The UK currently generates around 41.9 million tonnes of commercial and industrial waste each year*. So what can your organisation do to help reduce this and make your workplace more environmentally friendly?

Think before you print 
80 million tonnes of paper is discarded every year in the UK and accounts for 24% of total UK waste. Think - do you really need to print at all? If you do need to print, make it double sided (most computers have duplex print capability). You could also print two pages to a side to further reduce paper consumption.

Embrace technology
Invest in paperless solutions: use apps for everyday tasks such making notes, communications, and setting reminders (goodbye post-its!). Issue employees with tablets rather than notepads.

Get organised! 
​Put things away in a neat, tidy and systematic way. Not only will you know where things are, but you'll reduce the likelihood of things being damaged and needing to be replaced.

Reuse and recycle 

• Provide air dryers or reusable hand towels in toilets and common areas as an alternative to disposable paper towels.
• Provide water coolers or drinking fountains instead of vending machines - and rather than plastic cups, provide real drinking glasses.
• Buy recycled paper for your printers - 70% less energy is needed to recycle paper than is needed to make it from raw materials.

Sort out your systems - and get everyone on board

• Encourage all staff to save scrap paper and reuse it where possible before recycling.  
• Make sure you have recycling bins in every area of your workplace, and train all staff to follow the recycling rules for your county, such as separating different types of waste, and putting food waste in a compost bin.

* Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

This week we've been chatting with Liz Tobin, a small business systems expert from Gingersnap Consulting, about how finding the right software can make your business more efficient. Liz helps small businesses unlock their potential through technology.

"Having the right systems in place by embracing some of the hugely cost effective business apps out there can make a startling impact on business efficiency," Liz explains. "You'll get time back, be able to deliver more and wonder how you ever managed before."

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The benefits of software automation

More time Automating your systems using the right software will free up valuable time that can be spent more profitably elsewhere.
Streamlined systems Automation will mean an end to the repetition of time consuming tasks. Enter data just once, send information remotely and make processes faster and more efficient.
Fewer resources When your business is automated and you've got the right software in place, you'll need fewer resources to perform the same tasks - and you'll be able to do more with the resources you have.


Environmental benefits

Cut down on travel Software automation means you can utilise remote workers more, meaning a smaller carbon footprint for your organisation.
Use less paper Using digital solutions and cloud based services will cut down on paperwork, lessening your organisation's environmental impact.


Software automation and compliance

The streamlining and environmental benefits of software automation will help your organisation comply with ISO 9001, with its focus on internal systems, and ISO 14001, which looks at the environmental impact of your organisation.

If you'd like to know more about achieving these standards in your organisation, contact us at info@penarth.co.uk or on 029 2070 3328.

What is process mapping?

A visual planning method that identifies the activities, data or materials involved in a process.
A logical way to streamline, standardise and simplify processes.
A useful tool for getting clear on steps that need to be taken - and ensuring compliance.


What is process mapping used for?

• Tracking and understanding the customer journey
• Simplifying staff on-boarding and training 
• Supporting delegation, collaboration and teamwork
• Identifying and mitigating problems and risks
• Saving time and money
• Demonstrating compliance and improvement

How process mapping can help you with GDPR preparation

A key step in being able to demonstrate compliance with the General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) that come into effect on 25th May will be the ability to show that you understand how information flows throughout your organisation. 

Process mapping is a useful tool that will help you get clear on exactly what you need to do to achieve GDPR compliance. Many of our clients have found that the easiest way for them to understand how their organisation uses and processes data has been to commission a half day workshop with us.
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For more information about our GDPR data mapping workshops, click here.

Alternatively you can Contact us to discuss your needs.

We'd like to introduce you to the newest member of our team.

​Flo's first job was as a working sheepdog on a farm. However, she showed little aptitude or interest in the work and simply wanted to play and dig holes. Without the will to work she was deemed to have 'no purpose', and so her employer made the decision to make her redundant. 

Undaunted, Flo applied for a new position as a family pet. She was successful at interview and is now well on her way to achieving high performance in her new post.

She’s already completed her induction training (having mastered the stairs - which she hadn't encountered as a working farm dog - as well as leaping on the bed and onto the sofa). She has now been booked onto a further training course in obedience in April.
 
Despite her early antipathy towards work, now Flo has found a position she enjoys (with access to the right training and mentoring), she loves coming into the office.  Alongside her main job as family pet, she has now been put in charge of staff wellbeing. She is rapidly growing into the role, with support from the rest of the team.


