This is the first Newsletter for a brand new year. If you have ideas for future articles or subjects that you would like to see covered this year, please let me know.

We look forward to supporting you through the challenges and the opportunities that lie ahead and we want 2015 to be a great year for all of us.

Already, the break for Christmas and for the New Year will be fading to a distant memory for many of us as the challenges of this new year beckon.

There are contracts to be won and tender documents to be completed, as well as the general pressures of "business as usual" to be adressed. 

Don't let health and safety issues be a barrier to your business. Contact us for assistance and let us help you and your business this year.

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We are running a Warehouse Safety Training Course!

17 March 2015, in Loughborough

Follow the link for further details - places will be limited, so please do not hesitate to sigh up.

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This is an excellent course for getting a good understanding of health and safety in the workplace. It is based on the CIEH Level 2 Syllabus and is delivered by one of our experienced trainers.

This course is suitable for all delegates and can be a stepping stone course for further qualifications. It is designed to ensure that all employees are aware of their own safety and the safety of customers, contractors and the public. This qualification can be tailored to business and individual needs to make the learning experience relevant and fit for purpose.

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1. Asbestos is the biggest cause of deaths currently occurring as a result of work.
2. Asbestos-related diseases kill an average of 20 tradespeople every week.
3. It was widely used as a building material until 1999, when it was banned.
4. It can still be found in any house or building built before the year 2000.
5. It can take anywhere between 15 - 60 years for symptoms of an asbestos-related disease to develop.
6. It can be in many commonly found materials and may be in places that you might not expect.
7. You can’t see or smell asbestos fibres.
8. Asbestos is only a danger when the fibres are released, made airborne and breathed in.
9. As long as the asbestos is in good condition, is located somewhere where it can’t be easily damaged and is not disturbed, then it shouldn’t be a risk to you.
10. The vast majority of HSE’s asbestos publications on asbestos are free to download.

HSE Asbestos App (web link) ➞

What do I need to do to protect my staff from cold weather?
The beauty of of a snowscape can be breathtaking and postcard pretty, but the workplace reality can be a bit different.

The mercury in the thermometer has gone through the floor (almost literally!) and the cold is biting at fingers and toes. But what does the law say about your staff, is there a minimum temperature for them, and what must you do to protect them?

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If you are an existing client, then you can always come to us for advice, guidance and support.

However, do you know of others who need my help to get things right? I would be happy to talk to them and see how we can assist them. Please feel free to send me their details, or to pass my contact details on to them.

Contact LRB Consulting ➞

The draft guidance for the new CDM 2015 Regulations has been published. Note: things can still change, although this is unlikely.

Principal designer. The replacement of the CDM co-ordinator role (under CDM 2007) by principal designer. This means that the responsibility for coordination of the pre-construction phase – which is crucial to the management of any successful construction project – will rest with an existing member of the design team.

Client. The new Regulations recognise the influence and importance of the client as the head of the supply chain and they are best placed to set standards throughout a project.

Competence. This will be split into its component parts of skills, knowledge, training and experience, and - if it relates to an organisation - organisational capability. This will provide clarity and help the industry to both assess and demonstrate that construction project teams have the right attributes to deliver a healthy and safe project.

Link to HSE Draft CDM 2015 Guidance➞

While electricity is a familiar and necessary part of everyday life, it can kill or severely injure people and cause damage to property. There are some simple precautions when working with, or near electricity that can be taken to significantly reduce the risk of electrical injury to you and others around you.

Consideration needs to be given to the system that we plug into (the fixed electrical installation) as well as what we plug in (portable electrical equipment). In both cases, testing should be carried out by a competent person and in both cases there are recommended periods between inspections.

1. How often do I have to have my Fixed Electrical Installation tested and inspected by a Competent Person?
2. What is involved in the testing and inspection of Portable Appliance Testing (PAT)?
3. How often do I need to do my Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) and what is involved?
4. What are visual examinations and can employees carry these out?

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Contact: michael@LRBconsulting.co.uk or call 01509 550023

If you would like to discuss how any aspect of Health and Safety affects your business, please contact us or call on 01509 550023

Many thanks,

Michael Ellerby,

Director, LRB Consulting Limited