Lots of companies waste money in the false belief they need to test their Christmas lights annually, or even don’t put them up at all! By following a few sensible precautions, such as checks by the user for obvious signs of damage, every workplace can switch on safely and sparkle!
HSE RSS feeds
The Twelve Myths of Christmas: What bright spark created this myth? Yearly tests required for Xmas lights!
SCS job vacancy: Director of Finance
Job vacancy details are now available for the position of Director of Finance within the Senior Civil Service (SCS). Close date for applications is 9 January 2013.
Buy Quiet – Reduce the risk of noise-induced hearing loss in the workplace
Helping manufacturers, importers, suppliers and users of equipment to work together to reduce the risk of noise-induced hearing loss in the workplace by avoiding high noise equipment when suitable lower noise equipment is available.
Suffolk plastics company fined after worker hurt
A Suffolk plastics company has been prosecuted for safety breaches after a worker crushed a finger on a poorly guarded printing machine.
HSE and local authorities to make legionella visits in the west of Scotland
Businesses and organisations with cooling towers in the west of Scotland are facing checks to ensure they are managing legionella risks appropriately.
The Twelve Myths of Christmas: Don’t deck the halls – decorations pose health and safety risk!
The reality: Most organisations including HSE and local councils manage to put up their decorations, celebrating the spirit of Christmas without a fuss.
The Twelve Myths of Christmas
Christmas is a special time of year. Even so, it doesn’t stop health and safety being – wrongly – cited as a reason for preventing pretty harmless activities from going ahead. In the run up to Christmas we will publish the top twelve festive myths, gifted to HSE from media reports and correspondence received.
C3HARGE Industry Advisory Committee
The agenda for 3 October 2012 and minutes of 4 July 2012 meetings of C3HARGE (ceramics, cement, concrete, heavy clay, refractories and glass manufacturing industries joint health and safety advisory committee), now published.
INDG229 – Using work equipment safely (revised)
This revision incorporates minor changes to reflect the current position with regard to new machinery supply, the need for care if modifying existing machinery, and safety during maintenance of work equipment. References to other guidance have also been updated.
Norfolk company fined for assessment breach
The owner of a Norfolk aggregate site has been prosecuted for failing to complete a suitable and sufficient risk assessment for moving rail wagons without a locomotive.
Revised woodworking information sheets
Selection of respiratory protective equipment suitable for use with wood dust (WIS14) and Toxic woods (WIS30) have been revised.
Workforce Involvement Group (WIG)
The agenda for the Offshore Industry Advisory Committee’s Workforce Involvement Group (WIG) meeting on 29 November 2012 is now available.
AIS35 – Handling and housing cattle (revised)
This information sheet provides general advice for farmers on safe handling of adult cattle, including stock bulls, bull beef, suckler and dairy cattle, and on housing stock bulls and bull beef safely. This revision now includes general advice for farmers on preparing cattle for slaughter.
WIS23 – Wood dust: Controlling the risk (revised)
This revision contains new information on the use of airflow indicators and dust lamps as well as advice on how to improve dust control on circular saws. It replaces the earlier version of WIS23 as well as WIS24 LEV: Dust capture at sawing machines, WIS25 LEV: Dust capture at fixed belt sanding machines, WIS26 LEV: [...]
GEIS4 – Conveyor belt workstation design
New information sheet replaces waste and recycling industry guidance ‘Ergonomic Considerations for Designing and Selecting Conveyor Belt Systems’.
Injury brings early end to Hull man’s working life
A business owner in Hull has been prosecuted after an employee fell nearly four metres while painting the top of a water storage tank and shattered his left leg.
GEIS5 – Fragile roofs: Safe working practices
This leaflet is for building owners and occupiers, construction businesses and workers in the construction refurbishment and building maintenance sectors. It explains which surfaces present a particular risk, and what you should do as a building owner or occupier. It also explains what a safe system of work is, and gives some examples.
RR952 – A review of the literature on effective leadership behaviours for safety
There is widespread agreement between industry, regulators, academics and the press that leadership is a key component of a safe organisation. While there is considerable literature on leadership, very little of this addresses the issue of safety, particularly in the major hazard sector. This research aims to identify specific leadership styles, attitudes, behaviours and practices [...]
Impact Assessment – Proposals to replace the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (Application outside Great Britain) Order 2001 (the Order) with a 2013 Order
Impact assessment detailing why government intervention is necessary; the policy objectives and the intended effects; the policy options that have been considered, including any alternatives to regulation.