Report Shows Lower-Skilled Workers Face Increasing Difficulties when Trying to Find a Job

Low qualified workers encounter increasing difficulties to find a job, face lower job stability and are out-competed by medium-skilled workers even in elementary occupations. In contrast, job opportunities are growing in some high-skilled professions. These are the main findings of the European Vacancy and Recruitment Report 2014. The report also highlights the increase in temporary and part-time work during the crisis and underlines the need to better support school-to-work transitions, to decrease segmentation of the labour markets and to up-skill jobseekers, particularly the low qualified. CRS comments:  with the UK economy continuing to see healthy growth in many sectors especially the Construction and House Building sectors more skilled and qualified people are required to fill the vacancies. Visit www.crsrisk.com and take a look at our Health Safety & Environmental courses, make sure your skills are up to date in readiness for your next job. You can read the full report here

New figures show all time low in fatal injuries but mesothelioma deaths on the rise

New accident figures released earlier this month indicate the number of workers killed in Britain in the last year has fallen to the lowest annual rate on record. Provisional data released by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) for the period April 2013 to March 2014 reveals that 133 workers were fatally injured, compared with 150 in the previous year.

Also released were the latest number of deaths from mesothelioma, a cancer caused by exposure to asbestos. These show that 2,535 people died in 2012, which is an increase from 2,291 in 2011.

More information on these statistics can be found on HSE's Press Release.  More information on occupational diseases (including asbestos) can be found on HSE's Occupational Disease Webpages.

Suffolk firm in court after teenage worker’s arm crushed

A Suffolk horse bedding manufacturer and its managing director have been fined after a young employee's arm was crushed when he was removing compacted dust from a baling machine.

Christopher Barker, who was 17 years old at the time of the incident, was working on the machine with the side guard removed to clear dust and wood shavings from a press plate which had blocked, preventing the machine from operating properly. As he was removing the debris the machine was activated, crushing his arm between the plate and the hatch opening.

Mr Barker suffered damage to the muscle, tendons and nerves in his left arm which required two surgical procedures and a blood transfusion. Muscle and skin had to be removed from his arm due to the extent of the injury with subsequent skin grafts required. He suffers nightmares and flashbacks as a result of the incident.

Thetford-based Equestrobed was prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) after an investigation found the incident, on 5 March 2013, could have been prevented had the firm followed the correct procedure for isolating power to the machine and adopted a safe system of work for clearing the blockage.

Bury St Edmunds Magistrates' Court heard the baler machine had suffered a similar fault on a previous occasion which had been rectified by Mr Barker and another colleague in a similar way.

HSE's investigation revealed that on both occasions, the machine was not adequately isolated from power whilst access was being made to the press. In addition, a suitable system of work was not in place to prevent access to dangerous moving parts.

Equestrobed, of Unit 6, Little Heath, Barnham, Thetford, was fined £18,000 and ordered to pay £6,929 costs after pleading guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.

Timothy David Howard, managing director, was fined £1,800 after pleading guilty to breaching Section 37(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974.

IOSH Working Safely, IOSH Directing Safely

ISO 14001:2015 Timescales revealed

CRS first reported the on the changes to the ISO 14001 environmental management system standard in May 3rd, 2013 in our article ‘ISO 14001 Changes due will affect all organisations’ highlighting that :
‘The current draft includes changes to a new high level structure, a departure from the existing, policy, planning, implementation and operation, checking and corrective action and management review model, replacing it with Leadership, Planning, support and operation, performance evaluation and improvement. This new structure will be used in all future ISO management standards e.g. ISO 9001.

•  In addition to the significant change of the new high level structure, the key new proposed alterations from these two sources of change include:
• A stronger integration of environmental management into the strategic planning of the organisation.
• Evaluation of Business Risk and Opportunities in an environmental context.
• Life Cycle approach and Value Chain planning and Control
• Indicators and Communication

Source: http://www.crsrisk.com/blog/2013/05/iso14001-changes-due-will-affect-all-organisations/
We can now report that the work by the International Organisation for Standardisation (ISO) to complete the revision of ISO 14001 has reached an important landmark. Following a consultation on the previous draft, the working group has now completed the preparation of the “Draft International Standard” (DIS) version of the revised ISO 14001. This means that it is very likely that the revised standard will be published in mid-2015, as anticipated.
It took two meetings of the working group, in February and just recently in Panama, to address all of the comments from the previous consultation, and reach consensus on the content of the DIS. A small task group will edit the agreed text, which will then be formatted and translated by the ISO secretariat, for a comprehensive consultation exercise, due to commence in September for three months. Following this, ISO will collate the comments, for the working group to review in February 2015. At this advanced stage, it is not anticipated that the working group will make any substantive changes to the content, and so it is hoped that ISO’s members will approve the final draft (FDIS), allowing publication of ISO 14001:2015 next summer.

The International Accreditation Forum (IAF), the global “regulator” for the certification organisations, has informed the working group that it agrees with the recommended three-year transition period for organisations certified to ISO 14001:2004. This means that certified organisations will not have to meet the requirements of ISO 14001:2015 until 2018.

