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On the 1st of December 2017, the new Hazardous Substances Regulations will come into force. The emphasis of these new regulations will be on the application and management of hazardous substances in the workplace, applying risk management practices and the importance of training and informing all workers who use hazardous...

We trained hard but it seemed that every time we were beginning to form up into teams we would be reorganized. I was to learn later in life that we tend to meet any new situation by reorganizing; and a wonderful method it can be for creating the illusion of...

Getting it right the first time! It was Abraham Lincoln who said, “if I had nine hours to cut down a tree, I would spend six hours sharpening my axe”. When it comes to the employment systems in your business, have you planned for this or is it something that just happens...

As a business owner, are you aware of a private member's bill before Parliament that will place a greater obligation on your business to offer greater protection in employment to victims of domestic violence?  If not, you need to read this. The member's bill was put forward by Jan Logie of...

There has been a lot of discussion about the importance of business culture for effective health and safety management. What is not often discussed is the negative effect on a business's productivity and the financial impact. For many, the concept of health and safety, being a positive for improving the production...

If your business has been stung or ripped off by poor service, who is to blame - the service provider or yourself (for not practicing caveat emptor before hiring the service)? Caveat emptor simply means “let the buyer beware". This Latin principle means that the buyer alone is responsible for checking...

Although the following article was written in 2013,  the consequences could be the same or worse, following the introduction of the Health and Safety At Work Act 2015. The following fatality was an actual event - details have been changed for the protection of the family. Some of the information is...

What does fit for purpose mean to a business? A dictionary definition - something that is fit for purpose is good enough to do the job it was designed to do. European law dictates that goods must be fit for purpose when sold. A layman's definition: If you are prepared to pay...

Chemical and airborne contaminants In between gasping for breath and cupping his face mask for oxygen, an older friend of mine said, with tears in his eyes, "Gordon, I can't even walk to the letter box. I'm now stuck here waiting to die with this bloody oxygen bottle for company." Two months...

In the past month, I have noticed more than 40 job vacancies with the aim to employing Health and Safety Managers, Advisors, Officers, and Trainers. This is great for those who want to get into this line of work. However, for businesses going down that employment track, I suggest that during...