HSE Passport, the company committed to helping agencies, umbrella companies, contractors and host companies achieve legal compliance to current Health & Safety legislation, is calling on recruitment agencies to review their approach towards health and safety training for temporary workers.

HSE Passport, the simple and cost effective health and safety compliance scheme (for contract and temporary workers) is advising recruitment agencies to get their temporary workers and freelancers ‘Health and Safety Compliant’, prior to releasing them into the workplace.

A simple health and safety passport for each temporary worker can prevent timely delays when arriving on site at a new project and also will present cost-saving benefits to both the client and agency.

Guy Schrecker, General Manager, HSE Passport said: “If an agency worker holds a recognised health and safety passport card , it presents many benefits: The agency can offer placements straightaway, the client does not have to hold health and safety induction sessions and the temporary worker can take the passport from project to project.”

He went on to say “If recruitment agencies make it mandatory for every one of their temporary workers to hold a health and safety passport, it will make life a lot easier for the end client, removing the need for timely induction sessions.”

HSE Passport ensures that freelancers and agency workers are health and safety compliant when they arrive on site, creating cost saving benefits and ensuring that all temporary assigned staff have a basic level of health and safety training for every project. The passport scheme can prevent delays in the commencement of an assignment or workplace project.

Agencies that use HSE Passport for their candidates will inevitably be preferred by host companies when they need workers because the assignment can start as soon as the worker arrives on-site. It also demonstrates that the agency understands the legal responsibly towards the candidate in respect of their safety.

For a host company, after a contractor has been appraised of any site specific issues, they are free to begin their assignment immediately, thus eliminating the need to give training whilst paying the agency for non-productive time. HSE Passport can simplify the process for recruitment agencies which could show a significant saving in administrative costs for their clients.

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Notes to Editors:

About HSE Passport

HSE Passport is a simple and cost effective solution to ensure that all contract and temporary workers are able to evidence a basic understanding of health and safety matters, as soon as they arrive on site. This ensures all parties can be confident that the liability for training has been captured.

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Representatives from HSE Passport are available for media interviews and speaking opportunities.

For more information on HSE Passport contact: Nicky Frost, SMPR (Simply Marcomms Limited), 18 Generator Hall, Electric Wharf, Coventry, CV1 4JL, Tel: 0870 199 4044, Email: nicky@simplymarcomms.co.uk

If you would like to be added to the PR distribution list for future news or to arrange an interview, contact nicky@simplymarcomms.co.uk or call 0870 199 4044.

WorkRite, Posturite’s specialist e-learning and training division, is enjoying a record year. Turnover is up by almost 90% over the corresponding period in 2010, with several major new contracts in the bag.

These include the company’s biggest ever deal for its market-leading AssessRite DSE training and assessment package which has been licensed by a multinational energy company to be rolled out to more than 12,500 users in 24 different countries.

WorkRite has had to translate the software into a number of different languages including Arabic, Hindi and Gujarati.

National sales manager Ryan Church said: “On its own, this was a fantastic deal for us. But coming on top of several other major contract wins over this year, it means that we are yet again out-performing the market by a considerable distance.

“This is the fifth year in succession that we have seen big turnover increases, though never quite as large as this year. There’s no doubt that all the hard work we put into developing our products and services in the early stages is now paying off.

“Our powerful and intuitive management system, in particular, is a significant factor in winning business for us. Health and safety professionals love it because it makes their lives so much easier.”

Ryan was particularly pleased that WorkRite has been grabbing a considerable amount of business from the clutches of its competitors, as well as landing big contracts with companies that are moving into e-learning for the first time.

WorkRite also benefits from Posturite’s huge reputation within the office health and safety sector, he said.

“We’re fortunate to be part of a business that is the runaway market leader in its field and is well known for providing world-class products and excellent customer service.

“We are able to plug into its unique nationwide network of locally-based account managers and client support executives who make sure that business is conducted at a personal level. They’re all incredibly hands-on,” Ryan said.

