A joinery company has been fined after two workers experienced significant hand injuries on two separate occasions while using unsafe equipment.
The first incident happened in 2017. A worker had two fingers on his right hand amputated while cutting timber on a sliding table that was unstable and which failed to meet basic safety standards.
The second incident took place in 2018. In this instance, an apprentice suffered an amputation to a section of their finger while using planer thicknesser with an insubstantial guard.
An investigation by the HSE heard at Reading Magistrates Court found that the joinery company did not adhere to their legal obligations to ensure that equipment was safe and up to standard.
The HSE had previously issued the joinery with three Improvement Notices and a Prohibition Notice. The investigation found that, while the company had complied with the Prohibition Notice, it had failed to comply with the Improvement Notices within the given timeframe despite being granted an extension on the deadline.
The joinery company pleaded guilty to four breaches of the Health and Safety at Work Act, and a breach of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations. The company has been fined a total of £10,600 and ordered to pay additional costs of £2024.60.
Worker crushed to death at the plastic fabrication centre
A Liverpool based recycling company has been sentenced after a worker was fatally crushed to death by a falling plastic bale.
The plastic bales had been delivered to the recycling centre and stacked as free-standing columns. A forklift driver had noticed that the columns had partly collapsed and were in his way. He used the forklift to fix the stack, but they remained unsecured.
Later on in the day, the victim was working next to the stack of bales. The stack, weighing over 500kg, toppled and fell onto the worker, which caused significant crush injuries. The collapse remained undiscovered for almost an hour, and subsequent attempts to rescue the man were unsuccessful.
An investigation conducted by the HSE found that the recycling company failed to provide a way to securely store the plastic bales. The company was also cited for failing to carry out a risk assessment to identify risks associated with working near the stacks.
The recycling company pleaded guilty to breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act, and has been fined £120,000, with an additional order to pay costs of £10,540.95
Building contractor fined after wall collapses onto homeowner
A building company has been fined after a wall collapsed onto a homeowner during a routine demolition.
The contractors in question were working on demolishing a garage when the wall collapsed. The homeowner suffered from life-changing injuries, including the amputation of his leg below the knee, head injuries and major shoulder injury. The victim continues to experience memory loss in the aftermath of the incident.
An investigation by the HSE found that the construction company did not provide suitable measures to prevent the wall from collapsing, and failed to prevent other people from entering the work area.
The company pleaded guilty to breaching Section 19(1) of the Construction Regulations. The construction worker was given 120 hours of community service and ordered to pay costs of £1,500.
Choosing online training that’s right for your company, business or organisation is a big decision – for a number of reasons.
Not only is it a vital part of complying with legislation, but training can also dictate how your employees operate safely, and can even play a role in defining your organisation’s identity and reputation.
Choosing the right options for your training needs is essential. But with so much on the line (and so many options on the market) it can be difficult to know exactly where to start with finding training that’s right for you.
To help you get started, let’s dive into our guide of the key things you should consider to ensure you make the right decision about your training options.
This might seem like an obvious point, but developing a well-rounded understanding of your training needs is often the first hurdle that organisations struggle with.
Conducting a training needs analysis (TNA) then, is an invaluable way to kick off your research process. It can help inform your decision-making process, so you can better address knowledge gaps within your organisation among individual employees, specific job categories or groups/teams.
In fact, a training needs analysis has value that extends beyond finding potential training options – it can be used to assess your training performance, so you can find courses that aren’t effectively addressing your organisation’s needs. It’s an effective way to determine what training is really working for you – and what isn’t.
Another way to find out what training you might need is to conduct a risk-based training analysis (RTA). An RTA is a process that identifies training needs based on understanding the tasks performed within a role, the context in which the role is performed and the systems or tools needed to complete them. They’re particularly useful in assessing training that focuses on preventing harm, whether physical (health, safety or wellbeing) or institutional (business protection).
Another effective tactic you can use to develop your training profile is to consult your employees regarding their training needs – in fact, you may be surprised at what you find.
Employees can often provide insight into training that can make their duties easier and more effective, which can have a positive effect on their efficiency and productivity.
Consulting your employees not only allows them to have a say in their workplace, but it can also help guide you in developing your training strategy. Hold meetings with your workers, managers, department heads, and stakeholders or create surveys to figure out what you need to achieve through your online training initiatives.
Gaining an in-depth understanding of your training needs does take some work, but it’s well worth the effort. Arming yourself with the right information can often make your options clearer, so it really pays off to start off strong right out the gate.
Who are you training?
While knowing what training you need is the first hurdle you have to navigate, knowing your audience is definitely the next. How can you put together a strong training programme if you don’t know what your employees need to take on their duties, or further their personal development? Before you even consider buying an online training course, you should put a profile together to really understand your users.
What duties do they perform? What do they need to know to stay compliant? What training would they benefit from? How will they access training? Developing a profile of your learner’s and their needs can help your organisation to choose training effectively. Ultimately, if your training isn’t right for your employees, it isn’t right for your organisation as a whole.
What are your desired learning outcomes?
Once you know what your organisation needs, you should have a clear understanding of what learning outcomes you want from your training. These are defined as:
What your employees should know.
What they should be able to do.
How well they should be able to do it.
Once you’ve considered these topics, and outlined your key aims and outcomes you should concentrate on the training areas that reflect these particular goals. Setting clear results that you want to achieve with your training can significantly impact your options, so it’s important to know exactly what you want to get out of your training and factor that criteria in to your selection process.
How to choose online training that’s right for you – Things you should consider
If you were able to answer the above questions, you’ll have some insights into the kind of training that you’re looking for.
