INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE OFRISK AND SAFETY MANAGEMENT

Visit our website at wwwiirsmorgIssue 012016

Another brick out of the wall

It is now looking almost certain that the UKrsquos regulatory framework will be formally relieved of the important long-standing Approved Code of Practice (ACoP) for the construction sector despite two-thirds supporting the provision of an ACoP in the HSErsquos consultation on the Construction Design and Management (CDM) Regulations which came into force on 6 April 2015

It is not nostalgia that leads us to believe that this is a retrograde step Political pressure on the HSE has seen unwelcome changes to the longstanding principles that have proved so successful ndash packages of regulation clarified in an ACoP combined with guidance

At the Construction Industry Advisory Committee (CONIAC) meeting in November the HSE sought agreement to back its proposed recommendation to the Board that there is ldquono strong supportrdquo

for an ACoP (which in plain English means there is still support)

The regulatorrsquos approach to the industryrsquos expectations that created the sector guidance was tactically clever but the unwritten intention has appeared clear ndash even for such a high risk sector the HSE cannot justify a case for the construction ACoP to reappear The HSErsquos change of heart appears to be a reaction to austerity measures and it seems the construction industry must follow suit This seems a strange position bearing in mind the status of ACoPs within the UKrsquos legal framework

CONIAC has lost its voice too with the new guidance (L153) being described as ldquojust as goodrdquo as an ACoP Unions have raised concerns and at the recent meeting argued that the loss of an ACoP was wrong the HSE will be obliged to report to its own Board that CONIAC was not unanimously in favour of the proposal to

remove the ACoPIt is hard to understand what could

be so wrong with having an ACoP Is its death knell more to do with political expediency a back door method of influencing court cases (the reverse burden of proof position created for ACoPs) or something else Perhaps writing to Judith Hackitt chair of the HSErsquos Board may help Sometimes carefully reasoned cases can make all the difference

A wider circle of objection could influence a re-think about an ACoP for the construction industry It is certainly felt by many that this area of enforcement would benefit from more clarity and transparency in the application of the detail of the regulatory requirementsbit

ly1IA8Atn

International news OSHA fines set to rise in 2016

13INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Poundworld fined for selling faulty hi-vis vests

03 Peter Hall reflects on his tenure as IIRSM President

04 Live Events Safety Competence conference

10

Do you think the HSE Board should commission a CDM ACoP Discuss in our LinkedIn group httpbitly1IA8Atn

012016 | wwwiirsmorg2

Chief executive Phillip PearsonHead of marketing and communicationsClare FlemingManaging editor Louis Wustemann

Editor Kellie Mundellkelliemundelllexisnexiscouk Designer Carrie Love

ADDRESSIIRSM 77 Fulham Palace Road London W6 8JA UK Tel +44 (0)20 8741 9100 Fax +44 (0)20 8741 1349Website wwwiirsmorgEmail infoiirsmorg

Registered in England and WalesCharity No 1107666Company No 5310696

PUBLISHED BY LexisNexis copy Reed Elsevier (UK) Limited 2016Printed by Headley Brothers Ltd Kent

This publication is intended to be a general guide and cannot be a substitute for professional advice Neither the authors nor the publisher accept any responsibility for loss occasioned to any person acting or refraining from acting as a result of material contained in this publication

Reproduction copying or extracting by any means of the whole or part of this publication must not be undertaken without the written permission of the publishers

ISSN 1746-1359

News Prosecutions

WORK AT HEIGHT

Workers leapt for their lives after scaffold fell into river

Scaffold had no design Firms forced to pay more than pound45000

Three companies have been sentenced after workers narrowly escaped injury when a huge scaffold collapsed from a residential job into the River Brain in Essex

Work was being undertaken at the former Riverside Centre on 1 July 2014 when the scaffold collapsed into the river The site team was forced to jump through window openings to avoid falling with the 40-metre long scaffold

HSE investigators brought charges against principal contractor Parkland Developments scaffolding contractor SC Cousins Scaffolding and CDM co-ordinator Haze amp Safety

Chelmsford magistrates heard that failings on site included

The CDM co-ordinator had failed to provide suitable advice to its client Parkland Developments or ensure that the arrangements were being implemented on site

Principal contractor Parkland Developments failed to implement the construction phase plan or ensure that they planned and managed or monitored the scaffolding works

The scaffolding contractor failed to plan the work or design the scaffold It also failed to send trained and competent workers to site In the weeks prior to the collapse a scaffolding labourer was acting as the supervisor and overseeing trainee scaffolders in erecting altering and inspecting the scaffold

No one realised there was no design for the scaffold

Parkland Developments pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 22(1)(a) of the

Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007 It was fined pound20000 and ordered to pay costs of pound2893

SC Cousins Scaffolding pleaded guilty to breaching Regulations 4(1)(a) 5 and 8(b) of the Work at Height Regulations It was fined a total of pound15000 and ordered to pay costs of pound1981

Haze amp Safety pleaded guilty to breaching Regulations Regulation 20(1)(a) and (b) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007 It was fined a total of pound5000 and ordered to pay costs of pound1981

ROAD SAFETY

New study proves phone danger for drivers

Brain canrsquot focus on two tasks at the same time ndash instead it switches between them

A new report has confirmed that using a phone is the most dangerous activity you can do while driving

The Battle for Attention produced by the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) and the Transport Research Laboratory (TRL) warns that multitasking is a myth and could leave drivers unable to pay sufficient attention to the road

The researchers who examined existing research into in-car distractions say the brain cannot focus on two tasks at the same time Instead it switches between the two

The report outlines five types of distraction while driving cognitive visual audible manual and length of exposure and explains that the two activities cause three to a high degree

Eating and smoking while driving was also found to result in a high level of manual distraction and that external signs and roadside advertising can also create high levels of visual distraction

Satellite navigation systems were not found to be highly distracting but they do provide a medium level of cognitive and visual distraction and exposure time

A study highlighted by the authors suggests that drivers talking on the phone are four times more likely to crash The report makes a series of recommendations including for more visible enforcement of mobile phone laws and a strengthened Highway Code

Work was being carried out on a residential building when the scaffold collapsed

The report is available at wwwiamorguk

wwwiirsmorg | 012016 3

News Prosecutions

PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT

Poundworld fined for selling faulty hi-vis vests

Discount chain Poundworld has been fined for selling supposedly high visibility vests that were not reflective

The retailer sold 95700 of the Chinese-made pound1 vests but tests carried out on one of the jackets revealed its lsquoreflectivityrsquo was no more than 24 per cent of what it should have been

On 28 March 2014 Hertfordshire County Councilrsquos Trading Standards officers bought an Edwards Tools amp Accessories Hi-Viz Safety Vest from Poundworld in Watford The vest ndash which sported the logo lsquobe safe be seenrsquo ndash was subsequently tested to measure its visibility in low-light conditions and the results were described as lsquoamong the worst results ever recordedrsquo by the testing company Following this Poundworld agreed to withdraw the product from sale on 5 June 2014

The vest was then tested for visibility in daytime light conditions and again failed As a result Poundworld conducted a national recall of the products on 16

January 2015St Albans Crown

Court fined Poundworld pound15000 and ordered it to pay pound42000 in an agreed confiscation order as well as pound6000 in costs

In mitigation it was accepted that Poundworld had dealt with the matter swiftly by withdrawing stocks from sale immediately and following it up with a national recall

The court heard that the company had been cooperative throughout and had worked with its local trading standards home authority It now uses UK test centres to provide reliable reports

Judge John Plumstead said ldquoPeople would have gone out of the shop believing they had improved the safety of their children or themselves when out after dark on foot or on a bicycle The fine demonstrates the courtrsquos disapproval of

those who put on the market safety aids that are not safety aids at allrdquo

Poundworld has five previous convictions for other consumer protection law breaches And in June 2014 the firm was fined pound19000 after an employee tripped and broke a hip at its York branch (See page 5 of the August 2014 issue)

BULLYINGHARASSMENT

Workplace bullying on the rise in the UK

One in three bullied at work Women more likely to be bullied than men

Nearly a third of people have been bullied at work according to a new study In the majority of cases the harassment is carried out by a manager and women are more likely to be abused than men

The study of 1738 adults ndash carried out by YouGov for the Trades Union Congress (TUC) ndash revealed that bullying is most common for those aged between 40 and 59 where 34 per cent of people are affected More than one in three (36 per cent) who report being bullied at work leave their job because of it

ldquoIf bullies are allowed to dominate a workplace wider office morale and productivity suffers toordquo said TUC general secretary Frances OrsquoGrady ldquoEmployers must have a zero tolerance policy

ldquoToo many are simply ignoring bullying behaviour and failing to support staffrdquo

A recent consultation paper published by Acas revealed the conciliation service received around 20000 calls about harassment and bullying at work over the last year

The chair of Acas Sir Brendan Barber said bullying was on the rise in the UK

ldquoCallers to our helpline have experienced some horrific incidents around bullying that have included humiliation ostracism verbal and physical abuserdquo the former TUC general secretary said

ldquoBut managers sometimes dismiss accusations around bullying as simply personality or management-style clashes whilst others may recognise the problem but lack the confidence or skills to deal with itrdquo he added

InBriefpound500k fine for 8-metre fatal fallThe operator of a Hartlepool dock has been forced to pay more than pound500000 after an agency worker was killed when he fell eight metres onto the deck of a shiprsquos hold

Robert Harrison and five colleagues were loading 12-metre-long steel pipes into the hold for PD Teesport at Hartlepool dock on 9 September 2012 He was standing on top of the stack of pipes which increased in height as more were loaded using a dockside crane

Harrison fell from the cargo and later died in hospital from his injuries

Teesside Crown Court heard that PD Teesport failed to carry out a suitable risk assessment for falling from the pipes

The company part of major ports and logistics company PD Ports pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act

Trading Standards officers ceased the vests sold to unknowing members of the public as a safety product and ordered a national recall

pound1 vests sported lsquobe safe be seenrsquo logo Tests revealed they were not reflective

copy S

outh

Bed

s N

ews A

genc

y

012016 | wwwiirsmorg4

Outgoing Presidentrsquos Interview

A lasting legacyPeter Hall FIIRSMrsquos tenure as IIRSM President is coming to an end We invited members to ask him about his achievements during his three years at the helm

What would you consider to be the most improved aspect of IIRSMrsquos profile during your term as President

For many years the institute has not been as vocal as it could or should have been about its achievements and quality of its membership and could be perceived as living in the shadow of other organisations

This is no longer the case We have a more focused approach to how we project the institute and its aims and activities to the wider public both at home and internationally

It has not been easy but with a new management team in place managing day to day activities the recruitment of new and experienced trustees from not only the health and safety sector but from academia business quality management and health to the Council as well as the recent rebranding and new website we have raised our profile and are now seen as an equal partner among our professional colleagues government and regulators

Has there been a culture change within the institute during your presidency

There has been a significant change in culture within the institute ndash from reactive to proactive No longer do we wait for members to contact us with problems they may be having but we actively try to ensure that we meet their expectations Ensuring that the institute provides value and genuine development

opportunities for its members is a priority The management team in Hammersmith is very proactive in promoting the institute and developing relationships that go beyond the recognised health and safety sector but to the wider risk management community in law health the built environment public sector and the MoD to name just a few We are committed to being an institute which is accessible to our members and promote that fact to members and non-members alike

What achievement as President are you most proud of

When I was asked by the institute to become chairman and subsequently president I set myself three main objectives1 To increase the number of trustees

and diversity of skills that at the time we did not have The original objective has been achieved though we continue to build on this growth and there is more to come during 2016

2 To introduce a technical committee made up of members from a diverse number of industry sectors This is complete we now have an extremely proactive technical committee who are producing some excellent material working on specific topic projects and providing specialist knowledge to a number of conferences and educational events

3 To review and overhaul the governance of the institute Check

Following the appointment of Phillip Pearson to the role of CEO he was tasked with looking at all aspects of how the institute was managed These recommendations were discussed and appropriate changes introduced

I am most proud of being asked to lead an organisation that is there for its members is moving forward is gaining in recognition thanks to both the staff and the work they do as well as all the volunteers who give their time freely Also the trustees both past and present are all unpaid volunteers and do fantastic work much of which is not seen It has been an honour

Where do you feel the institute requires further development to enhance its status within the industry

There is no doubt that we have not developed our training offering as quickly as we should but to do this we need to ensure that the institute is providing a good service to its members and remains in an strong financial position We are now addressing this requirement as a priority and 2016 will see significant developments in this area

In the last three years we have progressed as an institute and our chief executive Phillip Pearson has ensured that we are involved in many of the significant developments in health and safety not only in the UK and Europe but further afield in the Middle East

I am most proud of being asked to lead an organisation that is there for its members is moving forward [and] is gaining recognitionrdquo

wwwiirsmorg | 012016 5

Outgoing Presidentrsquos Interview

012016 | wwwiirsmorg6

Outgoing Presidentrsquos Interview

where we have not only seen growth in membership but also recognition of the significant part our members have played in the development of health and safety across Oman the UAE and Qatar That said our membership in the UK remains a clear focus and itrsquos where we want to grow further

Are there any plans for Royal Chartership

There is no doubt that there is an appetite among the Council and the membership to gain Royal Chartership It is a long road and not a journey that can be embarked upon without the planning and dedication of those who will have to develop our bid I confirm however that it is an aspiration for the future

Do you think IIRSM is where it should be in terms of its application within the UK

We have come a long way but we need to continue to ensure the institutersquos voice is heard and that we gain further recognition from our peers not only in the UK but within the worldwide health and safety family

What is IIRSM doing about increasing the emphasis and training of its members (and others) on the prevention of damage to health due to workplace exposure

The institute recognises that workplace health has not had the profile that it should over the last 10 years at least The IIRSM Council has two very senior

and experienced medical practitioners ndash Dr Peter Griffin and Dr Su Wang ndash both of whom are extremely active in promoting health issues Dr Wang is the current chair of the Scientific Committee of the International Commission on Occupational Health (ICOH) having recently taken over from the institutersquos Immediate Past President Keith Scott earlier this year and she is a very active conference and seminar speaker at home and internationally

The institute is developing links with health related organisations and supporting campaigns to further workplace health and the wider occupational health agenda

What would you say has contributed most to the growth of the institute both in the UK and internationally

There is no doubt that the growth of the branches both in the UK and internationally and the willingness and dedication of our branch volunteers to further the aims and objectives of the institute has contributed to a growth in recognition It is also down to our willingness to be collaborative with other organisations and the expertise we have harnessed to deliver educational events which have been extremely well received The success of these can be attributed to the organisational skills of the institutersquos head office staff and to the members of the technical committee

What are your views on the government agenda of deregulation of health and safety

There has been a lot said about the governmentrsquos agenda for health and safety and I will only comment that they need to listen more to the views of those who are at the delivery end I donrsquot agree with all that has been done so far but change should not always be viewed as negative

What legislative changes do you anticipate happening in the next five years

I donrsquot have a crystal ball nor am I directly involved with those likely to make the decisions but the growth in directives being handed down from the European Union concern me

In April 2013 Peter hosted a visit from the Korean Occupational Health and Safety Organisation (KOSHA)

Peter and Siobhan Donnelly celebrate IIRSM turning 40

wwwiirsmorg | 012016 7

Outgoing Presidentrsquos Interview

Do you see any potential new partnerships in the future Are there any indicators that IIRSM could work closer with IOSH going forward

I recently met with the acting chief executive of IOSH and discussed potential collaboration so yes I hope we can build closer relations while maintaining our own identities

Why doesnrsquot the institute value it members more especially retired members who are required to pay a full membership fee Even IOSH reduces its fee for retired members

I cannot agree with this comment ndash the Council members and the executive team value every single member of the institute be they current or retired IIRSM does offer a significant discount to retired members who pay less than half the regular membership fee Their experience and commitment to the institute are very important to us

Why do so many of IIRSMrsquos senior management team have no formal health and safety qualifications

I presume this question refers to the institutersquos executive team In my opinion it is not a requirement for the executives to be qualified health and safety practitioners ndash they are there to provide management and leadership

Indeed it is more important that they are professionally qualified for their specific roles for example in leadership financial management and marketing They are supported by members of the Council and Technical Committee who are professionally qualified in health and safety

Why are there so many overseas visits by senior management of IIRSM when the local branches are suffering from lack of support There is no finance available for local branches but we the members contribute our membership fees which pay for these overseas trips

It is important that we support all our membership and where we have had significant growth internationally we have been asked to work on international projects in the Middle East where we have gained particular praise and recognition

I personally have only taken what I consider essential overseas visits and have only approved the same in relation to the executive and these trips are always managed in the most cost-effective manner possible I have visited Oman the UAE and Qatar recently ndash all following invitations

from industry leaders and governments where I promoted the institute As volunteers the Council give their time freely The CEO has made overseas visits to support our membership and attends relevant industry events Significantly we have been a highly regarded member of the EUndashOSHA campaigns thanks to the work of our policy director Barry Holt

A fund was included in this yearrsquos budget to provide financial support to branches and though we have a small team which limits the support we can offer the UK branches remain a priority

What do you think your lasting legacy will be for IIRSM

I donrsquot think that it is for me to comment however I would like to think that during my three-year tenure I have led the institute appropriately during significant change and modernisation I let others judge my legacy

What area do you intend to keep a watching brief over

Irsquoll remain part of the Officers Group (the senior Council team) as Immediate Past President and will remain heavily

involved in the strategic direction of the institute

Whatrsquos next for you

For the next two years I will be the Immediate Past President prior to leaving the Council and I shall continue to work for the incoming President and membership On a personal note I am about to leave my company after 15 years and l look forward to new challenges

The IIRSM Council would like to thank Peter for his hard work and commitment to the institute and we wish him the very best in his future endeavours

Top Peter enjoying the view at the House of Lords Left The 2014 Annual Presidentsrsquo Reception

Next issueLook out for our interview with incoming President Siobhan Donnelly in next monthrsquos issue of Insight

012016 | wwwiirsmorg8

Institute News

RISK MANAGEMENT AWARDS

Showcasing exception

SOCIAL MEDIA

Network with membersIIRSMrsquos social media platforms are a great way to engage with the institute as well as other members ndash you can pose questions debate topics and share knowledge with fellow professionals in the field Our pages also provide an easy way to keep you informed of any special events and news from the institute

With more than 7000 members the IIRSM LinkedIn group is an active forum for health safety and risk professionals Popular topics currently being discussed include

mobility scooter fire tests fire report for Clandon Park House sleep and wellbeing for office workers HSE chair Judith Hackittrsquos latest blog

post on safety responsibility

Get started by searching Groups for IIRSM and request to join We can also be found on Facebook IIRSMOfficial and Twitter iirsm

MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS

Health and Safety at Work websiteAs part of your membership you are entitled to access wwwhealthandsafetyatworkcom ndash the official website for Health and Safety at Work magazine Breaking news is updated throughout the day and the entire content of the magazine is available in an online archive to research previous articles

Make sure you donrsquot miss any need to

know news and analysis on prosecutions new regulations and best practice by logging on today If you need a reminder of your login details please email your IIRSM membership number to healthandsafetylexisnexiscouk

To receive the free weekly eNewsletter sign up at wwwhealthandsafetyatworkcomenewsletter

Member contributionsWe want to hear from you

This is your publication and we are always looking for interesting experiences news and comments to share There are a number of ways you can get involved If you think yoursquove got a good idea for an article in your area of expertise share your knowledge Send us an outline of what you propose to

cover and we can supply guidelines as well as editorial assistance Have you been working tirelessly to spread the safety message Perhaps in a voluntary role outside of the day job If you have an interesting story to tell we want to hear from you Email the editor kelliemundelllexisnexiscouk

Main picture left to right Clare Fleming (head of marketing and communications) Paul Roberts (Arbor Networks) and the host of the ceremony comedian Jo Caulfield Inset picture IIRSM Technical Committee member Anne Mallory with award winner Alexander Deas

IIRSMrsquos chief executive Phillip Pearson was on the judging panel for the CIR Risk Management Awards again this year and the ceremony took place on 12 November at the Cumberland Hotel in London

The awards recognise individuals organisations and teams that have significantly added to the understanding and practice of risk management Judged by an independent panel of experts for exceptional performance the awards provide an opportunity for organisations and individuals to showcase their best products projects and people

IIRSM presented the prize for Cyber Security Product which was won by Arbor Networks IIRSM Technical Committee member Anne Mallory presented the Newcomer of the Year award to Alexander Deas

wwwiirsmorg | 012016 9

Institute News

GET INVOLVED

Join your local branchRisk management is a broad topic encompassing occupational health and safety environmental matters reputational risk and business continuity quality control and more

IIRSM is proud to have a diverse branch network run by members for members Branches serve as a platform for risk managers and health and safety professionals to meet on a regular basis to network with their peers They provide opportunities to take part in training hear

a varied range of speakers and discuss the issues which impact on their profession

Why not come along to your next branch meeting and see what it has to offer you Get involved by sharing your ideas with the branch chairman to enhance the potential for communication of local knowledge and sharing information and best practice

See wwwiirsmorgbranches for more information

Devon amp CornwallThursday 10 December 2015 at 2pmGables Farm PlymouthTopics covered will include fire risk assessment putting lsquohealthrsquo in health and safety and the revised sentencing guidelinesRegister Charles Perryman ndash cperrymanpira-uknet

QatarTuesday 15 December 2015 at 7pmRadisson Blu Hotel DohaRegister qatarbranchiirsmorg

East MidlandsWednesday 6 January 2016 at 7pmIvanhoe Business Park Ashby de la ZouchTalking Safety WorkshopRegister Catherine Wilkes ndash catherinewilkesntlworldcom

North west89 March 2016Practical risk managementRegister iirsmnwbranchskycom

UPCOMING BRANCH MEETINGS

Dates for your diary

BRANCH UPDATE

Wales branch avenues to pursue Group will collaborate with other safety

organisations in Wales Branch aims to improve standards provide

support and share information

In November members of the Wales branch enjoyed a presentation on compliance to the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 by Rod Taylor CMIOSH MIFireE MIIRSM at its latest meeting in Cardiff

The delegates spent their time sharing best health and safety practice with a round table discussion on competencies required to undertake a fire risk assessment They also formulated a plan for 2016

Branch aimsThe Wales branch aims to

clarify the legislation concerning occupational health and safety in Wales

promote occupational health and safety in the region in order to promote and encourage cultural change

share and gather information with other members and organisations within the region

raise health and safety awareness throughout the area covered by the branch

where possible contribute to and be involved in legislative development

assist and support fellow members in their professional development

provide a contact network for members throughout the region visiting the region and with IIRSM head office

A general discussion around planning for next yearrsquos meetings guest speakers and site visits resulted in many suggestions and avenues to pursue A large response to site tours across Wales combined with the Wales branch meeting was suggested and supported Members agreed to investigate opportunities and speak with various contacts to arrange and secure dates for 2016

A marketing strategy will be discussed with IIRSMrsquos head office in order to

support these initiatives and to seek additional members

Promoting the instituteHaydn Brittain branch vice-chairman gave a brief talk on the planned joint Wales Health and Safety Seminar planned with other safety groups and organisations to be held in April 2016 The delegates agreed this will be an excellent opportunity to network with other organisations groups and to promote the institute

ldquoThis initiative will allow us to unite and collaborate with other safety organisations in Wales with a purpose of improving standards and supporting each other through austere timesrdquo said branch chairman Steve Bergiers FIIRSM

If you would like to get involved in the Wales branch email Steve Bergiers stevebergiershotmailcouk

Members of the Wales branch enjoying their latest meeting

012016 | wwwiirsmorg10

Institute News

CONFERENCE

Live events the importance of safetyMembers of the UKrsquos leading risk safety organisations gathered on 17 November in front of a crowd of more than 70 delegates from the live events safety sector as part of the Live Events Competence Conference

The conference was a collaboration between IIRSM the Safety Advisors Group in Entertainment (SAGE) Stagesafe (a specialist consultancy) and Buckinghamshire New University It was designed to identify support and develop health and safety competence for the events sector and to offer technical updates and solutions The sector needs a relevant and reliable source of competence and the reassurance that it would provide this to events managers promoters organisers and the enforcing authorities The presenters and audience discussed how the profession can help organisers and promoters to ensure they know what they should be looking for in a prospective safety adviser when planning an event The role is safety critical and therefore a high level of competence is required

Chaired by Michael Anderson (Chairman of SAGE) the conference speakers included Gavin Bull (HSE) Greg Brown (IIRSM) Solomon NrsquoJie (Buckinghamshire New University) James Eade (Institution of Engineering and Technology) Chris Higgs (National Rigging Advisory Group) and Emma Parkinson (Department of Security and Resilience at Buckinghamshire New University)

Chris Higgs spoke in depth about LOLER (the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations) Specifically he highlighted what to consider when deciding how to reduce risks from rigging activities at live events

These included the type of load being lifted itrsquos

weight shape and what it consists of the risk of a load falling moving

breaking up or striking a person or an object and the consequences

the risk of lifting equipment failing or falling over while in use

the risk of damage to lifting the equipment

Gavin Bull and Michael Anderson discussed HSE enforcement plans and CDM guidance for the sector This included the (close to being finalised) draft HSE CDM duty holder roles as they map to all parts of the sector (for example outdoor events theatre TV exhibitions)

They spoke about key points for securing health and safety within the workplace such as cooperation coordination and communication within the workforce pointing the right people at the right time and consultating and engaging with workers

Solomon NrsquoJie has more than 30 yearsrsquo experience in crowd safety management and has been involved with crowd safety at more than 1500 events (including LOCOG for the London 2012 Olympics) He addressed the issue of crowd management control and spoke about the difference between site safety and crowd safety which is often confused by promoters who assume they are the same when in fact they require different approaches

He identified and emphasised the importance of having a crowd management plan which would

identify risks to crowd safety enable management systems to be put

in place explained a dual concept approach

including engineering and environment safety measures and plans

He finished his presentation by reminding delegates that crowd management is a team effort and a better understanding of roles and responsibilities at all types of organised events is required

Greg Brown addressed the issue of identifying competence and referred to the Occupational Safety and Health Consultantsrsquo Register (OSHCR) He highlighted the need for a common position in the areas of health and safety capabilities transferable skills and a wider risk dimension

James Eade followed with a presentation about the standard for events BS7909 Electrical Safety at Events He focused on the importance of keeping electrical fuses cables and outlets protected and highlighted the dangers and possible outcomes of having unprotected wires and fuses

James talked about the concept of a Senior Person Responsible (SPR) to manage to the electrical system The SPR he noted should have ldquosufficient and suitable competence to enable them to ensure the safety in all respects of any temporary electrical system in all conditions that can reasonably be predicted to occurrdquo

The final speaker was Emma Parkinson from Buckinghamshire New University Emma leads the universityrsquos Foundation and Bachelorrsquos degrees in Crowd Safety Management and explained how this programme has been able to reach out to many people and enabled them to develop expertise in this area The courses cover personal and professional development an introduction to events crowd safety by design crowd management planning crowd dynamics and risk management

The conference programme was well received with many agreeing to support a campaign designed to improve competence as well as awareness among promoters about how they can ensure that prospective candidates are suitably qualified SAGE recommends the following criteria

membership of a health and safety institute (IIRSM or IOSH)

qualified to NEBOSH Diploma Level (or equivalent)

membership of an event industry trade association

five years of event industry experience (not necessarily health and safety experience)

taking part in a Continuing Professional Development (CPD) scheme

Professional Indemnity Insurance cover of pound1000000 (provided by the individualrsquos employer or by the actual individual for self-employed advisersconsultants

Overall it was a very positive event which enabled IIRSM to help support our members and the events sector in this niche area of health and safety management We look forward to working with SAGE and the other collaborators to take the campaign forward

wwwiirsmorg | 012016 11

Institute News

NEW MEMBERSHIP GRADE

A new age for individual supportYour Council has approved an exciting membership development that can be scaled to work for groups or sections from any business or organisation Our new Affiliate level opens the door on professional networking to individuals who may need help and support in their day to day roles

The grade is designed to encourage supervisors and managers to become involved and access the institutersquos educational material or have direct contact with existing members IIRSM has always been about supporting individuals and working with businesses to help them through our events publications or technical support ndashcollaboration and co-operation is the name of the game helping those who have a day to day responsiblity for hands-on risk management

We will provide new Affiliate members with an IIRSM Affiliate mentor to help them get the best out of their membership and to appreciate how we can help them with their development or qualifications if that is their goal An Affiliate can join us with

no health and safety qualifications because this is about motivation ndash a dialogue with a friendly supportive point of contact who will nurture and develop proportionate risk management

Affiliates will also be those with an entry-level qualification in health and safety (such as the NEBOSH Award Highfield (HABC) Level 3 or IOSH Managing Safely) and may want to progress to Associate membership We will help them to identify routes to achieve this

Are there supervisors or managers in your workplace that could benefit from this We welcome discussions about meaningful group discounts and further tailored CPD and support We believe this is a genuinely novel approach for a membership body to help professionalise the delivery of health and safety through individuals in any organisation Siobhan Donnelly President of IIRSM says the Affiliate membership ldquoallows the whole workforce to be safety professionalsrdquo

For more information visit wwwiirsmorgmembers or email gregbrowniirsmorg

Safety maverick

Limitation of risk assessment

As individuals we naturally conduct risk assessment to varying degrees of competence In organisations this doesnrsquot tend to happen naturally and needs to be orchestrated by a management system But do we question whether risk assessment always adds value and is it applicable to the situation

Risk is the combination of loss or harm and the likelihood of its realisation But in order to make meaningful and valuable assessments we need relevant knowledge and experience to identify potential hazards or threats and to assess the risk likelihood and severity components The easiest to assess are things like slips trips and falls that happen relatively frequently because data is plentiful Contrast this with major nuclear power plant disasters that are very high in consequence but relatively rare For these situations we need to undertake complex analysis and scenario modelling to achieve the best-informed estimate of the likelihood

of events occurring This happens in an environment where the overall methodology may never be fully validated because such disasters are so rare

Beyond these high and low frequency events there are things outside of the capability of systematic risk assessment that can present all manner of potential harm to individuals organisations and society They are the situations where knowledge and experience are extremely limited making foreseeing and assessing future potential negative events extremely difficult eg novel technologies such as genetically modified organisms and complex evolving systems for example socio-economic

We should not use risk assessment in a ritualistic way without intelligent and informed thinking ndash the only justification for using risk assessment is that it can make us more successful than not using it We should constantly question whether our actions are appropriate and be able to justify using it and not using it

IIRSM ANNUAL CONFERENCE

Speaker line up revealedIIRSM and Health and Safety at Work will once again return to Birmingham on 11 February 2016 for our joint annual conference This popular event now in its 9th year will bring delegates a mixture of case studies presentations and legal updates providing practical solutions for your organisation

With speakers such as Richard Judge (HSE) Heather Bryant (Balfour Beatty) Paul Simpson (Network Rail) Graham Losh (FA Group) Martin Tod (Menrsquos Health Forum) Becky Lee (Staffordshire County Council) and Steffan Groch (Health and Safety Lawyersrsquo Association) and chaired by new IIRSM President Siobhan Donnelly this highly regarded conference is an event not to be missed

Richard Judge who has been at the helm of the HSE for just over a year now will deliver the keynote speech which will be followed by a QampA session with the audience Delegates will be invited to submit their questions to the regulatorrsquos chief executive so donrsquot miss this chance to ask him a burning question

Also presenting is Becky Lee health safety and wellbeing manager for Staffordshire County Council Becky will share the councilrsquos experiences of the two key interventions that have had a massive impact on employee wellbeing and reducing absence ndash the introduction of occupational physiotherapy and use of day one triage assessments has reduced the organisationrsquos musculoskeletal absence by 23 per cent and saved the council more than pound700000 in its first three years

Safety lawyer Steffan Groch (Partner and Head of Regulatory at DWF and chair of the Health and Safety Lawyersrsquo Association) will give delegates to this yearrsquos event a review of the major health and safety cases of 2015 and their lessons for dutyholders As the conference comes just over a week after the Sentencing Guidelines are officially in force Steffan will also consider whether it really will be the largest companies that are hit the hardest and what the unintended consequences may be

With so many high profile speakers already confirmed our annual conference is shaping up to be well worth a visit by anyone tasked with protecting employees

lsquo

Visit wwwiirsmorgevents to book your place today

012016 | wwwiirsmorg12

International News

CAMBODIA

Dizzy workers collapse at textile firm

A garment worker has died and 21 others were hospitalised after they collapsed at a textile factory The incident at the Chinese-owned Or Sambath Trading factory in eastern Prey Veng province was the latest in a string of similar incidents in the sector

The 21-year-old woman reported dizziness and difficulty breathing on 5 November before collapsing She died in hospital Twenty one other workers collapsed later the same day and the next morning with similar symptoms

The factory which employs more than 1200 workers was ordered to close for four days while an investigation was carried out

GLOBAL

Enforcement leads to fewer injuriesRegulatory health and safety inspections that result in enforcement action are effective in reducing work related injuries according to research by the Toronto-based Institute for Work amp Health (IWH)

The systematic review of the international scientific literature confirmed the findings of a 2007 IWH review which covered research from 1970 to 2003 and found evidence that citations and penalties reduced the frequency or severity of injuries

The latest review which looked at 1990 to 2013 found strong evidence for the effectiveness of inspections with citations and penalties in reducing injuries There was also moderate evidence that inspections without penalties have no effect in reducing injuries

USA

Plans to update management guidelinesThe Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is seeking public comment on an updated version of its voluntary ldquoSafety and Health Program Management Guidelinesrdquo

First published in 1989 the guidelines which help employers establish health and safety management plans at their workplaces are being updated to reflect modern technology and practices

ldquoEmployers who embrace these guidelines will experience lower injury and illness rates and their progress in improving the safety culture at their worksites will contribute to higher productivity reduced costs and greater worker satisfactionrdquo said assistant secretary of labor David Michaels OSHA is accepting comments until 15 February

SPAIN

Accident rise blamed on labour market reformsThe number of workplace accidents registered during the first six months of 2015 has grown by almost seven per cent compared to the same period in 2014

In total 218019 ldquominorrdquo accidents were reported 13577 more than the first six months of last year along with 1593 ldquoseriousrdquo accidents one more than during

the same period last year and 239 fatal accidents 16 more than in 2014

Pedro Linares from Spainrsquos largest union the CCOO told union supported news website Equal Times that government labour market reforms had ldquomade dismissals cheaper weakened trade union bargaining power and slackened investment in occupational health and safetyrdquo

AUSTRALIA

Power station explosion injures two Two workers were burned when a transformer exploded at the Liddell Power Station in Hunter Valley on 11 November

Power company AGL which operates the site said about 300 employees were evacuated from the plant in the early afternoon The injured workers were a

PAKISTAN

Workers warned of building cracks before Lahore factory tragedyAt least 46 workers have been killed and many more injured in the collapse of a four-storey plastic bag factory 12 miles east of Lahore

There were an estimated 175 factory workers as well as construction workers inside the building when it collapsed on 4 November

Survivors reported that Rajput Polyester which owned the factory was adding a new floor to the building but had ignored warnings from workers to stop construction because large cracks had appeared in the building after a 75 magnitude earthquake in the region on 26 October

Global union IndustriALL said workers saw cracks a few days before the collapse and told managers but nothing was done

One witness who visited the factory on 2 November said he saw an exhaust pipe was damaged because the wall it was fixed to was sinking slowly into the ground

The owner of the business was reportedly killed while inspecting the factory on the day of the incident

The collapse was the second in Lahore in the last few months In September the roof of a garment factory fell down killing four workers ldquo

These incidents are happening because there are no proper factory inspections being done in Pakistanrdquo said Khalid Mahmood director of the Labour Education Foundation in Lahore

ldquoFactory owners are killing workers by saving money that should have been spent on making workplaces safe There is no political will in government to implement factory inspections and other labour lawsrdquo

IndustriALLrsquos assistant general secretary Kemal Oumlzkan said ldquoWe demand a full transparent independent investigation into this tragedyrdquo He urged the government to take immediate action to prevent more workers being killed in ldquoperilous factoriesrdquo

Rescue workers search the rubble for survivors

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inhu

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utte

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wwwiirsmorg | 012016 13

International News

fitter and an apprentice AGL said it was investigating the cause of the incident and production at the station was not affected

SINGAPORE

Health promotion pilot for mature workers More than 600 employees from Sheng Siong Supermarket are involved in a year-long pilot programme to encourage older workers to keep fit and stay healthy

The Workplace Health Intervention Programme for Mature Workers which is organised by the Singaporersquos Health Promotion Board (HPB) is targeting office workers who are largely sedentary frontline retail staff such as cashiers who have to stand for long hours and store assistants who unload goods from delivery trucks

Office workers receive exercise classes nutrition talks health screening and coaching Frontline retail staff can also benefit from ergonomic assessments and are encouraged to adopt healthy lifestyle habits The HPB introduced a similar programme for taxi drivers last year

JAPAN

Employees to be offered stress tests Businesses will be obliged to offer employees an annual test to check their stress levels from December this year

The test which takes the form of a questionnaire is part of a revision of the Industrial Health and Safety Law and will affect more than 20 million employees at about 16000 businesses according to the Health Labor and Welfare Ministry

Employees will not be required to take the test and doctors cannot tell employers the result without permission The law will prevent companies punishing employees for not taking part or firing or unreasonably transferring employees due to results

