I have added a number of posts to this blog this week (December 2007) to update with regard to changes to legislation and simply to add a few sections.
I have converted this blog in to a book which is available for purchase. An electronic version is available for £3.99 by clicking the button on the right. Alternatively, I often have it on ebay - search for nebosh ebook
For a hard copy (£9.75* + postage) go to the printer's website
You can access the page to buy from, as well as get more information and access some previews, on my website
Why buy the book?
1. The text is far more refined;
2. The book links to many guidance documents available free from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) website, allowing you to get more detail on subjects when you need it without hunting around for the relevant documents;
3. You will be able to use the book offline
4. Feedback so far has been very positive with comments such as:
* As described, excellent, very comprehensive
* Excellent item
* Seems to cover everything
* Looks very professional
* This is a great 'book' many thanks
You can access the page to buy from, as well as get more information and access some previews, on my website
Feeback received so far includes:
Exactly what was offered on ebay is what was delivered
* As described, excellent, very comprehensive
* Excellent item
* Seems to cover everything
* Looks very professional
* This is a great 'book' many thanks
* Clear and concise information
* ebook covers everything and easy to read
* Great item, will help alot, many thanks
* First class Health & Safety literature highly recommended NEBOSH student reading
* Well presented, easy to follow
* Exactly what I was looking for, a moderately concise, matter of fact insight into health and safety
*Please note all costs are approximate and depend on exchange rates.
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
First aid in the workplace
Even in the least hazardous workplace people can suffer injuries or become ill. Whatever the cause, it is important that they receive prompt and appropriate attention. First aid can prevent minor problems becoming worse, and for more serious events, calling an ambulance and getting the casualty to hospital can save lives.
Making first aid arrangements
As a minimum, any work site must have a suitably stocked first-aid box and an appointed person to take charge of first-aid arrangements. However, the following may require a higher standard of first aid provision:
* People working with hazardous substances, tools, machinery, loads or animals;
* Accidents or cases of ill health experienced in the past;
* A large number of people employed;
* Inexperienced workers and people on work experience;
* Employees with disabilities or special health problems;
* Premises that are spread out;
* Shiftwork or out-of-hours working;
* A workplace remote from emergency medical services;
* Employees who travel or work alone;
* Members of the public visiting premises.
First aid responsibilities
An ‘appointed person’ is someone who takes charge when someone is injured or falls ill (including calling an ambulance); and looks after the first-aid equipment (e.g. checks and restocks the first-aid box). An appointed person should be available at all times that people are ay work on site, which may mean appointing more than one. Appointed persons should not attempt to give first aid for which they have not been trained.
A ‘first aider’ is someone who has undergone a training course in administering first aid at work and holds a current first aid at work certificate. HSE approve training organisations. Work sites that are low risk and have relatively few workers may not require a first aider (but do require an appointed person). Higher risk sites and or where more people work may require more than one first aider.
Reference – ‘First aid at work - Your questions’ available free at http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg214.pdf
Basic principles of first aid
The priorities in an emergency where someone is injured or has fallen ill are:
1. Assess the situation, without putting yourself in danger;
2. Make the area safe;
3. Assess all casualties to identify any that are unconscious, which would be the highest priority for treatment;
4. Send for help.
When assessing a casualty the first thing to do is to check their consciousness. This can be achieved by seeing how they respond when gently shaken by the shoulders and asked loudly ‘Are you all right?’ If there is no response the priorities are to:
1. Get help;
2. Open the airway;
3. Check for breathing, and start Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) if required.
After this, injuries requiring particular attention include severe bleeding, broken bones and spinal injuries, burns and eye injuries.
It is good practice to keep records of any first aid administered. This can assist with any subsequent investigation of the causes of the incident.
Reference – ‘Basic advice on first aid at work’ available free at http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg347.pdf
First aid regulations
The Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981 require employers to provide adequate and appropriate equipment, facilities and personnel to enable first aid to be given to their employees if they are injured or become ill at work.
The Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981 require employers to provide adequate and appropriate equipment, facilities and personnel to enable first aid to be given to employees if they are injured or become ill at work. These Regulations apply to all workplaces including those with five or fewer employees and to the self-employed.
