Spring is in the Air

Oh the weather outside is… ahh actually, it’s delightful, spring has sprung and we’re thinking about being outside. Although it’s not all sunlounges and bike rides, some of us will be working.

If you or your employees will be working outside there are a few health and safety matters to consider.

Weather and Temperature

The weather can have a great impact when working outdoors. Short and long-term risks to employee’s health need to be assessed, mitigated and managed.

  • Ensure appropriate clothing and PPE are supplied and advice given over covering up, keeping warm and keeping dry.
  • Sun cream, shade and regular hydration are essentials once the sun is out and the weather heats up.
  • Spring sunshine is often misleading and it’s not as warm as it looks. As in winter heating may be required to create a suitable and safe environment.
  • While you can’t see it remember the wind has risk factors, this could be dust blown up by the wind, wind chill or unnoticed exposure to the sun while a cool breeze blows.

Food and Drink

In cold environments, there needs to be the availability of warm fluids such as hot drinks or soup. Also, you must make sure drinking water is available during hot weather.

In warm environments, facilities to keep food that employees have brought along themselves cool, will help prevent illness and time off due to contaminated food.

Allergies

Springtime tree pollen and summer grass pollens can cause allergic reactions. Masks, glasses, gloves and other protective equipment will help prevent allergic reactions and ensure efficiency and productivity.

Deliveries

Don’t forget while delivery drivers will be in their vehicles much of the time, they will be working outdoors, lifting, carrying and delivering products to customers houses and businesses.  Their work and processes including manual handling should be risk assessed and appropriately managed.

Lone Working

When working outdoors, employees could be working on their own the usual lone working practises need to be followed.

A robust risk assessment carried out by a competent individual will allow you to consider, mitigate and manage risk and help to ensure your staff are safe, efficient and productive.

While the weather is not longer frightful, your working environment shouldn’t be either. Think about the situations and environments of your teams and help them to be safe and strengthen your business.

Harrier ensure Back Gardens are a cut above the rest

Back Gardens have achieved CHAS Accreditation giving them the licence and scope to take on increased numbers of commercial projects to complement their domestic successes.

Back Gardens based in Syston have been landscaping and providing maintenance across Leicestershire for the last 16 years. They go into this spring ready for growth and in possession of CHAS accreditation.

Contractor Health and Safety – CHAS helps clients and contractors ensure compliance in different areas of risk management and provides confidence that organisations have achieved certain benchmarked standards in regard to managing risk and creating a safe working environment.

Harrier used their experience to support Back Gardens in drawing up risk assessments by looking at their working practises and where there was potential for risk and where that risk could be mitigated or removed.  Harrier understand what is required in terms of compliance and regulation and how to assess risk in many different situations.

Back Gardens who maintain, ‘We treat every garden as if it were our own.’ have shown that they are fully equipped to take on more contract work and develop the commercial side of their business. They are committed to safety and to collaboration and open to tender for new build work and projects within the wider construction industry.

Daniel Robinson Operations Manager at Back Gardens said, “Harrier are knowledgeable, prompt and reliable. They are experienced, friendly and ready to help and support you. With CHAS accreditation we can tender for bigger jobs and grow.”

Helen McCabe Business Manager at Harrier said, “Working with Back Gardens has been a pleasure, we love working with people that have a passion for their business and feel we can simplify aspects of regulation, risk assessments and paperwork so that companies can develop, work safely and thrive.”

At Harrier the cultivation of a culture of collaboration and support is delivering results and as we go into the spring companies such as Back Gardens are reaping the benefits.

Harrier – simplifying Health and Safety to strengthen your business.

Minimise and Manage the Risk of Fire

In January 2021 a court established that ash left in a cupboard led to a fatal fire. Lawyers say the situation occurred as a result of ‘genuine errors.’ www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-55765595

Up to date risk assessments, procedures, and training are important they can prevent fire and they can save lives. Here are our fire basics and essential information:

The Fire Triangle

Fires need three things to start – a source of ignition (heat), a source of fuel (something that burns) and oxygen:

Removing any one element of the triangle will either prevent a fire or extinguish a fire.

  • sources of ignition or heat include heaters, lighting, naked flames, cigarettes, matches
  • sources of fuel include wood, paper, plastic, loose packaging materials, furniture
  • sources of oxygen include the air in the atmosphere

The Law

If you own, manage or operate a business, you need to comply with fire safety law.

The main law that applies across England and Wales is the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 or “the Fire Safety Order”.  In Scotland, requirements on general fire safety are covered in Part 3 of the Fire (Scotland) Act 2005, supported by the Fire Safety (Scotland) Regulations 2006.

What does that mean, what do I need to do?

