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

 

How does good customer service link to health & safety?

Psychologist Abraham Maslow created the concept of a Hierarchy of Needs which included a section that focuses on safety. At the bottom of the pyramid are our most basic human needs to survive, such as food, water, rest and shelter. As you climb the pyramid you fulfil your more complicated needs, which influence your behaviour and once you reach the top, you hit your full potential in life. Maslow argued that the lower levels of needs must be ticked off before you can reach the next level of the hierarchy, for example it would be difficult if you’ve got no home to shelter in or haven’t eaten to feel healthy, safe or secure.

So how does this tie into health & safety?

When looking at the ‘safety’ section, we can look at this hierarchy from an events point of view.   Imagine you are attending a Christmas party night; would you fully be able to enjoy yourself if:

  • You didn’t know where to get a drink from
  • Couldn’t see any toilets on site
  • There was rubbish over the floor or it was slippy
  • You couldn’t see any fire exits in the room

The whole customer journey from the very arrival at the venue, can have a huge impact on your experience of an event and it’s important to recognise that good housekeeping can not only help create a safe environment to prevent accidents, but it can also prevent fire and ill health.

By providing a safe environment at an event, customers will feel secure, healthy and safe. If they don’t feel safe or secure people will not be able to fully relax and they will start to look at opportunities to remove themselves from the danger. This could include leaving an event, complaining about the event or posting poor social media messages/ reviews about the event.

To prevent this, it’s important to include health and safety in your event planning from the very beginning; it should blend seamlessly into your event planning. Ultimately giving the customer a good safe customer experience, will prevent accidents or injury and will instead create recommendations and referrals with repeat visits and customer loyalty created.

There is lots of free advice on the HSE website for planning an event safely http://www.hse.gov.uk/event-safety/ or for further help and support, or information on the different aspects of health and safety we can provide – get in touch!

 

 

Mental Health Awareness

Mental health awareness… What does this mean to you and your business? With work-related stress, depression and anxiety continuing to rise rapidly in the workforce and mental health awareness being put firmly on the government’s agenda, what can small businesses do?

With no specific mental health legislation currently in place for businesses, it can be hard to know what to focus on. A range of training options are available and the HSE has confirmed that workplaces need to look at ways of providing information to their employees and managing mental ill health in the workplace.

Recent stats from the HSE show that 15.4 million working days were lost and 44% of work-related ill health cases were caused by stress, depression and anxiety. With prevention being key, what can you do in your company to encourage mental health prevention?

  • Show you’re concerned about your team’s well-being by putting mental health awareness on your agenda at work
  • Educate staff about mental health awareness through a workshop
  • Help remove the stigma associated with mental health illnesses
  • Encourage conversations and awareness in the workplace on mental health illness and the costs associated with this
  • Learn to listen to your colleagues and team members
  • Be aware of how to support a colleague or staff member with a mental health illness
  • Attend a mental health awareness training course

If you’re interested in finding out more about our Mental Health Awareness Training courses, take a look at our upcoming course dates or email davinarowe@harrieruk.com.

Welding – legal update

Following on from new scientific evidence from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), new Health and Safety control standards have been introduced, which will take place with immediate effect for welding operations.

These changes have been introduced due to new findings which confirm that exposure to mild steel welding fume and UV radiation can cause lung cancer and possibly kidney cancer in humans. The Workplace Health Expert Committee has therefore supported the IARC who have reclassified mild steel welding fume as a group 1 (highest risk level) human carcinogen.

For more information, including details of what this means for your business and a summary of actions that need to be taken, please refer to our latest legal update on Welding – Changes to UK welding fumes control standards.

If you require any further advice or assistance on these changes, please contact Harrier on 01332 460703

We’re now national award winners!

2019 is kicking off to be a great year for Harrier. Not only were we shortlisted for ‘Best Health & Safety’ at the Festival Supplier Awards, we only went and won it! The awards were presented at the very glamorous setting of London’s Hurlingham Club and they annually celebrate the achievements of suppliers to the UK’s festival industry.

There was plenty of competition this year, all of which were subjected to an extensive and rigorous judging process. With awards categories ranging from Best Lighting and Best Crowd Management to Best Visual Speculator; we’d like to congratulate all winners and finalists on their achievements in the industry.

Over the past year, we’ve been incredibly busy working with a number of festivals and outdoor events up and down the UK. These include: Truck Festival, Sundown Festival, Bristol’s Ethical Life Festival and various Live Nation Stadium events. Our team, during the time of these festivals, have clearly demonstrated strong working relationships with our clients and local authorities. It is this collaborative approach that has helped us to win the “Best Health & Safety” award.

Here’s what our very chuffed Managing Director Andy had to say…

“It’s a fantastic achievement to be named Best Health & Safety and a real testament to the incredible efforts our team has put in. This year’s awards saw us up against some of the industry leaders which makes this award all the more special. We take pride in making festivals and events safe and enjoyable for all, and to see our hard work recognised gives us immense pride.”

We’re incredibly excited to further our success in 2019 and beyond! We’re putting a huge focus on continuing our award-winning health & safety services not just in the festival and events industry, but making health & safety support and training accessible to small businesses too.

For more details about how we can support your business or event with health & safety compliance, visit our services page here. Don’t be afraid to get in touch with our friendly team. Call us on: 01332 460703 or email: info@harrieruk.com

Behind the scenes at the first Harrier Team Day

Back in December, before heading off for Christmas dinner and New Year celebrations, the whole Harrier team came together for the first ‘Harrier Team Day’. This was a chance for everyone to share their knowledge and experiences throughout 2018 and look ahead to what is proving to be an exciting year in 2019.

