uk’s leading food safety and health & safety … · her then husband and rowing partner,...

Winter is truly upon us now and your staff are often arriving and leaving work in the dark and when temperatures are extremely low. This combined, results in one thing - the risk of slips, trips and falls.

Slips, trips and falls are the most common causes of winter work accidents, accounting for more than 38% of major injuries at work and as an employer you have an obligation to protect your staff during the colder weather.

Under The Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 (HASAWA) employers have to ensure their employees and anyone else who could be affected by their work (such as visitors, members of the public, patients etc.) are kept safe from harm and that their health is not affected. This means slip and trip risks must be controlled to ensure people do not slip, trip and fall.

As an employer it is your duty to assess risks, including slip and trip risks, and where necessary take action to safeguard health and safety. Make sure you are doing all

you can during the colder months to ensure the health, safety and welfare of your employees at work. Some simple things you can do include de-icing and gritting areas that are prone to be slippery in frosty and icy conditions, install large absorbent mats at building entrances and use warning signage to reduce major slip risks from rain, melting snow and wet feet. Sweep up leaves at regular intervals to stop them being a risk on walkways and where possible, remove the top layer of snow each morning around walkways and car parks so sunshine during the day melts the ice beneath. It is also advisable to cover the area with de-icing salt to prevent refreezing.

Whilst the snow and ice makes the scenery look beautiful, remember it also brings dangers to you and your staff. So do everything you need to do to stay safe.

Sue & Simon Ellis

For more information, visit the website at www.envesca.co.uk

Inside this month...Quote Of The Month

01452 890327 • [email protected] envesca-limited

Big Lesson of the Month p2Customer Spotlight p3Meet the Team! p4Focus On Training p4Achievement Gallery p5Customer Case Study p6Personal Protective Equipment p7Forthcoming Training Dates p8

Have a Safe New Year!

Winter 2015/16

U K ’ S L E A D I N G F O O D S A F E T Y A N D H E A L T H & S A F E T Y S P E C I A L I S T S

Safeguard

I was fearful, but only because I had the wrong knowledge.

Debra Searle | British Adventurer

In 2002, Debra Searle rowed across the Atlantic alone after her then husband and rowing partner, Andrew Veal, was rescued from their plywood rowing boat.

The Asbestos Legacy


Safeguard - The Envesca Newsletter. Winter 2015/16.

Back in the 1950s, asbestos was a new wonder material. It had excellent insulating and fire proofing properties and so was used liberally in buildings built from 1950 to the late 1980s. Fast forward fifty years and we now know that asbestos is not a nice substance to deal with. According to statistics produced by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), on average 20 tradesmen a week die from asbestos related diseases. The effects of exposure to asbestos do not present themselves until many years later, so most people are unaware that they have been affected.

Due to it’s widespread use, many buildings in the UK still contain large amounts of asbestos; in fact any building constructed before 2000 could contain asbestos containing materials (ACMs). The most common places to find ACMs are in textured coatings, floor tiles, sprayed coatings in ceilings and walls, insulating board, lagging and even in ceiling or floor cavities. If you are responsible for the maintenance or repair of non-domestic premises, either as the owner or the leaseholder, then you have a duty under the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 to manage any asbestos present.

Your Duties and ResponsibilitiesIf you are the duty holder you must first ascertain whether your premises contains ACMs or not. The law says that you must take reasonable steps to do this, which may involve employing a specialist asbestos contractor to carry out a survey in the building in order to identify any ACMs. You must also determine how much, where it is as well as find out what condition it is in. This information must then be held on record so it can be used as a reference should any construction or repair works need to be carried out in the building in the future. Bear in mind that in order to properly identify asbestos, samples must be taken away for testing. You cannot identify asbestos from visual inspection alone. Once you know whether or not you have ACMs on your premises you must then assess the risk of anyone being exposed to fibres from the materials identified. From this risk assessment you should prepare a

plan detailing how you will manage the ACMs. If the asbestos is in good condition and will not be disturbed, then the risk to health will be low.

However if there is a likelihood it may be disturbed, even from a mundane activity such as drilling into it to put up shelves, or it is in poor condition then your plan must set out in detail how the risks will be managed. It is important that you provide information on the location and condition of the materials to anyone who is liable to work on or disturb them.

Creating the PlanWhen preparing the plan, do not be afraid to come to the conclusion that the asbestos can be left alone. Asbestos is only dangerous when disturbed. If it is safely managed and contained, it doesn’t present a health hazard. In fact the HSE advises that you should not remove asbestos unnecessarily as removing it can be more dangerous than leaving it in place and managing it. You should also be aware that not all asbestos

materials present the same risk. The measures that need to be taken for controlling the risks from materials such as pipe insulation are different from those needed in relation to asbestos cement.