Training can positively impact your business and help your staff succeed. For information about how Penarth Management Limited can support your business or organisation with training, awareness and competency (key requirements of management system Standards such as ISO 9001, ISO 14001 and ISO 45001) please get in touch. Contact us at info@penarth.co.uk or on 029 2070 3328.

How prepared was your business or organisation for the havoc caused by the recent adverse weather? Did you have procedures in place to manage the situation - or did it feel as if everything was descending into chaos?

As the snow brought roads and public transport to a standstill in many areas, preventing people from reaching their places of work, many workplaces tried their best to maintain services. Hospital staff spent nights in their places of work to ensure patients were cared for; cafes and restaurants turned to social media to inform customers they were open for business as usual; and many businesses relied on technology to enable employees to carry out at least some of their work from home.

The impact of unexpected events such as severe weather and disaster on businesses can last far longer than the immediate aftermath of the event itself - but it is possible to put procedures in place to help you mitigate the risk.

If the recent snow and its adverse effect on your business operations has given you pause for thought, click here to find out how business continuity management systems can help you manage risk and prepare for the unexpected.

It's Fairtrade Fortnight! This event runs from 26 February to 11 March 2018, with the aim of raising awareness. With more and more consumers wanting to shop ethically these days, this is a great opportunity to let your customers know how you support Fairtrade - which can be as simple as committing to using only Fairtrade coffee in your office (we do this here at Penarth Management). You can find out more about Fairtrade Fortnight for business, and contact their Business Engagement Team here.

Fairtrade is great for business: independent research shows that 4 out of 5 consumers who see an ethical label on a product are more likely to buy it. And nearly three quarters of consumers use the Fairtrade logo to let them know that a product is ethical.

Five ways you can support Fairtrade in your business:

• Serve Fairtrade products to your employees and colleagues
• Stock and sell Fairtrade products to your customers
• ​Use the Fairtrade mark on your own products
• ​Sell Fairtrade ingredients to other businesses
• Sell your own Fairtrade products wholesale

You can find out more about making your business Fairtrade here.

The new Occupational Health and Safety standard ​ISO 45001 (successor to OHSAS18001) will be released in March 2018 - and we are able to offer a 15% discount if you purchase a copy of the new standard through Penarth Management Limited.

The new standard will be the first international health and safety standard in the world. It's designed to help organisations reduce occupational injuries and diseases and their adverse impact on the workplace by giving organisations a framework to manage health and safety: improving the safety of employees, reducing risk and establishing better and safer working conditions.

​Based on the same structure as ISO 9001 and ISO 14001, the quality and environmental standards, ISO 45001 will also take into account other international and national standards.

Sign up below to receive notification as soon as ISO 45001 is released, and take advantage of our 15% discount. 

If you'd rather buy an electronic copy, you won't save any money, but you will get a .pdf copy emailed to your inbox just as soon as it becomes available. You can pre-order directly from BSI if you'd prefer to receive a .pdf copy.

This seems to be a definite trend – something I’ve spotted among many of my colleagues and business contacts. From skiing to sky diving, I often find that health and safety practitioners are some of the biggest risk takers when it comes to their personal lives.

This might seem counterintuitive, but all of those risky activities demonstrate perfectly why they make great health and safety people: they know that it's not about stopping the fun, but rather assessing the risks of whatever scary activity they're about to do - and applying sensible controls.

Take skiing. It's exhilarating to successfully ski from the top of a mountain to the bottom (yes, I count myself among the adrenaline junkies). But it also takes technique and control. It's not all about pointing the skis downhill; sometimes you need to side-slip to stay in control and to safely navigate the piste more slowly. Risk assessment done.

For sensible, practical risk management advice, contact us via info@penarth.co.uk.

Outside temperatures here in Cardiff have been up and down over the last week – but with heavy frosts and lows of -1 some mornings I’m sure that, like me, you’ve had your heating on.

With energy bills rising by 12.5% last autumn (the fastest rise since 2014) it’s in everyone’s interests to try and conserve fuel – not to mention better for our planet.

Half the people who responded to an Energy Saving Trust survey said they turn their thermostats up when it’s colder outside; however, as it’s the thermostat’s job to maintain the same internal temperature, whatever the weather, this is unnecessary.