NEW ZEALAND

NZ$116k penalty for crane crush death Auckland company AJ Russell Bricklayers has been ordered to pay reparation of NZ$80000 and been fined NZ$36000 after an experienced crane operator was crushed between the boom of a crane and a truck deck

Roy Chan was greasing a crane as part of routine end of year maintenance when he inadvertently activated a remote control unit he was wearing That caused the cranersquos boom to move towards the truck deck fatally injuring him

AJ Russell Bricklayers pleaded guilty to breaching Section 6 and 50(1)(a) of the Health and Safety in Employment Act

There were at least two simple steps that could have prevented this deathrdquo said Marcus Nalter of WorkSafe New Zealand

ldquoThe cranersquos power take-off should have been turned off and workers should have been instructed not to wear remote control units during cleaning and maintenance work If such a regime had been in place and been observed then the crane would not have been able to move in the way it didrdquo

USA

FedEx employee dies at Memphis hubThe Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is investigating the death of a worker in a workplace accident at the FedEx hub in Memphis

According to local media reports Chris Higginbottom who was 39 was killed while working an early morning shift on 22 November

Police said Higginbottom died after driving a ldquotugrdquo which moves merchandise to and from FedEx aircraft and the

warehouse into a parked trailer He was found dead underneath the tugrsquos loaded trailer In a statement FedEx said it was working with local authorities on their investigation

BANGLADESH

Govt claims 80 of garment factories safe The government has claimed that more than 80 per cent of garment factories supplying global retailers are safe

Syed Ahmed the inspector general of factories said 1475 garment factories had been assessed as part of a government initiative supported by the International Labour Organization (ILO) Canada the Netherlands and the UK The inspections were instituted in the aftermath of the 2013 collapse of the Rana Plaza factory in which more than 1100 people died

Ahmed said 81 per cent of factories were structurally sound though he acknowledged many needed work on fire safety and electrical systems

Srinivas Reddy Bangladesh country director of the ILO told Reuters most factories needed to improve fire safety and electrical systems before they could be declared safe adding that every factory should come up with a corrective action plan

Thirty seven factories were closed and 36 partially closed after failing their inspections he said

USA

OSHA fines set to rise in 2016 Fines imposed by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) are set to increase for the first time for 25 years under a provision in a recently signed congressional budget deal

The Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act of 1990 exempted OSHA from increasing its penalties to account for inflation But the new bipartisan budget signed into law on 2 November by President Barack Obama contained an amendment removing the exemption

OSHA must now issue an interim final rule by 1 July 2016 increasing its penalties to adjust for current inflation levels which would raise proposed fines by about 80 per cent

This would mean the maximum penalty for a wilful violation would rise to an estimated $127000 from the

current $70000 The adjustment must occur before 1 August 2016

After the initial ldquocatch-uprdquo adjustment to compensate for more than two decades of no increase OSHA will then be allowed to raise fines in subsequent years to keep pace with the ongoing inflation rate

President Obama signs the new budget into law

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012016 | wwwiirsmorg14

Membersrsquo Pages

If you are looking for advice call the health and safety information helpline with your questions on +44 (0)1296 678 465 or email iirsmhelplinealcumusgroupcom for information on any health and safety related topic Here are just a few of your recent queries

QampAsSAFETY TRAINING SITE FORMEN

I was recently told that construction site foremen have to undergo recognised safety training Is this correct

According to CDM 2015 ldquoA worker is anybody working for or under the control of a contractor which could include plumbers electricians etc as well as supervisors like foremen and change handsrdquo

The point is then reiterated by the HSE which states that foremen must only carry out construction work if they have the relevant skills knowledge training and experience This would imply that site foremen are required to have suitable and sufficient training but does not state that this training has to be lsquorecognisedrsquo

You may find however that contractual arrangements or industry recognised training such as the Site Management Safety Training Scheme (SMSTS) or the Site Supervisors Safety Training Scheme (SSSTS) is requested or looked for when reviewing the competency levels of construction site foremen

Visit wwwhsegovukconstructioncdm2015workershtm and wwwcitbcouktraining-courseshealth-and-safety-courses for further information

BENCHMARKING ACCIDENT RATES

Can you provide benchmarking statistics for accident rates in both the logistics and automotive sectors

There are a wide range of statistics available for both the logistics and automotive sectors The HSE document regarding the logistics sector (wwwhsegovuklogisticssic2007pdf) is mainly based on statistics taken from 201011minus201314 and can be used to compare your information to the averages

With regards to the automotive industry it is hard to provide you with statistics for the whole of the automotive industry and different aspects will fall under other industries An example of this is the manufacturing of vehicles While technically part of the automotive industry RIDDOR reports would usually come under the manufacturing industry

therefore it would be hard to provide you with an average for this That said there are a range of statistics which relate directly to motor vehicle repair at wwwhsegovukmvrresourcesstatisticsinjurystatshtm and vehicle injuries by sector at wwwhsegovukstatisticscausinjmoving-vehiclespdf

FIRE SAFETY

My organisation is situated in a multi-tenanted building We recently carried out a fire drill for the building to measure response Electrically operated doors did not automatically unlock and still required tenants to use key fobs or press the door release button Apparently the facility to unlock all doors when the fire alarm is operated exists within the system but has not been engaged to maintain security for the tenantsrsquo companies which handle confidential information

While I understand the need to maintain security of the building Irsquom concerned someone could get trapped There are emergency refuge communication points on all landings and each company has a responsibility to check the toilets and maintain a register of visitors but is this enough

In accordance with government guidelines your fire safety and evacuation plan should include

a clear passageway to all escape routes

clearly marked escape routes that are as short and direct as possible

enough exits and routes for all people to escape

emergency doors that open easily emergency lighting where needed training for all employees to know

and use the escape routes a safe meeting point for staff

With the central core of the building not having an easily opened exit it could be considered that you are not doing everything reasonably practicable to ensure the safety of all people

The risk assessment that you must carry out will help you ensure that your fire safety procedures fire prevention measures and fire precautions (plans systems and equipment) are all in place

and working properly and the risk assessment should identify any issues that need attention

In this case if the facility already exists to allow for the safe exit from the building without the aid of fellow members of staff we believe that this should be activated Although the procedure is in place for each section to have the responsibility for their guests and to check the facilities human error could still result in the unintentional trapping of people during a fire

The government regulations are available at wwwgovukworkplace-fire-safety-your-responsibilitieswho-is-responsible and a guide to fire risk assessments for office blocks can be found at httpbitly1I6sL7n

SCAFFOLD PLATFORMS

Is there a set requirement to secure the boards on scaffold platforms Our previous scaffolding contractor does this as standard but our new one doesnrsquot unless therersquos a problem

All scaffolds should be designed erected altered and dismantled only by competent people and the work should always be carried out under the direction of a competent supervisor This is a requirement of the Work at Height Regulations 2005

Though there is no legal requirement to secure boards on a scaffolding platform the HSE document lsquoHealth and Safety in Constructionrsquo states that the platform must be lsquostablersquo and where work at height is to be undertaken safe

With regards to the enforcement of securing the scaffolding boards the scaffolding contractor has a legal requirement to ensure that the work at height is safe They should therefore have a suitable and sufficient risk assessment in place to ensure a safe place of work is provided and all potential hazards (for example icy or windy conditions) have been taken into account

The HSE document lsquoHealth and Safety in Constructionrsquo can be found at wwwhsegovukpubnspricedhsg150pdf and a brief guide to working at height

012016 | wwwiirsmorg4

Outgoing Presidentrsquos Interview

A lasting legacyPeter Hall FIIRSMrsquos tenure as IIRSM President is coming to an end We invited members to ask him about his achievements during his three years at the helm

What would you consider to be the most improved aspect of IIRSMrsquos profile during your term as President

For many years the institute has not been as vocal as it could or should have been about its achievements and quality of its membership and could be perceived as living in the shadow of other organisations

This is no longer the case We have a more focused approach to how we project the institute and its aims and activities to the wider public both at home and internationally

It has not been easy but with a new management team in place managing day to day activities the recruitment of new and experienced trustees from not only the health and safety sector but from academia business quality management and health to the Council as well as the recent rebranding and new website we have raised our profile and are now seen as an equal partner among our professional colleagues government and regulators

Has there been a culture change within the institute during your presidency

There has been a significant change in culture within the institute ndash from reactive to proactive No longer do we wait for members to contact us with problems they may be having but we actively try to ensure that we meet their expectations Ensuring that the institute provides value and genuine development

opportunities for its members is a priority The management team in Hammersmith is very proactive in promoting the institute and developing relationships that go beyond the recognised health and safety sector but to the wider risk management community in law health the built environment public sector and the MoD to name just a few We are committed to being an institute which is accessible to our members and promote that fact to members and non-members alike

What achievement as President are you most proud of

When I was asked by the institute to become chairman and subsequently president I set myself three main objectives1 To increase the number of trustees

and diversity of skills that at the time we did not have The original objective has been achieved though we continue to build on this growth and there is more to come during 2016

2 To introduce a technical committee made up of members from a diverse number of industry sectors This is complete we now have an extremely proactive technical committee who are producing some excellent material working on specific topic projects and providing specialist knowledge to a number of conferences and educational events

3 To review and overhaul the governance of the institute Check

Following the appointment of Phillip Pearson to the role of CEO he was tasked with looking at all aspects of how the institute was managed These recommendations were discussed and appropriate changes introduced

I am most proud of being asked to lead an organisation that is there for its members is moving forward is gaining in recognition thanks to both the staff and the work they do as well as all the volunteers who give their time freely Also the trustees both past and present are all unpaid volunteers and do fantastic work much of which is not seen It has been an honour

Where do you feel the institute requires further development to enhance its status within the industry

There is no doubt that we have not developed our training offering as quickly as we should but to do this we need to ensure that the institute is providing a good service to its members and remains in an strong financial position We are now addressing this requirement as a priority and 2016 will see significant developments in this area

In the last three years we have progressed as an institute and our chief executive Phillip Pearson has ensured that we are involved in many of the significant developments in health and safety not only in the UK and Europe but further afield in the Middle East

I am most proud of being asked to lead an organisation that is there for its members is moving forward [and] is gaining recognitionrdquo

wwwiirsmorg | 012016 5

Outgoing Presidentrsquos Interview

012016 | wwwiirsmorg6

Outgoing Presidentrsquos Interview

where we have not only seen growth in membership but also recognition of the significant part our members have played in the development of health and safety across Oman the UAE and Qatar That said our membership in the UK remains a clear focus and itrsquos where we want to grow further

Are there any plans for Royal Chartership

There is no doubt that there is an appetite among the Council and the membership to gain Royal Chartership It is a long road and not a journey that can be embarked upon without the planning and dedication of those who will have to develop our bid I confirm however that it is an aspiration for the future

Do you think IIRSM is where it should be in terms of its application within the UK

We have come a long way but we need to continue to ensure the institutersquos voice is heard and that we gain further recognition from our peers not only in the UK but within the worldwide health and safety family

What is IIRSM doing about increasing the emphasis and training of its members (and others) on the prevention of damage to health due to workplace exposure

The institute recognises that workplace health has not had the profile that it should over the last 10 years at least The IIRSM Council has two very senior

and experienced medical practitioners ndash Dr Peter Griffin and Dr Su Wang ndash both of whom are extremely active in promoting health issues Dr Wang is the current chair of the Scientific Committee of the International Commission on Occupational Health (ICOH) having recently taken over from the institutersquos Immediate Past President Keith Scott earlier this year and she is a very active conference and seminar speaker at home and internationally

The institute is developing links with health related organisations and supporting campaigns to further workplace health and the wider occupational health agenda

What would you say has contributed most to the growth of the institute both in the UK and internationally

There is no doubt that the growth of the branches both in the UK and internationally and the willingness and dedication of our branch volunteers to further the aims and objectives of the institute has contributed to a growth in recognition It is also down to our willingness to be collaborative with other organisations and the expertise we have harnessed to deliver educational events which have been extremely well received The success of these can be attributed to the organisational skills of the institutersquos head office staff and to the members of the technical committee

What are your views on the government agenda of deregulation of health and safety

There has been a lot said about the governmentrsquos agenda for health and safety and I will only comment that they need to listen more to the views of those who are at the delivery end I donrsquot agree with all that has been done so far but change should not always be viewed as negative

What legislative changes do you anticipate happening in the next five years

I donrsquot have a crystal ball nor am I directly involved with those likely to make the decisions but the growth in directives being handed down from the European Union concern me

In April 2013 Peter hosted a visit from the Korean Occupational Health and Safety Organisation (KOSHA)

Peter and Siobhan Donnelly celebrate IIRSM turning 40

wwwiirsmorg | 012016 7

Outgoing Presidentrsquos Interview

Do you see any potential new partnerships in the future Are there any indicators that IIRSM could work closer with IOSH going forward

I recently met with the acting chief executive of IOSH and discussed potential collaboration so yes I hope we can build closer relations while maintaining our own identities

Why doesnrsquot the institute value it members more especially retired members who are required to pay a full membership fee Even IOSH reduces its fee for retired members

I cannot agree with this comment ndash the Council members and the executive team value every single member of the institute be they current or retired IIRSM does offer a significant discount to retired members who pay less than half the regular membership fee Their experience and commitment to the institute are very important to us

Why do so many of IIRSMrsquos senior management team have no formal health and safety qualifications

I presume this question refers to the institutersquos executive team In my opinion it is not a requirement for the executives to be qualified health and safety practitioners ndash they are there to provide management and leadership

Indeed it is more important that they are professionally qualified for their specific roles for example in leadership financial management and marketing They are supported by members of the Council and Technical Committee who are professionally qualified in health and safety

Why are there so many overseas visits by senior management of IIRSM when the local branches are suffering from lack of support There is no finance available for local branches but we the members contribute our membership fees which pay for these overseas trips

It is important that we support all our membership and where we have had significant growth internationally we have been asked to work on international projects in the Middle East where we have gained particular praise and recognition

I personally have only taken what I consider essential overseas visits and have only approved the same in relation to the executive and these trips are always managed in the most cost-effective manner possible I have visited Oman the UAE and Qatar recently ndash all following invitations

from industry leaders and governments where I promoted the institute As volunteers the Council give their time freely The CEO has made overseas visits to support our membership and attends relevant industry events Significantly we have been a highly regarded member of the EUndashOSHA campaigns thanks to the work of our policy director Barry Holt

A fund was included in this yearrsquos budget to provide financial support to branches and though we have a small team which limits the support we can offer the UK branches remain a priority

What do you think your lasting legacy will be for IIRSM

I donrsquot think that it is for me to comment however I would like to think that during my three-year tenure I have led the institute appropriately during significant change and modernisation I let others judge my legacy

What area do you intend to keep a watching brief over

Irsquoll remain part of the Officers Group (the senior Council team) as Immediate Past President and will remain heavily

involved in the strategic direction of the institute

Whatrsquos next for you

For the next two years I will be the Immediate Past President prior to leaving the Council and I shall continue to work for the incoming President and membership On a personal note I am about to leave my company after 15 years and l look forward to new challenges

The IIRSM Council would like to thank Peter for his hard work and commitment to the institute and we wish him the very best in his future endeavours

Top Peter enjoying the view at the House of Lords Left The 2014 Annual Presidentsrsquo Reception

Next issueLook out for our interview with incoming President Siobhan Donnelly in next monthrsquos issue of Insight

012016 | wwwiirsmorg8

Institute News

RISK MANAGEMENT AWARDS

Showcasing exception

SOCIAL MEDIA

Network with membersIIRSMrsquos social media platforms are a great way to engage with the institute as well as other members ndash you can pose questions debate topics and share knowledge with fellow professionals in the field Our pages also provide an easy way to keep you informed of any special events and news from the institute

With more than 7000 members the IIRSM LinkedIn group is an active forum for health safety and risk professionals Popular topics currently being discussed include

mobility scooter fire tests fire report for Clandon Park House sleep and wellbeing for office workers HSE chair Judith Hackittrsquos latest blog

post on safety responsibility

Get started by searching Groups for IIRSM and request to join We can also be found on Facebook IIRSMOfficial and Twitter iirsm

MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS

Health and Safety at Work websiteAs part of your membership you are entitled to access wwwhealthandsafetyatworkcom ndash the official website for Health and Safety at Work magazine Breaking news is updated throughout the day and the entire content of the magazine is available in an online archive to research previous articles

Make sure you donrsquot miss any need to

know news and analysis on prosecutions new regulations and best practice by logging on today If you need a reminder of your login details please email your IIRSM membership number to healthandsafetylexisnexiscouk

To receive the free weekly eNewsletter sign up at wwwhealthandsafetyatworkcomenewsletter

Member contributionsWe want to hear from you

This is your publication and we are always looking for interesting experiences news and comments to share There are a number of ways you can get involved If you think yoursquove got a good idea for an article in your area of expertise share your knowledge Send us an outline of what you propose to

cover and we can supply guidelines as well as editorial assistance Have you been working tirelessly to spread the safety message Perhaps in a voluntary role outside of the day job If you have an interesting story to tell we want to hear from you Email the editor kelliemundelllexisnexiscouk

Main picture left to right Clare Fleming (head of marketing and communications) Paul Roberts (Arbor Networks) and the host of the ceremony comedian Jo Caulfield Inset picture IIRSM Technical Committee member Anne Mallory with award winner Alexander Deas

IIRSMrsquos chief executive Phillip Pearson was on the judging panel for the CIR Risk Management Awards again this year and the ceremony took place on 12 November at the Cumberland Hotel in London

The awards recognise individuals organisations and teams that have significantly added to the understanding and practice of risk management Judged by an independent panel of experts for exceptional performance the awards provide an opportunity for organisations and individuals to showcase their best products projects and people

IIRSM presented the prize for Cyber Security Product which was won by Arbor Networks IIRSM Technical Committee member Anne Mallory presented the Newcomer of the Year award to Alexander Deas

wwwiirsmorg | 012016 9

Institute News

GET INVOLVED

Join your local branchRisk management is a broad topic encompassing occupational health and safety environmental matters reputational risk and business continuity quality control and more

IIRSM is proud to have a diverse branch network run by members for members Branches serve as a platform for risk managers and health and safety professionals to meet on a regular basis to network with their peers They provide opportunities to take part in training hear

a varied range of speakers and discuss the issues which impact on their profession

Why not come along to your next branch meeting and see what it has to offer you Get involved by sharing your ideas with the branch chairman to enhance the potential for communication of local knowledge and sharing information and best practice

See wwwiirsmorgbranches for more information

Devon amp CornwallThursday 10 December 2015 at 2pmGables Farm PlymouthTopics covered will include fire risk assessment putting lsquohealthrsquo in health and safety and the revised sentencing guidelinesRegister Charles Perryman ndash cperrymanpira-uknet

QatarTuesday 15 December 2015 at 7pmRadisson Blu Hotel DohaRegister qatarbranchiirsmorg

East MidlandsWednesday 6 January 2016 at 7pmIvanhoe Business Park Ashby de la ZouchTalking Safety WorkshopRegister Catherine Wilkes ndash catherinewilkesntlworldcom

North west89 March 2016Practical risk managementRegister iirsmnwbranchskycom

UPCOMING BRANCH MEETINGS

Dates for your diary

BRANCH UPDATE

Wales branch avenues to pursue Group will collaborate with other safety

organisations in Wales Branch aims to improve standards provide

support and share information

In November members of the Wales branch enjoyed a presentation on compliance to the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 by Rod Taylor CMIOSH MIFireE MIIRSM at its latest meeting in Cardiff

The delegates spent their time sharing best health and safety practice with a round table discussion on competencies required to undertake a fire risk assessment They also formulated a plan for 2016

Branch aimsThe Wales branch aims to

clarify the legislation concerning occupational health and safety in Wales

promote occupational health and safety in the region in order to promote and encourage cultural change

share and gather information with other members and organisations within the region

raise health and safety awareness throughout the area covered by the branch

where possible contribute to and be involved in legislative development

assist and support fellow members in their professional development

provide a contact network for members throughout the region visiting the region and with IIRSM head office

A general discussion around planning for next yearrsquos meetings guest speakers and site visits resulted in many suggestions and avenues to pursue A large response to site tours across Wales combined with the Wales branch meeting was suggested and supported Members agreed to investigate opportunities and speak with various contacts to arrange and secure dates for 2016

A marketing strategy will be discussed with IIRSMrsquos head office in order to

support these initiatives and to seek additional members

Promoting the instituteHaydn Brittain branch vice-chairman gave a brief talk on the planned joint Wales Health and Safety Seminar planned with other safety groups and organisations to be held in April 2016 The delegates agreed this will be an excellent opportunity to network with other organisations groups and to promote the institute

ldquoThis initiative will allow us to unite and collaborate with other safety organisations in Wales with a purpose of improving standards and supporting each other through austere timesrdquo said branch chairman Steve Bergiers FIIRSM

If you would like to get involved in the Wales branch email Steve Bergiers stevebergiershotmailcouk

Members of the Wales branch enjoying their latest meeting

012016 | wwwiirsmorg10

Institute News

CONFERENCE

Live events the importance of safetyMembers of the UKrsquos leading risk safety organisations gathered on 17 November in front of a crowd of more than 70 delegates from the live events safety sector as part of the Live Events Competence Conference

The conference was a collaboration between IIRSM the Safety Advisors Group in Entertainment (SAGE) Stagesafe (a specialist consultancy) and Buckinghamshire New University It was designed to identify support and develop health and safety competence for the events sector and to offer technical updates and solutions The sector needs a relevant and reliable source of competence and the reassurance that it would provide this to events managers promoters organisers and the enforcing authorities The presenters and audience discussed how the profession can help organisers and promoters to ensure they know what they should be looking for in a prospective safety adviser when planning an event The role is safety critical and therefore a high level of competence is required

Chaired by Michael Anderson (Chairman of SAGE) the conference speakers included Gavin Bull (HSE) Greg Brown (IIRSM) Solomon NrsquoJie (Buckinghamshire New University) James Eade (Institution of Engineering and Technology) Chris Higgs (National Rigging Advisory Group) and Emma Parkinson (Department of Security and Resilience at Buckinghamshire New University)

Chris Higgs spoke in depth about LOLER (the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations) Specifically he highlighted what to consider when deciding how to reduce risks from rigging activities at live events

These included the type of load being lifted itrsquos

weight shape and what it consists of the risk of a load falling moving

breaking up or striking a person or an object and the consequences

the risk of lifting equipment failing or falling over while in use

the risk of damage to lifting the equipment

Gavin Bull and Michael Anderson discussed HSE enforcement plans and CDM guidance for the sector This included the (close to being finalised) draft HSE CDM duty holder roles as they map to all parts of the sector (for example outdoor events theatre TV exhibitions)

They spoke about key points for securing health and safety within the workplace such as cooperation coordination and communication within the workforce pointing the right people at the right time and consultating and engaging with workers

Solomon NrsquoJie has more than 30 yearsrsquo experience in crowd safety management and has been involved with crowd safety at more than 1500 events (including LOCOG for the London 2012 Olympics) He addressed the issue of crowd management control and spoke about the difference between site safety and crowd safety which is often confused by promoters who assume they are the same when in fact they require different approaches

He identified and emphasised the importance of having a crowd management plan which would

identify risks to crowd safety enable management systems to be put

in place explained a dual concept approach

including engineering and environment safety measures and plans

He finished his presentation by reminding delegates that crowd management is a team effort and a better understanding of roles and responsibilities at all types of organised events is required

Greg Brown addressed the issue of identifying competence and referred to the Occupational Safety and Health Consultantsrsquo Register (OSHCR) He highlighted the need for a common position in the areas of health and safety capabilities transferable skills and a wider risk dimension

James Eade followed with a presentation about the standard for events BS7909 Electrical Safety at Events He focused on the importance of keeping electrical fuses cables and outlets protected and highlighted the dangers and possible outcomes of having unprotected wires and fuses

James talked about the concept of a Senior Person Responsible (SPR) to manage to the electrical system The SPR he noted should have ldquosufficient and suitable competence to enable them to ensure the safety in all respects of any temporary electrical system in all conditions that can reasonably be predicted to occurrdquo

The final speaker was Emma Parkinson from Buckinghamshire New University Emma leads the universityrsquos Foundation and Bachelorrsquos degrees in Crowd Safety Management and explained how this programme has been able to reach out to many people and enabled them to develop expertise in this area The courses cover personal and professional development an introduction to events crowd safety by design crowd management planning crowd dynamics and risk management

The conference programme was well received with many agreeing to support a campaign designed to improve competence as well as awareness among promoters about how they can ensure that prospective candidates are suitably qualified SAGE recommends the following criteria

membership of a health and safety institute (IIRSM or IOSH)

qualified to NEBOSH Diploma Level (or equivalent)

membership of an event industry trade association

five years of event industry experience (not necessarily health and safety experience)

taking part in a Continuing Professional Development (CPD) scheme

Professional Indemnity Insurance cover of pound1000000 (provided by the individualrsquos employer or by the actual individual for self-employed advisersconsultants

Overall it was a very positive event which enabled IIRSM to help support our members and the events sector in this niche area of health and safety management We look forward to working with SAGE and the other collaborators to take the campaign forward

wwwiirsmorg | 012016 11

Institute News

NEW MEMBERSHIP GRADE

A new age for individual supportYour Council has approved an exciting membership development that can be scaled to work for groups or sections from any business or organisation Our new Affiliate level opens the door on professional networking to individuals who may need help and support in their day to day roles

The grade is designed to encourage supervisors and managers to become involved and access the institutersquos educational material or have direct contact with existing members IIRSM has always been about supporting individuals and working with businesses to help them through our events publications or technical support ndashcollaboration and co-operation is the name of the game helping those who have a day to day responsiblity for hands-on risk management

We will provide new Affiliate members with an IIRSM Affiliate mentor to help them get the best out of their membership and to appreciate how we can help them with their development or qualifications if that is their goal An Affiliate can join us with

no health and safety qualifications because this is about motivation ndash a dialogue with a friendly supportive point of contact who will nurture and develop proportionate risk management

Affiliates will also be those with an entry-level qualification in health and safety (such as the NEBOSH Award Highfield (HABC) Level 3 or IOSH Managing Safely) and may want to progress to Associate membership We will help them to identify routes to achieve this

Are there supervisors or managers in your workplace that could benefit from this We welcome discussions about meaningful group discounts and further tailored CPD and support We believe this is a genuinely novel approach for a membership body to help professionalise the delivery of health and safety through individuals in any organisation Siobhan Donnelly President of IIRSM says the Affiliate membership ldquoallows the whole workforce to be safety professionalsrdquo

For more information visit wwwiirsmorgmembers or email gregbrowniirsmorg

Safety maverick

Limitation of risk assessment

As individuals we naturally conduct risk assessment to varying degrees of competence In organisations this doesnrsquot tend to happen naturally and needs to be orchestrated by a management system But do we question whether risk assessment always adds value and is it applicable to the situation

Risk is the combination of loss or harm and the likelihood of its realisation But in order to make meaningful and valuable assessments we need relevant knowledge and experience to identify potential hazards or threats and to assess the risk likelihood and severity components The easiest to assess are things like slips trips and falls that happen relatively frequently because data is plentiful Contrast this with major nuclear power plant disasters that are very high in consequence but relatively rare For these situations we need to undertake complex analysis and scenario modelling to achieve the best-informed estimate of the likelihood

of events occurring This happens in an environment where the overall methodology may never be fully validated because such disasters are so rare

Beyond these high and low frequency events there are things outside of the capability of systematic risk assessment that can present all manner of potential harm to individuals organisations and society They are the situations where knowledge and experience are extremely limited making foreseeing and assessing future potential negative events extremely difficult eg novel technologies such as genetically modified organisms and complex evolving systems for example socio-economic

We should not use risk assessment in a ritualistic way without intelligent and informed thinking ndash the only justification for using risk assessment is that it can make us more successful than not using it We should constantly question whether our actions are appropriate and be able to justify using it and not using it

IIRSM ANNUAL CONFERENCE

Speaker line up revealedIIRSM and Health and Safety at Work will once again return to Birmingham on 11 February 2016 for our joint annual conference This popular event now in its 9th year will bring delegates a mixture of case studies presentations and legal updates providing practical solutions for your organisation

With speakers such as Richard Judge (HSE) Heather Bryant (Balfour Beatty) Paul Simpson (Network Rail) Graham Losh (FA Group) Martin Tod (Menrsquos Health Forum) Becky Lee (Staffordshire County Council) and Steffan Groch (Health and Safety Lawyersrsquo Association) and chaired by new IIRSM President Siobhan Donnelly this highly regarded conference is an event not to be missed

Richard Judge who has been at the helm of the HSE for just over a year now will deliver the keynote speech which will be followed by a QampA session with the audience Delegates will be invited to submit their questions to the regulatorrsquos chief executive so donrsquot miss this chance to ask him a burning question

Also presenting is Becky Lee health safety and wellbeing manager for Staffordshire County Council Becky will share the councilrsquos experiences of the two key interventions that have had a massive impact on employee wellbeing and reducing absence ndash the introduction of occupational physiotherapy and use of day one triage assessments has reduced the organisationrsquos musculoskeletal absence by 23 per cent and saved the council more than pound700000 in its first three years

Safety lawyer Steffan Groch (Partner and Head of Regulatory at DWF and chair of the Health and Safety Lawyersrsquo Association) will give delegates to this yearrsquos event a review of the major health and safety cases of 2015 and their lessons for dutyholders As the conference comes just over a week after the Sentencing Guidelines are officially in force Steffan will also consider whether it really will be the largest companies that are hit the hardest and what the unintended consequences may be

With so many high profile speakers already confirmed our annual conference is shaping up to be well worth a visit by anyone tasked with protecting employees

lsquo

Visit wwwiirsmorgevents to book your place today

012016 | wwwiirsmorg12

International News

CAMBODIA

Dizzy workers collapse at textile firm

A garment worker has died and 21 others were hospitalised after they collapsed at a textile factory The incident at the Chinese-owned Or Sambath Trading factory in eastern Prey Veng province was the latest in a string of similar incidents in the sector

The 21-year-old woman reported dizziness and difficulty breathing on 5 November before collapsing She died in hospital Twenty one other workers collapsed later the same day and the next morning with similar symptoms

The factory which employs more than 1200 workers was ordered to close for four days while an investigation was carried out

GLOBAL

Enforcement leads to fewer injuriesRegulatory health and safety inspections that result in enforcement action are effective in reducing work related injuries according to research by the Toronto-based Institute for Work amp Health (IWH)

The systematic review of the international scientific literature confirmed the findings of a 2007 IWH review which covered research from 1970 to 2003 and found evidence that citations and penalties reduced the frequency or severity of injuries

The latest review which looked at 1990 to 2013 found strong evidence for the effectiveness of inspections with citations and penalties in reducing injuries There was also moderate evidence that inspections without penalties have no effect in reducing injuries

USA

Plans to update management guidelinesThe Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is seeking public comment on an updated version of its voluntary ldquoSafety and Health Program Management Guidelinesrdquo

First published in 1989 the guidelines which help employers establish health and safety management plans at their workplaces are being updated to reflect modern technology and practices

ldquoEmployers who embrace these guidelines will experience lower injury and illness rates and their progress in improving the safety culture at their worksites will contribute to higher productivity reduced costs and greater worker satisfactionrdquo said assistant secretary of labor David Michaels OSHA is accepting comments until 15 February

SPAIN

Accident rise blamed on labour market reformsThe number of workplace accidents registered during the first six months of 2015 has grown by almost seven per cent compared to the same period in 2014

In total 218019 ldquominorrdquo accidents were reported 13577 more than the first six months of last year along with 1593 ldquoseriousrdquo accidents one more than during

the same period last year and 239 fatal accidents 16 more than in 2014

Pedro Linares from Spainrsquos largest union the CCOO told union supported news website Equal Times that government labour market reforms had ldquomade dismissals cheaper weakened trade union bargaining power and slackened investment in occupational health and safetyrdquo

AUSTRALIA

Power station explosion injures two Two workers were burned when a transformer exploded at the Liddell Power Station in Hunter Valley on 11 November

Power company AGL which operates the site said about 300 employees were evacuated from the plant in the early afternoon The injured workers were a

PAKISTAN

Workers warned of building cracks before Lahore factory tragedyAt least 46 workers have been killed and many more injured in the collapse of a four-storey plastic bag factory 12 miles east of Lahore

There were an estimated 175 factory workers as well as construction workers inside the building when it collapsed on 4 November

Survivors reported that Rajput Polyester which owned the factory was adding a new floor to the building but had ignored warnings from workers to stop construction because large cracks had appeared in the building after a 75 magnitude earthquake in the region on 26 October

Global union IndustriALL said workers saw cracks a few days before the collapse and told managers but nothing was done

One witness who visited the factory on 2 November said he saw an exhaust pipe was damaged because the wall it was fixed to was sinking slowly into the ground

The owner of the business was reportedly killed while inspecting the factory on the day of the incident

The collapse was the second in Lahore in the last few months In September the roof of a garment factory fell down killing four workers ldquo

These incidents are happening because there are no proper factory inspections being done in Pakistanrdquo said Khalid Mahmood director of the Labour Education Foundation in Lahore

ldquoFactory owners are killing workers by saving money that should have been spent on making workplaces safe There is no political will in government to implement factory inspections and other labour lawsrdquo

IndustriALLrsquos assistant general secretary Kemal Oumlzkan said ldquoWe demand a full transparent independent investigation into this tragedyrdquo He urged the government to take immediate action to prevent more workers being killed in ldquoperilous factoriesrdquo

Rescue workers search the rubble for survivors

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inhu

sRe

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utte

rsto

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wwwiirsmorg | 012016 13

International News

fitter and an apprentice AGL said it was investigating the cause of the incident and production at the station was not affected

SINGAPORE

Health promotion pilot for mature workers More than 600 employees from Sheng Siong Supermarket are involved in a year-long pilot programme to encourage older workers to keep fit and stay healthy

The Workplace Health Intervention Programme for Mature Workers which is organised by the Singaporersquos Health Promotion Board (HPB) is targeting office workers who are largely sedentary frontline retail staff such as cashiers who have to stand for long hours and store assistants who unload goods from delivery trucks

Office workers receive exercise classes nutrition talks health screening and coaching Frontline retail staff can also benefit from ergonomic assessments and are encouraged to adopt healthy lifestyle habits The HPB introduced a similar programme for taxi drivers last year

JAPAN

Employees to be offered stress tests Businesses will be obliged to offer employees an annual test to check their stress levels from December this year

The test which takes the form of a questionnaire is part of a revision of the Industrial Health and Safety Law and will affect more than 20 million employees at about 16000 businesses according to the Health Labor and Welfare Ministry

Employees will not be required to take the test and doctors cannot tell employers the result without permission The law will prevent companies punishing employees for not taking part or firing or unreasonably transferring employees due to results

NEW ZEALAND

NZ$116k penalty for crane crush death Auckland company AJ Russell Bricklayers has been ordered to pay reparation of NZ$80000 and been fined NZ$36000 after an experienced crane operator was crushed between the boom of a crane and a truck deck

Roy Chan was greasing a crane as part of routine end of year maintenance when he inadvertently activated a remote control unit he was wearing That caused the cranersquos boom to move towards the truck deck fatally injuring him

AJ Russell Bricklayers pleaded guilty to breaching Section 6 and 50(1)(a) of the Health and Safety in Employment Act

There were at least two simple steps that could have prevented this deathrdquo said Marcus Nalter of WorkSafe New Zealand

ldquoThe cranersquos power take-off should have been turned off and workers should have been instructed not to wear remote control units during cleaning and maintenance work If such a regime had been in place and been observed then the crane would not have been able to move in the way it didrdquo

USA

FedEx employee dies at Memphis hubThe Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is investigating the death of a worker in a workplace accident at the FedEx hub in Memphis

According to local media reports Chris Higginbottom who was 39 was killed while working an early morning shift on 22 November

Police said Higginbottom died after driving a ldquotugrdquo which moves merchandise to and from FedEx aircraft and the

warehouse into a parked trailer He was found dead underneath the tugrsquos loaded trailer In a statement FedEx said it was working with local authorities on their investigation

BANGLADESH

Govt claims 80 of garment factories safe The government has claimed that more than 80 per cent of garment factories supplying global retailers are safe

Syed Ahmed the inspector general of factories said 1475 garment factories had been assessed as part of a government initiative supported by the International Labour Organization (ILO) Canada the Netherlands and the UK The inspections were instituted in the aftermath of the 2013 collapse of the Rana Plaza factory in which more than 1100 people died

Ahmed said 81 per cent of factories were structurally sound though he acknowledged many needed work on fire safety and electrical systems

Srinivas Reddy Bangladesh country director of the ILO told Reuters most factories needed to improve fire safety and electrical systems before they could be declared safe adding that every factory should come up with a corrective action plan

Thirty seven factories were closed and 36 partially closed after failing their inspections he said

USA

OSHA fines set to rise in 2016 Fines imposed by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) are set to increase for the first time for 25 years under a provision in a recently signed congressional budget deal

The Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act of 1990 exempted OSHA from increasing its penalties to account for inflation But the new bipartisan budget signed into law on 2 November by President Barack Obama contained an amendment removing the exemption

OSHA must now issue an interim final rule by 1 July 2016 increasing its penalties to adjust for current inflation levels which would raise proposed fines by about 80 per cent

