Health and Safety News

Health and Safety Hazards in the Office

14-11-2018

Image shows an office area Offices may not seem like dangerous places to work, but they can pose serious health and safety risks. An estimated 609,000 non-fatal injuries were sustained by workers in 2016/17, according to the Labour Force Survey - and that’s just those that were officially reported.

Given the size of the problem and the fact that employers have a legal responsibility to protect their staff’s health, safety and welfare, it’s in everyone’s interests - employers and staff alike - to recognise the risks and take steps to protect themselves and their colleagues.

What to look out for in the office

In an effort to ensure employers and employees are aware of accident risks in office environments and that relevant systems are in place to protect them, we have identified common health and safety hazards in the office that everyone should look out for.

Misuse of office furniture

Workers are often injured when they use their desks or chairs on wheels as substitute stepladders. Employers and workers should always use an appropriate stepladder safely when they need to reach for something.

Uneven floors

Poor floor surfaces are among the most common causes of slips, trips and fal…

7 Ways to Prevent Forklift and Equipment Hazards

14-11-2018

Image of a forklift truck Mechanised lifting and transportation greatly enhances the efficiency of workplace operations - but only if health and safety is given the attention it deserves. Neglecting hazards can cause accidents, leading to loss of livelihood, delayed operations, and disruption to both cost and time-efficiency.

Discover how you can boost the safety of your warehouse or workplace to avoid hazards and prevent accidents.

Understand your legal requirements

Stay on the right side of the law and ensure you have brushed up on the relevant health and safety legislation. As a company owner or manager, you are legally obliged to protect the wellbeing of your employees. Understanding all aspects of legislation will give you a valuable foundation of knowledge to devise a health and safety strategy that suits your workplace.

Choose the right equipment for the job

Selecting tools or equipment that are not appropriate for the task at hand can potentially cause injury and unsafe operations. It can also affect the quality of your project and delay completion of the overall job while any mistakes are being corrected. To avoid this, be sure to thoroughly research the capabilities of equipment bef…

ABCs Can Help Your First Aid Training

02-08-2018

Photo shows a first aid training session Coming across someone who has had an accident – or indeed being involved in or witnessing such – can be daunting. Thinking about it now, you may believe that you would panic; in fact, most people -when faced with such a situation – react with a calmness that may even surprise them, as your first instinct is to help in any way you can.

Non-trained persons can, in fact, do more harm than good, and not through their own fault. There are certain circumstances in which doing what seems natural may actually be the wrong thing, and may make things worse. This is why many people choose off their own back to take a first aid course.

When it comes to health and safety – and first aid – in the workplace it is a basic legal requirement that some of your personnel are trained in the basics, and that you have first aid kits available, and fully stocked, in accessible and easy to find locations.

Whether you are an individual looking to take a course in first aid, or an employer who wants to get a team trained and up and running, there is one set of letters that will soon become very familiar to you: ABC. What is ABC in first aid, and why is it vital to remember? That’s what we …