Some of the best ways to conserve heat are the simplest: draw curtains or blinds – this really does keep the heat in, reducing heat loss by as much as 17%; bleed your radiators regularly; ensure that large items (such as sofas) aren’t positioned in front of radiators where they block the heat; turn your heating off if no-one is at home. You could also use a heating app to control the thermostat when plans change.
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Our best tip? By turning your thermostat down by just one degree it should be possible to reduce your energy bill by at least 2% - and often by as much as 10%.  The average room temperature in a UK home is 18°C, and central heating thermostats are generally set to around 20°C – while the World Health Organisation’s standard for warmth is 18°C for suitably dressed healthy people. (Bedroom temperatures should be set a little lower, at about 15°C or 16°C, to ensure a good night’s sleep.) The Energy Saving Trust suggests potential savings of £75 a year for a typical three bedroom home, when you turn your thermostat down by one degree.

You’ll (hopefully) be aware of GDPR by now – and should be in the process of addressing it in your organisation. But are you aware of BS 10012:2017?  We are starting to help people implement data protection systems in line with this Standard - something that we can supply as a hard copy at a discounted rate.

 
What exactly is BS 10012:2017?

BS 10012 is a British Standard that provides a framework for maintaining and improving compliance with data protection legislation and good practice. The Standard follows the same high level structure as most of the other management system Standards, and has been developed to enable organisations to:

• Put a personal information management system in place
• Manage risks to the privacy of personal data
• Implement appropriate policies, procedures and controls

Updated in 2017 in response to GDPR, the Standard is designed to fit neatly alongside any other systems that you already have in place.
 

So what are the benefits?

• Compliance Use the Standard as part of your organisation’s privacy compliance framework, demonstrating your compliance with GDPR and the revised UK Data Protection Act.
• Risk management Identify and mitigate risks to personal information.
• Improve your practice Benchmark and improve your personal data management practices against recognised best practice.
• Gain trust Demonstrate your commitment to data protection and gain client and stakeholder trust.
• Safeguard your organisation’s reputation and minimise adverse publicity.
• Gain competitive advantage when seeking and retaining business.

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If you’d like to find out more about BS 10012 and how you can implement it, please contact Penarth Management Limited today.

Case study: Spectrum Printing

Spectrum Printing is a family run lithographic printing company based in Cardiff, providing everyday short and longer run printing. With almost 30 years’ experience producing high quality printing, they use a wide range of specialised techniques and are committed to reducing their environmental impact.

We asked Stephen Hyde of Spectrum how certification to ISO9001, ISO14001 and FSC (Forest Stewardship Council) Chain of Custody has benefited the company.
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So why is certification important for a printing company?

• Greater efficiency and improved systems Meeting ISO standards has helped the Spectrum team find new ways to save time and resources, by ensuring that they have the correct procedures in place and encouraging them to streamline their systems. The company has recently invested in a Heidelberg Speedmaster CX 75 press, meaning that they can run one state of the art, high speed press instead of two presses, which has increased productivity and reduced waste.
• Reduced environmental impact Meeting the requirements of ISO14001 and the FSC Chain of Custody has underscored Spectrum’s commitment to reducing the environmental impact of printing. The company offers a range of sustainable and recycled print materials, and the recently acquired Heidelberg CX 75 prints to ISO standards, with high energy efficiency and resource-efficient use of materials.
• Increased business Certification has further built on Spectrum’s public image and increased trust and confidence in the company, resulting in an increase in business. They’ve been able to demonstrate their ability to consistently deliver the services their customers need to a high standard.

 
Looking for ISO certification for your business? Contact us at Penarth Management Limited.

With the end of the financial year approaching in a few months, now is the time to plan how your organisation is going to spend your remaining training budget.

Penarth Management has been designing and delivering training courses in Quality, Environmental and Health and Safety related subjects for decades. We have a range of public courses running between now and April – including GDPR awareness, Health and Safety Awareness and COSHH. You can take a look at all our upcoming courses, and book places here.

If you have a number of staff who need training it can be more cost effective for us to deliver bespoke or tailored courses for you in-house. In-house training addresses the specific needs and challenges of your organisation, and we find our clients appreciate that personal touch. If you’d like to find out more or discuss your requirements with us, please get in touch.

Hands up – who’s already forgotten what day it is? For some of us this week between festivities is a time of rest and relaxation. But whether your organisation is quiet between Christmas and New Year, or it’s business as usual the minute Boxing Day is over, this is often a time for personal reflection, as we form resolutions and make plans for the coming new year.
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This period of downtime is also an ideal time to take stock of the past business year.  What have been your organisation's main achievements in 2017? What challenges have you encountered? And what plans do you intend to put in place to meet your business improvement objectives over the next 12 months?

