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Contents:

• Upgrading ISO9000

• News?
• Vehicles

• Gentle Persuasion?
• Regulations
• H & S Reports
• Publications
• Chemicals

One final thought

Time is running out for companies that are registered to the 1994 version of the ISO9000 series of standards to convert to the 2000 version. Registrations to the old standard will no longer be valid after December 2003, so a plan for the transition is needed now. If you have been putting it off, because you think it will be a lot of work, then you may be pleasantly surprised, as we can take much of the load off your shoulders.

The transition is the opportunity to "spring clean" and review your management system. Does your management system help you to meet the requirements of your customers more efficiently, or does it get in the way of doing business? Does your system generate real data that you can use to make management decisions? Are some of your procedures only there "because the standard requires them"? In ISO9001:2000, there are far fewer mandatory procedures, so you may be able to rationalise and remove redundant procedures.

If you have not ventured into ISO9001 before, because you thought it meant lots of paperwork then think again. In is latest incarnation, ISO9000 is about sound business management practice. If you are managing your company well, you are probably already meeting the requirements of the standard, so gaining registration should be a formality.

At QES Connect, we see ISO9001 as a tool for managing a business, not an end in itself. If you would like to discuss how we can help you to implement ISO9001:2000, please contact Andy Saunders at QES Connect for a free no-obligation discussion.

Managers of all working activities must be aware of the growing tide of "persuasion" being proposed to encourage the adoption of good health and safety practices as part of the management culture. We have already heard of cases where insurance companies are raising premiums to cover expected liabilities for H&S claims, and now we understand that the NHS is in talks with HSE over the proposal to levy charges for treatment arising from work-related accidents and illnesses.

Although HSE was reported by The Daily Telegraph at the end of August to be forming a steering committee to discuss whether companies with good safety standards should be eligible for discounts, no clear timetable has yet emerged, let alone a system for assessment. In the meantime, insurance companies may implement their own systems, such as "Safecontractor" associated with insurance agency Alexander Forbes, with the consequent uncertainty over standards of assessment.

We can only hope that HSE and government departments get their act together before too much damage is done to an increasingly beleaguered manufacturing sector.

While QES Connect cannot advise on insurance itself, we can help you develop safety management systems that will meet the expected needs of insurance company assessors. Call Chris or Andy to find out what your company might need.

The Health and Safety (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2002.

New legislation aimed at clarifying and simplifying some elements of health and safety law came into force on 17 September 2002, covering areas such as first aid, display screens, personal protective equipment, manual handling, work equipment, lifting operations and quarries.

The changes clarify a number of issues recently raised by the European Commission (EC) on specific aspects of the UK implementation of the Framework Directive (89/391/EEC). They also address some minor drafting problems.

The Health and Safety (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2002 (Statutory Instrument (S.I.) number S.I. 2002 No. 2174) amend the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1991; Health and Safety (Display Screen Equipment) Regulations 1992; Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992, Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992; Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992; Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998; Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 and the Quarries Regulations 1999.

Many organisations undertake activities in several of these areas and may find themselves affected. Most likely subjects to be affected are Manual Handling and Personal Protective Equipment.

Further guidance on the Health and Safety (Miscellaneous Amendments) Regulations 2002 will be published by HSE in due course.

Meanwhile, why not give QES Connect a call to check whether there is anything you need to do to maintain compliance.

Part III of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER 98) has been in effect since 5 December 1998 for users of new equipment. However, for equipment in use before then, users of mobile work equipment (eg dumper trucks and tractors) have until December 2002 to comply with safety regulations.

Part III of PUWER 98 addresses risks by requiring duty holders to ensure their equipment is safe to use. Owners / managers may have to consider fitting roll-over protective structures (ROPS), falling object protective structures (FOPS), operator restraints (seat belts, lap belts, etc), and driver visibility aids such as mirrors. Duty holders are also reminded of the need to ensure that when a mobile plant is used in conditions where overturn is likely, the operator restraint is worn. Supervisors should regularly check that drivers are wearing seat belts, where necessary.

Taken from HSE Press Release E169:02 Sept. 2002

Note: The same requirements will apply to hired equipment where this was manufactured before December 1998.

Effect of local exhaust ventilation controls on dust exposures during concrete cutting and grinding activities.

Published in Journal of The American Industrial Hygiene Association, this article details a study carried out to assess the effectiveness of commercially available local exhaust ventilation (LEV) systems for controlling respirable dust and crystalline silica exposures during concrete cutting and grinding activities. The article notes that, in most applications, the use of LEV resulted in a significant reduction in respirable dust exposure.

Although exposure reduction was considerable (70-90% at the low ventilation rate and 80-95% reduction at the high ventilation rate), personal respirable quartz exposures remained very high. Exposure levels found under actual field conditions would probably be lower due to the intermittent nature of most job tasks, says the report. The study found that, despite limited control, LEV is worthwhile as it would:

• reduce the risk of workers developing disease
• allow workers to use a lower level of respiratory protection
• protect workers during short duration work episodes
• reduce exposure to nearby workers
• reduce clean-up associated dust exposures.

AIHA Journal No 63

Note: HSE guidance suggests that water suppression of dust from concrete sawing operations is also effective and may provide cost savings over LEV in some applications.

Using work equipment safely

This HSE leaflet provides information on eliminating or reducing the risks presented by work equipment. It covers all workplaces and situations governed by the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, including offshore installations. It is aimed mainly at those responsible for work equipment and how it is used, such as employers, managers, supervisors, or people who hire out equipment for use in workplaces.