Corporate Risk Systems has a team of sector leading specialists ready to help you. Whether you are struggling to understand the ever-growing requirements of environmental legislation, need to implement a management standard such as ISO 14001, or looking to re-energise an existing environmental management system, we can support you.

We offer a wide range of Environmental Consultancy services including, audits, environmental management systems implementation and support, issues based guidance in areas such as waste management, carbon foot printing, and Corporate Social Responsibility, as well a broad range of training to support Management, Workforce and those seeking to become an Environmental Practioner.

Contact either Ros Stacey – rs@crsrisk.com or Richard Ball – Head of Environmental rb@crsrisk.com – 01283 509175
Source: CRA Europe

Aberdeen firm fined after investigation into hotel gas blast

An Aberdeen-based catering supply company has been fined after three people were seriously injured in a gas explosion in a hotel kitchen in Auchenblae.

The three – a barmaid, customer and a worker – were caught in the blast at the Drumtochty Arms in Market Square on 7 January 2009, which happened as work was underway on the premises’ gas system.

Aberdeen Sheriff Court heard that Instant Catering Maintenance Ltd (ICM) was employed by the hotel to design and install a new ground floor kitchen to contain three appliances – hotplate range, four ring hob and a freestanding chargrill – that would be fuelled by propane.

On the day of the incident, Danielle Ormond was working in the hotel bar when one of the customers complained about the beer, which led her to go to the cellar to investigate. As she passed through the kitchen, where ICM employee Neil Coffield was purging the gas system, she noticed a very strong smell of gas.

Moments later an explosion occurred causing serious injuries to both Ms Ormond and Mr Coffield and also to a customer, James Guthrie, who was in the courtyard outside the kitchen door smoking a cigarette.

The damage caused by the blast led to the immediate collapse of a substantial part of the building, making it unsafe for investigators from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to enter and leading to an emergency demolition order by Aberdeenshire Council.

Chief Engineer is awarded the – NEBOSH Student of the Year 2014 Award

Ros Stacey UK Sales Director for CRS  presented  Jonathan Lewis  from the Home Office - Border Force Maritime and Aviation Operations  with the their NEBOSH Student of the Year Award 2014 at a special event on Friday 13^th June at Sahara Force India – Silverstone the home of Formula One racing.
Jonathan who is a Fleet Superintendent - Engineering, with the Home Office Border Force Maritime and Aviation Operations said “I became a Customs Officer in 1985, joining their fleet of patrol boats called Cutters as an Engineer. I was promoted to Chief Engineer some 20 years ago, and have been lucky enough to have one of the best jobs in the world –the excitement and satisfaction of intercepting and arresting drug smugglers is unbelievable.
Two years ago, I picked up a shore based opportunity as the Fleet superintendent –Engineering and took on the responsibility as Lead auditor of our Safety management system.
I am currently re-writing the Branch risk assessment, which is a huge project as the roles range from routine Galley work to assessing how we keep our Officers safe when dealing with criminals determined to bypass our maritime border controls.
The NEBOSH qualification has given added authority to my submissions, as well as credibility when investigating incidents and the subsequent reports or statements. It gave me the confidence to challenge a very expensive but totally inaccurate report by a “Sound Analyst” which resulted in a rewrite and reduced its negative impact.
CRS are the chosen Home Office Supplier, and I received excellent support from Ros’s team when trying to organise close to my home in York.
My principle trainer was Chris Dougherty, who was first class; he led a very mixed group through   H and S management and report writing to ensure that we stood the best chance of success. I admit the homework was more than a bit of a bind, and the sheer volume of work was surprising.
The examinations seem a lifetime ago, but I do recall how sore my fingers were as each answer book was completed. I was determined not to need the “guaranteed pass” facility and be successful first time. It had taken my two predecessors at least two attempts.
The results came through in April, and I was relieved that I could start to use plain English again and NEBOSHisms could fade in to the past”

CRS joins in as Chamber Celebrates its Loyal Members

Long-standing members of the region’s biggest business organisation were celebrated at a special event in their honour.

The evening reception, hosted by Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire Chamber of Commerce President Tim Parker, was held to thank members for their support. It took place at the Priest House Hotel, Castle Donington.

Representatives from more than 80 Chamber members were present, all of which are celebrating “milestone” years of continuous Chamber membership – ranging from five years to 50 years or longer – this year.

Among them were Roger Merchant from Nottingham and Leicester accountants BDO, a Chamber member for 82 years and Richard Hewitt from Derby metal works company Eggleston Steel, a member for 85 years.

Paul Broadhead from the Chamber’s longest-serving member, Rolls-Royce Plc, also collected a framed certificate in recognition of the company’s 106 years as a Chamber member. Corporate Risk Systems has been a member for 10 years and Ros Stacey – UK Sales Director   collected a 10 year Certificated on behalf of CRS.

President Tim Parker said: “The Chamber President’s Summer Reception is an annual event aimed at thanking its members celebrating milestone membership years for their loyal support.