Monthly Archives: May 2011

Engineering, Furniture, Industrial, Industrial Goods, Manufacturer, Safety

Don’t Get Out Of Line When Marking Out Your Workplace, warns Safetyshop

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Marking out a workplace can be an incredibly important task for a significant number of businesses. Manufacturing plants, warehouses, car parks and factories all need obvious markings to help keep workers safe, and UK safety products manufacturer Safetyshop is calling on firms to get their line marking strategy straight.

Ed Barnes, UK Product Manager at Safetyshop said there are a number of things businesses should always remember when preparing to use line marking applicators to mark out sections of their workplace. These include:

• Prepare – Make sure the area you’ll be marking out is free of obstructions. You do not want to have to start moving objects once marking has begun.
• Clean – Painting over a dirty surface will affect the quality of the lines. Always try to make sure the area is clean and dry.
• In order to ensure straight lines, always use a guide such as a length of tape, length of wood or a ladder.
• To ensure a clean and crisp finish, simply place a piece of card at the end of the line.
• When spraying through stencils, use masking tape to prevent paint from marking other areas.

Ed Barnes said: “Following these hints and tips should certainly help businesses to ensure they get smooth and crisp lines. Most importantly the lines will be clearly visible and in situations where line markings are used to distinguish between vehicle lanes and pedestrian walkways, this is vital.

“Line marking is a task that many businesses carry out on a regular basis. By using a quality product they can ensure those lines stay bold and fresh for longer, which in the long term will save time and money.”

Safetyshop’s line marking products are used in a wide variety of industries. Local authorities use them to mark out parking bays, schools use them to mark out playgrounds and sports clubs use marking products to paint lines on football pitches and sports courts.

Ed added: “The potential number of uses for line marking equipment is huge, but it’s always important to remember to buy a quality product that will stand the test of time.”

Via EPR Network
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Environment, Hardware, Industrial, Industrial Equipment, Industrial Goods, Industrial Services, Industrial Supplies, Machinery & Tools, Manufacturer, Safety, Standards

Turn Up The Heat On Fire Procedures In Your Workplace

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DESPITE new legislation being introduced last year to reinforce the fact that employers in England must consider an employee’s capabilities when it comes to fire safety, the majority are still unaware of their obligations according to workplace equipment provider Slingsby.

The Fire Safety (Employees’ Capabilities) (England) Regulations 2010 were introduced to clarify how fire-related tasks and assignments should be delegated to employees. As part of the legislation employers must consider what a worker is able and unable to do and how these capabilities may affect their ability to deal with fire-related risks.

Lee Wright, Marketing Director of Slingsby, which supplies 35,000 workplace products including an extensive range of fire safety equipment, explains: “Rather than being an extra burden for employers, these new regulations have been introduced to reinforce a workplace’s responsibilities under the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005. However the majority of businesses that we speak to are still unaware of the requirements and, as well as creating health and safety issues, this could put them at risk of prosecution.

“The regulations say that employers must carry out a fire safety risk assessment to identify what general fire precautions need to be in place. This should be reviewed regularly and updated where necessary. It must take a workers’ capabilities into consideration along with specific risks they face in their job role and where necessary employers should provide specific training. This also applies to fire wardens or marshals.”

The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 is still the primary legislation concerning all sectors of fire safety. As part of this employers are required to carry out a fire risk assessment to identify potential hazards and then take action to reduce them. They must also have a plan in place in case of an emergency as well as nominated people to assist in implementing it and all employees should be aware of the procedures.

All buildings must have adequate escape routes for their size and layout. In addition relevant signage should display fire procedures and highlight exits. In premises where employees could be unaware of a fire, either because it’s out of sight or they can’t hear warnings from colleagues, suitable fire alarms should be used and emergency lighting may be necessary in dark escape routes.