What is adequate will depend on the circumstances in the workplace. This includes whether trained first aiders are needed, what should be included in a first aid box and if a first aid room is needed. Employers should carry out an assessment of first aid needs to determine this.
The Regulations do not place a legal obligation on employers to make first aid provision for non-employees such as the public or children in schools. However, HSE strongly recommends that non-employees are included in a first aid needs assessment and that provision is made for them.
Reference – Approved Code of Practice L74 provides guidance for complying with this legislation.
Making first aid arrangements
As a minimum, any work site must have a suitably stocked first-aid box and an appointed person to take charge of first-aid arrangements. However, the following may require a higher standard of first aid provision:
* People working with hazardous substances, tools, machinery, loads or animals;
* Accidents or cases of ill health experienced in the past;
* A large number of people employed;
* Inexperienced workers and people on work experience;
* Employees with disabilities or special health problems;
* Premises that are spread out;
* Shiftwork or out-of-hours working;
* A workplace remote from emergency medical services;
* Employees who travel or work alone;
* Members of the public visiting premises.
First aid responsibilities
An ‘appointed person’ is someone who takes charge when someone is injured or falls ill (including calling an ambulance); and looks after the first-aid equipment (e.g. checks and restocks the first-aid box). An appointed person should be available at all times that people are ay work on site, which may mean appointing more than one. Appointed persons should not attempt to give first aid for which they have not been trained.
A ‘first aider’ is someone who has undergone a training course in administering first aid at work and holds a current first aid at work certificate. HSE approve training organisations. Work sites that are low risk and have relatively few workers may not require a first aider (but do require an appointed person). Higher risk sites and or where more people work may require more than one first aider.
Reference – ‘First aid at work - Your questions’ available free at http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg214.pdf
Basic principles of first aid
The priorities in an emergency where someone is injured or has fallen ill are:
1. Assess the situation, without putting yourself in danger;
2. Make the area safe;
3. Assess all casualties to identify any that are unconscious, which would be the highest priority for treatment;
4. Send for help.
When assessing a casualty the first thing to do is to check their consciousness. This can be achieved by seeing how they respond when gently shaken by the shoulders and asked loudly ‘Are you all right?’ If there is no response the priorities are to:
1. Get help;
2. Open the airway;
3. Check for breathing, and start Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) if required.
After this, injuries requiring particular attention include severe bleeding, broken bones and spinal injuries, burns and eye injuries.
It is good practice to keep records of any first aid administered. This can assist with any subsequent investigation of the causes of the incident.
Reference – ‘Basic advice on first aid at work’ available free at http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg347.pdf
First aid regulations
The Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981 require employers to provide adequate and appropriate equipment, facilities and personnel to enable first aid to be given to their employees if they are injured or become ill at work.
The Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981 require employers to provide adequate and appropriate equipment, facilities and personnel to enable first aid to be given to employees if they are injured or become ill at work. These Regulations apply to all workplaces including those with five or fewer employees and to the self-employed.
What is adequate will depend on the circumstances in the workplace. This includes whether trained first aiders are needed, what should be included in a first aid box and if a first aid room is needed. Employers should carry out an assessment of first aid needs to determine this.
The Regulations do not place a legal obligation on employers to make first aid provision for non-employees such as the public or children in schools. However, HSE strongly recommends that non-employees are included in a first aid needs assessment and that provision is made for them.
Reference – Approved Code of Practice L74 provides guidance for complying with this legislation.
Hand tools
Hand tools can cause injury and the risks need to be managed. Basic precautions include using the appropriate tool for the job, keeping tools in good condition and training people to use the tools. The following specific guidance applies:
* Hammers - avoid split, broken or loose shafts and worn or chipped heads. Make sure the heads are properly secured to the shafts;
* Files - these should have a proper handle. Never use them as levers;
* Chisels - the cutting edge should be sharpened to the correct angle. Do not allow the head of cold chisels to spread to a mushroom shape (grind off the sides regularly);
* Screwdrivers - never use them as chisels and never use hammers on them. Split handles are dangerous;
* Spanners - avoid splayed jaws. Scrap any which show signs of slipping. Have enough spanners of the right size. Do not improvise by using pipes etc as extension handles.
