TASC NEWS UPDATES
TASC opens a new RTITB centre in the north west...
TASC Ltd once more expand its influence and presence with the safety training fraternity.
This month TASC Ltd successfully achieved accreditation for its training facility in Heywood
from RTITB to instruct in use of fork lift trucks, the team at TASC are pleased to add the provision to its existing
NVQ level 2 plant operations service. MD Michael Bamford stated “ this is the right step at the right time for both TASC and its clients”.
Further expansion of its service and facility are planned in the near future – watch this space
The Health and Safety Executive supports National Stress Awareness Day 2008...
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is pleased to support National Stress Awareness Day with the launch of a new and improved
stress management standards analysis tool and user manual. This year’s campaign is focused on taking positive action. One of the
positive actions employers can take is to adopt HSE Management Standards for Work-related Stress.
HSE Chief Executive Geoffrey Podger said:
"We must make a conscious effort to deal with work-related stress as we lost over 13.5 million working days to stress last year."
"Pressure is part and parcel of all work and helps to keep us motivated, but excessive pressure can lead to stress which undermines performance, is costly to employers and can make people ill. The Stress Management Standards highlight the components of good organisation, job design and management that keep stress levels in check and enhance productivity.
"We are working towards improving the management standards process and enhancing the analysis tool is the first step to making this happen."
In 2007/08 work related stress, depression and anxiety cost Great Britain in excess of £530 million. The number of workers who reported new cases of work-related stress increased by 237,000.
Many successful organisations use the HSE Management Standards. In this simple approach, employers work together with employees and their representatives to bring about a reduction in levels of work-related stress.
Following this year’s theme of ‘Don’t worry take action’ HSE are taking steps to make acting on potential problems easier.
The Analysis Tool is one part of the Management Standards process and allows organisations to identify areas of potential stressors at work. The main improvement to this version is the option to benchmark against either data drawn from organisations in both the private and public sector, or the current data from the Psychosocial Working Conditions (PWC) survey 2004
Your back is in your hands: HSE gives practical advice on preventing and managing back pain...
Back disorders are the most common form of occupational ill health experienced in Britain, and employers are reminded that they have a duty to prevent and manage back pain amongst their employees.
Back pain can mean misery for sufferers, and can impact on the number of working days lost by businesses.
HSE’s Ergonomist Simon Monnington said: "Many of the problems I see on daily basis can often be addressed through simple measures and proper assessment of risk.
"Employers need to sort out the problems that have the most impact first, and it is vital to ensure that they work with the employees to arrive at solutions, as well as monitoring how well these work in practice.
Recent medical evidence shows that the best route to recovery for people with back pain is to stay active and lead as normal a life as possible, rather than seek bed rest.
Health and Safety Executive to warn tradesmen of asbestos danger...
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have begun a campaign to warn tradesmen of the dangers of asbestos.
This is supported by the HSE’s ‘Asbestos:The Hidden Killer’ campaign to reduce the rising death rate from asbestos-related disease by educating those in the trade about the danger that asbestos presents to them.
Figures issued by the Health and Safety Executive have revealed that every week 20 tradesmen die from asbestos-related diseases and this number is set to increase.
HSE Inspector Nic Rigby said: "We need to educate tradesmen about how asbestos and its dangers are relevant to them. We want them to change the way they work so that they don’t put their lives at risk.
"Research shows that many workers, particularly tradesmen, think that they are not personally at risk of exposure to asbestos and the diseases it can cause. They think that, since asbestos was banned many years ago, the problem has been dealt with and therefore it is not relevant to them. The reality is very different.
"Asbestos presents a real and relevant risk to plumbers, joiners, electricians and many other maintenance workers. Asbestos may be present in any building constructed or refurbished before the year 2000, and it is estimated that around 500,000 non-domestic buildings could contain asbestos. These buildings all need repair and maintenance work from time to time and when the asbestos fibres are disturbed e.g. by drilling or cutting, they are likely to be inhaled as a deadly dust."
If asbestos-containing material is in good condition and in a position where it cannot be disturbed or damaged, it is safer to leave it where it is and ensure that the risks are managed. Those responsible for managing building maintenance and repair of non-domestic buildings, have a duty to inform tradesmen if asbestos is present in a building they are working in. Depending on the type of asbestos-containing material, and providing they have been trained and the proper controls are in place, they may be able to work on the project. Asbestos sprayed coatings, board or lagging on pipes and boilers – should only be tackled by licensed workers.
HSE’s Nic Rigby explained why a major campaign has been launched to raise awareness of the real risk that tradesmen face, "Exposure to asbestos is the biggest single cause of work-related deaths, with around 4,000 people a year dying from asbestos-related disease. The overall number of deaths is rising because a large number of workers who have already been exposed to asbestos dust around 40 years ago will go on to develop mesothelioma, a terminal cancer or other asbestos related diseases."
Annually, 1,000 (25%) of the 4,000 now dying are tradesmen and while the number of deaths in traditional industries seems to have reached a plateau, deaths in trades continue to rise.
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