, this can lead to increased productivity and morale and reduced absenteeism and turnover. Compliance with health and safety standards also helps businesses avoid costly fines and lawsuits.

Furthermore, it can improve their reputation and make them more attractive to prospective customers and clients. In today’s increasingly competitive marketplace, those seen as being committed to the health and safety of their employees are likely to have an advantage over those not. Ultimately, compliance with health and safety standards is good for businesses, employees, and customers.

How To Achieve Health and Safety Compliance

Compliance with health and safety standards is essential for any business. However, it can be challenging to know where to start. Therefore, all companies should take a few key steps to ensure compliance:

1. Assess the risks associated with your specific business and industry. This will help you to identify the areas where compliance is most important.
2. Develop policies and procedures to address these risks.
3. Ensure that all employees know these policies and procedures and understand their role in maintaining compliance.
4. Regularly monitor compliance levels and make changes as necessary.

By taking these steps, you can ensure that your business is meeting all relevant health and safety standards.

The Consequences of Not Achieving Health and Safety Compliance

The consequences of not achieving health and safety compliance can be significant. Fines and penalties are common, and businesses that do not follow regulations can be closed down. Additionally, employees who are injured or become sick due to unsafe working conditions may sue the company for damages. This can lead to substantial financial losses and damage to the reputation of a business.

Finally, the individuals responsible for health and safety compliance may also be personally liable. Therefore, businesses must ensure that they comply with all relevant regulations.

How To Develop a Health and Safety Compliance Plan

Every business should develop a health and safety compliance plan. Understanding the relevant regulations is the first step in developing this plan. Next, to ensure the safety of their workplace, companies should establish policies and procedures to ensure compliance. Training employees on safety protocols is also essential to ensuring workplace safety.

Companies can reduce the risk of accidents and injuries by letting employees know the hazards at work and how to protect themselves. Lastly, companies should regularly inspect their workplace for hazards and take steps to correct any conditions that may be hazardous. In taking these steps, businesses can ensure a safe working environment for their employees and help avoid costly legal penalties.

What Is a Health and Safety Compliance Plan, and Why Do You Need One?

The health and safety compliance plan is a document that outlines a company’s policies and procedures for ensuring a safe workplace. The plan should be tailored to the company’s and its employees’ particular needs and should be reviewed and updated regularly. Incorporating a health and safety compliance plan can result in various benefits. 

• First, it can help managers and employees communicate more effectively about issues related to health and safety. 
• The second benefit is that it provides a framework for identifying and reducing potential workplace hazards. Finally, promoting a shared commitment to safety can also improve the overall safety culture in the company. 
• Overall, a well-crafted health and safety compliance plan can protect employees from injury and illness and lower workers’ compensation claims and related costs.

Developing a Health and Safety Compliance Plan

Every business must comply with health and safety regulations. A health and safety compliance plan describes the policies and procedures that should be in place to comply with these regulations. Identifying potential hazards through a compliance plan and taking steps to mitigate these risks is possible. Business owners can protect their employees and create a safe and productive workplace by developing a comprehensive health and safety compliance program.

Businesses must follow health and safety regulations to ensure the safety of their employees. A health and safety compliance program can provide companies with several advantages, including reduced insurance costs, increased productivity, and reduced liability. However, complying with health and safety regulations can seem complicated. A professional can assist in making this task easier. Businesses must safeguard their employees by complying with health and safety regulations. Failing to do so can have serious repercussions. 

Are you looking for more information on achieving health and safety compliance? Contact us today for more details.

Do you believe that health and safety are not essential aspects of the workplace? If so, think again. Occupational health and safety advisors ensure the health and safety of employees. In addition, they develop policies and procedures to prevent injuries, illnesses, and accidents.

Health and Safety Advisors (Health and Safety Advisers) are professionals who assist organisations in maintaining healthful and safe work environments. They provide employees and employers with safety advice, training, and support.

Health and Safety Advisors play a crucial role in helping ensure that workplaces are safe and that employees are aware of the risks associated with their job. Health and Safety Advisors typically have a background in safety management. As a result, they must understand complex safety information and communicate this information in a way that is easy for employees to understand.

