Season's greetings!
What do you want for Christmas? Well a bit more certainty and a bit more work would probably fit the bill for many but let's think of the up-side of the current economic situation:
1) Santa will be delivering smaller presents meaning his risk of back injury is less.
2) There'll be less charging around in the company sledge (particularly appropriate at the time of writing) meaning time to get the driving policy in order and think about things.
3) There's time for New Year's resolutions like getting your CDM Coordinator involved at an early stage so he or she can make the most difference and getting your your Health & Safety policy to really make your life safer and healthier!
So what was 2009 like for you? Perhaps you'd like to send a sentence or two to dan.s@bsims.co.uk and I'll put a range of (anonymous) comments in the January Hi-Viz.
We're still seeing lower levels of work in construction but interest in health and safety in other areas has been developing. We've also been able to help some clients by ensuring that whatever they do is prioritised and their costs are reduced without cutting corners.
However, as preparations continue for the festive season we would wholeheartedly like to thank all of you for your continued business and friendship through the past year.
2010 will continue to present challenges but fortunately BSA is well founded so once again, thank you all and have a great holiday from all the guys and gals at BSA! Bernie.
PS Try testing your reflexes by saying 'CoSHH Assessment' when you have a drink!
HSE Myth of the Month December: You can’t throw sweets during Pantos!
The reality
Health and safety rules were blamed when a panto stopped throwing out sweets to the audience. In fact, they were worried about the cost of compensation if anyone got hurt.
If you're unsure about an event you're organising, you might want to talk to your insurer to check that you've got the right cover and you've managed any risks effectively. It can help to make sure that trivial risks don't cause too much concern.
Realistically, if a panto throws out sweets the chances of someone being seriously hurt is incredibly low. It's certainly not something HSE worries about - as far as we're concerned, this is a case of 'Oh yes you can!'
HSE publish Myths on http://www.hse.gov.uk/myth/2009.htm
In Court:
On 11 April 2006 a scaffolding collapsed at a hotel construction site resulting in one man dying and two more being seriously injured. Could this happen at one of your sites?
There were a number of factors that led to the collapse. These factors included the scaffold not being inspected correctly, the scaffold being overloaded and the management of site not properly coordinated by the Principal Contractor.
Approximately 150 tiles each weighing 20 kg were stacked on the west elevation of the scaffold.
The cladding company pleaded guilty to breaching: reg.3 of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999; reg.4 and reg.12(1)of the Work at Height Regulations 2005, for not adequately planning work at height and failing to inspect the scaffold; and reg.4 of the Construction (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1996, for failing to ensure that the scaffolding was stable. It was fined a total of £36,000 and ordered to pay £28,000 in costs.
The Principal Contractor accepted their lack of management and control on site and pleaded guilty to breaching s2(1) and s3(1) of the HSWA 1974. They were fined £90,000 and ordered to pay costs of £42,000.
Charges were also brought against the company that erected the scaffold but the firm went into liquidation in 2008. The Judge said that the most culpable party was not in court.
The HSE had visited the site in August 2005, during the early stages of the project, and raised a concern that the size of the management team and the number of workers on the site were insufficient. It also informed the principal contractor that the scaffolding had not been properly inspected. The HSE issued a Prohibition Notice against the scaffolding and demanded that the scaffold was not touched until it had completed an inspection of the site.
Despite early warnings, safety measures were not put in place and this avoidable incident changed the lives of the injured parties and the families all three people forever.
Timber Frame Fire
A timber-frame block of flats under construction in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire was recently destroyed in a fire. More than 40 firefighters attended the blaze which was well developed by the time they arrived.
Fire crews had to rescue two people who became trapped in a neighbouring house and who were taken to hospital suffering from the effects of smoke inhalation. The house was damaged by smoke and radiated heat from the fire. It took three hours to bring the fire under control and firefighters were on the scene for around 24 hours.
The block was one of two being developed on the site, comprising a mixture of one and two bedroom flats, and had been built to roof level but had not yet been clad.
The cause of the fire is being investigated jointly by police and the fire service.
The UK Timber Frame Association's 'site safe' campaign will require timber frame manufacturers to get clear agreement 'upfront' from the main contractor or developer that they understand the short-term risks when timber frame panels are under construction in large sites, and that they will take appropriate action to mitigate any risks. This process will be mandatory for all UKTFA members and documented evidence will be maintained by the timber frame manufacturer.
The site safe scheme could also require completion of a database that would contain information on timber frame developments that are either four storeys or more in height or have a floor space covering an area greater than 2,500 sq m. All UKTFA members would be required to provide the association with information on such sites including the location, contractor, developer, manufacturers and development details.
They would also have to provide formal paperwork to prove the timber frame suppliers had made the contractors aware of potential risks during the pre-contract and pre-start meetings.
"The message has always been very clear: what matters above all is good site management and site security by the contractor during the construction period, particularly in inner city locations or areas vulnerable to vandalism or arson, regardless of what method of construction is used. We are determined to ensure no one can ignore this message in future, so we are bringing forward our plans for mandatory requirements to force greater compliance."
The UK Timber Frame Association produces guidelines and recommendations called "16 Steps to Fire Safety on Timber Frame Construction Sites" (see our website).
Foamed Concrete Explodes
The following has been extracted from the HSE website that has been produced to provide information on an explosion involving foamed concrete and provide interim advice whilst HSE continues its investigation.
There was an explosion which injured two people in August 2009. A contractor had filled a pit with about 6m depth of foamed concrete. Whilst the concrete was setting, workers started removing steelwork using angle grinders. There was an explosion underneath the steel walkway on which two contractors were standing and which blew the steel plates and the workers up into the roof.
HSE is investigating.
The foaming agent in this concrete mix was air produced by the addition of surfactants and agitation. It appears that while the concrete was setting, the flammable gas hydrogen was produced. The particular location of the pour within a relatively confined area beneath a walkway appears to have allowed a flammable/explosive mixture to have developed.
HSE has been investigation the means by which hydrogen was generated. Aluminium is known to react with cement/concrete mixtures to form hydrogen. The particular concrete mix included incinerator bottom ash (IBA) which is suspected of being the source of aluminium. Tests on raw materials and the mixed concrete revealed the presence of aluminium. Tests to confirm the suspected mechanism have not yet been completed.
In the meantime the supplier of the IBA has been asked to advise customers of the following:
• foamed concrete mixes containing IBA or other recycled materials should be poured in the open air;
• if such mixes are to be poured within a building or confined area, adequate ventilation must be provided and the entire surface of the poured concrete should remain visible until it has set;
• sources of ignition such as naked flames or spark-generating tools (e.g. disc cutters, angle grinders) should be kept away from the concreted area during the pouring and setting process.
The HSE has not taken any action requiring the removal of IBA from concrete products and is not investigating any other similar explosions. They estimate that the scientific tests will be completed by the end of 2009 at which time we will consider what further action needs to be taken.
