Supermarkets Fatal Slip

A large supermarket chain has been heavily fined following an accident in which a customer was killed in a slipping accident. What happened and what are the lessons for other businesses when managing wet floors?

Cleaners Clean Up

Twenty-two cleaning staff have been awarded thousands of pounds in compensation after their healthcare employer caused their ill health.
What happened and what could have been done to prevent the situation?

Organising Medical Checks

You have a vacancy for a position which requires a certain degree of physical fitness.
How do you avoid discrimination whilst selecting an employee who will be able to do the work safely? 

Avoiding Icy Situations

Ensuring there are safe means of access across your premises become more difficult when snow and ice are present.
Our safety procedure will help keep your staff safe whilst they clear essential routes.

Safely Catering for an Event

You’re organising an event and hiring external caterers. As some attendees may have a food allergy, what is the best way to ensure that no one suffers from an allergic reaction?

Social Workers Assaulted by Angry Mother

A local authority has been fined after two of its social workers were attacked when they carried out a home visit. What should employers do to protect staff in similar situations?

 Weekend Warriors not Trained

With the better weather here, you might be tempted to ask staff to carry out external maintenance work for which they’re not properly trained. Is it worth it?

 Too Much Reliance on Asbestos Experience

In April 2017 a construction company and its subcontractor appeared in court regarding an asbestos disturbance at a refurbishment project.
But what was unusual about the case?

Playground Safety

You’re thinking of installing outdoor play equipment for children visiting your premises.
However, you’ve heard that the requirements are really onerous. What’s involved?

Must you use Edge Protection

Following a fatal fall from height, the HSE built a case against the builder in which it was alleged that he failed to ensure suitable edge protection and was therefore responsible for the accident. What happened in court?

The Cost of Non-Compliance

Research has shown that it’s much cheaper to comply with your health and safety duties than leave it to chance. What’s to know?

Two Dead due to Dirty Hot Tub

A retailer has been given a £1 million fine after two visitors to its store contracted Legionnaires’ disease and were killed, whilst many more became sick.
How did this happen and what should the firm have done differently?

Bacteria on Ice

It seems that you may be consuming more than you bargained for while enjoying a refreshing, ice filled drink.
What’s to know?

Blinded by Confetti Cannon

A special effects business has been handed a £16,000 fine and ordered to pay the same amount in costs after a confetti cannon cost a woman her sight.
What happened and why?

Voluntary  Overtime-Inclusion in Holiday Pay

A recent case has dealt with this issue.
In the Case, which involved council employees, they were formally contracted to work 37 hours a week with many also having contractual right to work 2-4 hours of overtime.

 RISK MANAGEMENT and RELIABILITY

 OK, Now anyone who knows me will tell you I have some fairly strong views on any number of things though I may not make a habit of airing them in public, which seems to be the fashion these days. Everyone gets upset at the least little thing. Of course how little or how much upset you get, depends upon the impact on you and the level of risk or disappointment to which you were exposed or suffered.

Terrorism Guidance

 Following terrorist attacks in the UK, guidance has been produced to help businesses to prepare for the worst. Why is this important and what does it recommend?

 Check Contractor Applications

It’s come to light that some contractors claim to be receiving competent health and safety advice when they’re not. What’s happening?

Who’s Responsible for Work Station Assessments? 

You’ve taken on temporary office workers via an employment agency. Who is responsible for workstation assessments, eye sight tests, etc.? Is it down to you as the host employer or the agency?

Leap in Standards for Ladders

  The Ladder Association is promoting changes to ladder construction standards a “the most fundamental changes in a quarter of a century”. What are the new standards and are they really that significant?

HSE Publishes Annual Figures

 The HSE has published provisional annual data for work-related fatalities, as well as figures from those known to have died from the asbestos-related cancer mesothelioma. What do the results show?

Dealing with Kitchen Oils

When reviewing safety arrangements in your kitchen you have identified that emptying and cleaning the fryer is a HIGH-RISK activity. What should be done to ensure staff safety?

Horseplay

Your employees get on well and as a consequence they regularly play pranks on each other. Can you turn a blind eye to this or must you intervene on the grounds of health and safety?

ISO 9001 Important Update

A recent announcement from the International Accreditation Forum states that from the 15th March 2018 all ISO 9001 assessments will only be performed against ISO 9001:2015 and not the ISO 9001:2008 standard.

Company Fined after two workers fell

An aircraft engineering company has been fined after two men fell about 15 feet while they were carrying out checks at the tail of an aeroplane.

Supplier Assessment Questionnaires

What is that all about?

You get to sell your goods or services to a company and the first thing they do is to send you a huge bundle of forms (sometimes in an email) with Supplier Assessment Questionnaire (sometimes called a Vendor Assessment Questionnaire) printed across the top.

Do you need ISO 9001?

 I was recently asked the following question;

 Question;
 ISO 9001, Do you need it?, Does it still have any impact?, Is it still relative in the supply chain?

Pentecost & The New Management Standards

 The introduction of ISO 9001:2015 & ISO 14001:2015 have been described as the most important event since the introduction of ISO 9001