Showing posts with label Health and Safety. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Health and Safety. Show all posts

Sunday 11 March 2012

CDM Regs FAQ - Is Competence is a key issue in the CDM

Competence

Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007.

I have heard that competence is a key issue in the CDM Regulations. Why is this?

CDM 2007 competence is about being able to do your work safely, not endanger others and meet the legal health and safety requirements. There is justifiable emphasis on competence, because competent people are generally recognised as safer.

The duties in the Regulations work both ways. People making appointments have to take reasonable steps to make sure those appointed are competent for what they are expected to do. Likewise, those accepting such appointments should only do so if they are competent to undertake the activity.

What is the definition of competence?

To be competent an organisation or individual must have:

* sufficient knowledge of the tasks to be undertaken and the risks involved
* the experience and ability to carry out their duties in relation to the project, to recognise their limitations and take appropriate action to prevent harm to those carrying out construction work, or those affected by the work

Sourse HSE To read more on competence and the CDM Regs click here

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CDM Regs FAQ - Clients

As a client, what do I have to do to comply with regulation 9 of CDM 2007?

You need to make sure that:

 designers, contractors and other team members that you engage are competent, adequately resourced and appointed early enough for the work they have to do
 you allow sufficient time for each stage of the project, from concept onwards
 you co-operate with others involved with the project to allow other dutyholders to comply with their duties under the Regulations
 you co-ordinate your own work with others involved with the project to ensure the safety of those carrying out the construction work, and others who may be affected by it
 there are suitable management arrangements in place throughout the project to make sure the construction work can be carried out safely and without risk to health – this does not mean managing the work yourself, as it is unlikely that clients have the expertise and resources needed, and it can cause confusion
 your contractors have made arrangements for suitable welfare facilities to be provided from the start and throughout the construction phase
 any fixed workplaces (eg offices, shops, factories, schools) which are to be constructed will comply, in respect of their design and the materials used, with any requirements of the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992
 relevant information likely to be needed by designers, contractors or others to plan and manage their work is passed to them

Source HSE To read more about CDM Clients click here

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CDM Regs FAQ - CDM co-ordinators

The main duties of CDM co-ordinators are to advise and assist the client in meeting their duties as a client under the Regulations, in particular the duty to:

 appoint competent designers and contractors
 make sure adequate arrangements are in place for managing the project
 notify HSE about the project
 co-ordinate design work, planning and other preparation for construction, where relevant to health and safety
 identify and collect the pre-construction information and advise the client if surveys need to be commissioned to fill significant gaps
 provide promptly – and in a convenient form – to those involved with the design of the structure, and to every contractor (including the principal contractor) who may be or has been appointed by the client, such parts of the pre-construction information as are relevant
 manage the flow of health and safety information between clients, designers and contractors
 advise the client on the suitability of the initial construction phase plan and the arrangements made to ensure welfare facilities are on site from the start
 produce or update a relevant user-friendly health and safety file suitable for use at the end of the construction phase

Source HSE

To read more about CDM co-ordinators click here

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Saturday 10 March 2012

COSHH frequently asked questions

COSHH frequently asked questions

Contents

 COSHH assessment
 Safety data sheets
 Keeping records
 Working with hazardous substances
 Training

COSHH assessment

I have just completed COSHH essentials, is this sufficient to use as my COSHH assessment?

COSHH essentials produces generic advice. The legal requirement is that the risk assessment must be suitable and sufficient, so check that the downloaded sheets fully describe the task you do. If so, follow the advice in the sheets. Otherwise, think about how else you could use the advice to avoid workers health being harmed. You should take into account any information you have on levels of exposure, such as the results of monitoring, or health checks.

Source HSE

For further information click here



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Complaints about workplace health and safety

Complaints about workplace health and safety

 Is HSE the correct enforcing authority for you?
 How can you resolve your concerns?
 Reporting your complaint about workplace health and safety to HSE
 What happens after a complaint is made to HSE?
 What we will do
 How will you know what has happened as a result of your complaint?

The law requires employers and the self-employed to conduct their business in such a way as to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that persons affected are not exposed to risks to their health or safety. This includes providing essential welfare facilities for employees.

Sourse HSE

To read more on this subject click here



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Asbestos-related lung cancer

Asbestos-related lung cancer

Summary

Asbestos has been recognised as an important risk factor for lung cancer for many years. However, there are a number of other agents that can cause the disease - most importantly, tobacco smoke - and lung cancers resulting from asbestos exposure are clinically indistinguishable from those caused by these other agents. This means that the total number of asbestos related lung cancers has to be derived from statistical estimates based on evidence from epidemiological studies rather than direct counting of individual cases.

Source HSE

To read more on this subject click here



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ALARP "at a glance"

ALARP and SFAIRP

“ALARP” is short for “as low as reasonably practicable”. “SFAIRP” is short for “so far as is reasonably practicable”. The two terms mean essentially the same thing and at their core is the concept of “reasonably practicable”; this involves weighing a risk against the trouble, time and money needed to control it. Thus, ALARP describes the level to which we expect to see workplace risks controlled.

Source HSE

For a fuller discription of the ALARP principle please click here



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Health and Safety and Drug Misuse

Current legal base and any legal developments

Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, section 2

Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999

It is an offence under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 for any person knowingly to permit the production, supply or use of controlled substances on their premises except in specified circumstances (e.g. when they have been prescribed by a doctor).

