Battery Safety

From energy storage installations to electric vehicles and to consumer electronics such as smartphones, laptops and cameras, batteries are in use all around us every day. 

In normal working conditions batteries are considered to be stable, but if subjected to abnormal circumstances, such as increased temperatures, they may become unstable and – in the worst cases – vent violently with flame.

As a result of this, in 2015 United Airlines announced that it will no longer carry bulk shipments of lithium-ion batteries. Aviation officials believe that such batteries contributed to fires that destroyed two Boeing 747 cargo planes, claiming the lives of their crews.

In July 2015 the M1 motorway in Derbyshire was closed for several hours with a 500-metre exclusion zone after a lorry carrying batteries caught fire. Witnesses reported seeing “fireballs” – presumed to be exploding batteries – and black smoke pouring out of the HGV.

In 2013 alone an estimated 4.8 billion lithium-ion batteries were manufactured, with annual production forecast to reach eight billion by 2025.

HSL’s Hazardous Substances Team has closely studied battery safety for several years, using our bespoke testing facility to help customers understand how best to manage the risks faced by industry during battery manufacture, storage, transport and use.

Find out more about battery safety by calling HSL on 01298 218408

START 2016 OFF WITH AN IOSH MANAGING SAFELY CERTIFICATE

UK Safety in association with The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) offer Managing Safely.
This highly successful, practical and certificated course is delivered by UK Safety IOSH-licensed trainers.
The Institutions range of health and safety training courses has been developed to address the safety training needs of employees and the non-health and safety experts.
Managing Safely course is a qualification in safety and health for directors, managers and supervisors in all organisations. The aim of the IOSH Managing Safely course is to “ensure that safety requirements are appreciated and enable them to review their own departmental systems for safety, introducing new controls or implementing changes as appropriate to make their workplace safer”.

Managing safely comprises eight core modules spread over four days including tutor delivery, discussion groups, syndicate exercises and the use of self-teaching material.
Successful delegates will receive a ‘Managing Safely’ certificate issued by the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH).
This course will provide you with the knowledge to manage safely and effectively in compliance with both their organisation’s policy and best practice in health and safety.

Next course in Leicester in February 2015.
Costs £475.00 plus vat per candidate, inclusive of IOSH training material, IOSH certification, all day refreshments and hot lunch.
Please call or send an email for a booking form and joining instructions to be sent.

IOSH Managing Safely Course – Bookings now being taken for February 2016 at our training centre

UK Safety in association with The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) offer Managing Safely.

This highly successful, practical and certificated course is delivered by UK Safety IOSH-licensed trainers.

The Institutions range of health and safety training courses has been developed to address the safety training needs of employees and the non-health and safety experts.

Managing Safely course is a qualification in safety and health for directors, managers and supervisors in all organisations. The aim of the IOSH Managing Safely course is to “ensure that safety requirements are appreciated and enable them to review their own departmental systems for safety, introducing new controls or implementing changes as appropriate to make their workplace safer”.

Managing safely comprises eight core modules spread over four days including tutor delivery, discussion groups, syndicate exercises and the use of self-teaching material.

Successful delegates will receive a ‘Managing Safely’ certificate issued by the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH).

This course will provide you with the knowledge to manage safely and effectively in compliance with both their organisation’s policy and best practice in health and safety.

 IOSH MANAGING SAFELY

Module 1 – Introduction and Overview
Module 2 – Risk Assessment
Module 3 – Risk Control
Module 4 – Health and Safety Legislation
Module 5 – Common Hazards
Module 6 – Investigating Accidents and Incidents
Module 7 – Measuring Performance
Module 8 – Environmental Protection

Next course in Leicester in February 2016.

Costs £475.00 plus vat per candidate, inclusive of IOSH training material, IOSH certification, all day refreshments and hot lunch.

Please call or send an email for a booking form and joining instructions to be sent.

Bookings now being taken

We have an 100% pass rate

Fewer Workers Killed In Britain

The number of workers killed in Britain last year has fallen, official statistics have show.
Provisional data released by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) reveals that 148 workers were fatally injured between April 2012 and March 2013, compared with 172 in the previous year.

RIDDOR Changes

From 1 October 2013 changes will be introduced to the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) that will simplify the mandatory reporting of workplace injuries for businesses, while ensuring that the data collected gives an accurate and useful picture of workplace incidents.
To allow businesses time to familiarise themselves with the changes, the following information has been developed to support duty holders with the requirements.

