New safety downloads – racking inspection checklist, accident investigation tools

A bunch of new health and safety downloads

Amplify’d from www.healthandsafetytips.co.uk

New downloads – racking inspection checklist, accident investigation tools

Our newest downloads (updated 22.05.11) >>> Racking Inspection Checklist by Yoyo Accident Investigation by Stuart Would Accident Investigation Procedure by Stuart Would Accident Reporting Questionnaire by Stuart Would OHSAS 003 01 Accident Reporting Investigation by Stuart Would via Health and Safety for Beginners Downloads. Read more at www.healthandsafetytips.co.uk

 

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Breaking News! Hard Hat Exemption Certificate Gets OK

Ever had that age old argument with people not wanting to wear their hard hat? 'It's too heavy...too hot...won't stay on...'



All your answers here, brilliant

Amplify’d from www.healthandsafetytips.co.uk

See more at www.healthandsafetytips.co.uk

Hard Hat Exemption Certificate

Exemption certificate for persons working in mandatory safety helmet areas. The company is pleased to announce that it has discovered a little known scheme where a person can be exempted from the wearing of a safety helmet. A person exempted under this scheme will designated as a ‘Hard Head’. A person who thinks that they can work safely in a designated hard hat area without wearing one can apply for an exemption certificate. In order to qualify for this certificate the person must undergo a series of tests, in order to prove that their skull offers the same protection as the standard safety helmet. The test series is conducted three times. Whist the tests are the same in each series, each series will be preceded by a 24 hour conditioning period. Firstly your head will be kept at a constant 500C, for the second series it will be kept at -200C and for the third it will be submerged under water. For this part of the test series you will be responsible for supplying your own air. Test 1. Shock Absorption Testing. For this test your head will be held immobile whilst a 5kg hemispherical striker is dropped from a height of 1metre. The striking force when measured at the neck must not exceed 5kN. In order to successfully pass this part of the series there must be no destruction of the skull or any of its component parts. Test 2. Penetration Test. This test is also conducted with the head held immobile. A 3kg steel cylinder with a hardened point is dropped from a height of 1metre. The cylinder must not be able to penetrate far enough to cause damage. Test 3. Flammability test. A Bunsen burner flame shall be applied to the side of the head for a period of 10 seconds. After which your head must not have caught fire. For those whose work may bring them into contact with electricity a set of further tests must also be passed. Test 4. Current leakage. This test is in to parts after conditioning in fresh water as described above. A probe will be placed at various points around your head. A second probe will be attached to you neck. Each time the first probe is placed on your head a charge of 1200v AC will be applied for 15 seconds. There should be no current leakage between the two probes. This test is then repeated using saltwater as the conditioning agent. Test 5. Conductivity In this test two probes are placed at various points around your head no closer than 20mm. each the probes are placed a current of 1200v AC will be applied. There should be no current between the two probes. Please note that if you have had your head metal electro-plated you will not be able to be put forward for tests 4 and 5. If you are successful in passing all the above tests you will be issued with an exemption certificate which you will have to carry at all times. If you feel that such a program of tests might be too much for you complete you can always just wear a safety helmet instead. All safety helmets used by the company have to pass all of these tests in order to be given the CE mark. Hard Hat Care. In order to give the best service and preserve to capability of your hard hat here are a few suggestions to help. 1. Keep it clean. Wipe all parts over with a cloth moistened with a mild detergent, allow to air dry. Do not use aggressive cleaning solutions or try to force dry the hard hat. 2. Do not ever cut any ‘ventilation’ holes in your hard hat, they do not work and seriously weakens it. 3. Do not paint the solvents in paints attack and weaken the shell. 4. Don’t put anything inside the hard hat except your head. Do not use it to carry objects. 5. It will only give you full protection when worn correctly so don’t wear it back to front. Common complaints. “It’s to heavy” Hard hats on weight about 14 ounces and that’s only a few ounces more than a cloth cap, but compare the extra protection afforded by the hard hat. “It’s to hot” Actual measurements taken during hot weather show that it is actually a lot cooler under a hard hat. “Wearing one gives me a headache”. An object that has fallen some distance will give you a greater one. “It won’t stay on.” That’s right it won’t in a high wind but the use of a chinstrap will ensure that it will stay on. Making sure your hard hat is properly adjusted to fit you correctly will also ensure that it stays on your head. Your Hard Hat is for your protection but like any other piece of safety equipment unless you adjust it to fit and wear it correctly it will not give you the maximum protection. Read more at www.healthandsafetytips.co.uk

 

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New prizes added to this year's prize draw worth thousands of £'s!

Our list of prizes were fantastic when we started this year’s draws, but more prizes have been donated and upgraded!



NEW – NEBOSH Diploma eLearning worth £3,000 donated by RRC Training.



