JM Health & Safety
Risks to the health and wellbeing of any company's workforce are now seen as being risks to the entire business. A growing number of employers accept that good health and safety risk management stimulates good operational practice, making the business more efficient and competitive.
Businesses now face an avalanche of health and safety regulation, much of it from the European Union. Failure to comply carries the risk of prosecution, major compensation payouts, if accidents do occur and increases in insurance premiums. New regulations are being added constantly.
Knowing that your problems are unique JM Health & Safety offers solutions that are tailor made to your needs.
JM Safety can support you as follows:
● Health and Safety Risk Assessments and Action Report
● Competent Advisor
● Corporate Audit of Health & Safety Management (HSG 65)
● Policy and Procedures Manual
● Contractor Management Assessments
● Accident Investigation
● Pre-requisition Surveys
All enquiries should be emailed to:solutions@jmsafety.co.uk
Wednesday 22 October 2008
H & S New Level Recruitment
Welcome to New Level Recruitment - specialists in Health and Safety Recruitment.
New Level Recruitment specialises in sourcing Occupational Health and Safety professionals for contract and permanent positions in the UK and overseas and operates across all industry sectors (not just those that require a hard hat!). We also place professionals in related industries such as environment, quality and risk management to clients in a variety of industries..
Whether you are looking for Health and Safety staff or for your next Health and Safety job, we aim to make the process as transparent and painless as possible and to use our own experience of working in Health and Safety and in recruitment to assist you.
As a niche market recruiter our reputation relies on the quality of the service we provide and as an owner operated business our focus is on results. We work closely with our clients and our candidates and pride ourselves on providing a professional and ethical recruitment service to the Health and Safety and related industries.
To find out how our expertise can be of benefit to you and your business, just call our specialist HSE recruitment team on 0845 270 1640 or email info@newlevelrecruitment.com
New Level Recruitment is a member of the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) and operate within the guidelines of the REC Code of Practice for the recruitment industry. For more information about these guidelines and what they mean for you, either visit the REC website or call us on 0845 270 1640.
New Level Recruitment are also members of TEAM, a global network of independent recruitment experts. This gives us the advantages synonymous with a local agency whilst also benefiting from a substantial support network. By linking their services, together TEAM members provide a comprehensive range of services from town to town, city to city and country to country.
New Level Recruitment specialises in sourcing Occupational Health and Safety professionals for contract and permanent positions in the UK and overseas and operates across all industry sectors (not just those that require a hard hat!). We also place professionals in related industries such as environment, quality and risk management to clients in a variety of industries..
Whether you are looking for Health and Safety staff or for your next Health and Safety job, we aim to make the process as transparent and painless as possible and to use our own experience of working in Health and Safety and in recruitment to assist you.
As a niche market recruiter our reputation relies on the quality of the service we provide and as an owner operated business our focus is on results. We work closely with our clients and our candidates and pride ourselves on providing a professional and ethical recruitment service to the Health and Safety and related industries.
To find out how our expertise can be of benefit to you and your business, just call our specialist HSE recruitment team on 0845 270 1640 or email info@newlevelrecruitment.com
New Level Recruitment is a member of the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC) and operate within the guidelines of the REC Code of Practice for the recruitment industry. For more information about these guidelines and what they mean for you, either visit the REC website or call us on 0845 270 1640.
New Level Recruitment are also members of TEAM, a global network of independent recruitment experts. This gives us the advantages synonymous with a local agency whilst also benefiting from a substantial support network. By linking their services, together TEAM members provide a comprehensive range of services from town to town, city to city and country to country.
HSE Jobs
Do you seeking for HSE job? Here place for your chance to improve your HSE career and getting good salary. Many job vacancies update in whole word so you will be easy find out one of the best job you interest. UK is a country who concern about HSE system looking for who hava capability to handle in HSE field to fill position in Risk Assessment Specialist, HSE Inspector Role, Health and Safety Executive, Diving Inspector, Process Integrity.
They also offering Curently vacancies as a following are:
Band 3 Senior Scientist & Band 3/4 Higher Scientist (Explosion Safety)
Band 3 and Band 4 Human & Organisational Factors Specialist
HSL Band 3 Senior Mechanical Engineer
HID Band 3 Offshore Specialist - Mechanical Engineer
HID Band 3 Mechanical Specialist Inspector
HID Band 3 Control & Instrumentation (C&I) Specialist
FOD Band 3 Mechanical Specialist Inspector
FOD Band 3 Electrical Specialist Inspector
FOD Band 3 Construction Engineer
Nuclear Inspectors
Specialist Offshore Safety - Regulatory Specialist
Specialist Offshore Safety - Wells
They also offering Curently vacancies as a following are:
Band 3 Senior Scientist & Band 3/4 Higher Scientist (Explosion Safety)
Band 3 and Band 4 Human & Organisational Factors Specialist
HSL Band 3 Senior Mechanical Engineer
HID Band 3 Offshore Specialist - Mechanical Engineer
HID Band 3 Mechanical Specialist Inspector
HID Band 3 Control & Instrumentation (C&I) Specialist
FOD Band 3 Mechanical Specialist Inspector
FOD Band 3 Electrical Specialist Inspector
FOD Band 3 Construction Engineer
Nuclear Inspectors
Specialist Offshore Safety - Regulatory Specialist
Specialist Offshore Safety - Wells
Great Comments
I absolutely love your blog and appreciate you spreading the word around regarding the importance of health and safety.
I have a blog that I began to promote the health and safety of my employees in the construction, general industry and mining and find it vitally important that if someone wants to remain safe that they must make a personal commitment to their own health and safety before each and every task.
Keep up the great work and thank you.
I have a blog that I began to promote the health and safety of my employees in the construction, general industry and mining and find it vitally important that if someone wants to remain safe that they must make a personal commitment to their own health and safety before each and every task.
Keep up the great work and thank you.
Health & Safety in a small business
Have you ever heard about cskills.org ? What are they and what do they do ? Apprenticeships allow young persons to learn, work, earn and get qualified. This site has identified that ethnic minorities are under. What you need to begin is employment training, which cskill.org offers. The site is designed for both aspiring construction workers and employers.
It also works with partners in industry and government to improve the competitiveness of the industry as a whole cskill.org. Government service responsible. Do you know the basic of constructions ? Want to enhance you construction skill ? Health and safety is very important and you would be expected to follow safe working practices at all times. Health and safety is a priority in the construction industry
When working, your health and safety should come first before others. Cskills.org provides information on the latest health and safety. Construction skills has consistently placed health and safety at the top of its agenda. Good health and safety practice can have a positive impact on your insurance claims and also improves your reputation with customers, the local community. There is increasing recognition within the construction industry that a competent workforce leads to greater job satisfaction and improved health and safety. The work operator must be aware of their responsibilities in respect of health and safety at work legislation.
As a small business owner you have certain rights and responsibility regarding health and safety. Learn about the health and safety resources available from state agencies or get vital records and valuable information about community services. The basics about young worker health and safety. Includes information on workplace rights and responsibilities, work hours and restrictions. As an employer you have a duty to protect your employees and keep them informed about health and safety. So don't delay, visit cskill.org and get in touch with your local office and see how you could benefit. This site includes industry insights, job files, a construction projects database and information. As well as construction skills, firms can also get training for their employees in computer skills, accountancy and administration. There is also an opportunity for anyone who is interested, to provide feedback
It also works with partners in industry and government to improve the competitiveness of the industry as a whole cskill.org. Government service responsible. Do you know the basic of constructions ? Want to enhance you construction skill ? Health and safety is very important and you would be expected to follow safe working practices at all times. Health and safety is a priority in the construction industry
When working, your health and safety should come first before others. Cskills.org provides information on the latest health and safety. Construction skills has consistently placed health and safety at the top of its agenda. Good health and safety practice can have a positive impact on your insurance claims and also improves your reputation with customers, the local community. There is increasing recognition within the construction industry that a competent workforce leads to greater job satisfaction and improved health and safety. The work operator must be aware of their responsibilities in respect of health and safety at work legislation.