With some important new legal requirements coming into force in 2018 you should also be considering how you will incorporate the implementation of GDPR (May 2018) and the new ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 standards (September 2018) into your strategic planning for the coming year.

• Current situation: Where is your organisation now in terms of preparing for and meeting the new requirements?
• Working towards: Do you have a good understanding of where you need to be and what you need to do to become compliant?
• Actions: What actions have you planned so far – and what still needs to be planned – in order for your organisation to meet the new requirements?

If you need guidance in meeting the new ISO standards or complying with GDPR, please get in touch. There is still time to book a place on one of our GDPR courses.

Christmas should be the happiest time of the year – but it can also be the most dangerous. According to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA), approximately 350 people a year are hurt by Christmas tree lights, around 1,000 people are hurt while decorating their homes and people are 50% more likely to die in a house fire over the festive season than at any other time of year.

Help to keep your family safe, happy and healthy this Christmas by following this advice:

• Decorations: Keep cards and decorations away from sources of heat such as candles, fires and electric lamps. Don’t let children play with Christmas novelties or decorations – these are not toys and often won’t meet the relevant safety standards.
• Christmas tree: Buy new Christmas lights rather than reusing very old or second-hand sets. Turn tree lights off when not in room and don’t let children play with them. If you choose a real tree, keep it away from heat sources, make sure the stand is filled with water and don’t keep the tree up for longer than two weeks. Read RoSPA’s advice about Christmas lights here.
• Candles: Don’t leave candles burning in empty rooms or near decorations – and don’t use them on your tree.
• Kitchen: Avoid having too many people in the kitchen as dinner is being prepared. Take care with pans of hot fat and boiling water and wipe up any spills immediately to avoid slips. Make sure food is thoroughly cooked – uncooked turkey can cause salmonella poisoning. Read this NHS guide to safely cooking a turkey.
• Gifts: Use scissors rather than a knife to open parcels. Clear away used wrapping paper and ribbons quickly to avoid slips, trips and falls.
• Children’s gifts: Choose children’s gifts that comply with safety standards – be especially vigilant if buying from craft fairs or Christmas markets. Keep an area in your home clear for assembling new toys and gadgets, to keep clutter to a minimum and reduce risk of trips. Get in a stock of different batteries before Christmas, so you can’t be tempted to use batteries from smoke alarms to appease disappointed children.

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Be prepared: your Christmas safety kit

• First aid kit
• Fire extinguisher
• Scissors
• Screwdriver for assembling toys
• Plenty of batteries

 

Sources:
https://www.rospa.com/home-safety/advice/christmas-safety/christmas-safety-tips/
http://www.fireservice.co.uk/safety/christmas-safety/

We probably can’t expect a white Christmas this year, but you can make your festive season a greener one by making conscious choices about what you buy, eat and give – and how you use energy.
 

• Gift wrapping: In Britain we use over 8,000 tonnes of wrapping paper over Christmas, which creates over 83 square kilometres of rubbish! To cut down on this, try using old maps or magazine pages to make your own gift wrap. If you do buy, choose recycled wrapping paper or brown paper, and avoid metallic or sparkly papers as they can’t usually be recycled. Tie your parcels with string, ribbon or scraps of fabric rather than sticky tape. Make your own tags; if you’re stuck for time (or inspiration!), use last year’s Christmas cards. Recycle used wrapping paper and keep ribbons, bows and string to reuse next year.
• Decorations: Use a real tree (the Forestry Commission have a list of places where you can buy a sustainably grown, local tree) – then recycle it; or buy a potted tree you can plant outside after Christmas. Reuse decorations rather than creating a new theme, or if it really is time for a change, get creative and make your own out of pine cones, ribbon, twine, scraps of fabric, bows, old pot pourri, coloured paper, scrabble tiles, last year’s wrapping paper.
  
• Presents: Make your gifts – try giving edible gifts, such as chutney, mulled wine or homemade cakes or biscuits. Give experiences rather than physical objects, or buy gifts made from recycled or repurposed materials. You could also choose a gift that will keep on giving, such as flower or vegetable seeds.
  
• Energy: Lower the thermostat – you can put your favourite Christmas jumper on instead! Switch to energy-efficient LED lights (they use 90% less power) and switch them off during daylight hours and in rooms you aren’t using. Try lighting candles in the evening to create a festive Christmas glow – and save on your electricity (try using beeswax, soy or vegetable wax candles to further lesson environmental impact).
  