Find out more about WorkRite’s suite of e-learning programs as well as its other training and consultancy services at www.workrite.co.uk or call 0845 345 0030.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has produced a new book that aims to improve the understanding of shift work and its impact on health and safety. More than 3.5 million people are employed as shift workers in the UK. They work in a wide variety of industries including the emergency services, healthcare, the utilities, transport, manufacturing, entertainment and retail. Poorly designed shift-working arrangements and/or long working hours may put them at risk of fatigue, accidents, injuries and ill health.

Managing Shift Work: Health and Safety Guidance is aimed at anyone with an interest in reducing the health and safety risks associated with shift work. This could include senior management, human resources, health and safety officers, occupational health advisors, trade union representatives, supervisors or shift workers themselves.

The book explains why we should be concerned about shift work, drawing on the evidence available in the scientific literature. It goes on to set out an approach to managing the risks from shift work and provides useful advice and good practice guidelines to help inform the design or redesign of shift work rotas.

The key issues

Research has shown that shifts, particularly night and early morning shifts, can have undesirable consequences for workers including disruption of the internal body clock, sleeping difficulties and fatigue. These in turn can affect performance, increase the likelihood of errors and accidents at work and might affect health and well-being.

Reducing the risks associated with shift work and fatigue can improve the health and safety of workers and may also financially benefit business and society in general by reducing sickness, injuries and accidents, and by increasing work efficiency and product quality.

Regulation and control of the risks associated with shift work

In the UK, there is no specific health & safety legislation on shift working. Nevertheless employers have general health & safety responsibilities (e.g. a duty of care in law) for their employees and others. This includes removing or controlling the risks of fatigue by properly organising and planning shift-working arrangements. Their broader responsibility for the health and safety of others (e.g. the public) who might be affected by their work activities provides another reason why it is important to control fatigue.

There are many different shift work-schedules and each schedule has different features. This sheer diversity of work and workplaces mean that there is no single optimal shift system that suits everyone. However, a planned and systematic approach to assessing and managing the risks of shift work can improve the health and safety of workers. HSE’s new book, Managing Shift Work: Health and Safety Guidance includes a simple five-step approach that employers could use for this purpose.

There are a number of key risk factors in shift schedule design, which must be considered when assessing and managing the risks of shift work. These are the workload, the work activity, shift timing and duration, direction of rotation and the number and length of breaks during and between shifts. Other features of the workplace environment such as the physical environment, management issues and employee welfare can also contribute to the risks associated with shift work.

All the key risk factors are covered in detail in the guidance, which provides practical advice on how to reduce the risks associated with them. This advice is also summarised in the form of best practice guidelines.

Source: HSE

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An uncomfortable work environment can affect productivity and increase the likelihood of work-related muscle strains and eyestrain. Incorporating ergonomics in the workplace of your small business can remedy an uncomfortable atmosphere. These simple changes help decrease stress levels and improve employee performance.

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The new Atlet Tergo range comprises five advanced reach trucks designed to provide the most ergonomic, efficient and productive performance in all types of materials handling operation. The trucks have maximum working loads from 1200 to 2500kg and lift heights up to 12.1m to provide operators with total flexibility and choice across a complete range of applications.

The most powerful trucks in the range are designed to stack higher, heavier and faster in the most demanding and intensive 24/7 operations such as retail and food distribution. The smaller and compact models are designed for operations where lighter loads and lower lifting heights are the norm, such as newer and growing businesses, and include the first reach truck from Atlet to offer 1200kg capacity.

The original Atlet Tergo range was introduced in 1993, and these new fifth-generation trucks build on the advances and success of their predecessors to take ergonomics and comfort to new levels. Analysis by Atlet showed every hour on average reach truck operators make 2,000 arm and 1,000 head movements, and spend 10% of the time looking upwards, 20% travelling backwards and 70% forwards. The new Tergo operator environment has been redesigned to minimise fatigue, strain and stress associated with this type of work.