As a small business owner you have certain rights and responsibility regarding health and safety. Learn about the health and safety resources available from state agencies or get vital records and valuable information about community services. The basics about young worker health and safety. Includes information on workplace rights and responsibilities, work hours and restrictions. As an employer you have a duty to protect your employees and keep them informed about health and safety. So don't delay, visit cskill.org and get in touch with your local office and see how you could benefit. This site includes industry insights, job files, a construction projects database and information. As well as construction skills, firms can also get training for their employees in computer skills, accountancy and administration. There is also an opportunity for anyone who is interested, to provide feedback
10 smart rules for kids safety
Who's afraid of the big, bad wolf? How about the boogeyman? Okay, good--so we've got those two covered!
But how about the ice cream man, or the next door neighbor, or the after-school sports coach? Now, before you get mad at me for picking on those three, let me just say I have nothing against any of these community members! In fact, my daughter and I buy Fudgsicles from our local ice cream man at the park all the time, and I have a very cool next door neighbor. So why bring them up?
Because...as a child safety advocate and sexual abuse prevention educator, it's my job to make sure that we are teaching our kids about personal safety in the most effective, up to date manner. By now, most parents know that the "stranger-danger" concept is outdated and doesn't serve our children.
And, many parents are at least somewhat familiar with the statistic that 90 percent of childhood molestation occurs by someone the child knows, and has some kind of a relationship with.
Okay everybody...breathe!! This DOES NOT mean we have to teach our kids to fear everyone or suspect that everybody out there in the world is a child molester. In fact, quite the opposite. Most people are not waiting in the wings, ready to harm our kids the moment we turn our backs. Good news, right?!
But, unfortunately, we do live in a world where childhood sexual abuse exists and the best way to protect kids is to EMPOWER them with the right kind of safety information. So, how do we begin to teach our children to interact with various adults every day without being taken advantage of? I like to start with my Super-Ten "Safe--Smart†Rules!
The Super-Ten Rules work for kids at every age, whether they are 4 years old or 14 years old. The only difference is the manner in which you teach them to your children.
The Super-Ten Rules work because they can help kids (and parents) identify a "thumbs up or thumbs down" situation or spot a potential red flag in another person's behavior.
The Super-Ten Rules are a great way to start the safety dialog with your kids. You can even role-play or create specific "What If...?" scenarios with your children and apply one or more of the Super-Ten rules as the response.
So without further ado... here they are:
The Super-Ten Safe-Smarts Rules For Kids and Grownups!
I am special and I have the right to be SAFE!
I know my name, address and phone number...and my parents' cell phone number, too.
Safe Grownups Don't Ask Kids for Help. (They go to other adults for assistance.)
I don't keep SECRETS from my parents. (No one should tell a child to keep a secret from their parents, especially another adult.)
I never go ANYWHERE or take ANYTHING from someone I don̢۪t know...no matter what they say.
I always ASK FIRST and get permission before: I go anywhere, change my plans, or accept something...even if it's from someone I know.
Everybody's bathing suit areas are private. No bathing suit area games allowed.
I don't have to be POLITE to anyone who makes me feel scared or uncomfortable. It's okay to say NO! even to a grownup if I have to.
If I ever get lost in a public place, I can FREEZE AND YELL or go to a MOM WITH KIDS and ask for help.
It's not my fault if someone tries to touch me in a "weird" or uncomfortable way. I will always tell a safe grownup if I feel scared or confused about any touches. And I will keep telling until I get help.
But how about the ice cream man, or the next door neighbor, or the after-school sports coach? Now, before you get mad at me for picking on those three, let me just say I have nothing against any of these community members! In fact, my daughter and I buy Fudgsicles from our local ice cream man at the park all the time, and I have a very cool next door neighbor. So why bring them up?
Because...as a child safety advocate and sexual abuse prevention educator, it's my job to make sure that we are teaching our kids about personal safety in the most effective, up to date manner. By now, most parents know that the "stranger-danger" concept is outdated and doesn't serve our children.
And, many parents are at least somewhat familiar with the statistic that 90 percent of childhood molestation occurs by someone the child knows, and has some kind of a relationship with.
Okay everybody...breathe!! This DOES NOT mean we have to teach our kids to fear everyone or suspect that everybody out there in the world is a child molester. In fact, quite the opposite. Most people are not waiting in the wings, ready to harm our kids the moment we turn our backs. Good news, right?!
But, unfortunately, we do live in a world where childhood sexual abuse exists and the best way to protect kids is to EMPOWER them with the right kind of safety information. So, how do we begin to teach our children to interact with various adults every day without being taken advantage of? I like to start with my Super-Ten "Safe--Smart†Rules!
The Super-Ten Rules work for kids at every age, whether they are 4 years old or 14 years old. The only difference is the manner in which you teach them to your children.
The Super-Ten Rules work because they can help kids (and parents) identify a "thumbs up or thumbs down" situation or spot a potential red flag in another person's behavior.
The Super-Ten Rules are a great way to start the safety dialog with your kids. You can even role-play or create specific "What If...?" scenarios with your children and apply one or more of the Super-Ten rules as the response.
So without further ado... here they are:
The Super-Ten Safe-Smarts Rules For Kids and Grownups!
I am special and I have the right to be SAFE!
I know my name, address and phone number...and my parents' cell phone number, too.
Safe Grownups Don't Ask Kids for Help. (They go to other adults for assistance.)
I don't keep SECRETS from my parents. (No one should tell a child to keep a secret from their parents, especially another adult.)
I never go ANYWHERE or take ANYTHING from someone I don̢۪t know...no matter what they say.
I always ASK FIRST and get permission before: I go anywhere, change my plans, or accept something...even if it's from someone I know.
Everybody's bathing suit areas are private. No bathing suit area games allowed.
I don't have to be POLITE to anyone who makes me feel scared or uncomfortable. It's okay to say NO! even to a grownup if I have to.
If I ever get lost in a public place, I can FREEZE AND YELL or go to a MOM WITH KIDS and ask for help.
It's not my fault if someone tries to touch me in a "weird" or uncomfortable way. I will always tell a safe grownup if I feel scared or confused about any touches. And I will keep telling until I get help.
Car Seat health and Safety
Did you know that 8 out of ten car seats are not installed properly?
Did you know that more than 40,000 children under the age of 4 are injured or killed in car crashes each year?
Did you know that child seats, properly installed, reduce the risk of an infant being killed by 71%?
Do we have your attention now? Most of us buy a car seat for our child, install it the way we think it's supposed to be installed, but never really check that it's exactly right. As a result, many children are injured or killed in crashes and many of those tragedies can be prevented.
At Safety4Kids, we're all about prevention. That's why we're partnering with the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) to raise awareness about this important issue. Check out our website for all the facts. And while you're at it, check out that car seat!
Did you know that more than 40,000 children under the age of 4 are injured or killed in car crashes each year?
Did you know that child seats, properly installed, reduce the risk of an infant being killed by 71%?
