Safety
First
Compliance
with health and safety legislation is absolutely paramount.
We take health
and safety extremely seriously and are continuously searching for ways to make
our products and our services even more exemplary. All equipment returned from
hire is subject to a rigorous, fully documented service and testing process.
Hire Station, our hire partner is recognized by the Hire Association Europe
Safety Certification scheme.
With every piece of kit that you hire,
you'll find a service ticket and a safety operating instruction leaflet
attached.
If you have any concerns or questions whatsoever about the safe
operation of your hired product, contact us immediately.
Safety Training For
You
Certified training is now mandatory for the
assembly or operation of particular site products. Hire Station can offer
on-site certification, classroom training, or hands-on training to suit the
needs of your staff and sub-contractors. For more details of our safety training
services, call our number above and just ask!
Height Safety
Although
fatalities are declining, thanks to increased awareness of the risks and
greater use of preventative measures, falling from height is the still the
primary killer in the construction industry and extra vigilance is needed to
avoid even more unnecessary accidents in the future.
Good safety
practices and careful use of fall prevention and fall arrest devices when
working at height might just save your life. Our height safety equipment will
protect you and your workforce in virtually every kind of circumstance - from
simple ladder tasks to access towers and roof work.
Often it can be the
simplest of devices, such as a stabilising ladder foot, that will protect you
from serious harm but all too frequently, everyday dangers are overlooked. But
there is no need to take even the smallest risk thanks to our comprehensive
range of prevention and arrest equipment.
New Work at Height
Regulations
The implementation of the new work at
height regulations during 2005, draw together existing legislation into a single set of
regulations, designed to improve the safety of those who work at
height.
The basic
elements of the regulations are:
Work at height
has been eliminated where possible.
Where elimination is not possible,
fall prevention measures are in place such as guard-rails, scaffold and safe
working platforms.
Where fixed measures are not possible, fall arrest
systems are in place such as safety harnesses as well as other Personal
Protective Equipment (PPE).
The appropriate equipment has been selected
and provided, and that it is well maintained, regularly inspected and properly
used.
Are you following the correct procedures as recommended by the
Health & Safety Executive?
Companies know how to choose suitable
contractors and monitor their work while they are on site.
How long will
it take? Even quick jobs up a ladder can be dangerous. If you're going to be at
height for longer than a few minutes, consider other alternatives.
Where
is the job? Think about the access, the gradient and stability of the surface
below, the fragility of the structure etc.
HAVE YOU CONDUCTED A
THOROUGH ASSESSMENT OF THE RISK?
Safety Packs
We have a range of
safety packs available to suit a variety of tools and machines so don't forget
to request one when you place your order or ask our staff for guidance about
precisely what type of protection you will need.
RCD Safety
Units
Ignore the RCD indicator at your peril! This
symbol reminds you to use an RCD power breaker at all times. RCDs are also
available to hire.
Hand
Arm Vibration Syndrome - HAV
Hand Arm Vibration
Syndrome (HAVS) is increasingly a major cause for concern in the workplace. The
HSE estimate that there are around 300,000 people with advanced stage of
vibration white finger. Despite considerable publicity, there is still much more
that needs to be done to inform and educate both those who are at risk
themselves and those who unwittingly put others at risk.
New regulations
due out this year will place a range of duties on employers to provide their
employees with information and training on the vibration hazard, assess and
manage the risk to the health of the employee and provide suitable equipment
that is designed to limit the exposure level of vibration.
We go to great
lengths to source tools with low vibration (as illustrated). We are committed to
working with both manufacturers and customers to reduce the risk of contracting
HAVS through responsible equipment supply.
It is our policy to assist you
in your product selection to ensure you get the right tool for the job. Our
unique Breaker Selection Guide has been designed with this in mind, which we
will be expanding to other areas of the product range within the coming
months.
Follow our G.E.T. L.O.W. guidelines to help reduce the
risk of exposure to vibration.
GRIP: Do not exert too much grip
pressure when holding the tool
EQUIPMENT: Ensure the equipment
is maintained and in good working order with a valid test
record
TASK: Make sure the tool you select is suitable for the
task it is to be used in
LOOK: Look out for specially designed
low vibration tools
OPERATE: Do not operate the tools with
blunt attachments. Points, chisels and drill bits must be kept
sharp.
WORKWEAR: Use protective clothing, especially on the
hands to keep them warm. This will ensure good blood circulation
For
further details of HAV ratings please visit the Operc website
where details of the HAV rating for many tools can be found.
Members of
the HAE and the Construction Confederation have developed a simple indicator of
the vibration risk from hand tools. The traffic light system of colour coding is
designed to give a guidance to distinguish low, medium and high risk products.
GREEN: (low risk) 0 – 5m/s2
Tools can be used up to 8 hours
AMBER:
(medium risk) 5 – 10m/s2
2 hours max daily usage without further
assessment
RED: (high risk) over 10m/s2
Specific assessment is
recommended |
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