Reference – ‘Use work equipment safely’ available free at http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg229.pdf
* Hammers - avoid split, broken or loose shafts and worn or chipped heads. Make sure the heads are properly secured to the shafts;
* Files - these should have a proper handle. Never use them as levers;
* Chisels - the cutting edge should be sharpened to the correct angle. Do not allow the head of cold chisels to spread to a mushroom shape (grind off the sides regularly);
* Screwdrivers - never use them as chisels and never use hammers on them. Split handles are dangerous;
* Spanners - avoid splayed jaws. Scrap any which show signs of slipping. Have enough spanners of the right size. Do not improvise by using pipes etc as extension handles.
Reference – ‘Use work equipment safely’ available free at http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg229.pdf
Improving the health and safety culture
It is not possible to improve culture directly. Instead, it is necessary to work at improving factors that can have a positive influence on culture. For example:
* Increase the amount of time managers spend visiting the workplace (not just after an accident);
* Improve managers non-technical skills (e.g. communication);
* Increase levels of workforce participation in safety related problems and solutions;
* Promote good job satisfaction and moral;
* Promote a ‘just culture’ where blame is only used where someone takes reckless risks;
* Implement a competence assurance program to ensure everyone throughout the organisation has the skills they need to work safely.
Reference – ‘HSE Human Factors Briefing Note No. 7 - Safety Culture’ available free at http://www.hse.gov.uk/humanfactors/comah/07culture.pdf
* Increase the amount of time managers spend visiting the workplace (not just after an accident);
* Improve managers non-technical skills (e.g. communication);
* Increase levels of workforce participation in safety related problems and solutions;
* Promote good job satisfaction and moral;
* Promote a ‘just culture’ where blame is only used where someone takes reckless risks;
* Implement a competence assurance program to ensure everyone throughout the organisation has the skills they need to work safely.
Reference – ‘HSE Human Factors Briefing Note No. 7 - Safety Culture’ available free at http://www.hse.gov.uk/humanfactors/comah/07culture.pdf
Signs that suggest a poor culture
The symptoms of a poor health and safety cultural include:
• Widespread, routine procedural violations;
• Failure to comply with health and safety systems;
• Management decisions that put production or cost before safety.
These conditions can be difficult to detect because a poor culture not only contributes to their occurrence, it also means that people may be inclined to hide or cover-up violations and unsafe practices.
Reference – ‘Inspectors human factors toolkit - Common topic 4: Safety culture’ available free from http://www.hse.gov.uk/humanfactors/comah/common4.pdf
• Widespread, routine procedural violations;
• Failure to comply with health and safety systems;
• Management decisions that put production or cost before safety.
These conditions can be difficult to detect because a poor culture not only contributes to their occurrence, it also means that people may be inclined to hide or cover-up violations and unsafe practices.
Reference – ‘Inspectors human factors toolkit - Common topic 4: Safety culture’ available free from http://www.hse.gov.uk/humanfactors/comah/common4.pdf
Friday, November 23, 2007
Update - asbestos
Asbestos attracts particular attention because it has had such a devastating effect for so many people.
There are three common types
1. White (chrysotile),
2. Brown (amosite)
3. Blue (crocidolite)
People working directly with asbestos are clearly at risk, but the main problem is that it has had many applications in the past, and this leads to exposure to others for many years after. Typical uses included:
* Pipe lagging;
* Ceiling tiles;
* Roof and wall sheeting (asbestos cement);
* Coatings sprayed on to steel structures to provide fire insulation;
* Thermal insulation in lofts and walls;
* Gaskets.
Illnesses caused by asbestos inhalation include
* Pneumoconiosis;
* Asthma;
* Asbestosis;
* Mesothelioma;
* Lung cancer.
Asbestos is covered by the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2006. They create a duty on employers if workers are likely to come into contact with asbestos based materials or if there is asbestos based material in the workplace.