Do we have your attention now? Most of us buy a car seat for our child, install it the way we think it's supposed to be installed, but never really check that it's exactly right. As a result, many children are injured or killed in crashes and many of those tragedies can be prevented.
At Safety4Kids, we're all about prevention. That's why we're partnering with the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) to raise awareness about this important issue. Check out our website for all the facts. And while you're at it, check out that car seat!
Becoming a safety Officer
Roles and Responsibilities
Assist Management in developing and implementing their HSE plans and advise on operatinal safety matters related to the works.
Co-ordinate and conduct inspections/audits of facilities and activities to ensure compliance to safe and good work practices in accordance to statutory requirement of the Factories and Machinery ACT and all safety Procedures.
Have the ability to communicate in written and spoken English & Local language.
Give safety presenation with the objective to enhance the Health, safety and Environment awareness of all workers.
Assist in accident investigation, reporting and monitor their follo up in accordance to safety procedures.
Qualifications
Must have 5 years working experience in Supervisory position in the related field of oil and gas industry.
Must possess a recognized Diploma in an engineering discipline or a recognized Diploma in Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) or completed training and assessment by National Institute of Occupational Safety & Health (NIOSH) and have a minimum of 3 years experience working in OSH or minimum 10 years working experience in OSH.
Must have attended the following local safety courses conducted by Safety Training Institution:
Supervisory Safety
Accident Investigation Skill
First Aider
Basic Fire Fighting and BA
Must have attended the following local courses relevant to their operation:
Sea Survival.
Crane & lifting operation.
Scaffolding inspection
Permit to Work System
Authorized Gas Tester Certification Course.
Helicopter Landing Officer (HLO)
Must posses knowledge and skill on:
Hazard and effect Management Process/Risk Management
HSE cases
Emergency response
Law, Regulation & Permits
HSE Auditing
Hemm.. quite a long list of requirement yeaaa
Assist Management in developing and implementing their HSE plans and advise on operatinal safety matters related to the works.
Co-ordinate and conduct inspections/audits of facilities and activities to ensure compliance to safe and good work practices in accordance to statutory requirement of the Factories and Machinery ACT and all safety Procedures.
Have the ability to communicate in written and spoken English & Local language.
Give safety presenation with the objective to enhance the Health, safety and Environment awareness of all workers.
Assist in accident investigation, reporting and monitor their follo up in accordance to safety procedures.
Qualifications
Must have 5 years working experience in Supervisory position in the related field of oil and gas industry.
Must possess a recognized Diploma in an engineering discipline or a recognized Diploma in Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) or completed training and assessment by National Institute of Occupational Safety & Health (NIOSH) and have a minimum of 3 years experience working in OSH or minimum 10 years working experience in OSH.
Must have attended the following local safety courses conducted by Safety Training Institution:
Supervisory Safety
Accident Investigation Skill
First Aider
Basic Fire Fighting and BA
Must have attended the following local courses relevant to their operation:
Sea Survival.
Crane & lifting operation.
Scaffolding inspection
Permit to Work System
Authorized Gas Tester Certification Course.
Helicopter Landing Officer (HLO)
Must posses knowledge and skill on:
Hazard and effect Management Process/Risk Management
HSE cases
Emergency response
Law, Regulation & Permits
HSE Auditing
Hemm.. quite a long list of requirement yeaaa
Translating Health and Safety Training
Health and safety is a daily part of modern life and an ever increasing part our working lives. In the UK you have a wide range of standard documents such as method statements, risk assessments COSSH assessments, Health and Safety Manuals etc.
Often when you purchase machinery or a substance you will find it originated in another country made by people who speak a different language. But it will (or should) come with instructions for usage in the language of its destination country. Such technical manuals will no doubt have been translated into possibly many languages. This will have been completed with the assistance of a translation agency.
However, people now migrate between countries more then ever. We need only look at the migration in the EU. For example we have Polish people arriving into Britain and workers from the Ukraine now replacing them in Poland. People are on the move.
Businesses are using this migration of skill and or cheap labour. But often the migrant worker will speak limited amounts of the new language(when they arrive) and read / write it this new tongue even less. This causes potential health and safety issues if not considered and addressed. This is where language translations should be considered.
Under English law a person is deemed to have read something if they have signed it. But surely we enter a grey area if the person can obviously not read in the language?
This is a larger concern to directors and business owners as they now can be made personally responsible for such issues as ‘corporate manslaughter'.
We must also consider the growing ‘claims culture'. After an incident could your migrant worker, Motivated by a large pay-out, suddenly lose their ability to communicate in English? And how will you prove that they are reducing their language abilities? Incidences of similar abuse already occur with native workers do they not?
With these issues in mind, will your insurance company start to question your policies in regards language translation? The question must be when will this issue become serious enough for them to require action.
They only true way to avoid this is to consider language translation as part of the initial employment cost of migrant workers and as part of the health and safety audit. If you cannot be sure that your employee can read documents related to the health and safety parts of their job you will need to have a translation available in their language.
Likewise, if they are to be given any interactive training, interpreting will be required if language levels are not high enough. For the larger business it might be possible to give additional health and safety training to a member of staff who can speak in these other languages and ensure they both receive the translations and understand any training given. They can then assist or manage the training of these new staff.
As stated at the beginning on this article, equipment manuals are often translated into many languages. On this basis you may be able to obtain copies of manuals with translations into the languages of your migrant team. These translations should be a consideration on future pre-purchase discussions.
Some readers may be dismissing the above statements. If that is the case, visit the HSE's (Health & Safety Executive) website and you will see that they already show translations of various documents into 28 languages!
Often when you purchase machinery or a substance you will find it originated in another country made by people who speak a different language. But it will (or should) come with instructions for usage in the language of its destination country. Such technical manuals will no doubt have been translated into possibly many languages. This will have been completed with the assistance of a translation agency.
However, people now migrate between countries more then ever. We need only look at the migration in the EU. For example we have Polish people arriving into Britain and workers from the Ukraine now replacing them in Poland. People are on the move.
Businesses are using this migration of skill and or cheap labour. But often the migrant worker will speak limited amounts of the new language(when they arrive) and read / write it this new tongue even less. This causes potential health and safety issues if not considered and addressed. This is where language translations should be considered.
Under English law a person is deemed to have read something if they have signed it. But surely we enter a grey area if the person can obviously not read in the language?
This is a larger concern to directors and business owners as they now can be made personally responsible for such issues as ‘corporate manslaughter'.
We must also consider the growing ‘claims culture'. After an incident could your migrant worker, Motivated by a large pay-out, suddenly lose their ability to communicate in English? And how will you prove that they are reducing their language abilities? Incidences of similar abuse already occur with native workers do they not?
With these issues in mind, will your insurance company start to question your policies in regards language translation? The question must be when will this issue become serious enough for them to require action.
They only true way to avoid this is to consider language translation as part of the initial employment cost of migrant workers and as part of the health and safety audit. If you cannot be sure that your employee can read documents related to the health and safety parts of their job you will need to have a translation available in their language.
Likewise, if they are to be given any interactive training, interpreting will be required if language levels are not high enough. For the larger business it might be possible to give additional health and safety training to a member of staff who can speak in these other languages and ensure they both receive the translations and understand any training given. They can then assist or manage the training of these new staff.
As stated at the beginning on this article, equipment manuals are often translated into many languages. On this basis you may be able to obtain copies of manuals with translations into the languages of your migrant team. These translations should be a consideration on future pre-purchase discussions.
