Search Results for: safety

April 1, 2015

New safety regulations to affect even routine building maintenance tasks

by Sara Bean • Facilities management, Legal news, Property

Any organisation which intends to contract for construction work could risk fines or imprisonment if they do not comply with new legal safety regulations covering site management. Pinsent Masons, the law firm behind Out-Law.com is warning that The Construction (Design and Management) (CDM) Regulations, which come into force on 6 April, will affect all construction work in the UK. The regulations give ‘clients’, meaning anyone for whom a project is carried out, a greater role. Once in force, the regulations will require commercial firms to appoint a principal designer and principal contractor whenever any work involves more than one contractor – even where the work involved is very limited and over quickly. The scope of ‘construction work’ under the regulations is wide, covering everything from major infrastructure projects to installing new showers.

January 23, 2015

Good communication is essential to ensure workplace health and safety

by Mike James • Comment, Facilities management, Legal news, Wellbeing, Workplace

Last week the HSE marked its 40th anniversary with a series of warnings about the continuing importance of maintaining health and safety. While the number of people killed at work has fallen dramatically since the HSE was launched, it’s important employers don’t get complacent. A lack of education among the workforce about the adequate measures to take when considering health and safety can still make a huge difference. Good communication is vital, so provide in depth, yet cohesive and easy to follow Health and Safety guides, including useful information like fire blanket locations, fire exits, what to do in an emergency and emergency phone numbers which are handed out to all employees. Regular talks about the importance of health and safety should be conducted every few months to reiterate health and safety messages.

November 2, 2014

The safety regulations to consider when designing a new workspace

by Tom Grey • Comment, Legal news, Property

There’s no doubt about it, designing and managing a new workspace is a challenge at the best of times. With so many different aspects to consider, designers must create a space that is both aesthetically pleasing to work in, while ensuring that the safety of the people working in the building, and the public exposed to the redesign work, is being prioritised. Designing and managing a building project is a lengthy process that requires meticulous planning to make sure you are fully equipped. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is frequently assessing the safety credentials of refurbishment projects and has demonstrated in the past that it is not afraid to dish out hefty fines to companies that fail to abide by the UK’s health and safety laws. Avoid any unwanted surprises by doing your homework, completing a risk assessment and creating a strategy of how you will complete the project in a safe, efficient manner.

March 31, 2014

Consultation opens on changes to construction project safety

by Sara Bean • Facilities management, News, Property

A consultation on changes to the way safety on building projects is managed has opened today. The ten week consultation is being carried out by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) on proposals to replace the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007 (CDM 2007). These currently apply to all construction work in the UK, and cover construction, alteration, fitting-out, commissioning, renovation, repair, upkeep, redecoration or other maintenance, decommissioning, demolition or dismantling. Key changes being proposed include the replacement of the CDM co-ordinator role with a principal designer role within the project team; introducing a duty on information, instruction, training and supervision to replace the duty to assess competence; removal of the domestic client exemption and transfer of these limited duties to the contractor/designer; and the replacement of the ACoP with tailored guidance. More →

February 27, 2014

New guidance published to help close the health and safety gap

by Sara Bean • Facilities management, News

There is nothing more welcome to the ‘elf n safety’ hating tabloid press than tales of health and safety over-zealousness. So they must have rejoiced today at the publication of a new survey which reveals the extreme lengths some small firms mistakenly go to trying to comply. This included completing a risk assessment for using a tape measure or introducing written guidelines for walking up stairs. However, these examples were actually uncovered by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), itself, which is encouraging small and medium sized employers to use its free online tools and guidance, specifically designed to help them get their risk management right. The H&S ABC is full of straightforward information to help small firms save time, effort and money by identifying the things they really do and don’t need to do. More →

October 22, 2013

Over 40 percent of refurbishment projects fail September health and safety checks

by Mark Eltringham • Legal news, News, Property

Following the extensive enforcement action it took against construction sites in March, the latest Health and Safety Executive ‘swoop’ on refurbishment projects in September found that more than 42 percent of them failed the subsequent inspection. During the month, HSE inspectors paid unannounced visits to 2,607 construction sites where refurbishment or repair work was taking place and reported that 1,100 of them failed the safety checks. On 644 of the sites, practices were deemed so poor that enforcement action was taken to protect workers. More seriously, 539 prohibition notices were served to put an immediate end to dangerous activities and inspectors issued 414 improvement notices requiring standards to improve.

August 30, 2013

Sometimes health and safety failures can be a laughing matter

by Mark Eltringham • Comment, Facilities management, Legal news, Workplace

One of the regular refrains from those involved in health and safety management is that while they aren’t killjoys, protecting people from harm is no laughing matter. Well actually yes, sometimes it is. And if the health and safety profession wants to shake off the po-faced image it claims is unjust, it needs to realise that some of the people it is trying to protect are just bloody idiots. And however much you try to make things idiot-proof, you’re unlikely to make them bloody-idiot-proof. Some people will always come up with something you haven’t thought of and a new way to put themselves in harm’s way.

April 15, 2024

West End gateway for Leeds takes shape with green light for McLaren’s mixed use neighbourhood

by Neil Franklin • Company news, Property

Leeds City Council has McLaren’s mixed use Wellington Square development of build-to-rent homes and commercial space in Leeds’ West End. The new neighbourhood, designed by Howells Architects, will transform a 2.47 acre site into a lively gateway to Leeds city centre with a landmark tower, high-quality new homes and innovative workspace in the city’s professional core and Innovation Arc, which establishes the area as a hub for research and innovation. More →

April 15, 2024

Half of bosses now live in fear that AI could steal their jobs

by Neil Franklin • News, Technology

Hundreds of UK chief executives believe that artificial intelligence (AI) could steal their job, underlining widespread fears over the technology’s potential to shake up traditional working models. Nearly half (43 percent) of CEOs said they felt that their job could be at risk due to the technology, according to a new poll from AND Digital. The survey has been published in The CEO Digital Divide: are you accelerating enterprise value or slowing it down [registration], which surveyed 600 global CEOs and was conducted by independent research company Censuswide. More →

April 9, 2024

Microsoft announces new London AI research hub

by Jayne Smith • News, Property, Technology

Microsoft AI is opening a new AI hub in Central London. The firm claims that the new Paddington based centre, dubbed Microsoft AI London will ‘drive pioneering work to advance state-of-the-art language models and their supporting infrastructure, and to create world-class tooling for foundation models’, collaborating closely with AI teams across Microsoft and with its partners, including OpenAI. More →

April 4, 2024

When it comes to the carbon conundrum, real change will come from collaboration

by Roger Olsen • Comment, Environment, Facilities management, Property, Wellbeing

Last week we launched our first white paper: Carbon Conundrum to Carbon Control and we were so delighted to be joined by a panel of experts across development, , engineering, design and consultancy. Through their discussion and with excellent engagement from our audience of developers, designers, contractors, agents, engineers and end users, there were a number of very pertinent industry topics raised. The mood was upbeat and collaborative, but the emphasis was certainly on action and innovation, with a commitment to collective responsibility, education and being bolder. More →

March 28, 2024

Sick pay reform should encourage people back into work, government claims

by Marvin Gort • News, Workplace

A parliamentary committee of MPs has called for a ‘long-overdue’ boost to statutory sick pay (SSP), emphasising the need to strike a delicate balance between workers’ wellbeing and employers’ financial constraints. The Work and Pensions Committee has recommended aligning the SSP rate with the flat rate of Statutory Maternity Pay, a move that they say could significantly improve the financial safety net for workers. More →