Health & Safety - August 2018

events - facilities management - case studies - ppe - fire safety...

Health & Safety Update | AUGUST 2018

JSP is ahead of the Reg! www.jspsafety.com

WELCOME August 2018

events - facilities management - case studies - ppe - fire safety...

Health & Safety Update

08

| AUGUST 2018

www.jspsafety.com

28

18

Investing in efficient equipment that allows employees to more easily move heavy, bulky, or awkward loads shouldn’t just be considered a health and safety exercise but one that can improve business prosperity too, says Midland Pallet Trucks.

Traction Enhancing Nanotechnology In the face of some 50,000 injuries treated in NHS Accident and Emergency departments each year - all caused by slips, trips and falls, a company specialising in accident prevention methods has introduced an innovative new product which dramatically increases the traction on most flooring surfaces and is equally effective when applied to the soles of footwear.

41 Providing Equipment to Reduce Back Pain Critical for Health and Safety and Business Prosperity

Rory Bremner announces National Winners in NHBC Health and Safety Awards The best site managers in UK home building have been recognised for their dedication to health and safety at a ceremony hosted by top British comedian and impressionist Rory Bremner.

38

JSP Ltd is pleased to announce that they have on day one of the enforcement of the regulation the vast majority of their product range certified to the new PPE Regulation, 2016/425. This is a year ahead of the cut-off date of 21st April 2019!

AXA Insurance has teamed up with CCTV and telematics firm VUE AXA Insurance has teamed up with CCTV and telematics firm VUE to launch a new safety initiative aimed at reducing forklift truck accidents.

12 JSPis isahead ahead of JSP of the theReg! Reg!

Contents

Experts in Textile Solutions For more than 85 years, workwear from F. Engel™ has been selected by customers from all over Europe as the first choice for all-round protection and maximum comfort no matter what a work situation may demand.

Features: 04 12 14 22 30 38

Industry News Events Facilities Management Flooring Fire Safety PPE

4 HEALTH & SAFETY UPDATE

Industry News

Director jailed after ignition of ‘thinner’ kills two brothers The owner and sole director of an SME construction business has been sentenced to eight months in custody for his part in a devastating fire at a Hertfordshire industrial park that killed two brothers.

Ardian Lamallari, 42, and Jashar Lamallari, 37, from Wood Green, London, suffered almost 100% burns in the explosive fire, dying within 12 hours of the accident on 3 October 2015.

Simon Thomerson, who ran Clearview Design and Construction, had

been contracted by the owners of an industrial park in Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire to refurbish several of the units.Luton Crown Court heard that he hired the two brothers and a third man – who also suffered severe burns in the accident, but survived – as labourers.

A joint investigation by Hertfordshire Constabulary and the HSE found that Thomerson supplied the three men with several litres of highly flammable “thinners”, which they poured onto the floor of the unit to remove old adhesive from carpet tiles.

Race organiser and cycling federation not guilty in spectator fatality trial Michael Marsden, the organiser of a Welsh mountain bike race at which a spectator suffered fatal injuries has been found not guilty of health and safety offences by a jury at Mold Crown Court.

The British Cycling Federation (BCF) has also been found not guilty of breaching health and safety law for its part in Borderline Downhill Series Mountain Biking race, held on 31 August 2014 at Tan y Graig Farm in Llangollen, Denbighshire. The acquittal follows an earlier decision of the judge in the trial to direct the jury to return a verdict of not guilty for Kevin Duckworth, in relation to a charge of failing to comply with his health and safety duties as a race marshal.

Denbighshire County Council brought the prosecution of the two individuals and the BCF after the death of Judith Garrett, 29, a spectator at the race, in which riders followed the course one at a time against the clock.

Largest Welsh milk processor to pay £200,000 for burns injuries Largest Welsh milk processor to pay £200,000 for burns injuries A dairy in Wrexham, north Wales, which was founded by two brothers has been handed a £200,000 fine after an employee sustained serious burns from hot caustic and steam.

Wrexham Magistrates’ Court was told on 11 July that an employee at Tomlinson’s Dairies was modifying the pipework at the back of one of the firm’s plants on the Five Crosses Industrial Estate in Minera when the incident happened on 3 May 2017.

A pneumatic valve opened and the worker, who was covered in hot caustic and steam, sustained 27% burns to his body. He remained in hospital for four weeks.

A Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation found the dairy, which was established by brothers Philip and John Tomlinson in 1983, had failed to isolate the plant and pipework before work started.

The family business, which is run from a nearby farm in Minera, relied on informal risk controls, which were longer sufficient for the size of the business.

In May 2017, BBC Wales reported that Tomlinson’s Dairies had expanded its cold storage facilities after it

received £5m from the Welsh Government, £2m from Finance Wales and £14.5m from HSBC. It also noted that the dairy, which has a turnover of about £45m a year, is the largest milk processing business in Wales.

Tomlinson’s Dairies pleaded guilty to breaching s 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act and must also pay £4,267 costs.

HEALTH & SAFETY UPDATE 5

Industry News

Government promises to transform police wellbeing by 2021 The UK government has pledged to boost welfare support for police officers and staff in England and Wales over the next three years. the broader concept of wellbeing which enables individuals to realise their potential, be resilient, and be able to make a productive contribution to the police workforce.”

Common Goal for Police Wellbeing was drawn up in conjunction with major policing groups, including the Police Federation, National Police Chiefs’ Council, the Police Superintendents’ Association and the Police Dependants’ Trust (PDT).

The Home Office has issued a document, Common Goal for Police Wellbeing, which sets out how it plans to improve police welfare and wellbeing.

The goal focuses on developing a culture based on illness prevention, early intervention and support for officers and staff. It was launched on 3 July following a police wellbeing roundtable in January chaired by the minister of state for policing and the fire service, Nick Hurd.

Police leaders, experts from government and Public Health England and mental health charities attended the roundtable to discuss how the government could assist chief constables with their statutory duty to manage the welfare of their officers.

Hurd said: “We have heard the message that police welfare support must improve. Officers put themselves in harm’s way to protect the public, so it’s vital the government and chief officers have their back.

“This goal represents a real step towards police leaders ensuring every member of their force feels valued and supported, but it won’t solve the issue by itself – action must follow.”

Police leaders that sign up to the pledge will be required to share best practices, deliver occupational health and effective line management, and provide signposts to police charities and other organisations that can assist officers who are facing challenges.

The document says: “By 2021, policing will ensure that every member of the police service feels confident that their welfare and wellbeing is actively supported by their police force throughout their career, that a culture supporting this is embedded in every force, and that individuals have access to appropriate support when they need it.

“This includes physical and mental health as well as

The new wellbeing goal builds on existing government funding given to the sector.

In July 2017 the former home secretary Amber Rudd awarded £7.5m to the College of Policing for a national police welfare service.

The government also awarded £1.5m to Harrogate, Yorkshire-based police charity the Police Treatment Centre, which supports police officers with a mental health illness, and £7m since 2014 to the charity Mind to fund its Blue Light Wellbeing Programme, which provides mental health support to emergency service workers.

6 HEALTH & SAFETY UPDATE

Industry News

Unused fall arrest system on Kier site leads to ‘life changing’ injuries The facilities management division of construction giant Kier has been fined £200,000 after an employee of one of its subcontractors fell from the flat roof of an east London primary school, leaving him with severe cognitive effects and “a reduced ability to care for himself”.

Both Kier Facilities Services and its subcontractor, JHH Engineering, pleaded guilty to health and safety offences at Southwark Crown Court.

The prosecution was brought by the HSE following an accident at Downsell Primary School in Leyton, east London, on 1 December 2014.

Kier had instructed its subcontractor to repair a leaking flat roof at the school. The employee of JHH Engineering fell from the roof, sustaining the head injury which has also left him with memory loss, behavioural and mood changes.

The HSE investigation found that Kier had failed to implement is own procedures for working at height, and had also failed to ensure that its subcontractor had been properly vetted.