Each model is packed with features designed to make them the most ergonomic and personalised trucks on the market. The mini steer wheel with floating arm rest, a unique Atlet innovation, and the tilting seat pioneered on earlier models are retained and improved to reduce strain on the neck and shoulders. New features include adjustable seat suspension to optimise the position and cushioning for each operator. An adjustable height foot rest helps to ensure a comfortable posture for operators of all sizes. The arm rest and controls can also be set for a stress-free body position. Up to nine different adjustments can be made.

The seat on the larger models has a unique, ergonomic patent-pending backrest that can tilt up to 18º to reduce neck and back strain when handling at high levels. The backrest is tall and narrow and adjusts conveniently to the weight and shape of the operator for maximum comfort. This also allows the operator to turn towards the direction of travel much more easily for reduced risk of repetitive strain injuries.

Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg carried out a comparative ergonomic evaluation study of the Atlet Tergo with reach trucks from three other manufacturers. This showed that the Tergo offered more ergonomic working postures than the other trucks.

The Pro Vision mast with integrated hydraulics is designed to promote excellent all-round visibility of the working area, racking and load for optimum operating safety. A new mast damping system and extremely quiet transmission and hydraulics ensure the Tergo has the lowest noise levels on the market at just 58-61dB, depending on model, at the operator’s ear. The combined effect of the design advances is to reduce full body vibration by 25% compared to the previous model.

Productivity is promoted by innovative features. The trucks can operate at up to 14km/h, making them some of the fastest available. The operator can change truck direction hands-free using the accelerator pedal for simpler manoeuvrability. The unique three-way Ergo Logic II multi-function controller provides single-handed control over lifting, lowering and tilting.

The intuitive dashboard and control interface incorporates a clean instrument layout. The finger tip control panel are perfectly positioned and angled towards the operator for optimum viewing, control and safety. All of the important operator information, activated functions and safety indicators are clearly displayed.

The new DCC – dynamic cornering control – automatically reduces the speed of the truck to a safe level when cornering without any intervention by the operator. DCC is included in all Tergo reach trucks equipped with S3, Atlet’s established S3 Stability Support System boosts operator driving confidence with industry-leading safety performance. This automatically maintains driving stability in a wide range of situations with functions such as DCC and Optimised Performance Control, which adapts mast lift and reach speed to maximise stability and safety when handling loads at high levels. Options include Level Assistance System which ensures faster and safer load handling by controlling the movement of the forks to the correct height and Active Spin Reduction which maintains safe working speeds and other parameters on low-friction floors.

The truck’s on-board Atlet Truck Computer (ATC) manages truck operations and supports efficient maintenance. It enables PIN access control which prevents unauthorised use and allows truck performance parameters, including maximum forward, reverse and cornering speeds, lifting and reach speeds, to be optimised for individual operators. This means, for example, that newly qualified operators can be restricted to slower speeds than experienced colleagues until they are proficient.

All Atlet trucks are designed according to the company’s modular concept with all models across its warehouse range based on just seven chassis types. This ensures excellent component commonality which means fewer spare parts are required to remedy the majority of service issues. The ATC also provides on-board diagnosis technology which allows service engineers to identify maintenance requirements quickly and easily and return the truck to productive operations in the shortest possible time.

The combination of advanced diagnostics and component commonality means that Atlet’s mobile service engineers can provide a first time fix rate of 95 per cent and truck uptime of more than 98 per cent. The trucks and components are designed for low energy consumption and extended service intervals which promotes sustainability and further reduces overall cost of ownership.

Source: The Grocery Trader

For the first time ever attendees of ErgoExpo, one of the largest ergonomics conferences in the country, will have an opportunity to see Ergotron and view its full line-up of affordable, wellness-enhancing workspace solutions on exhibit in Las Vegas, Nevada, November 30 through December 2 (booth #441).

