The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) is the national independent watchdog for work-related health, safety and illness.                                                             

HSE’s emphasis is on preventing death, injury and ill-health in Great Britain’s workplaces.  They will come down hard on people who put others at risk – particularly where they are  found to be deliberately flouting the law.

 BTP could help you avoid HSE enforcement activity through quality training and assessment. Please feel free to contact us for further information.

The following articles are just some of their recent enforcement activities:

• Aberdeen company fined after man falls from scaffolding http://www.hse.gov.uk/press/2011/coi-sco-08711.htm#?eban=rss-

• Shetland firm fined after worker injured in fall http://www.hse.gov.uk/press/2011/coi-sco-08511.htm#?eban=rss-press-release

• Lives risked on slippery roof in Wirral http://www.hse.gov.uk/press/2011/coi-nw-42rainsafe.htm

BTP IS NOW A LADDER ASSOCIATION APPROVED CENTRE 

We are delighted to announce that we can now bring you the Ladder Association Ladder Training Course. This 1 day course is for all users, supervisors and managers wanting to equip themselves with the knowledge, skills and confidence necessary to use ladders legally and safely.

The Ladder Association is the voice of the industry and its message is clear and precisely the same as the HSE….. Ladders are not banned in the workplace, so if it’s right to use a ladder, use the right ladder and get trained to use it safely.

If you would like any further information please call Cheryl or Keith on 01229 826262.

If you would like to have a look at the latest edition of the Ladder Associations Newsletter then please click on the following link:  http://www.swiftpage8.com/CampResource/300TX0SKI02VNB50/2/text.pdf

NRSWA Street Works - Operatives and Supervisors Assessment Programme 19th – 23rd September 2011

BTP will be delivering the 5 day New Roads and Street Works Act (NRSWA) Operatives and Supervisors assessment programme from our Barrow training centre on Monday 19th until Friday 23rd September 2011.

 If you are required to carry out work on the highways, it is your responsibility to ensure that you and your employees are competent in their jobs.

Current legislation requires that at least one operative in each gang is qualified, and that each site is managed by a qualified supervisor. Without these requirements being fulfilled, you risk your sites being shut down, with all complications and loss of money that entails.

 If you have a supervisor or an operative who requires this qualification then please contact Cheryl on 01229 826262 to reserve their place on the programme.

DYNAMIC RISK ASSESSMENT TRAINING COURSE

WEDNESDAY 31ST AUGUST 2011

Dynamic Risk Assessment (DRA) training was launched as one of BTP’s latest courses earlier this month. The delegates who attended were impressed with the course and found it to be very worthwhile.

This half day course includes:

• Understanding Risk
• What is a Risk Assessment
• Defining Dynamic Risk Assessment
• Principles of Dynamic Risk Assessment
• Practicing Dynamic Risk Assessments

 To book your place on this innovative and insightful course call Cheryl on 01229 826262.

The HSE has released details of its latest prosecutions and enforcement actions in the construction industry. We have seelcted the articels which may be of interest to you our client.

Work at height                                                                                                                         

5 May 2011 – A Hertfordshire-based electrical company has been fined £120,000 and ordered to pay costs of £81,927 after a man was left paralysed when he was knocked from a scissor lift and fell 8 metres to the floor below.  http://www.hse.gov.uk/press/2011/coi-se-0505.htm?ebul=gd-cons/jun11&cr=12

 May 2011 – A scaffolder from Hastings has been fined £15,000 with costs of £5,000 for endangering himself and others working on a four-storey scaffold with no harness. http://www.hse.gov.uk/press/2011/coi-se-0905.htm?ebul=gd-cons/jun11&cr=13

Asbestos                                                                                                                                   

27 May 2011 – A contractor has been prosecuted for exposing workers to asbestos in Derby. The contractor claimed asbestos removal was within his capability, despite not holding a licence to carry out the work. He arranged for four men to carry out the work unsupervised, with only basic instructions and inadequate tools and PPE for the job. The contractor was ordered to serve 300 hours community service and ordered to pay £500 costs. http://www.hse.gov.uk/press/2011/coi-em-final11.htm?ebul=gd-cons/jun11&cr=25

DYNAMIC RISK ASSESSMENT TRAINING COURSE

WEDNESDAY 13TH JULY 2011

Dynamic Risk Assessment is a method of dealing effectively with unexpected risks in rapidly changing circumstances.

We are offering a half day training course in Dynamic Risk Assessment (DRA). The aim of our course is to help you understand risk, identify the factors that increase risk and the theory behind the approach. Each delegate will select a topic and carry out a DRA. The instructor will then assess the DRA’s and provide constructive feedback to each delegate.  