Site-specific planning was not requested from JHH Engineering, nor provided, and the work was not monitored.

In addition, the JHH Engineering

employee had accessed the roof using an unsecured, damaged ladder that was not long enough for the task, and was missing its rubber feet and stability bar.

No harness was found, and the employee had not used the fall restraint system provided by Kier while on the roof.

Kier Facilities Services of Tempsford Hall, Sandy, Bedfordshire, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act and was fined £200,000 and ordered to pay costs of £5,923.72.

Pleading guilty to breaching Section 2(1), JHH Engineering of Mechanics Workshop, New Lanark, was fined £30,000 plus £5,967.12 in costs.

HSE inspector Charles Linfoot said: “Falls from height remain one of the most common causes of serious injury and death in the UK. “All work at height, including that of subcontractors, should be properly planned, organised and monitored

to ensure that it is undertaken by workers who are sufficiently trained and supervised using appropriate equipment.”

The UK’s third largest construction business by turnover, Kier Group reported revenue of £2.15bn in the six months to 31 December 2017, making a profit before tax of £48.8m.

In December 2017 its Kier Integrated Services business was fined £1.8m after a worker was fatally struck during roadworks being undertaken on the B1063 north of Lidgate, Suffolk.

With its joint venture partners BAM and Ferrovial, in August 2017 Kier was fined £1.06m over the death of a worker and two other incidents on the Crossrail project.

In March 2017, Kier was fined £400,000 when a worker fell through an opening in a building under construction as he was trying to install a cover to stop others falling through.

HEALTH & SAFETY UPDATE 7

Industry News

Construction sector deal promotes offsite manufacturing for improved safety The UK government has published the details of its construction sector deal, including recommendations for improving safety in the sector.

The agreement between the government and the construction sector focuses on innovation, arguing that digital techniques and offsite manufacture will improve the safety of buildings.

The government said the adoption of digital and manufacturing technology, such as building information modelling, would enable better designed buildings that “meet both best practice in relation to safety” and “will facilitate the incorporation of better and safer materials and building safety systems”.

The deal commits the partners to £420m investment in technology and building methods that will help to deliver more affordable infrastructure at speed in response to Brexit and demographic changes.

Business secretary Greg Clark announced the deal last November following the launch of the industrial strategy and the details were released last week.

The deal aims to “boost the skills of construction workers and training the next generation of workers”.

The industry will also develop common training standards and programmes in key areas such as safety and health and management to improve standards in the construction sector.

Though the construction sector has improved its commitment to safety and health over the past ten years, “there is scope to go further”, the government notes. It has identified three key areas for improvement, which are: standardising work-related health and

safety training for employees; supporting longer-term physical and mental health; and improving working environments.

It said the Health and Safety Executive’s Construction Industry Advisory Committee (CONIAC) will work with the Construction Industry Training Board, the Construction Leadership Council and construction firms to help achieve high standards of safety and health across the industry, supporting the objectives of the sector deal.

The deal pledges to improve the skills of those working on the design, construction and operation of “higher risk” residential buildings, defined as high-rise tower blocks of ten or more storeys in Dame Judith Hackitt’s final report of the Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety, Building a Better Future.

The government has called on the industry to “take forward key recommendations” from this report, which includes more than 50 proposals for a more robust regulatory system to improve safety in tower blocks.

For example, the Steering Group on Competencies for Building a Safer Future – a subgroup of the Industry Response Group that was set up last July in the wake of the Grenfell Tower fire – will develop a proposal for an overarching body that, as recommended in Hackitt’s final report, would support the provision of competent people working on high-rise residential buildings, and assure their skills, knowledge and experience.

Race organiser and cycling federation not guilty in spectator fatality trial Michael Marsden, the organiser of a Welsh mountain bike race at which a spectator suffered fatal injuries has been found not guilty of health and safety offences by a jury at Mold Crown Court.

Denbighshire County Council brought the prosecution of the two individuals and the BCF after the death of Judith Garrett, 29, a spectator at the race, in which riders followed the course one at a time against the clock.

The British Cycling Federation (BCF) has also been found not guilty of breaching health and safety law for its part in Borderline Downhill Series Mountain Biking race, held on 31 August 2014 at Tan y Graig Farm in Llangollen, Denbighshire.

She was struck by Andrew Cody after he lost control of his bike. Cody’s bike flew into the air, with Garrett being propelled backwards into a tree. She suffered a fractured skull and serious brain injuries and died the following day.

The acquittal follows an earlier decision of the judge in the trial to direct the jury to return a verdict of not guilty for Kevin Duckworth, in relation to a charge of failing to comply with his health and safety duties as a race marshal.

After spending a day deliberating, the jury found race organiser Marsden not guilty of failing to ensure the safety of spectators at the event, and not guilty on a second charge of failing to make a suitable assessment of the health and safety risks posed to spectators.

8 HEALTH & SAFETY UPDATE

AXA INSURANCE HAS TEAMED UP WITH CCTV AND TELEMATICS FIRM VUE TO LAUNCH A NEW SAFETY INITIATIVE AIMED AT REDUCING FORKLIFT TRUCK ACCIDENTS. As part of the scheme, AXA and VUE are offering companies video and telematics technology that allows them to monitor forklifts and driver behaviour much more closely.

Two cameras are placed on the forklift, one forward facing camera and one driver facing camera placed at the top of the driver cab. The cameras are hooked up to an online system so incidents can be reviewed immediately.

Meanwhile, a black box records the speed, braking, location and other relevant data in order to rate the performance of forklift truck drivers. Like the camera footage, driver ratings can be viewed on an online dashboard.

The roll out of the technology follows a successful trial with a number of AXA customers who are seeing positive changes in driver behaviours and a reduction in forklift truck accidents.

According to the Health and Safety Executive, 42% of work-related fatalities involve workplace transport[1].

From March 2017 to March 2018, AXA received 281 claims from incidents involving forklift trucks.

“Our work as an insurer goes much further than selling products and paying claims. Our aim is to make sure our policyholders minimise their risks and, more importantly, stay safe. Forklift truck accidents can result in life changing injuries for employees and have a lasting impact on their families.

“Our partnership with VUE on forklift truck safety fits our ethos perfectly and we are encouraged that our pilot has already shown the impact proper monitoring can have on behaviour and on the number of accidents”.

[Douglas Barnett, Head of MidMarket and Customer Risk Management, AXA Insurance] “We are delighted to be working in partnership with AXA on this project. Having worked closely with the AXA Risk Team for many years it is great to be able to take our learnings from the application of VUEmatics technology to vehicle fleets and implement them in the forklift truck environment.

Together I am sure we can reduce the number of unnecessary workplace accidents.”. [Glen Mullins, Group CEO, VUE] If your business uses forklift trucks and you think you could benefit from the technology offered by VUE, call 0161 877 2257 or email sales@vue-cctv.co.uk Leigh Jackson www.axa.co.uk

[1] http://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/pdf/fatalinjuries.pdf

10 HEALTH & SAFETY UPDATE

ALTRO SAFETY FLOORS INTEGRATED PACKAGE BRINGS FEEL-GOOD FACTOR An integrated package of Altro Safety Floors, walls and ceilings has been installed in a brand new flagship Spinal Injury Centre in Dorset, run by disability charity Livability, creating a homely, design-led unit with a high level of aesthetic appeal.

Livability Holton Lee has recently undergone a total refurbishment, carried out by main contractor Stepnell Ltd, transforming the existing care home into a wellbeing discovery centre and purpose-built Spinal Injury Centre.

This provides respite and rehabilitation services to people with spinal cord injury, offering both short-term residential and drop-in care.

A spokesperson for the Livability Estates Team says: “The Spinal Injury Centre is a flagship facility for Livability, and part of the formal pathway of care for people who need spinal injury support. The unit is designed for people who have left hospital but need some additional support and rehabilitation before going home, so our vision was to create a warm, homely and non-clinical space where they would feel relaxed and comfortable.”