This would mean the maximum penalty for a wilful violation would rise to an estimated $127000 from the

current $70000 The adjustment must occur before 1 August 2016

After the initial ldquocatch-uprdquo adjustment to compensate for more than two decades of no increase OSHA will then be allowed to raise fines in subsequent years to keep pace with the ongoing inflation rate

President Obama signs the new budget into law

copy R

EX S

hutt

erst

ock

012016 | wwwiirsmorg14

Membersrsquo Pages

If you are looking for advice call the health and safety information helpline with your questions on +44 (0)1296 678 465 or email iirsmhelplinealcumusgroupcom for information on any health and safety related topic Here are just a few of your recent queries

QampAsSAFETY TRAINING SITE FORMEN

I was recently told that construction site foremen have to undergo recognised safety training Is this correct

According to CDM 2015 ldquoA worker is anybody working for or under the control of a contractor which could include plumbers electricians etc as well as supervisors like foremen and change handsrdquo

The point is then reiterated by the HSE which states that foremen must only carry out construction work if they have the relevant skills knowledge training and experience This would imply that site foremen are required to have suitable and sufficient training but does not state that this training has to be lsquorecognisedrsquo

You may find however that contractual arrangements or industry recognised training such as the Site Management Safety Training Scheme (SMSTS) or the Site Supervisors Safety Training Scheme (SSSTS) is requested or looked for when reviewing the competency levels of construction site foremen

Visit wwwhsegovukconstructioncdm2015workershtm and wwwcitbcouktraining-courseshealth-and-safety-courses for further information

BENCHMARKING ACCIDENT RATES

Can you provide benchmarking statistics for accident rates in both the logistics and automotive sectors

There are a wide range of statistics available for both the logistics and automotive sectors The HSE document regarding the logistics sector (wwwhsegovuklogisticssic2007pdf) is mainly based on statistics taken from 201011minus201314 and can be used to compare your information to the averages

With regards to the automotive industry it is hard to provide you with statistics for the whole of the automotive industry and different aspects will fall under other industries An example of this is the manufacturing of vehicles While technically part of the automotive industry RIDDOR reports would usually come under the manufacturing industry

therefore it would be hard to provide you with an average for this That said there are a range of statistics which relate directly to motor vehicle repair at wwwhsegovukmvrresourcesstatisticsinjurystatshtm and vehicle injuries by sector at wwwhsegovukstatisticscausinjmoving-vehiclespdf

FIRE SAFETY

My organisation is situated in a multi-tenanted building We recently carried out a fire drill for the building to measure response Electrically operated doors did not automatically unlock and still required tenants to use key fobs or press the door release button Apparently the facility to unlock all doors when the fire alarm is operated exists within the system but has not been engaged to maintain security for the tenantsrsquo companies which handle confidential information

While I understand the need to maintain security of the building Irsquom concerned someone could get trapped There are emergency refuge communication points on all landings and each company has a responsibility to check the toilets and maintain a register of visitors but is this enough

In accordance with government guidelines your fire safety and evacuation plan should include

a clear passageway to all escape routes

clearly marked escape routes that are as short and direct as possible

enough exits and routes for all people to escape

emergency doors that open easily emergency lighting where needed training for all employees to know

and use the escape routes a safe meeting point for staff

With the central core of the building not having an easily opened exit it could be considered that you are not doing everything reasonably practicable to ensure the safety of all people

The risk assessment that you must carry out will help you ensure that your fire safety procedures fire prevention measures and fire precautions (plans systems and equipment) are all in place

and working properly and the risk assessment should identify any issues that need attention

In this case if the facility already exists to allow for the safe exit from the building without the aid of fellow members of staff we believe that this should be activated Although the procedure is in place for each section to have the responsibility for their guests and to check the facilities human error could still result in the unintentional trapping of people during a fire

The government regulations are available at wwwgovukworkplace-fire-safety-your-responsibilitieswho-is-responsible and a guide to fire risk assessments for office blocks can be found at httpbitly1I6sL7n

SCAFFOLD PLATFORMS

Is there a set requirement to secure the boards on scaffold platforms Our previous scaffolding contractor does this as standard but our new one doesnrsquot unless therersquos a problem

All scaffolds should be designed erected altered and dismantled only by competent people and the work should always be carried out under the direction of a competent supervisor This is a requirement of the Work at Height Regulations 2005

Though there is no legal requirement to secure boards on a scaffolding platform the HSE document lsquoHealth and Safety in Constructionrsquo states that the platform must be lsquostablersquo and where work at height is to be undertaken safe

With regards to the enforcement of securing the scaffolding boards the scaffolding contractor has a legal requirement to ensure that the work at height is safe They should therefore have a suitable and sufficient risk assessment in place to ensure a safe place of work is provided and all potential hazards (for example icy or windy conditions) have been taken into account

The HSE document lsquoHealth and Safety in Constructionrsquo can be found at wwwhsegovukpubnspricedhsg150pdf and a brief guide to working at height

wwwiirsmorg | 012016 5

Outgoing Presidentrsquos Interview

012016 | wwwiirsmorg6

Outgoing Presidentrsquos Interview

where we have not only seen growth in membership but also recognition of the significant part our members have played in the development of health and safety across Oman the UAE and Qatar That said our membership in the UK remains a clear focus and itrsquos where we want to grow further

Are there any plans for Royal Chartership

There is no doubt that there is an appetite among the Council and the membership to gain Royal Chartership It is a long road and not a journey that can be embarked upon without the planning and dedication of those who will have to develop our bid I confirm however that it is an aspiration for the future

Do you think IIRSM is where it should be in terms of its application within the UK

We have come a long way but we need to continue to ensure the institutersquos voice is heard and that we gain further recognition from our peers not only in the UK but within the worldwide health and safety family

What is IIRSM doing about increasing the emphasis and training of its members (and others) on the prevention of damage to health due to workplace exposure

The institute recognises that workplace health has not had the profile that it should over the last 10 years at least The IIRSM Council has two very senior

and experienced medical practitioners ndash Dr Peter Griffin and Dr Su Wang ndash both of whom are extremely active in promoting health issues Dr Wang is the current chair of the Scientific Committee of the International Commission on Occupational Health (ICOH) having recently taken over from the institutersquos Immediate Past President Keith Scott earlier this year and she is a very active conference and seminar speaker at home and internationally

The institute is developing links with health related organisations and supporting campaigns to further workplace health and the wider occupational health agenda

What would you say has contributed most to the growth of the institute both in the UK and internationally

There is no doubt that the growth of the branches both in the UK and internationally and the willingness and dedication of our branch volunteers to further the aims and objectives of the institute has contributed to a growth in recognition It is also down to our willingness to be collaborative with other organisations and the expertise we have harnessed to deliver educational events which have been extremely well received The success of these can be attributed to the organisational skills of the institutersquos head office staff and to the members of the technical committee

What are your views on the government agenda of deregulation of health and safety

There has been a lot said about the governmentrsquos agenda for health and safety and I will only comment that they need to listen more to the views of those who are at the delivery end I donrsquot agree with all that has been done so far but change should not always be viewed as negative

What legislative changes do you anticipate happening in the next five years

I donrsquot have a crystal ball nor am I directly involved with those likely to make the decisions but the growth in directives being handed down from the European Union concern me

In April 2013 Peter hosted a visit from the Korean Occupational Health and Safety Organisation (KOSHA)

Peter and Siobhan Donnelly celebrate IIRSM turning 40

wwwiirsmorg | 012016 7

Outgoing Presidentrsquos Interview

Do you see any potential new partnerships in the future Are there any indicators that IIRSM could work closer with IOSH going forward

I recently met with the acting chief executive of IOSH and discussed potential collaboration so yes I hope we can build closer relations while maintaining our own identities

Why doesnrsquot the institute value it members more especially retired members who are required to pay a full membership fee Even IOSH reduces its fee for retired members

I cannot agree with this comment ndash the Council members and the executive team value every single member of the institute be they current or retired IIRSM does offer a significant discount to retired members who pay less than half the regular membership fee Their experience and commitment to the institute are very important to us

Why do so many of IIRSMrsquos senior management team have no formal health and safety qualifications

I presume this question refers to the institutersquos executive team In my opinion it is not a requirement for the executives to be qualified health and safety practitioners ndash they are there to provide management and leadership

Indeed it is more important that they are professionally qualified for their specific roles for example in leadership financial management and marketing They are supported by members of the Council and Technical Committee who are professionally qualified in health and safety

Why are there so many overseas visits by senior management of IIRSM when the local branches are suffering from lack of support There is no finance available for local branches but we the members contribute our membership fees which pay for these overseas trips

It is important that we support all our membership and where we have had significant growth internationally we have been asked to work on international projects in the Middle East where we have gained particular praise and recognition

I personally have only taken what I consider essential overseas visits and have only approved the same in relation to the executive and these trips are always managed in the most cost-effective manner possible I have visited Oman the UAE and Qatar recently ndash all following invitations

from industry leaders and governments where I promoted the institute As volunteers the Council give their time freely The CEO has made overseas visits to support our membership and attends relevant industry events Significantly we have been a highly regarded member of the EUndashOSHA campaigns thanks to the work of our policy director Barry Holt

A fund was included in this yearrsquos budget to provide financial support to branches and though we have a small team which limits the support we can offer the UK branches remain a priority

What do you think your lasting legacy will be for IIRSM

I donrsquot think that it is for me to comment however I would like to think that during my three-year tenure I have led the institute appropriately during significant change and modernisation I let others judge my legacy

What area do you intend to keep a watching brief over

Irsquoll remain part of the Officers Group (the senior Council team) as Immediate Past President and will remain heavily

involved in the strategic direction of the institute

Whatrsquos next for you

For the next two years I will be the Immediate Past President prior to leaving the Council and I shall continue to work for the incoming President and membership On a personal note I am about to leave my company after 15 years and l look forward to new challenges

The IIRSM Council would like to thank Peter for his hard work and commitment to the institute and we wish him the very best in his future endeavours

Top Peter enjoying the view at the House of Lords Left The 2014 Annual Presidentsrsquo Reception

Next issueLook out for our interview with incoming President Siobhan Donnelly in next monthrsquos issue of Insight

012016 | wwwiirsmorg8

Institute News

RISK MANAGEMENT AWARDS

Showcasing exception

SOCIAL MEDIA

Network with membersIIRSMrsquos social media platforms are a great way to engage with the institute as well as other members ndash you can pose questions debate topics and share knowledge with fellow professionals in the field Our pages also provide an easy way to keep you informed of any special events and news from the institute

With more than 7000 members the IIRSM LinkedIn group is an active forum for health safety and risk professionals Popular topics currently being discussed include

mobility scooter fire tests fire report for Clandon Park House sleep and wellbeing for office workers HSE chair Judith Hackittrsquos latest blog

post on safety responsibility

Get started by searching Groups for IIRSM and request to join We can also be found on Facebook IIRSMOfficial and Twitter iirsm

MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS

Health and Safety at Work websiteAs part of your membership you are entitled to access wwwhealthandsafetyatworkcom ndash the official website for Health and Safety at Work magazine Breaking news is updated throughout the day and the entire content of the magazine is available in an online archive to research previous articles

Make sure you donrsquot miss any need to

know news and analysis on prosecutions new regulations and best practice by logging on today If you need a reminder of your login details please email your IIRSM membership number to healthandsafetylexisnexiscouk

To receive the free weekly eNewsletter sign up at wwwhealthandsafetyatworkcomenewsletter

Member contributionsWe want to hear from you

This is your publication and we are always looking for interesting experiences news and comments to share There are a number of ways you can get involved If you think yoursquove got a good idea for an article in your area of expertise share your knowledge Send us an outline of what you propose to

cover and we can supply guidelines as well as editorial assistance Have you been working tirelessly to spread the safety message Perhaps in a voluntary role outside of the day job If you have an interesting story to tell we want to hear from you Email the editor kelliemundelllexisnexiscouk

Main picture left to right Clare Fleming (head of marketing and communications) Paul Roberts (Arbor Networks) and the host of the ceremony comedian Jo Caulfield Inset picture IIRSM Technical Committee member Anne Mallory with award winner Alexander Deas

IIRSMrsquos chief executive Phillip Pearson was on the judging panel for the CIR Risk Management Awards again this year and the ceremony took place on 12 November at the Cumberland Hotel in London

The awards recognise individuals organisations and teams that have significantly added to the understanding and practice of risk management Judged by an independent panel of experts for exceptional performance the awards provide an opportunity for organisations and individuals to showcase their best products projects and people

IIRSM presented the prize for Cyber Security Product which was won by Arbor Networks IIRSM Technical Committee member Anne Mallory presented the Newcomer of the Year award to Alexander Deas

wwwiirsmorg | 012016 9

Institute News

GET INVOLVED

Join your local branchRisk management is a broad topic encompassing occupational health and safety environmental matters reputational risk and business continuity quality control and more

IIRSM is proud to have a diverse branch network run by members for members Branches serve as a platform for risk managers and health and safety professionals to meet on a regular basis to network with their peers They provide opportunities to take part in training hear

a varied range of speakers and discuss the issues which impact on their profession

Why not come along to your next branch meeting and see what it has to offer you Get involved by sharing your ideas with the branch chairman to enhance the potential for communication of local knowledge and sharing information and best practice

See wwwiirsmorgbranches for more information

Devon amp CornwallThursday 10 December 2015 at 2pmGables Farm PlymouthTopics covered will include fire risk assessment putting lsquohealthrsquo in health and safety and the revised sentencing guidelinesRegister Charles Perryman ndash cperrymanpira-uknet

QatarTuesday 15 December 2015 at 7pmRadisson Blu Hotel DohaRegister qatarbranchiirsmorg

East MidlandsWednesday 6 January 2016 at 7pmIvanhoe Business Park Ashby de la ZouchTalking Safety WorkshopRegister Catherine Wilkes ndash catherinewilkesntlworldcom

North west89 March 2016Practical risk managementRegister iirsmnwbranchskycom

UPCOMING BRANCH MEETINGS

Dates for your diary

BRANCH UPDATE

Wales branch avenues to pursue Group will collaborate with other safety

organisations in Wales Branch aims to improve standards provide

support and share information

In November members of the Wales branch enjoyed a presentation on compliance to the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 by Rod Taylor CMIOSH MIFireE MIIRSM at its latest meeting in Cardiff

The delegates spent their time sharing best health and safety practice with a round table discussion on competencies required to undertake a fire risk assessment They also formulated a plan for 2016

Branch aimsThe Wales branch aims to

clarify the legislation concerning occupational health and safety in Wales

promote occupational health and safety in the region in order to promote and encourage cultural change

share and gather information with other members and organisations within the region

raise health and safety awareness throughout the area covered by the branch

where possible contribute to and be involved in legislative development

assist and support fellow members in their professional development

provide a contact network for members throughout the region visiting the region and with IIRSM head office

A general discussion around planning for next yearrsquos meetings guest speakers and site visits resulted in many suggestions and avenues to pursue A large response to site tours across Wales combined with the Wales branch meeting was suggested and supported Members agreed to investigate opportunities and speak with various contacts to arrange and secure dates for 2016

A marketing strategy will be discussed with IIRSMrsquos head office in order to

support these initiatives and to seek additional members

Promoting the instituteHaydn Brittain branch vice-chairman gave a brief talk on the planned joint Wales Health and Safety Seminar planned with other safety groups and organisations to be held in April 2016 The delegates agreed this will be an excellent opportunity to network with other organisations groups and to promote the institute

ldquoThis initiative will allow us to unite and collaborate with other safety organisations in Wales with a purpose of improving standards and supporting each other through austere timesrdquo said branch chairman Steve Bergiers FIIRSM

If you would like to get involved in the Wales branch email Steve Bergiers stevebergiershotmailcouk

Members of the Wales branch enjoying their latest meeting

012016 | wwwiirsmorg10

Institute News

CONFERENCE

Live events the importance of safetyMembers of the UKrsquos leading risk safety organisations gathered on 17 November in front of a crowd of more than 70 delegates from the live events safety sector as part of the Live Events Competence Conference

The conference was a collaboration between IIRSM the Safety Advisors Group in Entertainment (SAGE) Stagesafe (a specialist consultancy) and Buckinghamshire New University It was designed to identify support and develop health and safety competence for the events sector and to offer technical updates and solutions The sector needs a relevant and reliable source of competence and the reassurance that it would provide this to events managers promoters organisers and the enforcing authorities The presenters and audience discussed how the profession can help organisers and promoters to ensure they know what they should be looking for in a prospective safety adviser when planning an event The role is safety critical and therefore a high level of competence is required

Chaired by Michael Anderson (Chairman of SAGE) the conference speakers included Gavin Bull (HSE) Greg Brown (IIRSM) Solomon NrsquoJie (Buckinghamshire New University) James Eade (Institution of Engineering and Technology) Chris Higgs (National Rigging Advisory Group) and Emma Parkinson (Department of Security and Resilience at Buckinghamshire New University)

Chris Higgs spoke in depth about LOLER (the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations) Specifically he highlighted what to consider when deciding how to reduce risks from rigging activities at live events

These included the type of load being lifted itrsquos

weight shape and what it consists of the risk of a load falling moving

breaking up or striking a person or an object and the consequences

the risk of lifting equipment failing or falling over while in use

the risk of damage to lifting the equipment

Gavin Bull and Michael Anderson discussed HSE enforcement plans and CDM guidance for the sector This included the (close to being finalised) draft HSE CDM duty holder roles as they map to all parts of the sector (for example outdoor events theatre TV exhibitions)

They spoke about key points for securing health and safety within the workplace such as cooperation coordination and communication within the workforce pointing the right people at the right time and consultating and engaging with workers

Solomon NrsquoJie has more than 30 yearsrsquo experience in crowd safety management and has been involved with crowd safety at more than 1500 events (including LOCOG for the London 2012 Olympics) He addressed the issue of crowd management control and spoke about the difference between site safety and crowd safety which is often confused by promoters who assume they are the same when in fact they require different approaches

He identified and emphasised the importance of having a crowd management plan which would

identify risks to crowd safety enable management systems to be put

in place explained a dual concept approach

including engineering and environment safety measures and plans

He finished his presentation by reminding delegates that crowd management is a team effort and a better understanding of roles and responsibilities at all types of organised events is required

Greg Brown addressed the issue of identifying competence and referred to the Occupational Safety and Health Consultantsrsquo Register (OSHCR) He highlighted the need for a common position in the areas of health and safety capabilities transferable skills and a wider risk dimension

James Eade followed with a presentation about the standard for events BS7909 Electrical Safety at Events He focused on the importance of keeping electrical fuses cables and outlets protected and highlighted the dangers and possible outcomes of having unprotected wires and fuses

James talked about the concept of a Senior Person Responsible (SPR) to manage to the electrical system The SPR he noted should have ldquosufficient and suitable competence to enable them to ensure the safety in all respects of any temporary electrical system in all conditions that can reasonably be predicted to occurrdquo

The final speaker was Emma Parkinson from Buckinghamshire New University Emma leads the universityrsquos Foundation and Bachelorrsquos degrees in Crowd Safety Management and explained how this programme has been able to reach out to many people and enabled them to develop expertise in this area The courses cover personal and professional development an introduction to events crowd safety by design crowd management planning crowd dynamics and risk management

The conference programme was well received with many agreeing to support a campaign designed to improve competence as well as awareness among promoters about how they can ensure that prospective candidates are suitably qualified SAGE recommends the following criteria

membership of a health and safety institute (IIRSM or IOSH)

qualified to NEBOSH Diploma Level (or equivalent)

membership of an event industry trade association

five years of event industry experience (not necessarily health and safety experience)

taking part in a Continuing Professional Development (CPD) scheme

Professional Indemnity Insurance cover of pound1000000 (provided by the individualrsquos employer or by the actual individual for self-employed advisersconsultants

Overall it was a very positive event which enabled IIRSM to help support our members and the events sector in this niche area of health and safety management We look forward to working with SAGE and the other collaborators to take the campaign forward

wwwiirsmorg | 012016 11

Institute News

NEW MEMBERSHIP GRADE

A new age for individual supportYour Council has approved an exciting membership development that can be scaled to work for groups or sections from any business or organisation Our new Affiliate level opens the door on professional networking to individuals who may need help and support in their day to day roles

The grade is designed to encourage supervisors and managers to become involved and access the institutersquos educational material or have direct contact with existing members IIRSM has always been about supporting individuals and working with businesses to help them through our events publications or technical support ndashcollaboration and co-operation is the name of the game helping those who have a day to day responsiblity for hands-on risk management

We will provide new Affiliate members with an IIRSM Affiliate mentor to help them get the best out of their membership and to appreciate how we can help them with their development or qualifications if that is their goal An Affiliate can join us with

no health and safety qualifications because this is about motivation ndash a dialogue with a friendly supportive point of contact who will nurture and develop proportionate risk management

Affiliates will also be those with an entry-level qualification in health and safety (such as the NEBOSH Award Highfield (HABC) Level 3 or IOSH Managing Safely) and may want to progress to Associate membership We will help them to identify routes to achieve this

Are there supervisors or managers in your workplace that could benefit from this We welcome discussions about meaningful group discounts and further tailored CPD and support We believe this is a genuinely novel approach for a membership body to help professionalise the delivery of health and safety through individuals in any organisation Siobhan Donnelly President of IIRSM says the Affiliate membership ldquoallows the whole workforce to be safety professionalsrdquo

For more information visit wwwiirsmorgmembers or email gregbrowniirsmorg

Safety maverick

Limitation of risk assessment

As individuals we naturally conduct risk assessment to varying degrees of competence In organisations this doesnrsquot tend to happen naturally and needs to be orchestrated by a management system But do we question whether risk assessment always adds value and is it applicable to the situation

Risk is the combination of loss or harm and the likelihood of its realisation But in order to make meaningful and valuable assessments we need relevant knowledge and experience to identify potential hazards or threats and to assess the risk likelihood and severity components The easiest to assess are things like slips trips and falls that happen relatively frequently because data is plentiful Contrast this with major nuclear power plant disasters that are very high in consequence but relatively rare For these situations we need to undertake complex analysis and scenario modelling to achieve the best-informed estimate of the likelihood

of events occurring This happens in an environment where the overall methodology may never be fully validated because such disasters are so rare

Beyond these high and low frequency events there are things outside of the capability of systematic risk assessment that can present all manner of potential harm to individuals organisations and society They are the situations where knowledge and experience are extremely limited making foreseeing and assessing future potential negative events extremely difficult eg novel technologies such as genetically modified organisms and complex evolving systems for example socio-economic

We should not use risk assessment in a ritualistic way without intelligent and informed thinking ndash the only justification for using risk assessment is that it can make us more successful than not using it We should constantly question whether our actions are appropriate and be able to justify using it and not using it

IIRSM ANNUAL CONFERENCE

Speaker line up revealedIIRSM and Health and Safety at Work will once again return to Birmingham on 11 February 2016 for our joint annual conference This popular event now in its 9th year will bring delegates a mixture of case studies presentations and legal updates providing practical solutions for your organisation

With speakers such as Richard Judge (HSE) Heather Bryant (Balfour Beatty) Paul Simpson (Network Rail) Graham Losh (FA Group) Martin Tod (Menrsquos Health Forum) Becky Lee (Staffordshire County Council) and Steffan Groch (Health and Safety Lawyersrsquo Association) and chaired by new IIRSM President Siobhan Donnelly this highly regarded conference is an event not to be missed

Richard Judge who has been at the helm of the HSE for just over a year now will deliver the keynote speech which will be followed by a QampA session with the audience Delegates will be invited to submit their questions to the regulatorrsquos chief executive so donrsquot miss this chance to ask him a burning question

Also presenting is Becky Lee health safety and wellbeing manager for Staffordshire County Council Becky will share the councilrsquos experiences of the two key interventions that have had a massive impact on employee wellbeing and reducing absence ndash the introduction of occupational physiotherapy and use of day one triage assessments has reduced the organisationrsquos musculoskeletal absence by 23 per cent and saved the council more than pound700000 in its first three years

Safety lawyer Steffan Groch (Partner and Head of Regulatory at DWF and chair of the Health and Safety Lawyersrsquo Association) will give delegates to this yearrsquos event a review of the major health and safety cases of 2015 and their lessons for dutyholders As the conference comes just over a week after the Sentencing Guidelines are officially in force Steffan will also consider whether it really will be the largest companies that are hit the hardest and what the unintended consequences may be

With so many high profile speakers already confirmed our annual conference is shaping up to be well worth a visit by anyone tasked with protecting employees

lsquo

Visit wwwiirsmorgevents to book your place today

012016 | wwwiirsmorg12

International News

CAMBODIA

Dizzy workers collapse at textile firm

A garment worker has died and 21 others were hospitalised after they collapsed at a textile factory The incident at the Chinese-owned Or Sambath Trading factory in eastern Prey Veng province was the latest in a string of similar incidents in the sector

The 21-year-old woman reported dizziness and difficulty breathing on 5 November before collapsing She died in hospital Twenty one other workers collapsed later the same day and the next morning with similar symptoms

The factory which employs more than 1200 workers was ordered to close for four days while an investigation was carried out

GLOBAL

Enforcement leads to fewer injuriesRegulatory health and safety inspections that result in enforcement action are effective in reducing work related injuries according to research by the Toronto-based Institute for Work amp Health (IWH)

The systematic review of the international scientific literature confirmed the findings of a 2007 IWH review which covered research from 1970 to 2003 and found evidence that citations and penalties reduced the frequency or severity of injuries

The latest review which looked at 1990 to 2013 found strong evidence for the effectiveness of inspections with citations and penalties in reducing injuries There was also moderate evidence that inspections without penalties have no effect in reducing injuries

USA

Plans to update management guidelinesThe Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is seeking public comment on an updated version of its voluntary ldquoSafety and Health Program Management Guidelinesrdquo

First published in 1989 the guidelines which help employers establish health and safety management plans at their workplaces are being updated to reflect modern technology and practices

ldquoEmployers who embrace these guidelines will experience lower injury and illness rates and their progress in improving the safety culture at their worksites will contribute to higher productivity reduced costs and greater worker satisfactionrdquo said assistant secretary of labor David Michaels OSHA is accepting comments until 15 February

SPAIN

Accident rise blamed on labour market reformsThe number of workplace accidents registered during the first six months of 2015 has grown by almost seven per cent compared to the same period in 2014

In total 218019 ldquominorrdquo accidents were reported 13577 more than the first six months of last year along with 1593 ldquoseriousrdquo accidents one more than during

the same period last year and 239 fatal accidents 16 more than in 2014

Pedro Linares from Spainrsquos largest union the CCOO told union supported news website Equal Times that government labour market reforms had ldquomade dismissals cheaper weakened trade union bargaining power and slackened investment in occupational health and safetyrdquo

AUSTRALIA

Power station explosion injures two Two workers were burned when a transformer exploded at the Liddell Power Station in Hunter Valley on 11 November

Power company AGL which operates the site said about 300 employees were evacuated from the plant in the early afternoon The injured workers were a

PAKISTAN

Workers warned of building cracks before Lahore factory tragedyAt least 46 workers have been killed and many more injured in the collapse of a four-storey plastic bag factory 12 miles east of Lahore

There were an estimated 175 factory workers as well as construction workers inside the building when it collapsed on 4 November

Survivors reported that Rajput Polyester which owned the factory was adding a new floor to the building but had ignored warnings from workers to stop construction because large cracks had appeared in the building after a 75 magnitude earthquake in the region on 26 October

Global union IndustriALL said workers saw cracks a few days before the collapse and told managers but nothing was done

One witness who visited the factory on 2 November said he saw an exhaust pipe was damaged because the wall it was fixed to was sinking slowly into the ground

The owner of the business was reportedly killed while inspecting the factory on the day of the incident

The collapse was the second in Lahore in the last few months In September the roof of a garment factory fell down killing four workers ldquo

These incidents are happening because there are no proper factory inspections being done in Pakistanrdquo said Khalid Mahmood director of the Labour Education Foundation in Lahore

ldquoFactory owners are killing workers by saving money that should have been spent on making workplaces safe There is no political will in government to implement factory inspections and other labour lawsrdquo

IndustriALLrsquos assistant general secretary Kemal Oumlzkan said ldquoWe demand a full transparent independent investigation into this tragedyrdquo He urged the government to take immediate action to prevent more workers being killed in ldquoperilous factoriesrdquo

Rescue workers search the rubble for survivors

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inhu

sRe

x Sh

utte

rsto

ck

wwwiirsmorg | 012016 13

International News

fitter and an apprentice AGL said it was investigating the cause of the incident and production at the station was not affected

SINGAPORE

Health promotion pilot for mature workers More than 600 employees from Sheng Siong Supermarket are involved in a year-long pilot programme to encourage older workers to keep fit and stay healthy

The Workplace Health Intervention Programme for Mature Workers which is organised by the Singaporersquos Health Promotion Board (HPB) is targeting office workers who are largely sedentary frontline retail staff such as cashiers who have to stand for long hours and store assistants who unload goods from delivery trucks

Office workers receive exercise classes nutrition talks health screening and coaching Frontline retail staff can also benefit from ergonomic assessments and are encouraged to adopt healthy lifestyle habits The HPB introduced a similar programme for taxi drivers last year

JAPAN

Employees to be offered stress tests Businesses will be obliged to offer employees an annual test to check their stress levels from December this year

The test which takes the form of a questionnaire is part of a revision of the Industrial Health and Safety Law and will affect more than 20 million employees at about 16000 businesses according to the Health Labor and Welfare Ministry

Employees will not be required to take the test and doctors cannot tell employers the result without permission The law will prevent companies punishing employees for not taking part or firing or unreasonably transferring employees due to results

NEW ZEALAND

NZ$116k penalty for crane crush death Auckland company AJ Russell Bricklayers has been ordered to pay reparation of NZ$80000 and been fined NZ$36000 after an experienced crane operator was crushed between the boom of a crane and a truck deck

Roy Chan was greasing a crane as part of routine end of year maintenance when he inadvertently activated a remote control unit he was wearing That caused the cranersquos boom to move towards the truck deck fatally injuring him

AJ Russell Bricklayers pleaded guilty to breaching Section 6 and 50(1)(a) of the Health and Safety in Employment Act

There were at least two simple steps that could have prevented this deathrdquo said Marcus Nalter of WorkSafe New Zealand

ldquoThe cranersquos power take-off should have been turned off and workers should have been instructed not to wear remote control units during cleaning and maintenance work If such a regime had been in place and been observed then the crane would not have been able to move in the way it didrdquo

USA

FedEx employee dies at Memphis hubThe Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is investigating the death of a worker in a workplace accident at the FedEx hub in Memphis

According to local media reports Chris Higginbottom who was 39 was killed while working an early morning shift on 22 November

Police said Higginbottom died after driving a ldquotugrdquo which moves merchandise to and from FedEx aircraft and the

warehouse into a parked trailer He was found dead underneath the tugrsquos loaded trailer In a statement FedEx said it was working with local authorities on their investigation

BANGLADESH

Govt claims 80 of garment factories safe The government has claimed that more than 80 per cent of garment factories supplying global retailers are safe

Syed Ahmed the inspector general of factories said 1475 garment factories had been assessed as part of a government initiative supported by the International Labour Organization (ILO) Canada the Netherlands and the UK The inspections were instituted in the aftermath of the 2013 collapse of the Rana Plaza factory in which more than 1100 people died

Ahmed said 81 per cent of factories were structurally sound though he acknowledged many needed work on fire safety and electrical systems

Srinivas Reddy Bangladesh country director of the ILO told Reuters most factories needed to improve fire safety and electrical systems before they could be declared safe adding that every factory should come up with a corrective action plan

Thirty seven factories were closed and 36 partially closed after failing their inspections he said

USA

OSHA fines set to rise in 2016 Fines imposed by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) are set to increase for the first time for 25 years under a provision in a recently signed congressional budget deal

The Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act of 1990 exempted OSHA from increasing its penalties to account for inflation But the new bipartisan budget signed into law on 2 November by President Barack Obama contained an amendment removing the exemption

OSHA must now issue an interim final rule by 1 July 2016 increasing its penalties to adjust for current inflation levels which would raise proposed fines by about 80 per cent

This would mean the maximum penalty for a wilful violation would rise to an estimated $127000 from the

current $70000 The adjustment must occur before 1 August 2016

After the initial ldquocatch-uprdquo adjustment to compensate for more than two decades of no increase OSHA will then be allowed to raise fines in subsequent years to keep pace with the ongoing inflation rate

President Obama signs the new budget into law

copy R

EX S

hutt

erst

ock

012016 | wwwiirsmorg14

Membersrsquo Pages

If you are looking for advice call the health and safety information helpline with your questions on +44 (0)1296 678 465 or email iirsmhelplinealcumusgroupcom for information on any health and safety related topic Here are just a few of your recent queries

QampAsSAFETY TRAINING SITE FORMEN

I was recently told that construction site foremen have to undergo recognised safety training Is this correct

According to CDM 2015 ldquoA worker is anybody working for or under the control of a contractor which could include plumbers electricians etc as well as supervisors like foremen and change handsrdquo

The point is then reiterated by the HSE which states that foremen must only carry out construction work if they have the relevant skills knowledge training and experience This would imply that site foremen are required to have suitable and sufficient training but does not state that this training has to be lsquorecognisedrsquo

You may find however that contractual arrangements or industry recognised training such as the Site Management Safety Training Scheme (SMSTS) or the Site Supervisors Safety Training Scheme (SSSTS) is requested or looked for when reviewing the competency levels of construction site foremen

Visit wwwhsegovukconstructioncdm2015workershtm and wwwcitbcouktraining-courseshealth-and-safety-courses for further information

BENCHMARKING ACCIDENT RATES

Can you provide benchmarking statistics for accident rates in both the logistics and automotive sectors

There are a wide range of statistics available for both the logistics and automotive sectors The HSE document regarding the logistics sector (wwwhsegovuklogisticssic2007pdf) is mainly based on statistics taken from 201011minus201314 and can be used to compare your information to the averages

With regards to the automotive industry it is hard to provide you with statistics for the whole of the automotive industry and different aspects will fall under other industries An example of this is the manufacturing of vehicles While technically part of the automotive industry RIDDOR reports would usually come under the manufacturing industry

therefore it would be hard to provide you with an average for this That said there are a range of statistics which relate directly to motor vehicle repair at wwwhsegovukmvrresourcesstatisticsinjurystatshtm and vehicle injuries by sector at wwwhsegovukstatisticscausinjmoving-vehiclespdf

FIRE SAFETY

My organisation is situated in a multi-tenanted building We recently carried out a fire drill for the building to measure response Electrically operated doors did not automatically unlock and still required tenants to use key fobs or press the door release button Apparently the facility to unlock all doors when the fire alarm is operated exists within the system but has not been engaged to maintain security for the tenantsrsquo companies which handle confidential information

While I understand the need to maintain security of the building Irsquom concerned someone could get trapped There are emergency refuge communication points on all landings and each company has a responsibility to check the toilets and maintain a register of visitors but is this enough

In accordance with government guidelines your fire safety and evacuation plan should include

a clear passageway to all escape routes

clearly marked escape routes that are as short and direct as possible

enough exits and routes for all people to escape

emergency doors that open easily emergency lighting where needed training for all employees to know

and use the escape routes a safe meeting point for staff

With the central core of the building not having an easily opened exit it could be considered that you are not doing everything reasonably practicable to ensure the safety of all people

The risk assessment that you must carry out will help you ensure that your fire safety procedures fire prevention measures and fire precautions (plans systems and equipment) are all in place

and working properly and the risk assessment should identify any issues that need attention

In this case if the facility already exists to allow for the safe exit from the building without the aid of fellow members of staff we believe that this should be activated Although the procedure is in place for each section to have the responsibility for their guests and to check the facilities human error could still result in the unintentional trapping of people during a fire

The government regulations are available at wwwgovukworkplace-fire-safety-your-responsibilitieswho-is-responsible and a guide to fire risk assessments for office blocks can be found at httpbitly1I6sL7n

SCAFFOLD PLATFORMS

Is there a set requirement to secure the boards on scaffold platforms Our previous scaffolding contractor does this as standard but our new one doesnrsquot unless therersquos a problem

All scaffolds should be designed erected altered and dismantled only by competent people and the work should always be carried out under the direction of a competent supervisor This is a requirement of the Work at Height Regulations 2005

Though there is no legal requirement to secure boards on a scaffolding platform the HSE document lsquoHealth and Safety in Constructionrsquo states that the platform must be lsquostablersquo and where work at height is to be undertaken safe

With regards to the enforcement of securing the scaffolding boards the scaffolding contractor has a legal requirement to ensure that the work at height is safe They should therefore have a suitable and sufficient risk assessment in place to ensure a safe place of work is provided and all potential hazards (for example icy or windy conditions) have been taken into account

The HSE document lsquoHealth and Safety in Constructionrsquo can be found at wwwhsegovukpubnspricedhsg150pdf and a brief guide to working at height

012016 | wwwiirsmorg6

Outgoing Presidentrsquos Interview

where we have not only seen growth in membership but also recognition of the significant part our members have played in the development of health and safety across Oman the UAE and Qatar That said our membership in the UK remains a clear focus and itrsquos where we want to grow further

Are there any plans for Royal Chartership

There is no doubt that there is an appetite among the Council and the membership to gain Royal Chartership It is a long road and not a journey that can be embarked upon without the planning and dedication of those who will have to develop our bid I confirm however that it is an aspiration for the future