However, your research shouldn’t stop there.
Here are some key things you should consider that can really help you find training that caters to your training needs.
Accredited
Choosing training that has the right accreditation might influence your decision-making process in a couple of ways.
To begin with, if you’re selecting off the shelf courses for your compliance training, you should check that they’re approved by reputable regulatory and industrial authorities. This ensures that the content, structure, and learning experience of a course is of a high standard, so that your employees are receiving the best training experience you can offer.
Secondly, some organisations might have a preference for specific types of certification. If for example, you are a building contractor, a company or business you are looking to work with might prefer to work with enterprises that request a particular kind of certification. As a result, making sure your training portfolio can address these requirements is important, particularly if it can influence the business decisions of your organisation.
Content
With the rise of the internet and the sheer amount of information that can be found online, the term ‘content is king’ has often been used to suggest that quality content is the key to success. While this may be disputed within different industries, it still holds true for elearning – assessing the content of your prospective course catalogue should be an essential part of your decision-making process.
In fact, you should always explore the content of any training course to assess its quality and to make sure that it’s right for you.
Does the content cover areas of compliance that your organisation needs? Is it relevant to your employees? Does it fulfil the criteria that you’ve set for your learning outcomes? If your potential training can’t answer these questions right off the bat, then keep searching for training that does.
Another thing to consider is if your prospective training is engaging. Compliance training is often considered as a simple box-ticking exercise. In reality, training shouldn’t be a case of going through the motions, but serve as an engaging and informative learning journey for your users.
Studies have shown that training that is engaging, relevant and memorable can significantly improve knowledge retention, reduce the need for further training and help bolster employee performance.
There are many ways that training can achieve this. Tests and quizzes, multiple choice questions, point and click narratives and elements of gamification are all features that can keep users immersed in an engaging learning experience.
To really understand the content of your prospective training, find out if the learning provider offers a free trial or demo. Additionally, course descriptions can outline the structure, content and learning outcomes of a course, so they can often be useful to use as a guideline in the selection process.
Adaptability
While some off the shelf training can meet your compliance training needs, some might not be sufficiently specific or relevant to your compliance training needs.
Being able to customise training courses provides you with the means to adapt content to specific areas of focus within your organisation. Increasing the level of relevance gives your training greater impact.
Adaptive training is also beneficial in terms of uniformity. For example, some organisations have operations that have national and international sites. So having the ability to edit courses ensures that everyone has the right training in their region and that the same effective practices are being delivered, enacted and upheld across your organisation
Structure
One of the most effective ways you can ensure training keeps users engaged is through a clear and concise course structure. Structure can be achieved in a number of ways.
A good structure lets users know where they are at every stage of the learning journey. It guides them through the learning process, providing logical and relevant signposting on the subject they’re learning about and at what stage they are at in the process.
Additionally, an effective structure can help create an engaging learning experience characterised by flow. In the field of instructional design,flow theory suggests that learners can become immersed in the learning process. When they reach this stage, information is easier to understand and assess, and the rate of knowledge retention increases.
To achieve this, course modules should follow a methodical and unbroken structure which flows easily from one topic to the next.
This ensures that the course content is covered effectively, and avoids sections from repeating or overlapping in content.
Ultimately, structure should be seen as building blocks to learning – they gradually build towards a complete picture of the overall subject.
Relevance
Relevance should also be based on whether your training covers specific risks that are found within your workplace.
Is it well written? Does it go into enough detail? How long is it? Does it highlight key principles? Does it engage learners? These are all things that can determine whether the content of the course is able to address your training needs effectively.
The amount of training can also impact its level or relevance. Believe it or not, there is such a thing as too much training. Indeed, information overload is a common pitfall that employers can fall in to.
By trying to provide a comprehensive learning experience, employers can often enrol users on training that may not necessarily apply to them. Not only does this overload users with information that has no bearing on their role, but excessive training can incur additional costs and reduce the efficiency of the overall training process.
As a result, employers should always ensure that the content of their health and safety training is both relevant and proportionate to the needs of their employees.
If the course content you’re investing in isn’t relevant to their needs, and doesn’t specifically engage their competencies, you may be wasting time and resources which could be better utilised on training that benefits your organisation.
Usability
A training course may have all the bells and whistles – high production values, realistic scenarios, interactive quizzes – but its effectiveness can suffer if users find it difficult to use. This can happen in a number of ways.
To begin with, the front end and user interface should be intuitively designed and easy to use. If users can’t easily find and go through the training process, it can hinder their overall learning experience.
Secondly, as highlighted above, a clear learning structure can help guide users through the learning journey. Modules designed around a clear structure can also make information easily digestible.
Lastly, your training should be able to meet the needs of everyone within your organisation, including needs that may be specific to the individual. Do they require subtitles or audio descriptions? Does it provide enough time so that people with different reading speeds can complete it? Making sure that your training has usability that benefits your organisation can be a real gamechanger, so explore its features fully to see if it provides the value that you need.
Taking decisions for the future man standing with many direction arrow choices, left, right or move forward
Accessibility
How your users can access training can often become a barrier to effective learning, so it’s important to have a clear understanding of how your users will be able to access and take part in their training. This is where really knowing your users and their needs can really pay off.
For example, does your training require dedicated equipment such as a desktop workstation? And can you provide this equipment to your team?
But what about remote/lone workers? Do they have access to equipment that they can use to take part in online training? If this is the case for your organisation, then looking for training that works on multiple platforms could be the best solution for you. With the rise of mobile devices such as tablets and smartphones, mobile training can be accessed anywhere at any time, which means that users can complete training anywhere, anytime and at their own pace.