Western Design Architects create WOW factor He continues, “Choosing the Altro products was very much a collaborative team effort between Livability, Altro, Elite Interiors and Western Design Architects. The design team was all very much of one mind, in that we wanted to create a feel-good ‘wow factor’, with a warm, homely colourful look, non-clinical, using contrasting designs and colours to be both decorative and to help with wayfinding and accessibility for those with visual impairment.

“We felt that wood-look flooring would be ideal for the areas in which residents would be relaxing, such as the dining room, lounge and bedrooms. It has a warmth that can make an environment feel like home. Altro Wood Safety is ideal for this environment.

“We wanted this same flooring to work hard for us in other ways too, so we also used it for decorative edging around the corridors, reception and communal areas to create wayfinding around the unit, and show clearly where the floor and wall meet. This was coupled with

Altro Reliance 25 heavy duty safety flooring.

“The homely yet professional theme was continued for the wet rooms and en-suite bathrooms in the Livability Spinal Injury Centre. These are private areas where people need to feel comfortable and relaxed during their stay, but safety and hygiene are also key. For the floors we chose Altro Pisces, an excellent safety surface for wet environments because it performs in wet or dry and with bare feet or shoes, so it’s ideal for both staff and residents.”

“We felt that all-white walls would be too clinical for the bathrooms,” says Livability, “and we wanted to add some colour and interest. Altro Whiterock Satins hygienic wall sheet is ideal for this because it has a strong decorative appeal, and it’s also proven in terms of hygiene.

“We chose a pale lilac called ‘Malva’ for three of the walls, and a powerful dark rich purple called ‘Viola’ for one statement wall. This gives great impact, and it’s as far away from a hospital bathroom as you can get!

“Once the design team had selected the Altro products, Western Design Architects went away to bring our vision to life, design the interior and create a CAD model so we could see what the finished article would look like. It was a thrilling process to be involved in.”

Colour and design to differentiate between the walls and floors Jonathan Turvey, director at Western Design Architects, says: “The common language of those designing the look and ethos of the new Spinal Unit was that it should never look like a hospital, and should feel welcoming and warm. The clever use of different Altro flooring colours and designs to differentiate between the walls

HEALTH & SAFETY UPDATE 11

and floors ensures that wayfinding in the unit is clear, but also in keeping with the overarching colours and themes, so it never compromises the design.

“We also wanted to create a strong contrast between the communal and private areas, using Altro Wood Safety flooring in bedrooms and strong Altro Whiterock colours in the bathrooms. Overall, I feel we achieved the perfect balance of design, comfort and practicality, and created a beautiful place for people to improve and receive the support they need — which is always a challenge in care environments.”

The Spinal Injury Centre facility was completed a year ago and was opened for a pilot phase by HRH The Princess Royal.

The unit’s service manager and Fellow of the Royal College of Nurses, Fiona Stephenson, is delighted that the centre is now ready and thrilled with how it looks and feels.

The centre is due to open following the pilot phase with the service partners.

Fiona says: “First impressions last a long time, and the unit has a very powerful ‘wow factor’ that stays with you.

It looks stunning; fresh, clean, welcoming, cheerful, stylish and comfortable; all the things the people who come here need. The Altro products play a large part in creating this wonderful environment.

“The wayfinding using the two types of flooring works so well; it creates a flow in the whole facility and also keeps the colour scheme consistent. It’s subtle, yet very effective. Everyone loves the bright purple walls in the bathrooms, very striking and something you might choose for your own home.

“There has been only positive feedback from everyone who has been here. We have seen professionals from all areas, and Altro brought visitors from Scandinavia who were very impressed. As a holistic, flagship facility it is second to none and I am so proud to be part of it – we are offering something very special and ground-breaking in this sector.”

Altro products were used elsewhere in the unit too. Altro Stronghold 30 specialist safety flooring was used in the kitchens and food servery, whilst Altro’s wall protection system provides a much needed solution, as Livability’s spokesperson explains: “There is a lot of traffic in the unit, from wheelchairs, trolleys and other equipment that could potentially damage the walls. We wanted to avoid this and the added expense of redecoration, so Altro recommended we install their Altro Fortis Titanium wall protection. This is not only a very practical product, but it looks good too, so it can be incorporated into the colour scheme.”

www.altro.co.uk

12 HEALTH & SAFETY UPDATE

Events

Rory bremner announces national winners in nhbc health and safety awards The best site managers in UK home building have been recognised for their dedication to health and safety at a ceremony hosted by top British comedian and impressionist Rory Bremner.

At a gala event in Birmingham, seven site managers were awarded with National Winner and Runner-up titles for their outstanding levels of on site health and safety management – from effective pre-start planning, through to implementation and execution.

Jeff Calder of Barratt Homes North Scotland was named as the National Winner in the Large Builder category for the Ness Castle development near Inverness. Jan Ruddick of Ashberry Homes was Runner-up in the category for the Tilia Park development in Rugby. Jeff and Jan have previously demonstrated their commitment to raising standards on site and add these titles to the prestigious NHBC Pride in the Job Quality Awards they won last month.

Graham Mann of Stewart Milne Homes (North Scotland) Ltd won the Medium Builder category for the exclusive collection of individually-designed homes at Regency Place in Countesswells, Aberdeen.

Scotia Homes Ltd site manager Alexander Taylor scooped the Runner-up title for the Collieburn development in Peterhead.

Two site managers from Duchy Homes Ltd, who are no strangers to winning NHBC awards, have excelled in the Small Builder category. Dean Ellis won the Na-

tional award for The Ings site in Wetherby, with David Mills taking the Runner-up position for his dedication to health and safety on the High Gables site in Ranskill.

Adding to the NHBC Pride in the Job Quality Award he won in June, Garry Henderson of Mactaggart & Mickel Homes Ltd has now taken the health and safety National title in the multi-storey category for the sustainably designed apartments at Milverton Grange, Glasgow.

Award Winners From L to R: Steve Wood, NHBC Chief Executive; Jeff Calder; Dean Ellis; David Mills; Alexander Taylor; Jan Ruddick; Garry Henderson; Graham Mann; Rory Bremner

“This year’s winners have demonstrated their on-going commitment to health and safety” > Steve Wood, NHBC Chief Executive

HEALTH & SAFETY UPDATE 13

Events

A further 20 site managers accomplished Highly Commended status following the Commended awards they won in the first round of the competition in May. Organised by NHBC, the UKs leading warranty and insurance provider for new homes, and independently judged by health and safety professionals from CITB, the Construction Products Association and the Health and Safety Executive, the awards are in their ninth year and are the only health and safety recognition scheme in the UK exclusively for home builders.

Steve Wood, NHBC Chief Executive said: “It’s been a great year for the awards with a record number of entries. We had an outstanding shortlist of finalists who are showcasing and sharing best practice across the industry.

“This year’s winners have demonstrated their on-going commitment to health and safety, which is undoubtedly a hugely important part in delivering high quality new homes.

“We offer all the winners our congratulations.”

For the full list of winners please visit: www.nhbc.co.uk/HSAwards

14 HEALTH & SAFETY UPDATE

Facilities Management

AWARD REcognition FOR UNIQUE ASBESTOS REMOVAL PROJECT Rhodar named winner of the Outstanding Projects (under £3million category) at the 2018 UK Rail Industry Awards (UKRIA)

The winning project was a collaboration between Rhodar, its client Spencer Group and Great Western Railways (GWR), which had a requirement for the safe removal of asbestos containing materials from one of its vast 192m HST (High Speed Train) maintenance facilities based in Penzance. Rhodar developed a specialist solution that allowed the safe removal of the asbestos, without impacting on the critical train maintenance schedule.

Rhodar, one of the UK’s leading asbestos removal companies, has been recognised for its innovative, unique asbestos removal project for Great Western Railways (GWR) in Penzance at the 2018 UK Rail Industry Awards (UKRIA).

Rhodar won the award for ‘Outstanding Projects (under £3million)’ at the awards ceremony held at Battersea Evolution, London, in March. The event, now in its fifth year, brought together leaders and decision-makers from across the rail industry.