  • A competent person must carry out a fire safety risk assessment and keep it up to date
  • Ensure adequate and appropriate fire safety measures are in place to minimise risk
  • Identify what could cause a fire
  • Take action to control the risks, can they be avoided all together, if not, how do you manage the risk?

Here are some actions and controls:

    • Keep sources of ignition and flammable substances apart
    • Ensure good housekeeping at all times – avoid the build-up of rubbish
    • Consider how to detect fires and how to warn people quickly if they start, eg installing smoke alarms and fire alarms
    • Ensure you have the appropriate fire-fighting equipment for putting a fire out quickly and ensure staff know where it is and have had appropriate training
    • Ensure fire exits and escape routes are clearly marked and always clear of obstructions

Minimising the risk of fire and having up to date procedures that staff are fully aware of can prevent fires and ensure people are safe should a fire occur.

Further information can be found on the Gov.UK website.

Happy, Healthy, Wealthy and Wise

In times of change and uncertainty when messaging and restrictions seem to change daily, we’d all like a little control, to feel better, to be happier and maybe bring a little wellbeing into our lives.  But what is wellbeing and how do we achieve it?  

The dictionary definition of Wellbeing is a state of being comfortable, healthy, or happy. The Danes seek hygge that moment of cosiness and comfortable conviviality. But what about when you’re working from home or being interrupted or having to deal with something challenging.  Well, the New Economics Foundation describes wellbeing as the following:

Wellbeing can be understood as how people feel and how they function, both on a personal and a social level, and how they evaluate their lives as a whole.”

A holistic view of wellbeing sounds good and better than the occasional moment of bliss, but how do we achieve this.

Here are some tips that we’ve found to be useful:

  • When working from home set parameters. Set a time for work and stick to it, it’s easy to do longer hours when not physically ‘leaving work’. 
  • Create a dedicated space for work, ideally away from distractions, somewhere quiet where you have all the things you need to carry out your work – pens, paper, charger, laptop and coffee. 
  • Take breaks at regular times and remember to look away from the screen from time to time. The 20-20-20 rule is useful. Look away from your screen every 20 minutes at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds.  A walk outside taking in some fresh air can refresh your mind give you some light exercise and could even help shift that creative block as a change of scene allows you to think differently. 
  • Plants, natural objects and images can have a positive impact, looking at natural objects can give your brain a break from an attention-grabbing screen and allow you to give it more focused attention when you return to it. 
  • If you can, let light in, sunlight triggers the release of serotonin which stabilises our mood and boosts feelings of wellbeing and happiness. 
  • Connect and stay in touch, it can be easy to stare at the screen and churn through emails all day. Don’t forget the people you live with and your friends.  Don’t ignore everyone at home all day long – you did talk about non work-related stuff in the office. If you live alone, call a friend or family member, a zoom call with them doesn’t have to be a quiz and can make a change to your day and theirs. 
  • Accentuate the positives… 
    • You may have more time for yourself and your family as your commute may only be around 45 seconds right now. 
    • You may have more control about when you work – you may be more productive at different times of the day and you now have the flexibility to work when is best for you. 
    • You can set up your workspace and environment however you want, the temperature and the radio station are your choice.

While a warm fireplace or a spa break can provide some moments of calm a few simple changes and some practical thoughts about improving your environment can bring lasting benefits to your mental and physical health and overall feeling of wellbeing.

Here are some links we have found with further suggestions and advice on improving your wellbeing. 

Mind the mental health support charity has a number of suggestions to support yourself and your team

The NHS have some simple tips for working well at home

BUPA has advice and information about improving your working from home environment and mental wellbeing

IOSH Magazine has some advice for supporting employee’s wellbeing during Lockdown

Harrier is now a member of UKCMA

Harrier has been accepted as a member of UKCMA – The United Kingdom Crowd Management Association. Formed in 2001 the association represents the interests of key commercial organisations whose primary business is providing crowd management and event security services.

The events industry is facing significant challenges, being part of UKCMA will ensure Harrier is involved in progressive discussions able to liaise with industry leaders and take on new and innovative procedures.  Harrier is constantly looking to improve and to deliver effective health and safety support as well as excellent planning and documentation for events.  Event owners and Local Authorities, festival organisers and sports bodies can all be assured that Harrier is fully across the latest thoughts and developments in crowd management and event security.

We look forward to contributing and benefiting from our UKCMA membership.

Government update – COVID-19 – 22nd September 2020

Following on from Boris Johnson’s statement to Parliament and his televised address there are some changes to how we need to work as businesses and individuals.