Some readers may be dismissing the above statements. If that is the case, visit the HSE's (Health & Safety Executive) website and you will see that they already show translations of various documents into 28 languages!
Health and Safety Training Course
Health and Safety Training Courses
The Basic Health and Safety Course
A 6 hour course covering the basics relating to Health and Safety legislation and is suitable for all staff of premises who are concerned or affected by Health and Safety. Candidates who successfully complete a multiple-choice questionnaire are awarded the Basic Health and Safety Certificate.
The Intermediate Health and Safety for Supervisors
A new course designed for those in the workplace who have responsibility in Health and Safety beyond personal safety. It lasts 18 hours and will develop key areas of health and safety practice and provide an introduction to Health and Safety management techniques.
The Advanced Health and Safety Certificate
A 30 - 40 hour training course for those whose job entails managing Health and Safety within the workplace. Apart from a 3 hour written examination candidates must also complete two assignments and those who achieve the required mark will be awarded the advanced Health and Safety Certificate.
Risk Assessment
Principles and Practice Certificate This new course has been designed for those employees who are required to carry out risk assessments as part of their duties under current Health and Safety law. It can be completed in one day, however candidates are required to carry out Health and Safety Risk Assessment on their own premises within a six week period. On successful completion of the course candidates will be awarded a nationally recognised certificate in risk assessment.
Manual Handling
A a 3 hour module designed to give a practical view of manual handling activities in the workplace. It can be added on to the Basic Health and Safety Course or it may be offered as a stand-alone course.
COSHH
This is a new module to cover the requirements of COSHH regulations. It may be added onto the Basic Health and Safety Course.
Chartered Institute of Environmental Health Group Training Certificate
This can be customised for your own business. The aim is to cover the basic skills involved in the delivery of training to groups. Candidates participate in the skills sessions and are required to plan and deliver effective courses such as the Basic Food Hygiene Certificate and the Basic Health and Safety.
Stress Awareness Course
A half day course designed to raise the level of awareness of the causes of stress. Candidates carry out a stress self assessment exercise as part of the course.
How to Book a Course
All courses can be held "in house- or local venues at times to suit and to fit in with shifts, evening and weekend working. The costs of the courses will vary with the level of training required and discounts are available where a large number of candidates require training. Course can also be held at weekends and evenings.
Who to Contact
Environmental Health
Trafford Council
Trafford Town Hall
Talbot Road
Stretford
M32 0YJ
Email: environmental.health@trafford.gov.uk
The Basic Health and Safety Course
A 6 hour course covering the basics relating to Health and Safety legislation and is suitable for all staff of premises who are concerned or affected by Health and Safety. Candidates who successfully complete a multiple-choice questionnaire are awarded the Basic Health and Safety Certificate.
The Intermediate Health and Safety for Supervisors
A new course designed for those in the workplace who have responsibility in Health and Safety beyond personal safety. It lasts 18 hours and will develop key areas of health and safety practice and provide an introduction to Health and Safety management techniques.
The Advanced Health and Safety Certificate
A 30 - 40 hour training course for those whose job entails managing Health and Safety within the workplace. Apart from a 3 hour written examination candidates must also complete two assignments and those who achieve the required mark will be awarded the advanced Health and Safety Certificate.
Risk Assessment
Principles and Practice Certificate This new course has been designed for those employees who are required to carry out risk assessments as part of their duties under current Health and Safety law. It can be completed in one day, however candidates are required to carry out Health and Safety Risk Assessment on their own premises within a six week period. On successful completion of the course candidates will be awarded a nationally recognised certificate in risk assessment.
Manual Handling
A a 3 hour module designed to give a practical view of manual handling activities in the workplace. It can be added on to the Basic Health and Safety Course or it may be offered as a stand-alone course.
COSHH
This is a new module to cover the requirements of COSHH regulations. It may be added onto the Basic Health and Safety Course.
Chartered Institute of Environmental Health Group Training Certificate
This can be customised for your own business. The aim is to cover the basic skills involved in the delivery of training to groups. Candidates participate in the skills sessions and are required to plan and deliver effective courses such as the Basic Food Hygiene Certificate and the Basic Health and Safety.
Stress Awareness Course
A half day course designed to raise the level of awareness of the causes of stress. Candidates carry out a stress self assessment exercise as part of the course.
How to Book a Course
All courses can be held "in house- or local venues at times to suit and to fit in with shifts, evening and weekend working. The costs of the courses will vary with the level of training required and discounts are available where a large number of candidates require training. Course can also be held at weekends and evenings.
Who to Contact
Environmental Health
Trafford Council
Trafford Town Hall
Talbot Road
Stretford
M32 0YJ
Email: environmental.health@trafford.gov.uk
Health and Safety Too Much ?
THE fireman’s pole at Southport Fire Station has been boarded up after 60 years of life-saving service -because health and safety officials deem it too dangerous for firefighters to use.
Crews on their way to tackle blazing buildings must now use the stairs at the Manchester Road station instead.
Retired Southport firefighter John Law said: “It is crazy. It’s legislation gone mad. Poles are traditional - if they can’t go down a pole safely what can they do?”
John, who was awarded an MBE for his services to Southport Fire Station, described the fire service as “the only true emergency service that’s left”, and said that in his 29 years of working at Southport Fire Station he had witnessed one broken ankle as a result of the pole.
He added: “If a firefighter going out to a fire is to follow health and safety to the letter of the law they won’t go on the job and they won’t go into the fire.”
Councillor Jack Colbert, a Sefton representative on the Merseyside Fire Authority, branded the move “ridiculous”, saying: “It is health and safety gone mad.
“They have always used the pole, and there has never been a incident or an accident.
“If you ask any firefighter they will tell you it is quicker to go down the pole.
“Running down the stairs you could trip over, especially at night - it could be more dangerous than the pole.”
The fire station is one of hundreds across the UK to have their poles removed amid health and safety fears, prompting an outcry from Fire Authority representatives.
Although firefighters maintain that the changes will not affect response times, there is growing concern that removing the poles may contribute to safety hazards rather than prevent them.
Health and safety consultant John Lyon Taylor, who runs JRT Consultants, said: “With the stuff you see and read in the newspapers it doesn’t surprise me that somebody has suddenly decided that a pole is dangerous.
“I would suggest that a group of men running down the stairs is more dangerous than sliding down a pole.
“You can miss your footing quite easily if you are coming down the stairs in a hurry - if the person at the front trips then everyone ends up in a heap.
“These are fit, agile men who are well-trained - they know all the risks, they have been doing the job for years.”
“I would suggest that to go from a pole to the stairs is a backwards step.”
A Fire Service spokesman said: “All fire stations undergo regular health and safety reviews and the pole drop at Southport Community Fire Station is one issue that is currently under consideration
Crews on their way to tackle blazing buildings must now use the stairs at the Manchester Road station instead.
Retired Southport firefighter John Law said: “It is crazy. It’s legislation gone mad. Poles are traditional - if they can’t go down a pole safely what can they do?”
John, who was awarded an MBE for his services to Southport Fire Station, described the fire service as “the only true emergency service that’s left”, and said that in his 29 years of working at Southport Fire Station he had witnessed one broken ankle as a result of the pole.
He added: “If a firefighter going out to a fire is to follow health and safety to the letter of the law they won’t go on the job and they won’t go into the fire.”
Councillor Jack Colbert, a Sefton representative on the Merseyside Fire Authority, branded the move “ridiculous”, saying: “It is health and safety gone mad.
“They have always used the pole, and there has never been a incident or an accident.
“If you ask any firefighter they will tell you it is quicker to go down the pole.
