Hi-Viz

Volume 11, Issue 37

Bernard Sims Associates

In this issue:

• HR joins Health & Safety at BSA
• Job over £300,000? Are you doing SWMPs
•  Small Jobs No Risk?
•  RIDDOR Changes
•  Accident  Reporting
•  HSE Infoline
•  BSA AFFORDABLE TRAINING SCHEMES:
     -Site Supervisor’s Safety Training
• HSE Targeting Small Companies and Clients

 Email bsims@bsims.co.uk

Guildford Office
York House
38-42 Chertsey Street
Guildford
Surrey
GU1 4HD
Tel 01483 467270

Leeds Office

13 Fusion Court
Aberford Road
Leeds
LS25 2GH
Tel 0113 286 9084

 
Glasgow Office:
4 Ruchill Place
Ruchill
Glasgow
G20 9PR 

Tel 0141 946 6580
Mob 07786 398985

This newsletter is sent to clients and contacts of Bernard Sims Associates and people that we think might be interested in learning more about health and safety. If you wish to unsubscribe to this newsletter, please forward the email to marketing@bsims.co.ukPlease do not 'Reply' to this email directly.  

Have you got Party Walls?

The purpose of The Party Wall etc Act 1996 is to give rights and obligations to building owners and adjoining property owners. If construction work is contemplated at or near a property boundary, The Party Wall etc Act 1996 probably applies:

Where the act applies, BSA acts for 'Building Owners' and for 'Adjoining Owners'. [See Reference > Does the Party Wall etc Act Apply?]

The cost of a Party Wall Surveyor employed by an Adjoining Owner to respond to the notification issued by a Building Owner is usually paid for by the Building Owner.

We supply Party Wall Surveyors to:

• Survey sites
• Notify Adjoining Owners
• Respond to notices from Building Owners
• Negotiate reasonable agreements between Building and Adjoining Owners

...and advise you of your rights and obligations under the Act.

For further information - please call Bernard Sims Associates on 01483 467270 or e-mail bsims@bsims.co.uk.

 Have you have got adequate fire safety protection? All you have to do is to appoint a competent person and keep up to date with your fire risk management in order to comply with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order known as RRFSO 2005

For further advice contact BSA on 01483 467270 or bsims@bsims.co.uk

Retained Health & Safety Advisors
(inc BSA Advice Line)
To have a competent health & safety resource is important:
BSA offer a service which includes free phone or email advice, to be named as your competent advisor (certificate available) and to advise changes in health & safety legislation which may affect your company.

Since we first offered this service the response from you has been really positive. Contacts have found the service, quick and cost effective in these hard times.

If you want to know more about the service please contact Roger Koester on 01483 467270.

BSA Vision for the Future

"Working together to become the premier supplier, providing a safer environment, for all, throughout the United Kingdom & Ireland"

bsims@bsims.co.uk 
or phone
01483 467270

* Employment Law
* Employment Handbooks and HR Policies
* Employee Surveys
* Employee Development
* Grievances
* HR Training
* Investors in People
* Job Descriptions
* Performance Management
* Recruitment and Selection
* Restructuring and Redundancy
* TUPE

We also offer retained HR services.  Please call Jackie on 01483 467270 for further information on any of our HR services or send an e-mail to jackie.s@bsims.co.uk 

Job over £300,000? Are you doing SWMPs? No time for messing! - Local Authorities start 'SWMP inspection visits

Following on from a programme in 2010 with Brighton and Hove City Council, other Authorities are now preparing to visit construction sites to ensure that projects are complying with the legislation and have a Site Waste Management Plans (SWMP) in place. 
Eastleigh Borough Council, Lewes District Council and Horsham District Council will be visiting projects in their respective areas to check that the contractor has a SWMP and that it is being kept up to date.
SWMPs are required for any project with a total value of £300,000 or more (you can't split out different elements like demolition, rebuild and fitout).

SWMPs are a management process to reduce or eliminate waste and can save money.

Having worked closely with the Environment Agency, BSA are well placed to assist / produce SWMP’s and to advise on general Environmental issues. If you need to know more about what you need to do - call 01483 467270 and ask!

Small Jobs No Risk?

