I am happy and available to manage your companies needs from Health and Safety
Statements, Risk Assessments, RAMS for new projects with Main Contractors to Safety
Training and Certification on Manual Handling for staff.You tell us your Health and Safety
requirements and we will provide guidance and advice to get you to where you need to be.
Hi Everyone.
Just a note to Wish everyone a Happy Christmas and a Peacefully New Year.
Health and Safety.
Please remember we want everyone safe and well for their families as we approach a busy time in the workplace for many. Ensure your employee`s have a safe system of work, and are properly trained (manual handling ect). We are hear to help, not just to insure compliance with Legislation but with practical advise and guidance to mitigate and remove the risks.
Claims.
If you find yourself dealing with a claim of any nature and have discovered you are out of your dept (and most people are) when dealing with the aftermath, just give me a ring 24/7 and I will remove the stress and negotiate the best outcome for you.
Investigation of Incidents.
Do you need a professional to assist with root cause analysis with incidents and accidents, we are here to help and have been dealing with matters of this nature for a life time. It sounds easy,but needs expertise to get the right outcomes.
Have a great Holiday
Regards Gerry Carter Managing Director
0868104215
Insurance Institute of Ireland Webinar Presentation October 2022
Attached a link to the PowerPoint for my recent Webinar for the Insurance Institute of Ireland.
Insurance Institute of Ireland Webinar Presentation October 2022 - Gerry Carter (1)
C:\Users\Gerry\Desktop\Webinar Haulage\Webinar 06 10 22 (2).zip
Follow me on LinkedIn for advice on the safe use use of ladders.
CONSTRUCTION.
Safety Action Plan published Ireland’s Health and Safety Authority and Construction Safety Partnership Advisory Committee have published a Construction Safety Action Plan for 2022-24. It sets out five key objectives to: • Standardize the approach for health and safety management • Improve client awareness/ compliance on small, high-risk projects such as one-off builds and construction on farms • Improve safety consultation, worker engagement and encourage facilitation of safety representatives • Examine existing Construction Skills Certification Scheme courses with a view to identifying new subjects required/needed by industry, and consider new ways of delivering Safe Pass • Raise awareness of occupational health in construction.
https://www.hsa.ie/eng/publications_and_forms/publications/construction/construction_safety_action_plan_2022-2024.pdf
IOSH Magazine May/June 2022.
https://www.rsa.ie/road-safety/research/reports/safe-work-related-road-use
Safe work-related road use
Road traffic collisions are a leading cause of work-related deaths. Collision data from Ireland across 2014-2020 indicate that 11% of road user fatalities were work-related.
Safe Work-related Road Use is one of the key intervention areas of Ireland’s Safe System approach. It involves the careful planning and management of work-related journeys to reduce your risk of death and serious injury on our roads. This applies whether you are using publicly or privately owned or leased motor vehicles (including motorcycles), cycling, or walking in the course of your work duties.
For anyone with employees who drive for work please have a read of the attached report from the Road Safety Authority which is very informative on the dangers on our roads. Don`t forget the Health and Safety Act 2005 place a heavy duty of care on employees .
Source: Road Safety Authority Road Traffic Collision data. Figures are provisional and subject to change.
Hi folks .
I read a good article recently in above and think its worth sharing in a reduced format..It picks out common mistakes in Health and Safety Policy for Company`s and advises solutions. I have added my own slant on its content.
All polices should have a statement of intent-just a one page statement of what the company attitude is to Health and Safety and signed by the Managing Director.
Make sure the policy gives details on the structure of the company and who is in charge of each Health and Safety role. Be specific on everyone`s day to day role and responsibility.
Make sure all the hazards are covered and an index will help.It cant be generic as there are no one solution fits all i in my view.
Worker involvement is key from my perspective of Health and Safety. Workers know the hazards and are the key to identification and illumination risk if genuinely involved in the process. An employee handbook helps if its easy to read,understand and relevant . Worker participation in its creation is important,great to have staff ownership of safety procedures and enforcement.
Make sure the policy is properly communicated to staff and reinforced on a regular basis.Its not a you must do this or that, you want people to drive their own safety at work through involvement in its formation and making it work properly.
Don`t leave the policy locked away in a press, why not have it downloaded onto peoples home page for referral when required.
Don`t make it longer than it needs to be.Stick to what necessary with no waffle.
Health and Safety policies are not a lets review next year document. It should be constantly reviewed and changed as needs be.
Make sure a competent person puts the document together because although it may be a lot about common sense it may also be required in court and has legal requirements that must be met.