A suitable and sufficient assessment of the presence and type of asbestos is required prior to commencement of work. Where there is doubt it should be assumed that asbestos is present and that all the applicable provisions of the regulations apply. Anyone likely to be exposed to asbestos at work requires training. Where asbestos is found in the workplace a decision needs to be made about whether it needs to be removed or made safe whilst leaving it is position (i.e. encapsulated). Most activities involving asbestos must be performed by companies licensed to do so, although there are some exceptions, the most notable being work with textured decorative coatings such as Artex, although precautions are still required.
There are two Approved Codes of Practice
* L143 “Work with materials containing asbestos” - Gives an in-depth look at the Regulations
* L127 “The management of asbestos in non-domestic premises” - Deals with how to manage asbestos.
There are three common types
1. White (chrysotile),
2. Brown (amosite)
3. Blue (crocidolite)
People working directly with asbestos are clearly at risk, but the main problem is that it has had many applications in the past, and this leads to exposure to others for many years after. Typical uses included:
* Pipe lagging;
* Ceiling tiles;
* Roof and wall sheeting (asbestos cement);
* Coatings sprayed on to steel structures to provide fire insulation;
* Thermal insulation in lofts and walls;
* Gaskets.
Illnesses caused by asbestos inhalation include
* Pneumoconiosis;
* Asthma;
* Asbestosis;
* Mesothelioma;
* Lung cancer.
Asbestos is covered by the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2006. They create a duty on employers if workers are likely to come into contact with asbestos based materials or if there is asbestos based material in the workplace.
A suitable and sufficient assessment of the presence and type of asbestos is required prior to commencement of work. Where there is doubt it should be assumed that asbestos is present and that all the applicable provisions of the regulations apply. Anyone likely to be exposed to asbestos at work requires training. Where asbestos is found in the workplace a decision needs to be made about whether it needs to be removed or made safe whilst leaving it is position (i.e. encapsulated). Most activities involving asbestos must be performed by companies licensed to do so, although there are some exceptions, the most notable being work with textured decorative coatings such as Artex, although precautions are still required.
There are two Approved Codes of Practice
* L143 “Work with materials containing asbestos” - Gives an in-depth look at the Regulations
* L127 “The management of asbestos in non-domestic premises” - Deals with how to manage asbestos.
The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007
CDM regulations apply to most common building, civil engineering and engineering construction work. They require clients of construction work to make reasonable arrangements for managing projects (including the allocation of sufficient time and other resources) so that:
1. Work can be carried out without risk to the health and safety of any person,
2. The welfare of people working on the construction site is addressed (e.g. providing sanitary and washing facilities, drinking water etc.)
3. Any structures designed for use as a workplace have been designed taking account of the provisions of the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992.
Under the regulations the client has a duty to appoint certain roles (listed below). They must take reasonable steps to ensure only competent people are appointed or engaged; and any person taking on a role must only do so if they are competent. The client must:
• Appoint a CDM co-ordinator – required to give suitable and sufficient advice and assistance to the client, ensuring suitable arrangements for the co-ordination of health and safety measures during the project, collating and providing health and safety information, liaising with the principal contractor, and notifying the HSE where required;
• Appoint a principal contractor – responsible for co-ordinating health and safety aspects during the construction phase;
• Ensure that the CDM co-ordinator is provided with health and safety information about the premises or site where construction work is to be carried out.
Appointments need to be made in a timely manner so that there is time to develop suitable health and safety plans before construction begins. Everyone involved in the project must seek the co-operation of, and co-operate with others working on the project. Also, any person working under the control of another person has to report anything they are aware that is likely to endanger the health or safety of themselves or others.
Every person involved in design, planning and preparation of a project must take account of the general principles of prevention of accidents and ill health.
For the purposes of these Regulations, a project is notifiable to the Health and Safety Executive if it is not for a domestic client (in which case there is no requirement for notification) and the construction phase is likely to involve more than 30 days or 500 person days of construction work.
