Health & Safety Activities
We’d like to highlight the major areas where we help our clients
Training
Good training is key to effective Health & Safety. All our training is bespoke, completely customised to the needs of specific clients. We train at every level, from board level to site workers. We’re happy to train on site, where that is most effective, or in the classroom. All our training sessions are informal, pro-active and fun, we encourage delegates to give the group the benefit of their experiences.
Our extensive training portfolio includes:
- manual handling
- CDM ( Construction Design and Management regulations )
- conducting risk assessments
- basic health and safety
- Noise and vibration
- Construction safety
- COSHH
- Behavioural Safety
- DSE
- Health and Safety for the Small Business
- What Company Directors should know
- Biosafety-the Laboratory Environment
Risk Assessment and Policy Development
Risk assessment is a core skill in Health & Safety, and one of our strengths. We use our experience to to help you identify what the real hazards are in your workplace and will ensure that you do not waste time on assessment for assessments sake. All to often companies produce masses of risk assessments for every risk imaginable and then put them in the cupboard to gather dust. We will help you develop your risk assessment strategy so that it focuses on what is important, and ensure that this information is communicated where it is really needed. Our recent total review and redevelopment of the risk assessment strategy for a large pharmaceutical company will help us provide you with key skills to ensure that you are complying with the legislation.
We carry out risk assessments for all areas of Health & Safety, including
- COSHH : substances hazardous to health
- PUWER : equipment used at work
- DSE : display screen equipment, required when workers use a display screen
- Manual handling
- Office
- Warehouse
- Young persons
- Pregnant and nursing mothers
- Construction
We can develop your company health and safety policy and specific policies geared to your work/industry. We have a wealth of experience in ensuring that policies are a meaningful and useful tool for your business. Our policies are brief and to the point. We do not use templates or standard “one size fits all” policies. Our policies are geared precisely to your business, and we will spend time with you to make sure the policy is right.
Safety Audits
Our safety audits make clear to business owners exactly what they need to do for Health & Safety. They tell new businesses what is required and existing businesses what is missing. They ensure the business complies with its legal responsibilities. We recommend best practice solutions, and, if required, work with you to implement them.
Legal Updates
Health & Safety legislation is large, complex and ever-changing. ( The HSE enforces 16 different acts http://www.hse.gov.uk/legislation/acts.htm and 186 different Statutory instruments http://www.hse.gov.uk/legislation/statinstruments.htm ) Keeping up to date is a major burden on businesses large and small.
We keep up to date with both UK and European legislation. Therefore we can alert you to on changes that will impact your business, and advise you how to modify your policies and procedures to stay within the law. We will ensure that you are aware of pending changes well before they happen so that you have plenty of time to prepare.
Occupational Hygiene
The COSHH (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health) Regulations specify that employees, and the public, cannot be exposed to certain hazardous substances. Where the risk of exposure exists, it must be monitored, managed and controlled. Common risks include
- Dust
- Vapours
- Solvents
- Asbestos
- Allergens
- Anaesthetics
- Chemicals
We can help you decide when and how to monitor, and can also carry out the monitoring for you. We have an expert associate who is eminant in the field of occupational hygiene who we can call upon for advice and guidance. We are also associated with an occupational health nurse and have contacts with occupational health practitioners. Where health monitoring and surveillance is required we can advice on the best package for your company.
Accident Investigation
All accidents/ incidents and near misses should be investigated in order that we can learn and prevent the worst happening in the future. Its an unfortunate fact of life that in many cases nothing is done until an accident happens. To do nothing is asking for trouble. significant incidents should be investigated, so that lessons can be learnt, and problems prevented. Remember, the HSE requires that any accident that results in hospitalisation, or in more than 3 days sick leave, must be formally investigated.
Wellbury enable you to complete a thorough, professional investigation without the need to take senior managers away from their normal work for extended periods. We can react quickly, and be on your site at short notice.
We will study the accident site, and interview the participants. Our report will identify both the primary cause, and the underlying root cause of the accident. We can include recommendations to ensure the incident is not repeated. We’re happy to liaise with HSE on your behalf.
Interface to Regulatory Bodies
Government bodies have significant powers over companies in the UK, including shutting down a business. More commonly they will issue an Improvement Notice, requiring the business owner to make changes, or face major penalties. Improvement Notices may come following an accident and investigation, or following a routine safety audit.
Wellbury can make this process less painful for a business, by acting as the interface to the regulatory bodies. We understand what drives the regulators, and are used to dealing with them. We also understand the needs and drives of businesses. Therefore we can find ways to meet the regulator’s requirements, without undue impact on the business.
Human Factors and Safety Culture
The Safety Culture aspect of our work is about instilling into a group a high regard for safety. A good safety culture is a key factor in maintaining a good safety record. We achieve this through our understanding of why groups behave as they do in certain circumstances : the human factors of safety, and our wide experience of working on safety with different groups and companies.
We ensure that, within the group, concern for safety is seen as coming from the top down. As importantly, we ensure that communication on safety flows both ways, top-down and bottom-up.
Biosafety
Biosafety is about the unique risks that come from working in the biological sciences, including
- working with human tissue
- working with bacteria
- working with viruses
- managing containment laboratories
Wellbury’s background and experience working with major multi-national pharmaceutical companies gives us the expertise to advise and recommend on safety best practise in this area.