Utilising a unique, multi-level scaffold enclosure system, which was erected inside the maintenance facility and operated on a bespoke set of purpose-built tracks, Rhodar worked systematically through the depot (from one end to the other in 11 planned sections) by locking the scaffold system down in each section, sealing the specialist asbestos enclosure walls and floor, and attaching the moveable airlock and bag-locks.

Rhodar faced a number of challenges during the project, including adverse weather conditions on the south west coast and an increase in planned train movements through the HST maintenance depot. Both had to be overcome in order to ensure the strict overall programme and timescales were met, enabling follow-on facility refurbishment works to be carried out on schedule.

Jason Davy, Managing Director, Rhodar commented: “We are extremely proud to win this award. It goes without saying that it is down to the excellent team of professionals and their continuous improvement and operational competency. This project was unique but was ultimately successful due to the shared vision that resulted in the creation of a best-practice partnering model, delivering significant benefits to all project stakeholders.”

16 HEALTH & SAFETY UPDATE

Facilities Management

SPIE Wins Refurbishment Contract With Tameside Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust The £534,000 contract covers the refurbishment of the Pathology Laboratory at the Tameside General Hospital SPIE UK has been awarded a contract with Tameside Glossop Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust, at Tameside General Hospital. The work involves the strip out and refurbishment of the Pathology laboratory in New Fountain House and incorporates all new flooring, ceilings, decoration, joinery, fixed furniture, sanitary fittings and mechanical and electrical installations. The contract is worth £534,000, and will take place over a 10-week period that began mid-March.

Given that the upgrade is being conducted on the main hospital site, SPIE must ensure that the highest levels of health & safety are met, all whilst carrying out the work in a live environment.

Therefore, a bespoke solution was required to meet the needs of the client.

The refurbished laboratory will provide office accommodation, open plan angle working areas, cellular offices, reception, boardrooms and meeting rooms, in addition to other complimentary accommodation and ancillary works.

SPIE have worked successfully in the healthcare sector for over 20 years and this contract win is a reflection of the firm’s high-quality work and experience with the NHS. Furthermore, this consolidates SPIE’s long standing relationship with The Trust, as in 2012 the company completed a project to refurbish and extend the hospital’s A&E department. A contract with a value c. £2m.

Kerry Sheehan, Managing Director of Facilities Services at SPIE UK comments, “We are very pleased to be awarded another contract with Tameside General Hospital as we take pride in our strong customer relationship and ability to provide a tailored service. Our knowledge of working within the healthcare sector makes us an ideal partner for the customer, and we are really looking forward to further building on this experience in order to deliver the refurbishment to the highest standard possible, within tight time constraints.”

Gareth Llewellyn, Capital Projects Manager at Tameside General Hospital, added, “We are excited about the refurbishment of the Pathology laboratory and creating a lot more spacious offices at the Trust. We have worked with SPIE previously and we feel confident that they will deliver an exceptional service on time.”

18 HEALTH & SAFETY UPDATE

Facilities Management

Safety bollards are used in warehousing and distribution areas to protect crash sensitive areas, often painted yellow and black painted bollards for increased visibility.

Due to the nature of the application, scuffs and weathering of paintwork are inevitable, but maintaining a high visibility finish on safety bollards is time consuming, costly and often overlooked. To assist with this IAE have developed a cost-effective solution. The IAE Plasprotek plastic sleeve is made from tough moulded LDPE with two UV stabilised HD vinyl strips, they can be used inside or outdoors, fitting over existing bollards or supplied with newly installed ones. The PlasProtek sleeve simply slides over the top of the steel work giving a high visibility finish that won’t need maintaining.

PROVIDING EQUIPMENT TO REDUCE BACK PAIN CRITICAL FOR HEALTH AND SAFETY AND BUSINESS PROSPERITY SAYS MIDLAND PALLET TRUCKS Investing in efficient equipment that allows employees to more easily move heavy, bulky, or awkward loads shouldn’t just be considered a health and safety exercise but one that can improve business prosperity too, says Midland Pallet Trucks.

With back pain one of the most common health complaints for Brits and one that’s often exasperated through manual work, Midland Pallet Trucks is arguing it’s time to look at the bigger picture and see what impact it’s having on business productivity. The Office of National Statistics found that musculoskeletal problems, including back pain, neck, and upper limb problems, led to 30.8 million working days being lost in 2016. Accounting for over a fifth of all lost working days, musculoskeletal issues were only beaten by minor illnesses, such as coughs and colds.

Phil Chesworth, Managing Director of Midland Pallet Trucks, said, “While the findings demonstrate why reducing the risk of back pain is a health and safety concern, it also proves why investment in equipment can be just as positive for overall business prosperity.

Despite the evidence being clear, it’s often an area that businesses fail to link up. By taking the time to deliver

effective health and safety procedures, they’ll have a far more productive workforce, both in terms of reduced absences and how quickly tasks can be completed.

“When investing in equipment to move items through a warehouse or on to vehicles, weighing up both sides of the gains can help businesses make the right choice for them.”

Midland Pallet Trucks is the leading supplier of pallet trucks to businesses across the UK, delivering a diverse range of models to suit varying business needs. With features that are designed to ease the among of pressure moving heavy items applies to joints, the business’ product range can help firms comply with health and safety regulations and boost the productivity of overall operations.

To find out more visit midlandpallettrucks.com

PlasProtek Bollard Sleeve

REDUCED VISIBILITY OF PROTECTION BOLLARDS CAN LEAD TO ACCIDENTS

DAY-TO-DAY USE QUICKLY ERODES A PAINT FINISH

IAEʼS PLASPROTEK™ SLEEVE SLIDES QUICKLY AND EASY OVER YOUR EXISTING BOLLLARD

™

IAE PLASPROTEK™ SLEEVES PROVIDE A QUICK AND COST EFFECTIVE SOLUTION DURABLE PLASTIC PROTECTS AGAINST EROSION AND WEATHERING NO MAINTENANCE EASY TO FIT COST EFFECTIVE IMPROVE VISIBILITY

Foam strips allow sleeves to be used with various bollard sizes up to 168dia

TEL: 01782 339320

GIVING YOU INSTANT HIGH VISIBILTY TO YOUR BOLLARD

fitout@iae.co.uk www.iae.co.uk

20 HEALTH & SAFETY UPDATE

Extreme cleaning specialist steps in to tackle £0.5 billion slips and trips bill • CleanSafe Services acquires floor product application business from Bonasystems Europe • Promotion campaign will highlight safety and cost reduction benefits of anti-slip coating • Slip and trip incidents cost UK employers £0.5billion a year • High-risk businesses warned of much higher fines for failing to protect against slip and trip falls A campaign is being launched to remind businesses across key sectors - including wet leisure, hospitality, retail, public transport, and healthcare - of the urgent need to safeguard staff and customers by applying an anti-slip coating to high-risk floors.

It follows the acquisition by extreme cleaning specialist CleanSafe Services (UK) Ltd of the floor treatment arm of Bonasystems Europe, the UK’s leading manufacturer and provider of floor care chemical products.

The deal gives CleanSafe Services exclusive rights in mainland UK to apply Bonasystems Grip, the marketleading anti-slip treatment for tiles, stone, and other cementitious surfaces.

CleanSafe Services Managing Director Steve Broughton said the company will spend £250,000 over the next two years to develop the floor product application service and promote the safety benefits of Bonasystems Grip.

Steve Broughton said: “New sentencing guidelines have greatly increased potential fines for slip and trip incidents. This makes it more vital than ever before for businesses to reduce these risks and the associated costs.

“Bonasystems Grip is the go-to product for supporting workforce and customer safety, demonstrating due diligence, and reducing the risk of the potentially huge management and legal costs associated with slip and trip incidents.”