A health and safety file must be developed that contains information relating to the project which is likely to be needed during any construction work, and future maintenance or modification. The file is passed on to the client at the end of the project. It should include any of the following where appropriate:
• ‘Record’ or ‘as built’ drawings and plans used and produced throughout the construction process;
• The design criteria;
• General details of the construction methods and materials used;
• Details of the equipment and maintenance facilities within the structure;
• Maintenance procedures and requirements for the structure;
• Manuals produced by specialist contractors and suppliers which outline operating maintenance procedures and schedules for plant and equipment installed as part of the structure;
• Location and nature of utilities and services, including emergency and fire-fighting systems.
The client must be given the safety file at the end of the project and take reasonable steps to ensure that it is kept available for inspection by those considering future construction work.
Reference – The regulations are available free
CDM regulations apply to most common building, civil engineering and engineering construction work. They require clients of construction work to make reasonable arrangements for managing projects (including the allocation of sufficient time and other resources) so that:
1. Work can be carried out without risk to the health and safety of any person,
2. The welfare of people working on the construction site is addressed (e.g. providing sanitary and washing facilities, drinking water etc.)
3. Any structures designed for use as a workplace have been designed taking account of the provisions of the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992.
Under the regulations the client has a duty to appoint certain roles (listed below). They must take reasonable steps to ensure only competent people are appointed or engaged; and any person taking on a role must only do so if they are competent. The client must:
• Appoint a CDM co-ordinator – required to give suitable and sufficient advice and assistance to the client, ensuring suitable arrangements for the co-ordination of health and safety measures during the project, collating and providing health and safety information, liaising with the principal contractor, and notifying the HSE where required;
• Appoint a principal contractor – responsible for co-ordinating health and safety aspects during the construction phase;
• Ensure that the CDM co-ordinator is provided with health and safety information about the premises or site where construction work is to be carried out.
Appointments need to be made in a timely manner so that there is time to develop suitable health and safety plans before construction begins. Everyone involved in the project must seek the co-operation of, and co-operate with others working on the project. Also, any person working under the control of another person has to report anything they are aware that is likely to endanger the health or safety of themselves or others.
Every person involved in design, planning and preparation of a project must take account of the general principles of prevention of accidents and ill health.
For the purposes of these Regulations, a project is notifiable to the Health and Safety Executive if it is not for a domestic client (in which case there is no requirement for notification) and the construction phase is likely to involve more than 30 days or 500 person days of construction work.
A health and safety file must be developed that contains information relating to the project which is likely to be needed during any construction work, and future maintenance or modification. The file is passed on to the client at the end of the project. It should include any of the following where appropriate:
• ‘Record’ or ‘as built’ drawings and plans used and produced throughout the construction process;
• The design criteria;
• General details of the construction methods and materials used;
• Details of the equipment and maintenance facilities within the structure;
• Maintenance procedures and requirements for the structure;
• Manuals produced by specialist contractors and suppliers which outline operating maintenance procedures and schedules for plant and equipment installed as part of the structure;
• Location and nature of utilities and services, including emergency and fire-fighting systems.
The client must be given the safety file at the end of the project and take reasonable steps to ensure that it is kept available for inspection by those considering future construction work.
Reference – The regulations are available free
Update - corporate manslaughter
The Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007 is due to come into force on 6 April 2008. It will mean that companies and organisations can be found guilty of corporate manslaughter if its activities are managed or organised by its senior managers in such a way that
1. causes a person’s death, and
2. amounts to a gross breach of a relevant duty of care owed by the organisation to the deceased.
The offence will be Corporate Manslaughter in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and Corporate Homicide in Scotland.
The introduction of the act will make organisations liable for Corporate Manslaughter if a fatality results from the way in which its activities are managed or organised. This approach is not confined to a particular level of management within an organisation. The test considers how an activity was managed within the organisation as a whole. However, it will not be possible to convict an organisation unless a substantial part of the organisation’s failure lay at a senior management level.