“Running down the stairs you could trip over, especially at night - it could be more dangerous than the pole.”
The fire station is one of hundreds across the UK to have their poles removed amid health and safety fears, prompting an outcry from Fire Authority representatives.
Although firefighters maintain that the changes will not affect response times, there is growing concern that removing the poles may contribute to safety hazards rather than prevent them.
Health and safety consultant John Lyon Taylor, who runs JRT Consultants, said: “With the stuff you see and read in the newspapers it doesn’t surprise me that somebody has suddenly decided that a pole is dangerous.
“I would suggest that a group of men running down the stairs is more dangerous than sliding down a pole.
“You can miss your footing quite easily if you are coming down the stairs in a hurry - if the person at the front trips then everyone ends up in a heap.
“These are fit, agile men who are well-trained - they know all the risks, they have been doing the job for years.”
“I would suggest that to go from a pole to the stairs is a backwards step.”
A Fire Service spokesman said: “All fire stations undergo regular health and safety reviews and the pole drop at Southport Community Fire Station is one issue that is currently under consideration
Health and Safety Awareness
The Health and Safety Executive is to unveil a new strategy for workplace health and safety in the UK in December, at the same time as calls are growing for a major overhaul of how the body operates and regulates businesses, Health and Safety Executive chairwoman Judith Hackitt revealed at a conference in September run by the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health.
Hackitt told delegates the strategy would look at clarifying "the roles of the regulated, the regulator, the workforce" and others affected by health and safety.
She also conceded that the perception of health and safety needed to be improved in the eyes of both employers and the general public.
"There is a need to draw a clear distinction between real health and safety - stopping people getting killed - and jobsworths who shamelessly use 'elf and safety' as an excuse," she said.
Her speech came as union leaders called for radical changes in how the HSE is funded and structured. A motion by construction union Ucatt at the TUC's annual congress in September called for the HSE to be properly funded and for more money to be targeted at inspections.
Too much money is being spent on providing information and advice, whereas just 30% of firms were convicted following the death of a construction worker, said Ucatt general secretary Alan Ritchie.
Manufacturers' body EEF will this month be teaming up with the HSE to run a series of seminars looking at some of the health and safety myths surrounding risk assessment and management.
The seminars will take place in and around European Health and Safety Week, which runs from October 20 to 24.
Hackitt told delegates the strategy would look at clarifying "the roles of the regulated, the regulator, the workforce" and others affected by health and safety.
She also conceded that the perception of health and safety needed to be improved in the eyes of both employers and the general public.
"There is a need to draw a clear distinction between real health and safety - stopping people getting killed - and jobsworths who shamelessly use 'elf and safety' as an excuse," she said.
Her speech came as union leaders called for radical changes in how the HSE is funded and structured. A motion by construction union Ucatt at the TUC's annual congress in September called for the HSE to be properly funded and for more money to be targeted at inspections.
Too much money is being spent on providing information and advice, whereas just 30% of firms were convicted following the death of a construction worker, said Ucatt general secretary Alan Ritchie.
Manufacturers' body EEF will this month be teaming up with the HSE to run a series of seminars looking at some of the health and safety myths surrounding risk assessment and management.
The seminars will take place in and around European Health and Safety Week, which runs from October 20 to 24.
Health and Safety
Maybe you think that if only those PR people would do their job properly, there wouldn’t be all the media outrage about “health & safety” gone mad - and the public would have more respect for risk management.
Well, as a professional public relations consultant, I thought it would be interesting to borrow Matt’s blogging chair and provide the PR perspective.
We are often at the recovery end of these matters - it may be that the press has picked up on a decision made by management that strikes the journalist as wonderfully ludicrous. Let’s call that the “bonkers conkers” example, that Matt is fond of discussing. I’ll come back to those later.
The more strategic issues come in the form of corporate crises - frequently requiring us to protect the organisation’s reputation as a result of a lapse in health and safety. In general, we are very good at working with the media to respond to serious disasters. The PR process has been refined over many decades, with the golden rule relating to communicating quickly, openly and continuously with all relevant stakeholders, particularly journalists. Ensuring that the PR team is integral in any crisis plan is a message that most organisations have understood. Normally this will include media relations training for anyone called upon to explain the organisation’s position.
The corporate crisis should be rare for any particular organisation - but you can find examples any day of the week. Today, I note that ICL has been fined £400,000 over an explosion at its Glasgow factory. When the original incident occurred in 2004, the PR team will have reacted immediately - and today they should have been prepared to respond to media enquiries.
The way that any organisation is judged today in response to a major crisis owes a lot to the professional PR approach. In some cases, this leads to challenges - two senior PR executives at BAA in the UK have recently quit their jobs, apparently as a result of being informed by the Spanish company owners that they should not engage with media enquiries and simply provide only agreed facts. PR is not simply a matter of publishing agreed statements or responding to a crisis once it has occurred.
Those in PR and H&S have a lot in common and should work closely together primarily to prevent the problems that generate the newspaper headlines. Our expertise in explaining how the media will respond to an issue can be a vital element of risk management.
The key question in PR crisis management is “What if”? As part of the management team considering any key decision that encompasses risk, PR professionals are able to counsel on strategies that should be avoided and the best way to communicate with those affected by any change in practice. This includes using our expertise for internal communications too.
Which brings me back to “bonkers conkers” - with our media relations hats on, we can see why such stories capture the media, and public attention. They often make a great story, meaning something that will be passed on by word of mouth. Journalists know this and recognise how the example can draw upon stereotypes such as political correctness, European bureaucracy, nanny state, or waste of taxpayers’ money, to get a reaction from the public.
Again, media reaction should be part of the risk management of any policy that has the potential for generating headlines. If such decisions must be taken, expert PR advice can construct suitable wording for internal communications, policy documents and press statements.
Once you’ve got a journalist on the phone, gleeful at the potential to generate headlines about bonkers conkers, it is much harder for us to do our job. We probably have minutes to provide a quote or respond to the “allegations” put to us. The journalist will be reluctant to bin their story - if we are lucky, we can add a voice of reason. But giving factual information about risk and responsibilities at that time, isn’t going to help.
At these times, I believe our only chance of avoiding becoming a laughing stock is to use humour. We have to roll with the story and be seen as seeing the funny side (even with serious issues). I know this works when handling such criticism - I once worked for a car company where a sporty model was slated by Jeremy Clarkson as less likely to attract the women then having a 12 inch cucumber down his trousers. So I sent him a gift wrapped cucumber by taxi from Harrods - he loved the joke and admitted he was wrong in his next column.
You might not understand the mentality of journalists, but an experienced PR practitioner should know when a full blown crisis plan is necessary, and when the headlines need a lighter touch. Now where did I keep that bag of conkers?
Well, as a professional public relations consultant, I thought it would be interesting to borrow Matt’s blogging chair and provide the PR perspective.
We are often at the recovery end of these matters - it may be that the press has picked up on a decision made by management that strikes the journalist as wonderfully ludicrous. Let’s call that the “bonkers conkers” example, that Matt is fond of discussing. I’ll come back to those later.
The more strategic issues come in the form of corporate crises - frequently requiring us to protect the organisation’s reputation as a result of a lapse in health and safety. In general, we are very good at working with the media to respond to serious disasters. The PR process has been refined over many decades, with the golden rule relating to communicating quickly, openly and continuously with all relevant stakeholders, particularly journalists. Ensuring that the PR team is integral in any crisis plan is a message that most organisations have understood. Normally this will include media relations training for anyone called upon to explain the organisation’s position.
