Latest News from Bravanark.co.uk

Hotel Manager Jailed

Tue, 12 Jul 2011 13:19:28 GMT

HOTEL MANAGER JAILED FOR 8 MONTHS FOR BREACH OF REGULATORY REFORM (FIRE SAFETY) ORDER 2005

Hotel Manager who runs two hotels has been prosecuted under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, for 15 offences.

The offences common to both hotels were:
• A lack of a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment
• A failure to ensure effective means of escape with doors leading onto corridors not being fire resisting or having self-closers fitted
• A failure to ensure that emergency routes and exits were provided with emergency lighting
• A failure to ensure the premises were equipped with appropriate firefighting equipment, detectors and alarms in that there was no fire detection within the bedrooms
• A failure to ensure that equipment and devices provided were subject to a suitable system of maintenance in that the fire alarm system, emergency lighting system and firefighting equipment were not tested.

In addition at the one inspecting officers found both staircases from upper levels terminating in the same ground floor area with no alternative escape routes or separation, a locked fire exit door, and exit routes obstructed by combustible materials and a locked fire door.

NOT SURE WHAT TO DO CONTACT 01189541700 AND SPEAK TO ONE OF OUR FIRE ASSESSORS or email enquiry@bravanark.co.uk

Vehicle driver over the limit

Mon, 18 Apr 2011 17:08:27 GMT

During an emergency response call to an accident the ambulance was itself involved in a 7 vehicle crash.

Fortunately there were no fatalities however the driver of the ambulance was found to be driving with excess alcohol in his blood.

How do you know if your machine operators or vehicle drivers are over the limit?

Check out the link below as it may save a life.

www.drinkaware.co.uk

Lord Young publishes Health and Safety review

Fri, 15 Oct 2010 15:26:09 GMT

Lord Young has published his review of health and safety, Common Sense - Common Safety. Commissioned by the Prime Minister, the report makes recommendations for improving the way health and safety is applied and tackling the compensation culture.

Download review

British Safety Council launch new campaign

Sun, 12 Sep 2010 10:29:15 GMT

Speak Up, Stay Safe - British Safety Council campaign

A new campaign from the British Safety Council asks young people to take responsibility for their own health and safety.

Julie Nerney, British Safety Council chief executive says: "Every 40 minutes in the UK a young person is seriously injured in the workplace. We think this position is wholly unacceptable. By highlighting to young people that they need to be aware of their environment and speak up if they feel unsafe we hope to significantly reduce this number."

The campaign supports young people to feel confident talking to their work supervisor, parent, teacher or friends if they feel that they are in an unsafe situation. No young person should feel pressurised to work in an environment where there is a risk of injury or death.

Neal Stone, head of policy and public affairs for the British Safety Council says: "In 2009, 3,200 young people between the ages of 16-19 were seriously injured while in work. In the past 10 years, 66 young workers have been killed in the workplace. These numbers show how important this campaign is, not just for young workers but to those around them - their parents, family members, friends and teachers".

The Speak Up Stay Safe campaign website provides specialist tips and advice for young people, teachers, parents and employers. Link URLs in this page Speak Up Stay Safe campaign website http://www.speakupstaysafe.com

HSE LAUNCH NEW LEAFLETS

Mon, 29 Mar 2010 20:29:46 GMT

HSE Construction Division has created some new, simple, straightforward guidance for busy builders who run small construction sites. The leaflets show real examples of good and unacceptable practice on site.

1. Running a small site

2. Manual Handling

3. Roof work

4. Welfare

Click on tiltle to open document and save to your PC

Info from HSE

HSE Release CoSHH Advice

Tue, 29 Dec 2009 11:55:43 GMT

The HSE has released new advice to small businesses relating to CoSHH

A new leaflet produced by the HSE entitled ‘Working with Substances Hazardous to Health’ has been written mainly for employers in small businesses to help them meet their specific duties under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (CoSHH) Regulations.

It is an easy to use guide which centres on dealing with hazardous chemicals at work, so that they do not cause ill health to employees as well as information on CoSHH assessment. The guide was actually produced with input from small businesses including hairdressers and construction workers. It is intended to provide updated chemicals advice to smaller businesses in a language that makes it easier to comprehend and follow.

If you are running a small business or are self employed, you will need this guide to make sure you are protecting your employees. Most businesses use substances, or products that are mixtures of substances. Every year, thousands of workers become ill due to hazardous substances.

This leaflet gives guidance on working safely with a variety of substances, from metalworking fluids which can grow bacteria and fungi and cause dermatitis and asthma, to hairdressing products. Many other products used in the workplace can be harmful such as paint, glue and beauty products.