With a legacy in designing workspaces for true ergonomic comfort, Ergotron recognizes that traditional, fixed workspaces—no matter how well designed for ergonomics—force knowledge workers into sedentary work routines, putting their health and the health of the organization’ at risk.

“The future of ergonomics must move beyond expensive chairs and keyboards,” said Joel Hazzard, president and CEO of Ergotron, “relying not only on scientific discipline but staying true to its definition, designing equipment and devices that fit the human body, its movements, and its cognitive abilities. Fixed workspaces do not always accommodate individual needs and more important, do not encourage the movement our bodies need.”

What attendees can expect to learn when visiting Ergotron is that the health and productivity of every knowledge worker is at risk in even the most optimally designed ergonomic workspace. Long periods of sitting are linked to cancer, obesity, heart disease and early mortality rates, and sitting disease claims the lives of nearly 300,000 Americans a year.

While sit-only or stand-only products do exist, they can be costly, space-consuming, and difficult to deploy. Moreover, they do not influence the movement needed to combat the harmful, even deadly, risks associated with fixed, sedentary ergonomic work environments.

WorkFit, a family of on-demand sit-stand workstations designed by Ergotron, facilitate healthy, active work routines and have been widely recognized for the affordability and fitness enablement benefits they offer.

“With the availability of our new WorkFit products at dramatically lower price points than other height-adjustable or treadmill desks, companies can now afford to invest in their employees’ well-being and provide sit-stand adjustability to all office workers—keeping healthy workers healthy, while warding off rising healthcare costs and lost time at work due to computing discomfort or injury,” said Hazzard. “When companies can begin to connect the productivity and wellness benefits associated with sit-stand work environments and how this can positively impact the entire organization, the light bulbs really start going off.”

Easily integrated with existing desktop equipment, Ergotron’s WorkFit Sit-Stand workstations are available in multiple configurations to meet the single or dual monitor requirements of computer users. Easily calculable ergonomic payback (payback.ergotron.com) helps companies see the inherent productivity gains and quick return on investment.

At ErgoExpo ’11 Ergotron is showcasing the latest addition to the WorkFit portfolio, the WorkFit-A Sit-Stand Workstation, available early 2012. One of a select number of products featured in the ErgoExpo Attendees’ Choice Awards, the WorkFit-A clamps to the rear or side of most surfaces, and like the rest of the WorkFit family, enables an effortless sit-and-stand on-demand work style. The keyboard, swing arm and monitor easily fold out of the way as needed, allowing users full access to desk surface area. Like all WorkFit products, the new workstation features Ergotron’s patented Constant Force Technology.

Ergotron is partnering with California-based Office Relief in booth #441 at Caesar’s Palace. Attendees can visit the booth to learn more about Ergotron’s innovative product placement programs or enter to win a workstation makeover, which include ergonomic solutions from Office Relief and a sit-stand workstation and accessories from Ergotron.

ErgoExpo’ 11 attendees are encouraged to follow Ergotron on Twitter (@ergotron) or via Facebook during the show to learn about additional promotions and information about the company and its WorkFit product portfolio.

Available globally, Ergotron’s WorkFit portfolio can be found online at Workfit.ergotron.com, at MSRPs ranging from $379 to $899. To learn about Ergotron and the entire WorkFit product line, visit http://www.ergotron.com, call 800.888.8458 or join the Just Stand Wellness Uprising at http://juststand.org.

About Ergotron:
Founded in 1982 by VESA FDMI standard author and visionary Harry Sweere, Ergotron is a global manufacturer of digital display mounting and mobility products, headquartered in Saint Paul, Minnesota, with sales efforts in Amersfoort, the Netherlands, and Singapore. Ergotron’s products have been improving the human interface with digital displays for over 25 years. Our history of innovation and passion for differentiation is evidenced in over 37 patents and our growing portfolio of award winning products for computer monitors, notebooks, and large flat panel displays and T.V.s Ergotron products enhance computing wellness, improve workplace productivity and create business process efficiencies, wherever and whenever they’re used. Incorporating Ergotron’s Constant Force lift and pivot motion technology, wall and desk mount arms, stands, mobile carts, pivots and vertical lifts require less effort to achieve more ergonomic motion, improving the user’s experience when viewing any digital display for work or entertainment.

