Category: Information and Research

Unsuitable PPE/Equipment As you may have already seen on our social media, WA Management’s hazard of the month for February is ‘Unsuitable PPE/Equipment.’ We have chosen this hazard after noticing instances on sites visits where PPE such as respiratory masks were being used despite not being face-fitted or incorrect working at height equipment being employed that was unsuitable for the task at […]

Construction work can sometimes produce dusts that can put workers health at risk and cause a number of lung diseases including: Lung Cancers, Silicosis, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and Asthma. Construction dust is a general term that describes three main types found on a construction site, these are: Silica Dust – Created when working […]

The Manual Handling Operations Regulations (1992), or MOHR, are regulations created that cover the safe ‘transporting or supporting of a load (including the lifting, putting down, pushing, pulling, carrying or moving thereof) by hand or bodily force.’ The load in question can be an object, person or animal. Who does MOHR apply too? The regualtions […]

Many tasks, such as cutting and handling volatile substances, require respiratory protection in the form of respirators. Respirators are a form of Respiratory Protective Equipment (RPE) (the other being breathing apparatus) designed to protect operatives from such hazards in environments when sufficient oxygen is present. RPE should only be worn after you have taken all […]

For Employers Employers and managers must ensure they are competent, meaning they have the appropriate skills and training, and thorough in managing Health and Safety issues in the workplace, as detailed under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. It can be useful for employers to have a benchmark in how they should be […]

Safety Net Rigging Techniques Safety Net Riggers are often required to work at height which puts them, and others around them, at significant risk of hazards related to working at height. Regulation 6 of The Work at Height Regulations 2005 (WAHR) details a simple hierarchy for managing work at height: Avoid work at height where […]

High Visibility Clothing BS EN 471 Distribution: Often work is carried out in situations which offer poor ambient lighting conditions. These conditions can sometimes be solved by introducing artificial task lighting as a control. However, it is always best to wear high visibility clothing, which is why high visibility clothing is one item of the […]

The Story of Father Christmas’ First Trespassing St. Nicholas was a Bishop who lived in the fourth century in a place called Myra in Asia Minor (now called Turkey). He was a very wealthy man after inheriting his parents’ wealth after they died. He had a reputation for helping the poor and giving secret gifts […]

Respiratory Protective Equipment Many tasks involve hazards which require respiratory protection, such as: cutting, handling volatile substances or working in confined spaces where oxygen levels could be low. Respiratory Protective Equipment (RPE) is designed to protect operatives from such hazards. RPE should only be worn after you have taken all other reasonably practicable measures to […]

Vibration, the Law and Trigger Time Vibration Exposure and the Law Regular use of vibrating equipment can lead to two forms of ill health, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) and Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS). Symptoms of these conditions include: ·        Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome: Tingling, numbness, pain and blanching (whitening) of the fingers and loss […]