Maximum fine for fire safety breaches handed to landlord of Dawlish property
A maximum fine for fire safety breaches has been handed to an estate agent in Dawlish, after business safety officers from Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service (DSFRS) investigated the property in 2021.
Mr Force, now retired but formerly of Force and Sons estate agents, pleaded guilty to three charges at Newton Abbot Magistrates Court on Monday 15 August. The breaches were found at Mr Force’s property at 9 Queen Street and related to the flat above the commercial let on the ground floor.
Business safety officers from DSFRS investigated the property in 2021, and found a number of concerns, including “a lack of suitable means of escape in case of fire, structural failures, and the absence of a fire risk assessment.”
The safety officers decided the premises were too “dangerous” for the tenant, who was considered vulnerable due to their age and disabilities, and that they couldn’t stay in the property “with immediate effect.” The officers said that this was “because if a fire were to occur on the ground floor the person in the flat above would not be able to make their escape safely.”
Read more on the SHP website.
Findings reveal extent of workplace wellbeing issues
A worrying number of workers (86%) admit they have too much work to be able to move during the working day, with chronic stress and anxiety becoming increasingly prevalent, according to a new report by Magic Mountain, supported by CIMSPA (The Chartered Institute for the Management of Sport and Physical Activity).
Despite growing health issues linked with consistently spending too much time seated, the report from Magic Mountain, which creates and manages wellness campaigns for workplaces, found 54% of workers remain sedentary for eight hours or more during the working day alone.
The findings show 86% of workers feel they have too much work to move during their working day, while more than one in three workers (34%) are afraid to leave their desks in case people think they are not working. A huge 63% of workers only go outside for 10 minutes or less during the working day.
With NHS figures estimating UK adults spend around nine hours sedentary in a full day (including at home and travelling), these new findings show the true extent of the sedentary issue in the workplace.
For more on the research, visit the HSM website.
‘Is your ADR Training up to date and accessible?’ asks RTITB
Employers and training providers across the UK are being urged by RTITB to bring their ADR training materials up to date, in line with recent revisions to the ADR (Carriage of Dangerous Goods) training syllabus.
To help businesses keep compliant RTITB has launched new and updated ADR training materials that are SQA (Scottish Qualifications Authority) approved.
“Safety and legal compliance are vital in any working environment. Especially for the transportation of hazardous goods. It affects LGV/HGV drivers, other road users, and the wider general public.” says Sarah Brown, Driver CPC and ADR Manager for RTITB, accrediting body for workplace transport training.
“Available via the RTITB Dangerous Goods Training Consortium, the new and updated training materials, enable businesses to deliver training that is up to date with legislation and accepted industry standards. They don’t have to spend the time and resource re-developing their own materials and getting them SQA approved.”
Dangerous goods are assigned different classes ranging from Core, Packages, Bulk and Tanks. The classes cover goods from the highly dangerous, such as explosives, flammables, and fuming acids, to everyday products such as paints, solvents and pesticides.
Learn more on the SHP website.
Staying safe around cattle
Recent incidents involving cattle have underlined the potential dangers they pose to walkers, as people head out to enjoy the countryside this bank holiday weekend.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE), however, is stressing that serious incidents involving cattle and walkers are rare, while reminding both farmers and walkers to do all they can to keep everyone safe.
Farmers have a legal responsibility to manage their herds to reduce risk to people using footpaths and other rights of way.
HSE regularly investigates incidents involving cattle and the public. A proportion of these incidents involve serious injury and sometimes death. Incidents often involve cows with calves or bulls, and the person injured often has a dog.
HSE’s published statistics show that in the five years leading up to March of this year, nine members of the public died after being attacked or trampled by cattle.
Members of the public can find out about steps to safely enjoy the countryside and respect farming activities by following Government advice in the The Countryside Code.
For more advice, visit the HSE website.
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