Health and Safety Advisors typically work with a range of organisations, including local authorities, the construction industry, environmental health bodies, safety consultancies and manual handling specialists. They may also be employed by large companies or work as self-employed safety consultants. In short, a Health and Safety Advisor is responsible for promoting and ensuring safety in the workplace (e.g. occupational safety).

This includes creating and implementing up to date health and safety policies, investigating accidents and incidents, conducting risk assessments, and providing training to employers. If you’re interested in pursuing a career as a Health and Safety Adviser or safety consultant, keep reading to learn more about the role and the skills you need to succeed.

Health and Safety Advisor Responsibilities

• Promote and ensure safety in the workplace.

As a Health and Safety Advisor, you’re responsible for helping to keep your company safe for everyone who works there. This includes developing programs to prevent injuries, conducting inspections of equipment and building structures, investigating accidents and incidents, providing training about health and safety dangers, addressing unsafe work behaviours or other concerns. You’ll also take steps to make sure that your workplace complies with all relevant local regulations regarding safety procedures.

• Create policies related to health and safety industry issues within the organisation.

Developing health and safety policies and guidance is one of the key responsibilities of a Health and Safety Advisor. Your policies should be made available to employees at all times and should be regularly reviewed. It’s essential to make sure that they’re comprehensive enough to cover general safety concerns and specific hazards in the workplace.

• Investigate accidents and incidents, conduct risk assessments, and provide training for employees

In the course of your work as a Health and Safety Advisor, you’ll investigate any accidents or injuries that occur within the organisation. You’ll also review danger reports to determine possible risks that need addressing. If necessary, you’ll recommend changes to build structures, equipment, operations procedures or other areas of concern to eliminate hazards. As part of your role at an organisation, you’ll provide relevant training so that employees know what behaviours can keep them safe on the job.

Safety Qualifications Health and Safety Professionals Need

There aren’t specific degree-level qualifications required to work as a health and safety advisor. That being said, you should have a solid understanding of workplace safety legislation and health and safety laws and be committed to learning more about the latest industry trends. It’s helpful if you have a strong knowledge of health and safety regulations in your area or within your industry. You should also be able to demonstrate excellent verbal and written communication skills. Safety advisers should have excellent customer service skills. They must investigate accidents, incidents and near misses, keep records of these incidents and write reports.

• Educated in occupational health and safety

You don’t need an advanced degree to become a Health and Safety Advisor. If you’re already qualified as an occupational health and safety professional, then that’s all the training that you’ll need. However, if your experience is more generalised, you might consider completing a program designed for professionals who are new to the field of OHS. Such courses will provide information about relevant legislation governing workplace health and safety methods for conducting risk assessments. You’ll also learn how to educate employees about hazards in the workplace so that they can take preventative action.

• Familiarity with risk management practices

Successful Health and Safety Advisors need to be familiar with various risk management practices to determine how best to deal with health and safety concerns within their organisation. For example, you’ll need to know about hazard identification and control, incident investigation techniques, accident analysis. This will enable you to accurately identify the root cause of accidents or injuries in your workplace.

• Skilled at communicating

As a Health and Safety Advisor, you’ll spend much of your time training employees about important health and safety hazards that they might not necessarily be aware of or fully understand.

You’ll also play an important role in investigating incidents, so it’s critical that you’re able to communicate effectively with everyone involved—your employer, employees who were involved in the incident or suffered an injury.

Comfortable with conflict resolution Disagreements about health and safety issues can sometimes arise among employees or between employees and management. As a Health and Safety Advisor, you’ll need to handle these types of conflicts professionally so that they don’t escalate into more significant problems. Resolving such issues quickly will help ensure the continuation of a positive work environment for everyone involved.

• Detail-oriented 

Many health and safety incidents can be caused by small details that were overlooked or ignored. As such, a Health and Safety Advisor needs to remain detail-oriented in order to identify these issues early on. Attention to detail will also help you while conducting incident investigations—if you’re not careful, you could miss something important!

