Monthly Archives: November 2020

Throughout the UK there are thousands of businesses including offices, factories, warehouses, schools, public buildings, hospitals, shopping centres and the list goes on who all rely upon these photo-luminescent or glow in the dark if you prefer, signs. The signs are self-charging either by daylight or interior lighting and when a certain level of darkness is achieved the signs will self-illuminate, they will actually glow to show the contents of the sign in the dark, let’s say for example you place a glow in the dark sign in the corridor showing fire exit with an arrow then this sign as well as some of the corridor will be illuminated to provide minimal but an adequate amount of light to illuminate your route to the exit. By providing these signs in your premises you will not only assist your staff but members of the public and visitors too.

Why is asbestos a problem? Large amounts of asbestos were used in new and refurbished buildings before 2000. Usage began to decline in the 1970s and blue asbestos (crocidolite) had a voluntary ban in 1970. Blue and brown (amosite) asbestos were banned by law in 1985. Uses of white asbestos (chrysotile) were banned in 1999. Everything else and most second-hand supply (except for very high performance materials) was banned by 2000. Therefore, all supply of materials containing asbestos is banned, including making materials available to a third party in any way, whether or not for any payment. A large number of premises and older plant and equipment still contain some form of asbestos.

Normally, recognised trade unions will appoint representatives to represent a group or groups of workers of a class for which the union has negotiating rights. However, limiting representation to a particular group or groups should not be regarded as a hindrance to the representative raising general matters affecting the health and safety of employees as a whole. Equally, these general principles do not prevent a health and safety representative representing.

Slips and trips are the most common cause of major injuries at work. Around 90% of these are broken bones. The costs to industry are substantial (over £500 million per year) and there is incalculable human cost and suffering to those injured. Floor cleaning is significant in causing slip and trip accidents, both to cleaning staff and others. Legal actions following an injury can be extremely damaging to business.

To reduce the risk to people if there is a fire, you need to consider how to control or restrict the spread of fire and smoke. The majority of people who die in fires are overcome by the smoke and gases. It is important to ensure that, in the event of fire, the rate of fire growth is restricted in its early stages.

It is not only workers who are at risk from construction work. Members of the public are killed and seriously injured each year. The dead and injured include children. Accidents often happen when people are walking near a building being built, refurbished or demolished, or walking near work in the street. Remember, when working in public areas, the work needs to be planned and executed to take account of the needs of children, people with prams, the elderly and those with disabilities.

Try not to go walking or track via the spill area, make use of a scoop and then whisk broom to thoroughly clean chemical substance deposits from leak. Place in adequately labelled carrier or alternatively bucket for disposal, cleanse leak areas in detail with a Surface Cleaner, after that wipe dry.