Often accessibility can become a question of resources, which can define your training requirements and your ability to deliver them right from the start. As a result, accessibility should factor in your decision-making process.
Management and Reporting
There is so much more to ensuring compliance than just making sure your users have ticked the right boxes. In the workplace of today, it’s not enough to count how many boxes your users have ticked – you need to ensure that your training enables actual compliance.
As a result, training that provides a reporting dashboard can be a real asset to your organisation. They can allow you to analyse your user’s training performance, so you can effectively target areas of improvement. A comprehensive reporting feature can also help identify instances of non-compliance and training gaps that you need to fill.
All in all, finding training that includes a reporting dashboard could be an invaluable investment that can have a positive impact on your organisation’s performance.
Price
Let’s cut to the chase – Price is important, and your budget can often make or break your decision-making process.
So why is it last on this list? Because when you’re looking for training, value is more important. If you find a training organisation that can deliver all of the above features, price should be the last thing on your mind.
What may be a short term financial saving could ultimately come at the cost of losing good quality training, which will end up costing your organisation in the long run, so make sure that price isn’t the only criteria when your organisation is looking for online training.
Buying online training courses can often be an overwhelming undertaking, but it doesn’t have to be. Finding good training that really supports and enhances your employees understanding can turn compliance training from being something to avoid into a real opportunity to enhance performance.
Follow these basic steps and you will find that the time and effort you put into finding training that’s right for you can really make a difference within your organisation.
Looking to train employees in health and safety, personal wellbeing or business protection? Visit our course library to see our extensive online training catalogue.
Disclaimer: This article is purely for informational purposes. For more information on EssentialSkillz, visit our About Us page.
Boy Sustains Life-Changing Injuries after Falling from Scaffolding
A 12-year-old boy suffered severe injuries after he fell from scaffolding erected by an insulation contractor in Cwmbran, South Wales.
The youngster and a friend managed to gain access to the structure through an unsecured ladder. After climbing to a height of 10 metres the ladder slipped, which caused him to lose control and fall. His injuries have required extensive medical treatment, and despite several operations, the boy’s injuries remain life-changing.
An investigation into the incident, conducted by the Health and Safety Executive, found that workers had failed to adequately secure on-site equipment.
The insulation contractor pleaded guilty to breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act. The company were fined £160,000 and ordered to pay £22,310 in additional costs.
The HSE inspector heading the case, Michael Batt, commented: “The death or injury of a child is particularly tragic and a lot of thought must go into securing construction sites. Children do not perceive danger as adults do. This incident could have been prevented by removal of the ladder completely or installing an appropriately sized ladder guard to cover the full width of the rungs.”
Construction Employee Sustained Serious Electrical Burns
A demolition worker employed by a subcontractor experienced life-threatening burns after coming in to contact with live electrical equipment.
The worker and a colleague had been working at a former molecular products site in Essex, removing electrical distribution equipment. Both workers stated that the leading contractor had confirmed that the equipment in question had been disconnected. Despite the contractors claim, the unit remained live.
To assure his colleague, the victim threw a wrecking bar at exposed wires in the 400-volt air conditioning unit which caused a flashover fire and temperatures that rose to a couple of thousand degrees. The worker sustained serious burn injuries that continue to complicate his health and quality of life.
An investigation conducted by the Health and Safety Executive found that the principal contractor did not have suitable control measures in place and failed to ensure the safety of the site and its equipment.
The company pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3 (I) of the Electricity at Work Regulations, received an £80,000 fine and were ordered to pay costs of £3,882.65.
The subcontractor also pleaded guilty to breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act. The company were fined £80,000 and ordered to pay costs of £3816.60.
Leading HSE inspector Adam Hills commented: “This incident has had a significant impact on [the victim’s] life and the injuries could so very easily have been fatal.”
Death of a 14-Year-Old Girl at the Mental Health Facility
A healthcare provider has been fined for health and safety failures that contributed to the death of a 14-year-old girl in their care. The teen, who had a history of complex mental health issues was found in her room after an apparent suicide attempt. She died the following day after life support was withdrawn.
A jury inquest in 2016 heard that numerous health and safety failures, including inadequate training and inaction, contributed to her death. The jury agreed that the teen may have lived if she had received proper care, and concluded that the provider had failed to discharge its duty to ensure people were not exposed to risk.
The provider pleaded guilty to breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act. They have been fined £300,000, ordered to pay costs of £65,801.38 and to pay a £120 victim surcharge.
HSE Inspector Michelle Canning, who oversaw the case stated: “This is a heart-breaking case. Our detailed investigation uncovered a number of failures. Our thoughts remain with [the victim’s] family and we are so very sorry for their loss.”
Becoming a mum is an exciting and life-changing experience.
From the moment that expectant mothers return to work with the good news, they are afforded certain protections, known as maternity rights, that are designed to protect their health and wellbeing as they continue to work throughout their term.
Indeed advances in medicine, coupled with growing economic pressure often mean that women continue to work further and further into their pregnancy or adoption term before they take their leave.
To ensure the health and safety of expectant mothers in the workplace, it’s important that everyone, from mums-to-be to line managers, understands what these maternity rights are and why they’re such a vital part of maintaining a safe and respectful workplace culture.
There are four key pieces of legislation that govern the rights of expectant mothers in the workplace.
The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 outlines the responsibility that employers have to create and maintain a safe and secure workplace for their employees. These regulations are purposefully broad in nature to ensure that all employees are protected, including new and expectant mothers.