• Good time management skills

Health and Safety Advisors need to be good at managing their time since they often have multiple responsibilities throughout the day. You might often find yourself balancing your time between performing risk assessments, communicating with employees about health and safety concerns and investigating incidents. In addition to doing all of this work quickly and efficiently, you should make sure that it’s all completed in a timely manner.

• Organised

In addition to maintaining a level of detail while conducting investigations, Health and Safety Advisors should also be organised to avoid missing anything or losing track of important information. For example, you might have access to sensitive company information as well as personal health and safety details from employees, so it’s important to keep everything organised and secure at all times.

• Ability to work under pressure

As a member of management or leadership, you’ll often find yourself under pressure due to your multiple responsibilities. For example, you might need to address an emergency health and safety issue within your workplace immediately after completing another task, such as conducting a risk assessment. In each case, you should be able to remain calm and handle the situation in a timely manner.

• Accountable

Health and Safety Advisors must be held accountable since you’ll often have access or control over sensitive information about your employer or employees. Your actions will directly affect other people, so it’s essential that you always maintain a high level of accountability to avoid causing unnecessary harm or damage. This is especially true if you accidentally overlook any health and safety issues during risk assessments.

• Discreet

Being discreet as a Health and Safety Advisor is important because much of your work will involve private or personal employee information. You might also regularly deal with sensitive company information such as budgets and customer lists, so you shouldn’t share anything you shouldn’t be sharing.

• Good written and oral communication skills

Employees will often come to you with their health and safety concerns, and it’s your job to address them professionally. If you cannot communicate this information effectively or if an employee does not fully understand the situation, then a lack of resolution might lead to further problems down the line. To avoid such situations, it’s critical that you develop strong written and verbal communication skills since they’re essential for anyone working in management or leadership roles.

• Collaborative

As a Health and Safety Advisor, you should always try to collaborate with other employees when conducting risk assessments or dealing with any issues that arise from these assessments so that you can get multiple perspectives. Even if one person caused an issue, many other factors might have contributed to the situation—for example, another employee might not have checked that everything was safe before starting their shift which led to the problem. You should always try to consider all of these perspectives when dealing with health and safety issues so that your decisions are well-rounded.

• Ability to work under pressure

As a Health and Safety Advisor, there will be times when you’ll need to act quickly to keep employees, customers or equipment safe. This often means that you won’t have time for much planning or preparation before doing something—you need to react, adapt and overcome the situation in real-time. Even your day-to-day tasks such as conducting risk assessments should be handled in a timely manner.

• Good decision-making skills

You might find that you’re required to make important decisions on behalf of your organisation, whether it’s related to health and safety or not. For example, you might need to choose a supplier for a new piece of equipment, affecting all other areas of business operations. You should always try to gather as much information as possible before making a decision so that you have the knowledge necessary to make an informed choice—if you cannot solve the problem yourself, then seek advice from someone else with the relevant expertise involved.

• Creative

A Health and Safety Advisor needs to be creative since there are a number of different things that a Health and Safety Advisor might have to do from one day to the next. You’ll have to think outside of the box to solve problems or overcome challenges, so having a creative mindset is important.

• Good at multitasking

Since you might have many different projects going on simultaneously as a Health and Safety Advisor, being good at multitasking is key. You need to be able to remain organised and focused enough to don’t lose track of what needs your attention most urgently while also being attentive enough to understand why a given individual has brought up a particular health and safety concern.

• Respectful towards others

Being respectful towards other people is essential when working with employees, customers and suppliers. Maintaining good relationships is always helpful since they’ll be more willing to work with you if they like or understand you. No one wants to get on the bad side of their Health and Safety Advisor since that could lead to a number of problems down the line in terms of conducting business effectively.

• Unbiased

It’s important for a Health and Safety Advisor to remain unbiased since they need to consider all health and safety concerns without favouring any specific group of people. Even if a certain individual caused an issue, it’s not your job to punish them—instead, try to find out what happened so that you can prevent similar issues from occurring in the future. Your aim should always be to improve health and safety standards, not to blame or punish people.