The term 'work equipment' can cover almost any equipment used by a worker at work, including: machines such as circular saws and drilling machines, hand tools such as screwdrivers and knives, lifting equipment like fork lift trucks and lifting slings and other equipment such as ladders and water pressure cleaners.

Leaflets are available from HSE Books, priced packs of ten, single copies free. INDG229(rev1) ISBN 0 7176 2389 0

High Pressure Water Jetting

"Vital seconds could save lives in ultra high pressure water jetting operations. Accidental contact with ultra high pressure water jets can lead to amputation and severe infection due to contaminated water being forced into body tissues. Jetting operators have, until recently, had no real protection against such injuries.", says HSE Ultra high pressure water jets operating in excess of 25,000 psi are being increasingly used by industry. It can be used to replace other techniques, which have a greater health risk and environmental impact.

New personal protective clothing and footwear is now available in the UK, which should reduce the likelihood of these injuries due to its increased resistance to penetration by the jet. HSE will now require the use of such clothing and footwear for manual ultra high pressure water jetting. This should be based on a risk assessment to identify the most appropriate type of PPE for a particular job. Jetting operators will also need training and instruction on the use and limitations of the PPE. Such requirements will also apply to jetting operators using hired equipment.

HSE guidance in the form of a Sector Information Minute (SIM) on the use of this new PPE - Protective clothing and footwear for use with ultra high pressure water jetting - is available from the HSE office in Nottingham, tel: 0115 971 2800.

Taken from HSE Press Release E091:02 May 2002

Idiots guide to CHIP - Chemicals (Hazard Information and Packaging for Supply) Regulations 2002

This HSE guidance provides clear advice about the Chemicals (Hazard Information and Packaging for Supply) Regulations 2002 - known as CHIP 3. The guide acts as an introduction to the Regulations. CHIP helps to protect people and the environment from the ill effects of chemicals by requiring suppliers to:

• identify the hazards of the chemicals they supply
• provide information about the chemicals' hazards to their customers
• package the chemicals safely.

The Regulations apply to the supply of chemicals - that is the sale, offer of sale, provision of commercial samples, import or transfer of chemicals from one person to another.

The basic requirement of CHIP is for the user to decide whether a particular chemical supplied is hazardous. The Regulations and the Approved Classification and Labelling Guide set out the rules for:

• deciding what kind of hazard category the chemical has:
• explaining the hazard (classification) by assigning a simple sentence that describes it (known as a risk phrase or R-phrase).

The classification process is noted as the most important stage. After classifying a substance, the following must be done:

• inform customers about the hazards
• tell them, as far as is possible, how they can use the chemical safely - by a label and a safety data sheet (essential if a customer uses the chemical at work).

Labelling CHIP specifies what has to go on the label and how packages should be labelled.

Safety data sheets Safety data sheets (SDSs) are mandatory if the chemical is dangerous and supplied for use at work - whether packaged or not. SDSs are also needed if the chemical is not classified as dangerous, but contains small amounts of a dangerous substance. In terms of SDSs, CHIP sets out:

• a standard for the quality of information to be included
• 16 headings under which information has to be provided.

The quality standard places the responsibility on the supplier to ensure that the information provided is sufficient - that is, it allows the user to decide how to protect people at work and the environment. Providing a safety data sheet is a requirement of CHIP.

Employers' use of the information in the safety data sheets to assess and manage the risks is covered by the workplace control law (eg, the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH), the Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations or the Control of Lead at Work Regulations), or environmental control law.

A summary of what is required by CHIP is presented in a flow chart at the back of the guide which is available free from HSE Books. (INDG350)

Let QES Connect help with your understanding of SDSs and assessment of your hazardous substances.

The HSE is to issue new guidance on good practice for reducing health risks to workers exposed to metalworking fluids (MWFs).

Dermatitis is the main health concern associated with metalworking fluids, with around 200 cases reported every year - related to exposure to cutting oils and coolants. There is also an association between exposure to MWFs and respiratory effects, including bronchitis and asthma. The guidance will include:

steps to be considered when assessing and controlling exposure
• case studies to demonstrate the measures needed to achieve control
• task sheets for operators
• a guidance value for airborne neat oil and water-mix MWF mist levels and sump fluid contaminants (eg bacteria)
• monitoring charts.

The guidance will be launched at the first of a series of seminars being organised by the HSE and the Engineering Employers' Federation, starting in October 2002.

Taken from HSE Press Release E149:02 July 2002

QES Connect will be able to help you to assess your company's performance in the light of this guidance.

Most of the news from the Environment Agency these days relates to flood defences, waste offences and failure to register under the Packaging Regulations. Even if none of these are of concern to your business, you might like to consider waste reduction as a useful contribution to the bottom line. Any material or energy that you do not use, be it scrap, emission to air, release to water or even lost heat, is something your company has paid for.

A simple assessment of environmental impacts could help you to identify ways to make your business more competitive. Call Chris Hamilton at QES Connect for a free survey and quotation.

In a recent court case, the registered owner of a vehicle was prosecuted after the vehicle was identified in a fly-tipping incident. The defendant was fined, despite her claim that the vehicle was on loan to someone else at the time.

Since this situation could arise with company-owned vehicles, it would be prudent for companies to be sure they know, and record, what the vehicles will be used for before allowing them to be borrowed by employees for private use.

When did you last review your risk assessments? If it was more than a year ago, the chances are that they are no longer effective. Risk assessments are not just a legal requirement. They can help you to plan how to deal with health and safety issues in your company. If you would like help to make risk assessments work for your business, contact QES Connect for advice.

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Produced by QES Connect Ltd. Except where stated, the material included in the newsletter is taken from freely available public sources. It may be reproduced without permission for non-commercial purposes.