Safety Update - What to do about training?

Common questions we are asked at the training arm of the Up and Under Group, Entrainment:

• What training should we give our staff
• When should we do it?
• And of course, how much will it cost?

The HSE suggest a structured approach to deciding upon training needs which can also be applied to other types of training. All of this information is explained in their five-step approach:

• Decide what training your organisation needs
• Decide your training priorities
• Choose your training methods and resources
• Deliver the training
• Check that the training has worked

All of this sounds simple, but then most of the best ideas are. for the HSE guide to training INDG 345 go here.

If you need training provision or help with any of the 5 steps above call us on 01270 589615

Assessing Risks - "..they can never be eliminated."

It was refreshing to read Judith Hackitt's (Chair of HSE) Blog ,when talking about the offshore industry's response to the recent helicopter tragedy.  

She commented: "There is a maturity of understanding which is shared by everyone that risks can be managed, but they can never be eliminated."

I would like to believe that there is a similar attitude demonstrated in the best companies in the construction industry.  It is always interesting to note that the more hazardous an activity, the lower the relative number of accidents seems to be.

From my many years of climbing and mountaineering I can easily understand this.  You develop an internal sense that increases your level of attention as the number, and severity, of hazards increase.  What you are doing is assessing risks, constantly then responding.  THe effectiveness of the response is determined by training and experience. Even the best can get it wrong and suffer the consequences.

The formal written risk assessment does many things, a couple of the most useful being to share knowledge and communicate to all members of a team.  Often they are seen as a record for backside covering, but this is looking at the process from the wrong end.

Today I am back in real world after a brief excursion into the mountains, I won't forget that "...hazards never go away" (Judith Hackitt's Blog).

If we can assist you with preparing risk assessment or providing risk assessment training feel free to contact us on 01270 589615

Safety Update - Free Seminar

We like to help you keep up to date when we can and this has just come to our attention.

Free health and Safety event - Working at Heights Seminar to be held in Bradford on Tuesday evening 25th June.

Getting closer with Up and Under

Obviously we will be very happy to help you with your work at height needs whether they be projects at height or over water, or if you require specialist training for safe work at height

Safety Update - Are Ladders Banned?

Ladders are banned aren't they?!?

Well, actually despite the over riding fear of their use, there are circumstances where they can be the safest means of undertaking a task.  The guidance from the HSE seems to be assess the task and choose the most suitable means of access. So Risk Assessment!

As with all access equipment, selection, storage, inspection and safe disposal are important issues that need to be addressed by a competent person.

Entrainment, our training division, offer courses dealing with a range of work at height issues including safe use of ladders and ladder inspection.  These courses can be offered at our training centre or at your site, subject to suitable training areas being available.

Want more info: Call 01270 589615

Acknowledgement: Contains public sector information published by the Health and Safety Executive and licensed under the Open Government Licence v1.0

Legislation Update - First Aid Training

Following a review of First Aid Training Provision it was determined that the HSE's current approval process goes beyond the minimum requirement laid out in EU legislation.  Therefore it is expected that changes to the current edition of L74, ‘First Aid at Work’ (Approved Code of Practice and Guidance)  are expected in October 2013.

As an interim the HSE have published three draft guidance documents.

The documents deal with assessing First Aid needs in the workplace, the second addresses selection of appropriate training providers, while the third presents a selection of example scenarios to help employers with the assessment of First Aid needs. Full details can be found here

As progress continues with this important change we will keep you informed.  Remember the old regs still apply until the new ones are published.

If you need any health and safety advice please contact us 01270 589615

Safety Training is always available from www.entrainment.co.uk

HS Update - First Aid

It is likely that there will be a shake up in the landscape of first aid training if the HSE's Plan to stop formally approving providers of training goes ahead.

Consultation, which closed on 3rd December 2012, explored te idea that employers would have to satisfy themselves that training providers are suitable.  If the proposals are agreed, the changes could come into force in April 2013.

Watch this space we'll keep you informed with progress on this issue.

We provide a range of safety related services including

• Audits
• Consultancy
• Training

Want to know more?  Call us 01270 589615

Highways Agency Area 10 - Reflections on 5 years of good stuff

This weekend will see the end of AOne+'s stewardship of Highways Agency Area 10. During this time we have had the pleasure of working with a great team based in Warrington.

We have looked back over the past five years of helping to manage this vitally important component in the country’s infrastructure and have come up with a few highlights. Our contribution to keeping the Trunk Roads of the North West in good order have included: 

• More than 2,500 General Bridge Inspections
• Over 1,500 Principal Inspections
• Inputting over 4,500 inspection reports into SMIS
• Checking and updating inventories of ~50 Pre-opening and end of defect liability inspections
• Assessing 215 structures for susceptibility to scour
• Carrying out more than 350 inspections following heavy rainfall/flood events
• Undertaking numerous special and monitoring inspections
• Monitoring the piers, half-joints and internal sections of Bidston Viaduct on a quarterly basis prior to completion of the strengthening works between 2007 -2010
• Assessing thousands of structures to determine their resilience against terrorism
• Monitoring bearings on Thelwall Viaduct and other structures
• Installing (pier location ) reference labelling to help the emergency services
• Helping to maintain the highway lighting
• Installing security measures to reduce the threat of vandalism and terrorism
• Removing graffiti, clearing trash screens, plus clearing and greasing flap valves
• Cleaning and greasing bearings on rail structures
• Determining traffic management, access and rail access requirements plus liaising with specialist suppliers
• In the past year alone, cleaning and removing ~10 tonnes of pigeon droppings from structures, plus installing kilometres of pigeon spikes
• Maintaining and checking AOne+ work at height safety equipment (harnesses and lanyards)
• Solving access problems involving rope access and confined spaces working, work over and alongside deep water, the use of boats and pontoons and reacting to the joys of the british weather. 