Bonasystems Grip reduces the risk of slips and trips in a variety of high-risk environments, including swimming pools and spas, hotels, transport hubs, shopping centres, schools, and care homes. Customers include Network Rail, Mitchells and Butlers, Sainsbury’s, and Hilton Worldwide.

CleanSafe Services, which specialises in emergency and specialist cleaning, will also provide a contract service for Bonasystems’ other industry-leading surface treatment products for cleaning, maintaining, and sealing floors.

Bonasystems Managing Director Steven Phillips said the deal is a perfect fit for both businesses, and for customers, and is a key element of their business growth strategy.

He added: “We wanted to work with a national product application partner that shares our belief in expertise, professionalism, and excellent customer service.

There are more than 20,000 RIDDOR reported slip and “By having CleanSafe Services working with trip incidents every year in the UK, costing employers us as our authorised application contractor, an estimated £0.5billion a year in management costs, we can focus our energies on developing our legal bills, compensation, and fines. innovative products, and marketing them to

HEALTH & SAFETY UPDATE 21

our growing number of end-use clients.

“It means customers will continue to enjoy the same seamless service when they choose Bonasystems Grip to protect their workforce and customers, as well as their financial health, and brand reputation.”

CleanSafe MD Steve Broughton

As one of the UK’s leading emergency cleaning companies, CleanSafe Services, based in Coulsdon, South London, already sets the highest operational standards and is experienced in the application of sophisticated chemical products.

Steve Broughton said: “We see huge potential in widening the use of Bonasystems Grip in particular.

We are delighted to have this opportunity to work with Bonasystems to deliver their range of highly-effective floor treatment products on behalf of customers.

“This acquisition represents a natural extension of our service offer, and will allow us to market Bonasystems products, like Bonasystems Grip, to our extensive customer base, adding significant value to their operations.”

Steven Phillips Bonasystems MD

www.cleansafeservices.co.uk

22 HEALTH & SAFETY UPDATE

Flooring

Polyflor launches Polysafe Quattro PUR Polyflor, the UK’s commercial and residential vinyl flooring specialist, has just announced the launch of their new Polysafe Quattro PUR collection. This innovative safety flooring range offers barefoot and shod sustainable wet slip resistance with a stud-free finish for enhanced comfort underfoot.

Polysafe Quattro has been specifically designed to provide a high degree of slip resistance in continually wet areas within the healthcare, residential care, housing and leisure sectors.

This includes areas such as changing rooms, walk-in showers, wet rooms, adapted bathrooms, spas and pool surrounds.

As the potential for slips is higher in wet environments, it is important to choose a HSE compliant safety flooring such as Polysafe Quattro which offers sustainable slip resistance, assured throughout the product’s guaranteed life.

Polysafe Quattro has been engineered to offer enhanced slip resistance for bare feet and footwear, achieving 50+ on the Pendulum Test (Slider 96) plus Class B to DIN 51097 for barefoot use and also conforming to the EN 13845 European safety flooring standard, with successful completion of the 50,000 cycles abrasion test.

Polysafe Quattro is available as a 2mm gauge flexible sheet which allows it to be thermally welded, coved up walls and easily installed around drains and awkward corners for a hygienic and

watertight wall to floor finish.

Polysafe Quattro is available in a carefully developed colour palette of 12 shades, including warm neutrals, fresh blues and soothing greys that will complement any interior design scheme in a commercial or residential setting.

A comprehensive brochure, shadecard and presenter are now available for the Polysafe Quattro range.

Sampling can be ordered free of charge from the Polyflor website or by calling the Polyflor Samples Direct Hotline on 0161 767 2551.

Six shades feature a subtle tonal chip design, whilst the other six are a solid colour with colour complementary aggregate.

Manufactured in the UK, Polysafe Quattro is 100% recyclable through the Recofloor vinyl take back scheme and contains recycled material.

Ideal for creating a calming ambience, these designs have been specifically developed for use in dementia friendly environments, generating a harmonious feel whether in a residential care setting or within a person’s home.

The collection has also achieved a generic BRE A+ rating (ENP 415) in major use areas, helping to contribute points within a BREEAM Assessment for a building.

Tom Rollo, Polyflor’s Marketing Manager, comments, “Polysafe Quattro has been designed to enhance both commercial and residential interiors and encourage a sense of wellbeing.

This range is an exciting addition to our safety flooring portfolio offering an aesthetically pleasing yet practical solution for areas where there is a high slip risk, so users can feel comfortable and safe.”

Polyflor is the first floor covering manufacturer to be awarded BES 6001 certification for Responsible Sourcing, notably achieving an ‘Excellent’ rating.

The Polysafe safety flooring brand includes two other specialist collections which offer sustainable slip resistance in continually wet areas – Polysafe Hydro and Polysafe Hydro Evolve. www.polyflor.com

24 HEALTH & SAFETY UPDATE

Holly Ward at Hinchingbrooke Hospital refurbished with UZIN A UZIN flooring system was used to install approximately 1300 square metres of new vinyl at Holly Ward within Hinchingbrooke Hospital, which is run by Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust. The hospital is committed to providing the highest standards of health care, so required an environmentally friendly solution for the refurbishment. Having used a UZIN system to install the new floor at the sexual assault referral centre earlier in the year Superior Finish (Contracts) Ltd again chose a UZIN system for the renovation. The UZIN products provided the quality and environmental credentials required by Cambridgeshire Community Services NHS Trust.

A suitable range of EC1 and solvent-free products were therefore used for the installation.

EC1 products help reduce emissions and diminish health risks when installing floors. The old linoleum floor was first removed using a WOLFF Turbo-Stripper. To help save time UZIN NC 163 renovation smoothing compound was installed because it doesn’t require priming. UZIN KE 2000 S pressure sensitive adhesive was then used to install the vinyl flooring. The finish was outstanding producing a warm and welcoming environment. www.uzin.co.uk : www.superiorfinishcontracts.co.uk www.cambscommunityservices.nhs.uk

UZIN system used at New Buckland Hospital in Dover www.uzin.co.uk

UZIN products were used to install over 6000 m2 of flooring at the new Buckland Hospital in Dover. The hospital is committed to providing the highest standards of health care, so required an environmentally friendly solution for the refurbishment. The flooring contractor, Oxden Floors therefore selected UZIN’s products to ensure that these health standards were upheld. The new two storey hospital provides safe, patient focused and sustainable health services. The new facilities include a wide range of co-located diagnostic services as well as renal dialysis, child health and minor injury services.

A suitable range of EC1 and solvent-

info@uzin.co.uk

www.oxden-floors.co.uk

free UZIN products were therefore used for the installation. Some cracks in the substrate were repaired using UZIN RR 2013 crack repair, UZIN NC 182 rapid and UZIN NC 888 feather coat. The substrate was then protected against residual moisture using UZIN PE 414 DPM, followed

by UZIN PE 280 primer. UZIN NC 150 smoothing compound was then used, before the floor coverings were installed. UZIN KE 2000 S was used to install the safety flooring, while 3200 linear metres of set in and coved skirting were adhered using Remur tape. The job was exceptionally well finished resulting in a sound and durable floor.

Tel: 01788 530 080

26 HEALTH & SAFETY UPDATE

Flooring

DR SCHUTZ PU SEALER – MAKING LONGER LASTING FLOORING Dr. Schutz, the German floor care company, offers PU Sealer, an innovative solution that quickly and easily transforms tired, damaged or old floors, at a fraction of the time and cost of an entire floor replacement.

As well as renovating any floor with a fresh and lasting finish, PU Sealer offers added protection for flooring areas prone to high traffic, including sports halls, offices, hospitals, shopping centres and schools.

Such areas with a heavily foot volume tend to wear very quickly when they don’t have a hard wearing product applied. Not only can this cost money, but it can be a time consuming issue to fix. By applying the PU-Sealer, flooring can be kept in a great condition for many years.

Due to the short drying time, there is a fast return to operational use. Unlike other floor refurbishment services, the process does not produce any noise or dirt.

A standard renovation can be completed in a weekend, providing no disruption to the day to day running of the practice.