Call anytime for advice on above.
KEY TIPS TO PREVENT MANUAL HANDLING INJURIES AT WORK
Employers must:
avoid the need for employees to undertake manual handling which involves a risk of them being injured as much as possible
where avoidance is not practicable, carry out a manual handling risk assessment prior to any manual handling tasks
provide training and information, including the weight of the load and its heaviest side if its centre of gravity is not centrally positioned, and the equipment and techniques to be used when carrying out a manual handling task
assess the layout, structure, or nature of the work and the individual capability of staff to reduce manual handling risks
retain reports on any previous notifiable manual handling incidents and accidents
give equal consideration to those working away from the employer’s premises.
Employees have a responsibility to use the information and resources given to them. There are some simple steps that can be taken before and during moving a load:
plan the lift and carefully consider whether additional lifting aids are needed. A manual handling risk assessment may also be required at this stage
reduce the distance of the lift where possible
map out your route and remove any objects that may cause an obstruction
wear suitable clothing that wouldn’t obstruct the lift
ensure you have a good grip on the load whether lifting, pushing or pulling
ensure the person handling the load has completed adequate training
know your limits and be confident to ask for help if needed.
To safely lift a load:
place feet hip-width apart with one foot slightly in front of each other
moderate flexion on the back, hips and knees
grasp the load firmly
use the leg muscles to lift the load into a standing position.
Whilst holding the load it is important to remember to:
keep the back straight, avoid twisting or bending
carry loads with straight arms
keep the head up and face straight ahead while handling a load
keep the load hugged in close to the body while moving.
Taken of IOSH monthly Magazine .
29 April 2022
Topics
Mental health
MSDs
Musculoskeletal Disorders
Wellbeing
Lone workers
Many organisations are embracing hybrid working.
Time split between office and home can benefit workers as well as the organisations they work for. Here are five reasons why:
greater flexibility
improved work/life balance
time and stress saved by not commuting
reduced travel/accommodation costs
increased efficiency.
But hybrid or teleworking may also contribute to or exacerbate musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) – common conditions that affect mechanisms in the body such as the joints, muscles and tendons.
MSDs associated with hybrid work typically affect the lower back, neck, shoulder, arms, hands and wrists. But these are preventable.
Here’s a look at some of the risk factors – along with advice on how to prevent or minimise them – from IOSH in support of the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) Lighten the Load campaign.
Prolonged sitting and standing combined with poor ergonomics and isolation from colleagues can negatively impact workers’ health.
So, it’s vital workers report any issues as soon as possible. And employers should offer support and guidance to help prevent or manage them using a combination of risk assessments, preventative/control measures and encouraging worker participation.
Organisations opting for permanent hybrid working need to have policies and procedures in place to ensure they manage the hazards effectively and provide correct equipment.
Communication is also key. Organisations should ensure staff only work a certain number of hours at home, just as they would in the office, and encourage breaks, hydration and movement.
When face-to-face display screen equipment (DSE) assessments can’t take place, effective alternatives include a self-assessment or checklist for the worker. They could even upload photos or videos of their workspace for additional guidance. Some organisations also put together a video or presentation.
Organisations can train their workers to undertake their own workstation assessments and let managers/the OSH adviser know if there are any issues.
Some workers may struggle with reduced social contact, while others may find it harder to manage their time or separate their work and home life. Managers should provide frequent updates and regularly communicate with workers, so they are aware of any potential issues and can find practical solutions. Think about what support or contact can be put in place to prevent these and other psychosocial risks.
Organisations need to set out clear expectations of hours worked and flexible working arrangements and managers or appointed assessors should check that home workers are following safe practices and not experiencing aches or symptoms of stress.
OSH professionals are well placed to provide information on hazards that need to be considered by hybrid workers – eg suitable access to the room they are working in.
The OSH specialist can offer advice on housekeeping to reduce risks in the home, including:
the need for adequate lighting
removing trailing leads
not using the floor or high shelves for storage
the many reasons why sheds, garages, attics and cellars are not generally considered to be suitable working spaces (eg lack of security, poor ventilation).
Workers can reduce the risk of developing MSDs with these five simple steps:
working in short periods
taking regular breaks
alternating the work they do and swapping from screen time to reading
doing stretching exercises
changing positions and avoiding a static position for too long.
Guide to Key Occupational Health and Safety Legislation
Its important for employer`s to be aware of the current Legislation Governing Health and Safety in Ireland.