Source: PRWeb
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Ergonomic office chairs are seats designed for the workplace. They make it possible for people to endure being seated  for long periods without feeling an excessive amount of stress on their backs and legs.

Why is it crucial in the workplace setting?

While offices are not risky locations, it nonetheless carries its own distinctive risks. One of those may be the growth of lumbar difficulties from sitting for extended times.

A normal office could have its workers in a seated placement for at the very least seven hours every day. Staying in only one posture can ultimately build pressure on a person’s lumbar areas. As soon as pressure proceeds to build, this could result in  difficulties including ache. Eventually, persistent pain will ultimately  call for specialized health-related therapy.

This takes place simply because humans are not intended to be deskbound for extended periods.
Ergonomic office chairs make sure that this health predicament is averted. It makes sitting down in the office much more tolerable since it is  created to deal with these issues.  

What are its primary features?

Ergonomic chairs are composed of three primary components. They are the  backrest, swivel, and armrest. The backrest’s curved feature is naturally created to match the curve of your spine. It also provides maximum support to those with backaches or hip problems. Considering that the backrest can also be inclined,  it  delivers considerable necessary relaxation for those quick  office naps .

The swivel function permits people to reach for items on the workspace or cubicle spot without significant difficulty.

It also prevents further actual stresses and strains from occurring.

The armrest, as the name suggests, gives a rest area for your arms. Users  can use  these to take breaks  from typing or using the laptop mouse.

An ergonomic office chair will also have several other functions created to enable the user carry out projects without feeling an excessive amount of strain. The swivel in the chair helps  individuals reach points on their desk and cubicle area without strain. The seat also reclines, which is a good way to loosen up in the middle of a frantic day.

What should I bear in mind about these chairs?

You ought to bear in mind that the seat  setting must match your desk’s specifications as well. In case your office desk’s position is somewhat higher than others, change your ergonomic chair’s position consequently.

Make sure your feet manages to rest on the floor when you sit down. Obtain a small-scale footrest to go together with the seat. This move is very important to avoid circulation troubles. Dangling feet for extended periods can trigger bad circulation of blood inside the legs. This could produce a host of medical issues at a later time.

Check the seat’s incline  and observe if you’re comfy. The inclination ought to offer you sufficient back support and promote good position simultaneously. Change the armchair’s position as you see fit. These actions help make the desk and seat function together to make sure you get complete support. It also lets you be comfortable throughout office hours.

Getting ergonomic office chairs these days is straightforward since these are obtainable on the internet. If you’re interested, simply log online and contact a trustworthy supplier. The internet vendor will provide the items days upon your order.

Source: Ezine Mark

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The RoSPA Safety Awards have been recognising health and safety success since 1956. This key fixture in the health and safety calendar offers organisations a prime opportunity to prove their ongoing commitment to raising health and safety standards: be part of the longest running and most highly respected occupational safety awards programme.

The launch of paperless entry in 2011 was a huge success and made the entry process quicker, easier and environmentally friendly. So register today to be part of the only health and safety scheme worth shouting about.

Simply click on the How to Enter option below and follow the instructions to successfully enter the RoSPA Awards.

Source: RoSPA

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Construction health and Safety consultancy Derisk LLP is pleased to welcome a new Director on board, Mark O’Mahony.

Mark joins Derisk after successfully launching a health and safety risk management business into the marketplace and now joins Derisk to contribute towards their expansion plans over the next 12 months. His duties will include developing and establishing a training division and assisting in business development.