These include:

  • Working from home if you are able to
  • COVID guidance is now law and businesses can be fined up to £10,000 for breaches
  • Pubs, restaurants and bars to close at 10pm
  • Face coverings to be worn by staff working in hospitality, retail and taxi drivers
  • Restart of larger events postponed

If you need any assistance with your COVID-19 risk assessment or other health and safety requirements please call us on 01332 460703.

World Hand Hygiene Day 2020 – #SafeHands challenge

For certain industries hand hygiene has always been a priority control measure to manage health and safety risks in the workplace.  With the spread of COVID-19 hand hygiene is now a priority for all of us, whether at home or at work.

To raise awareness of good hand washing techniques the World Health Organisation (WHO) has started the #SafeHands challenge and we want you to join in!

WHO have issued a set of guidance for correctly washing your hands and want you to record a video of you correctly washing your hands and post it on their social media accounts.  We would love you to share your videos with us, you can make them as fun as you want, just make sure that your technique is spot on.

You can post your video to the WHO social media pages Facebook , Instagram , Twitter and Linkedin  using #SafeHands and your video might be used on social media channels by WHO.

Don’t forget to tag us in or share your videos with us Linkedin, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram  and we will share them too!

Help spread the message of good hand hygiene with your fantastic videos and challenge your friends, family and colleagues to do the same!

 

 

Statutory inspections during COVID-19

Whilst we are all currently living and working through an ever-changing pandemic it is important to remember that existing H&S legislation still applies and this includes your statutory inspections of equipment and systems.  This includes:

  • Fire alarm systems, fire extinguishers, emergency lighting and other fire protection systems
  • Lifting equipment such as forklift trucks, passenger lifts and lifting platforms
  • Pressure systems
  • Gas appliances
  • Electrical systems
  • General work equipment

It may be that your usual contractors are unable to fulfil your usual servicing and inspection regime due to staff availability and implementation of the government social distancing guidelines.  If this is the case, how do you then fulfil your statutory requirements?

Some key points:

  • Ensure that you have an up to date list of your equipment and systems and the dates of the last and next inspection
  • Identify if you need to continue to use this equipment during this time. If not, then you could take it out of use and delay the inspection until needed.  Make sure that you communicate any changes to equipment use to those affected and restrict access by locking off or removing keys from circulation where necessary
  • Speak to your suppliers. Can they still deliver the planned schedule of inspections within this current time?
  • If they can deliver the schedule of inspections do you need to change the way that they access site? Are there other measures that need to be considered to allow the inspection to go ahead safely in line with social distancing guidelines?  Make sure you clearly communicate any changes in your procedures in relation to COVID-19; they may need to complete an updated induction
  • Speak to your insurance company if you are unable to complete the statutory inspections. Your policy may become invalid if you fail to comply with the required regulations on inspections, servicing and testing
  • Check other inspectors and suppliers; there may be company specific reasons for your existing supplier not providing the inspections (i.e. lack of workforce) and therefore others may still be available to help. Before using another company ensure that your due diligence is in place; check for qualifications, safety paperwork and insurance as a minimum
  • Use your supplier’s knowledge if they are unable to provide the planned inspection; remember they are likely to be the experts in their specific area of compliance, so will be able to assist with ways to keep equipment operational and also compliant
  • Document everything. Keep email trails from suppliers, contractors, experts and colleagues as evidence of your planning and risk assessment process.  Update your risk assessments for any change in procedure as a result of equipment being out of action
  • Make sure your internal checks and inspections are being completed as normal, where safe to do so
  • Don’t forget about planning in inspections for once you are ready to use the equipment again. It is likely that a lot of businesses will be in the same boat and suppliers will be very busy catching up so plan ahead and have a plan for booking equipment in when restrictions have lessened or suppliers are back to work (obviously this will be subject to change based on the development of the pandemic)

We definitely recommend speaking to your supplier teams about specific arrangements for your business in relation to statutory requirements, these include fire risk assessor, legionella management company, thorough examination professionals and, of course, your health and safety adviser.

There has been an extension put into place for MOT examinations from 30th March 2020 onwards, six months for cars and 3 months for lorries, buses and trailers, however you still have to ensure that vehicles are in a safe roadworthy condition.  To help comply with this ensure that your drivers are completing documented checks on a regular basis and keep the records of these checks.  A risk assessment on this extension in relation to your business will assist you to identify any hazards and control measures that you need to put into place to maintain the safety of your company vehicles and employees.  For more information on this specific adjustment please see https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-mots-for-cars-vans-and-motorcycles-due-from-30-march-2020

Remember, as business owners, the duty rests with you under the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 to provide a safe workplace and safe equipment; this has not changed in light of the current pandemic and therefore it is essential that you ensure you have reasonably practicable arrangements in place to continue to manage the risks.

