The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has issued a warning to businesses not to save money by cutting corners on health and safety. The potential consequences and costs associated with ignoring health and safety requirements can be huge, involving prosecution and defence costs; fines; compensation payouts; lost production; loss of future work and damage to the company’s reputation. The warning was issued after a worker lost three fingers operating an industrial power press.

The workers employer was fined a total of £12,000 plus a further £2,300 costs by Northampton Magistrates, for what was essentially an avoidable accident.

The HSE stated: "Companies need to realise that skimping on health and safety is a shortcut to tragedy and financial cost. A worker has been left with permanent disfigurement for the sake of a few minutes and a few pounds..."

There was also a warning that the financial impact of such prosecutions can be particularly difficult for smaller businesses, which can struggle to cover the costs resulting from lost earnings, legal fees, fines, court costs, sick pay, sick leave cover, loss of output, increased insurance premiums and compensation claims.

For many smaller organisations, the management of health and safety is seen as an added burden and overhead, however, Safety Services Direct Ltd specialises in working with and assisting small and medium sized companies in the development of their health and safety systems. Call us today to see how we can help you!

Many of the people we talk to are confused about what their responsibilities are, receiving different messages from different organisations – often adding to their confusion! Safety Services Direct has recently been recommended by the publication ‘Indicator’, in their June Health & Safety edition, as being one of the most cost-effective consultancy services available in the UK! At Safety Services Direct we try our very best to make Health & Safety affordable, whilst providing the highest level of professionalism and service. Our intention is to support you in your understanding and fulfilment of your Health & Safety responsibilities; we do this by preparing documentation on your behalf; acting as your competent Health & Safety Advisors and simply being available when you need us.

All work is carried out on a fixed-priced quotation basis, so call us today and let us provide you with that much needed assistance.

It’s nearly here! The new Regulations which are finally coming into force in October this year, will place a requirement on all organisations to ensure that they have fully assessed the Fire Risks within their premises. These Regulations apply to all organisations, in all industry sectors and replace the existing Fire Safety Legislation and the requirements for Fire Certificates. The emphasis is now on you ... Safety Services Direct Ltd is pleased to announce that our new Fire Safety Risk Assessment package is due to be launched by the 1st September 2006. Based on the similar format of our current, very popular, Risk Assessments packages, the Fire Risk Assessment Package will provide users with an easy to use Fire Risk Assessment Format. Within the package we will be providing: example, editable, completed Fire Risk Assessments, applicable to all key industries; a Fire Safety Policy and Procedures manual, a Fire Safety Log Book, a hot works permit system as well as a number of posters and a high visibility garment for your Fire Marshall!

As a valued customer of Safety Services Direct Ltd we will be pleased to offer you a 10% discount off of the usual retail price of this package, until the 30th September 2006. To qualify for this discount, a special code will be sent to you at the beginning of September 2006, which will need to be quoted, for any telephone orders or added to your online purchases. This is an exclusive offer to our existing customers only, so keep an eye out for your promotional code!

A Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) card is one way to demonstrate that you are competent in your occupation and have received a minimum level of health and safety awareness. The CSCS cards are the size of a standard credit card with your photo, a unique registration number and details of your trade/profession on it.

There is an ever increasing number of trades and professions covered by the Construction Skills Certification Scheme, and to obtain a card relevant to your profession, you will need to be able to demonstrate either through experience, or qualifications, that you are adequately skilled and competent.

The CSCS card also provides evidence that the holder has passed a basic health and safety awareness test, so a minimum level of health and safety awareness can therefore be assumed. The health and safety test has to be booked by calling 0870 6004020 and can be taken at any one of over 150 test centres around the country.

The scheme is linked to the Government’s initiative to drive ‘cowboys’ out of the construction industry, and with a move towards a fully qualified, and competent workforce, by attempting to register every construction operative within the UK, who is not currently on a skills registration scheme. Operatives receive an individual registration card that remains valid for a minimum of three years, after this time, the card must be renewed, and a new health and safety test must also be taken and passed.

Why do I need to get a card? Simply because without a card it is becoming more and more likely that you will be refused entry onto site. Most major contractors are already enforcing this requirement, and many local authorities and public sector clients have also followed suit!

We’ve gone into production! A number of our customers have indicated the unreasonable costs for many key Safety Products. We do listen and have taken this on board. We have now commissioned our own manufacturing of some Safety Posters, and as there is a legal requirement to display certain posters in all workplaces; we are sure that you will be pleased that we are now selling key posters from as little as £1.49 each! Additionally we are negotiating, with our wholesalers, for more competitively priced quality PPE. We will pass on our savings to you – keep a look out for the savings that you can make in our online store.

Working at height can be very dangerous indeed. Even at low heights, falls can be fatal. The Working at Height Regulations 2005 has now been in force for just over a year, yet we are still finding organisations that do not take their lives or that of their workers seriously! Accidents happen - don’t put yourself, friends, family or colleagues at risk – it is NEVER worth it!

A new report published by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is being made available online to help businesses understand how and why health and safety regulations are enforced. The report shows:

• Prosecutions for failure to observe health and safety law increased by 6% on last year;
• The average fine per case prosecuted by the HSE has increased from £9,395 in 2002/2003 to £14,702 in 2003/2004;
• Each case may involve prosecution for more than one offence. The average fine per offence prosecuted has risen from £6,251 in 2002/03 to £9,858 in 2003/04;
• 89% of cases prosecuted lead to a conviction.

A Yorkshire based developer and one of its directors, have been fined £15,000, with costs of £20,000, and £2,000 respectively, for the unsafe handling of asbestos during demolition work at a former Working Mans Club in Batley.

Guilty pleas were made at Dewsbury Magistrates Court to breaches of S.2(1), 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, after asbestos was removed without a licence and demolition was carried out at the then asbestos contaminated site.