Lothar Schutz, Managing Director of Dr. Schutz comments, “PU Sealer can be applied quickly over a weekend, avoiding the need to close the doors for many commercial buildings.

Refurbishing a floor using PU Sealer provides cost savings of up to 50 % in comparison to laying a brand new floor and will prolong the longevity of the floor for many years to come.”

The water based, ecofriendly PU-Sealer can be applied to most types of flooring, including vinyl, tiled and epoxy resin.

Adding 40 microns of protective thickness to floors, PU Sealer extends the lifespan by up to six times and provides a lasting clear matt finish.

Thanks to the permanent sealing, it protects against friction and discolouration from chemical spillages.

Thanks to the products special water-based substance, the PU Sealer also reduces dirt adhesion and the time needed for day-to-day maintenance.

The Dr. Schutz PU Sealer range also includes PU Antislip and PU Anticolor.

For more information phone 01296 437827 for details on products and UK stockists, or go to www.drschutz.co.uk

TRACTION ENHANCING NANOTECHNOLOGY A POSITIVE STEP IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION In the face of some 50,000 injuries treated in NHS Accident and Emergency departments each year - all caused by slips, trips and falls, a company specialising in accident prevention methods has introduced an innovative new product which dramatically increases the traction on most flooring surfaces and is equally effective when applied to the soles of footwear.

Using an entirely new and patented nanotechnology formula within an environmentallyfriendly solution consisting of 96.8% water, millions of invisible ‘nanospikes’ per square inch are formed which give up to 200% increased traction on dry surfaces and 500% on wet, including areas where no shoes are worn such as pool sides, showers and other slippery surfaces.

Called ‘TREADSURE™’ the product can be applied quickly and easily to all solid surface areas with a minimum of interference to usual foot traffic or work environment.

All types of footwear can be treated from high-heels, office and sports shoes to work-boots to increase traction and reduce the risk of slip and fall accidents.

Commenting on the introduction of his company’s new product to the UK,

Michael Burgess, joint MD of Nottingham based Arkad Health and Safety Limited said :- “Our company’s overall policy is to help prevent injury and save lives and we believe that with TREADSURE™ we will be doing just that. Besides the obvious practical safety benefits for the individual, every business has a duty to protect employees, visitors or customers and has to meet the requirements of public liability insurance in respect of slip, trip and fall hazards. Households are also at risk from claims due to accidental injury. The use of this revolutionary traction enhancing solution will therefore do much to avoid the possibility of litigation and prevent possible life-shattering accidents.”

home and they slip and fall you could also be legally at risk.

TREADSURE™ Traction Enhancement treatment decreases the risk of slips and falls by increasing the traction of surfaces WITHOUT changing the physical properties of the treated surface. The unique nanotechnology allows the treatment of indoor and outdoor surfaces where a slip and fall hazard is present. This can be completed in a short period of time with little interruption to the usual foot traffic, minimising downtime and loss of production.

The TREADSURE™ product is currently available direct from Arkad Health & Safety Limited in 500ml bottles at £29.99 RRP (inc.VAT) to treat up to 4 pairs of shoes, and 1 or 5 litre containers with 1 litre covering up to 130sq. ft. (POA).

Slip and fall hazards are an ever present danger in our lives.

They can be disruptive to our health, families, businesses and profits. They can even be fatal. Whether you are at work or enjoying a leisure activity the risk of slipping and falling is almost always present.

Statistics show that ‘Slip and Fall’ accidents are the most common, damaging to human health, and expensive to business. It is so important to protect against slips and falls that laws are in place to ensure that every business that employs staff or has visitors to their premises protects them against slipping and falling.

If you invite someone to your

xx

Some facts to consider: • During 2015/16 there were an estimated 20,000 slips trips and falls in the United Kingdom workplace • This resulted in an average of 7.8 days off work or nearly 1 million lost days • The cost to our society is over £800 million per year • There are over 50,000 victims of slips (same level falls) admitted to Accident and Emergency each year • Every business has a DUTY to protect their

•

employees, visitors or customers and MUST meet the requirements of public liability insurance in respect of slip and trip hazards Injuries create problems for injured persons and have a devastating impact on quality of life for many families. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) created the ‘Shattered Lives‘ campaign to help reduce slip and fall incidents

TREADSURE TM • Is inexpensive to treat large areas • Can be applied in high traffic areas with minimal inconvenience • Does not change or damage the physical properties of the treated surface • Is the only product available for the direct treatment of footwear to increase traction.

• Has almost no scent and does not change the appearance of the treated surface.

• Cannot create ‘trip hazards’ like some other anti-slip solutions • Is easy to apply For more information and to discuss trade distribution opportunities, visit: www.tread-sure.com email: info@tread-sure.com or call Ian Baker or Michael Burgess on 0330 333 7426

“Increasing Safety With Every Step”

30 HEALTH & SAFETY UPDATE

Fire safety

SEDDON WINS GREAT MANCHESTER FIRE & RESCUE CONTRACT

Bolton-based Seddon, the UK’s largest privately-owned contractor, has secured a 12-month contract with Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service (GMFRS).

The company’s property services offering will refurbish eight fire stations in the Greater Manchester area, including Bolton North, Moss Side, Stockport, Ramsbottom and Leigh.

The works will cover general maintenance and fire-proofing timber and walls, helping the stations to achieve class 0 of the BS 476 fire safety building regulations, which specifies that buildings must demonstrate a high

level of fire and heat resistance.

Celebrating its 120th year in business, Seddon, a £200 million turnover family business, was selected following a competitive tender involving seven other companies.

Its property services offering provides a range of services, including planned and cyclical maintenance, disability and disabled adaptations, kitchen and bathroom replacements, window and door upgrades and replacements, refurbishments, and external and internal decoration.

It has already successfully completed works at Bolton North sta-

tion and has now begun projects at Leigh and Oldham stations.

Danny McCann, Head of Painting Services for Seddon, said: “Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service plays a vital role in the community and it’s an honour to be chosen to carry out important maintenance works on its buildings.

“Our refurbishments will ensure that they meet the latest fire safety standards and our dedicated team will work closely with them to ensure it’s delivered to the highest standard.”

For more information visit www.seddon.co.uk

32 HEALTH & SAFETY UPDATE

Fire Safety

Protecting the workplace with smart technology The sheer scale of modern facilities, density of occupation and growing user demands present particular challenges for fire safety and protection. The speed of detection is crucial as it enables users to intervene at the earliest possible opportunity and prevent further escalation.

Intelligent smoke, flame, heat and carbon monoxide detectors will detect minute smoke particles and will provide an instant fire alert. Importantly, they will also determine false fire phenomena due to issues such as toasters, poor housekeeping, airborne particles, welding, humidity and temperature change, and will not alarm in these instances. The impact of false alarms on the workplace is immense, as lost working hours and the upheaval of evacuating premises adds up to significant financial loss.

Modern smart devices can even be adapted to reflect environmental changes in room usage.

In the event of a fire or major alert, rapid and orderly evacuation is of the highest priority. Emergency evacuation highlights the need for greater control during a major incident and voice alarm systems play an integral role in managing these critical situations. Studies reveal that many people do not know how to react to conventional alarms such as bells or sirens. Many assume that it is a test or false alarm; others remain confused and unsure of what to do. Comprehensive messages

about the nature of the incident, and the appropriate action to take, using clear language will minimise the potential for panic or confusion.

Zoned voice alarm involves the delivery of high-performance messaging across multi-level, multi-occupancy buildings, offering controlled evacuation where selected floors are evacuated, while others are simultaneously alerted.

Evidence has shown that multiple alerts are more effective; the combination of audio and media such as SMS has a greater success rate. Automatic coloured lighting systems can then be employed to direct personnel to the most appropriate emergency exit routes to further ensure personnel safety during the evacuation. It is vital to only evacuate those at risk and this combination of verbal instructions, messaging alerts and wayfinding will maximise safety procedures.

