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• Health and Safety

• Safety breaches lead to fine for automotive firm and occupational health provider

  31/07/2020
  An employee working as a small to medium area repair technology (SMART) repairer at the PMS site in Doncaster, who regularly used handheld power tools to undertake small scale vehicle body work repairs, when he was diagnosed with HAVS in 2013, Sheffield Crown Court was told...

• BendPak two post vehicle lifts – safety issues relating to locking mechanisms

  15/06/2020
  Anyone using the BendPak two-post lift should act now...

• Arrangements for driver welfare and hours of work during the coronavirus outbreak

  30/05/2020
  Driver access to welfare facilities All drivers must have access to welfare facilities in the premises they visit as part of their work...

• SAFETY ALERT : Air suspension systems on vehicles

  20/05/2020
  HSE have investigated several serious incidents involving air suspension systems on vehicles...

• RIDDOR reporting of COVID-19

  07/04/2020
  If there is reasonable evidence that someone diagnosed with COVID-19 was likely exposed because of their work you must report this as an exposure to a biological agent using the case of disease report...

• Car retailer fined for exposing worker to the risk of developing occupational asthma

  17/02/2020
  A car retailer operating across the South East of England has been fined after a car bodywork sprayer developed occupational asthma...

• Car manufacturer prosecuted for serious safety breaches

  08/03/2019
  A car manufacturer has been fined after serious safety breaches relating to faulty vehicle lifts...

• Heightened cancer risk from welding fume exposure prompts HSE to tighten controls

  12/02/2019
  Control of the cancer risk will require suitable engineering controls for all welding activities that take place indoors, which includes local exhaust ventilation (LEV)...

• HSE- Change in Enforcement, all welding including mild steel welding fume.

  11/02/2019
  There is new scientific evidence from the International Agency for Research on Cancer that exposure to mild steel welding fume can cause lung cancer and possibly kidney cancer in humans...

• Zero Hours Contracts

  11/01/2016
  Zero Hours Contracts Zero hour contracts took a beating in 2015 and were much talked about, with Labour promising ‘to give zero hour contract workers a legal right to a regular contract if they have worked without guaranteed hours for 12 weeks' if they got into power...

• Worker suffered fatal crush injuries after being hit by lorry

  18/12/2015
  A commercial vehicle company was ordered to pay £212,500 in fines and costs after one of its workers was killed when a lorry travelling at less than 5km/h crushed him...

• Employee crushed under van during inspection

  18/11/2015
  A contract gardening company has been fined for safety failings that led to a worker sustaining serious crush injuries to his chest...

• Company admitted killing a six-year-old girl who was crushed to death by electric gates in Manchester

  18/11/2015
  A company has admitted killing a six-year-old girl who was crushed to death by electric gates in Manchester...

• Firm sentenced after worker dies after inhaling paint stripper

  04/11/2015
  An employer has been fined after a worker dies after inhaling fumes while cleaning a chemical stripping paint tank at a motor vehicle repair company...

• Defibs in schools

  23/09/2015
  It was great to see The One Show publishing the issues of sudden arrest in children and are campaiging to get defibrillators into schools...

• Assessment of arm locking systems of two-post vehicle lifts

  25/08/2015
  Following a number of vehicles falling from two-post vehicle lifts HSE is concerned that some lifts for sale in the UK amy not be fit for purpose due to inferior build, quality and/or design...

• Employee severely injures leg at HGV spray painting company

  20/08/2015
  A HGV spray painting company has been fined for safety failings that led to a worker sustaining a serious fracture to his left leg...

• Will 'Fit For Work' Be Mandatory?

  18/08/2015
  Will ‘Fit for Work' be Mandatory? We have been asked that once it is rolled out, will it be mandatory for an employer to make a Fit for Work (FfW) referral? When an employee is absent for four weeks or more, under the FfW service employers have the option to refer them for a ‘free' occupational health assessment (if their GP has not already done so)...

• HSE Safety Alert!

  14/08/2015
  'Norfolk Range' large wheeled dry powder fire extinguishers manufactured before 2009 by UK Fire Intrnational Ltd are failing to operate!! Only dry powder units manufactured between 1970 and 2009 are affected...

• Roofing Contractor Fined After Employee Feel Through A Fragile Roof

  14/08/2015
  A Norwich based roofing contractor has been fined after his employee fell seven metres through a roof on which he was working...

• Business Partners Fined after explosion

  14/08/2015
  Partners of Mason Engineering were fined £4000 each and were made to pay £1171...

• Questioning Witnesses

  11/08/2015
  Questioning Witnesses Question: Does an employee facing disciplinary action have the right to question a witness in person? Answer: The employee should be given an opportunity to question and raise points about any information that has been provided by witnesses...