NEW – from May’s draws onwards, one NEBOSH Certificate (eLearning) with the training provider SHEilds Ltd. What’s even better is you get to choose which certificate you want to study!



UPGRADED – from May’s draws onwards, one NEBOSH General Certificate (eLearning) course donated by Wise Global Training Ltd.



FANTASTIC! Many thanks to our contributors, this is just extraordinary!

Amplify’d from www.healthandsafetytips.co.uk

New prizes added to this year’s prize draw!

New prizes added to this year’s prize draw! Our list of prizes were fantastic when we started this year’s draws, but more prizes have been donated and upgraded!   NEW – NEBOSH Diploma eLearning worth £3,000 donated by RRC Training. NEW – from May’s draws onwards, one NEBOSH Certificate (eLearning) with the training provider SHEilds Ltd. What’s even better is you get to choose which certificate you want to study! UPGRADED – from May’s draws onwards, one NEBOSH General Certificate (eLearning) course donated by Wise Global Training Ltd. FANTASTIC!   Many thanks to our contributors, this is just extraordinary!   here’s what you could win in 2011 To see all of our winners and prizes from previous prize draws, click HERE.   >>>> March <<<< One NEBOSH General Certificiate (distance learning) donated by Health Environment and Risk Training >>>> One IOSH Managing Safely (eLearning) course donated by Wise Global Training Ltd >>>> NEBOSH Certificate (distance learning) donated by Phoenix Health and Safety. What’s even better is you get to choose which certificate you want to study!   >>>> April <<<< One Essentials of H&S at Work (paperback) donated by Safetyphoto >>>> One NEBOSH General Certificate (eLearning) donated by Santia Training Services >>>> One IOSH Managing Safely (eLearning) course donated by Wise Global Training Ltd   >>>> May <<<< One NEBOSH Certificate (eLearning) with the training provider SHEilds Ltd. What’s even better is you get to choose which certificate you want to study! >>>> £50 Amazon vouchers donated by Health and Safety for Beginners >>>> One NEBOSH General Certificate (eLearning) course donated by Wise Global Training Ltd   >>>> June <<<<   NEBOSH Certificate (distance learning) donated by Phoenix Health and Safety. What’s even better is you get to choose which certificate you want to study! >>>> One NEBOSH Certificate (eLearning) with the training provider SHEilds Ltd. What’s even better is you get to choose which certificate you want to study! >>>> One NEBOSH General Certificate (eLearning) course donated by Wise Global Training Ltd   >>>> July <<<< One Essentials of H&S at Work (paperback) donated by Safetyphoto >>>> One NEBOSH Certificate (eLearning) with the training provider SHEilds Ltd. What’s even better is you get to choose which certificate you want to study! >>>> One NEBOSH General Certificate (eLearning) course donated by Wise Global Training Ltd   >>>> August <<<< Surprise prize donated by Health and Safety for Beginners >>>> One NEBOSH Certificate (eLearning) with the training provider SHEilds Ltd. What’s even better is you get to choose which certificate you want to study! >>>> One NEBOSH General Certificate (eLearning) course donated by Wise Global Training Ltd NEBOSH National Diploma – eLearning worth £3,000 donated by RRC Training   >>>> September <<<<   NEBOSH Certificate (distance learning) donated by Phoenix Health and Safety. What’s even better is you get to choose which certificate you want to study! >>>> One NEBOSH General Certificate (eLearning) course donated by Wise Global Training Ltd >>>> One NEBOSH Certificate (eLearning) with the training provider SHEilds Ltd. What’s even better is you get to choose which certificate you want to study!   >>>> October <<<<   One NEBOSH General Certificate (eLearning) course donated by Wise Global Training Ltd >>>> One NEBOSH Certificate (eLearning) with the training provider SHEilds Ltd. What’s even better is you get to choose which certificate you want to study!   >>>> November <<<<   NEBOSH Certificate (distance learning) donated by Phoenix Health and Safety. What’s even better is you get to choose which certificate you want to study! >>>> One NEBOSH Certificate (eLearning) with the training provider SHEilds Ltd. What’s even better is you get to choose which certificate you want to study! >>>> One NEBOSH General Certificate (eLearning) course donated by Wise Global Training Ltd   >>>> Be part of something special <<<< If you would like to donate a prize to this fantastic give away, CLICK HERE! Let’s do something extraordinary! >>>> Fantastic! <<<< via Health and Safety For Beginners Prize Draw – Prizes. Read more at www.healthandsafetytips.co.uk

 

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Builder's bum - new meaning to 'get it right up ye'!

OMG, pain beyond imagination!

