The British Compressed Gases Association (BCGA) has published a new Technical Information Sheet and a new leaflet providing guidance on the safety of medical gas cylinders. Technical Information Sheet 50 provides guidance on the security required for facilities where medical gases may be present and is aimed at facilities managers. Information leaflet 22 is designed to help individuals in selecting … Read More
UK Health Security Agency Issues Linen Processing Guidelines Amidst Bacteria Concerns
The UK Health Security Agency has published an information sheet on linen processing within adult social care. The guidance has been published in reaction to the increased risk of bacteria growing on linen due to the higher temperatures during summer. While the document is directed at adult social care providers in England, the content will be relevant in other parts … Read More
HSE Warns of Limitations in Boots Tested to American Standard for Electrical Work Safety
The HSE has issued a bulletin relating to the testing of boots to the American Standard, ASTM F2412-18A. The issue being that this Standard does not adequately ensure that boots are suitable for live electrical working because the standard does not test for: Direct current (DC) voltages Use in wet or damp environments (any footwear tested to this standard cannot … Read More
New Fire Safety Guide for Building Owners and Operators in Ireland
The National Directorate for Fire & Emergency Management in Ireland has released a new fire safety guide focused on helping building owners and operators with fire safety. The guide helps with the fire safety responsibilities under section 18(2) of the Fire Services Acts 1981 and 2003, which place duties on individuals having control over all types of premises other than … Read More
E Bike and E Scooter Fires
London Fire Brigade have recently reported an increased number e-bike and e-scooter fires. As of the end of August 2023 there had been 116 fires involving e-bikes and scooter that is more than all of 2023 and higher than any other year. These fires included three fatalities and an additional 51 people injured. Concerns have been raised by a number … Read More
Consultation on Fire Safety of Upholstered Furniture
The Department for Business and Trade and the Office for Product Safety and Standards launched a consultation, starting 2nd August 2023, regarding a new approach to dealing with the fire safety of domestic upholstered furniture as a replacement to the existing Furniture and Furnishings (Fire) (Safety) Regulations 1988. The consultation is seeking feedback on proposals regarding: The scope of the … Read More
Environmental Agency Launches Consultation on Unlimited Fines for Polluters
A new consultation has been launched by the Environmental Agency to explore the possibility of unlimited fines for those who are the worst polluters. The consultation, which opened on August 15th and runs until October 8th, is seeking views on when penalties should be used, how they should be calculated, and the appeals process. The consultation considers removing the £250,000 … Read More
Pull Your Finger Out: Behaviour, Physical Features and Covid Risk
A recently published study by Dutch researchers assessed a number of behavioural and physical features such as nose picking, nail biting, wearing glasses, having a beard, and the risk of Covid infection among health workers. The study involved measuring Covid specific antibodies alongside a survey of behavioural and physical features at two university medical centres in the Netherlands. A total … Read More
Extension of CE Mark Recognition
Following the UK’s departure from the EU, the Government developed the UKCA (UK Conformity Assessment) as a replacement for the CE marking system to show that a product complies with basic safety requirements. Voluntary use of the new standard started in January 2021. The original date for a full transfer to UKCA had been set for 1st January 2022 for … Read More
Consultation on Amendments to Health Protection Notification Regulations
The Health Protection Notification Regulations 2010 (HPNR) were introduced to help the government respond effectively and quickly to newly discovered cases of infectious diseases and prevent their spread if they pose such a risk. In the wake of COVID, the Government has been considering adding a number of amendments to the regulations in order to ensure the discovery of infectious … Read More