Below are a list of the most common Acts and Regulations but a full list can be found on the Health Service Executive (hsa) website www.hsa.ie
Acts.
Safety,Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005(The 2005 Act).
Chemicals Acts 2008 and 2010
Organisation of Working Time Act 1997.
Regulations:
Safety,Health and Welfare at Work (General Application) Regulations 2007 (The Regulations.)
Safety,Health and Welfare at Work (Reporting Accidents and Dangerous Occurrences) Regulations 2016.
Construction Regulations 2013
Codes of Practice.
Code of Practice for working in confined spaces
Code of practice for Avoiding danger from underground Services
Code of practice for Safety in roof work
Code of practice for the Chemical Agents Regulations
Code of Practice for Biological Agents
Hopefully knowing these and other Legislation exists will help Employers in ensuring Safety in the workplace.
Should you need any practical advise and assistance, give me a call or drop me an email.
Hi Folks.
In plain English we are talking about you standard desk top,that is used more than one hour per day..
The Safety,Health and Welfare at Work,(General Application)Regulations 2007,Chapter 5 of Part 2 outline the requirements.
Whats required is:
Carry out a risk assessment of the employee`s work station.
Advise the employee of the measures that have been put in place for their safety
Provide training on how best to use the workstation safely prior to its use or following alterations to it.
Risk assess again following transfer to a different work station which operates differently.
Ensure that eye sight tests are available and where glasses are required the employer must provide them.
For any advise or assistance,please give me a call or drop me an email.
This is going to be just the start depending on the result of the case.
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/health/meat-plant-worker-sues-over-covid-19-infection-1.4842429
A word of advice to all business owners.please make sure your Health and Safety documentation includes a Risk Assessment dealing specifically with Covid 19 and associated illness as this will be what decides if you have a case to answer or not when it comes to protecting your employees and members of the public.
If you need any assistance please let me know.
As we pass from winter to Summer hopefully the risk of storm damage and leaking pipes has diminished for most of us. The one we need to be conscience of all year round but even more so as we consider taking holidays away from our homes is security of the premises while were away.
There is no better security measure than fitting a monitored alarm. They have become cheaper to purchase and install and can be wire free which is great. You can have them advise yourself,neighbor or family member if activated. You can of course use phone watch where they will contact the Gardai on your behalf.
Just remember if you declare you have an alarm at inception or renewal of the policy you will have received a reduction on your premium.So If it has not been turned on and the house is burgled most Insurers will reduce the settlement figure you would be entitled to so bear this in mind at inception or renewing the policy.
Please do not leave a key externally in your favorite hiding spot that`s easy to find as this is a common means of entry for thieves. Also leaving items that can be used to force open windows such as shovels and spades visible to intruders is another common mistake.
Its advisable to hide your jewelry and other valuables well if you are leaving them in the house.Hard to access spaces away from bedrooms would be good spots to consider. Also make sure and this is very important, to have a clear picture of all your valuable items and have the whole lot valued and named on your policy where they exceed the individual maximum payout stated on your policy for single items.
Don`t be afraid to call to your local Garda station and advise the house is empty for whatever period and leave them the name of a key holder should they need it.A little card with details they can leave on the notice board of their parade room would be a good tip.
Putting these claims together , securing indemnity ,dealing with loss adjusters and maximizing what your entitled to should the worse happen is not a simple process . Carter claims will assist you with this and remove the stress as much as possible in the circumstances. Give me a call if your unsure on how best to deal with a claim you need to make on your policy.
With all of us slowly moving back into the office and workplace lets all consider the Health and Safety of our employee`s and members of the public we interact with.This is an ideal time to review our Health and Safety procedures to ensure the safety of all not just from a Covid perspective but in general.Lots may have changed since we last did a Risk Assessment of what we do and how we do it and this is the perfect time to update our procedures to comply with the Health and Safety Act 2005 and Associated Regulations.
Gerard Carter Cip/Dip La,Grad Iosh.
This is to advise the public what in fact your standard House Insurance Policy does not cover.In relation to the Building (The house, outbuildings, detached garages, swimming pools, tennis courts, fuel tanks and their contents, terraces, patios, driveways, footpaths, walls, gates and fences, lawns, hedges, trees, shub`s and plants) itself.
Most policies in this country do not cover the following aspects of these risks of which there are 12. I will only advise the first 3 risks in this article and will publish 3 every week for the next Month. Try and get your heads around these 3 and we can tackle the rest as we go along.
Should you have any questions you want answered if you email me I will respond to all queries.
Your Contract with the Insurance Company.