Do you think IIRSM is where it should be in terms of its application within the UK

We have come a long way but we need to continue to ensure the institutersquos voice is heard and that we gain further recognition from our peers not only in the UK but within the worldwide health and safety family

What is IIRSM doing about increasing the emphasis and training of its members (and others) on the prevention of damage to health due to workplace exposure

The institute recognises that workplace health has not had the profile that it should over the last 10 years at least The IIRSM Council has two very senior

and experienced medical practitioners ndash Dr Peter Griffin and Dr Su Wang ndash both of whom are extremely active in promoting health issues Dr Wang is the current chair of the Scientific Committee of the International Commission on Occupational Health (ICOH) having recently taken over from the institutersquos Immediate Past President Keith Scott earlier this year and she is a very active conference and seminar speaker at home and internationally

The institute is developing links with health related organisations and supporting campaigns to further workplace health and the wider occupational health agenda

What would you say has contributed most to the growth of the institute both in the UK and internationally

There is no doubt that the growth of the branches both in the UK and internationally and the willingness and dedication of our branch volunteers to further the aims and objectives of the institute has contributed to a growth in recognition It is also down to our willingness to be collaborative with other organisations and the expertise we have harnessed to deliver educational events which have been extremely well received The success of these can be attributed to the organisational skills of the institutersquos head office staff and to the members of the technical committee

What are your views on the government agenda of deregulation of health and safety

There has been a lot said about the governmentrsquos agenda for health and safety and I will only comment that they need to listen more to the views of those who are at the delivery end I donrsquot agree with all that has been done so far but change should not always be viewed as negative

What legislative changes do you anticipate happening in the next five years

I donrsquot have a crystal ball nor am I directly involved with those likely to make the decisions but the growth in directives being handed down from the European Union concern me

In April 2013 Peter hosted a visit from the Korean Occupational Health and Safety Organisation (KOSHA)

Peter and Siobhan Donnelly celebrate IIRSM turning 40

wwwiirsmorg | 012016 7

Outgoing Presidentrsquos Interview

Do you see any potential new partnerships in the future Are there any indicators that IIRSM could work closer with IOSH going forward

I recently met with the acting chief executive of IOSH and discussed potential collaboration so yes I hope we can build closer relations while maintaining our own identities

Why doesnrsquot the institute value it members more especially retired members who are required to pay a full membership fee Even IOSH reduces its fee for retired members

I cannot agree with this comment ndash the Council members and the executive team value every single member of the institute be they current or retired IIRSM does offer a significant discount to retired members who pay less than half the regular membership fee Their experience and commitment to the institute are very important to us

Why do so many of IIRSMrsquos senior management team have no formal health and safety qualifications

I presume this question refers to the institutersquos executive team In my opinion it is not a requirement for the executives to be qualified health and safety practitioners ndash they are there to provide management and leadership

Indeed it is more important that they are professionally qualified for their specific roles for example in leadership financial management and marketing They are supported by members of the Council and Technical Committee who are professionally qualified in health and safety

Why are there so many overseas visits by senior management of IIRSM when the local branches are suffering from lack of support There is no finance available for local branches but we the members contribute our membership fees which pay for these overseas trips

It is important that we support all our membership and where we have had significant growth internationally we have been asked to work on international projects in the Middle East where we have gained particular praise and recognition

I personally have only taken what I consider essential overseas visits and have only approved the same in relation to the executive and these trips are always managed in the most cost-effective manner possible I have visited Oman the UAE and Qatar recently ndash all following invitations

from industry leaders and governments where I promoted the institute As volunteers the Council give their time freely The CEO has made overseas visits to support our membership and attends relevant industry events Significantly we have been a highly regarded member of the EUndashOSHA campaigns thanks to the work of our policy director Barry Holt

A fund was included in this yearrsquos budget to provide financial support to branches and though we have a small team which limits the support we can offer the UK branches remain a priority

What do you think your lasting legacy will be for IIRSM

I donrsquot think that it is for me to comment however I would like to think that during my three-year tenure I have led the institute appropriately during significant change and modernisation I let others judge my legacy

What area do you intend to keep a watching brief over

Irsquoll remain part of the Officers Group (the senior Council team) as Immediate Past President and will remain heavily

involved in the strategic direction of the institute

Whatrsquos next for you

For the next two years I will be the Immediate Past President prior to leaving the Council and I shall continue to work for the incoming President and membership On a personal note I am about to leave my company after 15 years and l look forward to new challenges

The IIRSM Council would like to thank Peter for his hard work and commitment to the institute and we wish him the very best in his future endeavours

Top Peter enjoying the view at the House of Lords Left The 2014 Annual Presidentsrsquo Reception

Next issueLook out for our interview with incoming President Siobhan Donnelly in next monthrsquos issue of Insight

012016 | wwwiirsmorg8

Institute News

RISK MANAGEMENT AWARDS

Showcasing exception

SOCIAL MEDIA

Network with membersIIRSMrsquos social media platforms are a great way to engage with the institute as well as other members ndash you can pose questions debate topics and share knowledge with fellow professionals in the field Our pages also provide an easy way to keep you informed of any special events and news from the institute

With more than 7000 members the IIRSM LinkedIn group is an active forum for health safety and risk professionals Popular topics currently being discussed include

mobility scooter fire tests fire report for Clandon Park House sleep and wellbeing for office workers HSE chair Judith Hackittrsquos latest blog

post on safety responsibility

Get started by searching Groups for IIRSM and request to join We can also be found on Facebook IIRSMOfficial and Twitter iirsm

MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS

Health and Safety at Work websiteAs part of your membership you are entitled to access wwwhealthandsafetyatworkcom ndash the official website for Health and Safety at Work magazine Breaking news is updated throughout the day and the entire content of the magazine is available in an online archive to research previous articles

Make sure you donrsquot miss any need to

know news and analysis on prosecutions new regulations and best practice by logging on today If you need a reminder of your login details please email your IIRSM membership number to healthandsafetylexisnexiscouk

To receive the free weekly eNewsletter sign up at wwwhealthandsafetyatworkcomenewsletter

Member contributionsWe want to hear from you

This is your publication and we are always looking for interesting experiences news and comments to share There are a number of ways you can get involved If you think yoursquove got a good idea for an article in your area of expertise share your knowledge Send us an outline of what you propose to

cover and we can supply guidelines as well as editorial assistance Have you been working tirelessly to spread the safety message Perhaps in a voluntary role outside of the day job If you have an interesting story to tell we want to hear from you Email the editor kelliemundelllexisnexiscouk

Main picture left to right Clare Fleming (head of marketing and communications) Paul Roberts (Arbor Networks) and the host of the ceremony comedian Jo Caulfield Inset picture IIRSM Technical Committee member Anne Mallory with award winner Alexander Deas

IIRSMrsquos chief executive Phillip Pearson was on the judging panel for the CIR Risk Management Awards again this year and the ceremony took place on 12 November at the Cumberland Hotel in London

The awards recognise individuals organisations and teams that have significantly added to the understanding and practice of risk management Judged by an independent panel of experts for exceptional performance the awards provide an opportunity for organisations and individuals to showcase their best products projects and people

IIRSM presented the prize for Cyber Security Product which was won by Arbor Networks IIRSM Technical Committee member Anne Mallory presented the Newcomer of the Year award to Alexander Deas

wwwiirsmorg | 012016 9

Institute News

GET INVOLVED

Join your local branchRisk management is a broad topic encompassing occupational health and safety environmental matters reputational risk and business continuity quality control and more

IIRSM is proud to have a diverse branch network run by members for members Branches serve as a platform for risk managers and health and safety professionals to meet on a regular basis to network with their peers They provide opportunities to take part in training hear

a varied range of speakers and discuss the issues which impact on their profession

Why not come along to your next branch meeting and see what it has to offer you Get involved by sharing your ideas with the branch chairman to enhance the potential for communication of local knowledge and sharing information and best practice

See wwwiirsmorgbranches for more information

Devon amp CornwallThursday 10 December 2015 at 2pmGables Farm PlymouthTopics covered will include fire risk assessment putting lsquohealthrsquo in health and safety and the revised sentencing guidelinesRegister Charles Perryman ndash cperrymanpira-uknet

QatarTuesday 15 December 2015 at 7pmRadisson Blu Hotel DohaRegister qatarbranchiirsmorg

East MidlandsWednesday 6 January 2016 at 7pmIvanhoe Business Park Ashby de la ZouchTalking Safety WorkshopRegister Catherine Wilkes ndash catherinewilkesntlworldcom

North west89 March 2016Practical risk managementRegister iirsmnwbranchskycom

UPCOMING BRANCH MEETINGS

Dates for your diary

BRANCH UPDATE

Wales branch avenues to pursue Group will collaborate with other safety

organisations in Wales Branch aims to improve standards provide

support and share information

In November members of the Wales branch enjoyed a presentation on compliance to the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 by Rod Taylor CMIOSH MIFireE MIIRSM at its latest meeting in Cardiff

The delegates spent their time sharing best health and safety practice with a round table discussion on competencies required to undertake a fire risk assessment They also formulated a plan for 2016

Branch aimsThe Wales branch aims to

clarify the legislation concerning occupational health and safety in Wales

promote occupational health and safety in the region in order to promote and encourage cultural change

share and gather information with other members and organisations within the region

raise health and safety awareness throughout the area covered by the branch

where possible contribute to and be involved in legislative development

assist and support fellow members in their professional development

provide a contact network for members throughout the region visiting the region and with IIRSM head office

A general discussion around planning for next yearrsquos meetings guest speakers and site visits resulted in many suggestions and avenues to pursue A large response to site tours across Wales combined with the Wales branch meeting was suggested and supported Members agreed to investigate opportunities and speak with various contacts to arrange and secure dates for 2016

A marketing strategy will be discussed with IIRSMrsquos head office in order to

support these initiatives and to seek additional members

Promoting the instituteHaydn Brittain branch vice-chairman gave a brief talk on the planned joint Wales Health and Safety Seminar planned with other safety groups and organisations to be held in April 2016 The delegates agreed this will be an excellent opportunity to network with other organisations groups and to promote the institute

ldquoThis initiative will allow us to unite and collaborate with other safety organisations in Wales with a purpose of improving standards and supporting each other through austere timesrdquo said branch chairman Steve Bergiers FIIRSM

If you would like to get involved in the Wales branch email Steve Bergiers stevebergiershotmailcouk

Members of the Wales branch enjoying their latest meeting

012016 | wwwiirsmorg10

Institute News

CONFERENCE

Live events the importance of safetyMembers of the UKrsquos leading risk safety organisations gathered on 17 November in front of a crowd of more than 70 delegates from the live events safety sector as part of the Live Events Competence Conference

The conference was a collaboration between IIRSM the Safety Advisors Group in Entertainment (SAGE) Stagesafe (a specialist consultancy) and Buckinghamshire New University It was designed to identify support and develop health and safety competence for the events sector and to offer technical updates and solutions The sector needs a relevant and reliable source of competence and the reassurance that it would provide this to events managers promoters organisers and the enforcing authorities The presenters and audience discussed how the profession can help organisers and promoters to ensure they know what they should be looking for in a prospective safety adviser when planning an event The role is safety critical and therefore a high level of competence is required

Chaired by Michael Anderson (Chairman of SAGE) the conference speakers included Gavin Bull (HSE) Greg Brown (IIRSM) Solomon NrsquoJie (Buckinghamshire New University) James Eade (Institution of Engineering and Technology) Chris Higgs (National Rigging Advisory Group) and Emma Parkinson (Department of Security and Resilience at Buckinghamshire New University)

Chris Higgs spoke in depth about LOLER (the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations) Specifically he highlighted what to consider when deciding how to reduce risks from rigging activities at live events

These included the type of load being lifted itrsquos

weight shape and what it consists of the risk of a load falling moving

breaking up or striking a person or an object and the consequences

the risk of lifting equipment failing or falling over while in use

the risk of damage to lifting the equipment

Gavin Bull and Michael Anderson discussed HSE enforcement plans and CDM guidance for the sector This included the (close to being finalised) draft HSE CDM duty holder roles as they map to all parts of the sector (for example outdoor events theatre TV exhibitions)

They spoke about key points for securing health and safety within the workplace such as cooperation coordination and communication within the workforce pointing the right people at the right time and consultating and engaging with workers

Solomon NrsquoJie has more than 30 yearsrsquo experience in crowd safety management and has been involved with crowd safety at more than 1500 events (including LOCOG for the London 2012 Olympics) He addressed the issue of crowd management control and spoke about the difference between site safety and crowd safety which is often confused by promoters who assume they are the same when in fact they require different approaches

He identified and emphasised the importance of having a crowd management plan which would

identify risks to crowd safety enable management systems to be put

in place explained a dual concept approach

including engineering and environment safety measures and plans

He finished his presentation by reminding delegates that crowd management is a team effort and a better understanding of roles and responsibilities at all types of organised events is required

Greg Brown addressed the issue of identifying competence and referred to the Occupational Safety and Health Consultantsrsquo Register (OSHCR) He highlighted the need for a common position in the areas of health and safety capabilities transferable skills and a wider risk dimension

James Eade followed with a presentation about the standard for events BS7909 Electrical Safety at Events He focused on the importance of keeping electrical fuses cables and outlets protected and highlighted the dangers and possible outcomes of having unprotected wires and fuses

James talked about the concept of a Senior Person Responsible (SPR) to manage to the electrical system The SPR he noted should have ldquosufficient and suitable competence to enable them to ensure the safety in all respects of any temporary electrical system in all conditions that can reasonably be predicted to occurrdquo

The final speaker was Emma Parkinson from Buckinghamshire New University Emma leads the universityrsquos Foundation and Bachelorrsquos degrees in Crowd Safety Management and explained how this programme has been able to reach out to many people and enabled them to develop expertise in this area The courses cover personal and professional development an introduction to events crowd safety by design crowd management planning crowd dynamics and risk management

The conference programme was well received with many agreeing to support a campaign designed to improve competence as well as awareness among promoters about how they can ensure that prospective candidates are suitably qualified SAGE recommends the following criteria

membership of a health and safety institute (IIRSM or IOSH)

qualified to NEBOSH Diploma Level (or equivalent)

membership of an event industry trade association

five years of event industry experience (not necessarily health and safety experience)

taking part in a Continuing Professional Development (CPD) scheme

Professional Indemnity Insurance cover of pound1000000 (provided by the individualrsquos employer or by the actual individual for self-employed advisersconsultants

Overall it was a very positive event which enabled IIRSM to help support our members and the events sector in this niche area of health and safety management We look forward to working with SAGE and the other collaborators to take the campaign forward

wwwiirsmorg | 012016 11

Institute News

NEW MEMBERSHIP GRADE

A new age for individual supportYour Council has approved an exciting membership development that can be scaled to work for groups or sections from any business or organisation Our new Affiliate level opens the door on professional networking to individuals who may need help and support in their day to day roles

The grade is designed to encourage supervisors and managers to become involved and access the institutersquos educational material or have direct contact with existing members IIRSM has always been about supporting individuals and working with businesses to help them through our events publications or technical support ndashcollaboration and co-operation is the name of the game helping those who have a day to day responsiblity for hands-on risk management

We will provide new Affiliate members with an IIRSM Affiliate mentor to help them get the best out of their membership and to appreciate how we can help them with their development or qualifications if that is their goal An Affiliate can join us with

no health and safety qualifications because this is about motivation ndash a dialogue with a friendly supportive point of contact who will nurture and develop proportionate risk management

Affiliates will also be those with an entry-level qualification in health and safety (such as the NEBOSH Award Highfield (HABC) Level 3 or IOSH Managing Safely) and may want to progress to Associate membership We will help them to identify routes to achieve this

Are there supervisors or managers in your workplace that could benefit from this We welcome discussions about meaningful group discounts and further tailored CPD and support We believe this is a genuinely novel approach for a membership body to help professionalise the delivery of health and safety through individuals in any organisation Siobhan Donnelly President of IIRSM says the Affiliate membership ldquoallows the whole workforce to be safety professionalsrdquo

For more information visit wwwiirsmorgmembers or email gregbrowniirsmorg

Safety maverick

Limitation of risk assessment

As individuals we naturally conduct risk assessment to varying degrees of competence In organisations this doesnrsquot tend to happen naturally and needs to be orchestrated by a management system But do we question whether risk assessment always adds value and is it applicable to the situation

Risk is the combination of loss or harm and the likelihood of its realisation But in order to make meaningful and valuable assessments we need relevant knowledge and experience to identify potential hazards or threats and to assess the risk likelihood and severity components The easiest to assess are things like slips trips and falls that happen relatively frequently because data is plentiful Contrast this with major nuclear power plant disasters that are very high in consequence but relatively rare For these situations we need to undertake complex analysis and scenario modelling to achieve the best-informed estimate of the likelihood

of events occurring This happens in an environment where the overall methodology may never be fully validated because such disasters are so rare

Beyond these high and low frequency events there are things outside of the capability of systematic risk assessment that can present all manner of potential harm to individuals organisations and society They are the situations where knowledge and experience are extremely limited making foreseeing and assessing future potential negative events extremely difficult eg novel technologies such as genetically modified organisms and complex evolving systems for example socio-economic

We should not use risk assessment in a ritualistic way without intelligent and informed thinking ndash the only justification for using risk assessment is that it can make us more successful than not using it We should constantly question whether our actions are appropriate and be able to justify using it and not using it

IIRSM ANNUAL CONFERENCE

Speaker line up revealedIIRSM and Health and Safety at Work will once again return to Birmingham on 11 February 2016 for our joint annual conference This popular event now in its 9th year will bring delegates a mixture of case studies presentations and legal updates providing practical solutions for your organisation

With speakers such as Richard Judge (HSE) Heather Bryant (Balfour Beatty) Paul Simpson (Network Rail) Graham Losh (FA Group) Martin Tod (Menrsquos Health Forum) Becky Lee (Staffordshire County Council) and Steffan Groch (Health and Safety Lawyersrsquo Association) and chaired by new IIRSM President Siobhan Donnelly this highly regarded conference is an event not to be missed

Richard Judge who has been at the helm of the HSE for just over a year now will deliver the keynote speech which will be followed by a QampA session with the audience Delegates will be invited to submit their questions to the regulatorrsquos chief executive so donrsquot miss this chance to ask him a burning question

Also presenting is Becky Lee health safety and wellbeing manager for Staffordshire County Council Becky will share the councilrsquos experiences of the two key interventions that have had a massive impact on employee wellbeing and reducing absence ndash the introduction of occupational physiotherapy and use of day one triage assessments has reduced the organisationrsquos musculoskeletal absence by 23 per cent and saved the council more than pound700000 in its first three years

Safety lawyer Steffan Groch (Partner and Head of Regulatory at DWF and chair of the Health and Safety Lawyersrsquo Association) will give delegates to this yearrsquos event a review of the major health and safety cases of 2015 and their lessons for dutyholders As the conference comes just over a week after the Sentencing Guidelines are officially in force Steffan will also consider whether it really will be the largest companies that are hit the hardest and what the unintended consequences may be

With so many high profile speakers already confirmed our annual conference is shaping up to be well worth a visit by anyone tasked with protecting employees

lsquo

Visit wwwiirsmorgevents to book your place today

012016 | wwwiirsmorg12

International News

CAMBODIA

Dizzy workers collapse at textile firm

A garment worker has died and 21 others were hospitalised after they collapsed at a textile factory The incident at the Chinese-owned Or Sambath Trading factory in eastern Prey Veng province was the latest in a string of similar incidents in the sector

The 21-year-old woman reported dizziness and difficulty breathing on 5 November before collapsing She died in hospital Twenty one other workers collapsed later the same day and the next morning with similar symptoms

The factory which employs more than 1200 workers was ordered to close for four days while an investigation was carried out

GLOBAL

Enforcement leads to fewer injuriesRegulatory health and safety inspections that result in enforcement action are effective in reducing work related injuries according to research by the Toronto-based Institute for Work amp Health (IWH)

The systematic review of the international scientific literature confirmed the findings of a 2007 IWH review which covered research from 1970 to 2003 and found evidence that citations and penalties reduced the frequency or severity of injuries

The latest review which looked at 1990 to 2013 found strong evidence for the effectiveness of inspections with citations and penalties in reducing injuries There was also moderate evidence that inspections without penalties have no effect in reducing injuries

USA

Plans to update management guidelinesThe Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is seeking public comment on an updated version of its voluntary ldquoSafety and Health Program Management Guidelinesrdquo

First published in 1989 the guidelines which help employers establish health and safety management plans at their workplaces are being updated to reflect modern technology and practices

ldquoEmployers who embrace these guidelines will experience lower injury and illness rates and their progress in improving the safety culture at their worksites will contribute to higher productivity reduced costs and greater worker satisfactionrdquo said assistant secretary of labor David Michaels OSHA is accepting comments until 15 February

SPAIN

Accident rise blamed on labour market reformsThe number of workplace accidents registered during the first six months of 2015 has grown by almost seven per cent compared to the same period in 2014

In total 218019 ldquominorrdquo accidents were reported 13577 more than the first six months of last year along with 1593 ldquoseriousrdquo accidents one more than during

the same period last year and 239 fatal accidents 16 more than in 2014

Pedro Linares from Spainrsquos largest union the CCOO told union supported news website Equal Times that government labour market reforms had ldquomade dismissals cheaper weakened trade union bargaining power and slackened investment in occupational health and safetyrdquo

AUSTRALIA

Power station explosion injures two Two workers were burned when a transformer exploded at the Liddell Power Station in Hunter Valley on 11 November

Power company AGL which operates the site said about 300 employees were evacuated from the plant in the early afternoon The injured workers were a

PAKISTAN

Workers warned of building cracks before Lahore factory tragedyAt least 46 workers have been killed and many more injured in the collapse of a four-storey plastic bag factory 12 miles east of Lahore

There were an estimated 175 factory workers as well as construction workers inside the building when it collapsed on 4 November

Survivors reported that Rajput Polyester which owned the factory was adding a new floor to the building but had ignored warnings from workers to stop construction because large cracks had appeared in the building after a 75 magnitude earthquake in the region on 26 October

Global union IndustriALL said workers saw cracks a few days before the collapse and told managers but nothing was done

One witness who visited the factory on 2 November said he saw an exhaust pipe was damaged because the wall it was fixed to was sinking slowly into the ground

The owner of the business was reportedly killed while inspecting the factory on the day of the incident

The collapse was the second in Lahore in the last few months In September the roof of a garment factory fell down killing four workers ldquo

These incidents are happening because there are no proper factory inspections being done in Pakistanrdquo said Khalid Mahmood director of the Labour Education Foundation in Lahore

ldquoFactory owners are killing workers by saving money that should have been spent on making workplaces safe There is no political will in government to implement factory inspections and other labour lawsrdquo

IndustriALLrsquos assistant general secretary Kemal Oumlzkan said ldquoWe demand a full transparent independent investigation into this tragedyrdquo He urged the government to take immediate action to prevent more workers being killed in ldquoperilous factoriesrdquo

Rescue workers search the rubble for survivors

copy X

inhu

sRe

x Sh

utte

rsto

ck

wwwiirsmorg | 012016 13

International News

fitter and an apprentice AGL said it was investigating the cause of the incident and production at the station was not affected

SINGAPORE

Health promotion pilot for mature workers More than 600 employees from Sheng Siong Supermarket are involved in a year-long pilot programme to encourage older workers to keep fit and stay healthy

The Workplace Health Intervention Programme for Mature Workers which is organised by the Singaporersquos Health Promotion Board (HPB) is targeting office workers who are largely sedentary frontline retail staff such as cashiers who have to stand for long hours and store assistants who unload goods from delivery trucks

Office workers receive exercise classes nutrition talks health screening and coaching Frontline retail staff can also benefit from ergonomic assessments and are encouraged to adopt healthy lifestyle habits The HPB introduced a similar programme for taxi drivers last year

JAPAN

Employees to be offered stress tests Businesses will be obliged to offer employees an annual test to check their stress levels from December this year

The test which takes the form of a questionnaire is part of a revision of the Industrial Health and Safety Law and will affect more than 20 million employees at about 16000 businesses according to the Health Labor and Welfare Ministry

Employees will not be required to take the test and doctors cannot tell employers the result without permission The law will prevent companies punishing employees for not taking part or firing or unreasonably transferring employees due to results

NEW ZEALAND

NZ$116k penalty for crane crush death Auckland company AJ Russell Bricklayers has been ordered to pay reparation of NZ$80000 and been fined NZ$36000 after an experienced crane operator was crushed between the boom of a crane and a truck deck

Roy Chan was greasing a crane as part of routine end of year maintenance when he inadvertently activated a remote control unit he was wearing That caused the cranersquos boom to move towards the truck deck fatally injuring him

AJ Russell Bricklayers pleaded guilty to breaching Section 6 and 50(1)(a) of the Health and Safety in Employment Act

There were at least two simple steps that could have prevented this deathrdquo said Marcus Nalter of WorkSafe New Zealand

ldquoThe cranersquos power take-off should have been turned off and workers should have been instructed not to wear remote control units during cleaning and maintenance work If such a regime had been in place and been observed then the crane would not have been able to move in the way it didrdquo

USA

FedEx employee dies at Memphis hubThe Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is investigating the death of a worker in a workplace accident at the FedEx hub in Memphis

According to local media reports Chris Higginbottom who was 39 was killed while working an early morning shift on 22 November

Police said Higginbottom died after driving a ldquotugrdquo which moves merchandise to and from FedEx aircraft and the

warehouse into a parked trailer He was found dead underneath the tugrsquos loaded trailer In a statement FedEx said it was working with local authorities on their investigation

BANGLADESH

Govt claims 80 of garment factories safe The government has claimed that more than 80 per cent of garment factories supplying global retailers are safe

Syed Ahmed the inspector general of factories said 1475 garment factories had been assessed as part of a government initiative supported by the International Labour Organization (ILO) Canada the Netherlands and the UK The inspections were instituted in the aftermath of the 2013 collapse of the Rana Plaza factory in which more than 1100 people died

Ahmed said 81 per cent of factories were structurally sound though he acknowledged many needed work on fire safety and electrical systems

Srinivas Reddy Bangladesh country director of the ILO told Reuters most factories needed to improve fire safety and electrical systems before they could be declared safe adding that every factory should come up with a corrective action plan

Thirty seven factories were closed and 36 partially closed after failing their inspections he said

USA

OSHA fines set to rise in 2016 Fines imposed by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) are set to increase for the first time for 25 years under a provision in a recently signed congressional budget deal

The Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act of 1990 exempted OSHA from increasing its penalties to account for inflation But the new bipartisan budget signed into law on 2 November by President Barack Obama contained an amendment removing the exemption

OSHA must now issue an interim final rule by 1 July 2016 increasing its penalties to adjust for current inflation levels which would raise proposed fines by about 80 per cent

This would mean the maximum penalty for a wilful violation would rise to an estimated $127000 from the

current $70000 The adjustment must occur before 1 August 2016

After the initial ldquocatch-uprdquo adjustment to compensate for more than two decades of no increase OSHA will then be allowed to raise fines in subsequent years to keep pace with the ongoing inflation rate

President Obama signs the new budget into law

copy R

EX S

hutt

erst

ock

012016 | wwwiirsmorg14

Membersrsquo Pages

If you are looking for advice call the health and safety information helpline with your questions on +44 (0)1296 678 465 or email iirsmhelplinealcumusgroupcom for information on any health and safety related topic Here are just a few of your recent queries

QampAsSAFETY TRAINING SITE FORMEN

I was recently told that construction site foremen have to undergo recognised safety training Is this correct

According to CDM 2015 ldquoA worker is anybody working for or under the control of a contractor which could include plumbers electricians etc as well as supervisors like foremen and change handsrdquo

The point is then reiterated by the HSE which states that foremen must only carry out construction work if they have the relevant skills knowledge training and experience This would imply that site foremen are required to have suitable and sufficient training but does not state that this training has to be lsquorecognisedrsquo

You may find however that contractual arrangements or industry recognised training such as the Site Management Safety Training Scheme (SMSTS) or the Site Supervisors Safety Training Scheme (SSSTS) is requested or looked for when reviewing the competency levels of construction site foremen

Visit wwwhsegovukconstructioncdm2015workershtm and wwwcitbcouktraining-courseshealth-and-safety-courses for further information

BENCHMARKING ACCIDENT RATES

Can you provide benchmarking statistics for accident rates in both the logistics and automotive sectors

There are a wide range of statistics available for both the logistics and automotive sectors The HSE document regarding the logistics sector (wwwhsegovuklogisticssic2007pdf) is mainly based on statistics taken from 201011minus201314 and can be used to compare your information to the averages

With regards to the automotive industry it is hard to provide you with statistics for the whole of the automotive industry and different aspects will fall under other industries An example of this is the manufacturing of vehicles While technically part of the automotive industry RIDDOR reports would usually come under the manufacturing industry

therefore it would be hard to provide you with an average for this That said there are a range of statistics which relate directly to motor vehicle repair at wwwhsegovukmvrresourcesstatisticsinjurystatshtm and vehicle injuries by sector at wwwhsegovukstatisticscausinjmoving-vehiclespdf

FIRE SAFETY

My organisation is situated in a multi-tenanted building We recently carried out a fire drill for the building to measure response Electrically operated doors did not automatically unlock and still required tenants to use key fobs or press the door release button Apparently the facility to unlock all doors when the fire alarm is operated exists within the system but has not been engaged to maintain security for the tenantsrsquo companies which handle confidential information

While I understand the need to maintain security of the building Irsquom concerned someone could get trapped There are emergency refuge communication points on all landings and each company has a responsibility to check the toilets and maintain a register of visitors but is this enough

In accordance with government guidelines your fire safety and evacuation plan should include

a clear passageway to all escape routes

clearly marked escape routes that are as short and direct as possible

enough exits and routes for all people to escape

emergency doors that open easily emergency lighting where needed training for all employees to know

and use the escape routes a safe meeting point for staff

With the central core of the building not having an easily opened exit it could be considered that you are not doing everything reasonably practicable to ensure the safety of all people

The risk assessment that you must carry out will help you ensure that your fire safety procedures fire prevention measures and fire precautions (plans systems and equipment) are all in place

and working properly and the risk assessment should identify any issues that need attention

In this case if the facility already exists to allow for the safe exit from the building without the aid of fellow members of staff we believe that this should be activated Although the procedure is in place for each section to have the responsibility for their guests and to check the facilities human error could still result in the unintentional trapping of people during a fire

The government regulations are available at wwwgovukworkplace-fire-safety-your-responsibilitieswho-is-responsible and a guide to fire risk assessments for office blocks can be found at httpbitly1I6sL7n

SCAFFOLD PLATFORMS

Is there a set requirement to secure the boards on scaffold platforms Our previous scaffolding contractor does this as standard but our new one doesnrsquot unless therersquos a problem

All scaffolds should be designed erected altered and dismantled only by competent people and the work should always be carried out under the direction of a competent supervisor This is a requirement of the Work at Height Regulations 2005

Though there is no legal requirement to secure boards on a scaffolding platform the HSE document lsquoHealth and Safety in Constructionrsquo states that the platform must be lsquostablersquo and where work at height is to be undertaken safe

With regards to the enforcement of securing the scaffolding boards the scaffolding contractor has a legal requirement to ensure that the work at height is safe They should therefore have a suitable and sufficient risk assessment in place to ensure a safe place of work is provided and all potential hazards (for example icy or windy conditions) have been taken into account

The HSE document lsquoHealth and Safety in Constructionrsquo can be found at wwwhsegovukpubnspricedhsg150pdf and a brief guide to working at height

wwwiirsmorg | 012016 7

Outgoing Presidentrsquos Interview

Do you see any potential new partnerships in the future Are there any indicators that IIRSM could work closer with IOSH going forward

I recently met with the acting chief executive of IOSH and discussed potential collaboration so yes I hope we can build closer relations while maintaining our own identities

Why doesnrsquot the institute value it members more especially retired members who are required to pay a full membership fee Even IOSH reduces its fee for retired members

I cannot agree with this comment ndash the Council members and the executive team value every single member of the institute be they current or retired IIRSM does offer a significant discount to retired members who pay less than half the regular membership fee Their experience and commitment to the institute are very important to us

Why do so many of IIRSMrsquos senior management team have no formal health and safety qualifications

I presume this question refers to the institutersquos executive team In my opinion it is not a requirement for the executives to be qualified health and safety practitioners ndash they are there to provide management and leadership

Indeed it is more important that they are professionally qualified for their specific roles for example in leadership financial management and marketing They are supported by members of the Council and Technical Committee who are professionally qualified in health and safety

Why are there so many overseas visits by senior management of IIRSM when the local branches are suffering from lack of support There is no finance available for local branches but we the members contribute our membership fees which pay for these overseas trips

It is important that we support all our membership and where we have had significant growth internationally we have been asked to work on international projects in the Middle East where we have gained particular praise and recognition

I personally have only taken what I consider essential overseas visits and have only approved the same in relation to the executive and these trips are always managed in the most cost-effective manner possible I have visited Oman the UAE and Qatar recently ndash all following invitations

from industry leaders and governments where I promoted the institute As volunteers the Council give their time freely The CEO has made overseas visits to support our membership and attends relevant industry events Significantly we have been a highly regarded member of the EUndashOSHA campaigns thanks to the work of our policy director Barry Holt

A fund was included in this yearrsquos budget to provide financial support to branches and though we have a small team which limits the support we can offer the UK branches remain a priority

What do you think your lasting legacy will be for IIRSM

I donrsquot think that it is for me to comment however I would like to think that during my three-year tenure I have led the institute appropriately during significant change and modernisation I let others judge my legacy

What area do you intend to keep a watching brief over

Irsquoll remain part of the Officers Group (the senior Council team) as Immediate Past President and will remain heavily

involved in the strategic direction of the institute

Whatrsquos next for you

For the next two years I will be the Immediate Past President prior to leaving the Council and I shall continue to work for the incoming President and membership On a personal note I am about to leave my company after 15 years and l look forward to new challenges

The IIRSM Council would like to thank Peter for his hard work and commitment to the institute and we wish him the very best in his future endeavours

Top Peter enjoying the view at the House of Lords Left The 2014 Annual Presidentsrsquo Reception

Next issueLook out for our interview with incoming President Siobhan Donnelly in next monthrsquos issue of Insight

012016 | wwwiirsmorg8

Institute News

RISK MANAGEMENT AWARDS

Showcasing exception

SOCIAL MEDIA

Network with membersIIRSMrsquos social media platforms are a great way to engage with the institute as well as other members ndash you can pose questions debate topics and share knowledge with fellow professionals in the field Our pages also provide an easy way to keep you informed of any special events and news from the institute

With more than 7000 members the IIRSM LinkedIn group is an active forum for health safety and risk professionals Popular topics currently being discussed include

mobility scooter fire tests fire report for Clandon Park House sleep and wellbeing for office workers HSE chair Judith Hackittrsquos latest blog

post on safety responsibility

Get started by searching Groups for IIRSM and request to join We can also be found on Facebook IIRSMOfficial and Twitter iirsm

MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS

Health and Safety at Work websiteAs part of your membership you are entitled to access wwwhealthandsafetyatworkcom ndash the official website for Health and Safety at Work magazine Breaking news is updated throughout the day and the entire content of the magazine is available in an online archive to research previous articles

Make sure you donrsquot miss any need to

know news and analysis on prosecutions new regulations and best practice by logging on today If you need a reminder of your login details please email your IIRSM membership number to healthandsafetylexisnexiscouk

To receive the free weekly eNewsletter sign up at wwwhealthandsafetyatworkcomenewsletter

Member contributionsWe want to hear from you

This is your publication and we are always looking for interesting experiences news and comments to share There are a number of ways you can get involved If you think yoursquove got a good idea for an article in your area of expertise share your knowledge Send us an outline of what you propose to

cover and we can supply guidelines as well as editorial assistance Have you been working tirelessly to spread the safety message Perhaps in a voluntary role outside of the day job If you have an interesting story to tell we want to hear from you Email the editor kelliemundelllexisnexiscouk

Main picture left to right Clare Fleming (head of marketing and communications) Paul Roberts (Arbor Networks) and the host of the ceremony comedian Jo Caulfield Inset picture IIRSM Technical Committee member Anne Mallory with award winner Alexander Deas

IIRSMrsquos chief executive Phillip Pearson was on the judging panel for the CIR Risk Management Awards again this year and the ceremony took place on 12 November at the Cumberland Hotel in London

The awards recognise individuals organisations and teams that have significantly added to the understanding and practice of risk management Judged by an independent panel of experts for exceptional performance the awards provide an opportunity for organisations and individuals to showcase their best products projects and people

IIRSM presented the prize for Cyber Security Product which was won by Arbor Networks IIRSM Technical Committee member Anne Mallory presented the Newcomer of the Year award to Alexander Deas

wwwiirsmorg | 012016 9

Institute News

GET INVOLVED

Join your local branchRisk management is a broad topic encompassing occupational health and safety environmental matters reputational risk and business continuity quality control and more

IIRSM is proud to have a diverse branch network run by members for members Branches serve as a platform for risk managers and health and safety professionals to meet on a regular basis to network with their peers They provide opportunities to take part in training hear

a varied range of speakers and discuss the issues which impact on their profession

