Winter Weather – Don’t slip up this winter
Nov
21

Winter weather can be the cause of many accidents – Don’t slip up this winter. Accidents involving slips & trips tend to peak in the autumn and winter due to:

  • reduced daylight
  • cold winter weather spells causing ice and snow to build up on paths

winter weather

Every year the snow and ice that covers the country receives national media coverage. Local press attention goes to the most personal cases associated with injuries that people suffer as a result of falls. Some of these injuries may result in claims for damages through the courts.

Protect your business – regardless of the size of your site, always ensure that issues affecting access routes are tackled promptly.

Winter Weather: let us correct some misconceptions

By taking steps to clear or grit a pathway to prevent an accident occurring, you are not accepting responsibility for any slips or trips that may occur on your premises. Equally, if you do not clear the ice and snow then you can be held liable for injuries that occur.

You should take all reasonable steps to reduce the risk of an accident occurring, also reducing your chances of being successfully sued for any accident that does occur.

Simple Winter Weather procedures for smaller areas

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Simply Put – Sensible Risk Management
May
25

Sensible Risk Management

‘Health and Safety’ often gets a bit of a bad press, with the phrase ‘health and safety gone mad!’ never too far away. In this article, we’re looking at what sensible risk management means – and perhaps more importantly, what it isn’t about.

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Schools – Work Placement Checks
Feb
08

Take a look at the HSE “Myth Buster website” and there are lots on interesting, foolish and generally odd ideas out there. This particular one intrigued me as I’m currently doing a lot of work with Schools and Academies.

Case 223 – Enquirer advised that she is unable to carry out work placement checks in high risk companies

Issue: Schools – work placement checks

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False claims over health and safety
Sep
06

An article about Health and Safety published in the Guardian on 05 September 2013 makes very interesting reading. The article centres on the dim view taken by the authors over the government making “False Claims over Health and Safety”. The article also points out that “The government will best protect people in workplaces by effective regulation and enforcement. The UK is still faced with enormous burdens of work-related ill health, as well as major injuries due to failures in safety.”

In the middle of the article appears this powerful section:

Recently the government has been taken to task for making false or inaccurate statements about UK economic statistics. Similar untruths and distortions are now emerging on occupational health and safety, and should be withdrawn.

Take a look at the full article by clicking here.

Health & Safety Myths: British Bulldog was banned because of H&S
Sep
22

The myth:

Schools banned British Bulldog in playgrounds because of health and safety

The truth:

  • The playground game British Bulldog was banned by many schools due to concern arising from the danger it caused. No national or legal ban was put in place, but many schools still feared for the welfare of pupils on playing such a violent game.

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Health & Safety Myths – Wearing goggles for conkers?
Sep
08

The Myth:

Children must wear goggles when playing conkers at school.

The truth:

•    This myth is an old chestnut of the health and safety myths (no pun intended), and is that- nothing more than a myth.

•    HSE has no policies regarding the childhood pastime, yet one teacher, with nothing but the welfare of their pupils in mind, decided that it was for their own good to wear protective clothing whilst playing conkers.

•    This school policy was put in place wrongly ‘in the name of health and safety’. HSE had not passed any regulations on such a policy, it was merely the school hiding under the health and safety monster.

•    However, this myth caused quite a stir amongst many primary schools, with many subsequently banning the game once again ‘because of health and safety’.

•    In reality, the schools were probably fed up of cleaning up the cuts and bruises their pupils ensued (whether or not they thought it too risky to use plasters is open to debate) and banned it because it became a chore for them, not because any legislation required it.