• Cleaning Service Provision Change (TUPE)

  04/08/2015
  Cleaning Service Provision Change (TUPE) Surely you can simply tell your current cleaning provider that you no longer wish to use their services and that's it! Wrong...

• Employee Smelling Of Alcohol Unfairly Dismissed

  28/07/2015
  Employee smelling of alcohol unfairly dismissed  Imagine this scenario - an employee comes into work smelling of alcohol...

• Employing Young Workers

  21/07/2015
  Employing Young Workers  With the start of the summer holidays upon us, you may be approached by a young person looking for a summer job...

• Limitation On Claiming Holiday

  14/07/2015
  Limitation on claiming holiday New legislation on the limitation of claiming holiday...

• Should An Employer Postpone A Disciplinary Hearing To Hear A Grievance?

  13/07/2015
  Should an employer postpone a disciplinary hearing to hear a grievance? In the recent case of Jinadu v Docklands Buses Limited & Ors, the Employment Appeal Tribunal (EAT) considered whether an employer was under an obligation to postpone a disciplinary hearing to consider an emloyee's grievance...

• Do You Have A Chatterbox?

  13/07/2015
  Do you have a Chatterbox? Have you ever had one of those employees who insists on chatting to everyone at every opportunity? A client had this issue with an employee - and whenever needed to leave her desk, whether to go to the printer or to go for a break, she would chat to everyone along the way...

• Should Employers Include Volutary Overtime When Calculating An Employee's Holiday Pay?

  13/07/2015
  Should employers include voluntary overtime when calculating an employee's holiday pay? There has been an interesting case regarding voluntary overtime...

• Checking Driving Licences

  13/07/2015
  Checking Driving Licences On 8th June 2015 the paper counterpart of the DVLA driving licence was abolished...

• Use Of Mobile Phones When Driving

  13/07/2015
  Use of mobile phones when driving While most organisations have rules on the use of mobile phones when driving, a number of recent cases have highlighted the importance of their application in a fair, consistent and reasonable manner...

• Who Decides What Is A Reasonable Adjustment?

  13/07/2015
  Who decides what is a reasonable adjustment?  The dilemma that many employers face when seeking to make reasonable adjustments for a member of staff who is disabled centres around whether it is the employers or employees opinion that matters when determining what is reasonable?  The recent case of Makuchova v Guoman Hotel Management (UK) Ltd has brought an element of relief to employers on this issue...

• Fit Notes

  13/07/2015
  Fit Notes Although the fit note was introduced in 2010, I am often asked what is expected from an employer when a doctor issues their employee with a fit note...

• Requesting Criminal Records... Now A Crime

  13/07/2015
  Requesting Criminal Records - Now a Crime...

• Good News If You Employ Young Peope

  13/07/2015
  Good news if you employ young people On 6th April 2015 an NI break was introduced which specifically benefits those who employ anyone under 21 years of age...

• Smoking Policies - Do They Cover e-cigarettes?

  13/07/2015
  Smoking Policies - Do they cover e-cigarettes? With the increasing use of e-cigarettes your position on the use or restriction is worth contemplation...

• Is Mediation 'Pink and Fluffy'?

  13/07/2015
  Is Mediation 'Pink and Fluffy'? Because HR is about people, no two situations are ever exactly the same...

• Fit For Work

  13/07/2015
  Fit For Work The new government scheme to assist employees back to work is anticipated to be available across the UK from May 2015...

• Making Better Decisions

  13/07/2015
  Making Better Decisions Every decision made in your business will be made by you or one of your employees...

• Frustration & Reward

  13/07/2015
  Frustration & Reward! When I meet a prospective client the overwhelming initial comment I receive is one of frustration...

• Obesity and Disability

  13/07/2015
  Obesity and Disability Last year the European Court of Justice held that a Danish childminder was disabled where his obesity hindered his "full and effective participation" at work...

• Long Term Absence

  13/07/2015
  Long Term Absence I am frequently asked to advise on long term absence cases...

• Shared Parental Leave

  13/07/2015
  Shared Parenal Leave It is only a few weeks until parents-to-be with babies due to be born, or matched for adoption, on or after 5th April 2015 can start sharing up to 50 weeks of parental leave...

• Your most Valuable Asset

  13/07/2015
  Your Most Valuable Asset Your people are your most valuable asset...

• Health & Safety Executive Release Latest Workplace Fatality Rates

  07/07/2015
  The Health & Safety Executive has today released the 2014/15 workplace fatality figures...

• Kids? - They are all lazy and cause too much red tape - don't they?

  16/06/2015
  Today the HSE has profoundly pledged it's support to the #iwill campaign...

• Looking After 700,000 People - On Your Bike!!

  05/05/2015
  Over the weekend A...

• New website

  17/06/2013
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• Lorem ipsum

  17/06/2013
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