Why not come along to your next branch meeting and see what it has to offer you Get involved by sharing your ideas with the branch chairman to enhance the potential for communication of local knowledge and sharing information and best practice

See wwwiirsmorgbranches for more information

Devon amp CornwallThursday 10 December 2015 at 2pmGables Farm PlymouthTopics covered will include fire risk assessment putting lsquohealthrsquo in health and safety and the revised sentencing guidelinesRegister Charles Perryman ndash cperrymanpira-uknet

QatarTuesday 15 December 2015 at 7pmRadisson Blu Hotel DohaRegister qatarbranchiirsmorg

East MidlandsWednesday 6 January 2016 at 7pmIvanhoe Business Park Ashby de la ZouchTalking Safety WorkshopRegister Catherine Wilkes ndash catherinewilkesntlworldcom

North west89 March 2016Practical risk managementRegister iirsmnwbranchskycom

UPCOMING BRANCH MEETINGS

Dates for your diary

BRANCH UPDATE

Wales branch avenues to pursue Group will collaborate with other safety

organisations in Wales Branch aims to improve standards provide

support and share information

In November members of the Wales branch enjoyed a presentation on compliance to the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 by Rod Taylor CMIOSH MIFireE MIIRSM at its latest meeting in Cardiff

The delegates spent their time sharing best health and safety practice with a round table discussion on competencies required to undertake a fire risk assessment They also formulated a plan for 2016

Branch aimsThe Wales branch aims to

clarify the legislation concerning occupational health and safety in Wales

promote occupational health and safety in the region in order to promote and encourage cultural change

share and gather information with other members and organisations within the region

raise health and safety awareness throughout the area covered by the branch

where possible contribute to and be involved in legislative development

assist and support fellow members in their professional development

provide a contact network for members throughout the region visiting the region and with IIRSM head office

A general discussion around planning for next yearrsquos meetings guest speakers and site visits resulted in many suggestions and avenues to pursue A large response to site tours across Wales combined with the Wales branch meeting was suggested and supported Members agreed to investigate opportunities and speak with various contacts to arrange and secure dates for 2016

A marketing strategy will be discussed with IIRSMrsquos head office in order to

support these initiatives and to seek additional members

Promoting the instituteHaydn Brittain branch vice-chairman gave a brief talk on the planned joint Wales Health and Safety Seminar planned with other safety groups and organisations to be held in April 2016 The delegates agreed this will be an excellent opportunity to network with other organisations groups and to promote the institute

ldquoThis initiative will allow us to unite and collaborate with other safety organisations in Wales with a purpose of improving standards and supporting each other through austere timesrdquo said branch chairman Steve Bergiers FIIRSM

If you would like to get involved in the Wales branch email Steve Bergiers stevebergiershotmailcouk

Members of the Wales branch enjoying their latest meeting

012016 | wwwiirsmorg10

Institute News

CONFERENCE

Live events the importance of safetyMembers of the UKrsquos leading risk safety organisations gathered on 17 November in front of a crowd of more than 70 delegates from the live events safety sector as part of the Live Events Competence Conference

The conference was a collaboration between IIRSM the Safety Advisors Group in Entertainment (SAGE) Stagesafe (a specialist consultancy) and Buckinghamshire New University It was designed to identify support and develop health and safety competence for the events sector and to offer technical updates and solutions The sector needs a relevant and reliable source of competence and the reassurance that it would provide this to events managers promoters organisers and the enforcing authorities The presenters and audience discussed how the profession can help organisers and promoters to ensure they know what they should be looking for in a prospective safety adviser when planning an event The role is safety critical and therefore a high level of competence is required

Chaired by Michael Anderson (Chairman of SAGE) the conference speakers included Gavin Bull (HSE) Greg Brown (IIRSM) Solomon NrsquoJie (Buckinghamshire New University) James Eade (Institution of Engineering and Technology) Chris Higgs (National Rigging Advisory Group) and Emma Parkinson (Department of Security and Resilience at Buckinghamshire New University)

Chris Higgs spoke in depth about LOLER (the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations) Specifically he highlighted what to consider when deciding how to reduce risks from rigging activities at live events

These included the type of load being lifted itrsquos

weight shape and what it consists of the risk of a load falling moving

breaking up or striking a person or an object and the consequences

the risk of lifting equipment failing or falling over while in use

the risk of damage to lifting the equipment

Gavin Bull and Michael Anderson discussed HSE enforcement plans and CDM guidance for the sector This included the (close to being finalised) draft HSE CDM duty holder roles as they map to all parts of the sector (for example outdoor events theatre TV exhibitions)

They spoke about key points for securing health and safety within the workplace such as cooperation coordination and communication within the workforce pointing the right people at the right time and consultating and engaging with workers

Solomon NrsquoJie has more than 30 yearsrsquo experience in crowd safety management and has been involved with crowd safety at more than 1500 events (including LOCOG for the London 2012 Olympics) He addressed the issue of crowd management control and spoke about the difference between site safety and crowd safety which is often confused by promoters who assume they are the same when in fact they require different approaches

He identified and emphasised the importance of having a crowd management plan which would

identify risks to crowd safety enable management systems to be put

in place explained a dual concept approach

including engineering and environment safety measures and plans

He finished his presentation by reminding delegates that crowd management is a team effort and a better understanding of roles and responsibilities at all types of organised events is required

Greg Brown addressed the issue of identifying competence and referred to the Occupational Safety and Health Consultantsrsquo Register (OSHCR) He highlighted the need for a common position in the areas of health and safety capabilities transferable skills and a wider risk dimension

James Eade followed with a presentation about the standard for events BS7909 Electrical Safety at Events He focused on the importance of keeping electrical fuses cables and outlets protected and highlighted the dangers and possible outcomes of having unprotected wires and fuses

James talked about the concept of a Senior Person Responsible (SPR) to manage to the electrical system The SPR he noted should have ldquosufficient and suitable competence to enable them to ensure the safety in all respects of any temporary electrical system in all conditions that can reasonably be predicted to occurrdquo

The final speaker was Emma Parkinson from Buckinghamshire New University Emma leads the universityrsquos Foundation and Bachelorrsquos degrees in Crowd Safety Management and explained how this programme has been able to reach out to many people and enabled them to develop expertise in this area The courses cover personal and professional development an introduction to events crowd safety by design crowd management planning crowd dynamics and risk management

The conference programme was well received with many agreeing to support a campaign designed to improve competence as well as awareness among promoters about how they can ensure that prospective candidates are suitably qualified SAGE recommends the following criteria

membership of a health and safety institute (IIRSM or IOSH)

qualified to NEBOSH Diploma Level (or equivalent)

membership of an event industry trade association

five years of event industry experience (not necessarily health and safety experience)

taking part in a Continuing Professional Development (CPD) scheme

Professional Indemnity Insurance cover of pound1000000 (provided by the individualrsquos employer or by the actual individual for self-employed advisersconsultants

Overall it was a very positive event which enabled IIRSM to help support our members and the events sector in this niche area of health and safety management We look forward to working with SAGE and the other collaborators to take the campaign forward

wwwiirsmorg | 012016 11

Institute News

NEW MEMBERSHIP GRADE

A new age for individual supportYour Council has approved an exciting membership development that can be scaled to work for groups or sections from any business or organisation Our new Affiliate level opens the door on professional networking to individuals who may need help and support in their day to day roles

The grade is designed to encourage supervisors and managers to become involved and access the institutersquos educational material or have direct contact with existing members IIRSM has always been about supporting individuals and working with businesses to help them through our events publications or technical support ndashcollaboration and co-operation is the name of the game helping those who have a day to day responsiblity for hands-on risk management

We will provide new Affiliate members with an IIRSM Affiliate mentor to help them get the best out of their membership and to appreciate how we can help them with their development or qualifications if that is their goal An Affiliate can join us with

no health and safety qualifications because this is about motivation ndash a dialogue with a friendly supportive point of contact who will nurture and develop proportionate risk management

Affiliates will also be those with an entry-level qualification in health and safety (such as the NEBOSH Award Highfield (HABC) Level 3 or IOSH Managing Safely) and may want to progress to Associate membership We will help them to identify routes to achieve this

Are there supervisors or managers in your workplace that could benefit from this We welcome discussions about meaningful group discounts and further tailored CPD and support We believe this is a genuinely novel approach for a membership body to help professionalise the delivery of health and safety through individuals in any organisation Siobhan Donnelly President of IIRSM says the Affiliate membership ldquoallows the whole workforce to be safety professionalsrdquo

For more information visit wwwiirsmorgmembers or email gregbrowniirsmorg

Safety maverick

Limitation of risk assessment

As individuals we naturally conduct risk assessment to varying degrees of competence In organisations this doesnrsquot tend to happen naturally and needs to be orchestrated by a management system But do we question whether risk assessment always adds value and is it applicable to the situation

Risk is the combination of loss or harm and the likelihood of its realisation But in order to make meaningful and valuable assessments we need relevant knowledge and experience to identify potential hazards or threats and to assess the risk likelihood and severity components The easiest to assess are things like slips trips and falls that happen relatively frequently because data is plentiful Contrast this with major nuclear power plant disasters that are very high in consequence but relatively rare For these situations we need to undertake complex analysis and scenario modelling to achieve the best-informed estimate of the likelihood

of events occurring This happens in an environment where the overall methodology may never be fully validated because such disasters are so rare

Beyond these high and low frequency events there are things outside of the capability of systematic risk assessment that can present all manner of potential harm to individuals organisations and society They are the situations where knowledge and experience are extremely limited making foreseeing and assessing future potential negative events extremely difficult eg novel technologies such as genetically modified organisms and complex evolving systems for example socio-economic

We should not use risk assessment in a ritualistic way without intelligent and informed thinking ndash the only justification for using risk assessment is that it can make us more successful than not using it We should constantly question whether our actions are appropriate and be able to justify using it and not using it

IIRSM ANNUAL CONFERENCE

Speaker line up revealedIIRSM and Health and Safety at Work will once again return to Birmingham on 11 February 2016 for our joint annual conference This popular event now in its 9th year will bring delegates a mixture of case studies presentations and legal updates providing practical solutions for your organisation

With speakers such as Richard Judge (HSE) Heather Bryant (Balfour Beatty) Paul Simpson (Network Rail) Graham Losh (FA Group) Martin Tod (Menrsquos Health Forum) Becky Lee (Staffordshire County Council) and Steffan Groch (Health and Safety Lawyersrsquo Association) and chaired by new IIRSM President Siobhan Donnelly this highly regarded conference is an event not to be missed

Richard Judge who has been at the helm of the HSE for just over a year now will deliver the keynote speech which will be followed by a QampA session with the audience Delegates will be invited to submit their questions to the regulatorrsquos chief executive so donrsquot miss this chance to ask him a burning question

Also presenting is Becky Lee health safety and wellbeing manager for Staffordshire County Council Becky will share the councilrsquos experiences of the two key interventions that have had a massive impact on employee wellbeing and reducing absence ndash the introduction of occupational physiotherapy and use of day one triage assessments has reduced the organisationrsquos musculoskeletal absence by 23 per cent and saved the council more than pound700000 in its first three years

Safety lawyer Steffan Groch (Partner and Head of Regulatory at DWF and chair of the Health and Safety Lawyersrsquo Association) will give delegates to this yearrsquos event a review of the major health and safety cases of 2015 and their lessons for dutyholders As the conference comes just over a week after the Sentencing Guidelines are officially in force Steffan will also consider whether it really will be the largest companies that are hit the hardest and what the unintended consequences may be

With so many high profile speakers already confirmed our annual conference is shaping up to be well worth a visit by anyone tasked with protecting employees

lsquo

Visit wwwiirsmorgevents to book your place today

012016 | wwwiirsmorg12

International News

CAMBODIA

Dizzy workers collapse at textile firm

A garment worker has died and 21 others were hospitalised after they collapsed at a textile factory The incident at the Chinese-owned Or Sambath Trading factory in eastern Prey Veng province was the latest in a string of similar incidents in the sector

The 21-year-old woman reported dizziness and difficulty breathing on 5 November before collapsing She died in hospital Twenty one other workers collapsed later the same day and the next morning with similar symptoms

The factory which employs more than 1200 workers was ordered to close for four days while an investigation was carried out

GLOBAL

Enforcement leads to fewer injuriesRegulatory health and safety inspections that result in enforcement action are effective in reducing work related injuries according to research by the Toronto-based Institute for Work amp Health (IWH)

The systematic review of the international scientific literature confirmed the findings of a 2007 IWH review which covered research from 1970 to 2003 and found evidence that citations and penalties reduced the frequency or severity of injuries

The latest review which looked at 1990 to 2013 found strong evidence for the effectiveness of inspections with citations and penalties in reducing injuries There was also moderate evidence that inspections without penalties have no effect in reducing injuries

USA

Plans to update management guidelinesThe Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is seeking public comment on an updated version of its voluntary ldquoSafety and Health Program Management Guidelinesrdquo

First published in 1989 the guidelines which help employers establish health and safety management plans at their workplaces are being updated to reflect modern technology and practices

ldquoEmployers who embrace these guidelines will experience lower injury and illness rates and their progress in improving the safety culture at their worksites will contribute to higher productivity reduced costs and greater worker satisfactionrdquo said assistant secretary of labor David Michaels OSHA is accepting comments until 15 February

SPAIN

Accident rise blamed on labour market reformsThe number of workplace accidents registered during the first six months of 2015 has grown by almost seven per cent compared to the same period in 2014

In total 218019 ldquominorrdquo accidents were reported 13577 more than the first six months of last year along with 1593 ldquoseriousrdquo accidents one more than during

the same period last year and 239 fatal accidents 16 more than in 2014

Pedro Linares from Spainrsquos largest union the CCOO told union supported news website Equal Times that government labour market reforms had ldquomade dismissals cheaper weakened trade union bargaining power and slackened investment in occupational health and safetyrdquo

AUSTRALIA

Power station explosion injures two Two workers were burned when a transformer exploded at the Liddell Power Station in Hunter Valley on 11 November

Power company AGL which operates the site said about 300 employees were evacuated from the plant in the early afternoon The injured workers were a

PAKISTAN

Workers warned of building cracks before Lahore factory tragedyAt least 46 workers have been killed and many more injured in the collapse of a four-storey plastic bag factory 12 miles east of Lahore

There were an estimated 175 factory workers as well as construction workers inside the building when it collapsed on 4 November

Survivors reported that Rajput Polyester which owned the factory was adding a new floor to the building but had ignored warnings from workers to stop construction because large cracks had appeared in the building after a 75 magnitude earthquake in the region on 26 October

Global union IndustriALL said workers saw cracks a few days before the collapse and told managers but nothing was done

One witness who visited the factory on 2 November said he saw an exhaust pipe was damaged because the wall it was fixed to was sinking slowly into the ground

The owner of the business was reportedly killed while inspecting the factory on the day of the incident

The collapse was the second in Lahore in the last few months In September the roof of a garment factory fell down killing four workers ldquo

These incidents are happening because there are no proper factory inspections being done in Pakistanrdquo said Khalid Mahmood director of the Labour Education Foundation in Lahore

ldquoFactory owners are killing workers by saving money that should have been spent on making workplaces safe There is no political will in government to implement factory inspections and other labour lawsrdquo

IndustriALLrsquos assistant general secretary Kemal Oumlzkan said ldquoWe demand a full transparent independent investigation into this tragedyrdquo He urged the government to take immediate action to prevent more workers being killed in ldquoperilous factoriesrdquo

Rescue workers search the rubble for survivors

copy X

inhu

sRe

x Sh

utte

rsto

ck

wwwiirsmorg | 012016 13

International News

fitter and an apprentice AGL said it was investigating the cause of the incident and production at the station was not affected

SINGAPORE

Health promotion pilot for mature workers More than 600 employees from Sheng Siong Supermarket are involved in a year-long pilot programme to encourage older workers to keep fit and stay healthy

The Workplace Health Intervention Programme for Mature Workers which is organised by the Singaporersquos Health Promotion Board (HPB) is targeting office workers who are largely sedentary frontline retail staff such as cashiers who have to stand for long hours and store assistants who unload goods from delivery trucks

Office workers receive exercise classes nutrition talks health screening and coaching Frontline retail staff can also benefit from ergonomic assessments and are encouraged to adopt healthy lifestyle habits The HPB introduced a similar programme for taxi drivers last year

JAPAN

Employees to be offered stress tests Businesses will be obliged to offer employees an annual test to check their stress levels from December this year

The test which takes the form of a questionnaire is part of a revision of the Industrial Health and Safety Law and will affect more than 20 million employees at about 16000 businesses according to the Health Labor and Welfare Ministry

Employees will not be required to take the test and doctors cannot tell employers the result without permission The law will prevent companies punishing employees for not taking part or firing or unreasonably transferring employees due to results

NEW ZEALAND

NZ$116k penalty for crane crush death Auckland company AJ Russell Bricklayers has been ordered to pay reparation of NZ$80000 and been fined NZ$36000 after an experienced crane operator was crushed between the boom of a crane and a truck deck

Roy Chan was greasing a crane as part of routine end of year maintenance when he inadvertently activated a remote control unit he was wearing That caused the cranersquos boom to move towards the truck deck fatally injuring him

AJ Russell Bricklayers pleaded guilty to breaching Section 6 and 50(1)(a) of the Health and Safety in Employment Act

There were at least two simple steps that could have prevented this deathrdquo said Marcus Nalter of WorkSafe New Zealand

ldquoThe cranersquos power take-off should have been turned off and workers should have been instructed not to wear remote control units during cleaning and maintenance work If such a regime had been in place and been observed then the crane would not have been able to move in the way it didrdquo

USA

FedEx employee dies at Memphis hubThe Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is investigating the death of a worker in a workplace accident at the FedEx hub in Memphis

According to local media reports Chris Higginbottom who was 39 was killed while working an early morning shift on 22 November

Police said Higginbottom died after driving a ldquotugrdquo which moves merchandise to and from FedEx aircraft and the

warehouse into a parked trailer He was found dead underneath the tugrsquos loaded trailer In a statement FedEx said it was working with local authorities on their investigation

BANGLADESH

Govt claims 80 of garment factories safe The government has claimed that more than 80 per cent of garment factories supplying global retailers are safe

Syed Ahmed the inspector general of factories said 1475 garment factories had been assessed as part of a government initiative supported by the International Labour Organization (ILO) Canada the Netherlands and the UK The inspections were instituted in the aftermath of the 2013 collapse of the Rana Plaza factory in which more than 1100 people died

Ahmed said 81 per cent of factories were structurally sound though he acknowledged many needed work on fire safety and electrical systems

Srinivas Reddy Bangladesh country director of the ILO told Reuters most factories needed to improve fire safety and electrical systems before they could be declared safe adding that every factory should come up with a corrective action plan

Thirty seven factories were closed and 36 partially closed after failing their inspections he said

USA

OSHA fines set to rise in 2016 Fines imposed by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) are set to increase for the first time for 25 years under a provision in a recently signed congressional budget deal

The Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act of 1990 exempted OSHA from increasing its penalties to account for inflation But the new bipartisan budget signed into law on 2 November by President Barack Obama contained an amendment removing the exemption

OSHA must now issue an interim final rule by 1 July 2016 increasing its penalties to adjust for current inflation levels which would raise proposed fines by about 80 per cent

This would mean the maximum penalty for a wilful violation would rise to an estimated $127000 from the

current $70000 The adjustment must occur before 1 August 2016

After the initial ldquocatch-uprdquo adjustment to compensate for more than two decades of no increase OSHA will then be allowed to raise fines in subsequent years to keep pace with the ongoing inflation rate

President Obama signs the new budget into law

copy R

EX S

hutt

erst

ock

012016 | wwwiirsmorg14

Membersrsquo Pages

If you are looking for advice call the health and safety information helpline with your questions on +44 (0)1296 678 465 or email iirsmhelplinealcumusgroupcom for information on any health and safety related topic Here are just a few of your recent queries

QampAsSAFETY TRAINING SITE FORMEN

I was recently told that construction site foremen have to undergo recognised safety training Is this correct

According to CDM 2015 ldquoA worker is anybody working for or under the control of a contractor which could include plumbers electricians etc as well as supervisors like foremen and change handsrdquo

The point is then reiterated by the HSE which states that foremen must only carry out construction work if they have the relevant skills knowledge training and experience This would imply that site foremen are required to have suitable and sufficient training but does not state that this training has to be lsquorecognisedrsquo

You may find however that contractual arrangements or industry recognised training such as the Site Management Safety Training Scheme (SMSTS) or the Site Supervisors Safety Training Scheme (SSSTS) is requested or looked for when reviewing the competency levels of construction site foremen

Visit wwwhsegovukconstructioncdm2015workershtm and wwwcitbcouktraining-courseshealth-and-safety-courses for further information

BENCHMARKING ACCIDENT RATES

Can you provide benchmarking statistics for accident rates in both the logistics and automotive sectors

There are a wide range of statistics available for both the logistics and automotive sectors The HSE document regarding the logistics sector (wwwhsegovuklogisticssic2007pdf) is mainly based on statistics taken from 201011minus201314 and can be used to compare your information to the averages

With regards to the automotive industry it is hard to provide you with statistics for the whole of the automotive industry and different aspects will fall under other industries An example of this is the manufacturing of vehicles While technically part of the automotive industry RIDDOR reports would usually come under the manufacturing industry

therefore it would be hard to provide you with an average for this That said there are a range of statistics which relate directly to motor vehicle repair at wwwhsegovukmvrresourcesstatisticsinjurystatshtm and vehicle injuries by sector at wwwhsegovukstatisticscausinjmoving-vehiclespdf

FIRE SAFETY

My organisation is situated in a multi-tenanted building We recently carried out a fire drill for the building to measure response Electrically operated doors did not automatically unlock and still required tenants to use key fobs or press the door release button Apparently the facility to unlock all doors when the fire alarm is operated exists within the system but has not been engaged to maintain security for the tenantsrsquo companies which handle confidential information

While I understand the need to maintain security of the building Irsquom concerned someone could get trapped There are emergency refuge communication points on all landings and each company has a responsibility to check the toilets and maintain a register of visitors but is this enough

In accordance with government guidelines your fire safety and evacuation plan should include

a clear passageway to all escape routes

clearly marked escape routes that are as short and direct as possible

enough exits and routes for all people to escape

emergency doors that open easily emergency lighting where needed training for all employees to know

and use the escape routes a safe meeting point for staff

With the central core of the building not having an easily opened exit it could be considered that you are not doing everything reasonably practicable to ensure the safety of all people

The risk assessment that you must carry out will help you ensure that your fire safety procedures fire prevention measures and fire precautions (plans systems and equipment) are all in place

and working properly and the risk assessment should identify any issues that need attention

In this case if the facility already exists to allow for the safe exit from the building without the aid of fellow members of staff we believe that this should be activated Although the procedure is in place for each section to have the responsibility for their guests and to check the facilities human error could still result in the unintentional trapping of people during a fire

The government regulations are available at wwwgovukworkplace-fire-safety-your-responsibilitieswho-is-responsible and a guide to fire risk assessments for office blocks can be found at httpbitly1I6sL7n

SCAFFOLD PLATFORMS

Is there a set requirement to secure the boards on scaffold platforms Our previous scaffolding contractor does this as standard but our new one doesnrsquot unless therersquos a problem

All scaffolds should be designed erected altered and dismantled only by competent people and the work should always be carried out under the direction of a competent supervisor This is a requirement of the Work at Height Regulations 2005

Though there is no legal requirement to secure boards on a scaffolding platform the HSE document lsquoHealth and Safety in Constructionrsquo states that the platform must be lsquostablersquo and where work at height is to be undertaken safe

With regards to the enforcement of securing the scaffolding boards the scaffolding contractor has a legal requirement to ensure that the work at height is safe They should therefore have a suitable and sufficient risk assessment in place to ensure a safe place of work is provided and all potential hazards (for example icy or windy conditions) have been taken into account

The HSE document lsquoHealth and Safety in Constructionrsquo can be found at wwwhsegovukpubnspricedhsg150pdf and a brief guide to working at height

012016 | wwwiirsmorg8

Institute News

RISK MANAGEMENT AWARDS

Showcasing exception

SOCIAL MEDIA

Network with membersIIRSMrsquos social media platforms are a great way to engage with the institute as well as other members ndash you can pose questions debate topics and share knowledge with fellow professionals in the field Our pages also provide an easy way to keep you informed of any special events and news from the institute

With more than 7000 members the IIRSM LinkedIn group is an active forum for health safety and risk professionals Popular topics currently being discussed include

mobility scooter fire tests fire report for Clandon Park House sleep and wellbeing for office workers HSE chair Judith Hackittrsquos latest blog

post on safety responsibility

Get started by searching Groups for IIRSM and request to join We can also be found on Facebook IIRSMOfficial and Twitter iirsm

MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS

Health and Safety at Work websiteAs part of your membership you are entitled to access wwwhealthandsafetyatworkcom ndash the official website for Health and Safety at Work magazine Breaking news is updated throughout the day and the entire content of the magazine is available in an online archive to research previous articles

Make sure you donrsquot miss any need to

know news and analysis on prosecutions new regulations and best practice by logging on today If you need a reminder of your login details please email your IIRSM membership number to healthandsafetylexisnexiscouk

To receive the free weekly eNewsletter sign up at wwwhealthandsafetyatworkcomenewsletter

Member contributionsWe want to hear from you

This is your publication and we are always looking for interesting experiences news and comments to share There are a number of ways you can get involved If you think yoursquove got a good idea for an article in your area of expertise share your knowledge Send us an outline of what you propose to

cover and we can supply guidelines as well as editorial assistance Have you been working tirelessly to spread the safety message Perhaps in a voluntary role outside of the day job If you have an interesting story to tell we want to hear from you Email the editor kelliemundelllexisnexiscouk

Main picture left to right Clare Fleming (head of marketing and communications) Paul Roberts (Arbor Networks) and the host of the ceremony comedian Jo Caulfield Inset picture IIRSM Technical Committee member Anne Mallory with award winner Alexander Deas

IIRSMrsquos chief executive Phillip Pearson was on the judging panel for the CIR Risk Management Awards again this year and the ceremony took place on 12 November at the Cumberland Hotel in London

The awards recognise individuals organisations and teams that have significantly added to the understanding and practice of risk management Judged by an independent panel of experts for exceptional performance the awards provide an opportunity for organisations and individuals to showcase their best products projects and people

IIRSM presented the prize for Cyber Security Product which was won by Arbor Networks IIRSM Technical Committee member Anne Mallory presented the Newcomer of the Year award to Alexander Deas

wwwiirsmorg | 012016 9

Institute News

GET INVOLVED

Join your local branchRisk management is a broad topic encompassing occupational health and safety environmental matters reputational risk and business continuity quality control and more

IIRSM is proud to have a diverse branch network run by members for members Branches serve as a platform for risk managers and health and safety professionals to meet on a regular basis to network with their peers They provide opportunities to take part in training hear

a varied range of speakers and discuss the issues which impact on their profession

Why not come along to your next branch meeting and see what it has to offer you Get involved by sharing your ideas with the branch chairman to enhance the potential for communication of local knowledge and sharing information and best practice

See wwwiirsmorgbranches for more information

Devon amp CornwallThursday 10 December 2015 at 2pmGables Farm PlymouthTopics covered will include fire risk assessment putting lsquohealthrsquo in health and safety and the revised sentencing guidelinesRegister Charles Perryman ndash cperrymanpira-uknet

QatarTuesday 15 December 2015 at 7pmRadisson Blu Hotel DohaRegister qatarbranchiirsmorg

East MidlandsWednesday 6 January 2016 at 7pmIvanhoe Business Park Ashby de la ZouchTalking Safety WorkshopRegister Catherine Wilkes ndash catherinewilkesntlworldcom

North west89 March 2016Practical risk managementRegister iirsmnwbranchskycom

UPCOMING BRANCH MEETINGS

Dates for your diary

BRANCH UPDATE

Wales branch avenues to pursue Group will collaborate with other safety

organisations in Wales Branch aims to improve standards provide

support and share information

In November members of the Wales branch enjoyed a presentation on compliance to the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 by Rod Taylor CMIOSH MIFireE MIIRSM at its latest meeting in Cardiff

The delegates spent their time sharing best health and safety practice with a round table discussion on competencies required to undertake a fire risk assessment They also formulated a plan for 2016

Branch aimsThe Wales branch aims to

clarify the legislation concerning occupational health and safety in Wales

promote occupational health and safety in the region in order to promote and encourage cultural change

share and gather information with other members and organisations within the region

raise health and safety awareness throughout the area covered by the branch

where possible contribute to and be involved in legislative development

assist and support fellow members in their professional development

provide a contact network for members throughout the region visiting the region and with IIRSM head office

A general discussion around planning for next yearrsquos meetings guest speakers and site visits resulted in many suggestions and avenues to pursue A large response to site tours across Wales combined with the Wales branch meeting was suggested and supported Members agreed to investigate opportunities and speak with various contacts to arrange and secure dates for 2016

A marketing strategy will be discussed with IIRSMrsquos head office in order to

support these initiatives and to seek additional members

Promoting the instituteHaydn Brittain branch vice-chairman gave a brief talk on the planned joint Wales Health and Safety Seminar planned with other safety groups and organisations to be held in April 2016 The delegates agreed this will be an excellent opportunity to network with other organisations groups and to promote the institute

ldquoThis initiative will allow us to unite and collaborate with other safety organisations in Wales with a purpose of improving standards and supporting each other through austere timesrdquo said branch chairman Steve Bergiers FIIRSM

If you would like to get involved in the Wales branch email Steve Bergiers stevebergiershotmailcouk

Members of the Wales branch enjoying their latest meeting

012016 | wwwiirsmorg10

Institute News

CONFERENCE

Live events the importance of safetyMembers of the UKrsquos leading risk safety organisations gathered on 17 November in front of a crowd of more than 70 delegates from the live events safety sector as part of the Live Events Competence Conference

The conference was a collaboration between IIRSM the Safety Advisors Group in Entertainment (SAGE) Stagesafe (a specialist consultancy) and Buckinghamshire New University It was designed to identify support and develop health and safety competence for the events sector and to offer technical updates and solutions The sector needs a relevant and reliable source of competence and the reassurance that it would provide this to events managers promoters organisers and the enforcing authorities The presenters and audience discussed how the profession can help organisers and promoters to ensure they know what they should be looking for in a prospective safety adviser when planning an event The role is safety critical and therefore a high level of competence is required

Chaired by Michael Anderson (Chairman of SAGE) the conference speakers included Gavin Bull (HSE) Greg Brown (IIRSM) Solomon NrsquoJie (Buckinghamshire New University) James Eade (Institution of Engineering and Technology) Chris Higgs (National Rigging Advisory Group) and Emma Parkinson (Department of Security and Resilience at Buckinghamshire New University)

Chris Higgs spoke in depth about LOLER (the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations) Specifically he highlighted what to consider when deciding how to reduce risks from rigging activities at live events

These included the type of load being lifted itrsquos

weight shape and what it consists of the risk of a load falling moving

breaking up or striking a person or an object and the consequences

the risk of lifting equipment failing or falling over while in use

the risk of damage to lifting the equipment

Gavin Bull and Michael Anderson discussed HSE enforcement plans and CDM guidance for the sector This included the (close to being finalised) draft HSE CDM duty holder roles as they map to all parts of the sector (for example outdoor events theatre TV exhibitions)

They spoke about key points for securing health and safety within the workplace such as cooperation coordination and communication within the workforce pointing the right people at the right time and consultating and engaging with workers

Solomon NrsquoJie has more than 30 yearsrsquo experience in crowd safety management and has been involved with crowd safety at more than 1500 events (including LOCOG for the London 2012 Olympics) He addressed the issue of crowd management control and spoke about the difference between site safety and crowd safety which is often confused by promoters who assume they are the same when in fact they require different approaches

He identified and emphasised the importance of having a crowd management plan which would

identify risks to crowd safety enable management systems to be put

in place explained a dual concept approach

including engineering and environment safety measures and plans

He finished his presentation by reminding delegates that crowd management is a team effort and a better understanding of roles and responsibilities at all types of organised events is required

Greg Brown addressed the issue of identifying competence and referred to the Occupational Safety and Health Consultantsrsquo Register (OSHCR) He highlighted the need for a common position in the areas of health and safety capabilities transferable skills and a wider risk dimension

James Eade followed with a presentation about the standard for events BS7909 Electrical Safety at Events He focused on the importance of keeping electrical fuses cables and outlets protected and highlighted the dangers and possible outcomes of having unprotected wires and fuses

James talked about the concept of a Senior Person Responsible (SPR) to manage to the electrical system The SPR he noted should have ldquosufficient and suitable competence to enable them to ensure the safety in all respects of any temporary electrical system in all conditions that can reasonably be predicted to occurrdquo

The final speaker was Emma Parkinson from Buckinghamshire New University Emma leads the universityrsquos Foundation and Bachelorrsquos degrees in Crowd Safety Management and explained how this programme has been able to reach out to many people and enabled them to develop expertise in this area The courses cover personal and professional development an introduction to events crowd safety by design crowd management planning crowd dynamics and risk management

The conference programme was well received with many agreeing to support a campaign designed to improve competence as well as awareness among promoters about how they can ensure that prospective candidates are suitably qualified SAGE recommends the following criteria

membership of a health and safety institute (IIRSM or IOSH)

qualified to NEBOSH Diploma Level (or equivalent)

membership of an event industry trade association

five years of event industry experience (not necessarily health and safety experience)

taking part in a Continuing Professional Development (CPD) scheme

Professional Indemnity Insurance cover of pound1000000 (provided by the individualrsquos employer or by the actual individual for self-employed advisersconsultants

Overall it was a very positive event which enabled IIRSM to help support our members and the events sector in this niche area of health and safety management We look forward to working with SAGE and the other collaborators to take the campaign forward

wwwiirsmorg | 012016 11

Institute News

NEW MEMBERSHIP GRADE

A new age for individual supportYour Council has approved an exciting membership development that can be scaled to work for groups or sections from any business or organisation Our new Affiliate level opens the door on professional networking to individuals who may need help and support in their day to day roles

The grade is designed to encourage supervisors and managers to become involved and access the institutersquos educational material or have direct contact with existing members IIRSM has always been about supporting individuals and working with businesses to help them through our events publications or technical support ndashcollaboration and co-operation is the name of the game helping those who have a day to day responsiblity for hands-on risk management

We will provide new Affiliate members with an IIRSM Affiliate mentor to help them get the best out of their membership and to appreciate how we can help them with their development or qualifications if that is their goal An Affiliate can join us with

no health and safety qualifications because this is about motivation ndash a dialogue with a friendly supportive point of contact who will nurture and develop proportionate risk management

Affiliates will also be those with an entry-level qualification in health and safety (such as the NEBOSH Award Highfield (HABC) Level 3 or IOSH Managing Safely) and may want to progress to Associate membership We will help them to identify routes to achieve this

Are there supervisors or managers in your workplace that could benefit from this We welcome discussions about meaningful group discounts and further tailored CPD and support We believe this is a genuinely novel approach for a membership body to help professionalise the delivery of health and safety through individuals in any organisation Siobhan Donnelly President of IIRSM says the Affiliate membership ldquoallows the whole workforce to be safety professionalsrdquo

For more information visit wwwiirsmorgmembers or email gregbrowniirsmorg

Safety maverick

Limitation of risk assessment

As individuals we naturally conduct risk assessment to varying degrees of competence In organisations this doesnrsquot tend to happen naturally and needs to be orchestrated by a management system But do we question whether risk assessment always adds value and is it applicable to the situation

Risk is the combination of loss or harm and the likelihood of its realisation But in order to make meaningful and valuable assessments we need relevant knowledge and experience to identify potential hazards or threats and to assess the risk likelihood and severity components The easiest to assess are things like slips trips and falls that happen relatively frequently because data is plentiful Contrast this with major nuclear power plant disasters that are very high in consequence but relatively rare For these situations we need to undertake complex analysis and scenario modelling to achieve the best-informed estimate of the likelihood

of events occurring This happens in an environment where the overall methodology may never be fully validated because such disasters are so rare

Beyond these high and low frequency events there are things outside of the capability of systematic risk assessment that can present all manner of potential harm to individuals organisations and society They are the situations where knowledge and experience are extremely limited making foreseeing and assessing future potential negative events extremely difficult eg novel technologies such as genetically modified organisms and complex evolving systems for example socio-economic

We should not use risk assessment in a ritualistic way without intelligent and informed thinking ndash the only justification for using risk assessment is that it can make us more successful than not using it We should constantly question whether our actions are appropriate and be able to justify using it and not using it

IIRSM ANNUAL CONFERENCE

Speaker line up revealedIIRSM and Health and Safety at Work will once again return to Birmingham on 11 February 2016 for our joint annual conference This popular event now in its 9th year will bring delegates a mixture of case studies presentations and legal updates providing practical solutions for your organisation

With speakers such as Richard Judge (HSE) Heather Bryant (Balfour Beatty) Paul Simpson (Network Rail) Graham Losh (FA Group) Martin Tod (Menrsquos Health Forum) Becky Lee (Staffordshire County Council) and Steffan Groch (Health and Safety Lawyersrsquo Association) and chaired by new IIRSM President Siobhan Donnelly this highly regarded conference is an event not to be missed

Richard Judge who has been at the helm of the HSE for just over a year now will deliver the keynote speech which will be followed by a QampA session with the audience Delegates will be invited to submit their questions to the regulatorrsquos chief executive so donrsquot miss this chance to ask him a burning question