Remember that the duty to manage is all about putting in place the practical steps necessary to protect maintenance workers and others from the risk of exposure to asbestos fibres. It is not about removing all asbestos. If, however, you do need to remove asbestos, make sure you get a properly licensed contractor to do the work as you are dealing with high risk materials. Lower risk materials, such as asbestos cement, can be removed by non-licensed but competent contractors.

Envesca offer a non-accredited half day Asbestos Awareness Course. For further details please call us on 01452 502320.

Envesca now offer the CIEH Level 3 Award in First Aid at Work Requalification as a public course. This course is for candidates who wish to renew a valid First Aid at Work certificate.

The course covers the contents of the three day CIEH Level 3 Award in First Aid at Work course in two days. Successful candidates will requalify in First Aid at Work; we recommend course attendance one month prior to the date the certificate expires.

For further information and course dates call Shelley or Sandra on 01452 502686



Weston-Super-Mare was in the news a lot recently with the popularity of Banksy’s Dismaland but local housing association Knightstone Housing also has a lot to shout about! The association was recently a proud finalist in the ‘Welfare Wise’ category at the national “24housing Awards” and last month won the “Business in the Community” award at the Business Leader awards for commitment to, and investment in, North Somerset and its communities.In an economic climate of continued austerity and welfare reform Knightstone Housing has been recognised for its commitment “to building vibrant, stable and safe communities where people can make their homes”. 2014/15 saw an investment of £15.75m, completing 98 homes, with another 63 scheduled to be completed by the end of 2015. Altogether the company provides services to over 23,000 people in 11,000 homes each year.With such excellent credentials it comes as no surprise that Knightstone Housing is similarly committed to the training and development of its staff. A working relationship of over six years with Envesca means that Learning and Development Advisor, Jennifer Trew, can endorse the variety of courses on offer, has confidence in the knowledge and expertise of the trainers and has “no hesitation in recommending Envesca to other organisations who are looking for a reliable and responsive training and consultancy service”.Part of the induction process for new employees is attending a CIEH Level 2 Award in Health and Safety in the Workplace course. Jennifer reports that the feedback is always good the subject matter is kept alive and relevant to all of those in the group, whatever their job role and life experiences.The organisation has also enjoyed additional training courses such as the CIEH Level 1 Award in Food Safety plus Health and Safety for Managers and more recently Fire Marshal Training when they moved to new offices.Knightstone Housing not only looks after its own employees but is also keen to promote similar thinking in the wider community. At the beginning of September 2015 they launched a Home Safety Campaign with a new Compliance Team providing information and advice for residents with practical tips for staying safe and an overview of potential risks within the home.Just as Knightstone Housing provides clear and concise advice for its tenants, Jennifer Trew knows that Envesca will periodically update the organisation “with any new and relevant products and services” that may need to be cascaded through to staff and clients alike.

Jennifer says:

I am confident that if we have a need in respect of health and safety related training, I can contact Envesca and they will provide

me with options that are both time and cost effective.

So, forget Dismaland – Envesca is proud to be associated with another happy customer!

Knightstone Housing, Weston Gateway Business ParkWeston Super Mare, North Somerset BS24 7JPwww.knightstone.co.uk | Tel: 0845 872 9729

Customer Spotlight

As a Chartered Civil Engineer, Emma Townend has been fortunate to work on several high profile projects during the course of her career. The most notable was the construction of the first phase of the Copenhagen Metro and, more recently, as a site manager on the New Tyne Crossing in Jarrow. She has also had stints working in the glamourous world of water and waste water treatment and the rail sector.

Emma’s construction career has taken her too many places including Dubai, the Falkland Islands and sunny Widnes. These experiences serve her well in her current role as a health and safety consultant, engineering clients being her speciality. She also runs health and safety training courses for Envesca, including the CIEH Level 2 Manual Handling, COSHH, Health and Safety and Risk Assessment.

Her spare time is spent mainly outdoors due to her and her husband’s vast collection of animals and her toddler son, whose natural habitat seems to be muddy puddles and the chicken pen! Her boxer dogs, Loki, Otto and Winston have boundless energy and like nothing better than long walks regardless of what the weather is doing. Emma also loves riding, especially a good gallop on her younger horse Bob who shares mum’s love of speed, sadly he does not share her love of being able to stop!

Meet Emma!



Focus On TrainingOver 1 million people in the UK have a food allergy with around ten people dying every year from food-induced anaphylaxis.Having a food allergy can make life extremely difficult, especially when food shopping or eating out. For some people even the tiniest trace of food allergens can cause severe symptoms or a near fatal reaction. Common allergies include nuts, shellfish, eggs and gluten but this list is not exhaustive.

New rules came into force in December 2014 regarding labelling of allergens. On pre-packed food the presence of allergens must be emphasised on the packaging and on non-prepacked food there is a new legal requirement to provide allergy information.