As a chartered safety and health practitioner, Mark brings experience, competencies and reassurances to clients who require proportionate and practical advice on the management of health and safety within their organisations.

Marc Smith, Managing Director of Derisk said:

“We are delighted to welcome Mark to Derisk as a shareholder and Director. His knowledge, experience and professionalism will allow Derisk to further develop our broader health and safety service offering to both new and existing clients.”

He went on to say “Health and Safety compliance in the construction industry is highly legislated and regardless of the economic downturn, clients and contractors must still maintain high levels of compliance to ensure the safety of their own workforce and others who may be affected by their works. Mark is a valuable asset to Derisk, ensuring all our clients remain compliant throughout these difficult times.”

About Derisk (H&S) LLP

Derisk (H&S) LLP is a health and safety and risk management provider to the UK construction and demolition industries. We work across a variety of sectors including commercial, retail, education and housing. Our services include:

• Health & Safety Consulting
• Site Compliance
• CDM Compliance
• Management System
• Asbestos Management
• Contractor Vetting
• Training
• BID Team Support
• Specialist Project Services

For further information about Derisk and a full description of all our services, please visit our main website: www.deriskuk.com or give us a call on 020 7734 6655

Contact Details :

Derisk (H&S) LLP

Silver House

31-35 Beak Street

London

W1F 9DP

T: 0207 734 6655

F: 0207 734 6626

E: enquiries@deriskuk.com

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For interviews or comments, please contact our PR agency: SMPR (Simply Marcomms Limited) 0870 199 4044 Email: info@simplymarcomms.co.uk

HSE Passport, the simple and cost effective health and safety compliance scheme (for contract and temporary workers) has teamed up with a leading UK freelance insurance provider, Caunce O’Hara to offer the passport scheme as an optional service when a contractor purchases professional indemnity insurance.

Caunce O’Hara provide a number of insurance products to SMEs, making it the perfect partner for HSE Passport.

Guy Schrecker, General Manager, HSE Passport said: “Compliance doesn’t need to difficult, time consuming or expensive, once HSE Passport is purchased, freelancers go through a simple and hassle free process to obtain their health and safety passport, enabling them to present a validated ID card on every job they are assigned to.”

He went on to say “We are delighted to announce our new partnership with Caunce O’Hara and look forward to helping clients become compliant with current health and safety legislation, complimenting their legal compliance cover.”

HSE Passport for contractors, freelancers and temporary workers.

HSE Passport can help businesses avoid accidents that can lead to heavy fines (should an agency worker be injured in the work place) and could create cost savings by ensuring that agency workers and temporary assigned staff have at least a basic level of health and safety training prior to arriving on site.

The passport scheme can also prevent delays in the commencement of an assignment or workplace project.

For a host company, after a contractor has been appraised of any site specific issues, they are free to begin their assignment immediately, thus eliminating the need to give training whilst paying the agency for non-productive time.

As an employer, umbrella organisations must take responsibility for basic health and safety training. This can not only delay the start of the assignment but can also be extremely costly, HSE Passport can simplify the process which could show a significant saving in administrative costs.
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Caunce O’Hara: www.caunceohara.co.uk

Notes to Editors:

About HSE Passport

HSE Passport is a simple and cost effective solution to ensure that all contract and temporary workers are able to evidence a basic understanding of health and safety matters, as soon as they arrive on site. This ensures all parties can be confident that the liability for training has been captured.

Representatives from HSE Passport are available for media interviews and speaking opportunities.

For more information on HSE Passport contact: Nicky Frost, SMPR (Simply Marcomms Limited), 18 Generator Hall, Electric Wharf, Coventry, CV1 4JL, Tel: 0870 199 4044, Email: nicky@simplymarcomms.co.uk

If you would like to be added to the PR distribution list for future news or to arrange an interview, contact nicky@simplymarcomms.co.uk or call 0870 199 4044.