The corporate crisis should be rare for any particular organisation - but you can find examples any day of the week. Today, I note that ICL has been fined £400,000 over an explosion at its Glasgow factory. When the original incident occurred in 2004, the PR team will have reacted immediately - and today they should have been prepared to respond to media enquiries.
The way that any organisation is judged today in response to a major crisis owes a lot to the professional PR approach. In some cases, this leads to challenges - two senior PR executives at BAA in the UK have recently quit their jobs, apparently as a result of being informed by the Spanish company owners that they should not engage with media enquiries and simply provide only agreed facts. PR is not simply a matter of publishing agreed statements or responding to a crisis once it has occurred.
Those in PR and H&S have a lot in common and should work closely together primarily to prevent the problems that generate the newspaper headlines. Our expertise in explaining how the media will respond to an issue can be a vital element of risk management.
The key question in PR crisis management is “What if”? As part of the management team considering any key decision that encompasses risk, PR professionals are able to counsel on strategies that should be avoided and the best way to communicate with those affected by any change in practice. This includes using our expertise for internal communications too.
Which brings me back to “bonkers conkers” - with our media relations hats on, we can see why such stories capture the media, and public attention. They often make a great story, meaning something that will be passed on by word of mouth. Journalists know this and recognise how the example can draw upon stereotypes such as political correctness, European bureaucracy, nanny state, or waste of taxpayers’ money, to get a reaction from the public.
Again, media reaction should be part of the risk management of any policy that has the potential for generating headlines. If such decisions must be taken, expert PR advice can construct suitable wording for internal communications, policy documents and press statements.
Once you’ve got a journalist on the phone, gleeful at the potential to generate headlines about bonkers conkers, it is much harder for us to do our job. We probably have minutes to provide a quote or respond to the “allegations” put to us. The journalist will be reluctant to bin their story - if we are lucky, we can add a voice of reason. But giving factual information about risk and responsibilities at that time, isn’t going to help.
At these times, I believe our only chance of avoiding becoming a laughing stock is to use humour. We have to roll with the story and be seen as seeing the funny side (even with serious issues). I know this works when handling such criticism - I once worked for a car company where a sporty model was slated by Jeremy Clarkson as less likely to attract the women then having a 12 inch cucumber down his trousers. So I sent him a gift wrapped cucumber by taxi from Harrods - he loved the joke and admitted he was wrong in his next column.
You might not understand the mentality of journalists, but an experienced PR practitioner should know when a full blown crisis plan is necessary, and when the headlines need a lighter touch. Now where did I keep that bag of conkers?
Health & Safety Consultancy
Health and Safety Consultancy
Our sister company, New Level Safety, offers a comprehensive range of Health and Safety Consultancy Services including:
Development and implementation of Management Systems
Advisory Support
Asbestos Management
Disability Access Surveys
Fire Safety Risk Assessment.
Gap Analysis
Property Audits
Risk Assessment
Statutory Engineering Inspections
Training
Further information can be found on the New Level Safety website www.newlevelsafety.com.
Our sister company, New Level Safety, offers a comprehensive range of Health and Safety Consultancy Services including:
Development and implementation of Management Systems
Advisory Support
Asbestos Management
Disability Access Surveys
Fire Safety Risk Assessment.
Gap Analysis
Property Audits
Risk Assessment
Statutory Engineering Inspections
Training
Further information can be found on the New Level Safety website www.newlevelsafety.com.
The role of a Health & Safety advisor
There is a legal duty on employers to appoint a competent person to advise them on their health and safety obligations. Within this context, health and safety advisers work with line managers, employees, safety groups and trade unions to create a positive culture of safe working practice. They are responsible for creating, maintaining and improving a safe and healthy working environment. Their duties include outlining safe operational procedures, which identify all relevant hazards, and accurately assessing risks. They then suggest workable and effective solutions.
Health and safety advisers may be involved in training managers and employees about health and safety issues and how to minimise risks. They may also carry out regular inspections to check that policies and procedures are being properly implemented and meet the requirements of the main enforcing authority, the Health and Safety Executive. They keep records of their findings and produce reports suggesting improvements.
When there is an accident, they carry out investigations, liaise with relevant authorities and produce reports and recommendations, which are then monitored. They also develop preventative and remedial programmes.
The work may involve giving advice on a range of specialist areas such as fire regulations, safeguarding machinery, construction, hazardous substances, noise, occupational health and environmental health.
Entry level
The key professional qualifications for work in health and safety are the National/Scottish Vocational Qualification (NVQ/SVQ) Level 4 in Occupational Health and Safety Practice, and the two-part national diploma awarded by the National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health (NEBOSH). There are no formal entry requirements.
When you have these qualifications and three years' relevant experience, you can apply for corporate membership of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH). After a year as a member and three years' experience, you can apply to be included on the IOSH Register of Safety Practitioners.
Several universities and colleges offer first degrees in occupational health and safety or health and safety management. For degree entry, you would normally need two or three A levels/AH grades or four H grades or equivalent.
Making the grade
Training is mostly on-the-job, with additional short in-house or external training courses. These may be run by training departments, local colleges or health and safety consultants. IOSH also provides a programme of continuing professional development for health and safety advisers.
You can study for the NEBOSH diploma full-time, part-time or by distance learning. Part one requires 172 hours of tuition and about 92 hours of private study. Part two requires some 194 hours' tuition and 100 hours of private study. The course is made up of five modules, covering the same subject areas in each part: risk management, legal and organisational factors, the workplace, work equipment and safety agencies. NEBOSH also awards the Specialist Diploma in Environmental Management, while the British Safety Council awards a Diploma in Safety Management.
Personal qualities
A high standard of written and spoken communication skills is essential, as you would have to present complex information in a straightforward way, explaining health and safety processes and procedures to a wide range of people. You would need good negotiating skills, not to mention patience and diplomacy, to convince managers of the need to implement and maintain safety standards that may compromise speed or efficiency within the organisation.
An interest in the law is needed, as is an investigative mind and the ability to understand regulations and codes of practice. You should have good IT skills, both for preparing reports and for recording and analysing statistics as the basis for spotting trends.
Looking ahead
With the right blend of business, administrative and technical skills, health and safety advisers can rise to more senior management positions. In order to develop your career, you might need to move to a larger organisation or to specialise in an area such as hazardous substances. Mandatory requirements to implement good practice in the workplace, together with increased litigation by accident victims, mean that career opportunities in health and safety are growing.
You would be most likely to work in an industrial, manufacturing or processing company. However, there are also opportunities to work in the hotel, restaurant and food industries, and for public services such as hospitals and government departments. Some health and safety advisers go on to become consultants, specialising in such areas as supporting small organisations or giving specialist advice.
Alternative suggestions
You might consider training as a health and safety inspector, environmental health officer, human resources manager or trading standards officer.
Take-home pay
Salaries vary widely, ranging from £17,500 to £20,000 in local authority work to around £46,000 in the oil and gas industries. The average for health and safety advisers in the chemicals and allied industries is £32,600, in construction £31,000 and in engineering £28,000.
Effects
Although you would be office-based, you would spend a lot of time as a health and safety adviser in the factory, plant or other working premises. In large-scale processing plants, on offshore platforms, construction sites and transportation systems, this can mean working outdoors, sometimes in extreme weather conditions. It may also involve working at heights or in cramped conditions.
A 37-hour week is usual, although you might be on standby duty in case of emergencies or accidents.