For further information and to book your place on this course please contact Cheryl on 01229 826262.

AND THE WINNERS ARE…………..

JANUARY – David Dickinson, ADW Ltd

FEBRUARY – McKnight & Son Builders

MARCH – Henry Younger, Stobbarts Ltd

APRIL – Bjorn Poilvache, GeoSea

MAY – Jamie Frankland, Optech Fibres Limited 

JUNE – Ian Tomlinson, Hanson

JULY – Daniel Parker, Hertel UK

BTP launched a monthly prize draw to encourage all clients to complete their feedback forms. All of the returned client feedback forms are entered into a monthly draw, the winner receiving a bottle of wine. 

We want to know what our clients think of the services we provide and ask if there are any changes or modification which need to be addressed.

THANK YOU TO ALL OF OUR CLIENTS WHO SUBMITTED THEIR FEEDBACK!

BTP's Winner for May 2011 - Jamie Frankland, OptechFibres Ltd (left) receiving his prize from BTP instructor Jim Doherty

Recently published HSE enforcement activity relating to Asbestos

5 April 2011 – A property developer put his workers at risk by failing to identify the presence of asbestos before allowing them to start work on a nightclub in Wrexham. The property developer was given a suspended sentence of eight months for breaching the Control of Asbestos Regulations. He was also given a 12 month suspended sentence for breaching Section 33 (1)(c) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, and eight months suspended sentence for the offence contrary to Regulation 19 of the Hazardous Waste Regulations 2005. In addition, he was ordered to carry out 200 hours of community service and to pay costs of £10,000 over two years.                                                                                                                                          (To read the article in full click on the following link) 

http://www.hse.gov.uk/press/2011/coi-w-michaelmurton.htm?ebul=cons/apr11&cr=18

18 April 2011 – A contracting firm was fined £10,000 and ordered to pay£3,064 in costs after workers at a major renovation site in Plymouth were exposed to asbestos containing material.                                                        (To read the article in full click on the following link) 

http://www.hse.gov.uk/press/2011/coi-sw-clccontractors.htm?ebul=cons/apr11&cr=19

Recently published HSE enforcement activity relating to Work At Heights

5 April 2011 – A Cowbridge roofing company has been fined £5,985 and ordered to pay costs of £1,800 after repeatedly putting its workers at risk by ignoring urgent orders to improve safety. HSE issued a Prohibition in January 2010 after finding employees were being put at risk of a potentially fatal fall from height. On a return visit in August 2010 HSE found that the firm had again failed to ensure work at height was carried out safely.  (Follow the link to read the article in full)

http://www.hse.gov.uk/press/2011/coi-w-cfrflatroofing.htm?ebul=cons/apr11&cr=8

 12 April 2011 – Two companies have been fined a total of £400,000 for breaches of health and safety legislation that resulted in the death of a stonemason’s labourer at a Glasgow construction site. James Kelly fell to the ground from a scaffold loading tower platform. He died later from his injuries. The HSE investigation found that there was no safe system of work in place for loading materials onto the loading tower, nor had suitable assessment of the risks involved been made. The investigation also revealed that the loading tower did not have sufficient guard rails and toe boards and that neither company had ensured that the tower and access scaffolding was properly inspected on a regular basis.                                                                  (Follow the link to read the article in full) 

http://www.hse.gov.uk/press/2011/coi-sco-03211.htm?ebul=cons/apr11&cr=10

18 April 2011 – A Hampshire roofing boss has been fined £10,000 and ordered to pay costs of £6,497 after workers were spotted removing roof tiles without scaffolding or safety barriers to prevent them falling.        (Follow the link to read the article in full)   

http://www.hse.gov.uk/press/2011/coi-se-0604.htm?ebul=cons/apr11&cr=12

 Asbestos could be present in any building that was built or refurbished before the year 2000.

a) Before starting refurbishment or demolition work make sure the building has been checked for asbestos-containing materials and plan the work to avoid disturbing these materials if possible

b) If asbestos is found and will be disturbed during work make sure it is removed and handled correctly. This may mean using licensed asbestos contractors if the asbestos materials are sprayed coatings, board or insulation, lagging on pipes and boilers.

c) Provide basic awareness training for workers to help them recognise asbestos-containing materials on site

THAT’S WHERE BTP CAN HELP – WE ARE RUNNING ANOTHER 2  ASBESTOS AWARENESS SESSIONS ON TUESDAY 14TH JUNE 2011. TO BOOK YOUR PLACE CALL CHERYL ON 01229 826262