16 Jun June

In this month’s newsletter we cover the following:

• Top topic currently during this very hot weather spell! Our news letter this month will take you through the HSE’s advice on how to take care of yourself and your workforce during high temperatures.
• The HSE inspections are currently targeting woodworking businesses, to tackle occupational lung disease. Woodworking industries have the potential for high incidence rates of occupational ill-health caused by worker exposure to inadequately controlled wood dust in the workplace, such as sino-nasal cancer, occupational asthma and dermatitis. Throughout 2023/24, inspectors will be looking for evidence that employers have considered the control measures required to reduce workers exposure to wood dust, that workers understand the risks of exposure to wood dust, and effective control measures have been put in place to protect workers from harm. Inspectors will take enforcement action when necessary to make sure workers are protected.
• An article discussing drug and alcohol misuse in Construction. The signs of drug and alcohol misuse (or abuse) will help you to manage health and safety risk in your workplace, develop a policy to deal with drug and alcohol-related problems and support your employees.
• A Plastic Manufacturing firm was fined following outbreak of Legionnaires’ disease – The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigated Riaar Plastics Limited after members of the public became infected with Legionnaires’ disease in September 2020. Five people were infected with the potentially deadly lung infection. One person was taken to intensive care and put on a ventilator after being infected. Riaar Plastics Limited was fined for failing to manage the risk of Legionella. HSE found the water-cooling towers inherited by Riaar Plastics Limited at its site on Black Lake, West Bromwich, were in an extremely poor condition. This allowed Legionella bacteria to grow in the water-cooling towers and pipes, exposing employees and members of the public to risks of significant ill health.