• Able to work on own initiative

You might find yourself with many responsibilities as a Health and Safety Advisor, which means that you’ll have a lot on your plate from day-to-day. To stay productive, you need to be able to work on your own initiative to handle everything required by the organisation effectively. Even if someone else has been assigned the task of carrying out a certain assignment, it’s still important for you to follow up since there might be additional steps involved or information required before they can start working properly.

• Good at public speaking

At some point as a Health and Safety Advisor, you’ll probably be called upon to speak in front of an audience to train staff about health and safety measures. This means that you’ll need to feel comfortable speaking in public so that you can give a professional presentation without becoming too nervous or anxious. If necessary, try practising in front of a mirror so that you know what it will look like when someone is recording your presentation or taking notes.

Safety advisers work

Health and Safety Advisors play a crucial role in the working environment of any organisation, ensuring that everyone is safe. If you want to be successful in your new career as a Health and Safety Advisor, it’s important to take the time to learn about how this profession operates so that you can start making an impact right away. When working with employees or customers, always remain respectful while maintaining good relationships at all times. You’ll need to have a creative mindset, which means thinking outside of the box when solving problems or overcoming challenges.

If you’re looking for a new and exciting career, becoming a Health and Safety Advisor could be the perfect next role for you. This profession is essential for any organisation, ensuring that everyone is safe at all times. To be successful in this field, it’s important to take the time to learn about how it operates so that you can start making an impact right away. When working with employees or customers, always remain respectful while maintaining good relationships at all times.

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All employers must protect staff from the health risks of working with display screen equipment (DSE).

The HSE has provided guidance featuring a step-by-step guide to working safely with DSE and covers a range of topics, from workstations and assessments to eyesight testing.

WHAT CAN HAPPEN WITH INCORRECT USE OF DSE:

Incorrect use of DSE or poorly designed workstations or work environments can lead to pain in necks, shoulders, backs, arms, wrists, and hands, as well as fatigue and eye strain.

In addition, the HSE also have guidance on what you and your staff need to know about working with DSE from home.

WORKING WITH DISPLAY SCREEN EQUIPMENT AT HOME:

The Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations can apply to staff who:

• work at home on a permanent or long-term basis
• routinely split their time between their workplace and home (sometimes called hybrid working)

Your staff are display screen equipment (DSE) users if they work on DSE daily, for continuous periods of an hour or more.  If you aren’t sure, you can check here if the DSE regulations apply to your staff.

The regulations don’t apply to staff who use DSE occasionally or only for short periods of time at home.

DSE RISK ASSESSMENT

Where the regulations do apply, you should carry out a DSE assessment for individual staff. In most cases you do not need to visit them to carry out the assessment, unless you decide there is a need to do so. Your staff may complete a self-assessment provided they have been given suitable training, for example by explaining how to use an ergonomic checklist or self-assessment tool.

Where staff use DSE in the home and office, the assessment should cover both situations.

Make sure those working at home can achieve a comfortable, sustainable posture. They may not need office furniture or equipment at home to achieve this. But you should check if their own equipment is suitable.

MANAGING THE RISKS

Make sure that you can implement the findings of your assessments for your staff using DSE at home.

Reduce the risks identified by your assessment so far as reasonably practicable. This means balancing the level of risk against the measures needed to control the real risk in terms of money, time or trouble.

Where your DSE workstation assessment indicates you need to take some action, for example providing a piece of DSE equipment, your staff cannot be charged for this.

Keep your DSE arrangements under review, particularly if there have been significant changes.

Check if your existing control measures are sufficient or whether additional steps are needed, for example where your staff report aches, pains or discomfort.

Additional DSE equipment needs

Use your assessment to decide if people need any additional equipment when working at home.

Alongside information provided by the worker, you may need to ask for competent advice. For example, from:

• a suitably trained DSE assessor
• suitable occupational health professional

You should meet additional individual needs so far as reasonably practicable.

TRAINING

You must provide staff with training in the use of their workstation and DSE equipment. This should include advice on achieving good posture, and on good working practices.

Further information:

Working with display screen equipment 

Workstation checklist

The Stress Indicator Tool has recently been updated and expanded to take account of significant changes to working practices, including technical innovations that have altered the ways people work.  The purpose is to explore stress risks that are of most relevance in the context of modern working practices, and to understand how these might be related to mental health outcomes and workforce engagement.