TheManagement of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 (specifically sections 16 to 18) require employers to conduct suitable and thorough risk assessments to identify risks that pose a danger to the health, safety and wellbeing of new and expectant mothers. Once these risks have been assessed employers must introduce appropriate safeguarding measures that eliminate or minimise the risk involved.
The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992 require employers to provide adequate welfare facilities for new or expectant mothers. This can include anything from appropriate rest areas to private rooms where mothers are able to lie down if necessary. Medical advice provided by a doctor is often taken into account to determine the best course of action.
The Equality Act 2010 provides protection to expectant mothers and those on maternity/adoption leave against discrimination. This can include instances where employers have acted unlawfully, such as reducing working hours without warning or failing to implement reasonable change for the purpose of health and safety.
Each act and list of regulations are designed to protect the rights of new and expectant mothers, and ensure that their needs are addressed appropriately within the workplace. Additionally, they serve to outline and reinforce the level of responsibility that employers have to take proactive steps towards health and safety.
Under UK law, expectant mothers (including adopting parents) have certain rights that are designed to protect them from harm, abuse or discrimination while at work.
Expectant mothers are entitled to:
Protection for Health, Safety and Wellbeing
As outlined under the acts and regulations above, employers have a duty of care to ensure that the workplace is safe and suitable for all employees, including expectant mothers. One of their key responsibilities is to carry out a thorough risk assessment.
Employers should be notified about your pregnancy at least 15 weeks before your expected due date. However, there are a number of reasons why this might not always be possible, particularly if the pregnancy is not detected during the early stages. In this case, the employer must be informed as soon as possible.
Once an employer is informed, they should revisit their existing risk assessment to ensure it’s suitability. It’s highly recommended that you discuss any specific needs (as outlined by your doctor or midwife) with your employer so they can identify any actions that need to be taken.
If risk cannot be eliminated, employers must minimise or control them in one of three ways:
By temporarily adjusting working conditions or hours of work
By offering suitable, alternative work at the same rate of pay
If no suitable work is available, the employee must be suspended from work on full pay as long as is necessary to protect the health of mother and baby
Employees that are suspended on medical grounds (due to pregnancy) are entitled to pay equal to a normal week’s wage. However, your employer may decide to offer work that may be more suitable for you during the course of your pregnancy. If you are offered suitable work, you must take it, or you may lose your right to be paid.
If you are concerned about a health and safety issue but your employer doesn’t agree it’s an issue, you should talk to your health and safety manager or a union official if you are a union member. You can also consult your doctor orcontact the Health and Safety Executiveif your employer refuses to take action.
Access to Prenatal Care
Shot of a pregnant businesswoman and a colleague using a digital tablet together in an office
Expectant mothers are entitled to reasonable leave (with full pay) to attend any prenatal care appointments.
Prenatal (also referred to as antenatal) care is not defined in law and may cover a variety of needs. While in most cases prenatal care relates to medical appointments, it could also include Lamaze sessions and parenting classes. Employers will request proof in the form of appointment cards to authorise paid leave.
Adopting parents are entitled to paid leave to attend adoption appointments, and any appropriate care classes to aid in the adoption process.
Maternity Leave
Expectant mothers have the right to 26 weeks of ordinary maternity leave. They can also take a further 26 weeks of additional maternity leave which equals one year in total. The full 52 week total is known as Statutory Maternity Leave (SML).
Adopting parents are entitled to the exact same terms of leave, which is known as adoption leave (AL).
Adoption leave can start:
Up to 14 days before the date your child starts living with you (for adoptions within the UK)
When your child arrives in the UK or within 28 days beforehand (for overseas adoptions)
The day your child is born or the following day (in the case of a surrogate pregnancy).
While you’re away on SML or AL, your organisation is required to keep your position open for you by law. In most cases, they will advertise for maternity cover and in others, they may redistribute your workload to employees that share your job role or work within your department.
Maternity Pay
Expectant mothers are entitled to 39 weeks of Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP).
To qualify for SMP expectant mothers must:
Earn on average at least £116 a week
Have been employed by your employer for at least 26 weeks
Provide notice
Provide proof of pregnancy or adoption (Note: although employers are permitted to request proof by law, the majority of organisations do not exercise this right).
Have worked for your employer for at least 26 weeks continuing into the ‘qualifying week’ which is the 15th week before the expected week of childbirth.
SMP varies from person to person according to their respective salary.
For the first six weeks of SMP you’ll be paid at 90% of your average gross weekly earnings or £140.98 (whichever is the lowest estimate).
For the remaining 33 weeks, you’ll be paid at the lower end of either the standard rate of £140.98, or 90% of your average gross weekly earnings.
The last 13 weeks of SML, if you choose to take it, is unpaid.
If you don’t fulfil the requirements for SMP, you may be entitled to Maternity Allowance (MA)instead. Maternity allowance You can claim Maternity Allowance when your pregnancy reaches 26 weeks. Payments can start 11 weeks before your baby is due.
Adopting parents are entitled to Statutory Adoption Pay (SAP) which adheres to the same criteria as SMP.
Additionally, many businesses and organisations now offer contractual maternity/adoption pay as part of their employment benefits package. In some cases, the contractual pay offered by your employer could be more than SMP or SAP, and can’t be any less. Details on any contractual pay will be outlined in your contract, or talk to your HR for more information.
If you’re not sure about whether you qualify, or how much you may be entitled to, visit the UK government site to access their maternity calculator.
Protection Against Discrimination and Dismissal
It’s unlawful for employers to treat women less favourably because of their pregnancy or desire to adopt. Employers can’t:
Change terms and conditions of employment
Reduce working hours without cause or permission
Schedule work breaks that are purposefully unsuitable
Pursue days off due to pregnancy-related illness as a disciplinary action.