Also presenting is Becky Lee health safety and wellbeing manager for Staffordshire County Council Becky will share the councilrsquos experiences of the two key interventions that have had a massive impact on employee wellbeing and reducing absence ndash the introduction of occupational physiotherapy and use of day one triage assessments has reduced the organisationrsquos musculoskeletal absence by 23 per cent and saved the council more than pound700000 in its first three years

Safety lawyer Steffan Groch (Partner and Head of Regulatory at DWF and chair of the Health and Safety Lawyersrsquo Association) will give delegates to this yearrsquos event a review of the major health and safety cases of 2015 and their lessons for dutyholders As the conference comes just over a week after the Sentencing Guidelines are officially in force Steffan will also consider whether it really will be the largest companies that are hit the hardest and what the unintended consequences may be

With so many high profile speakers already confirmed our annual conference is shaping up to be well worth a visit by anyone tasked with protecting employees

lsquo

Visit wwwiirsmorgevents to book your place today

012016 | wwwiirsmorg12

International News

CAMBODIA

Dizzy workers collapse at textile firm

A garment worker has died and 21 others were hospitalised after they collapsed at a textile factory The incident at the Chinese-owned Or Sambath Trading factory in eastern Prey Veng province was the latest in a string of similar incidents in the sector

The 21-year-old woman reported dizziness and difficulty breathing on 5 November before collapsing She died in hospital Twenty one other workers collapsed later the same day and the next morning with similar symptoms

The factory which employs more than 1200 workers was ordered to close for four days while an investigation was carried out

GLOBAL

Enforcement leads to fewer injuriesRegulatory health and safety inspections that result in enforcement action are effective in reducing work related injuries according to research by the Toronto-based Institute for Work amp Health (IWH)

The systematic review of the international scientific literature confirmed the findings of a 2007 IWH review which covered research from 1970 to 2003 and found evidence that citations and penalties reduced the frequency or severity of injuries

The latest review which looked at 1990 to 2013 found strong evidence for the effectiveness of inspections with citations and penalties in reducing injuries There was also moderate evidence that inspections without penalties have no effect in reducing injuries

USA

Plans to update management guidelinesThe Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is seeking public comment on an updated version of its voluntary ldquoSafety and Health Program Management Guidelinesrdquo

First published in 1989 the guidelines which help employers establish health and safety management plans at their workplaces are being updated to reflect modern technology and practices

ldquoEmployers who embrace these guidelines will experience lower injury and illness rates and their progress in improving the safety culture at their worksites will contribute to higher productivity reduced costs and greater worker satisfactionrdquo said assistant secretary of labor David Michaels OSHA is accepting comments until 15 February

SPAIN

Accident rise blamed on labour market reformsThe number of workplace accidents registered during the first six months of 2015 has grown by almost seven per cent compared to the same period in 2014

In total 218019 ldquominorrdquo accidents were reported 13577 more than the first six months of last year along with 1593 ldquoseriousrdquo accidents one more than during

the same period last year and 239 fatal accidents 16 more than in 2014

Pedro Linares from Spainrsquos largest union the CCOO told union supported news website Equal Times that government labour market reforms had ldquomade dismissals cheaper weakened trade union bargaining power and slackened investment in occupational health and safetyrdquo

AUSTRALIA

Power station explosion injures two Two workers were burned when a transformer exploded at the Liddell Power Station in Hunter Valley on 11 November

Power company AGL which operates the site said about 300 employees were evacuated from the plant in the early afternoon The injured workers were a

PAKISTAN

Workers warned of building cracks before Lahore factory tragedyAt least 46 workers have been killed and many more injured in the collapse of a four-storey plastic bag factory 12 miles east of Lahore

There were an estimated 175 factory workers as well as construction workers inside the building when it collapsed on 4 November

Survivors reported that Rajput Polyester which owned the factory was adding a new floor to the building but had ignored warnings from workers to stop construction because large cracks had appeared in the building after a 75 magnitude earthquake in the region on 26 October

Global union IndustriALL said workers saw cracks a few days before the collapse and told managers but nothing was done

One witness who visited the factory on 2 November said he saw an exhaust pipe was damaged because the wall it was fixed to was sinking slowly into the ground

The owner of the business was reportedly killed while inspecting the factory on the day of the incident

The collapse was the second in Lahore in the last few months In September the roof of a garment factory fell down killing four workers ldquo

These incidents are happening because there are no proper factory inspections being done in Pakistanrdquo said Khalid Mahmood director of the Labour Education Foundation in Lahore

ldquoFactory owners are killing workers by saving money that should have been spent on making workplaces safe There is no political will in government to implement factory inspections and other labour lawsrdquo

IndustriALLrsquos assistant general secretary Kemal Oumlzkan said ldquoWe demand a full transparent independent investigation into this tragedyrdquo He urged the government to take immediate action to prevent more workers being killed in ldquoperilous factoriesrdquo

Rescue workers search the rubble for survivors

copy X

inhu

sRe

x Sh

utte

rsto

ck

wwwiirsmorg | 012016 13

International News

fitter and an apprentice AGL said it was investigating the cause of the incident and production at the station was not affected

SINGAPORE

Health promotion pilot for mature workers More than 600 employees from Sheng Siong Supermarket are involved in a year-long pilot programme to encourage older workers to keep fit and stay healthy

The Workplace Health Intervention Programme for Mature Workers which is organised by the Singaporersquos Health Promotion Board (HPB) is targeting office workers who are largely sedentary frontline retail staff such as cashiers who have to stand for long hours and store assistants who unload goods from delivery trucks

Office workers receive exercise classes nutrition talks health screening and coaching Frontline retail staff can also benefit from ergonomic assessments and are encouraged to adopt healthy lifestyle habits The HPB introduced a similar programme for taxi drivers last year

JAPAN

Employees to be offered stress tests Businesses will be obliged to offer employees an annual test to check their stress levels from December this year

The test which takes the form of a questionnaire is part of a revision of the Industrial Health and Safety Law and will affect more than 20 million employees at about 16000 businesses according to the Health Labor and Welfare Ministry

Employees will not be required to take the test and doctors cannot tell employers the result without permission The law will prevent companies punishing employees for not taking part or firing or unreasonably transferring employees due to results

NEW ZEALAND

NZ$116k penalty for crane crush death Auckland company AJ Russell Bricklayers has been ordered to pay reparation of NZ$80000 and been fined NZ$36000 after an experienced crane operator was crushed between the boom of a crane and a truck deck

Roy Chan was greasing a crane as part of routine end of year maintenance when he inadvertently activated a remote control unit he was wearing That caused the cranersquos boom to move towards the truck deck fatally injuring him

AJ Russell Bricklayers pleaded guilty to breaching Section 6 and 50(1)(a) of the Health and Safety in Employment Act

There were at least two simple steps that could have prevented this deathrdquo said Marcus Nalter of WorkSafe New Zealand

ldquoThe cranersquos power take-off should have been turned off and workers should have been instructed not to wear remote control units during cleaning and maintenance work If such a regime had been in place and been observed then the crane would not have been able to move in the way it didrdquo

USA

FedEx employee dies at Memphis hubThe Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is investigating the death of a worker in a workplace accident at the FedEx hub in Memphis

According to local media reports Chris Higginbottom who was 39 was killed while working an early morning shift on 22 November

Police said Higginbottom died after driving a ldquotugrdquo which moves merchandise to and from FedEx aircraft and the

warehouse into a parked trailer He was found dead underneath the tugrsquos loaded trailer In a statement FedEx said it was working with local authorities on their investigation

BANGLADESH

Govt claims 80 of garment factories safe The government has claimed that more than 80 per cent of garment factories supplying global retailers are safe

Syed Ahmed the inspector general of factories said 1475 garment factories had been assessed as part of a government initiative supported by the International Labour Organization (ILO) Canada the Netherlands and the UK The inspections were instituted in the aftermath of the 2013 collapse of the Rana Plaza factory in which more than 1100 people died

Ahmed said 81 per cent of factories were structurally sound though he acknowledged many needed work on fire safety and electrical systems

Srinivas Reddy Bangladesh country director of the ILO told Reuters most factories needed to improve fire safety and electrical systems before they could be declared safe adding that every factory should come up with a corrective action plan

Thirty seven factories were closed and 36 partially closed after failing their inspections he said

USA

OSHA fines set to rise in 2016 Fines imposed by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) are set to increase for the first time for 25 years under a provision in a recently signed congressional budget deal

The Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act of 1990 exempted OSHA from increasing its penalties to account for inflation But the new bipartisan budget signed into law on 2 November by President Barack Obama contained an amendment removing the exemption

OSHA must now issue an interim final rule by 1 July 2016 increasing its penalties to adjust for current inflation levels which would raise proposed fines by about 80 per cent

This would mean the maximum penalty for a wilful violation would rise to an estimated $127000 from the

current $70000 The adjustment must occur before 1 August 2016

After the initial ldquocatch-uprdquo adjustment to compensate for more than two decades of no increase OSHA will then be allowed to raise fines in subsequent years to keep pace with the ongoing inflation rate

President Obama signs the new budget into law

copy R

EX S

hutt

erst

ock

012016 | wwwiirsmorg14

Membersrsquo Pages

If you are looking for advice call the health and safety information helpline with your questions on +44 (0)1296 678 465 or email iirsmhelplinealcumusgroupcom for information on any health and safety related topic Here are just a few of your recent queries

QampAsSAFETY TRAINING SITE FORMEN

I was recently told that construction site foremen have to undergo recognised safety training Is this correct

According to CDM 2015 ldquoA worker is anybody working for or under the control of a contractor which could include plumbers electricians etc as well as supervisors like foremen and change handsrdquo

The point is then reiterated by the HSE which states that foremen must only carry out construction work if they have the relevant skills knowledge training and experience This would imply that site foremen are required to have suitable and sufficient training but does not state that this training has to be lsquorecognisedrsquo

You may find however that contractual arrangements or industry recognised training such as the Site Management Safety Training Scheme (SMSTS) or the Site Supervisors Safety Training Scheme (SSSTS) is requested or looked for when reviewing the competency levels of construction site foremen

Visit wwwhsegovukconstructioncdm2015workershtm and wwwcitbcouktraining-courseshealth-and-safety-courses for further information

BENCHMARKING ACCIDENT RATES

Can you provide benchmarking statistics for accident rates in both the logistics and automotive sectors

There are a wide range of statistics available for both the logistics and automotive sectors The HSE document regarding the logistics sector (wwwhsegovuklogisticssic2007pdf) is mainly based on statistics taken from 201011minus201314 and can be used to compare your information to the averages

With regards to the automotive industry it is hard to provide you with statistics for the whole of the automotive industry and different aspects will fall under other industries An example of this is the manufacturing of vehicles While technically part of the automotive industry RIDDOR reports would usually come under the manufacturing industry

therefore it would be hard to provide you with an average for this That said there are a range of statistics which relate directly to motor vehicle repair at wwwhsegovukmvrresourcesstatisticsinjurystatshtm and vehicle injuries by sector at wwwhsegovukstatisticscausinjmoving-vehiclespdf

FIRE SAFETY

My organisation is situated in a multi-tenanted building We recently carried out a fire drill for the building to measure response Electrically operated doors did not automatically unlock and still required tenants to use key fobs or press the door release button Apparently the facility to unlock all doors when the fire alarm is operated exists within the system but has not been engaged to maintain security for the tenantsrsquo companies which handle confidential information

While I understand the need to maintain security of the building Irsquom concerned someone could get trapped There are emergency refuge communication points on all landings and each company has a responsibility to check the toilets and maintain a register of visitors but is this enough

In accordance with government guidelines your fire safety and evacuation plan should include

a clear passageway to all escape routes

clearly marked escape routes that are as short and direct as possible

enough exits and routes for all people to escape

emergency doors that open easily emergency lighting where needed training for all employees to know

and use the escape routes a safe meeting point for staff

With the central core of the building not having an easily opened exit it could be considered that you are not doing everything reasonably practicable to ensure the safety of all people

The risk assessment that you must carry out will help you ensure that your fire safety procedures fire prevention measures and fire precautions (plans systems and equipment) are all in place

and working properly and the risk assessment should identify any issues that need attention

In this case if the facility already exists to allow for the safe exit from the building without the aid of fellow members of staff we believe that this should be activated Although the procedure is in place for each section to have the responsibility for their guests and to check the facilities human error could still result in the unintentional trapping of people during a fire

The government regulations are available at wwwgovukworkplace-fire-safety-your-responsibilitieswho-is-responsible and a guide to fire risk assessments for office blocks can be found at httpbitly1I6sL7n

SCAFFOLD PLATFORMS

Is there a set requirement to secure the boards on scaffold platforms Our previous scaffolding contractor does this as standard but our new one doesnrsquot unless therersquos a problem

All scaffolds should be designed erected altered and dismantled only by competent people and the work should always be carried out under the direction of a competent supervisor This is a requirement of the Work at Height Regulations 2005

Though there is no legal requirement to secure boards on a scaffolding platform the HSE document lsquoHealth and Safety in Constructionrsquo states that the platform must be lsquostablersquo and where work at height is to be undertaken safe

With regards to the enforcement of securing the scaffolding boards the scaffolding contractor has a legal requirement to ensure that the work at height is safe They should therefore have a suitable and sufficient risk assessment in place to ensure a safe place of work is provided and all potential hazards (for example icy or windy conditions) have been taken into account

The HSE document lsquoHealth and Safety in Constructionrsquo can be found at wwwhsegovukpubnspricedhsg150pdf and a brief guide to working at height

wwwiirsmorg | 012016 9

Institute News

GET INVOLVED

Join your local branchRisk management is a broad topic encompassing occupational health and safety environmental matters reputational risk and business continuity quality control and more

IIRSM is proud to have a diverse branch network run by members for members Branches serve as a platform for risk managers and health and safety professionals to meet on a regular basis to network with their peers They provide opportunities to take part in training hear

a varied range of speakers and discuss the issues which impact on their profession

Why not come along to your next branch meeting and see what it has to offer you Get involved by sharing your ideas with the branch chairman to enhance the potential for communication of local knowledge and sharing information and best practice

See wwwiirsmorgbranches for more information

Devon amp CornwallThursday 10 December 2015 at 2pmGables Farm PlymouthTopics covered will include fire risk assessment putting lsquohealthrsquo in health and safety and the revised sentencing guidelinesRegister Charles Perryman ndash cperrymanpira-uknet

QatarTuesday 15 December 2015 at 7pmRadisson Blu Hotel DohaRegister qatarbranchiirsmorg

East MidlandsWednesday 6 January 2016 at 7pmIvanhoe Business Park Ashby de la ZouchTalking Safety WorkshopRegister Catherine Wilkes ndash catherinewilkesntlworldcom

North west89 March 2016Practical risk managementRegister iirsmnwbranchskycom

UPCOMING BRANCH MEETINGS

Dates for your diary

BRANCH UPDATE

Wales branch avenues to pursue Group will collaborate with other safety

organisations in Wales Branch aims to improve standards provide

support and share information

In November members of the Wales branch enjoyed a presentation on compliance to the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 by Rod Taylor CMIOSH MIFireE MIIRSM at its latest meeting in Cardiff

The delegates spent their time sharing best health and safety practice with a round table discussion on competencies required to undertake a fire risk assessment They also formulated a plan for 2016

Branch aimsThe Wales branch aims to

clarify the legislation concerning occupational health and safety in Wales

promote occupational health and safety in the region in order to promote and encourage cultural change

share and gather information with other members and organisations within the region

raise health and safety awareness throughout the area covered by the branch

where possible contribute to and be involved in legislative development

assist and support fellow members in their professional development

provide a contact network for members throughout the region visiting the region and with IIRSM head office

A general discussion around planning for next yearrsquos meetings guest speakers and site visits resulted in many suggestions and avenues to pursue A large response to site tours across Wales combined with the Wales branch meeting was suggested and supported Members agreed to investigate opportunities and speak with various contacts to arrange and secure dates for 2016

A marketing strategy will be discussed with IIRSMrsquos head office in order to

support these initiatives and to seek additional members

Promoting the instituteHaydn Brittain branch vice-chairman gave a brief talk on the planned joint Wales Health and Safety Seminar planned with other safety groups and organisations to be held in April 2016 The delegates agreed this will be an excellent opportunity to network with other organisations groups and to promote the institute

ldquoThis initiative will allow us to unite and collaborate with other safety organisations in Wales with a purpose of improving standards and supporting each other through austere timesrdquo said branch chairman Steve Bergiers FIIRSM

If you would like to get involved in the Wales branch email Steve Bergiers stevebergiershotmailcouk

Members of the Wales branch enjoying their latest meeting

012016 | wwwiirsmorg10

Institute News

CONFERENCE

Live events the importance of safetyMembers of the UKrsquos leading risk safety organisations gathered on 17 November in front of a crowd of more than 70 delegates from the live events safety sector as part of the Live Events Competence Conference

The conference was a collaboration between IIRSM the Safety Advisors Group in Entertainment (SAGE) Stagesafe (a specialist consultancy) and Buckinghamshire New University It was designed to identify support and develop health and safety competence for the events sector and to offer technical updates and solutions The sector needs a relevant and reliable source of competence and the reassurance that it would provide this to events managers promoters organisers and the enforcing authorities The presenters and audience discussed how the profession can help organisers and promoters to ensure they know what they should be looking for in a prospective safety adviser when planning an event The role is safety critical and therefore a high level of competence is required

Chaired by Michael Anderson (Chairman of SAGE) the conference speakers included Gavin Bull (HSE) Greg Brown (IIRSM) Solomon NrsquoJie (Buckinghamshire New University) James Eade (Institution of Engineering and Technology) Chris Higgs (National Rigging Advisory Group) and Emma Parkinson (Department of Security and Resilience at Buckinghamshire New University)

Chris Higgs spoke in depth about LOLER (the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations) Specifically he highlighted what to consider when deciding how to reduce risks from rigging activities at live events

These included the type of load being lifted itrsquos

weight shape and what it consists of the risk of a load falling moving

breaking up or striking a person or an object and the consequences

the risk of lifting equipment failing or falling over while in use

the risk of damage to lifting the equipment

Gavin Bull and Michael Anderson discussed HSE enforcement plans and CDM guidance for the sector This included the (close to being finalised) draft HSE CDM duty holder roles as they map to all parts of the sector (for example outdoor events theatre TV exhibitions)

They spoke about key points for securing health and safety within the workplace such as cooperation coordination and communication within the workforce pointing the right people at the right time and consultating and engaging with workers

Solomon NrsquoJie has more than 30 yearsrsquo experience in crowd safety management and has been involved with crowd safety at more than 1500 events (including LOCOG for the London 2012 Olympics) He addressed the issue of crowd management control and spoke about the difference between site safety and crowd safety which is often confused by promoters who assume they are the same when in fact they require different approaches

He identified and emphasised the importance of having a crowd management plan which would

identify risks to crowd safety enable management systems to be put

in place explained a dual concept approach

including engineering and environment safety measures and plans

He finished his presentation by reminding delegates that crowd management is a team effort and a better understanding of roles and responsibilities at all types of organised events is required

Greg Brown addressed the issue of identifying competence and referred to the Occupational Safety and Health Consultantsrsquo Register (OSHCR) He highlighted the need for a common position in the areas of health and safety capabilities transferable skills and a wider risk dimension

James Eade followed with a presentation about the standard for events BS7909 Electrical Safety at Events He focused on the importance of keeping electrical fuses cables and outlets protected and highlighted the dangers and possible outcomes of having unprotected wires and fuses

James talked about the concept of a Senior Person Responsible (SPR) to manage to the electrical system The SPR he noted should have ldquosufficient and suitable competence to enable them to ensure the safety in all respects of any temporary electrical system in all conditions that can reasonably be predicted to occurrdquo

The final speaker was Emma Parkinson from Buckinghamshire New University Emma leads the universityrsquos Foundation and Bachelorrsquos degrees in Crowd Safety Management and explained how this programme has been able to reach out to many people and enabled them to develop expertise in this area The courses cover personal and professional development an introduction to events crowd safety by design crowd management planning crowd dynamics and risk management

The conference programme was well received with many agreeing to support a campaign designed to improve competence as well as awareness among promoters about how they can ensure that prospective candidates are suitably qualified SAGE recommends the following criteria

membership of a health and safety institute (IIRSM or IOSH)

qualified to NEBOSH Diploma Level (or equivalent)

membership of an event industry trade association

five years of event industry experience (not necessarily health and safety experience)

taking part in a Continuing Professional Development (CPD) scheme

Professional Indemnity Insurance cover of pound1000000 (provided by the individualrsquos employer or by the actual individual for self-employed advisersconsultants

Overall it was a very positive event which enabled IIRSM to help support our members and the events sector in this niche area of health and safety management We look forward to working with SAGE and the other collaborators to take the campaign forward

wwwiirsmorg | 012016 11

Institute News

NEW MEMBERSHIP GRADE

A new age for individual supportYour Council has approved an exciting membership development that can be scaled to work for groups or sections from any business or organisation Our new Affiliate level opens the door on professional networking to individuals who may need help and support in their day to day roles

The grade is designed to encourage supervisors and managers to become involved and access the institutersquos educational material or have direct contact with existing members IIRSM has always been about supporting individuals and working with businesses to help them through our events publications or technical support ndashcollaboration and co-operation is the name of the game helping those who have a day to day responsiblity for hands-on risk management

We will provide new Affiliate members with an IIRSM Affiliate mentor to help them get the best out of their membership and to appreciate how we can help them with their development or qualifications if that is their goal An Affiliate can join us with

no health and safety qualifications because this is about motivation ndash a dialogue with a friendly supportive point of contact who will nurture and develop proportionate risk management

Affiliates will also be those with an entry-level qualification in health and safety (such as the NEBOSH Award Highfield (HABC) Level 3 or IOSH Managing Safely) and may want to progress to Associate membership We will help them to identify routes to achieve this

Are there supervisors or managers in your workplace that could benefit from this We welcome discussions about meaningful group discounts and further tailored CPD and support We believe this is a genuinely novel approach for a membership body to help professionalise the delivery of health and safety through individuals in any organisation Siobhan Donnelly President of IIRSM says the Affiliate membership ldquoallows the whole workforce to be safety professionalsrdquo

For more information visit wwwiirsmorgmembers or email gregbrowniirsmorg

Safety maverick

Limitation of risk assessment

As individuals we naturally conduct risk assessment to varying degrees of competence In organisations this doesnrsquot tend to happen naturally and needs to be orchestrated by a management system But do we question whether risk assessment always adds value and is it applicable to the situation

Risk is the combination of loss or harm and the likelihood of its realisation But in order to make meaningful and valuable assessments we need relevant knowledge and experience to identify potential hazards or threats and to assess the risk likelihood and severity components The easiest to assess are things like slips trips and falls that happen relatively frequently because data is plentiful Contrast this with major nuclear power plant disasters that are very high in consequence but relatively rare For these situations we need to undertake complex analysis and scenario modelling to achieve the best-informed estimate of the likelihood

of events occurring This happens in an environment where the overall methodology may never be fully validated because such disasters are so rare

Beyond these high and low frequency events there are things outside of the capability of systematic risk assessment that can present all manner of potential harm to individuals organisations and society They are the situations where knowledge and experience are extremely limited making foreseeing and assessing future potential negative events extremely difficult eg novel technologies such as genetically modified organisms and complex evolving systems for example socio-economic

We should not use risk assessment in a ritualistic way without intelligent and informed thinking ndash the only justification for using risk assessment is that it can make us more successful than not using it We should constantly question whether our actions are appropriate and be able to justify using it and not using it

IIRSM ANNUAL CONFERENCE

Speaker line up revealedIIRSM and Health and Safety at Work will once again return to Birmingham on 11 February 2016 for our joint annual conference This popular event now in its 9th year will bring delegates a mixture of case studies presentations and legal updates providing practical solutions for your organisation

With speakers such as Richard Judge (HSE) Heather Bryant (Balfour Beatty) Paul Simpson (Network Rail) Graham Losh (FA Group) Martin Tod (Menrsquos Health Forum) Becky Lee (Staffordshire County Council) and Steffan Groch (Health and Safety Lawyersrsquo Association) and chaired by new IIRSM President Siobhan Donnelly this highly regarded conference is an event not to be missed

Richard Judge who has been at the helm of the HSE for just over a year now will deliver the keynote speech which will be followed by a QampA session with the audience Delegates will be invited to submit their questions to the regulatorrsquos chief executive so donrsquot miss this chance to ask him a burning question

Also presenting is Becky Lee health safety and wellbeing manager for Staffordshire County Council Becky will share the councilrsquos experiences of the two key interventions that have had a massive impact on employee wellbeing and reducing absence ndash the introduction of occupational physiotherapy and use of day one triage assessments has reduced the organisationrsquos musculoskeletal absence by 23 per cent and saved the council more than pound700000 in its first three years

Safety lawyer Steffan Groch (Partner and Head of Regulatory at DWF and chair of the Health and Safety Lawyersrsquo Association) will give delegates to this yearrsquos event a review of the major health and safety cases of 2015 and their lessons for dutyholders As the conference comes just over a week after the Sentencing Guidelines are officially in force Steffan will also consider whether it really will be the largest companies that are hit the hardest and what the unintended consequences may be

With so many high profile speakers already confirmed our annual conference is shaping up to be well worth a visit by anyone tasked with protecting employees

lsquo

Visit wwwiirsmorgevents to book your place today

012016 | wwwiirsmorg12

International News

CAMBODIA

Dizzy workers collapse at textile firm

A garment worker has died and 21 others were hospitalised after they collapsed at a textile factory The incident at the Chinese-owned Or Sambath Trading factory in eastern Prey Veng province was the latest in a string of similar incidents in the sector

The 21-year-old woman reported dizziness and difficulty breathing on 5 November before collapsing She died in hospital Twenty one other workers collapsed later the same day and the next morning with similar symptoms

The factory which employs more than 1200 workers was ordered to close for four days while an investigation was carried out

GLOBAL

Enforcement leads to fewer injuriesRegulatory health and safety inspections that result in enforcement action are effective in reducing work related injuries according to research by the Toronto-based Institute for Work amp Health (IWH)

The systematic review of the international scientific literature confirmed the findings of a 2007 IWH review which covered research from 1970 to 2003 and found evidence that citations and penalties reduced the frequency or severity of injuries

The latest review which looked at 1990 to 2013 found strong evidence for the effectiveness of inspections with citations and penalties in reducing injuries There was also moderate evidence that inspections without penalties have no effect in reducing injuries

USA

Plans to update management guidelinesThe Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is seeking public comment on an updated version of its voluntary ldquoSafety and Health Program Management Guidelinesrdquo

First published in 1989 the guidelines which help employers establish health and safety management plans at their workplaces are being updated to reflect modern technology and practices

ldquoEmployers who embrace these guidelines will experience lower injury and illness rates and their progress in improving the safety culture at their worksites will contribute to higher productivity reduced costs and greater worker satisfactionrdquo said assistant secretary of labor David Michaels OSHA is accepting comments until 15 February

SPAIN

Accident rise blamed on labour market reformsThe number of workplace accidents registered during the first six months of 2015 has grown by almost seven per cent compared to the same period in 2014

In total 218019 ldquominorrdquo accidents were reported 13577 more than the first six months of last year along with 1593 ldquoseriousrdquo accidents one more than during

the same period last year and 239 fatal accidents 16 more than in 2014

Pedro Linares from Spainrsquos largest union the CCOO told union supported news website Equal Times that government labour market reforms had ldquomade dismissals cheaper weakened trade union bargaining power and slackened investment in occupational health and safetyrdquo

AUSTRALIA

Power station explosion injures two Two workers were burned when a transformer exploded at the Liddell Power Station in Hunter Valley on 11 November

Power company AGL which operates the site said about 300 employees were evacuated from the plant in the early afternoon The injured workers were a

PAKISTAN

Workers warned of building cracks before Lahore factory tragedyAt least 46 workers have been killed and many more injured in the collapse of a four-storey plastic bag factory 12 miles east of Lahore

There were an estimated 175 factory workers as well as construction workers inside the building when it collapsed on 4 November

Survivors reported that Rajput Polyester which owned the factory was adding a new floor to the building but had ignored warnings from workers to stop construction because large cracks had appeared in the building after a 75 magnitude earthquake in the region on 26 October

Global union IndustriALL said workers saw cracks a few days before the collapse and told managers but nothing was done

One witness who visited the factory on 2 November said he saw an exhaust pipe was damaged because the wall it was fixed to was sinking slowly into the ground

The owner of the business was reportedly killed while inspecting the factory on the day of the incident

The collapse was the second in Lahore in the last few months In September the roof of a garment factory fell down killing four workers ldquo

These incidents are happening because there are no proper factory inspections being done in Pakistanrdquo said Khalid Mahmood director of the Labour Education Foundation in Lahore

ldquoFactory owners are killing workers by saving money that should have been spent on making workplaces safe There is no political will in government to implement factory inspections and other labour lawsrdquo

IndustriALLrsquos assistant general secretary Kemal Oumlzkan said ldquoWe demand a full transparent independent investigation into this tragedyrdquo He urged the government to take immediate action to prevent more workers being killed in ldquoperilous factoriesrdquo

Rescue workers search the rubble for survivors

copy X

inhu

sRe

x Sh

utte

rsto

ck

wwwiirsmorg | 012016 13

International News

fitter and an apprentice AGL said it was investigating the cause of the incident and production at the station was not affected

SINGAPORE

Health promotion pilot for mature workers More than 600 employees from Sheng Siong Supermarket are involved in a year-long pilot programme to encourage older workers to keep fit and stay healthy

The Workplace Health Intervention Programme for Mature Workers which is organised by the Singaporersquos Health Promotion Board (HPB) is targeting office workers who are largely sedentary frontline retail staff such as cashiers who have to stand for long hours and store assistants who unload goods from delivery trucks

Office workers receive exercise classes nutrition talks health screening and coaching Frontline retail staff can also benefit from ergonomic assessments and are encouraged to adopt healthy lifestyle habits The HPB introduced a similar programme for taxi drivers last year

JAPAN

Employees to be offered stress tests Businesses will be obliged to offer employees an annual test to check their stress levels from December this year

The test which takes the form of a questionnaire is part of a revision of the Industrial Health and Safety Law and will affect more than 20 million employees at about 16000 businesses according to the Health Labor and Welfare Ministry

Employees will not be required to take the test and doctors cannot tell employers the result without permission The law will prevent companies punishing employees for not taking part or firing or unreasonably transferring employees due to results

NEW ZEALAND

NZ$116k penalty for crane crush death Auckland company AJ Russell Bricklayers has been ordered to pay reparation of NZ$80000 and been fined NZ$36000 after an experienced crane operator was crushed between the boom of a crane and a truck deck

Roy Chan was greasing a crane as part of routine end of year maintenance when he inadvertently activated a remote control unit he was wearing That caused the cranersquos boom to move towards the truck deck fatally injuring him

AJ Russell Bricklayers pleaded guilty to breaching Section 6 and 50(1)(a) of the Health and Safety in Employment Act

There were at least two simple steps that could have prevented this deathrdquo said Marcus Nalter of WorkSafe New Zealand

ldquoThe cranersquos power take-off should have been turned off and workers should have been instructed not to wear remote control units during cleaning and maintenance work If such a regime had been in place and been observed then the crane would not have been able to move in the way it didrdquo

USA

FedEx employee dies at Memphis hubThe Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is investigating the death of a worker in a workplace accident at the FedEx hub in Memphis

According to local media reports Chris Higginbottom who was 39 was killed while working an early morning shift on 22 November

Police said Higginbottom died after driving a ldquotugrdquo which moves merchandise to and from FedEx aircraft and the

warehouse into a parked trailer He was found dead underneath the tugrsquos loaded trailer In a statement FedEx said it was working with local authorities on their investigation

BANGLADESH

Govt claims 80 of garment factories safe The government has claimed that more than 80 per cent of garment factories supplying global retailers are safe

Syed Ahmed the inspector general of factories said 1475 garment factories had been assessed as part of a government initiative supported by the International Labour Organization (ILO) Canada the Netherlands and the UK The inspections were instituted in the aftermath of the 2013 collapse of the Rana Plaza factory in which more than 1100 people died

Ahmed said 81 per cent of factories were structurally sound though he acknowledged many needed work on fire safety and electrical systems

Srinivas Reddy Bangladesh country director of the ILO told Reuters most factories needed to improve fire safety and electrical systems before they could be declared safe adding that every factory should come up with a corrective action plan

Thirty seven factories were closed and 36 partially closed after failing their inspections he said

USA

OSHA fines set to rise in 2016 Fines imposed by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) are set to increase for the first time for 25 years under a provision in a recently signed congressional budget deal

The Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act of 1990 exempted OSHA from increasing its penalties to account for inflation But the new bipartisan budget signed into law on 2 November by President Barack Obama contained an amendment removing the exemption

OSHA must now issue an interim final rule by 1 July 2016 increasing its penalties to adjust for current inflation levels which would raise proposed fines by about 80 per cent

This would mean the maximum penalty for a wilful violation would rise to an estimated $127000 from the

current $70000 The adjustment must occur before 1 August 2016

After the initial ldquocatch-uprdquo adjustment to compensate for more than two decades of no increase OSHA will then be allowed to raise fines in subsequent years to keep pace with the ongoing inflation rate

President Obama signs the new budget into law

copy R

EX S

hutt

erst

ock

012016 | wwwiirsmorg14

Membersrsquo Pages

If you are looking for advice call the health and safety information helpline with your questions on +44 (0)1296 678 465 or email iirsmhelplinealcumusgroupcom for information on any health and safety related topic Here are just a few of your recent queries

QampAsSAFETY TRAINING SITE FORMEN

I was recently told that construction site foremen have to undergo recognised safety training Is this correct

According to CDM 2015 ldquoA worker is anybody working for or under the control of a contractor which could include plumbers electricians etc as well as supervisors like foremen and change handsrdquo

The point is then reiterated by the HSE which states that foremen must only carry out construction work if they have the relevant skills knowledge training and experience This would imply that site foremen are required to have suitable and sufficient training but does not state that this training has to be lsquorecognisedrsquo

You may find however that contractual arrangements or industry recognised training such as the Site Management Safety Training Scheme (SMSTS) or the Site Supervisors Safety Training Scheme (SSSTS) is requested or looked for when reviewing the competency levels of construction site foremen

Visit wwwhsegovukconstructioncdm2015workershtm and wwwcitbcouktraining-courseshealth-and-safety-courses for further information

BENCHMARKING ACCIDENT RATES

Can you provide benchmarking statistics for accident rates in both the logistics and automotive sectors

There are a wide range of statistics available for both the logistics and automotive sectors The HSE document regarding the logistics sector (wwwhsegovuklogisticssic2007pdf) is mainly based on statistics taken from 201011minus201314 and can be used to compare your information to the averages

With regards to the automotive industry it is hard to provide you with statistics for the whole of the automotive industry and different aspects will fall under other industries An example of this is the manufacturing of vehicles While technically part of the automotive industry RIDDOR reports would usually come under the manufacturing industry

therefore it would be hard to provide you with an average for this That said there are a range of statistics which relate directly to motor vehicle repair at wwwhsegovukmvrresourcesstatisticsinjurystatshtm and vehicle injuries by sector at wwwhsegovukstatisticscausinjmoving-vehiclespdf

FIRE SAFETY

My organisation is situated in a multi-tenanted building We recently carried out a fire drill for the building to measure response Electrically operated doors did not automatically unlock and still required tenants to use key fobs or press the door release button Apparently the facility to unlock all doors when the fire alarm is operated exists within the system but has not been engaged to maintain security for the tenantsrsquo companies which handle confidential information

While I understand the need to maintain security of the building Irsquom concerned someone could get trapped There are emergency refuge communication points on all landings and each company has a responsibility to check the toilets and maintain a register of visitors but is this enough

In accordance with government guidelines your fire safety and evacuation plan should include

a clear passageway to all escape routes

clearly marked escape routes that are as short and direct as possible

enough exits and routes for all people to escape

emergency doors that open easily emergency lighting where needed training for all employees to know

and use the escape routes a safe meeting point for staff

With the central core of the building not having an easily opened exit it could be considered that you are not doing everything reasonably practicable to ensure the safety of all people

The risk assessment that you must carry out will help you ensure that your fire safety procedures fire prevention measures and fire precautions (plans systems and equipment) are all in place

and working properly and the risk assessment should identify any issues that need attention

In this case if the facility already exists to allow for the safe exit from the building without the aid of fellow members of staff we believe that this should be activated Although the procedure is in place for each section to have the responsibility for their guests and to check the facilities human error could still result in the unintentional trapping of people during a fire

The government regulations are available at wwwgovukworkplace-fire-safety-your-responsibilitieswho-is-responsible and a guide to fire risk assessments for office blocks can be found at httpbitly1I6sL7n

SCAFFOLD PLATFORMS

Is there a set requirement to secure the boards on scaffold platforms Our previous scaffolding contractor does this as standard but our new one doesnrsquot unless therersquos a problem

All scaffolds should be designed erected altered and dismantled only by competent people and the work should always be carried out under the direction of a competent supervisor This is a requirement of the Work at Height Regulations 2005

Though there is no legal requirement to secure boards on a scaffolding platform the HSE document lsquoHealth and Safety in Constructionrsquo states that the platform must be lsquostablersquo and where work at height is to be undertaken safe