Key messages

Drug and other substance (e.g. solvent) misuse is everyone's concern. In the context of work, not only does it damage the misuser's health, but it can cost employers through absenteeism and reduced productivity.


The HSE provide more information on this subject, click here



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Tuesday 24 January 2012

Lead and You - The Risks

This is a useful document (INDG 305) by the UK Health and Safety Executive.

Working safely with lead

Working with lead can affect your health. This leaflet tells you about:

■ health problems that can occur if you absorb too much lead;
■ what your employer should do to protect your health;
■ precautions you should take.

Click Here to Read More > Lead and You


Source HSE

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Leptospirosis Are You at Risk?

This is a useful document (INDG 84) by the UK Health and Safety Executive.


What is leptospirosis?

Two types of leptospirosis infection can affect workers in the UK.

■■ Weil’s disease:
This is a serious and sometimes fatal infection that is transmitted to humans by contact with urine from infected rats.

■■ The Hardjo form of leptospirosis:
This is transmitted from cattle to humans.

Click Here to Read More > Leptospirosis


Source HSE

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Gas Safety - Engineers

This is a useful FAQ Document by the UK Health and Safety Executive.

Gas safety - Engineers

Click here > Gas safety - Engineers



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Gas Safety - Landlord and Letting Agents

This is a useful FAQ Document by the UK Health and Safety Executive.

Gas safety - landlords and letting agents

Who is a landlord?

Click here > Gas safety - Landlord


Source HSE

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Sunday 6 November 2011

Gas safety - Tenants

This is a useful FAQ Document by the UK Health and Safety Executive.

Gas safety - Tenants

Who is a tenant?

Click here > Gas safety - Tenants


Source HSE

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Gas safety - Home owners

This is a useful FAQ Document by the UK Health and Safety Executive.

Gas safety - Home owners

What should I do if I suspect an appliance is unsafe?

Click here > Gas safety - Home owners

Source HSE

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Farmwise: Essential Guide to Health and Safety in Agriculture

This is a useful document (INDG 427) by the UK Health and Safety Executive.

Injuries and illness can ruin lives and businesses. Solutions are often simple and cheap and the people best placed to make farms safer are farmers and their employees. Health and safety is a fundamental requirement of a sustainable farming business and should be regarded as an essential part of farm business management. Unwise risk-taking is an underlying problem in the industry and those working on their own are especially vulnerable.

Click here > Farmwise: Essential Guide to Health and Safety in Agriculture



Source HSE

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Choosing a Welding Set - Make Sure You Can Handle It

This is a useful document (INDG 390) by the UK Health and Safety Executive.

Manual welding can be a demanding and difficult job. It can involve precision work, with the welder’s body being in a fixed or awkward posture, often in a confined environment. This imposes high muscle loads. Welders also have to handle heavy materials and equipment.

All these factors may increase the risk of workers developing musculoskeletal disorders, such as back problems.

A study found that 51% of welders suffered at least one period of sickness over a two-year period, taking time off work due to disorders of the muscles, joints and tendons.

Welding sets are becoming smaller and lighter in weight so there is more individual manual handling, which can lead to injury if the risks are not properly assessed and managed.

This leaflet can help you identify the risks and manage them effectively. It contains an illustrated ergonomic checklist to help you make the right choice when selecting welding equipment.

Click here > Choosing a Welding Set

Source HSE

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Why Fall for It - Preventing Falls in Agriculture

This is a useful document (INDG 369) by the UK Health and Safety Executive.

Falling from height is one of the main causes of fatal accidents in agriculture. Many accidents involving falls happen while agricultural buildings or other farm structures are being built or maintained. These jobs typically involve working at height, and require some form of temporary access to height, for example ladders, scaffolds, or other temporary working platforms.

Falls frequently occur because no precautions are taken, or any equipment that is used is defective, not appropriate, or used incorrectly. Often people about to do a job believe it will ‘only take a few minutes’, and take a risk in the hope that simply being careful will be enough.

Click here > Why Fall for It - Preventing Falls in Agriculture


Source HSE

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Saturday 5 November 2011

Noise at Work - Guidance for Employers

This is a useful document (INDG 362) by the UK Health and Safety Executive.

Loud noise at work can damage your hearing. This leaflet is to help you as an employer understand what you need to do under the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 (the Noise Regulations 2005) and how you can protect your employees from noise. It will also be useful to employees and safety representatives.

This leaflet tells you about:

. how loud noise can damage hearing;
. what you have to do under the Noise Regulations 2005 to protect the hearing of your workers;
. how to assess and control noise at work;
. choosing quieter equipment and machinery;
. different types of hearing protection;
. when to inform and consult your workers;
. health surveillance.

Click here > Guidance for Employers on the Control of Noise at Work


Source HSE

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Diesel Engine Exhaust Emissions

This is a useful document (INDG 286) by the UK Health and Safety Executive.

Diesel engine exhaust emissions have the potential to cause a range of health problems. This leaflet is a short guide for employees to the hazards posed by the emissions, and describes the precautions that employers and individuals can take.

Click here > Diesel Engine Exhaust Emissions


Source HSE

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Fatal Traction - Practical Advice on Avoiding Agricultural Transport Accidents

This is a useful document (INDG 279) by the UK Health and Safety Executive.

On average a quarter of all fatal accidents in agriculture and forestry involve moving vehicles. If you add to this the death toll from overturning vehicles then this comprises a very large proportion of all deaths in agriculture and forestry.

Click here > Fatal Traction - Practical Advice on Avoiding Agricultural Transport Accidents


Source HSE

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