Most importantly, expectant mothers can’t be made redundant as a direct result of their pregnancy/adoption. This is considered a form of discrimination, for which organisations can face civil action.
It’s important to note that redundancy can still take place as long as an employer can fairly justify their choice. Situations where this may be possible include necessary departmental closures or operational restructuring. However, you are entitled to the same level of consultation that’s offered to other employees, including information on suitable alternative job roles within your organisation. Employers can’t discount you from the selection process based on your pregnancy/adoption, pregnancy-related illnesses or any impending leave you have.
However, just because you are on maternity leave, it doesn’t mean you can’t speak with your employer.
In fact, it’s often a good idea to stay in contact, so that you feel more prepared when you do decide to return. You can work up to 10 days for your employer without losing your SMP entitlement. These are called keeping in touch days, and they can be taken at any point during your leave. It’s important to remember that these days are entirely optional, and work and pay entitlements should be agreed on by both parties.
However, if you do more than 10 days of work for your company, you will lose your SMP for each week in your maternity pay period.
The rights of new and expectant mothers in the workplace can be quite confusing because of the sheer amount of detail they go in to. But its important to remember that these rules and regulations are designed to make sure mums throughout the UK are able to work free from harm or discrimination.
This article is purely for informational purposes. For more information on maternity rights in the UK, visit: https://www.gov.uk/maternity-pay-leave
Food Manufacturing Company Fined £1.8 Million After Two Workers Fall From Height
A Yorkshire based food manufacturer has been sentenced today for health and safety failures in a 2016 incident in which two workers suffered serious injuries after falling through a rooflight during routine roof maintenance.
The investigation, led by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that the workers had not been informed about the existence of the rooflights before work had begun. A build-up of moss and dirt that had accumulated over time also meant that the rooflights remained undetected. During the course of the maintenance, both workers stood on the same rooflight, which ultimately gave way beneath them.
Both workers suffered severe injuries in the fall. One worker suffered significant trauma including fractured ribs, a punctured lung, muscular injuries including contusions to the outer thigh, a fractured skull, and a perforated inner-ear. The injuries left the worker with ongoing health issues concerning their ability to maintain balance, as well as problems with memory and mental health.
Mark Slater, the HSE inspector who led the investigation stated that the incident was “wholly avoidable, caused by the failure of the company to provide adequate controls against the risks arising from working at height. Consideration of roof fragility and rooflights, visible or not, should be made, especially on older buildings.” The food manufacturer pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. The company received a fine of £1,866,000 and have been ordered to pay £8,019 in costs.
Building Contractor Sentenced for Endangering Workers
A Salford based building contractor pleaded guilty to significant breaches to health and safety regulations after permitting two employees to use unprotected platforms while working on site.
The contractor admitted directing the employees to work on the six metre high platforms without adequate training or protective equipment, including height-related and appropriate respiratory protection. An investigation conducted by the HSE revealed that the decision to not provide the appropriate scaffolding or protection against silica dust was intentional in order to reduce the costs. The contractor was also found to have failed to provide insurance to his workers. The contractor pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3 (1) And Section 2 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and Section 1 (1) of the Employers Liability Act 1969. He received a 26-week prison sentence, suspended for two years, handed 180 hours of community service and ordered to pay £2,000 in costs.
Matt Greenly, who led the investigation on behalf of the Health and Safety Executive concluded: “The HSE receives thousands of concerns from members of the public each year and we investigate those which show serious risk. Corners must not be cut when dealing with employees’ safety, such as working at height.” Read the full story
Civil Engineering Contractor Fined After Worker Killed by Overhead Power Line Strike
A civil engineer unloading materials at Hertfordshire farm was killed instantly when his vehicles grab arm came in contact with an 11kv overhear power line. The contractor who employed the worker had identified the power line during the course of their initial risk assessment. However, a subsequent investigation found that the company did not communicate the hazard to employees, and failed to provide adequate to their personnel.
The Health and Safety Executive inspector leading the case, Samantha Wells, noted “Every year in the UK, two people are killed and many more are injured when machinery comes into contact with, or close proximity to, overhead power lines”. The company pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3 of the Health and Safety at Work Etc Act 1974. They received a fine £400,000.00 and were ordered to pay additional costs totalling £17,242.33. Read the full story
After five years of international debate about the meaning of “worker”, “participation”, “leadership” and “interested parties” ISO 45001, the international standard for occupational health and safety (OH&S) management, was finally published in March 2018. The uptake of the new standard has been slower than expected, with ISO 45001 auditing organisations admitting that requests for accreditation have been “below predictions.”
Organisations with existing OHSAS 18001 accreditation have until March 2021 (or until their current certification runs out) to certify to the new standard. Some, given the expense and effort involved, will wait until the last minute to do so. Others, having delayed certification to OHSAS 18001 in the expectation of the new standard, might wait and learn from the experience of others.
The only way to really understand what ISO 45001 requires is to buy and read the entire standard. Whether you have already decided to go for ISO 45001 and you’re thinking about how to make the process run smoothly or you are still undecided, here are three key areas to consider. For each area we suggest some self-audit questions to assess your readiness for certification. (references in brackets refer to the relevant clause in ISO 45001).
Some features of ISO 45001 were copied over from the other aligned standards such as ISO 9001 for quality. However, the concept of worker participation was new to ISO 45001 and therefore hotly debated. Who is a worker? How do you measure participation? Is it the same as engagement?