Amplify’d from www.austriantimes.at

Builder's bum

A 31-year-old builder was left in agony when a freak slip from a ladder thrust the handle of a shovel 20 inches up his backside. Astonished paramedics ferried luckless labourer Michael Mayer to hospital in Munich, Germany, where surgeons cut away the handle with an angle grinder. "It was a million-to-one shot accident. He was up the ladder and lost his footing and, as he fell, one of those American-style spades without a grip on the end went right up his bottom. It was a sickening scream," one workmate said. Hospital authorities say the man has undergone a surgery to remove the remaining section of the handle and describe his condition as "stable." Read more at www.austriantimes.at

 

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NEBOSH exam worked example by @@PhoenixHSC

Great NEBOSH revision

Amplify’d from www.healthandsafetytips.co.uk

Published on 5 March 2006

OK we’ve talked about all the theory – now let’s put it all together and try to give a perfect answer to a recent exam question: “Volunteers are involved in collecting bags of books, clothes and other donated goods from householders. The bags are loaded into vans for delivery to a chain of charity shops. Explain how the charity should assess the risks to the charity workers, identifying the particular issues that would need to be considered at each stage of the assessment” (NEBOSH Diploma Part One, June 2003) First things first – look at the action verbs. You are being asked to explain how the problem should be assessed and identify the particular issues at key stages. Re-read the question now, and underline your key signposts: “Volunteers (unskilled, no selection criteria?) are involved in collecting bags (manual handling – size, weight, shape etc.) of books, clothes and other donated goods from householders (violence, dogs etc.). The bags are loaded into vans (driven by who? Vehicle hazards) for delivery to a chain of charity shops. Explain how the charity should assess the risks (assess the risks, not control them) to the charity workers, identifying the particular issues that would need to be considered at each stage of the assessment” (NEBOSH Diploma Part One, June 2003). As this question is essentially about how to carry out a risk assessment, the 5 steps approach would be a good structure to follow. This question was worth 20 marks, so a plan would be in order:

PLAN

1. Identify hazards Manual Handling Violence Animals Contents of bags Vehicles 2. Decide who can be harmed Volunteers – old, untrained, health problems, how many? 3. Evaluate risks Probability/severity Frequency/duration Evaluate existing controls Legal requirements 4. Record 5. Review

ANSWER

No need for a flowery intro about how many injuries are cause by manual handling or where risk assessment comes from – just get on with it!!

IDENTIFY THE HAZARDS

The first stage of a risk assessment is concerned with identifying hazards, which in this case may be as follows: Violent assault by members of the public or being attacked by dangerous dogs Musculoskeletal disorders caused by lifting bags or constraints on posture when working inside the vans Injuries caused by the contents of the bags e.g. sharps or chemicals Slips, trips and falls due to uneven surfaces, kerbs, steps etc. Traffic accidents involving the vans, especially if they were poorly maintained or the bags caused an obstruction inside Vans being struck by other road vehicles Poor lighting due to work in the evenings or in autumn/winter Weather conditions could be a problem especially if particularly hot, wet, cold or windy Lone working which may result in a lack of communication between volunteers and their supervisors Manual handling would be the major hazard due to a variety of factors: The bags may have to be carried for long distances and there will be a large amount of repetitive handling. Lots of stooping and twisting may also be required inside the van. The bags themselves may be heavy or bulky, and as their contents are unknown, may be unstable or unpredictable.

PEOPLE AT RISK

he next stage is to consider how many people are affected by the risk, and who they are. Volunteers may well be elderly and are likely to be retired. This means that they may have existing health pr

The next stage is to consider how many people are affected by the risk, and who they are. Volunteers may well be elderly and are likely to be retired. This means that they may have existing health problems and may not be as strong as they once were. Pregnant women or young people would also be at increased risk.

EVALUATE THE RISKS

To come up with a level of risk, there are several factors which need to be considered: The likely severity of injury if an accident were to happen, for example a slipped disc might be an outcome of a manual handling injury The probability that an accident was going to occur The duration and frequency of exposure to the hazards Existing control measures should be evaluated to assess their effectiveness. These may be things such as manual handling training, supervision, mechanical aids etc. The law should be considered to see if more needs to be done. The relevant law here are the Management of Health & Safety at Work Regs (Risk Assessment) and the Manual Handling Regs

RECORD FINDINGS

The significant findings of the risk assessment should be recorded and information on these findings should be provided to employees

REVIEW

The risk assessment should be reviewed when there is reason to believe that it is no longer valid. This may be for a variety of reasons, e.g.: Lapse of time Enforcement action An accident has occurred There you go - 20 marks to start you off with! Too many students didn’t use the 5 steps approach so didn’t think widely enough to get good marks. Lots also gave long lists of how to control hazards, which was not asked for and so attracted no marks. You can read the potted guide to taking NEBOSH exams to help you along by clicking the following link, or by browsing the articles section: A Potted Guide to Taking NEBOSH Exams

Well that’s about all the help I can give you, so it just remains to say:

Good Luck!