Harrier shortlisted for Festival Supplier Awards 2020

 We are so pleased to announce that we are finalists in the prestigious Festival Supplier Awards 2020. The company is shortlisted in the Best Health and Safety & Best Supplier Team categories, having won Best Health and Safety in 2019!

The Festival Supplier Awards are now in their sixth year and were developed to recognise, reward and promote best practise in the outdoor event and festival sector.

Michelle Tayton, event director of the Festival Supplier Awards comments: “The quality of our shortlisted suppliers is outstanding, a welcome reminder of the excellence and professionalism that exists within the outdoor event and festival industry. We’re delighted that Harrier has been recognised for its pursuit of excellence, given the tough competition in its field.”

With a focus on delivery, customer service and sustainable initiatives, the awards are judged by an esteemed panel of high profile industry experts. These include: Ben Robinson, From the Fields; Jon Hogan, Coventry City Council; Emma Reynolds Taylor, Library Productions; Suzy Griffiths, IMG; Alasdair Fowle, Co-op; Beckie Parsons, Judgeday; Harry Guthrie, HGEP; Ben Hardy, Richmond Event Management; Emily Muirhead, Vision Nine; Denis Dooley, New Forest Show; Frankie Tee, Enteetainment; Neil Levene, Brand Events; Becky Gundry, Festival Republic; Chris Johnson, Powerful thinking; Jon Drape, Engine No 4; Susan Lees, Culture Liverpool and Craig Greaves, CSG Events.

The winners will be announced on Thursday 30th January 2020 at the Hurlingham Club, fingers crossed…….

When sustainability meets health and safety….

Although many of us have always been conscious of keeping green, in more recent times the want and need to stay sustainable, conserve resources and reduce waste has become more prominent. But how does this relate to safety? Well, both are about conserving resources, as sustainability relates to the environment and safety relates to humans – put these two together and you’ll find the common ground between sustainability and health & safety.

So, with that in mind – every event is now trying to be sustainable in its operations, which leads to improvements in health and safety. But how?

Reduce hazards

Having a good waste management team who can keep on top of the litter picking, the right number and type of bins at the front of house helps to discard of rubbish and keep the ground hazard free – which will reduce any slips and falls on site! The back of house should also feature the correct mixture of bins to help the production and catering team separate their waste effectively. Not only will this help to reduce the number of bins and collections on site, it will also keep the areas clear, reducing STF (slip, trip &fall).

By ensuring this, a clear pattern of a reduction in accidents can help when planning for any medical cover on your events, this could potentially save you money if you are able to reduce provision (in line with guidance of course)!

Fire Safety

The partnership of sustainability and health & safety sees an improvement on fire safety and prevention, as a build-up of rubbish can create a fuel source for any sparks or fires, keeping waste contained within bins and reducing overflow can reduce this risk. We’ve all seen the pictures of overflowing bins after an event, and a good waste management company can help provide you with the right bins so that you can successfully recycle waste from your site as well as keep areas clear.

Improve Food Hygiene

Poorly managed waste management facilities on site can attract wildlife to certain areas, if these are close to food outlets then there could be concerns over food hygiene. A good waste management contractor can ensure that suitable bins and collections are arranged to help reduce waste build up and prevent attracting any wildlife.

Will this cost more?

A good waste management plan and provider will help identify the types of waste on site and the correct disposal facility which will create a smooth and cost-effective disposal with no nasty surprises for organisers.

Poor waste management will have a negative effect on visitors, when it comes to customers choosing where to spend their money, sustainability is a key factor – if they have visited an event where there is excessive waste – they may choose not to return. So, in hindsight, it could actually help you. Another cost saved is keeping your insurance premiums low by having a reduction in slip, trip and fall accidents and claims in relation to waste management!

We have recently worked on site at De Montfort Hall, with facilities management company, Flame UK. We very quickly realised that, in meeting their responsibilities on site, they were also making a valuable contribution to reducing health & safety concerns. We recognised that there was a real synergy between our two company’s activities – a natural partnership between sustainability and health & safety.

When asked about how Flame UK helps organisers with money and health & safety, the Director, Daniel Pegram, has said:

“The key to saving money on waste disposal for events is to correctly identify the waste types that will be generated by the event and find the correct disposal facility that is set up to handle that type of waste. If you match the facilities strengths with the events waste you will have the right ingredients for a smooth and cost effective waste disposal plan. This in effect will keep in check with health & safety requirements. Preventing some of the points stated above.”

Here at Harrier HQ we are sure that our De Montfort Hall collaboration with Flame UK will not the be the last. There are so many ways in which our services are compatible, and the combined solutions and expertise we have between us can only mean good things for the clients we serve.

How can we help?

If you would like more information on how we could help you meet both your Sustainability and Health & Safety needs then get in touch today: Contact us