Corporate manslaughter will continue to be an extremely serious offence, reserved for the very worst cases of corporate mismanagement leading to death. The offence is concerned with the way in which an organisation’s activities were managed or organised. Under this test, courts will look at management systems and practices across the organisation, and whether an adequate standard of care was applied to the fatal activity. Juries will be required to consider the extent to which an organisation was in breach of health and safety requirements, and how serious those failings were. They will also be able to consider wider cultural issues within the organisation, such as attitudes or practices that tolerated health and safety breaches.
The threshold for the offence is gross negligence. The way in which activities were managed or organised must have fallen far below what could reasonably have been expected.
More information is available at the Ministry of Justice website
1. causes a person’s death, and
2. amounts to a gross breach of a relevant duty of care owed by the organisation to the deceased.
The offence will be Corporate Manslaughter in England, Wales and Northern Ireland and Corporate Homicide in Scotland.
The introduction of the act will make organisations liable for Corporate Manslaughter if a fatality results from the way in which its activities are managed or organised. This approach is not confined to a particular level of management within an organisation. The test considers how an activity was managed within the organisation as a whole. However, it will not be possible to convict an organisation unless a substantial part of the organisation’s failure lay at a senior management level.
Corporate manslaughter will continue to be an extremely serious offence, reserved for the very worst cases of corporate mismanagement leading to death. The offence is concerned with the way in which an organisation’s activities were managed or organised. Under this test, courts will look at management systems and practices across the organisation, and whether an adequate standard of care was applied to the fatal activity. Juries will be required to consider the extent to which an organisation was in breach of health and safety requirements, and how serious those failings were. They will also be able to consider wider cultural issues within the organisation, such as attitudes or practices that tolerated health and safety breaches.
The threshold for the offence is gross negligence. The way in which activities were managed or organised must have fallen far below what could reasonably have been expected.
More information is available at the Ministry of Justice website
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
Blog now available as PDF and hard copy book
I have converted this blog in to a book which is available for purchase. An electronic version is available for £3.99 by clicking the button on the right. Alternatively, I often have it on ebay
For a hard copy (£9.75* + postage) go to the printer's website
You can access the page to buy from, as well as get more information and access some previews, on my website
Why buy the book?
1. The text is far more refined;
2. The book links to many guidance documents available free from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) website, allowing you to get more detail on subjects when you need it without hunting around for the relevant documents;
3. You will be able to use the book offline
4. Feedback so far has been very positive with comments such as:
* As described, excellent, very comprehensive
* Excellent item
* Seems to cover everything
* Looks very professional
* This is a great 'book' many thanks
You can access the page to buy from, as well as get more information and access some previews, on my website
Feeback received so far includes:
Exactly what was offered on ebay is what was delivered
* As described, excellent, very comprehensive
* Excellent item
* Seems to cover everything
* Looks very professional
* This is a great 'book' many thanks
* Clear and concise information
* ebook covers everything and easy to read
* Great item, will help alot, many thanks
* First class Health & Safety literature highly recommended NEBOSH student reading
* Well presented, easy to follow
* Exactly what I was looking for, a moderately concise, matter of fact insight into health and safety
*Please note all costs are approximate and depend on exchange rates.
For a hard copy (£9.75* + postage) go to the printer's website
You can access the page to buy from, as well as get more information and access some previews, on my website
Why buy the book?
1. The text is far more refined;
2. The book links to many guidance documents available free from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) website, allowing you to get more detail on subjects when you need it without hunting around for the relevant documents;
3. You will be able to use the book offline
4. Feedback so far has been very positive with comments such as:
* As described, excellent, very comprehensive
* Excellent item
* Seems to cover everything
* Looks very professional
* This is a great 'book' many thanks
You can access the page to buy from, as well as get more information and access some previews, on my website
Feeback received so far includes:
Exactly what was offered on ebay is what was delivered
* As described, excellent, very comprehensive
* Excellent item
* Seems to cover everything
* Looks very professional
* This is a great 'book' many thanks
* Clear and concise information
* ebook covers everything and easy to read
* Great item, will help alot, many thanks
* First class Health & Safety literature highly recommended NEBOSH student reading
* Well presented, easy to follow
* Exactly what I was looking for, a moderately concise, matter of fact insight into health and safety
*Please note all costs are approximate and depend on exchange rates.
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