Health and safety advisers may be involved in training managers and employees about health and safety issues and how to minimise risks. They may also carry out regular inspections to check that policies and procedures are being properly implemented and meet the requirements of the main enforcing authority, the Health and Safety Executive. They keep records of their findings and produce reports suggesting improvements.
When there is an accident, they carry out investigations, liaise with relevant authorities and produce reports and recommendations, which are then monitored. They also develop preventative and remedial programmes.
The work may involve giving advice on a range of specialist areas such as fire regulations, safeguarding machinery, construction, hazardous substances, noise, occupational health and environmental health.
Entry level
The key professional qualifications for work in health and safety are the National/Scottish Vocational Qualification (NVQ/SVQ) Level 4 in Occupational Health and Safety Practice, and the two-part national diploma awarded by the National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health (NEBOSH). There are no formal entry requirements.
When you have these qualifications and three years' relevant experience, you can apply for corporate membership of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH). After a year as a member and three years' experience, you can apply to be included on the IOSH Register of Safety Practitioners.
Several universities and colleges offer first degrees in occupational health and safety or health and safety management. For degree entry, you would normally need two or three A levels/AH grades or four H grades or equivalent.
Making the grade
Training is mostly on-the-job, with additional short in-house or external training courses. These may be run by training departments, local colleges or health and safety consultants. IOSH also provides a programme of continuing professional development for health and safety advisers.
You can study for the NEBOSH diploma full-time, part-time or by distance learning. Part one requires 172 hours of tuition and about 92 hours of private study. Part two requires some 194 hours' tuition and 100 hours of private study. The course is made up of five modules, covering the same subject areas in each part: risk management, legal and organisational factors, the workplace, work equipment and safety agencies. NEBOSH also awards the Specialist Diploma in Environmental Management, while the British Safety Council awards a Diploma in Safety Management.
Personal qualities
A high standard of written and spoken communication skills is essential, as you would have to present complex information in a straightforward way, explaining health and safety processes and procedures to a wide range of people. You would need good negotiating skills, not to mention patience and diplomacy, to convince managers of the need to implement and maintain safety standards that may compromise speed or efficiency within the organisation.
An interest in the law is needed, as is an investigative mind and the ability to understand regulations and codes of practice. You should have good IT skills, both for preparing reports and for recording and analysing statistics as the basis for spotting trends.
Looking ahead
With the right blend of business, administrative and technical skills, health and safety advisers can rise to more senior management positions. In order to develop your career, you might need to move to a larger organisation or to specialise in an area such as hazardous substances. Mandatory requirements to implement good practice in the workplace, together with increased litigation by accident victims, mean that career opportunities in health and safety are growing.
You would be most likely to work in an industrial, manufacturing or processing company. However, there are also opportunities to work in the hotel, restaurant and food industries, and for public services such as hospitals and government departments. Some health and safety advisers go on to become consultants, specialising in such areas as supporting small organisations or giving specialist advice.
Alternative suggestions
You might consider training as a health and safety inspector, environmental health officer, human resources manager or trading standards officer.
Take-home pay
Salaries vary widely, ranging from £17,500 to £20,000 in local authority work to around £46,000 in the oil and gas industries. The average for health and safety advisers in the chemicals and allied industries is £32,600, in construction £31,000 and in engineering £28,000.
Effects
Although you would be office-based, you would spend a lot of time as a health and safety adviser in the factory, plant or other working premises. In large-scale processing plants, on offshore platforms, construction sites and transportation systems, this can mean working outdoors, sometimes in extreme weather conditions. It may also involve working at heights or in cramped conditions.
A 37-hour week is usual, although you might be on standby duty in case of emergencies or accidents.
Health and Safety for beginners
Health and Safety for Beginners (HSfB) aims to provide as much useful information on day to day health and safety challenges through our downloads, revision aids, mock exam questions, crosswords, quiz's, and our highly active and addictive discussion forums...and much more. The overall aim is that newcomers to the health and safety sector, and experienced professionals, can easily source useful information to help in their careers and studies.
All of the material on this site has been donated by professionals and students who all want to give something to help others aspiring to become competent health and safety professionals. The entire collection of revision aids and downloads are provided FREE and with permission from their authors to help with various courses, including: NEBOSH General Certificate, NEBOSH Fire Certificate, NEBOSH Diploma, NEBOSH Environmental Diploma; NVQ 3, 4 & 5; MSc; PGCE and many more.
Our health and safety discussion forums have a unique friendly atmosphere where you can ask anything at all relating to health, safety and the environment. Our health and safety jobs section has helped hundreds of people get started or move on in their careers. We have many active participants from students, tutors, NEBOSH examiners, a wide variety of health and safety professionals and many others who all have a passion for helping people, and it's all FREE!
All of the material on this site has been donated by professionals and students who all want to give something to help others aspiring to become competent health and safety professionals. The entire collection of revision aids and downloads are provided FREE and with permission from their authors to help with various courses, including: NEBOSH General Certificate, NEBOSH Fire Certificate, NEBOSH Diploma, NEBOSH Environmental Diploma; NVQ 3, 4 & 5; MSc; PGCE and many more.
Our health and safety discussion forums have a unique friendly atmosphere where you can ask anything at all relating to health, safety and the environment. Our health and safety jobs section has helped hundreds of people get started or move on in their careers. We have many active participants from students, tutors, NEBOSH examiners, a wide variety of health and safety professionals and many others who all have a passion for helping people, and it's all FREE!
Health & Safety penalties
Higher fines for health and safety offences could be on the way from January under the new Health and Safety (Offences) Act, which received Royal Assent on 16 October.
The Act, which comes into force on 16 January, amends Section 33 of the Health and Safety at Work Act to raise the maximum penalties available for offences in the lower courts from £5000 to £20,000. It also makes most offences imprisonable. For example, magistrates and judges can now imprison individuals convicted under Sections 7, 8 or 37 of the HSW Act which cover breaches by individual directors and employees. Minister for work and pensions Lord McKenzie has stressed that prison should be reserved for the most serious offences.
The Act was introduced to parliament in 2007 as a Private Member's Bill by Labour MP Keith Hill and Lord Bruce Grocott. According to McKenzie, the Act has the government's wholehearted support. He echoed the findings of Professor Richard Macrory's report on regulatory sanctions and the HSE's view that the level of fines for some health and safety offences is too low.
"These changes will ensure that sentences can now be more easily set at a level to deter businesses that do not take their health and safety management responsibilities seriously," said McKenzie, "and further encourage employers and others to comply with the law."
Some offences that would have been tried in the lower courts will now go to trial in the higher courts and prison sentences handed down by lower courts could be considerably longer.
The Sentencing Guidelines Council is also due to publish new guidelines on penalties for corporate manslaughter convictions and deaths at work in the coming months
The Act, which comes into force on 16 January, amends Section 33 of the Health and Safety at Work Act to raise the maximum penalties available for offences in the lower courts from £5000 to £20,000. It also makes most offences imprisonable. For example, magistrates and judges can now imprison individuals convicted under Sections 7, 8 or 37 of the HSW Act which cover breaches by individual directors and employees. Minister for work and pensions Lord McKenzie has stressed that prison should be reserved for the most serious offences.
The Act was introduced to parliament in 2007 as a Private Member's Bill by Labour MP Keith Hill and Lord Bruce Grocott. According to McKenzie, the Act has the government's wholehearted support. He echoed the findings of Professor Richard Macrory's report on regulatory sanctions and the HSE's view that the level of fines for some health and safety offences is too low.