• Food: Shop locally – get your Christmas vegetables from a farmers’ market and your meat from your local butcher. Be realistic about what you’ll actually eat and stick to a plan – and a budget. Use your tablet instead of your laptop to find recipes (they use 70% less power). Freeze your leftovers to use another day to avoid waste – and invest in a kitchen composter for all those vegetable peelings!
  
• ​Shopping: Remember to take reusable shopping bags with you when you do your Christmas food and gift shopping. Focus on the quality and significance of the gifts you buy, rather than buying piles of presents. And avoid the sales after Christmas – you’ll only end up buying things you don’t need, and use up fuel queuing in traffic to get there.

 
With a little effort and creativity, we can all reduce the environmental impact of the festive season – and enjoy a more thoughtful Christmas.

When was the last time you gave any thought to GDPR? The deadline that looked so far away just a few months ago is fast approaching – very soon that May 2018 deadline will be ‘this year’.  At the time of writing our GDPR counter is reminding me that organisations have just 169 days to become compliant!
If you haven’t already done so, now is the time for your organisation to complete a data protection audit and put a plan in place to ensure compliance.

To become compliant, you’ll need to know what personal data you have and where you keep it. You’ll need to be able to show how your organisation uses personal data, why you have it, and who has access to it, as well as your processes for gaining consent, the right to be forgotten and data breach notifications.

 
Starting point: the questions you need to ask in preparation for the GDPR deadline

• Legal: Do you have a lawful reason to process personal data?
• Informed: Are the people whose personal data you hold aware that you have it, and why? Do they understand their rights? Have you reviewed your privacy notices where you collect personal data?
• Transparent: Is the way in which you acquire consent concise and easy to understand?
• Reasonable: Why are you processing personal data? Is the purpose specific, legitimate and explicit?
• Necessary: Is all the personal data you hold relevant and necessary?
• Current: Is all the personal data you hold accurate and up to date?
• Time limited: If you hold data in a format that allows personal identification, is any of that data being kept for longer than necessary?
• Secure: Where do you store personal data? Is the data secure and protected against theft, loss and damage?
• Controlled: Do you have a named data controller with responsibility for demonstrating compliance?

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If you don’t feel you’re up to speed yet, now is the time to take action! There is still time to book a place on one of our GDPR courses.

• There was some good news for the greener future of our roads last week in Philip Hammond’s autumn budget. The Chancellor announced measures aimed at increasing take up of electric vehicles and reducing the economic appeal of diesel cars, both for personal and company use.

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Barrie Kenyon of Green and Co Accountants comments, "Over the last few years we have seen the Government target company cars, making it far less beneficial to buy a high emissions vehicle through your business.

"It would have been nice to have seen more incentive for businesses to buy more environmentally friendly vehicles. There was a rumour we might have seen extremely low benefit in kind charges for hybrid vehicles, which did not materialise. Hopefully we will see more from the Government on this in the future."
 
So what's changed?

• The government has earmarked £200m for a national charging network for electric vehicles.
• A further £100m will be used to continue an electric car buying subsidy to 2020. The subsidy contributes up to £4,500 towards the cost of buying an electric car.
• The law around benefit-in-kind tax will be clarified, meaning that workers who charge their electric cars at work won't be charged more.
• The tax rate for new diesel cars will go up by one band From April 2018, and the company car tax levied on diesel cars will increase by 1% to 4%*.
• £40m is to be used for the development of driverless cars, supporting the Government’s plans to allow driverless cars onto UK roads from 2021.

 
* This won’t apply to diesel cars that meet the most recent emissions standard, but as the tests won't become a legal requirement until 2020 all new diesel cars will face tax increases in the meantime.

With lights and decorations appearing on the high streets, the festive season seems to be upon us already… and with it a reminder that the new year will bring two big deadlines in compliance: the GDPR implementation date of 25 May 2018, and the transition to the 2015 versions of ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 by September.

After the end of September 2018, certificates for ISO 9001:2008 and ISO 1400:2004 will no longer be valid, so if you haven’t already done so you’ll need to get certification for the new editions of the standards: ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015. We have experienced consultants who have taken many clients from the first step to successful certification, and if you choose to work with us we will assist your company from the start of the process to the day of the Assessment.