This useful guidance tool will help small businesses comply with health and safety law and are compliant with CoSHH regulations. CoSHH is the law that requires employers to control substances that are hazardous to health. The CoSHH Regulations require employers to undertake risk assessments on their employees to determine how workers are exposed to dangerous chemicals and by how much . CoSHH helps provide measures to reduce harm to health and gives guidance on how to keep all dangerous chemicals in good working order.

The guide is practical and user friendly, and it highlights the importance of employers checking each substance they use and finding out how the substance can be harmful. Employers are encouraged to check the information which comes with products, for example; a safety data sheet. A material safety data sheet (MSDS) is a form containing data regarding the properties of a particular substance. Remember the MSDS is not an assessment.

Small businesses are an important contributor to the economy and are affected by a considerable number of occupational health related issues every year. However, if they follow the directions given in the guide, this will ensure that they are taking as much preventative measures as is needed to ensure the health and safety of their employees.

Published by HSE 21st December 2009

To view or download this document click here

If you require assistance or advice on completing your CoSHH assessments please contact Bravanark simply complete the enquiry form by clicking here

Fire safety breaches cost retailer £400,000.00

Tue, 22 Dec 2009 20:19:40 GMT

Record £400,000 fine for retailer's fire safety breaches

The fire closed part of Oxford Street for three days High street retailer New Look has been fined £400,000 and ordered to pay £136,052 in costs after pleading guilty to two breaches of fire safety legislation, following a serious fire at its Oxford Street store in London.

Thirty five fire engines and around 150 firefighters attended the fire on 26 April 2007, when around 450 people form the store and surrounding premises were evacuated. The first call to the fire service did not come until an office worker in an adjacent building took action, and the delay meant that the fire had already broken through the second floor windows when firefighters arrived. Despite the building's fire alarm sounding, the alarm was reset on at least one occasion, said London Fire Brigade.

Crews remained on the scene for the next three days and a section of Oxford Street was closed to traffic and the public for two days. The cause of the fire was never established and the store was subsequently demolished.

One charge to which New Look pleaded guilty was for an inadequate fire risk assessment which was found to have a number of flaws, including no record of the appropriate procedures to be taken during a fire alarm. Another breach was insufficient staff training, which led to a delayed evacuation of the premises. This lack of training, said LFB, also led to staff evacuating around 150 people through the main entrance which was directly underneath the fire on the second floor.

Other alleged breaches taken into account included the absence of an interface between the swipe card system and the fire alarm panel which would have deactivated the doors. In addition, green emergency door release units were fitted on the wrong side of the basement doors

Chairman of the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority, Councillor Brian Coleman, said: “Good business management includes taking responsibility for fire safety, knowing the law and acting on it. This conviction shows that large companies are not exempt from prosecution and that London Fire Brigade will take action when businesses do not take their fire safety responsibilities seriously. Failure to comply with the law can, as this case has shown, result in a substantial fine.”

Source: Fire Safety Engineering (www.fseonline.co.uk)

Have you completed your Fire Risk assessment yet. Contact Bravanark for further information by completing our enquiry form here.

First aid at Work - Changes to training regime

Sun, 18 Oct 2009 19:27:35 GMT

From 1 October new changes to the first aid training regime are being introduced to give businesses and organisations greater flexibility. While legislation remains the same, there are changes to the supporting guidance.

Download First Aid at Work Regulations here

Frequently asked questions click here

SWINE FLU - ADVISE FOR EMPLOYERS

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 13:43:39 GMT

General advice for employers for the current situation
Employers and employees should always practice good personal hygiene measures – use a disposable tissue to control coughs/sneezes, dispose of it appropriately and wash your hands before eating, drinking etc. In addition at the current time you should:

Advise your staff to stay at home if they are sick with flu-like symptoms and have good reason to believe, based on HPA guidance, that they may have been exposed to the swine flu virus Send home any employees who are displaying flu-like signs/symptoms in the situation described above. For further information visit HSE web site www.hse.gov.uk

EUROPEAN SAFETY WEEK

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 12:15:33 GMT

European Safety Week October 2009 focuses on risk assessment

The European Campaign for Safety and Health at Work will focus on risk assessment for the second year of this two-year campaign. Let Bravanark help you to simplify the risk assessment process and allow you to take control of your own health and safety.

The campaign runs from October 19 - 25, and is aimed at a wide range of stakeholders including employers, workers and safety representatives, and is intended to promote the benefits of completing and implementing a risk assessment. It will show that conducting risk assessments is not necessarily complicated, bureaucratic or 'just for the experts'.

Bravanark is ideally placed to help you to provide support for your organisation and employees with its risk assessment courses and other health and safety services. Our experienced trainers and consultants can help you to build risk assessment into everything you do, easily and practically.

Our next course on Principles of Risk assessments is on 21 October 2009 in Reading.

Click here for course details.