Integrated fire protection from a single source will maximise life safety

Safe and phased evacuation is vital during a major incident

Smart detectors will only alarm if there is a genuine fire

34 HEALTH & SAFETY UPDATE

Fire safety

Fire Door Safety Week 2017 saw off stiff competition from the automotive, aerospace and construction sectors to be awarded Campaign of the Year (Fire, Security, Health and Safety) at The Safety and Health Excellence Awards for its success in highlighting the importance of fire door safety maintenance and five simple inspection checks that anyone can do to initiate positive change and improve a building’s fire safety.

2017’s Fire Door Safety Week (FDSW) attracted its highest number of supporters ever, including 273 organisations from the social housing and private rented housing sectors, the construction supply chain, fire and building consultancies and local fire and rescue services. The campaign is industry led, in partnership with the Government’s Fire Kills campaign.

Among the high-profile supporters were London Fire Commissioner Dany Cotton, and Bill Grant, MP for Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock who had 31 years’ service in the fire brigade.

Accepting the award on behalf of the British Woodworking Federation, Iain McIlwee, CEO said, “Thank you to The Safety and Health Excellence Awards for awarding Fire Door Safety Week with this prestigious industry award.

“The success of the campaign is down to the combined efforts of the British Woodworking Federation (BWF), BWF-Certifire scheme and the Fire Door Inspection Scheme (FDIS) team, but more than anything it is testament to our members who have driven us to help raise awareness of concerns and help promote best practice, not just in the manufacture and supply, but also the installation and inspection/maintenance of fire doors.

“With fire safety high on the agenda, following the tragic events of the Grenfell Tower fire, the 2017 Fire Door Safety Week campaign set out to significantly

increase awareness of the benefits of fire doors, a passive fire protection method, and how to ensure their ongoing maintenance.

“Attracting the highest number of supporters to date, the campaign did just that – but our work is not done. Fire doors remain a significant area of neglect, often the first thing to be downgraded on a specification and mismanaged throughout their service life, propped open, damaged and badly maintained. Fire Door Safety Week 2018 is set for 24th to the 30th September, and will continue to raise awareness of the critical role fire doors play and how everyone can play their part to ensure they remain effective and able to fulfil their lifesaving ability in the unfortunate event of a fire.”

Publicity of the 2017 campaign resulted in more than 350 pieces of media coverage, including in the Daily Telegraph and the Mirror newspapers, and 16 broadcast items including on Radio 5 Live, LBC and talkRADIO. The campaign, now in its 7th year, saw events running across the UK and online, and at its heart was the simple 5 Step Fire Door Check providing users with a simple guide to assessing the health of their fire doors.

Fire Door Safety Week 2018 will run 24th – 30th September, more details at

www.firedoorsafetyweek.co.uk

36 HEALTH & SAFETY UPDATE

Arco, the UK’s leading safety company, is leading the way in helping buyers navigate the complicated waters of the new PPE Regulation with clear, expert guidance and an assurance that its own products will fully comply with the requirements of the new legislation by the required transition end date.

The new PPE Regulation (EU) 2016/425 brings about the most significant changes to the rules on PPE, since the introduction of the first Directive over 20 years ago. The changes are designed to ensure ongoing product safety and assurance and to better reflect the needs of those buying and using PPE to keep them safe at work.

From 21st April 2018, the transition requirements of the new Regulation came into force and all those responsible for the purchase of PPE, need to ensure that their suppliers are able to meet the new Regulation requirements. Arco has published an up to date summary of the Regulation, available free on the company’s website, which will help purchasers understand what the requirements mean for them. The document includes key dates, a summary of the changes, advice on working with a trusted supplier and guidance on how to check that any PPE complies with the new regulation.

The rules of the new Regulation apply to the whole supply chain, not just manufacturers and clearly define that an importer or distributor who markets PPE products in Europe under their own name, brand or trademark, becomes liable for the full manufacturer’s obligations. As the industry leader, Arco has a wellestablished 5-step product assurance process and has also published all declarations of conformity at https:// conformity.arco.co.uk/.

Neil Hewitt, Arco’s Divisional Director

of Quality and Technical Standards, said: ”The new PPE Regulation puts the obligation on everyone involved in the manufacture, supply and distribution of PPE, including Arco, to ensure their products meet with the required standards, that they keep technical files and records and that they carry out sample testing on their PPE where appropriate. With the investment we’ve made in product assurance and our own laboratory, we are well placed to meet the new obligations and to assure customers that they are buying from a reliable, fully compliant supplier. The new regulations have introduced significant changes for both suppliers and buyers and we’ve put together some useful resources that are free to download from our website, to help customers navigate the new rules and we urge them to make sure they keep their people safe by working with a trusted supplier.

For more information, please go to the dedicated section on the Arco website for more information: www.arco.co.uk/regulation

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TO ENSURE YOUR PPE IS COMPLIANT WITH THE NEW PPE REGULATION (EU) 2016/425 The new Regulation is a binding legislative act, it replaces PPE Directive 89/686. The PPE at Work Regulations 1992 still apply to the suitability, provision, manufacture, instruction and use of PPE.

KEY CHANGES: ALL ECONOMIC OPERATORS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SUPPLY OF PPE TO THE STANDARD REQUIREMENTS All organisations involved in the production, importation, supply, distribution, marketing and sale of PPE now have the same responsibilities as the manufacturer.

MANUFACTURERS

RESPONSIBILITIES INCLUDE

DISTRIBUTORS

• Getting product approval • Ensuring products conform to the regulation • Keeping technical files & records • Importers are obliged to sample test PPE

IMPORTERS

RECLASSIFICATION OF RISKS

INCREASED SCOPE

Category II to Category III • Harmful noise • Harmful biological agents • Drowning • Cuts by hand held chainsaws • High pressure jets • Bullet wounds or knife risks

The regulation now includes PPE for private use protecting against heat (oven gloves) & distance selling.

5 YEAR VALIDITY DATE

DECLARATION OF CONFORMITY

New EU Type Certificates.

Must be supplied with all PPE or a website address where one can be downloaded.

WHAT YOU NEED TO DO: WORK WITH A TRUSTED SUPPLIER – ASK THEM FOR 3 THINGS A DECLARATION OF CONFORMITY FOR EACH PIECE OF PPE

THEIR PROCESS FOR ONGOING SAMPLE TESTING

THE QUALITY ASSURANCE PROCESS AT THE MANUFACTURING FACILITY

For details of obligations please visit www.arco.co.uk/regulation

CHOOSE PPE THAT COMPLIES WITH THE NEW REGULATION – CHECK YOUR CERTIFICATES Products can be put on the market with current EC Type Certificates (or until expiry if the certificate is dated earlier).

There are 3 exceptions: PRODUCTS WITH A CHANGE IN DESIGN AND / OR MANUFACTURE Ask for new certification.

1

2

PRODUCTS WHERE THERE IS A CHANGE IN THE STANDARDS Check your product is certified to most recent version.

Download a guide to the transition requirements at: www.arco.co.uk/regulation

3

PRODUCTS THAT WILL CHANGE CATEGORY UNDER THE REGULATION Check the DoC for details of the notified body and look for the number under/beside CE mark.

38 HEALTH & SAFETY UPDATE

PPE

JSP is ahead of the Reg! JSP Ltd is pleased to announce that they have on day one of the enforcement of the regulation the vast majority of their product range certified to the new PPE Regulation, 2016/425. This is a year ahead of the cut-off date of 21st April 2019!

Over 150 products on 15 certificates across the complete range of their above-the- neck PPE offering including their market leading EVO® Industrial Safety Helmet Range and Force™ Respirators will be manufactured in accordance with the new regulation from day one.

JSP Ltd has ensured that it is in conformity with the latest European requirements at the earliest opportunity.

The regulation has been brought in to help make sure that the user of PPE is better protected than ever before, using products which they can trust.

All PPE must be issued with declarations of conformity by the manufacturer, and there are parts of the Regulation that will have direct implications on distributors and importers who are now responsible for ensuring they have a copy of the declarations of conformity and keep it for 10 years after the product has gone on to the market.