"These changes will ensure that sentences can now be more easily set at a level to deter businesses that do not take their health and safety management responsibilities seriously," said McKenzie, "and further encourage employers and others to comply with the law."
Some offences that would have been tried in the lower courts will now go to trial in the higher courts and prison sentences handed down by lower courts could be considerably longer.
The Sentencing Guidelines Council is also due to publish new guidelines on penalties for corporate manslaughter convictions and deaths at work in the coming months
Health and Safety
Health and safety inspectors work to protect people's health and safety by making sure risks in the workplace are properly controlled. They ensure employers comply with all aspects of health and safety laws and that workplaces are not the cause of ill health, injury or even death. They do this by inspecting business premises, investigating accidents and through enforcement of the law.
According to The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) in the UK 'two million people were suffering from an illness they believed was caused or made worse by their current or past work and 212 workers were killed at work' in the year 2005/2006.
» Typical work activities
Health and safety inspectors may specialise in one area such as the general workplace, construction, forestry or hazardous goods or may work for a general team. Depending on the geographical location and specialism, day-to-day tasks can vary but will generally include the following:
visiting various business and industrial premises to inspect processes and procedures and ensure good health and safety practice;
investigating accidents and complaints and determining if there has been a breach of health and safety law;
carrying out examinations of machinery, working environments and structures, taking measurements of noise, heat, vibrations and taking photographs and samples where necessary;
ensuring workers are provided with suitable protective equipment, such as eye goggles, ear protectors or appropriate types of gloves and clothing;
investigating precautions taken to prevent industrial diseases;
investigating procedures for working in hazardous environments or with potentially harmful substances;
keeping up to date with new legislation and health and safety standards;
staying informed about developments within particular sectors, e.g. in agricultural or construction settings;
providing specialist advice and information to businesses and organisations on health and safety and advising on changes required and on other relevant issues;
negotiating with managers and operators to try to eliminate possible conflicts between safety considerations and production/profit;
writing reports on results of inspections and investigations and completing detailed paperwork;
making and imposing recommendations for action;
developing health and safety working programmes and strategies;
developing methods to predict possible hazards drawn from experience, historical data and other appropriate information sources;
preparing for and presenting court cases, if a decision is made to prosecute;
providing training and educational support to employers and new/trainee employees.
According to The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) in the UK 'two million people were suffering from an illness they believed was caused or made worse by their current or past work and 212 workers were killed at work' in the year 2005/2006.
» Typical work activities
Health and safety inspectors may specialise in one area such as the general workplace, construction, forestry or hazardous goods or may work for a general team. Depending on the geographical location and specialism, day-to-day tasks can vary but will generally include the following:
visiting various business and industrial premises to inspect processes and procedures and ensure good health and safety practice;
investigating accidents and complaints and determining if there has been a breach of health and safety law;
carrying out examinations of machinery, working environments and structures, taking measurements of noise, heat, vibrations and taking photographs and samples where necessary;
ensuring workers are provided with suitable protective equipment, such as eye goggles, ear protectors or appropriate types of gloves and clothing;
investigating precautions taken to prevent industrial diseases;
investigating procedures for working in hazardous environments or with potentially harmful substances;
keeping up to date with new legislation and health and safety standards;
staying informed about developments within particular sectors, e.g. in agricultural or construction settings;
providing specialist advice and information to businesses and organisations on health and safety and advising on changes required and on other relevant issues;
negotiating with managers and operators to try to eliminate possible conflicts between safety considerations and production/profit;
writing reports on results of inspections and investigations and completing detailed paperwork;
making and imposing recommendations for action;
developing health and safety working programmes and strategies;
developing methods to predict possible hazards drawn from experience, historical data and other appropriate information sources;
preparing for and presenting court cases, if a decision is made to prosecute;
providing training and educational support to employers and new/trainee employees.
Construction/Health and Safety Jobs
Contractors have revealed what they look for in potential employees and although the right staff may be difficult to find, this does not put firms off from trying, a report says.
And for those of you working, or considering a career, in quantity surveying, if you have experience in the commercial side of the market you could just be what companies are after, Andrea Walton, human resources director from Morgan Est tells the Contract Journal.
"Even when you are dealing with a high volume of CVs, it is important to be able to give people a good experience - they need a positive and quick response," says Ms Walton about the recruitment process.
In news that may interest contracting firms, would-be students are becoming interested in a career in construction, boosted by the sponsorships available to them in the industry, the journal claims.
Steps to get that perfect job include a strong CV, experience and commercial nous, it adds.
Further news which could interest job-seekers out there is that Brymbo-based Read Construction is offering courses aimed at anyone in this field, whether you are already working or looking to work in the industry, reports the Evening Leader.
And for those of you working, or considering a career, in quantity surveying, if you have experience in the commercial side of the market you could just be what companies are after, Andrea Walton, human resources director from Morgan Est tells the Contract Journal.
"Even when you are dealing with a high volume of CVs, it is important to be able to give people a good experience - they need a positive and quick response," says Ms Walton about the recruitment process.
In news that may interest contracting firms, would-be students are becoming interested in a career in construction, boosted by the sponsorships available to them in the industry, the journal claims.
Steps to get that perfect job include a strong CV, experience and commercial nous, it adds.
Further news which could interest job-seekers out there is that Brymbo-based Read Construction is offering courses aimed at anyone in this field, whether you are already working or looking to work in the industry, reports the Evening Leader.
Construction
Are you one of the 12,000 construction companies to have joined the Train to Gain programme run by the Learning and Skills Council?
Those of you working in the construction industry may want to look into the government service - which celebrates its second birthday this week - as it was set up to address the skills shortage in certain sectors, which some of you may identify as the one you are working in.
One construction firm that has benefited from the scheme is London-based FM Conway Ltd, which claims 250 employees have now become qualified in fields including plant operators and operatives and masons, which could be areas some of you want to train your own staff in.
Sharon Field, one of the employees, says: "Getting the training to improve my skills has renewed my self-confidence. I’m sure that it will strengthen my ability to support the company in its future growth," which could mark the beginning of a renewed interest in making sure time is taken to find the right people for the job.
The announcement of Train to Gain’s success comes after the director of field and regional strategy at Construction Skills Mike Bialyj said that there was an immediate need of skilled staff for the Olympic building projects.
Those of you working in the construction industry may want to look into the government service - which celebrates its second birthday this week - as it was set up to address the skills shortage in certain sectors, which some of you may identify as the one you are working in.
One construction firm that has benefited from the scheme is London-based FM Conway Ltd, which claims 250 employees have now become qualified in fields including plant operators and operatives and masons, which could be areas some of you want to train your own staff in.
Sharon Field, one of the employees, says: "Getting the training to improve my skills has renewed my self-confidence. I’m sure that it will strengthen my ability to support the company in its future growth," which could mark the beginning of a renewed interest in making sure time is taken to find the right people for the job.
The announcement of Train to Gain’s success comes after the director of field and regional strategy at Construction Skills Mike Bialyj said that there was an immediate need of skilled staff for the Olympic building projects.
Health and Safety in Mining
Concerns over health and safety are important reasons for leaving the mining industry. Yet pull factors such as better hours and shifts may be even more important. A study of 1,384 US male coal miners from 1977 to 1982 is reported. In 1977, 86 left mining and changed jobs by 1982 to other coal mining jobs or jobs outside the industry. Neither push nor pull factors were more important for within-industry as compared to inter-industry job changing. Further work is needed to understand the inter-relations between health, safety and labour force mobility. More emphasis on health as a predictor of intermediate social outcomes is needed
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