What's new at HSE

HSE in Europe

HSE — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 13:38:49 +0000

HSE, on behalf of the UK Government, is responsible for negotiating and transposing European legislation relating to occupational safety and health (OSH).

HSE in Europe

Fire leaders back plan to strike the right balance on health and safety

HSE — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 12:36:32 +0000

Leading fire and rescue figures are backing efforts to strike the right balance between protecting fire-fighters and ensuring they can properly respond to emergencies.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has agreed a new policy statement with the Chief Fire Officers Association (CFOA), the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) and the government’s Office of the Chief Fire and Rescue Adviser (OCFRA).

View press release ‘Fire leaders back plan to strike the right balance on health and safety’

Solihull hammer firm hit with fine after worker injures hand

HSE — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 12:34:09 +0000

A Solihull hammer manufacturer has been fined after an employee suffered severe injuries when his hand was caught in an industrial drill.

Solihull magistrates heard Aaron Watts was working at the Shirley based Thor Hammer Company on 6 November 2008. Mr Watts was operating an unguarded pedestal drilling machine when the glove on his right hand became entangled in one of the rotating spindles of the drill.

View press release ‘Solihull hammer firm hit with fine after worker injures hand’

Striking the balance between operational and health and safety duties in the Fire and Rescue Service

HSE — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 12:20:52 +0000

This statement is intended to clarify how the Fire and Rescue Service should comply with health and safety at work duties within their operational work.

The statement and subsequent guidance should assist Fire and Rescue Authorities in balancing risks, particularly in their wider role to protect the public and property, while meeting their health and safety at work duties to protect their staff and others.

View joint HSE and Fire and Rescue Services statement ‘Striking the balance between operational and health and safety duties in the Fire and Rescue Service’

Epidemiologist vacancy details

HSE — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 11:30:06 +0000

Job vacancy details are now available for the post within the Chief Scientific Adviser’s Office, based in Bootle as a Epidemiologist. Closing date Thursday 25th March.

View Epidemiologist job details

Ladder exchange success is a step in the right direction

HSE — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 09:39:01 +0000

Nearly 7000 ‘dodgy’ ladders have been surrendered in the three years HSE has been running the ladder exchange initiative.

HSE is now thanking all the retailers, manufacturers, trade associations and local authorities who have played their part in the campaign which gives workers the opportunity to get rid of old, damaged and broken ladders and trade them in for new ones at a discounted price.

View press release ‘Ladder exchange success is a step in the right direction’

Third set of 2009 pesticide residue figures released

HSE — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 08:36:37 +0000

The Pesticide Residues Committee today published its third quarterly report for samples collected in 2009.

The report found that the majority of foods had no detectable residues and those that did contain pesticides were not likely to be harmful to health. Tests found that 656 out of 911 samples of 14 different foods tested had no detectable residues.

View press release ‘Third set of 2009 pesticide residue figures released’

Tree Work News – April 2010

HSE — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 07:33:42 +0000

Welcome to the first issue of Tree Work News in 2010, this is the fourth edition of HSE’s e-newsletter
for the arboriculture and forestry industries.

In this issue: Reducing the risks from top handed chainsaw use, Safety and Health Awareness Days (SHADs) and AFAG updates

View April 2010 issue of Tree Work News

Tackling stress – Harrogate NHS case study

HSE — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 13:30:55 +0000

Harrogate and District NHS Foundation Trust give nurses more time to care. This project will add value to the patient experience by maintaining high quality of care; achieving higher levels of job satisfaction and going beyond patients expectations.

Tackling stress – Harrogate NHS case study

Food and drink manufacture website rebranded

HSE — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 13:30:25 +0000

The food and drink manufacturing industry actually comprises over 30 different industries. These range from slaughterhouses, sugar refineries and grain mills to malt manufacture and whisky distilling.