Graham Nicholls, 66, who was not registered as a gas installer with CORGI incorrectly fitted a flue to his neighbour's LPG boiler leaving the potential for an explosion and carbon monoxide poisoning. Mr Nicholls was found guilty and was sentenced to 300 hours of community service to be completed over 12 months and ordered to pay costs of £2,280.
OR
Two companies, a director and a sub-contractor have been fined a total of £130,000 for health and safety failings after a construction worker suffered serious burns following an electric shock from an overhead power cable.
Self-employed steel erecter Mark Rushbrook, was constructing two new poultry units at Sunny Farm in Swineshead, Bedfordshire. He was using a scissor lift to clad the gable end of a steel frame when it came into contact with a power cable and he suffered an 11kv electrical shock.

RIDDOR Changes

On 09th May the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) closed its consultation on reforming workplace accident reporting procedures.
The proposals to reform the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995 (RIDDOR) suggested only one amendment - an extension of the “over three day rule” for reporting work related accidents, to over seven days.

This change would implement one of the recommendations set out by Lord Young in his “Common Sense, Common Safety” report.

By extending the period to seven days, the regulatory and administrative burden on employers is reduced, and may also help address the problem of under-reporting.

Accident  Reporting

FROM 12 September 2011, reportable work-related injuries and incidents under RIDDOR (the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995) will move to a predominantly online system, with a suite of seven forms available on the Health and Safety Executive’s website to make the statutory reporting process quick and easy.
However, the HSE has confirmed that businesses will still be able to notify fatal and major incidents and injuries by phone following the changes to the reporting arrangements.

HSE Infoline

In a move to improve efficiency further and deliver value for taxpayers, the HSE’s Infoline telephone service, which currently provides a basic information service to callers, will end on 30 September 2011.
Instead, businesses seeking information and official guidance on health and safety issues are being encouraged to use the HSE’s website, which offers free-of-charge access to a huge knowledge bank, including information regarding the most frequent health and safety enquiries, such as those on RIDDOR reporting, first aid, and the health and safety responsibilities of new businesses.

BSA AFFORDABLE TRAINING SCHEMES:

Site Supervisor’s Safety Training

Bernard Sims Associates are running a course specifically tailored for Supervisory staff on building and construction sites. This course will include:

• The Health and Safety at Work Act and relevant regulations
• Specific site issues, which will include site set up, controls and work at height
• Tool box talks
• Control of subcontractors
• Health issues including asbestos and silica dust

This course will provide a sound basis for those either currently or intending to undertake supervisory services and it will provide an introduction to health, safety, welfare and environmental issues.

The training provided will be classroom based and use a variety of teaching and assessment methods which will provide a clear understanding of responsibilities and practical steps that will lead to a safe site.

Through continuous assessment and a multiple choice examination at the end of the course successful delegates will be issued with a certificate comparable to other training providers.

Details   
Cost: £250 to include the 2 day course, information pack, refreshments and certificate

When: 13th & 14th September 2011
Times: 9.00 am to 5.30 pm daily
Where: Guildford Office Training Suite

Parking: York Road Car Park (Sat Nav GU1 4DS) (3 mins walk)
Public Transport: Guildford Train Station (10 mins walk) or Guildford London Rd Station (5 mins walk)
 
Booking: james.v@bsims.co.uk or phone  01483 467270  to book your place

%uFEFF

Previously, BSA has noticed that the HSE were targeting large, tier one contractors and have praised these companies for their improvements in health and safety over the past decade. But the smaller companies were the ones having the accidents and fatalities!
The HSE are finally turning their attention to smaller contractors, sub-contractors and clients who are failing to comply with the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations (CDM).

The HSE have stated that things have changed for the better, but certain sectors are still failing to comply with the law, especially with on-site monitoring of health and safety.

Ten years ago 30 per cent of deaths on site were from employers of less than 10 people, but that rose to 65 per cent last year, so the HSE has shifted its attention to smaller firms.

The HSE is also finding that certain Clients are still not aware of their legal duties under the CDM Regulations. Designers, the Principal Contractor, Contractors and CDM Coordinators must ALL check to see if the Client is aware of their duties, especially where a job becomes 'notifiable'.

Historically the HSE have not prosecuted clients, but now will be asking why contractors are working unsafely and will be tracking back to look at the client’s role in more detail and will be cracking down on them.

The HSE will support systems on site that are designed to  get the facts on health and safety to site workers.

 The HSE will now be targeting Clients, the smaller sites and smaller contractors to get their message across to them, so BE WARNED.

If you are a Client or small contractor and are not fully aware of your responsibilities under the CDM Regulations and require advice or assistance on general health and safety, please contact our specialist team on 01483 467270

For more information, click on the picture-link to the BSA website and hear what Bernie has to say:

Be Warned - HSE Targeting Small Companies and Clients in 2011