To sum up - all enterprises involved in the supply of PPE in Europe now have the same obligations as a

manufacturer to ensure that the product placed on the market will protect the user. JSP’s early conformity to the regulation demonstrates their continued commitment to manufacturing tested, traceable and trusted PPE products.

The other main change of the PPE Regulation update is the reclassification of hearing protection to a category 3 risk product. It is now more important than ever for employers to provide their staff with the correct hearing protection and to fully understand that employees are adequately protected. All the JSP range of Hearing Protection meets this criteria including the new Sonis® ranges of Ear Defenders with market leading attenuation levels.

JSP have confirmed that it is not just their latest innovations and class leading products which conform but also their tried and tested classic designs such as the Invincible MK®II industrial safety helmet which meet these new requirements. For further details on the new PPE Regulations please contact them on 01993 826050. www.jspsafety.com

HEALTH & SAFETY UPDATE 39

H TC

H TC

T A K T R O W HEIGHN O ND K U R O O W E GR TH I SW

I SW

T A K T R O W HEIGHN O ND K U R O O W E GR TH EVO 5 DUALSWITCH NO NEED TO CHANGE THE HARNESS, JUST FLICK A SWITCH

EVO 5 DUALSWITCH NO NEED TO CHANGE THE HARNESS, JUST FLICK A SWITCH

JSP’s EVO®5 DualSwitch™ is fully certified to both EN397 and EN12492, with the ability to change between the two standards easily at the flick of a switch.

JSP’s EVO®5 DualSwitch™ is fully certified to both EN397 and EN12492, with the ability to change between the two standards easily at the flick of a switch.

®

™

WORKING ON THE GROUND

®

WORKING AT HEIGHT

SWITCH UP

SWITCH DOWN

EN397

™

WORKING ON THE GROUND

WORKING AT HEIGHT

SWITCH UP

SWITCH DOWN

EN397

EN50365

EN12492

EN50365

EN12492

ANSI / ISEA Z89.1

ANSI / ISEA Z89.1

ANSI / ISEA Z89.1

ANSI / ISEA Z89.1

VIDEO & INFORMATION http://bit.ly/DualSwitch

www.jspsafety.com uksales@jsp.co.uk Tel: 01993 826050

VIDEO & INFORMATION http://bit.ly/DualSwitch

www.jspsafety.com uksales@jsp.co.uk Tel: 01993 826050

40 HEALTH & SAFETY UPDATE

PPE

Snickers Will Stretch Your Visibility.

A Superior Range of Hi Vis Working Clothes – for all kinds of light conditions.

Snickers Workwear takes personal protection very seriously.

That’s why this new range of cool and functional Hi-Vis summer clothing is streets ahead of anything else.

With an extensive range of Jackets, Trousers, Shorts, Toolvests, Shirts and Fleeces from Snickers’ LITEWork, FLEXIWork and ALLROUNDWORK families, there’s a host of different garments in the range to satisfy the specific requirements of Classes 1, 2 and 3 protection levels.

These ‘outstanding’ products combine Snickers’ unrivalled hallmarks of functionality and comfort with the requirements of the EN471 standard for high visibility warning clothes.

With advanced designs and high-tech fabrics, all the garments haver durable, colour-fast protection that will last for wash after wash, retaining shape and comfort throughout the life of the garments. Added to which, all Snickers Hi Vis garments can be custom-profiled to ensure ‘stand out’ coverage for your corporate brand.

Getting more information on the Snickers Workwear range of Hi Vis Workwear is easy.

You call the Helpline on 01484 854788; check out www.snickersworkwear.co.uk and download a digital catalogue; or you can email info@snickersworkwear.co.uk

ENGEL - COOL COMFORT

STRETCHED TO THE X-TREME X-treme cool-stretch trousers and all Engel workwear available from www.wtc-workwear.co.uk and www.anchorsafety.co.uk For more information visit: www.fe.dk/en email: Mark McBrayne at mmc@f-engel.com or telephone: +44 (0) 7933 150197

WORKWEAR

HEALTH & SAFETY UPDATE 41

PPE

Experts in Textile Solutions For more than 85 years, workwear from F. Engel™ has been selected by customers from all over Europe as the first choice for all-round protection and maximum comfort no matter what a work situation may demand.

Founded in 1927 by Carl J. Engel Senior and now 4th generation family-owned, the company has 850 employees based at its Headquarters in Norgesvej, Denmark and 2 factories in Lithuania. Since it first began, with the importing of denim from the U.S. as a hard wearing fabric, the company’s aims have always been the same – to provide superior quality, value for money workwear designed for a perfect, flexible fit and to give long lasting, reliable service.

The original fabric was called Bull Denim which was made from 100% cotton. Over the years the materials and manufacturing processes have been continually developed to incorporate many new practical and beneficial design details with the versatility of the fabric improved by adding the yarn combination of polyester and cotton.

New colours have been introduced and many businesses are now recognized by the specific colour combination and design of their Engel corporate workwear where not only is it valued for its practical uses but also as a significant part of a company’s professional statement.

Development is an ongoing process as new smart colour combinations and materials are continuously created and tested, with a constant emphasis on product quality, innovation, flexibility and environmental awareness.

The company has an impressive seven collections (along with a large range of accessories), all of which are ‘tailor-made’ for a wide range of industries including manufacturing, offshore, building & construction and the commercial sector. Each item of clothing is designed to be a perfect, comfortable fit whilst giving maximum freedom of movement and reliability. As an example, one of the main names under the F. Engel banner is ‘Combat’; geared to cope with any season and designed for action, this durable and stylish, uni-coloured collection has contrasting and reflective piping for greater visibility on jackets and trousers, many of which are made from 100% cotton.

Almost all the trousers in the range feature such useful detail as ruler-pockets, hammer straps and mobile phone pockets, whilst the leg-length can be extended an extra 4-6cm if required. Other names to look out for, each with their own unique benefits, include ‘Cargo’, ‘Galaxy’ and ‘Work Zone’ and the ‘Light’ range for warmer weather.

All Engel garments are available from The Workwear Trade Centre, Milton Keynes; Telephone: 01908 561569; email: sales@wtc-workwear.co.uk and Anchor Safety, Ipswich; Telephone: 0800 328 5028; email: sales@anchorsafety.co.uk For more information visit: www.fe.dk/en/ email: Mark McBrayne at mmc@f-engel.com or telephone: +44 (0) 7933 150197

42 HEALTH & SAFETY UPDATE

PPE

combining expertise to improve safety 3M Scott Safety to provide a complete safety solution for confined spaces by combining expert industry knowledge

Now trading ‘As One’, 3M and Scott Safety’s combined expertise and extensive product knowledge has enabled their safety experts to offer customers an enhanced solution for operating in confined spaces, ensuring individuals are completely protected and achieve a higher standard of safety.

With Scott Safety and 3M joining forces, the premier manufacturers of innovative protective equipment can now offer a complete safety solution. As part of that solution is

an increased personal protective equipment offering including fall protection, head and eye protection, portable gas detection and escape and breathing apparatus. The increase in specialist equipment and combined industry experience, will help reduce the risk of fatal and non-fatal injuries in confined spaces.

Ensuring workers operating in confined spaces are protected from hazards, they should be equipped with the most appropriate safety equipment and understand the risks associated with exposure to toxic gases that could lead to debilitating respiratory diseases, now and even years after working.

Hazardous environments such as confined spaces can be life-threatening and a high number of workers are killed or seriously injured each year in the UK.[1] These environments are defined as being substantially enclosed and high-risk due to the presence of hazardous substances and conditions, such as a lack of oxygen and possible exposure to toxic gases.

The collaboration of 3M Scott Safety, now means it’s a one stop shop for all protective equipment including respiratory, positioning the company as a major organisation in the health and safety industry.

For more information about complete solutions now available, please visit www.3m.com/scottsafety