The rebranded website includes a new design, new features, better navigation, resources…

Food and drink manufacture website rebranded

HSE Chair Speech – Health and safety challenges for nuclear construction

HSE — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 11:39:29 +0000

HSE Chair Judith Hackitt’s speech from the Nuclear Build – Construction Challenges Conference, 9 March 2010, Hilton Kensington Hotel, London, UK

View speech and accompanying slides

Event aims to keep London’s stonemasons safe

HSE — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 10:38:00 +0000

Stonework companies in and around London are being invited to attend a free event in a bid to help reduce the rate of injury and ill health in the sector.

Quality marble, granite and other stone finishes are now common in many high-spec houses and flats across the capital, and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is keen to see that the many small businesses in this sector are aware of the potential health hazards associated with this work.

View press release ‘Event aims to keep London’s stonemasons safe’

Building company fined for putting workers at risk

HSE — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 09:36:31 +0000

A building company has been fined for putting workers at risk by using unsafe scaffolding.

Driffield-based Shane Homes Limited, registered at Bowlalley Lane, Hull, was today fined £1,000 and ordered to pay £799 costs at Beverley Magistrates’ Court after pleading guilty to breaching Regulation 6(3) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005.

View press release ‘Building company fined for putting workers at risk’

Nuclear stakeholder newsletter – February 2010

HSE — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 08:35:33 +0000

In February 2010, ND launched a brand new regular external stakeholder newsletter to ensure that anyone with an interest in what we do can keep up-to-date with developments in the Nuclear Directorate.

We have set in place an ongoing programme of work to improve our communications with those that are interested in, or affected by, what we do to deliver increased levels of transparency, accountability and consistency in the way we go about our business and this newsletter is a first step in that programme.

View February 2010 stakeholder newsletter

Safety first for builders at the BBC’s new Salford HQ

HSE — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 07:34:34 +0000

The head of Britain’s safety at work watchdog has paid tribute to the commitment to high safety standards at one of the UK’s biggest construction sites.

HSE Chair Judith Hackitt visited MediaCityUK – the £500m Peel Media development which includes a new home for BBC in the north – to see how leadership and innovation are helping to ensure workers’ safety on site.

View press release ‘Safety first for builders at the BBC’s new Salford HQ’

Shattered Lives – use ‘STEP’ to manage slips and trips risks

HSE — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 14:30:12 +0000

Our eLearning tool, STEP (Slips and Trips eLearning Package) is designed to help you assess and manage slip and trip hazards in the workplace.

STEP includes easy-to-follow guidance, case studies, videos, animations and quizzes. These are designed to give you the information you need to set up and maintain a safer way of working.

Shattered Lives – use ‘STEP’ to manage slips and trips risks

Safe and sound at work – Do Your Bit with subsidised training from HSE

HSE — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:30:37 +0000

HSE are offering two new subsidised health and safety training courses designed to either help organizations get started with worker involvement; or improve their existing arrangements for involving workers.

The courses are designed to help organisations achieve the potential benefits associated with a collaborative approach to health and safety at work. These include lower accident rates, increased productivity, efficiency and quality.

Safe and sound at work – Do Your Bit with subsidised training from HSE

Gas – Exercise Quartz information

HSE — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 12:30:03 +0000

The Network Emergency Coordinator (NEC) is regularly required to carry out a full-scale simulation of a Network Gas Supply Emergency (NGSE). Following the exercise, a report is produced for the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) detailing the effectiveness of the emergency arrangements and highlighting key findings.

Construction site safety leaflets

HSE — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 11:30:09 +0000

New safety leaflets for construction site builders have been published on the HSE website.

What you need to know as a busy builder:

Merseyside builder fined after putting lives at risk

HSE — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 10:30:04 +0000

A Merseyside builder has been fined £1,500 after he and another man were spotted working on a pub roof in St Helens without safety equipment.

HSE prosecuted Charles Molloy from Molloy Building Contractors after an inspector spotted the men on the roof of the Black Horse Hotel on Park Road on 18 June 2009.

View press release ‘Merseyside builder fined after putting lives at risk’