Usually one water based extinguisher is also required for each 200m2 of floor space, with a minimum of one extinguisher per floor. However in large or more complex premises, and depending on individual risks, a greater number or wider range of fire safety equipment could be required and some premises may also require hose reels, fire blankets or protective clothing.

Via EPR Network
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Engineering, Furniture, Industrial, Industrial Goods, Manufacturer, Safety

Take The Sun Seriously And Protect Your Workers, Says UK Safety Firm

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With the summer months fast approaching, all parts of the UK are starting to enjoy some sunshine on a regular basis. It’s always quite amusing to see a colleague come into work after a weekend with a bright red nose after spending too much time in the sun, but there is a serious side to excess sun exposure.

Health and safety specialist Safetyshop has called on all companies that employ people to work outdoors to make sure they take steps to help protect their workers from the effects of sun exposure this summer. Due to Britain’s climate, providing staff with suitable sun protection is often not a high priority for most businesses, but prolonged exposure to the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays is a serious problem.

Employers are responsible for their employees’ health and safety at work, and when it comes to protection from the sun there are a number of steps that can be taken. Getting workers to cover up and avoid exposure at lunchtime – the hottest part of the day – is a good start. Providing access to sun screen with a sun protection factor of at least 15, and encouraging employees to wear workwear such as hats are also positive moves.

Safetyshop helps companies to look after their workforces by providing access to a huge range of products, but according to Bhavna Mistry, Product Manager at Safetyshop, a large number of companies remain oblivious to the dangers that the sun can pose.

Bhavna said: “The UK isn’t really known for its hot summers and blazing sunshine, which probably explains why businesses don’t always see the sun as a health and safety issue. However, people who work outside without sun protection are putting themselves at risk, and employers have a responsibility to act.

“With Safetyshop’s help, protecting workers against the sun’s rays is straightforward, which is why we are calling on all businesses to educate their
staff.”

Via EPR Network
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Engineering, Furniture, Industrial, Industrial Goods, Manufacturer, Safety

Safetyshop Encourages Business’ To Think Green with Waste Management and Recycling Products

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UK workplace safety specialist Safetyshop has highlighted tips on how companies can become greener and recycle more waste much like how homeowners are now familiar with recycling household waste.

Bhavna Mistry, Head of Product Marketing at the business health and safety equipment specialist has provided businesses and company owners with a series of helpful suggestions to make their company more environmentally friendly and help combat climate change as well.

“Recycling is on the agenda of most businesses as we live and work in environments that need protecting. Saving energy and reducing the speed of climate change can make a difference to the amount of new materials we need.” said Bhavna.

“Many people now recycle waste at home and would prefer to do the same within their workplace, businesses can save money, promote their corporate social responsibility and be seen as doing the right thing by their employees and customers.”

The following tips should help companies set up a company recycling scheme and apply to many industries and workplaces, from factories to offices…

• Get Management Support – Employees with ideas about introducing recycling bins and other waste management programs should get support from management who will be able to get on board and approve of the suggestions.
• Look for recyclable material in your company’s waste – Waste such as paper, cardboard, cans and bottles are a good starting point and are often the largest volume of waste material in businesses too.
• Find a local recycling company or recycling centre – knowing where to take the material to or who to come and collect your recyclable waste will be an important step.
• Decide where to place recycling containers – A good place to place recycling bins is where the waste is normally kept or generated, this makes it easy for workers to identify where to dispose of the recyclable waste.
• Educate and incentivise your co-workers – educate workers on what can and cannot be recycled and the location of the recycle bins. You may want to encourage them to recycle by offering incentives or rewards for teams or departments that recycle the most.
• Monitor and report – Management will want to know how much resources are saved as a result and chart the success of the scheme.

There are other areas which companies could require additional products such as hazardous substance storage and external bins such as recycling old batteries to prevent chemicals leaking as well as safely disposing of unwanted or old electrical equipment.

The Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) regulations issued by the government have made it much easier to recycle old electrical equipment safely.

Via EPR Network
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