The main changes are to simplify the reporting requirements in the following areas:

  • The classification of ‘major injuries’ to workers is being replaced with a shorter list of ‘specified injuries’.
  • The existing schedule detailing 47 types of industrial disease is being replaced with eight categories of reportable work-related illness.
  • Fewer types of ‘dangerous occurrence’ will require reporting.

There are no significant changes to the reporting requirements for:

  • Fatal accidents.
  • Accidents to non-workers (members of the public).
  • Accidents which result in the incapacitation of a worker for more than seven days.

Sharps Regulations 2013

The Health and Safety (Sharp Instruments in Healthcare) Regulations 2013
In Force from 11 May 2013

The Health and Safety (Sharp Instruments in Healthcare) Regulations 2013 came into force on 11 May 2013. These regulations are intended to control the risks posed by needles and other ‘sharps’ in healthcare.

Northern Ireland introduced equivalent regulations on the same date.
The regulations implement a European Directive. They will supplement the existing health and safety legislation that already requires employers across all sectors to take effective action to control the risk from sharps injuries.

Employers and contractors working in the healthcare sector will be required to:

  • Have effective arrangements for the safe use and disposal (including using ‘safer sharps’ where reasonably practicable, restricting the practice of recapping of needles and placing sharps bins close to the point of use)
  • Provide the necessary information and training to workers
  • Investigate and take action in response to work related sharps injuries

Ladder Exchange now extended to 31st December 2013!

It’s estimated that over two million ladders are in daily use in the UK, and with falls from height still one of the main causes of death and injury in the workplace, it’s vital that these ladders and stepladders are regularly inspected and safe to use.

The annual Ladder Exchange, now run and managed by the Ladder Association, is your opportunity to exchange any dodgy, bent and broken ladders for safe, brand new ones.

Simply take your old ladders to a participating partner near you and swap them at a discount. You get a new ladder at a concessionary price and everyone stays safe. And this year you’ve got an extra month to do it in!

New Young Person’s guidance Released by HSE

The HSE have released new guidance on the Health and Safety of young persons in the workplace. This guidance covers work experience placements and will assist with the process and management of those companies who have work experience students attend their workplace. The guidance also highlights what companies should be doing to ensure the safety of work placement students whilst in their care.

Machine Safety

Machine Safety

There are dozens of deaths and more than 40,000 injuries each year related to the use of machines.

The HSE argues that many of these could easily be prevented with the use of adequate machine guards.

On 30 September 2013, the HSE prosecuted Oldfields Ltd, an East London food manufacturer, for a series of safety failings in relation to its dicing machine.

The HSE found that Oldfields:

  • did not carry out a sufficient Risk Assessment for use of the machine
  • failed to follow their own safety procedures for its use
  • failed to follow the manufacturer’s safety instructions
  • failed to adequately instruct, supervise or train employees
  • failed to prevent access by workers to dangerous moving parts
  • failed to conduct adequate safety checks on the machine, or ensure that its controls were clearly visible.

Oldfields was fined £18,000 and ordered to pay £9,399 costs after pleading guilty to offences under Section 3 of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974.

Comment

The HSE is taking active enforcement measures against employers and employees who actively remove or tamper with machine guards in an attempt to make their work quicker or more efficient.

With increasing automation in modern UK industry, employers must ensure machine guards are in place and used where necessary, or face potential action by the HSE.

In addition, employers should ensure that its risk assessments are suitable and sufficient, and deal specifically with the identifiable risks arising out of the use of a machine. Serious consideration should be given to any machine guards which could minimise the risk of injury.

Importantly, if machine guards are being used, employers must have procedures in place to ensure they are being utilised and adequately maintained.

Fewer Fires 2012/13

Fire and rescue authorities attended noticeably fewer fires in 2012/13, according to recently-released statistics from the government.

Crews were present at the scene of 487,000 blazes or false alarms throughout Great Britain, which was 17 per cent less than the previous year’s tally of 586,000.

In addition, 2012/13’s figure is almost 50 per cent lower than ten years ago.

Within the 487,000, fires accounted for 192,600, a huge 29 per cent reduction from last year’s 273,000. False alarms made up the remaining 294,800, which also marked a six per cent decline.

The number of outdoor blazes dropped by a noticeable 38 per cent on account of more rainfall in spring and summer than the country is typically used to.

There were 350 fire fatalities in Britain in this time frame, in comparison to the 397 from the year before. This figure was also the lowest it’s been in the last 50 years.