 This has been a mammoth effort by our team, frequently working through the night, in all weathers, solving problems as they arose and innovating to meet the clients, the HA’s and the public’s needs for efficiency and safety.

None of this could have been achieved without the spirit of cooperation between ourselves and the AOne+ team. We would like to thank them all for embracing our ‘get it done’ approach.

It remains only to say thank you to all of our team members who have contributed so much over the past five years to the success of this project and to wish all those moving on to the next contract from AOne+ all the best for the future.

Our skill, enthusiasm and experience is available to all Highways Area Trunk Road managers. Contact us 01270 589615 ask for Miles.

Safety Update - Breaking H&S laws just got costlier

On the 1st October 2012 the HSE’s new cost recovery scheme, Fee for Intervention (FFI), came into force.

Under The Health and Safety (Fees) Regulations 2012, those who break health and safety laws are liable for recovery of HSE’s related costs, including inspection, investigation and taking enforcement action.

The many businesses that comply with their legal obligations will continue to pay nothing. However, it looks like the Treasury just found another way to raise revenue.

Free CPD Seminars

We are once again offering a range of lunch time CPD seminars to professionals and trainees in the construction, maintenance and asset management industries.  If you want us to present at your office or site please contact us.

Some of the subject matter

Those of you who have attended our talks in the past know that they are not thinly veiled sales pitches.  They are packed with useful practical information.  They typically last 30 minutes plus as much time as you need for questions.

Andy in full flow

You want more info click here

Weekend Volunteering

Two members of the Up and Under team spent the weekend at the Conway Centre on Anglesey assisting with adventure activities over the weekend.

One spent two days with groups walking in the Glyders.  One day was graced with near perfect weather conditions.  The views from Tryfan were exceptional, especially when nearby Glyder fach was shrouded in tumbling cloud.

The other team member spent two days coastal traversing, assisting the centre instructor to safely facilitate two groups of ten youngsters in climbing and open water swimming activities around the dramatic coastline of Holy Island.

We have supported less well off youngsters in attending this centre for a number of years and this type of interaction helps us to understand both the needs of, and the benefits to, the young people we help.

On Saturday evening another 100 people got to have their own Olympic Torch moment when once more Andy's Torch did the rounds.  For some this was the highlight of another fantastic weekend at the Conway Centre.

Training Award Runner Up

Yesterday we were announced as a runner up in the Sentinel Business Awards at the Kings Hall in Stoke. These awards recognise business success in Staffordshire and S Cheshire.

We were the runner up in the Training Excellence Award, recognising the effort and investment we make in training out team members.  We were obviously disappointed not to win, but we were beaten by a company 10 time our size who had built a £1million training centre for their staff in the past year so I guess if was a reasonable decision.

On the plus side you can be comforted that the staff working on your jobs get a range of essential safety training (eg all our team members get the opportunity to do first aid training every year - not every 3 as prescribed) plus a wide variety of technical education. 

In the past two years all of the Directors have undergone a thorough leadership programme with MMU, 5 of our team members have had one to one high level coaching, many of our technical team have completed NVQs from level 3 up to level 6 in relevant disciplines, our admin team are completing accountancy and personnel management qualifications, all of our directors have completed or are in the process of undertaking NEBOSH General Certificates and we are currently sponsoring two team members on degree programmes.

This is the edited highlights of the training commitment we have made to our 30 strong team, if you want to know more please contact either Simon or Andy via http://www.upandundergroup.com/

If you would like to have our team look at your training needs please contact our training company Entrainment for essential safety, management and technical training. 

Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Programme

The Up and Under Group is extremely proud to have been a participant on the 10,000 Small Businesses programme in the North West.  On 20th September 2011 we will graduate from the first full UK cohort following on from the pilot project in Leeds.

10,000 Small Businesses is designed to unlock the economic and job creation potential of small businesses and social enterprises operating in the United Kingdom. The programme is targeted at small businesses and social enterprises with clear ambitions to expand. The goal of the programme is to provide participants with tools and resources to help them lay the foundation for long-term sustainable growth and job creation in their communities.

The programme has help us to create a more effective and sustainable business model which will help us to provide a better and more diverse service to our customers whilst meetingthe aspirations of our team members.

Andy Fewtrell has been working with Aston University Business School to promote the programme roll out in Birmingham.
10,000 Small Businesses is funded by the Goldman Sachs Foundation and delivered in the North West by Manchester Metropolitan Business School

http://www.mmucfe.co.uk/services/providing/10000-small-businesses

New Training Facility

Entrainment was able to use their re-vamped indoor confined space training facility for the first time this week and it was hailed as a great success by both sudents and instructors.  The Indoor manhole/crawling gallery combination allows our instructors to provide a range of challenging training scenarios for trainees in controlled conditions not available in 'live' confined spaces. 



What's round this corner?

Jon Eeles, Chief Instructor, said "In this facility we can really push the trainees and ensure they are learning important skills.  All of this in a safe, controlled environment."



A successful escape!

Entrainment has a number of health and safety courses running in December and January including confined space entry, asbestos awareness, work at height, ladder inspection and harness use.  Call jon on 01270 589615 or contact jon.e@upandundergroup.com