The 2016 draft of ISO 45001 stated that management should be “ensuring active participation of workers.” That was going to be difficult to achieve, and harder to measure. The published version includes the more realistic requirement that organisations “establish, implement and maintain processes for the participation of workers.”
A precursor of participation is that OH&S policy should be available to all interested parties and communicated within the organisation. An auditor will need to see evidence of this. A circular email with a link to a document on the Intranet will not provide any evidence that workers have looked at the policies relevant to them.
Remember too that “interested parties” includes contractors. What documents do they need to see? If the documents are on your Intranet, what are the security implications of giving them access? Is there a better way of controlling what they see – and checking they have taken it on board in their planning?
Participation is not a box ticking exercise. ISO 45001 is replete with terms like “actively involved” and “promoting open discussion”. If you want workers to participate in areas recommended by ISO 45001 they need training in risk assessment, safety management and incident response, as well as task-related training such as working at height, electrical safety or manual handling.
Work Participation Self-Audit Questions
1.1 Can you provide and track “timely access to clear, understandable and relevant information about the OH&S management system”? (5.4 b) Can you show you have planned who needs to read which policies?
1.2 Can you show that you have provided contractors with “the occupational health and safety criteria” relevant to their work (8.1.4.2) and other relevant OH&S information (7.4.1 c).
1.3 Can you show that workers have had training “necessary for consultation and participation” (5.4a) including “identifying hazards and assessing risks .. determining control measures and their effective use .. and investigating incidents”? (5.4 e).
Leadership commitment means more than telling everyone that “safety is your first priority.” Without visible management commitment to providing resources for OH&S, participation becomes ineffective.
However keen a senior manager might be, there can be layers of “filtering” between the ground floor and the management suite – intermediate managers who pick and choose which information management should see. Whilst some filtering is necessary to stop senior managers being overwhelmed by the minutia of every day, it is better if senior managers can choose their own filters.
Whilst audits to OHSAS 18001 focused on documentation and observation, audits to ISO 45001 include challenging interviews with senior managers. An auditor will soon spot a manager who is out-of-touch with the way things are really done. Leaders must have the information at their fingertips.
Leadership Commitment Self-Audit Questions
2.1 Top managers can be asked how they communicate “the importance of effective OH&S management and of conforming to the OH&S management system requirements.” (5.1e) Can managers access information to see which workers have been consulted over which policies and procedures? Do they know what feedback was received?
2.2 Top managers demonstrate leadership by “supporting persons to contribute to the effectiveness of the OH&S management system” (5.1 g). Can managers show they understand the organisation’s priorities for competence, and explain how training supports this process?
2.3 What tools are available to support management review in your organisation? “Top management shall review the organization’s OH&S management system, at planned intervals, to ensure its continuing suitability, adequacy and effectiveness.” (9.3).
ISO 45001 requires organisations to “create documented information to meet the requirements of this standard.” Thankfully, the standard confirms “Procedures may be documented or not” (3.26). For example, some ad hoc maintenance procedures are too variable to document precisely and rely on the competence of the people doing it to determine the steps needed to complete a task safely.
OHSAS 18001 didn’t say that documentation had to be on paper, but there was often an assumption that it did need to be printed, or if not, it had to be text-based documents all kept on a server or Intranet. ISO 45001 (and related guidance in ISO 45002) is explicit that documentation can be in any appropriate format, which could include drawings, photographs, audio or visual recordings or graphs.
If all your documentation is currently in Word and Excel documents, going for ISO 45001 could be the opportunity you need, not just to get a certificate, but to put more efficient work processes in place. Using the best available digital technology to manage and track your policies, procedures and training courses will not only make an ISO 45001 audit easier: it will free up admin time, giving you more time to identify opportunities. Instead of hours spent organising the information and data, instant reporting means you can concentrate on the thing that all health and safety standards, from the UK HSE’s version in 1991 (HSG65) through to ISO 45001 have all aimed for – continuous improvement, which means saving lives and protecting health.
Documentation Self-Audit Questions
3.1 Can you show that where step-by-step procedures are not in place, you have processes for training people to carry out the work, and for “ensuring the competence of workers” (A8.1.1 b)?
3.2 Can you show when and how information has been created, reviewed and updated and who received which version? (7.5.2 Creating and updating).
3.3 Can you access OH&S information from anywhere, while keeping the information secure from anyone who should not have access to it? (7.5.3 Control of documented information).
If all your documentation is currently in Word and Excel documents, going for ISO 45001 could be the opportunity you need, not just to get a certificate, but to put more efficient work processes in place. Using the best available digital technology to manage and track your policies, procedures and training courses will not only make an ISO 45001 audit easier: it will free up admin time, giving you more time to identify opportunities. Instead of hours spent organising the information and data, instant reporting means you can concentrate on the thing that all health and safety standards, from the UK HSE’s version in 1991 (HSG65) through to ISO 45001 have all aimed for – continuous improvement, which means saving lives and protecting health.
For more information on what ISO 45001 is, who it’s for and how it can benefit your organisation, click here for the official PDF.
Looking to train your employees in health and safety? Visit our course library to see our extensive online training catalogue.
Disclaimer: This article is purely for informational purposes. For more information on workplace health and safety in the UK, visit the Health and Safety Executive.
Everyone deserves to live a life that is free from neglect, abuse or exploitation. Used throughout the UK and in many countries worldwide, safeguarding is a system of policies and procedures that are designed to reduce, and ideally, prevent harm to vulnerable individuals. Although the term is often used to refer to a wide range of groups, including young children, it also relates to vulnerable adults.
It’s possible that, whether in an employed or voluntary capacity, you may work or interact with vulnerable adults as part of your job role, so it’s important to understand what adult safeguarding is and why it’s a key part of workplace safety.