We’ve seen an increase recently in the number of people attending our GDPR awareness courses (and the number of people booking us for transition consultancy support) ahead of the fast-approaching May 2018 implementation date. At the time of writing our GDPR counter tells me we have 183 days to become compliant, so if you don’t feel you’re up to speed yet, now is the time to take action! There is still time to book a place on one of our GDPR courses.

What does good leadership mean to you? With this year’s World Quality Day theme of ‘Everyday leadership’ in mind, we’ve been thinking about what makes a great leader. Leadership is becoming more about problem-solving, emotional intelligence and collaboration as the way we work, the challenges we face and the technologies we use evolve.

Great leadership can be a fine line between driving strategy and empowering others. Here's what some highly successful leaders of recent years have to say:

Listen to your employees – at all levels… "Being a good listener is absolutely critical to being a good leader; you have to listen to the people who are on the front line." Richard Branson

… but be tough when you need to be. "My job is not to be easy on people. My job is to make them better." Steve Jobs

Embody your message and lead from the front… “You have to look at leadership through the eyes of the followers and you have to live the message.” Anita Roddick

… then equip your employees with the tools to make good decisions. "Leaders need to provide strategy and direction and give employees tools that enable them to gather information and insight from around the world. Leaders shouldn't try to make every decision." Bill Gates

Never stop learning…. "The ability to learn is the most important quality a leader can have." Sheryl Sandberg
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… and above all, don’t get complacent. “Just because you are CEO, don't think you have landed. You must continually challenge the way you think, and the way you approach the organisation.” Indra Nooyi

Here's what Amy had to say in her original post:

​"How aware are you about the upcoming GDPR legislation and its implications for your business? I admit that other than having heard of it and knowing it was to do with changes to data protection, up until a couple of weeks ago I didn’t know much about it at all.
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"With the deadline of 25 May 2018 getting ever closer, I knew I needed to find out more. As a Virtual Assistant I have access to a lot of data, such as my clients’ CRM systems and mailing lists, and I want to go forward knowing that the systems my clients are currently using will be compliant. So I booked myself on to Penarth Management’s GDPR Awareness half day course… which proved to be extremely informative, and threw up quite a few points that are very relevant to my business.
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The world has changed over recent years. It's changed a lot! And that means that it is now possible to work in a leaner, greener way than at any time before. This is good news for the planet - and normally means saving money to. Win, win!

So why not see if our top tips inspire you to save the planet - and the pennies in your pocket. If you haven't tried them already, perhaps they could form part of your ISO14001 Environmental Improvement Programme.

How many of these ideas have you implemented? We'd love to hear your thoughts on these green tips - and any that you'd like to share!

Good risk assessments, which have been carried out, communicated and (where necessary) had appropriate control measures put in place, save lives. Yet, the news is still full of stories of companies who failed to assess the risks to their workforce, contractors or members of the public. 

The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) Prosecutions website ​ is full of real life horror stories, including details of the injuries sustained by people and the level of fines (often £thousands) imposed on negligent companies. The sad thing is, that so many of them follow the same script in terms of lacking 'suitable and sufficient risk assessments'​ even though doing them needn't be a chore in the first place.

​The HSE website has a whole section dedicated to Risk Assessments: It provides useful templates, guidance and even samples for people to refer to, all free of charge! 

When planning your risk assessments remember to think beyond the obvious hazardous activities such as site work or fabrication and do remember to think about other areas such as:

• Office actvities
• Display Screen Equipment assessments for people working with computers
• COSHH Assessments for hazardous substances
• Driving
• Fire 

If you find the thought of doing your own risk assessments too overwhelming, or think it will be too time consuming, why not ask us to help? You can call us on 029 2070 3328.

Our consultants often evaluate legal compliance as part of supporting clients with ISO14001 (Environmental) or OHSAS18001 (Health and Safety) Management Systems. 
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We have noticed that there is often a weakness around the purchasing, storage, use and disposal of hazardous substances. 

In particular, there is often a misconception that obtaining Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) from the supplier keeps a company compliant in relation to the  Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002. This is not so. Regulation 6 requires employers to carry out an "assessment of the risk to health created by work involving substances hazardous to health." 

Conducting COSHH Assessments is a specialist skill. Anyone tasked with carrying out such assessments should receive relevant training.

COSHH Assessments should be recorded using an appropriate form. We have made our COSHH Assessment form freely available to help with this task. We'd love to know what you think of our form; is it better than what you have in place already, or have you spotted any ways we could improve it?