What is the Stress Indicator Tool 2.0

The Health and Safety Executive’s Stress Indicator Tool (SIT) has been updated and expanded in collaboration with the University of Hull. This is to take account of significant changes to working practices, including technological innovations that have altered the ways people work.

The purpose of this development is to explore stress risks that are of most relevance in the context of modern working practices, and to understand how these might be related to mental health outcomes and workforce engagement.

The Stress Indicator Tool is an online survey designed to gather data anonymously from employees, which can be used in the risk assessment element of HSE’s Management Standards approach.

Obtaining and understanding this information helps identify areas to improve to prevent and manage work-related stress.

The reporting functionality is automated, so you don’t have to spend time collating data or inputting the results manually. This helps avoid data entry errors, making the information collected more accurate and reliable. The report then summarises the views and experiences of employees and provides recommendations for future improvements.

The Tool now includes:

• Home/remote working survey: an optional extra to explore stress risks for these workers
• Mental health outcome questions: items from the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-4)
• ISA employee engagement scale: questions to measure workforce engagement levels
• Exclusive benchmarking: measure performance against the sector average

More information can be found here

From April 2022, HSE Inspectors will be visiting woodworking businesses across Great Britain to ensure duty holders know the risks associated with woodworking, including wood dust, and have adequate controls in place to keep workers safe and protect their respiratory health.

Around 12,000 people die every year in the UK from lung diseases linked to past exposure to hazardous substances at work. 

This includes inhalation of wood dust that can cause occupational asthma and, in the case of hardwoods, Sinonasal cancer.

Inspectors will be looking for evidence that employers have considered the control measures required to reduce workers’ exposure to wood dust; workers understand that exposure to wood dust can damage their long-term respiratory health; and that adequate and effective control measures are in place to protect workers from harm.

UPDATED WOODWORKING GUIDANCE AND TOOLS TO MANAGE THE RISK IN YOUR BUSINESS

The HSE released new or revised limits for 13 substances in Jan 2020, and more information can be found here.  

WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR EMPLOYERS – Employers have a legal duty to ensure they comply with the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH), as amended, to control exposure to wood dust and protect worker’s health.

Further guidance on health and safety in the woodworking industry can be found on the HSE website.

What are HSE Inspectors typically looking for: found out here You can also find out here

It is important to know the HSE are continuing to run their campaign and are following up with checks or site inspections to identify if organisations are controlling the risk from metalworking fluids; the information below will increase your awareness and give you a better understanding of what is required to comply with the guidance.

This hot topic and subsequent checks are anticipated to continue into the New year, as a direct result of increased numbers of associated ill health conditions being recorded. 

What are metalworking fluids and oil mists?

Metalworking fluids (MWFs) – sometimes referred to as suds, coolants, slurry or soap – are water-based fluids used during the machining of metals to provide lubrication and cooling, and to help carry away debris such as swarf and fine metal particles.  They can also help to improve machining performance and prolong the life of the cutting tool, as well as providing corrosion protection for workplace surfaces.

Oil mists form when high pressure fuel oil, lubricating oil, hydraulic oil, or other oil is sprayed through a narrow crack, or when leaked oil connects with a high temperature surface, vaporises, and meets low air temperature. This can happen while the fluids interact with the moving parts during the machining processes. Some oil mist particles are smaller than the eye can see but the danger is still as big!

Health risks of MWFs & Oil Mists

If the mist from oil or MWFs (applied by continuous jets, sprays or via a hand dispenser) are either inhaled, touch unprotected skin, enter wounds or broken skin, or get access to the eyes or mouth – they could affect employee health and lead to several varying illnesses.

Exposure to such fluids can cause irritation of the skin, occupational asthma, bronchitis, irritation of the respiratory tract, general breathing difficulties or in extreme cases, can see individuals develop a serious lung disease called extrinsic allergic alveolitis.

Metalworking fluids that contain water or water-mixes are particularly vulnerable to becoming highly contaminated with harmful bacteria and other micro-organisms.