A vulnerable adult is someone over the age of 18 who may be unable to care for their wellbeing without aid, or are at risk of harm or exploitation. This criteria applies to a wide array of people, including:
Individuals that experience problems with mental health.
Individuals who are dependent on substances (both legal and illegal) or alcohol.
Individuals with learning disabilities.
Individuals with significant behavioural issues.
Individuals who have physical disabilities or sensory impairment.
Individuals living in refuge or sheltered housing.
Elderly people who are physically frail or experience cognitive impairment (such as dementia).
It important to remember that anyone can become vulnerable, even if they are capable of looking after their own affairs and wellbeing. Carer’s for example, may find themselves at risk of becoming vulnerable, particularly if they do not have access to an adequate support network or respite care.
Being aware of the signs and circumstances that can lead to a person becoming vulnerable is the first step in enacting effective safeguarding measures, both inside and outside of the workplace.
There are a number of reasons why safeguarding adults is important, particularly within a business or organisation.
1) It promotes the importance of respecting and ensuring every individual’s right to a safe and secure work environment, and that they’re kept informed and consulted on decisions relating to their wellbeing.
2) It helps to create a culture of social awareness and responsibility. While safeguarding may relate particularly to vulnerable adults, staff members are encouraged to be aware of the needs of their co-workers, and to take appropriate steps if they recognise something which may cause concern. This ensures that everyone is valued and appropriately supported within their workplace .
3) This social awareness can have a positive impact on the communication skills of staff members. The ability to communicate effectively with others about their safety and wellbeing is at the core of safeguarding. Knowing how to speak clearly, concisely, and appropriately about these subjects not only promote team cohesion, but it can have far reaching benefits that can improve communication at all levels of an organisation.
4) Finally, it demonstrates to everyone, from customers to stakeholders, that your organisation is dedicated to taking best practice seriously, and that you value and support every single one of your staff members.
One of the key pieces of legislation that determines safeguarding procedures for vulnerable adults is The Care Act 2014, which unified a number of previous regulations relating to social care under one comprehensive parliamentary Act.
In particular, the Act sets out 6 key principles of safeguarding that serve as a solid foundation on which to build safeguarding policies and procedures in the workplace.
Empowerment – Individuals should be given the opportunity to make their own informed decisions concerning their needs in the workplace.
Prevention – Organisations should always aim to take proactive steps to prevent safeguarding concerns from developing to begin with. This can be achieved by providing clear information, effective training, and promoting awareness.
Proportionality – Safeguarding actions should be proportionate to the risk involved. Being over-protective can have a detrimental effect on the individual in question and deprive them of the right to have a say in matters regarding their own safety and wellbeing.
Protection – Staff members should know what to do if they have a safeguarding concern. They should know how to identify and raise concerns, and be given guidance on how to offer help and support to people who may be at risk.
Partnership – Safeguarding is about everyone, from co-workers to managers and even board members working together to cover all angles in preventing, detecting and reporting concerns appropriately.
Accountability – Organisations should promote accountability and transparency in delivering safeguarding practice throughout their workplace. Roles and responsibilities should be clearly outlined, so that safeguarding procedures can be followed appropriately.
Ultimately, adult safeguarding is about being able to support vulnerable people, so they can have a good quality of life. As a result it’s important that anyone who works or volunteers with vulnerable adults receives appropriate training.
While adult safeguarding requires a great amount of responsibility and accountability, it’s important to remember that it can also be an incredibly rewarding experience which can have a positive impact on your staff members and your organisation as a whole.
Looking for adult safeguarding training? Check out the VinciWorks Adult Safeguarding course completely free.
This article is purely for informational purposes. For more information on Adult Safeguarding, visit the Health and Safety Executive.
Local Authority Prosecuted After Wall Collapses onto Child
A six year old girl was seriously injured when a wall partly owned by a Council collapsed onto her during a family barbeque. The girl was placed in a medically induced coma and spent 10 days in a hospital, of which 7 days were spent in an intensive care unit.
A HSE inspection revealed that the council failed to inspect the wall even after concerns were raised by residents in the two years leading up to the incident.
The Council pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act, recieved a fine of £133,333 and were ordered to pay additional charges of £21,419.55.
In summing up the case a HSE Inspector concluded that the incident was not only “wholly avoidable” but “could easily have been fatal”.
A family-run, Glasgow based care home has been fined £60,000 after a resident suffered fatal injuries from a fall down the stairs. The resident of the care home was found at the bottom of the stairs to the boiler room with a significant head injury. The door to the boiler room was designed to lock automatically upon closing to restrict access, however a fault in the doors mechanism prevented the door from closing as intended, leaving the area unsecure. The care home pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 4(3) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998, which stipulates that employers are required to make sure all work based equipment is suitable for the purpose it is provided.
The HSE inspector overseeing the case concluded that “This incident could so easily have been avoided by simply carrying out correct control measures and safe working practices.”
A trucking and paper mill company have both been fined after a worker of the trucking company was fatally crushed by a shovel loader while working at the paper mill.
According to the inspection conducted by the HSE, procedures to clearly designate safe operating areas for pedestrians and vehicles had not been put in place. Both companies pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. The trucking company was fined £350,000, ordered to pay costs of £6,613.90 and to pay a £170 victim surcharge. The paper mill was also fined £350,000, ordered to pay costs of £6,711.90 and to pay a £170 victim surcharge. The HSE inspector said “This death would have been prevented had an effective system for managing workplace transport been in place. This is a reminder to all employers to properly assess and apply effective control measures to minimise the risks from moving vehicles in their workplaces”.
