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Health and Safety News

Occupational health and safety news and guidance

Blog posts : "safety guidance"

Chemical safety PPE - top to toe

Photo shows a woman handling a chemical and wearing safety glasses

Working with chemicals can obviously be dangerous. As careful as you may be, accidents do happen. However, with the correct Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) you can mitigate the risk of harm. There are a wealth of different elements of PPE designed to protect against chemical hazards and know…

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Eight steps to becoming a safer driver

Photo shows a woman driving a car

The number of people on the road in the UK is rising, but according to government statistics, the rate of accidents is increasing even faster. That means it is important for us to take steps to become safer in our cars. Here are eight steps to follow to become a better driver.

  1. Adopt a bett…

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Five ways to avoid the Fawlty Towers fire drill debacle

John Cleese and the Fawlty Towers team are extremely good at injecting hilarious farce into otherwise ordinary situations. I laugh out loud every time I watch any episode, including the episode where Basil Fawlty incompetently conducts a fire drill (This is the sixth episode of the first series enti…

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Health and safety in the Tattoo Parlour

Photo show a tattoo parlour

Tattoos have always been popular, but in recent years’ tattoos have become less of a taboo and moved more into the mainstream, with 1 in 5 adults in the UK having a tattoo. A study has also shown that 1 in 10 people with a tattoo experienced problems with their tattoo, including swelling, itchin…

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Why health and safety are essentials in the workplace

The phrase ‘health and safety’ often brings to mind the image of a school inspector examining corridors meticulously for trip hazards. But there’s more to it than that; health and safety is there to protect workers from unsafe environments, such as the Sport’s Direct centre which required mo…

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7 industrial safety practices no company can afford to ignore

Photo shows two workers wearing head protectionWorkplace safety has become a hot-button issue in every industry. According to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, approximately 3 million non-life threatening injuries occurred in the workplace in 2014. The good news is, that figure is 54,000 less than it was in 2013.

We…

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The wind industry: Five vital considerations for rescue and descent systems

Photo shows a row of wind turbinesOne of the most worrying statistics published by the Health and Safety Executive in recent years shows that of all fatalities occurring in a work environment between 2013 and 2014, almost 3 out of every 10 were due to falls from height. While the HSE do not provide figures for specific industries in…

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How paediatric first aid courses help you become an effective child caregiver

Photo shows a plaster being applied to a child

It’s not that curiosity is a bad thing that should be curtailed. No. Every parent and caregiver should nurture a child's innate curiosity. But instead of giving free rein to that curiosity, caregivers should temper that with vigilance and proper preparation, like taking up paediatric emergency f…

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The dangers of welding and how to protect against them

Photo shows a worker welding wearing personal protective equipmentWhether you're a skilled professional who's been using welding machinery since you were knee high to a grasshopper, or a clueless newbie picking up a welder for the first time for a spot of ambitious DIY, welding can be hazardous.

Combining heat, flame, light, dust and noise, there is a lot which…

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Best practice chemical storage in the workplace

Photo shows a chemical storage systemChemical safety is a primary workplace safety concern for many organisations. To control the exposure of employees to chemicals in the workplace, particular efforts need to be made to ensure chemicals are safely stored and handled. Even commonly used substances in the workplace such as ammonia, benz…

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Dos and don’ts for working at height

Photo shows a painter standing on a stepladderWorkplace injuries can pose very real dangers in our daily jobs, particularly when the task involves working high up on a building or other structure. Safety statistics make for grim reading, with accidents on building sites responsible for more than their proportionate share of all fatal injuries a…

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How to stay safe when handling bricks

Photo shows a worker moving bricks in a wheelbarrow on a construction siteBricks are an important ingredient needed in most construction projects. We have been using bricks for thousands of years and many homes and commercial buildings are built with bricks. Whilst bricks are popular, it’s important you know how to use them safely to avoid suffering any handling injuries.…

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Comment assurer vos employés pour porter les équipements de sécurité

Photo shows a worker wearing protective clothingDans beaucoup de lieux de travail, les équipements de protection personnel (EPP) sont une partie essentielle pour maintenir la sécurité des employés. A partir de les Hi- Vis vestes à des lunettes de sécurité, votre entreprise peut utiliser une gamme d'équipements différents. Mais parfois, il peut êt…

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How to ensure your staff wear safety gear

Photo shows people wearing personal protective equipmentIn many workplaces, personal protective equipment (PPE) is an essential part of keeping employees safe. From Hi Vis jackets to safety goggles, your business might use a range of different equipment. But sometimes it can be difficult to convince staff to wear safety gear at all times. Here are five g…

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A guide to defibrillators in the workplace; what you need to know

Photo shows a patient being loaded onto an ambulanceA cardiac arrest happens when a person's heart stops pumping blood around their body, their breathing stops and oxygen is no longer circulating. There are approximately 60,000 out of hospital Sudden Cardiac Arrests (SCA) each year in the UK, and they can affect anyone, regardless of age, gender or l…

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How dangerous is workplace fatigue?

Photo shows a man in a suit sleeping by an alarm clockExhausted employees are bad for business, and today's employers are paying the price. Although workplace fatigue can be just as dangerous as drinking on the job, it's surprisingly common in many modern industries. Today in the United Kingdom, for example, at least 3.5 million people work irregular h…

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Preventing commercial fires caused by smoking

The infographic below by Fireward shows some of the most common causes of commercial fires. The graphic is based on fire statistics for Great Britain provided by the Department for Communities and Local Government. Some of the most common causes of commercial fires identified are electrical faults, …

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Health and safety in the supply chain

For many years now, it has been widely acknowledged that any one action within any part of the supply chain can have a knock on effect, positively or negatively, further down the line.

Photo shows a cargo ship transporting goodsTo give an example, imagine a supplier changing the weights of their products, to make them bigger in order to t…

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Health and safety hazards on a farm

Photo shows cows in a fieldFarming is a risky occupation, it comes with many risks and hazards. The industry accounts for nearly 20% of the reported fatal injuries each year. The most common types of accidents that happen on farms involves heavy machinery and handling and lifting. If due care and attention is paid this can re…

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How to focus on completing your NEBOSH National General Certificate

Photo shows a group of adults in a training sessionAchieving the appropriate qualifications for your job is challenging. You may have to study and train, while you’re working. Finding the time to balance both can leave you stressed out and, in general, tired.

But it is worth the investment, especially when your job requires health and safety kn…

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20 Blog Posts