With regards to the enforcement of securing the scaffolding boards the scaffolding contractor has a legal requirement to ensure that the work at height is safe They should therefore have a suitable and sufficient risk assessment in place to ensure a safe place of work is provided and all potential hazards (for example icy or windy conditions) have been taken into account

The HSE document lsquoHealth and Safety in Constructionrsquo can be found at wwwhsegovukpubnspricedhsg150pdf and a brief guide to working at height

012016 | wwwiirsmorg10

Institute News

CONFERENCE

Live events the importance of safetyMembers of the UKrsquos leading risk safety organisations gathered on 17 November in front of a crowd of more than 70 delegates from the live events safety sector as part of the Live Events Competence Conference

The conference was a collaboration between IIRSM the Safety Advisors Group in Entertainment (SAGE) Stagesafe (a specialist consultancy) and Buckinghamshire New University It was designed to identify support and develop health and safety competence for the events sector and to offer technical updates and solutions The sector needs a relevant and reliable source of competence and the reassurance that it would provide this to events managers promoters organisers and the enforcing authorities The presenters and audience discussed how the profession can help organisers and promoters to ensure they know what they should be looking for in a prospective safety adviser when planning an event The role is safety critical and therefore a high level of competence is required

Chaired by Michael Anderson (Chairman of SAGE) the conference speakers included Gavin Bull (HSE) Greg Brown (IIRSM) Solomon NrsquoJie (Buckinghamshire New University) James Eade (Institution of Engineering and Technology) Chris Higgs (National Rigging Advisory Group) and Emma Parkinson (Department of Security and Resilience at Buckinghamshire New University)

Chris Higgs spoke in depth about LOLER (the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations) Specifically he highlighted what to consider when deciding how to reduce risks from rigging activities at live events

These included the type of load being lifted itrsquos

weight shape and what it consists of the risk of a load falling moving

breaking up or striking a person or an object and the consequences

the risk of lifting equipment failing or falling over while in use

the risk of damage to lifting the equipment

Gavin Bull and Michael Anderson discussed HSE enforcement plans and CDM guidance for the sector This included the (close to being finalised) draft HSE CDM duty holder roles as they map to all parts of the sector (for example outdoor events theatre TV exhibitions)

They spoke about key points for securing health and safety within the workplace such as cooperation coordination and communication within the workforce pointing the right people at the right time and consultating and engaging with workers

Solomon NrsquoJie has more than 30 yearsrsquo experience in crowd safety management and has been involved with crowd safety at more than 1500 events (including LOCOG for the London 2012 Olympics) He addressed the issue of crowd management control and spoke about the difference between site safety and crowd safety which is often confused by promoters who assume they are the same when in fact they require different approaches

He identified and emphasised the importance of having a crowd management plan which would

identify risks to crowd safety enable management systems to be put

in place explained a dual concept approach

including engineering and environment safety measures and plans

He finished his presentation by reminding delegates that crowd management is a team effort and a better understanding of roles and responsibilities at all types of organised events is required

Greg Brown addressed the issue of identifying competence and referred to the Occupational Safety and Health Consultantsrsquo Register (OSHCR) He highlighted the need for a common position in the areas of health and safety capabilities transferable skills and a wider risk dimension

James Eade followed with a presentation about the standard for events BS7909 Electrical Safety at Events He focused on the importance of keeping electrical fuses cables and outlets protected and highlighted the dangers and possible outcomes of having unprotected wires and fuses

James talked about the concept of a Senior Person Responsible (SPR) to manage to the electrical system The SPR he noted should have ldquosufficient and suitable competence to enable them to ensure the safety in all respects of any temporary electrical system in all conditions that can reasonably be predicted to occurrdquo

The final speaker was Emma Parkinson from Buckinghamshire New University Emma leads the universityrsquos Foundation and Bachelorrsquos degrees in Crowd Safety Management and explained how this programme has been able to reach out to many people and enabled them to develop expertise in this area The courses cover personal and professional development an introduction to events crowd safety by design crowd management planning crowd dynamics and risk management

The conference programme was well received with many agreeing to support a campaign designed to improve competence as well as awareness among promoters about how they can ensure that prospective candidates are suitably qualified SAGE recommends the following criteria

membership of a health and safety institute (IIRSM or IOSH)

qualified to NEBOSH Diploma Level (or equivalent)

membership of an event industry trade association

five years of event industry experience (not necessarily health and safety experience)

taking part in a Continuing Professional Development (CPD) scheme

Professional Indemnity Insurance cover of pound1000000 (provided by the individualrsquos employer or by the actual individual for self-employed advisersconsultants

Overall it was a very positive event which enabled IIRSM to help support our members and the events sector in this niche area of health and safety management We look forward to working with SAGE and the other collaborators to take the campaign forward

wwwiirsmorg | 012016 11

Institute News

NEW MEMBERSHIP GRADE

A new age for individual supportYour Council has approved an exciting membership development that can be scaled to work for groups or sections from any business or organisation Our new Affiliate level opens the door on professional networking to individuals who may need help and support in their day to day roles

The grade is designed to encourage supervisors and managers to become involved and access the institutersquos educational material or have direct contact with existing members IIRSM has always been about supporting individuals and working with businesses to help them through our events publications or technical support ndashcollaboration and co-operation is the name of the game helping those who have a day to day responsiblity for hands-on risk management

We will provide new Affiliate members with an IIRSM Affiliate mentor to help them get the best out of their membership and to appreciate how we can help them with their development or qualifications if that is their goal An Affiliate can join us with

no health and safety qualifications because this is about motivation ndash a dialogue with a friendly supportive point of contact who will nurture and develop proportionate risk management

Affiliates will also be those with an entry-level qualification in health and safety (such as the NEBOSH Award Highfield (HABC) Level 3 or IOSH Managing Safely) and may want to progress to Associate membership We will help them to identify routes to achieve this

Are there supervisors or managers in your workplace that could benefit from this We welcome discussions about meaningful group discounts and further tailored CPD and support We believe this is a genuinely novel approach for a membership body to help professionalise the delivery of health and safety through individuals in any organisation Siobhan Donnelly President of IIRSM says the Affiliate membership ldquoallows the whole workforce to be safety professionalsrdquo

For more information visit wwwiirsmorgmembers or email gregbrowniirsmorg

Safety maverick

Limitation of risk assessment

As individuals we naturally conduct risk assessment to varying degrees of competence In organisations this doesnrsquot tend to happen naturally and needs to be orchestrated by a management system But do we question whether risk assessment always adds value and is it applicable to the situation

Risk is the combination of loss or harm and the likelihood of its realisation But in order to make meaningful and valuable assessments we need relevant knowledge and experience to identify potential hazards or threats and to assess the risk likelihood and severity components The easiest to assess are things like slips trips and falls that happen relatively frequently because data is plentiful Contrast this with major nuclear power plant disasters that are very high in consequence but relatively rare For these situations we need to undertake complex analysis and scenario modelling to achieve the best-informed estimate of the likelihood

of events occurring This happens in an environment where the overall methodology may never be fully validated because such disasters are so rare

Beyond these high and low frequency events there are things outside of the capability of systematic risk assessment that can present all manner of potential harm to individuals organisations and society They are the situations where knowledge and experience are extremely limited making foreseeing and assessing future potential negative events extremely difficult eg novel technologies such as genetically modified organisms and complex evolving systems for example socio-economic

We should not use risk assessment in a ritualistic way without intelligent and informed thinking ndash the only justification for using risk assessment is that it can make us more successful than not using it We should constantly question whether our actions are appropriate and be able to justify using it and not using it

IIRSM ANNUAL CONFERENCE

Speaker line up revealedIIRSM and Health and Safety at Work will once again return to Birmingham on 11 February 2016 for our joint annual conference This popular event now in its 9th year will bring delegates a mixture of case studies presentations and legal updates providing practical solutions for your organisation

With speakers such as Richard Judge (HSE) Heather Bryant (Balfour Beatty) Paul Simpson (Network Rail) Graham Losh (FA Group) Martin Tod (Menrsquos Health Forum) Becky Lee (Staffordshire County Council) and Steffan Groch (Health and Safety Lawyersrsquo Association) and chaired by new IIRSM President Siobhan Donnelly this highly regarded conference is an event not to be missed

Richard Judge who has been at the helm of the HSE for just over a year now will deliver the keynote speech which will be followed by a QampA session with the audience Delegates will be invited to submit their questions to the regulatorrsquos chief executive so donrsquot miss this chance to ask him a burning question

Also presenting is Becky Lee health safety and wellbeing manager for Staffordshire County Council Becky will share the councilrsquos experiences of the two key interventions that have had a massive impact on employee wellbeing and reducing absence ndash the introduction of occupational physiotherapy and use of day one triage assessments has reduced the organisationrsquos musculoskeletal absence by 23 per cent and saved the council more than pound700000 in its first three years

Safety lawyer Steffan Groch (Partner and Head of Regulatory at DWF and chair of the Health and Safety Lawyersrsquo Association) will give delegates to this yearrsquos event a review of the major health and safety cases of 2015 and their lessons for dutyholders As the conference comes just over a week after the Sentencing Guidelines are officially in force Steffan will also consider whether it really will be the largest companies that are hit the hardest and what the unintended consequences may be

With so many high profile speakers already confirmed our annual conference is shaping up to be well worth a visit by anyone tasked with protecting employees

lsquo

Visit wwwiirsmorgevents to book your place today

012016 | wwwiirsmorg12

International News

CAMBODIA

Dizzy workers collapse at textile firm

A garment worker has died and 21 others were hospitalised after they collapsed at a textile factory The incident at the Chinese-owned Or Sambath Trading factory in eastern Prey Veng province was the latest in a string of similar incidents in the sector

The 21-year-old woman reported dizziness and difficulty breathing on 5 November before collapsing She died in hospital Twenty one other workers collapsed later the same day and the next morning with similar symptoms

The factory which employs more than 1200 workers was ordered to close for four days while an investigation was carried out

GLOBAL

Enforcement leads to fewer injuriesRegulatory health and safety inspections that result in enforcement action are effective in reducing work related injuries according to research by the Toronto-based Institute for Work amp Health (IWH)

The systematic review of the international scientific literature confirmed the findings of a 2007 IWH review which covered research from 1970 to 2003 and found evidence that citations and penalties reduced the frequency or severity of injuries

The latest review which looked at 1990 to 2013 found strong evidence for the effectiveness of inspections with citations and penalties in reducing injuries There was also moderate evidence that inspections without penalties have no effect in reducing injuries

USA

Plans to update management guidelinesThe Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is seeking public comment on an updated version of its voluntary ldquoSafety and Health Program Management Guidelinesrdquo

First published in 1989 the guidelines which help employers establish health and safety management plans at their workplaces are being updated to reflect modern technology and practices

ldquoEmployers who embrace these guidelines will experience lower injury and illness rates and their progress in improving the safety culture at their worksites will contribute to higher productivity reduced costs and greater worker satisfactionrdquo said assistant secretary of labor David Michaels OSHA is accepting comments until 15 February

SPAIN

Accident rise blamed on labour market reformsThe number of workplace accidents registered during the first six months of 2015 has grown by almost seven per cent compared to the same period in 2014

In total 218019 ldquominorrdquo accidents were reported 13577 more than the first six months of last year along with 1593 ldquoseriousrdquo accidents one more than during

the same period last year and 239 fatal accidents 16 more than in 2014

Pedro Linares from Spainrsquos largest union the CCOO told union supported news website Equal Times that government labour market reforms had ldquomade dismissals cheaper weakened trade union bargaining power and slackened investment in occupational health and safetyrdquo

AUSTRALIA

Power station explosion injures two Two workers were burned when a transformer exploded at the Liddell Power Station in Hunter Valley on 11 November

Power company AGL which operates the site said about 300 employees were evacuated from the plant in the early afternoon The injured workers were a

PAKISTAN

Workers warned of building cracks before Lahore factory tragedyAt least 46 workers have been killed and many more injured in the collapse of a four-storey plastic bag factory 12 miles east of Lahore

There were an estimated 175 factory workers as well as construction workers inside the building when it collapsed on 4 November

Survivors reported that Rajput Polyester which owned the factory was adding a new floor to the building but had ignored warnings from workers to stop construction because large cracks had appeared in the building after a 75 magnitude earthquake in the region on 26 October

Global union IndustriALL said workers saw cracks a few days before the collapse and told managers but nothing was done

One witness who visited the factory on 2 November said he saw an exhaust pipe was damaged because the wall it was fixed to was sinking slowly into the ground

The owner of the business was reportedly killed while inspecting the factory on the day of the incident

The collapse was the second in Lahore in the last few months In September the roof of a garment factory fell down killing four workers ldquo

These incidents are happening because there are no proper factory inspections being done in Pakistanrdquo said Khalid Mahmood director of the Labour Education Foundation in Lahore

ldquoFactory owners are killing workers by saving money that should have been spent on making workplaces safe There is no political will in government to implement factory inspections and other labour lawsrdquo

IndustriALLrsquos assistant general secretary Kemal Oumlzkan said ldquoWe demand a full transparent independent investigation into this tragedyrdquo He urged the government to take immediate action to prevent more workers being killed in ldquoperilous factoriesrdquo

Rescue workers search the rubble for survivors

copy X

inhu

sRe

x Sh

utte

rsto

ck

wwwiirsmorg | 012016 13

International News

fitter and an apprentice AGL said it was investigating the cause of the incident and production at the station was not affected

SINGAPORE

Health promotion pilot for mature workers More than 600 employees from Sheng Siong Supermarket are involved in a year-long pilot programme to encourage older workers to keep fit and stay healthy

The Workplace Health Intervention Programme for Mature Workers which is organised by the Singaporersquos Health Promotion Board (HPB) is targeting office workers who are largely sedentary frontline retail staff such as cashiers who have to stand for long hours and store assistants who unload goods from delivery trucks

Office workers receive exercise classes nutrition talks health screening and coaching Frontline retail staff can also benefit from ergonomic assessments and are encouraged to adopt healthy lifestyle habits The HPB introduced a similar programme for taxi drivers last year

JAPAN

Employees to be offered stress tests Businesses will be obliged to offer employees an annual test to check their stress levels from December this year

The test which takes the form of a questionnaire is part of a revision of the Industrial Health and Safety Law and will affect more than 20 million employees at about 16000 businesses according to the Health Labor and Welfare Ministry

Employees will not be required to take the test and doctors cannot tell employers the result without permission The law will prevent companies punishing employees for not taking part or firing or unreasonably transferring employees due to results

NEW ZEALAND

NZ$116k penalty for crane crush death Auckland company AJ Russell Bricklayers has been ordered to pay reparation of NZ$80000 and been fined NZ$36000 after an experienced crane operator was crushed between the boom of a crane and a truck deck

Roy Chan was greasing a crane as part of routine end of year maintenance when he inadvertently activated a remote control unit he was wearing That caused the cranersquos boom to move towards the truck deck fatally injuring him

AJ Russell Bricklayers pleaded guilty to breaching Section 6 and 50(1)(a) of the Health and Safety in Employment Act

There were at least two simple steps that could have prevented this deathrdquo said Marcus Nalter of WorkSafe New Zealand

ldquoThe cranersquos power take-off should have been turned off and workers should have been instructed not to wear remote control units during cleaning and maintenance work If such a regime had been in place and been observed then the crane would not have been able to move in the way it didrdquo

USA

FedEx employee dies at Memphis hubThe Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is investigating the death of a worker in a workplace accident at the FedEx hub in Memphis

According to local media reports Chris Higginbottom who was 39 was killed while working an early morning shift on 22 November

Police said Higginbottom died after driving a ldquotugrdquo which moves merchandise to and from FedEx aircraft and the

warehouse into a parked trailer He was found dead underneath the tugrsquos loaded trailer In a statement FedEx said it was working with local authorities on their investigation

BANGLADESH

Govt claims 80 of garment factories safe The government has claimed that more than 80 per cent of garment factories supplying global retailers are safe

Syed Ahmed the inspector general of factories said 1475 garment factories had been assessed as part of a government initiative supported by the International Labour Organization (ILO) Canada the Netherlands and the UK The inspections were instituted in the aftermath of the 2013 collapse of the Rana Plaza factory in which more than 1100 people died

Ahmed said 81 per cent of factories were structurally sound though he acknowledged many needed work on fire safety and electrical systems

Srinivas Reddy Bangladesh country director of the ILO told Reuters most factories needed to improve fire safety and electrical systems before they could be declared safe adding that every factory should come up with a corrective action plan

Thirty seven factories were closed and 36 partially closed after failing their inspections he said

USA

OSHA fines set to rise in 2016 Fines imposed by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) are set to increase for the first time for 25 years under a provision in a recently signed congressional budget deal

The Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act of 1990 exempted OSHA from increasing its penalties to account for inflation But the new bipartisan budget signed into law on 2 November by President Barack Obama contained an amendment removing the exemption

OSHA must now issue an interim final rule by 1 July 2016 increasing its penalties to adjust for current inflation levels which would raise proposed fines by about 80 per cent

This would mean the maximum penalty for a wilful violation would rise to an estimated $127000 from the

current $70000 The adjustment must occur before 1 August 2016

After the initial ldquocatch-uprdquo adjustment to compensate for more than two decades of no increase OSHA will then be allowed to raise fines in subsequent years to keep pace with the ongoing inflation rate

President Obama signs the new budget into law

copy R

EX S

hutt

erst

ock

012016 | wwwiirsmorg14

Membersrsquo Pages

If you are looking for advice call the health and safety information helpline with your questions on +44 (0)1296 678 465 or email iirsmhelplinealcumusgroupcom for information on any health and safety related topic Here are just a few of your recent queries

QampAsSAFETY TRAINING SITE FORMEN

I was recently told that construction site foremen have to undergo recognised safety training Is this correct

According to CDM 2015 ldquoA worker is anybody working for or under the control of a contractor which could include plumbers electricians etc as well as supervisors like foremen and change handsrdquo

The point is then reiterated by the HSE which states that foremen must only carry out construction work if they have the relevant skills knowledge training and experience This would imply that site foremen are required to have suitable and sufficient training but does not state that this training has to be lsquorecognisedrsquo

You may find however that contractual arrangements or industry recognised training such as the Site Management Safety Training Scheme (SMSTS) or the Site Supervisors Safety Training Scheme (SSSTS) is requested or looked for when reviewing the competency levels of construction site foremen

Visit wwwhsegovukconstructioncdm2015workershtm and wwwcitbcouktraining-courseshealth-and-safety-courses for further information

BENCHMARKING ACCIDENT RATES

Can you provide benchmarking statistics for accident rates in both the logistics and automotive sectors

There are a wide range of statistics available for both the logistics and automotive sectors The HSE document regarding the logistics sector (wwwhsegovuklogisticssic2007pdf) is mainly based on statistics taken from 201011minus201314 and can be used to compare your information to the averages

With regards to the automotive industry it is hard to provide you with statistics for the whole of the automotive industry and different aspects will fall under other industries An example of this is the manufacturing of vehicles While technically part of the automotive industry RIDDOR reports would usually come under the manufacturing industry

therefore it would be hard to provide you with an average for this That said there are a range of statistics which relate directly to motor vehicle repair at wwwhsegovukmvrresourcesstatisticsinjurystatshtm and vehicle injuries by sector at wwwhsegovukstatisticscausinjmoving-vehiclespdf

FIRE SAFETY

My organisation is situated in a multi-tenanted building We recently carried out a fire drill for the building to measure response Electrically operated doors did not automatically unlock and still required tenants to use key fobs or press the door release button Apparently the facility to unlock all doors when the fire alarm is operated exists within the system but has not been engaged to maintain security for the tenantsrsquo companies which handle confidential information

While I understand the need to maintain security of the building Irsquom concerned someone could get trapped There are emergency refuge communication points on all landings and each company has a responsibility to check the toilets and maintain a register of visitors but is this enough

In accordance with government guidelines your fire safety and evacuation plan should include

a clear passageway to all escape routes

clearly marked escape routes that are as short and direct as possible

enough exits and routes for all people to escape

emergency doors that open easily emergency lighting where needed training for all employees to know

and use the escape routes a safe meeting point for staff

With the central core of the building not having an easily opened exit it could be considered that you are not doing everything reasonably practicable to ensure the safety of all people

The risk assessment that you must carry out will help you ensure that your fire safety procedures fire prevention measures and fire precautions (plans systems and equipment) are all in place

and working properly and the risk assessment should identify any issues that need attention

In this case if the facility already exists to allow for the safe exit from the building without the aid of fellow members of staff we believe that this should be activated Although the procedure is in place for each section to have the responsibility for their guests and to check the facilities human error could still result in the unintentional trapping of people during a fire

The government regulations are available at wwwgovukworkplace-fire-safety-your-responsibilitieswho-is-responsible and a guide to fire risk assessments for office blocks can be found at httpbitly1I6sL7n

SCAFFOLD PLATFORMS

Is there a set requirement to secure the boards on scaffold platforms Our previous scaffolding contractor does this as standard but our new one doesnrsquot unless therersquos a problem

All scaffolds should be designed erected altered and dismantled only by competent people and the work should always be carried out under the direction of a competent supervisor This is a requirement of the Work at Height Regulations 2005

Though there is no legal requirement to secure boards on a scaffolding platform the HSE document lsquoHealth and Safety in Constructionrsquo states that the platform must be lsquostablersquo and where work at height is to be undertaken safe

With regards to the enforcement of securing the scaffolding boards the scaffolding contractor has a legal requirement to ensure that the work at height is safe They should therefore have a suitable and sufficient risk assessment in place to ensure a safe place of work is provided and all potential hazards (for example icy or windy conditions) have been taken into account

The HSE document lsquoHealth and Safety in Constructionrsquo can be found at wwwhsegovukpubnspricedhsg150pdf and a brief guide to working at height

wwwiirsmorg | 012016 11

Institute News

NEW MEMBERSHIP GRADE

A new age for individual supportYour Council has approved an exciting membership development that can be scaled to work for groups or sections from any business or organisation Our new Affiliate level opens the door on professional networking to individuals who may need help and support in their day to day roles

The grade is designed to encourage supervisors and managers to become involved and access the institutersquos educational material or have direct contact with existing members IIRSM has always been about supporting individuals and working with businesses to help them through our events publications or technical support ndashcollaboration and co-operation is the name of the game helping those who have a day to day responsiblity for hands-on risk management

We will provide new Affiliate members with an IIRSM Affiliate mentor to help them get the best out of their membership and to appreciate how we can help them with their development or qualifications if that is their goal An Affiliate can join us with

no health and safety qualifications because this is about motivation ndash a dialogue with a friendly supportive point of contact who will nurture and develop proportionate risk management

Affiliates will also be those with an entry-level qualification in health and safety (such as the NEBOSH Award Highfield (HABC) Level 3 or IOSH Managing Safely) and may want to progress to Associate membership We will help them to identify routes to achieve this

Are there supervisors or managers in your workplace that could benefit from this We welcome discussions about meaningful group discounts and further tailored CPD and support We believe this is a genuinely novel approach for a membership body to help professionalise the delivery of health and safety through individuals in any organisation Siobhan Donnelly President of IIRSM says the Affiliate membership ldquoallows the whole workforce to be safety professionalsrdquo

For more information visit wwwiirsmorgmembers or email gregbrowniirsmorg

Safety maverick

Limitation of risk assessment

As individuals we naturally conduct risk assessment to varying degrees of competence In organisations this doesnrsquot tend to happen naturally and needs to be orchestrated by a management system But do we question whether risk assessment always adds value and is it applicable to the situation

Risk is the combination of loss or harm and the likelihood of its realisation But in order to make meaningful and valuable assessments we need relevant knowledge and experience to identify potential hazards or threats and to assess the risk likelihood and severity components The easiest to assess are things like slips trips and falls that happen relatively frequently because data is plentiful Contrast this with major nuclear power plant disasters that are very high in consequence but relatively rare For these situations we need to undertake complex analysis and scenario modelling to achieve the best-informed estimate of the likelihood

of events occurring This happens in an environment where the overall methodology may never be fully validated because such disasters are so rare

Beyond these high and low frequency events there are things outside of the capability of systematic risk assessment that can present all manner of potential harm to individuals organisations and society They are the situations where knowledge and experience are extremely limited making foreseeing and assessing future potential negative events extremely difficult eg novel technologies such as genetically modified organisms and complex evolving systems for example socio-economic

We should not use risk assessment in a ritualistic way without intelligent and informed thinking ndash the only justification for using risk assessment is that it can make us more successful than not using it We should constantly question whether our actions are appropriate and be able to justify using it and not using it

IIRSM ANNUAL CONFERENCE

Speaker line up revealedIIRSM and Health and Safety at Work will once again return to Birmingham on 11 February 2016 for our joint annual conference This popular event now in its 9th year will bring delegates a mixture of case studies presentations and legal updates providing practical solutions for your organisation

With speakers such as Richard Judge (HSE) Heather Bryant (Balfour Beatty) Paul Simpson (Network Rail) Graham Losh (FA Group) Martin Tod (Menrsquos Health Forum) Becky Lee (Staffordshire County Council) and Steffan Groch (Health and Safety Lawyersrsquo Association) and chaired by new IIRSM President Siobhan Donnelly this highly regarded conference is an event not to be missed

Richard Judge who has been at the helm of the HSE for just over a year now will deliver the keynote speech which will be followed by a QampA session with the audience Delegates will be invited to submit their questions to the regulatorrsquos chief executive so donrsquot miss this chance to ask him a burning question

Also presenting is Becky Lee health safety and wellbeing manager for Staffordshire County Council Becky will share the councilrsquos experiences of the two key interventions that have had a massive impact on employee wellbeing and reducing absence ndash the introduction of occupational physiotherapy and use of day one triage assessments has reduced the organisationrsquos musculoskeletal absence by 23 per cent and saved the council more than pound700000 in its first three years

Safety lawyer Steffan Groch (Partner and Head of Regulatory at DWF and chair of the Health and Safety Lawyersrsquo Association) will give delegates to this yearrsquos event a review of the major health and safety cases of 2015 and their lessons for dutyholders As the conference comes just over a week after the Sentencing Guidelines are officially in force Steffan will also consider whether it really will be the largest companies that are hit the hardest and what the unintended consequences may be

With so many high profile speakers already confirmed our annual conference is shaping up to be well worth a visit by anyone tasked with protecting employees

lsquo

Visit wwwiirsmorgevents to book your place today

012016 | wwwiirsmorg12

International News

CAMBODIA

Dizzy workers collapse at textile firm

A garment worker has died and 21 others were hospitalised after they collapsed at a textile factory The incident at the Chinese-owned Or Sambath Trading factory in eastern Prey Veng province was the latest in a string of similar incidents in the sector

The 21-year-old woman reported dizziness and difficulty breathing on 5 November before collapsing She died in hospital Twenty one other workers collapsed later the same day and the next morning with similar symptoms

The factory which employs more than 1200 workers was ordered to close for four days while an investigation was carried out

GLOBAL

Enforcement leads to fewer injuriesRegulatory health and safety inspections that result in enforcement action are effective in reducing work related injuries according to research by the Toronto-based Institute for Work amp Health (IWH)

The systematic review of the international scientific literature confirmed the findings of a 2007 IWH review which covered research from 1970 to 2003 and found evidence that citations and penalties reduced the frequency or severity of injuries

The latest review which looked at 1990 to 2013 found strong evidence for the effectiveness of inspections with citations and penalties in reducing injuries There was also moderate evidence that inspections without penalties have no effect in reducing injuries

USA

Plans to update management guidelinesThe Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is seeking public comment on an updated version of its voluntary ldquoSafety and Health Program Management Guidelinesrdquo

First published in 1989 the guidelines which help employers establish health and safety management plans at their workplaces are being updated to reflect modern technology and practices

ldquoEmployers who embrace these guidelines will experience lower injury and illness rates and their progress in improving the safety culture at their worksites will contribute to higher productivity reduced costs and greater worker satisfactionrdquo said assistant secretary of labor David Michaels OSHA is accepting comments until 15 February

SPAIN

Accident rise blamed on labour market reformsThe number of workplace accidents registered during the first six months of 2015 has grown by almost seven per cent compared to the same period in 2014

In total 218019 ldquominorrdquo accidents were reported 13577 more than the first six months of last year along with 1593 ldquoseriousrdquo accidents one more than during

the same period last year and 239 fatal accidents 16 more than in 2014

Pedro Linares from Spainrsquos largest union the CCOO told union supported news website Equal Times that government labour market reforms had ldquomade dismissals cheaper weakened trade union bargaining power and slackened investment in occupational health and safetyrdquo

AUSTRALIA

Power station explosion injures two Two workers were burned when a transformer exploded at the Liddell Power Station in Hunter Valley on 11 November

Power company AGL which operates the site said about 300 employees were evacuated from the plant in the early afternoon The injured workers were a

PAKISTAN

Workers warned of building cracks before Lahore factory tragedyAt least 46 workers have been killed and many more injured in the collapse of a four-storey plastic bag factory 12 miles east of Lahore

There were an estimated 175 factory workers as well as construction workers inside the building when it collapsed on 4 November

Survivors reported that Rajput Polyester which owned the factory was adding a new floor to the building but had ignored warnings from workers to stop construction because large cracks had appeared in the building after a 75 magnitude earthquake in the region on 26 October

Global union IndustriALL said workers saw cracks a few days before the collapse and told managers but nothing was done

One witness who visited the factory on 2 November said he saw an exhaust pipe was damaged because the wall it was fixed to was sinking slowly into the ground

The owner of the business was reportedly killed while inspecting the factory on the day of the incident

The collapse was the second in Lahore in the last few months In September the roof of a garment factory fell down killing four workers ldquo

These incidents are happening because there are no proper factory inspections being done in Pakistanrdquo said Khalid Mahmood director of the Labour Education Foundation in Lahore

ldquoFactory owners are killing workers by saving money that should have been spent on making workplaces safe There is no political will in government to implement factory inspections and other labour lawsrdquo

IndustriALLrsquos assistant general secretary Kemal Oumlzkan said ldquoWe demand a full transparent independent investigation into this tragedyrdquo He urged the government to take immediate action to prevent more workers being killed in ldquoperilous factoriesrdquo

Rescue workers search the rubble for survivors

copy X

inhu

sRe

x Sh

utte

rsto

ck

wwwiirsmorg | 012016 13

International News

fitter and an apprentice AGL said it was investigating the cause of the incident and production at the station was not affected

SINGAPORE

Health promotion pilot for mature workers More than 600 employees from Sheng Siong Supermarket are involved in a year-long pilot programme to encourage older workers to keep fit and stay healthy

The Workplace Health Intervention Programme for Mature Workers which is organised by the Singaporersquos Health Promotion Board (HPB) is targeting office workers who are largely sedentary frontline retail staff such as cashiers who have to stand for long hours and store assistants who unload goods from delivery trucks

Office workers receive exercise classes nutrition talks health screening and coaching Frontline retail staff can also benefit from ergonomic assessments and are encouraged to adopt healthy lifestyle habits The HPB introduced a similar programme for taxi drivers last year

JAPAN

Employees to be offered stress tests Businesses will be obliged to offer employees an annual test to check their stress levels from December this year

The test which takes the form of a questionnaire is part of a revision of the Industrial Health and Safety Law and will affect more than 20 million employees at about 16000 businesses according to the Health Labor and Welfare Ministry

Employees will not be required to take the test and doctors cannot tell employers the result without permission The law will prevent companies punishing employees for not taking part or firing or unreasonably transferring employees due to results

NEW ZEALAND

NZ$116k penalty for crane crush death Auckland company AJ Russell Bricklayers has been ordered to pay reparation of NZ$80000 and been fined NZ$36000 after an experienced crane operator was crushed between the boom of a crane and a truck deck

Roy Chan was greasing a crane as part of routine end of year maintenance when he inadvertently activated a remote control unit he was wearing That caused the cranersquos boom to move towards the truck deck fatally injuring him

AJ Russell Bricklayers pleaded guilty to breaching Section 6 and 50(1)(a) of the Health and Safety in Employment Act

There were at least two simple steps that could have prevented this deathrdquo said Marcus Nalter of WorkSafe New Zealand

ldquoThe cranersquos power take-off should have been turned off and workers should have been instructed not to wear remote control units during cleaning and maintenance work If such a regime had been in place and been observed then the crane would not have been able to move in the way it didrdquo

USA

FedEx employee dies at Memphis hubThe Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is investigating the death of a worker in a workplace accident at the FedEx hub in Memphis

According to local media reports Chris Higginbottom who was 39 was killed while working an early morning shift on 22 November

Police said Higginbottom died after driving a ldquotugrdquo which moves merchandise to and from FedEx aircraft and the

warehouse into a parked trailer He was found dead underneath the tugrsquos loaded trailer In a statement FedEx said it was working with local authorities on their investigation

BANGLADESH

Govt claims 80 of garment factories safe The government has claimed that more than 80 per cent of garment factories supplying global retailers are safe

Syed Ahmed the inspector general of factories said 1475 garment factories had been assessed as part of a government initiative supported by the International Labour Organization (ILO) Canada the Netherlands and the UK The inspections were instituted in the aftermath of the 2013 collapse of the Rana Plaza factory in which more than 1100 people died

Ahmed said 81 per cent of factories were structurally sound though he acknowledged many needed work on fire safety and electrical systems

Srinivas Reddy Bangladesh country director of the ILO told Reuters most factories needed to improve fire safety and electrical systems before they could be declared safe adding that every factory should come up with a corrective action plan

Thirty seven factories were closed and 36 partially closed after failing their inspections he said

USA

OSHA fines set to rise in 2016 Fines imposed by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) are set to increase for the first time for 25 years under a provision in a recently signed congressional budget deal

The Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act of 1990 exempted OSHA from increasing its penalties to account for inflation But the new bipartisan budget signed into law on 2 November by President Barack Obama contained an amendment removing the exemption

OSHA must now issue an interim final rule by 1 July 2016 increasing its penalties to adjust for current inflation levels which would raise proposed fines by about 80 per cent

This would mean the maximum penalty for a wilful violation would rise to an estimated $127000 from the

current $70000 The adjustment must occur before 1 August 2016

After the initial ldquocatch-uprdquo adjustment to compensate for more than two decades of no increase OSHA will then be allowed to raise fines in subsequent years to keep pace with the ongoing inflation rate

President Obama signs the new budget into law

copy R

EX S

hutt

erst

ock

012016 | wwwiirsmorg14

Membersrsquo Pages

If you are looking for advice call the health and safety information helpline with your questions on +44 (0)1296 678 465 or email iirsmhelplinealcumusgroupcom for information on any health and safety related topic Here are just a few of your recent queries

QampAsSAFETY TRAINING SITE FORMEN

I was recently told that construction site foremen have to undergo recognised safety training Is this correct

According to CDM 2015 ldquoA worker is anybody working for or under the control of a contractor which could include plumbers electricians etc as well as supervisors like foremen and change handsrdquo

The point is then reiterated by the HSE which states that foremen must only carry out construction work if they have the relevant skills knowledge training and experience This would imply that site foremen are required to have suitable and sufficient training but does not state that this training has to be lsquorecognisedrsquo

You may find however that contractual arrangements or industry recognised training such as the Site Management Safety Training Scheme (SMSTS) or the Site Supervisors Safety Training Scheme (SSSTS) is requested or looked for when reviewing the competency levels of construction site foremen

Visit wwwhsegovukconstructioncdm2015workershtm and wwwcitbcouktraining-courseshealth-and-safety-courses for further information

BENCHMARKING ACCIDENT RATES

Can you provide benchmarking statistics for accident rates in both the logistics and automotive sectors

There are a wide range of statistics available for both the logistics and automotive sectors The HSE document regarding the logistics sector (wwwhsegovuklogisticssic2007pdf) is mainly based on statistics taken from 201011minus201314 and can be used to compare your information to the averages

With regards to the automotive industry it is hard to provide you with statistics for the whole of the automotive industry and different aspects will fall under other industries An example of this is the manufacturing of vehicles While technically part of the automotive industry RIDDOR reports would usually come under the manufacturing industry

therefore it would be hard to provide you with an average for this That said there are a range of statistics which relate directly to motor vehicle repair at wwwhsegovukmvrresourcesstatisticsinjurystatshtm and vehicle injuries by sector at wwwhsegovukstatisticscausinjmoving-vehiclespdf

FIRE SAFETY

My organisation is situated in a multi-tenanted building We recently carried out a fire drill for the building to measure response Electrically operated doors did not automatically unlock and still required tenants to use key fobs or press the door release button Apparently the facility to unlock all doors when the fire alarm is operated exists within the system but has not been engaged to maintain security for the tenantsrsquo companies which handle confidential information

While I understand the need to maintain security of the building Irsquom concerned someone could get trapped There are emergency refuge communication points on all landings and each company has a responsibility to check the toilets and maintain a register of visitors but is this enough

In accordance with government guidelines your fire safety and evacuation plan should include

a clear passageway to all escape routes

clearly marked escape routes that are as short and direct as possible

enough exits and routes for all people to escape

emergency doors that open easily emergency lighting where needed training for all employees to know

and use the escape routes a safe meeting point for staff

With the central core of the building not having an easily opened exit it could be considered that you are not doing everything reasonably practicable to ensure the safety of all people

