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You may have noticed the furore that has been stoked by the recent re-classification of welding fume gases as a known carcinogen and so we thought it might be worth giving you some advice and background information. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) published a monograph in July 2018 in which they discussed […]
The HSE periodically undertake campaigns for various topics. A recent campaign was to look into occupational ill health issues, particularly those caused by silica dust. Crystalline silica is a basic component of soil, sand, granite and many other minerals, Quartz being the most common form of crystalline silica. Regularly breathing construction dust can cause diseases […]
It is now just over two years since the new sentencing guidelines were introduced for health and safety offences in the UK and it seems that courts were not reluctant to impose very large fines for health & safety failings in 2017. Some notable fines – for companies such as London and Southeastern Railways (LSER), […]
For our last health and safety blog of 2017 we thought we would reassure you that everybody can get it wrong when it comes to health and safety! You may not be aware that the HSE conducts a lot of research on various production techniques at their full time laboratory in Buxton. In October 2016, […]
Quite often you can be left wondering what a HSE inspector will be looking at when or if they decide to visit. Is it equipment they’re going to look at? Will it be my premises? Could they be looking at everything? Well the answer to these questions is “they might do”. One thing we do […]
The Fee for Intervention Scheme (FFI) has been running since October 2012 and still shows no sign of letting up when it comes to fining companies. The scheme means that a fee is payable to the HSE if: A person is contravening or has contravened health and safety laws An inspector is of the opinion […]
In 2007 the smoking ban was implemented across the UK; businesses and the public alike have embraced the changes over the last 10 years. The e-cigarette was created back in 2003 however their popularity and the trend of ‘vaping’ have seemingly hit a peak in the last couple of years. Whilst it is an alternative […]
At the beginning of the year we wrote a blog outlining the HSE’s strategy for 2017. The majority of that article focused on how the HSE were focusing on the health of employees, including Occupational Stress and Health, Musculoskeletal Disorders and Occupational Lung Disease. We are now starting to see some serious fines being delivered […]
We have recently been made aware of a HSE visit to a decorating client where the handling of plasterboard was identified as an issue for the Inspector. Handling plasterboard might not seem overly dangerous, however the HSE’s stance was that the use of plasterboard lifts was required to reduce the risk of injury. Despite the […]
Often, if you get a visit from the dreaded HSE Inspector, you can be left feeling that they have focused on some strange things. These might seem completely arbitrary and not a reflection of the true hazards present in your business. Actually, the Inspector’s focus is anything but strange! Each year the HSE identifies a […]