What precautions should be put in place?

Before any precautions are put in place, a suitable and sufficient survey of mental working fluids must be undertaken. This will detail current and safe exposure levels alongside any cause for concern in relation to staff health and safety.

Other areas to consider:

• Use splash guards, to control splashing and misting.
• Minimise the production of mist and vapour by controlling the volume and rate of delivery of the fluid to the cutting edge of the tool.
• Install enclosures or ventilation to remove / control any mist or vapour produced.
• Inform staff of a recommended time delay before opening the doors on machine enclosures – to ensure that all mist and vapour has been removed by the ventilation before exiting.
• Ensure employees know the reporting process for any damaged or defective splash guards, ventilation hoods or other control equipment.
• Open workroom doors and windows to improve natural ventilation.
• Don’t use compressed air to remove excess fluids from machined parts, plant or other equipment.
• Conduct regular health surveillance checks.

Exposure Limits

In 2005, the Health & Safety Executive withdrew the exposure limit for Metalworking Fluids (set at 1.0mg/m3) due to outbreaks of ill health at a manufacturing facility within the UK. It was found that exposures were successfully being controlled below the exposure limit set at the time, however, workers were still experiencing occupational ill health.

The National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health (NIOSH) have set a Recommended Exposure Limit (REL) of 0.5mg/m3, however, levels of exposure below this standard have been found to cause ill health which means that the standards set by various bodies have no relevance to the risk of health.

In the absence of a relevant exposure limit, more emphasis should be put on controlling exposures to MWF’s via good controls and working practices which minimise exposures as low as is reasonably practicable.

It should be noted, that although there may not be a specific exposure limit for the MWF itself a review of the datasheet for the specific product being used should be carried out to identify the need to conduct exposure monitoring for any harmful ingredients with published exposure limits e.g. 2-(2-Butoxyethoxy) ethanol, Monoethanolamine etc

Oil mists are much more straight forward and have an exposure limit currently set at 5mg/m3.

Routine exposure monitoring can ascertain current exposures, identify where further control measures are necessary and allow for comparison against previous assessments to identify improvements.  

Ongoing Biological Monitoring Requirements

The bacterial contamination of fluids and associated machinery and pipework should be monitored and controlled. Direct means of measuring bacterial contamination should be used in conjunction with other checks on fluid quality, e.g., fluid concentration and ph.

Microbiological dip slides are a simple way of checking bacterial contamination. Dip slide checks should be carried out once a week and the frequency reduced only when it can be demonstrated that your fluid quality management is effective.

A dip slide consists of a plastic carrier coated with a sterile culture medium, which is dipped into the liquid to be tested. It is then incubated to allow microbial growth and the resulting colonies are estimated by reference to a chart to indicate the level of bacterial contamination. Results are expressed in terms of colony-forming units per millilitre (CFU/ml) of fluid.

The following values indicate what can be regarded as good, reasonable and poor standards of fluid management, and what action should be taken. Monitoring should be used to confirm your standard of control, as well as indicating increased levels of bacteria at an early stage.

• <10×4 CFU/ml good control. Bacteria are being maintained at low levels. Regular checks and actions to maintain the fluid quality should continue. 
• ≥10×4 to <10×6 CFU/ml Reasonable control. Review and take action to check the quality of the metalworking fluid and adjust fluid parameters to those recommended by the supplier. If bacterial growth continues despite these adjustments, add biocide at the dose recommended by your supplier.
• ≥10×6 CFU/ml Poor control. Immediate action should be taken in line with the risk assessment. Normally draining and cleaning should take place

 In Summary

To ensure you are compliant with the guidance you need to implement the following actions: 

1. Carryout an initial assessment of potential exposure and review the current controls you have in place.
2. Implement any engineering and administrative controls.
3. Make an assessment of exposure levels as a baseline and for comparison against exposure limits where appropriate.
4. Implement a weekly monitoring regime to check the fluid quality (pH, concentration and temperature) is maintained in accordance with the manufacturer’s guidance.
5. Carryout weekly biological contamination checks using dip slides

All test monitoring records should be kept for a minimum of 5 years.