The risk assessment that you must carry out will help you ensure that your fire safety procedures fire prevention measures and fire precautions (plans systems and equipment) are all in place

and working properly and the risk assessment should identify any issues that need attention

In this case if the facility already exists to allow for the safe exit from the building without the aid of fellow members of staff we believe that this should be activated Although the procedure is in place for each section to have the responsibility for their guests and to check the facilities human error could still result in the unintentional trapping of people during a fire

The government regulations are available at wwwgovukworkplace-fire-safety-your-responsibilitieswho-is-responsible and a guide to fire risk assessments for office blocks can be found at httpbitly1I6sL7n

SCAFFOLD PLATFORMS

Is there a set requirement to secure the boards on scaffold platforms Our previous scaffolding contractor does this as standard but our new one doesnrsquot unless therersquos a problem

All scaffolds should be designed erected altered and dismantled only by competent people and the work should always be carried out under the direction of a competent supervisor This is a requirement of the Work at Height Regulations 2005

Though there is no legal requirement to secure boards on a scaffolding platform the HSE document lsquoHealth and Safety in Constructionrsquo states that the platform must be lsquostablersquo and where work at height is to be undertaken safe

With regards to the enforcement of securing the scaffolding boards the scaffolding contractor has a legal requirement to ensure that the work at height is safe They should therefore have a suitable and sufficient risk assessment in place to ensure a safe place of work is provided and all potential hazards (for example icy or windy conditions) have been taken into account

The HSE document lsquoHealth and Safety in Constructionrsquo can be found at wwwhsegovukpubnspricedhsg150pdf and a brief guide to working at height

012016 | wwwiirsmorg12

International News

CAMBODIA

Dizzy workers collapse at textile firm

A garment worker has died and 21 others were hospitalised after they collapsed at a textile factory The incident at the Chinese-owned Or Sambath Trading factory in eastern Prey Veng province was the latest in a string of similar incidents in the sector

The 21-year-old woman reported dizziness and difficulty breathing on 5 November before collapsing She died in hospital Twenty one other workers collapsed later the same day and the next morning with similar symptoms

The factory which employs more than 1200 workers was ordered to close for four days while an investigation was carried out

GLOBAL

Enforcement leads to fewer injuriesRegulatory health and safety inspections that result in enforcement action are effective in reducing work related injuries according to research by the Toronto-based Institute for Work amp Health (IWH)

The systematic review of the international scientific literature confirmed the findings of a 2007 IWH review which covered research from 1970 to 2003 and found evidence that citations and penalties reduced the frequency or severity of injuries

The latest review which looked at 1990 to 2013 found strong evidence for the effectiveness of inspections with citations and penalties in reducing injuries There was also moderate evidence that inspections without penalties have no effect in reducing injuries

USA

Plans to update management guidelinesThe Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is seeking public comment on an updated version of its voluntary ldquoSafety and Health Program Management Guidelinesrdquo

First published in 1989 the guidelines which help employers establish health and safety management plans at their workplaces are being updated to reflect modern technology and practices

ldquoEmployers who embrace these guidelines will experience lower injury and illness rates and their progress in improving the safety culture at their worksites will contribute to higher productivity reduced costs and greater worker satisfactionrdquo said assistant secretary of labor David Michaels OSHA is accepting comments until 15 February

SPAIN

Accident rise blamed on labour market reformsThe number of workplace accidents registered during the first six months of 2015 has grown by almost seven per cent compared to the same period in 2014

In total 218019 ldquominorrdquo accidents were reported 13577 more than the first six months of last year along with 1593 ldquoseriousrdquo accidents one more than during

the same period last year and 239 fatal accidents 16 more than in 2014

Pedro Linares from Spainrsquos largest union the CCOO told union supported news website Equal Times that government labour market reforms had ldquomade dismissals cheaper weakened trade union bargaining power and slackened investment in occupational health and safetyrdquo

AUSTRALIA

Power station explosion injures two Two workers were burned when a transformer exploded at the Liddell Power Station in Hunter Valley on 11 November

Power company AGL which operates the site said about 300 employees were evacuated from the plant in the early afternoon The injured workers were a

PAKISTAN

Workers warned of building cracks before Lahore factory tragedyAt least 46 workers have been killed and many more injured in the collapse of a four-storey plastic bag factory 12 miles east of Lahore

There were an estimated 175 factory workers as well as construction workers inside the building when it collapsed on 4 November

Survivors reported that Rajput Polyester which owned the factory was adding a new floor to the building but had ignored warnings from workers to stop construction because large cracks had appeared in the building after a 75 magnitude earthquake in the region on 26 October

Global union IndustriALL said workers saw cracks a few days before the collapse and told managers but nothing was done

One witness who visited the factory on 2 November said he saw an exhaust pipe was damaged because the wall it was fixed to was sinking slowly into the ground

The owner of the business was reportedly killed while inspecting the factory on the day of the incident

The collapse was the second in Lahore in the last few months In September the roof of a garment factory fell down killing four workers ldquo

These incidents are happening because there are no proper factory inspections being done in Pakistanrdquo said Khalid Mahmood director of the Labour Education Foundation in Lahore

ldquoFactory owners are killing workers by saving money that should have been spent on making workplaces safe There is no political will in government to implement factory inspections and other labour lawsrdquo

IndustriALLrsquos assistant general secretary Kemal Oumlzkan said ldquoWe demand a full transparent independent investigation into this tragedyrdquo He urged the government to take immediate action to prevent more workers being killed in ldquoperilous factoriesrdquo

Rescue workers search the rubble for survivors

copy X

inhu

sRe

x Sh

utte

rsto

ck

wwwiirsmorg | 012016 13

International News

fitter and an apprentice AGL said it was investigating the cause of the incident and production at the station was not affected

SINGAPORE

Health promotion pilot for mature workers More than 600 employees from Sheng Siong Supermarket are involved in a year-long pilot programme to encourage older workers to keep fit and stay healthy

The Workplace Health Intervention Programme for Mature Workers which is organised by the Singaporersquos Health Promotion Board (HPB) is targeting office workers who are largely sedentary frontline retail staff such as cashiers who have to stand for long hours and store assistants who unload goods from delivery trucks

Office workers receive exercise classes nutrition talks health screening and coaching Frontline retail staff can also benefit from ergonomic assessments and are encouraged to adopt healthy lifestyle habits The HPB introduced a similar programme for taxi drivers last year

JAPAN

Employees to be offered stress tests Businesses will be obliged to offer employees an annual test to check their stress levels from December this year

The test which takes the form of a questionnaire is part of a revision of the Industrial Health and Safety Law and will affect more than 20 million employees at about 16000 businesses according to the Health Labor and Welfare Ministry

Employees will not be required to take the test and doctors cannot tell employers the result without permission The law will prevent companies punishing employees for not taking part or firing or unreasonably transferring employees due to results

NEW ZEALAND

NZ$116k penalty for crane crush death Auckland company AJ Russell Bricklayers has been ordered to pay reparation of NZ$80000 and been fined NZ$36000 after an experienced crane operator was crushed between the boom of a crane and a truck deck

Roy Chan was greasing a crane as part of routine end of year maintenance when he inadvertently activated a remote control unit he was wearing That caused the cranersquos boom to move towards the truck deck fatally injuring him

AJ Russell Bricklayers pleaded guilty to breaching Section 6 and 50(1)(a) of the Health and Safety in Employment Act

There were at least two simple steps that could have prevented this deathrdquo said Marcus Nalter of WorkSafe New Zealand

ldquoThe cranersquos power take-off should have been turned off and workers should have been instructed not to wear remote control units during cleaning and maintenance work If such a regime had been in place and been observed then the crane would not have been able to move in the way it didrdquo

USA

FedEx employee dies at Memphis hubThe Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is investigating the death of a worker in a workplace accident at the FedEx hub in Memphis

According to local media reports Chris Higginbottom who was 39 was killed while working an early morning shift on 22 November

Police said Higginbottom died after driving a ldquotugrdquo which moves merchandise to and from FedEx aircraft and the

warehouse into a parked trailer He was found dead underneath the tugrsquos loaded trailer In a statement FedEx said it was working with local authorities on their investigation

BANGLADESH

Govt claims 80 of garment factories safe The government has claimed that more than 80 per cent of garment factories supplying global retailers are safe

Syed Ahmed the inspector general of factories said 1475 garment factories had been assessed as part of a government initiative supported by the International Labour Organization (ILO) Canada the Netherlands and the UK The inspections were instituted in the aftermath of the 2013 collapse of the Rana Plaza factory in which more than 1100 people died

Ahmed said 81 per cent of factories were structurally sound though he acknowledged many needed work on fire safety and electrical systems

Srinivas Reddy Bangladesh country director of the ILO told Reuters most factories needed to improve fire safety and electrical systems before they could be declared safe adding that every factory should come up with a corrective action plan

Thirty seven factories were closed and 36 partially closed after failing their inspections he said

USA

OSHA fines set to rise in 2016 Fines imposed by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) are set to increase for the first time for 25 years under a provision in a recently signed congressional budget deal

The Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act of 1990 exempted OSHA from increasing its penalties to account for inflation But the new bipartisan budget signed into law on 2 November by President Barack Obama contained an amendment removing the exemption

OSHA must now issue an interim final rule by 1 July 2016 increasing its penalties to adjust for current inflation levels which would raise proposed fines by about 80 per cent

This would mean the maximum penalty for a wilful violation would rise to an estimated $127000 from the

current $70000 The adjustment must occur before 1 August 2016

After the initial ldquocatch-uprdquo adjustment to compensate for more than two decades of no increase OSHA will then be allowed to raise fines in subsequent years to keep pace with the ongoing inflation rate

President Obama signs the new budget into law

copy R

EX S

hutt

erst

ock

012016 | wwwiirsmorg14

Membersrsquo Pages

If you are looking for advice call the health and safety information helpline with your questions on +44 (0)1296 678 465 or email iirsmhelplinealcumusgroupcom for information on any health and safety related topic Here are just a few of your recent queries

QampAsSAFETY TRAINING SITE FORMEN

I was recently told that construction site foremen have to undergo recognised safety training Is this correct

According to CDM 2015 ldquoA worker is anybody working for or under the control of a contractor which could include plumbers electricians etc as well as supervisors like foremen and change handsrdquo

The point is then reiterated by the HSE which states that foremen must only carry out construction work if they have the relevant skills knowledge training and experience This would imply that site foremen are required to have suitable and sufficient training but does not state that this training has to be lsquorecognisedrsquo

You may find however that contractual arrangements or industry recognised training such as the Site Management Safety Training Scheme (SMSTS) or the Site Supervisors Safety Training Scheme (SSSTS) is requested or looked for when reviewing the competency levels of construction site foremen

Visit wwwhsegovukconstructioncdm2015workershtm and wwwcitbcouktraining-courseshealth-and-safety-courses for further information

BENCHMARKING ACCIDENT RATES

Can you provide benchmarking statistics for accident rates in both the logistics and automotive sectors

There are a wide range of statistics available for both the logistics and automotive sectors The HSE document regarding the logistics sector (wwwhsegovuklogisticssic2007pdf) is mainly based on statistics taken from 201011minus201314 and can be used to compare your information to the averages

With regards to the automotive industry it is hard to provide you with statistics for the whole of the automotive industry and different aspects will fall under other industries An example of this is the manufacturing of vehicles While technically part of the automotive industry RIDDOR reports would usually come under the manufacturing industry

therefore it would be hard to provide you with an average for this That said there are a range of statistics which relate directly to motor vehicle repair at wwwhsegovukmvrresourcesstatisticsinjurystatshtm and vehicle injuries by sector at wwwhsegovukstatisticscausinjmoving-vehiclespdf

FIRE SAFETY

My organisation is situated in a multi-tenanted building We recently carried out a fire drill for the building to measure response Electrically operated doors did not automatically unlock and still required tenants to use key fobs or press the door release button Apparently the facility to unlock all doors when the fire alarm is operated exists within the system but has not been engaged to maintain security for the tenantsrsquo companies which handle confidential information

While I understand the need to maintain security of the building Irsquom concerned someone could get trapped There are emergency refuge communication points on all landings and each company has a responsibility to check the toilets and maintain a register of visitors but is this enough

In accordance with government guidelines your fire safety and evacuation plan should include

a clear passageway to all escape routes

clearly marked escape routes that are as short and direct as possible

enough exits and routes for all people to escape

emergency doors that open easily emergency lighting where needed training for all employees to know

and use the escape routes a safe meeting point for staff

With the central core of the building not having an easily opened exit it could be considered that you are not doing everything reasonably practicable to ensure the safety of all people

The risk assessment that you must carry out will help you ensure that your fire safety procedures fire prevention measures and fire precautions (plans systems and equipment) are all in place

and working properly and the risk assessment should identify any issues that need attention

In this case if the facility already exists to allow for the safe exit from the building without the aid of fellow members of staff we believe that this should be activated Although the procedure is in place for each section to have the responsibility for their guests and to check the facilities human error could still result in the unintentional trapping of people during a fire

The government regulations are available at wwwgovukworkplace-fire-safety-your-responsibilitieswho-is-responsible and a guide to fire risk assessments for office blocks can be found at httpbitly1I6sL7n

SCAFFOLD PLATFORMS

Is there a set requirement to secure the boards on scaffold platforms Our previous scaffolding contractor does this as standard but our new one doesnrsquot unless therersquos a problem

All scaffolds should be designed erected altered and dismantled only by competent people and the work should always be carried out under the direction of a competent supervisor This is a requirement of the Work at Height Regulations 2005

Though there is no legal requirement to secure boards on a scaffolding platform the HSE document lsquoHealth and Safety in Constructionrsquo states that the platform must be lsquostablersquo and where work at height is to be undertaken safe

With regards to the enforcement of securing the scaffolding boards the scaffolding contractor has a legal requirement to ensure that the work at height is safe They should therefore have a suitable and sufficient risk assessment in place to ensure a safe place of work is provided and all potential hazards (for example icy or windy conditions) have been taken into account

The HSE document lsquoHealth and Safety in Constructionrsquo can be found at wwwhsegovukpubnspricedhsg150pdf and a brief guide to working at height

wwwiirsmorg | 012016 13

International News

fitter and an apprentice AGL said it was investigating the cause of the incident and production at the station was not affected

SINGAPORE

Health promotion pilot for mature workers More than 600 employees from Sheng Siong Supermarket are involved in a year-long pilot programme to encourage older workers to keep fit and stay healthy

The Workplace Health Intervention Programme for Mature Workers which is organised by the Singaporersquos Health Promotion Board (HPB) is targeting office workers who are largely sedentary frontline retail staff such as cashiers who have to stand for long hours and store assistants who unload goods from delivery trucks

Office workers receive exercise classes nutrition talks health screening and coaching Frontline retail staff can also benefit from ergonomic assessments and are encouraged to adopt healthy lifestyle habits The HPB introduced a similar programme for taxi drivers last year

JAPAN

Employees to be offered stress tests Businesses will be obliged to offer employees an annual test to check their stress levels from December this year

The test which takes the form of a questionnaire is part of a revision of the Industrial Health and Safety Law and will affect more than 20 million employees at about 16000 businesses according to the Health Labor and Welfare Ministry

Employees will not be required to take the test and doctors cannot tell employers the result without permission The law will prevent companies punishing employees for not taking part or firing or unreasonably transferring employees due to results

NEW ZEALAND

NZ$116k penalty for crane crush death Auckland company AJ Russell Bricklayers has been ordered to pay reparation of NZ$80000 and been fined NZ$36000 after an experienced crane operator was crushed between the boom of a crane and a truck deck

Roy Chan was greasing a crane as part of routine end of year maintenance when he inadvertently activated a remote control unit he was wearing That caused the cranersquos boom to move towards the truck deck fatally injuring him

AJ Russell Bricklayers pleaded guilty to breaching Section 6 and 50(1)(a) of the Health and Safety in Employment Act

There were at least two simple steps that could have prevented this deathrdquo said Marcus Nalter of WorkSafe New Zealand

ldquoThe cranersquos power take-off should have been turned off and workers should have been instructed not to wear remote control units during cleaning and maintenance work If such a regime had been in place and been observed then the crane would not have been able to move in the way it didrdquo

USA

FedEx employee dies at Memphis hubThe Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is investigating the death of a worker in a workplace accident at the FedEx hub in Memphis

According to local media reports Chris Higginbottom who was 39 was killed while working an early morning shift on 22 November

Police said Higginbottom died after driving a ldquotugrdquo which moves merchandise to and from FedEx aircraft and the

warehouse into a parked trailer He was found dead underneath the tugrsquos loaded trailer In a statement FedEx said it was working with local authorities on their investigation

BANGLADESH

Govt claims 80 of garment factories safe The government has claimed that more than 80 per cent of garment factories supplying global retailers are safe

Syed Ahmed the inspector general of factories said 1475 garment factories had been assessed as part of a government initiative supported by the International Labour Organization (ILO) Canada the Netherlands and the UK The inspections were instituted in the aftermath of the 2013 collapse of the Rana Plaza factory in which more than 1100 people died

Ahmed said 81 per cent of factories were structurally sound though he acknowledged many needed work on fire safety and electrical systems

Srinivas Reddy Bangladesh country director of the ILO told Reuters most factories needed to improve fire safety and electrical systems before they could be declared safe adding that every factory should come up with a corrective action plan

Thirty seven factories were closed and 36 partially closed after failing their inspections he said

USA

OSHA fines set to rise in 2016 Fines imposed by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) are set to increase for the first time for 25 years under a provision in a recently signed congressional budget deal

The Federal Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act of 1990 exempted OSHA from increasing its penalties to account for inflation But the new bipartisan budget signed into law on 2 November by President Barack Obama contained an amendment removing the exemption

OSHA must now issue an interim final rule by 1 July 2016 increasing its penalties to adjust for current inflation levels which would raise proposed fines by about 80 per cent

This would mean the maximum penalty for a wilful violation would rise to an estimated $127000 from the

current $70000 The adjustment must occur before 1 August 2016

After the initial ldquocatch-uprdquo adjustment to compensate for more than two decades of no increase OSHA will then be allowed to raise fines in subsequent years to keep pace with the ongoing inflation rate

President Obama signs the new budget into law

copy R

EX S

hutt

erst

ock

012016 | wwwiirsmorg14

Membersrsquo Pages

If you are looking for advice call the health and safety information helpline with your questions on +44 (0)1296 678 465 or email iirsmhelplinealcumusgroupcom for information on any health and safety related topic Here are just a few of your recent queries

QampAsSAFETY TRAINING SITE FORMEN

I was recently told that construction site foremen have to undergo recognised safety training Is this correct

According to CDM 2015 ldquoA worker is anybody working for or under the control of a contractor which could include plumbers electricians etc as well as supervisors like foremen and change handsrdquo

The point is then reiterated by the HSE which states that foremen must only carry out construction work if they have the relevant skills knowledge training and experience This would imply that site foremen are required to have suitable and sufficient training but does not state that this training has to be lsquorecognisedrsquo

You may find however that contractual arrangements or industry recognised training such as the Site Management Safety Training Scheme (SMSTS) or the Site Supervisors Safety Training Scheme (SSSTS) is requested or looked for when reviewing the competency levels of construction site foremen

Visit wwwhsegovukconstructioncdm2015workershtm and wwwcitbcouktraining-courseshealth-and-safety-courses for further information

BENCHMARKING ACCIDENT RATES

Can you provide benchmarking statistics for accident rates in both the logistics and automotive sectors

There are a wide range of statistics available for both the logistics and automotive sectors The HSE document regarding the logistics sector (wwwhsegovuklogisticssic2007pdf) is mainly based on statistics taken from 201011minus201314 and can be used to compare your information to the averages

With regards to the automotive industry it is hard to provide you with statistics for the whole of the automotive industry and different aspects will fall under other industries An example of this is the manufacturing of vehicles While technically part of the automotive industry RIDDOR reports would usually come under the manufacturing industry

therefore it would be hard to provide you with an average for this That said there are a range of statistics which relate directly to motor vehicle repair at wwwhsegovukmvrresourcesstatisticsinjurystatshtm and vehicle injuries by sector at wwwhsegovukstatisticscausinjmoving-vehiclespdf

FIRE SAFETY

My organisation is situated in a multi-tenanted building We recently carried out a fire drill for the building to measure response Electrically operated doors did not automatically unlock and still required tenants to use key fobs or press the door release button Apparently the facility to unlock all doors when the fire alarm is operated exists within the system but has not been engaged to maintain security for the tenantsrsquo companies which handle confidential information

While I understand the need to maintain security of the building Irsquom concerned someone could get trapped There are emergency refuge communication points on all landings and each company has a responsibility to check the toilets and maintain a register of visitors but is this enough

In accordance with government guidelines your fire safety and evacuation plan should include

a clear passageway to all escape routes

clearly marked escape routes that are as short and direct as possible

enough exits and routes for all people to escape

emergency doors that open easily emergency lighting where needed training for all employees to know

and use the escape routes a safe meeting point for staff

With the central core of the building not having an easily opened exit it could be considered that you are not doing everything reasonably practicable to ensure the safety of all people

The risk assessment that you must carry out will help you ensure that your fire safety procedures fire prevention measures and fire precautions (plans systems and equipment) are all in place

and working properly and the risk assessment should identify any issues that need attention

In this case if the facility already exists to allow for the safe exit from the building without the aid of fellow members of staff we believe that this should be activated Although the procedure is in place for each section to have the responsibility for their guests and to check the facilities human error could still result in the unintentional trapping of people during a fire

The government regulations are available at wwwgovukworkplace-fire-safety-your-responsibilitieswho-is-responsible and a guide to fire risk assessments for office blocks can be found at httpbitly1I6sL7n

SCAFFOLD PLATFORMS

Is there a set requirement to secure the boards on scaffold platforms Our previous scaffolding contractor does this as standard but our new one doesnrsquot unless therersquos a problem

All scaffolds should be designed erected altered and dismantled only by competent people and the work should always be carried out under the direction of a competent supervisor This is a requirement of the Work at Height Regulations 2005

Though there is no legal requirement to secure boards on a scaffolding platform the HSE document lsquoHealth and Safety in Constructionrsquo states that the platform must be lsquostablersquo and where work at height is to be undertaken safe

With regards to the enforcement of securing the scaffolding boards the scaffolding contractor has a legal requirement to ensure that the work at height is safe They should therefore have a suitable and sufficient risk assessment in place to ensure a safe place of work is provided and all potential hazards (for example icy or windy conditions) have been taken into account

The HSE document lsquoHealth and Safety in Constructionrsquo can be found at wwwhsegovukpubnspricedhsg150pdf and a brief guide to working at height

012016 | wwwiirsmorg14

Membersrsquo Pages

If you are looking for advice call the health and safety information helpline with your questions on +44 (0)1296 678 465 or email iirsmhelplinealcumusgroupcom for information on any health and safety related topic Here are just a few of your recent queries

QampAsSAFETY TRAINING SITE FORMEN

I was recently told that construction site foremen have to undergo recognised safety training Is this correct

According to CDM 2015 ldquoA worker is anybody working for or under the control of a contractor which could include plumbers electricians etc as well as supervisors like foremen and change handsrdquo

The point is then reiterated by the HSE which states that foremen must only carry out construction work if they have the relevant skills knowledge training and experience This would imply that site foremen are required to have suitable and sufficient training but does not state that this training has to be lsquorecognisedrsquo

You may find however that contractual arrangements or industry recognised training such as the Site Management Safety Training Scheme (SMSTS) or the Site Supervisors Safety Training Scheme (SSSTS) is requested or looked for when reviewing the competency levels of construction site foremen

Visit wwwhsegovukconstructioncdm2015workershtm and wwwcitbcouktraining-courseshealth-and-safety-courses for further information

BENCHMARKING ACCIDENT RATES

Can you provide benchmarking statistics for accident rates in both the logistics and automotive sectors

There are a wide range of statistics available for both the logistics and automotive sectors The HSE document regarding the logistics sector (wwwhsegovuklogisticssic2007pdf) is mainly based on statistics taken from 201011minus201314 and can be used to compare your information to the averages

With regards to the automotive industry it is hard to provide you with statistics for the whole of the automotive industry and different aspects will fall under other industries An example of this is the manufacturing of vehicles While technically part of the automotive industry RIDDOR reports would usually come under the manufacturing industry

therefore it would be hard to provide you with an average for this That said there are a range of statistics which relate directly to motor vehicle repair at wwwhsegovukmvrresourcesstatisticsinjurystatshtm and vehicle injuries by sector at wwwhsegovukstatisticscausinjmoving-vehiclespdf

FIRE SAFETY

My organisation is situated in a multi-tenanted building We recently carried out a fire drill for the building to measure response Electrically operated doors did not automatically unlock and still required tenants to use key fobs or press the door release button Apparently the facility to unlock all doors when the fire alarm is operated exists within the system but has not been engaged to maintain security for the tenantsrsquo companies which handle confidential information

While I understand the need to maintain security of the building Irsquom concerned someone could get trapped There are emergency refuge communication points on all landings and each company has a responsibility to check the toilets and maintain a register of visitors but is this enough

In accordance with government guidelines your fire safety and evacuation plan should include

a clear passageway to all escape routes

clearly marked escape routes that are as short and direct as possible

enough exits and routes for all people to escape

emergency doors that open easily emergency lighting where needed training for all employees to know

and use the escape routes a safe meeting point for staff

With the central core of the building not having an easily opened exit it could be considered that you are not doing everything reasonably practicable to ensure the safety of all people

The risk assessment that you must carry out will help you ensure that your fire safety procedures fire prevention measures and fire precautions (plans systems and equipment) are all in place

and working properly and the risk assessment should identify any issues that need attention

In this case if the facility already exists to allow for the safe exit from the building without the aid of fellow members of staff we believe that this should be activated Although the procedure is in place for each section to have the responsibility for their guests and to check the facilities human error could still result in the unintentional trapping of people during a fire

The government regulations are available at wwwgovukworkplace-fire-safety-your-responsibilitieswho-is-responsible and a guide to fire risk assessments for office blocks can be found at httpbitly1I6sL7n

SCAFFOLD PLATFORMS

Is there a set requirement to secure the boards on scaffold platforms Our previous scaffolding contractor does this as standard but our new one doesnrsquot unless therersquos a problem

All scaffolds should be designed erected altered and dismantled only by competent people and the work should always be carried out under the direction of a competent supervisor This is a requirement of the Work at Height Regulations 2005

Though there is no legal requirement to secure boards on a scaffolding platform the HSE document lsquoHealth and Safety in Constructionrsquo states that the platform must be lsquostablersquo and where work at height is to be undertaken safe

With regards to the enforcement of securing the scaffolding boards the scaffolding contractor has a legal requirement to ensure that the work at height is safe They should therefore have a suitable and sufficient risk assessment in place to ensure a safe place of work is provided and all potential hazards (for example icy or windy conditions) have been taken into account

The HSE document lsquoHealth and Safety in Constructionrsquo can be found at wwwhsegovukpubnspricedhsg150pdf and a brief guide to working at height

wwwiirsmorg | 012016 15

Membersrsquo Pages

is available at wwwhsegovukpubnsindg401pdf

REACH REGULATIONS

A customer has enquired about compliance with the REACH Regulations concerning substances entering the manufacturing of secondary packaging articles that we supply We manufacture labels so do not supply chemicals Do we need to register the labels or the packaging used to transport them If not how do we answer the question on compliance with REACH

Your labels will fall under the category of an lsquoarticlersquo Whether your products are subject to the Registration Evaluation Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals (REACH) Regulations depends entirely on the substances that are found within the labels you are creating Should your labels contain any substances that can be found on the candidate list for Substances of Very High Concern (available at httpechaeuropaeucandidate-list-table) then you are obligated to submit material information to the ECHA unless you are able to prove that the articles were only produced before the substance was included in the candidate list

In terms of answering the query on your compliance this would only be relevant if your products do contain any SVHC If none are present in your articles then the REACH Regulations do not apply to your products and no compliance is required However if you do have any SVHC in your products you would need to comply with the Regulations which can be then be relayed on to the customer

For more information regarding REACH and articles visit httpbitly1kQ4isM

ARTEX

I am moving house and the survey found that because the house was built pre-1980s it could potentially contain asbestos in the Artex ceilings Could you tell me how much of a risk to health this is and is there anything I can do to the ceiling as an extra precaution

It would be best to assume the Artex ceiling does contain asbestos ndash Artex was offered asbestos free as of 1976 which developed to all Artex being asbestos free in 1984 Any actual risks of the Artex ceiling is minimal should it remain undisturbed There would be a genuine

risk to health should the material be sanded or drilled for example The HSE states that Artex would usually contain between one and three per cent of asbestos ndash this would also be covered in a paint layer which theoretically covers and encapsulates the asbestos containing material

With regards to actually dealing with the issue this will be up to you If you would like to determine whether asbestos is present this would involve a test from a professional organisation If the presence is confirmed different approaches can be taken which can vary from having the ceiling material removed and then the ceiling refurbished covering the Artex ceiling in extra coats of paint (or any substance that will form an extra layer to further encapsulate the material) covering the ceiling with an additional layer of drywall (or similar product) or to simply leave the material undisturbed

Should you have any refurbishment work undertaken on this property contractors may ask whether the Artex contains asbestos and ask for a sample to be taken before pricing for the work

CHEMICAL LABELLING

Please can you advise if there is a requirement to change European symbols used on a COSHH assessment to the new GHS in view of the introduction of CLP

The newly introduced Classification Labelling and Packaging (CLP) Regulations 2008 which adopt the Globally Harmonised System (GHS) pictograms required suppliers to classify and label pure substances in accordance with CLP from 1 June 2010

CLP also requires suppliers to classify and label mixtures in accordance with CLP as of 1 June 2015 Any products which have already entered the supply chain (ie those already on the shelves) are given an additional two-year grace period meaning they are permitted to retain their current classification and symbols under the Chemical (Hazard Information for Packaging and Supply) (CHIP) Regulations 2009 until 1 June 2017

As of 1 June 2017 it will be a legal requirement for all products that enter the supply chain to be fully labelled and packaged in accordance with CLP regulations without exception

Despite these changes there is currently no legal requirement to update your Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) assessments to the new pictograms However it has been recommended that proactive steps towards relabelling are taken For example the European Commission states that

ldquoDuring the transitional period labels should only include information from one system and the package should be labelled according to either the DSDDPD or CLP Packages should not include both sets of labelsrdquo

Ensuring your COSHH risk assessments are up to date and consistent with information provided on packages and documents such as the manufacturerrsquos safety data sheet (SDS) will therefore be important

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) website (httpechaeuropaeuregulationsclpunderstanding-clp) and the HSE (at wwwhsegovukchemical-classificationlegalclp-regulationhtm) provide more information on the transitional arrangements to the CLP regulations

Join the conversation Through observations made on current topical isues we want to stimulate though provoking debate among our membership Join our LinkedIn group to share your knowledge and make your voice heard

This month wersquore asking

Should the HSE Board commission a CDM ACoP

Have your say visit wwwlinkedincom and search Groups for IIRSM and request to join

012016 | wwwiirsmorg16

Interview

If you would like to take part in our interview page please email kelliemundelllexisnexiscouk

Ralph Stubbs FIIRSMA member of IEMA IOSH and IIRSM Ralph has been director of health and safety consultancy and training provider Handson Safety Services for the past 14 years Prior to that he spent a decade overseeing the health and safety management of a minerals and chemicals manufacturer He says he is in the profession to make a difference

How did you become involved in health and safetyMy interest in health and safety began when I started working in the rail industry I witnessed countless injuries as well as ill health due to uncontrolled use of hazardous substances My first safety officer role was with Hepworth Minerals and Chemicals where I progressed to production operations health and safety manager

What do you get out of your jobI truly enjoy making a difference both to my clientrsquos workforce as well as course delegates during our training sessions together with forming some long term relationships with clients and delegates alike

Whatrsquos the most memorable experience yoursquove had in your careerFrom a negative perspective ndash being involved in a snowball fight using asbestos fibre and from a positive aspect ndash being thanked for helping to save a life through changing a personrsquos attitude towards the wearing of personal protective equipment

Whatrsquos the best piece of advice yoursquove ever been given

When visiting a chemical plant for the first time I was advised to always wash my hands before I visited the facilities

Whatrsquos the biggest challenge facing the health and safety professionI personally believe that the press does a great disservice to the health and safety profession by focusing on trivia rather than the good work done by countless positive minded health and safety professionals That added to a reduction in resources afforded to the enforcing authorities has in my opinion done little to enthuse an already potentially sceptical working population

Whatrsquos the most challenging problem yoursquove had to overcomeWorking with some of the smaller companies within the quarrying sector has at times been a challenge but is ultimately rewarding when a positive change is seen to be being made However possibly the most challenging personal problem was going back to my study books prior to introducing the NEBOSH National Diploma to our suite of training courses

Would you like to see any legislative changesI would love to see the government realise the error in the recent alterations made to the CDM Regulations and

consider why the need was felt to fix something that in my (and numerous colleaguesrsquo) opinions wasnrsquot broken The revised legsilation is now proving to be very poorly understood which in turn might prove to be costly in terms of a growth in incidentsaccidents

Why did you join IIRSM

I initially joined the institute to have access to regular information through the monthly publication together with access to the advice that is provided by the technical helpline

Where do you see yourself in five yearsrsquo timeIrsquom coming up to my 60th birthday so in five yearsrsquo time I hope to still be running my business but with the ability to limit my personal involvement to clients and training courses of my choice

IIRSM AND HEALTH SAFETY AT WORK ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2016

Thursday 11 February 2016 0900 ndash 1630 The IETAustin Court 80 Cambridge St Birmingham B1 2NP UK

This popular event now in its 9th year brings you a mixture of case studies presentations and legal updates providing practical solutions for your business

Practical insights and solutions Speakers includeRichard Judge (Health and Safety Executive)Heather Bryant (Balfour Beatty)Paul Simpson (Network Rail)Stefan Groch (Health and Safety Lawyersrsquo Association)Graham Losh (FA Group)Martin Tod (Menrsquos Health Forum)Becky Lee (Staffordshire County Council)

pound249 members pound299 non-members + VAT

Book your place now at wwwiirsmorgevents

INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE OFRISK AND SAFETY MANAGEMENT

012016 | wwwiirsmorg16

Interview

If you would like to take part in our interview page please email kelliemundelllexisnexiscouk

Ralph Stubbs FIIRSMA member of IEMA IOSH and IIRSM Ralph has been director of health and safety consultancy and training provider Handson Safety Services for the past 14 years Prior to that he spent a decade overseeing the health and safety management of a minerals and chemicals manufacturer He says he is in the profession to make a difference

How did you become involved in health and safetyMy interest in health and safety began when I started working in the rail industry I witnessed countless injuries as well as ill health due to uncontrolled use of hazardous substances My first safety officer role was with Hepworth Minerals and Chemicals where I progressed to production operations health and safety manager

What do you get out of your jobI truly enjoy making a difference both to my clientrsquos workforce as well as course delegates during our training sessions together with forming some long term relationships with clients and delegates alike

Whatrsquos the most memorable experience yoursquove had in your careerFrom a negative perspective ndash being involved in a snowball fight using asbestos fibre and from a positive aspect ndash being thanked for helping to save a life through changing a personrsquos attitude towards the wearing of personal protective equipment

Whatrsquos the best piece of advice yoursquove ever been given

When visiting a chemical plant for the first time I was advised to always wash my hands before I visited the facilities

Whatrsquos the biggest challenge facing the health and safety professionI personally believe that the press does a great disservice to the health and safety profession by focusing on trivia rather than the good work done by countless positive minded health and safety professionals That added to a reduction in resources afforded to the enforcing authorities has in my opinion done little to enthuse an already potentially sceptical working population

Whatrsquos the most challenging problem yoursquove had to overcomeWorking with some of the smaller companies within the quarrying sector has at times been a challenge but is ultimately rewarding when a positive change is seen to be being made However possibly the most challenging personal problem was going back to my study books prior to introducing the NEBOSH National Diploma to our suite of training courses

Would you like to see any legislative changesI would love to see the government realise the error in the recent alterations made to the CDM Regulations and

consider why the need was felt to fix something that in my (and numerous colleaguesrsquo) opinions wasnrsquot broken The revised legsilation is now proving to be very poorly understood which in turn might prove to be costly in terms of a growth in incidentsaccidents

Why did you join IIRSM

I initially joined the institute to have access to regular information through the monthly publication together with access to the advice that is provided by the technical helpline

Where do you see yourself in five yearsrsquo timeIrsquom coming up to my 60th birthday so in five yearsrsquo time I hope to still be running my business but with the ability to limit my personal involvement to clients and training courses of my choice

IIRSM AND HEALTH SAFETY AT WORK ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2016

Thursday 11 February 2016 0900 ndash 1630 The IETAustin Court 80 Cambridge St Birmingham B1 2NP UK

This popular event now in its 9th year brings you a mixture of case studies presentations and legal updates providing practical solutions for your business

Practical insights and solutions Speakers includeRichard Judge (Health and Safety Executive)Heather Bryant (Balfour Beatty)Paul Simpson (Network Rail)Stefan Groch (Health and Safety Lawyersrsquo Association)Graham Losh (FA Group)Martin Tod (Menrsquos Health Forum)Becky Lee (Staffordshire County Council)

pound249 members pound299 non-members + VAT

Book your place now at wwwiirsmorgevents

INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE OFRISK AND SAFETY MANAGEMENT