It seems that whenever we talk about workplace safety today, cries of “it’s health and safety gone mad!” aren’t far behind. From outlawing running in the playground to banning flip flops in the office, it’s all too often that discussions on the topic tend to focus on situations where rules are at best outlandish, and at worst seen as lacking any common sense. With so much criticism and division on the subject, it’s easy to lose sight of the reasons why health and safety training is important in the first place.
While it may be a common trend to make fun of overzealous rules and guidelines, we often lose sight of the crucial role it plays in protecting millions of workers across the UK from harm.
It doesn’t matter what the size of your organisation is, if you have employees (or are self-employed), health and safety should be at the top of your priority list. Here are 7 key reasons why health and safety training is important for your business.
This might seem like an obvious point, but one of the key reasons why health and safety training is important is because it isn’t optional – it’s the law. Introduced in 1974, The Health and Safety at Work Actis a key piece of legislation that requires employers and employees to take reasonable and practicable steps to ensure health and safety in the workplace. In addition, certain regulations outline health and safety procedures in specific industries and sectors.
Breaking health and safety law can have severe consequences for many organisations. Fines for health and safety violations continue to grow year on year, as the UK Government continues to pursue a zero-tolerance approach against offenders. Fines can often severely disrupt a company’s financial security and, in severe cases, lead to bankruptcy. In addition to the financial cost, breaches in health and safety can often lead to criminal prosecution which can have a devastating impact on an organisations reputation and ability to continue to operate.
From busy construction sites to a quiet business office, all workplaces come with their own unique hazards. While it’s true that an office space might look and feel safe in comparison, threats such as slips, trips and falls, unsecured equipment and even asbestos are all things that can cause significant risk to workplace safety and are all potential issues that employee should be aware of.
It’s important to avoid becoming complacent with health and safety procedures, and to remember that no workplace is 100% safe. Ultimately health and safety should be an ongoing process that allows employers to identify, monitor and reduce risk associated with the workplace.
In today’s fast paced world, many consider health and safety to be a time consuming and tedious effort, but nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, there are many ways in which health and safety can have a positive influence on boosting an organisations efficiency and productivity.
In most cases, health and safety procedures require the use of concise language and follow a distinct step by step structure so that tasks are clearly defined and easy to understand. As a result, employees are able to complete work tasks efficiently, and above all, safely. A safe workplace also ensures that employees are able to go about their work without having to worry about unsafe working conditions. By working in a safe and secure environment, workers are more likely to remain focused which contributes to the overall productivity of the organisation.
Indeed, a good health and safety training program can play a key role in reducing costs in more ways than one.
Making operations clearer not only increases productivity, but can also help organisations cut down on indirect costs to businesses. Streamlined operations mean less time is spent on individual tasks, which ensures that working hours are more efficient.
Losing workers due to a workplace accident injury or illness can also have a detrimental effect on operations. Not only do employers lose valuable time and resources in managing the situation and finding a replacement, but they also miss out the knowledge, skills and experience that the employee brings to the table. Effective health and safety procedures mean that fewer employees need to take a leave of absence, which reduces the chance of long term disruptions to ongoing projects and the potential loss of highly skilled workers.
Finally, an uncompromising approach to health and safety training can also help companies avoid significant fines for breaches in health and safety regulations. In recent cases, fines for violations have soared into the millions as the UK government attempts to crack down on offenders. It’s also important to remember that on top of fines, organisations can expect to pay further dues in compensation, victim surcharges and the cost of legal proceedings.
A strong health and safety policy can help an organisation build a good relationship with its employees. Indeed, staff who feel safe and valued are less likely to leave, and tend to be more satisfied with their employers, which can have a positive impact on morale and help boost productivity.
On the other hand, in the digital age in which we live, word travels fast. Today forums across the internet are full of threads that discuss a companies values and ideals. A health and safety strategy can serve as a good indicator of an organisation’s awareness and commitment to social responsibility.
A safe and secure company culture is also something that prospective hires really value when looking for a new position. A safe and secure workplace can be an effective way to attract a highly skilled pool of potential candidates, which can aid an organisation in building an effective workforce.
Health and safety training is important because it can often play a vital role in what projects an organisation can bid for and how they are awarded. As a result, a strong record of health and safety excellence can help businesses to achieve high recognition and good standing in their industry.
For example, a construction company that demonstrates a commitment to health and safety, is compliant with all Health and Safety Executive (HSE) requirements and is industry recognised is far more likely to be awarded high profile contracts than a company that isn’t.
Building a strong profile is a vital part of the ongoing success of any business model, and a commitment to health and safety can play a key role in the process going forward.
7. There’s Nothing to Lose, and Everything to Gain
While the above reasons are all effective points, they do share a common theme.
In short, health and safety training is important because it has the capacity to unite employers and employees in the pursuit of a common goal – to create a safe and secure workplace that ensures the safety and success of everyone involved.
Ultimately, the benefits of a strong health and safety policy far outweigh the cost of maintaining it. To that end, health and safety training should never be seen as a barrier to success or considered as an after-thought, but rather as an effective and logical step to ensure good, ethical and productive business standards.
Looking for effective health and safety training? Check out the VinciWorks’ health and safety eLibrary and try any course completely free.
This article is purely for informational purposes. For more information on health and safety in the workplace visit: http://www.hse.gov.uk
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Leadership commitment means more than telling everyone that “safety is your first priority.” Without visible management commitment to providing resources for OH&S, participation becomes ineffective.
Indeed, a good health and safety training program can play a key role in reducing costs in more ways than one.