Nick Higginson MSc CMIOSH Dip2.OSH SpDipEM MIIRSM

Phoenix Health and Safety Consultancy Read more at www.healthandsafetytips.co.uk

 

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Excellent article by an ex Health and Safety Executive specialist inspector

Amplify’d from www.healthandsafetytips.co.uk

10 things you should know about Legionnaires' Disease and its prevention

1. The disease was first recognised following an outbreak in Philadelphia in 1976 and named after the veterans’ organisation, the American Legion, who were holding a convention and whose members were the main victims. 2. Legionnaires’ Disease is a form of pneumonia and is fatal in about 12% of cases. Legionellosis is a collective term for diseases caused by the same organism and, as well as Legionnaires’ Disease, includes milder forms such as Lochgoilhead Fever. 3. The Legionella bacterium is the cause, usually L. pneumophila, but any Legionella species can be involved. In the UK there are usually about 200 cases each year, about half of them contracted abroad. Most cases contracted in the UK are single cases, sometimes without a known source. Large outbreaks with tens of cases and several deaths occur every few years. 4. Any water system can potentially harbour and grow Legionella if the water is between 18-48 oC in any part of the system. To infect people, the water then needs to be dispersed in air as fine droplets, which are then breathed in. Cooling towers are most commonly involved with large outbreaks because they spread high numbers of droplets over a large area. 5. Controlling risk is based on four main measures: keeping water systems clean; keeping water temperatures below 18 oC or above 50 oC; chemical treatment to prevent the organism growing; reducing the escape of droplets. ‘L8’ is HSE’s guidance document on controlling risk, ‘The control of Legionella bacteria in water systems’. 6. Firms with at risk water systems usually employ water treatment contractors to carry out most of the actions required for control. However, the firm retains most of the responsibility and must appoint a responsible person to manage and supervise implementation. Inadequate management, lack of training of staff and poor communication between the firm and its contractor have been identified by HSE as important factors contributing to outbreaks. 7. Cooling towers and evaporative condensers must be registered with the local authority. Control of Legionella in these systems is based on thorough cleaning and disinfection, usually every six months, routine continuous dosing with an ionising biocide such as chlorine or bromine, or a mixture of non-ionising biocides, and careful engineering management of the system. Choice of construction materials and the fitting of a so called ‘drift eliminator’, actually a droplet barrier, are also important. 8. Hot and cold water systems are controlled by ensuring cleanliness, disinfecting after major plumbing work, keeping cold water cold and hot water hot, and possibly by routine chemical treatment such as chlorine dioxide. Other systems such as vehicle washes, industrial spray systems and many others, are controlled in a similar way but rarely need chemical treatment. 9. Checks that the control measures are working are carried out weekly, monthly and quarterly. These include water chemistry tests for cooling systems, temperature readings and bacterial tests. The common bacterial growth test is a ‘dipslide’ – a paddle coated with a solid growth medium which is dipped in the water and then incubated. It grows almost all bacteria – but not Legionella! The growth of any bacteria above a certain number is a good indicator of whether Legionella could grow. Legionella themselves are difficult to grow and need special techniques. The test is useful, but a negative result does not mean that there is no risk. 10. Outbreaks - large or small - are fortunately rare, but the impact of illness and death has a major effect on the firms involved and the surrounding community. During a major outbreak, HSE and other agencies visit all potential sources in an area. If a firm is found to have deficient control measures, they have the powers to take legal action whether or not the system is shown to be part of the outbreak. Niall Evans of Epsilon Training & Consultancy Ltd Read more at www.healthandsafetytips.co.uk

 

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Safe Room Saves Lives in Oklahoma Tornado

Deadly storms rolled through Oklahoma, with a tornado touching down in Atoka County.

Amplify’d from paper.li

Safe Room Saves Lives in Oklahoma Tornado

blog.fema.gov - Posted by: Public Affairs On April 14, deadly storms rolled through Oklahoma, with a tornado touching down in Atoka County. As the winds of up to 165 miles-per-hour roared overhead, nearly 200 men,... Read more at paper.li

 

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Scaffolding works of art

Amazing creations or too much time on their hands?

Amplify’d from scaffmag.com

Scaffolding works of art

Theses amazing sculptures are the work of sculptor Ben Long the project started in 2004 and was in development for 2 years.

This ambitious series of scaffolding sculptures were inspired by his experience of working on construction sites as a teenager and each one took up to 3 weeks to construct using tube and fitting. Throughout the project Ben worked with specialists including D+R Scaffolding Group and Amiri Construction Ltd.

Read more at scaffmag.com

 

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