Opening the door for discussions

Our team gathered together for an in-depth discussion about the best health & safety practices and gave ideas to each other for how to provide a great service. Around the table was our Health & Safety Advisor, Project Coordinator, Business Manager, Managing Director, and our team of Event Safety Advisors.

We discussed a wide range of areas relating to health & safety such as sustainability, CDM (construction, design and management), table top exercises, inductions, equipment and paperwork. Each team member shared their expertise, giving a strong insight into what has worked well in each of these areas, while also giving an idea about the areas to focus on as this year progresses. After all, we’re always looking to improve!

Then came two engaging presentations; starting with Alex Stone, our marketing team Mocha Marketing’s Commercial Director, who shared the social media dos and don’ts during events and why good communication is vital in our work especially in emergencies.

This led nicely into a presentation by Event Safety Advisor, Clayton, who shared how the team can put together counter-terrorism risk assessments and why these are so important in the work we carry out.

Picture: Alex Cantrill-Jones / ACJ Media

A successful Team Day

With lots of discussion, the day was a great way for the team to strengthen their bonds and get together. We always value each member of our team and the knowledge they bring, which is why it was so important for everyone to have the floor throughout the day.

As a big thank you to the team for their continued hard work, we finished the day with a tasty curry at our favourite local curry house – and of course plenty of drinks to toast the end of a great year!

It was a pleasure for the whole team to come together for one big celebration and take pride in our achievements. We’re already excited to be planning this year’s Harrier Team Day, with everyone keen for it to be more than just one day…

Roll on Team Day 2019!

Castle Donington Welcomes a New Networking Group

With the New Year comes new opportunities to get out there and network, to find a supportive group of likeminded individuals and to take a break from working at home alone. Not only that, networking is a great way to build great connections, challenge your conceptions and learn something new.

All of this took place at Castle Donington’s new networking group ‘Lets Network’ organised as a joint venture by Harrier, East Midlands Health & Safety Specialist and Jake Burkey, Mortgage & Protection advisor. This formation grew from the lack of local networking groups for the area and the realisation of the different opportunities the group may bring to each other.

The first meeting was held on Friday 11th January at 9.30am-12.30pm at the recently opened Community Hub in Castle Donington. This ideal venue choice is built to serve the community, close to the A50 and M1, with free parking facilities and comfortable meeting rooms.

The meeting started with an informal chance to network with others over tea, coffee and biscuits. A chance to build relationships, listen to others and lend an encouraging voice. The event was well attended by a wide variety of organisations across the area, including marketing, PR, coaching, office supplies, health and fitness & wellbeing.

As guest speaker Tracey Hartshorn Development Coach from Tracey Hartshorn and Associates, took to the floor, she delivered an engaging and eye-opening presentation on ‘Why Mental Health Awareness is Important’. At the end of the presentation everyone took something away with from the alarming statistics that 1 in 4 of us will suffer with a mental health problem. Tracey also explained the stigma that surrounds mental health and shared some simple suggestions to help others struggling with mental health, such as learning to listen better and being more thoughtful to those around you.

The meeting finished with discussions on the guest topic and further networking over refreshments. The cost to attend is just a £5 donation which goes to the Joseph Cooper Trust, a charity that helps provide small wishes to children with life limiting illnesses.

With the next networking date confirmed as Friday 15th February 9.30am – 12.30pm. If you’d like to join this refreshing and relaxed networking group, please email admin@harrieruk.com.

Welcome to our new website!

It’s been an exciting few years here at Harrier. We’ve brought our health & safety know-how to businesses up and down the UK and our own team members have been at some of the biggest events in the calendar.

As you’ve probably noticed by now, we’ve also given our website a fresh new look for 2019 as a result of our recent successes! We hope you enjoy having a look around, learning about the services we can offer and the people who make these services happen.

At Harrier, we’re more than just event health & safety specialists. We believe in making high quality health & safety services and training accessible for all businesses, regardless of size and budget. Our new website is your portal to putting health & safety procedures in place to keep you and your people safe.

After all, the health, safety and wellbeing of people should always come first.

Striving for further growth

2018 was one of the most successful years on record for us here at Harrier. Not only did we have the opportunity to work at some of the biggest music venues going, but we also supported a many small businesses with their health & safety compliance and training.

From being on hand to help at the much-anticipated concerts by Taylor Swift and Jay-Z and Beyoncé, to working at Bristol’s first ever Viva! Vegan festival, our team have seen been a part of some incredible moments.

It wasn’t just out at events and music festivals where our teams excelled; our face-to-face training services have also expanded and grown too! We’re offering more training courses than before, including in areas such as mental health awareness and emergency first aid; all to help health & safety become more accessible than ever for businesses of all sizes.

Why not take a look at our latest calendar of training courses here.

Brand new look, same quality service

Our new website is still in its infancy, but we hope that it gives you a good insight into who we are and how we work. Whether you’re putting on a small music festival in your community or need a health & safety advisor to carry out face-to-face assessments in your business, we’re here to help.

Because we know you might have team members working across the country, we’ve made it easier than ever to book onto our online health & safety training courses! You can now simply click here to purchase from a wide range of online training courses.

Though our website might have changed, the outstanding service we always strive for still remains the same. But don’t just take our word for it, you can view a selection of case studies and testimonials from our wonderful clients here.

We’d love to hear what you have to say about us! If you have any suggestions  on how we can improve, please feel free to let us know.