This contract is made up of a number of documents :
1. A proposal form- or statement of fact (mostly done now on line or over the phone which is recorded).This gives the Insurer all the facts they need to decided how much to charge for the premium if they decide to Insure in the first place.
2.The Insurance Certificate-it will have the disk for your window attached and is proof of Insurance if your asked to produce proof of Insurance by the Gardai.
3. The Policy Booklet- (please read it carefully) it tells you what is and is not covered and all you need to know about the policy cover and how to deal with different situations (claims etc).
4. The Schedule- It contains all the nitty gritty contained in the policy. If there is an issue later with a claim this is where you look to see what terms and conditions apply to the policy.
Insurance Policies even ones with the term Comprehensive do not cover every eventuality so know what is covered and what conditions you must abide by to have cover in place.
Its not rocket science but its amazing what you find out when you need to call on the policy to assist following an incident that requires a claim to be made.
Its not all about price but more about getting a good policy with a good Insurer. A Broker will advise but you still need to know what`s in above documents.
Employers Liability:
An Employer takes it out to cover his Liability to pay compensation to any employee for injury,disease,illness or death that arises out of and in the course of his employment by the Employer. An example would be if you slipped on a banana skin in your companies premises that had been left on the ground by an unknown person.
Public Liability:
Similar to above but is for claims which arise from members of the public or companies for accidental bodily injury or damage to property due to the negligence of the insured or his employers. An example would be a shop assistant drops a box on your foot while you shop in a boutique
Professional Indemnity: It covers the insured against claims which might be made alleging that injury or loss resulted from his negligent action or advise. An example would be a Financial Adviser recommending clients to an investment fund that is in fact illegal to invest in.The Central Bank Regulates this sector and Professional Indemnity Insurance is a requirement.
Products Liability: This covers legal Liability for bodily injury or damage caused to property by either a product,goods or services sold or supplied. You might buy and eat a piece of chicken that makes you ill.
Gerry Carter CDIP LA
Most people who take out Insurance Policy`s have absolutely no idea what salvage is all about. Hopefully after reading this simple explanation you will understand what it means.
If an Insurer pays for a total loss let`s say you claim for a new rug for your sitting room after a coal from the fire falls on it and burns a small hole. Because Indemnity (cover under the policy for the claim) has been accepted by your insurance company and they have paid for a replacement rug then the damaged rug becomes salvage and the Insurers can take the item and sell it to recoup some of the money they paid to settle the claim.
They may often offer the salvage to the policy holder who may decide to buy it back at the reduced price so he can put it in a spare room or playroom where they are not to concerned that it has a small bit of damage.
Savage would apply also with for example the theft of jewellery from a house and where the Insurers have paid to replace the item or items and the Gardai subsequently get the property back during the course of there investigation. Insurers as this stage will often then offer the item back to the Insured providing he/she returns the settlement made for the loss.
Salvage is most commonly seen with plant and machinery on a Commercial Policy. If a piece of plant is damaged say a digger and Insurers accept there is cover for the claim on the policy they will often use an Assessor to inspect the vehicle. If he deems it uneconomical to repair, Insurers may offer the Insured the value of a replacement (less depreciation,depending on the policy wording). They may also offer the piece of plant to the Insured as salvage or in other words he gets the first opportunity to buy the damaged digger from the Insurance Company.
It should be remembered that the Insured has no right to abandon the salvaged item as it may be of significant value to the insurance company.
Gerry Carter CDIP LA.
Insurance costs go in cycles and at present the cycle is upward from what was a very low base.
If you want to get the best cover for the cheapest price possible here are a few simple tips.
Regards Gerry Carter CDIP LA.
It seems that following recent heavy rain falls and high winds that flooding and structural damage is again taking place throughout the country.
If I can be of any assistance to Insurance Policy Holders don`t hesitate to call. I can advise and assist in getting you back to normality quickly and efficiently regardless of whether you are a business or individual and Carter Claims will do all the paper work required for Insurers to have your claim settled.
Regards Gerry Carter CDIP LA
0868104215
Carter Claims.
With all of us slowly moving back into the office and workplace lets all consider the Health and Safety of our employee`s and members of the public we interact with.
This is an ideal time to review our Health and Safety procedures to ensure the safety of all not just from a Covid perspective but in general.
Lots may have changed since we last did a Risk Assessment of what we do and how we do it and this is the perfect time to update our procedures to comply with the Health and Safety Act 2005 and Associated Regulations.
Gerard Carter Cip/Dip La,Grad Iosh.
Copyright Carter Claims
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