The introduction of new COVID safety measures in England saw the return of a recommendation to work from home where practical, specifically advice that “Office workers who can work from home should do so from Monday 13th December”. Working from home advice in Scotland and Wales has not changed. The Government has now updated the official working safely guides for … Read More

Working outdoors during the winter months can present risk to those who are unprepared. Icy conditions can be extremely hazardous for pedestrians and very challenging for drivers of moving vehicles and plant, working near to water in freezing temperatures requires extra care to ensure that ice patches are not created by work activities, and snow can greatly increase dangers. If … Read More

It is sometimes claimed that you will be held responsible if you attempt to clear ice or snow beyond your boundaries and someone slips over. However, it is unlikely that you will be sued or held responsible if you take care, clear the snow or ice carefully, make a proper attempt to improve the situation and don’t do anything silly. … Read More

In response to the Omicron variant the Government has announced a number of changes to current covid safety regulations and guidance. Full details of the new regulations and guidance were not available at the time of writing, but are expected to be published shortly. In the meantime in summary: From Friday 10th December there will be a legal requirement for … Read More

Alongside tighter controls on international travel, following the discovery of the Omicron Covid-19 variant, from 4:00am today (30th November 2021) the government has reintroduced the compulsory wearing of face coverings in a number of settings in England. Areas where face coverings must now be worn include: Shops and enclosed shopping centres. Banks, building societies, credit unions, Post Offices and similar … Read More

The government brought the Coronavirus Statutory Sick Pay Rebate Scheme to an end on Thursday 30 September 2021. If you’re eligible for a rebate you have until Friday 31 December 2021 to apply via the online service. To reclaim SSP you must: Have already paid your employee’s sick pay Claim for an employee who’s eligible for sick pay due to … Read More

Earlier during the Covid-19 pandemic the government advised those who were considered to be clinically extremely vulnerable to “shield”. This involved placing some quite severe restrictions on the lives of those individuals which could lead to social isolation and, while offering protection from infection, for some this had a significant impact on their lives and their mental and physical wellbeing. … Read More

The HSE have issued a safety alert following fire and explosion caused by the failure of a high voltage circuit breaker. High and Low voltage circuit breakers are required to operate at high speed to disconnect electrical faults with a high degree of reliability from the associated electrical system. To ensure the required performance is retained it is vital that … Read More

Choosing the right respiratory protective equipment for your employees Where respiratory protective equipment (RPE) is needed in the workplace, it must be able to provide adequate protection for individual wearers. RPE is designed to: >Protect the wearer from a variety of hazards > Suit a variety of work situations >Match the specific requirements of the wearer How can we help? … Read More