Under the new legislation, information on allergenic ingredients must be:

•written up front (for example on a menu or menu board) without the customer having to ask for information

• sign-posted to where written information can be found or obtained

• sign-posted to say that oral information can be obtained from a member of staff

Annex II to the directive specifies fourteen allergens that companies must provide information on. The list is available on the Food Standards Agency website. It is important to note that this legislation does not mean that a comprehensive list of all ingredients on a menu should be made available, but you must state if any of the fourteen allergens are present.

It is no longer acceptable to say that a dish may contain allergens or that you are not sure if it does or not. The law now requires that companies are aware of the contents of their products and pass on this information to the consumer. Make sure that your staff are trained in

the new legislation and understand the products that you sell, especially public facing staff who will have to deal with customer queries regarding allergens. It is important that any information given verbally is accurate and verifiable. Giving either the incorrect information or no information at all could result in the customer suffering an allergic reaction leading to your company being prosecuted for failing to comply with the law.

Envesca offer the CIEH Level 2 Award in Food Allergen Awareness Course – to find out more all us today on 01452 502686.

A precise and clearly instructed course

including fun and practical team exercises. The training ensured the importance of the new allergen compliances were completely understood. We all now have the confidence to introduce them into our businesses.Bridget Carter | Catering Manager Avon Valley Railway

Thank you Envesca for the Allergen Awareness

training course my staff and I attended, it was very informative and easy to understand. Lorraine, our trainer, made the course fun and managed to keep us all interested.Nikki Harris | Catering Manager The Dean Academy

We like to use real people, just like YOU in our newsletters and emails. So we need your help. We are looking for customers to take pictures of their staff with their new qualifications. And if you send us your photo you may receive a little gift from us!

Please email any photos to [email protected] or call us on 01452 890327 to arrange for a visit to take a photo.

Achievement Gallery

Joe Locke, Envesca Work Experience, Sector: Training CompanyCIEH Level 2 Health and Safety



Dereck Eley, Furniture Recycling Project, Sector: CharityCIEH Level 2 Award in Health and Safety

Lydia Watson, Apollo Veterinary Services, Sector: VetsCIEH Level 2 Award in Emergency First Aid at Work

Laura Gunter, St James Dental Practice, Sector: DentistsCIEH Level 2 Award in Health and Safety

Royston Glue and Monique Smith, Gfirst Ltd, Sector: Local GovernmentCIEH Level 2 Award in Fire Safety Principles



Anthony Cox, General Manager

Customer Case Study

Anthony states…As an independent property it is important that we create

partnerships in disciplines where we do not have strategic and high level expertise in-house.Danesfield House Hotel enjoys a well established reputation as an award-winning Spa. The ‘Luxury Country House hotel’, situated in 65 acres of formal gardens and parkland, is located just thirty minutes from London, nestled in the Buckinghamshire countryside with views to the River Thames and the Chilterns. The current building dates from 1901 but opened its doors in its present guise in 1991. The Spa comprises of a swimming pool, treatment rooms and gym and offers a variety of health and wellness packages, and within the hotel’s Corporate Social

Responsibility Policy it aims to offer “nutritional and enjoyable dining for guests and team members”. Danesfield House prides itself on the variety and high quality of its dining experiences too. The Restaurant is comprised of three main areas: The Orangery, The Oak Room and, in warmer months, The Terrace. Any hotel can provide dinner but Danesfield puts an emphasis upon its many “Foodie Events” and has an established Dining Club in association with the Luxury Restaurant Guide.The hotel also places great emphasis upon its responsibilities not only as a public venue but also as an employer, identifying that “we are as committed to our staff as we are to providing our guests with the highest personal care and attention”. Working in collaboration with Envesca has been a natural choice

and, following changes in legislation and in the property itself, they were able to identify two areas which needed more focus: to build more robust fire risk assessments and food safety policies. It is with these concepts in mind that encouraged Anthony Cox to build a long-term relationship with a specialised training organisation.

I have had the pleasure of working with Sue and

Simon over the past eight years. As you can see, the industry accolades for Envesca come in thick and fast. These are very well deserved because Envesca provide a high quality and bespoke service, and as the company has grown it seems to me they have been able attract the best team to work with them too.Over the past twelve months the training emphasis has focussed

upon Food Safety standards and qualifications, with the hotel moving from four stars to five stars, as well as establishing in-house supervisory and management development programmes of competency. It is a good working relationship that looks set to continue and develop, with Anthony saying,

As a customer I am very pleased that Envesca’s

growing reputation and success isn’t reflected in their fees which have always represented excellent value for money. Envesca consistently delivers first class results across their areas of practice and all delivered in a way that everyone can understand. I highly recommend them.

Prior to specialising in health and safety training and support Envesca’s Managing Director Sue Ellis spent many years in the hospitality industry and therefore has an in depth understanding of the challenges faced by Anthony Cox, General Manager of the Danesfield House Hotel.

Danesfield House Hotel and Spa Henley Road, Marlow-On-Thames,

Buckinghamshire SL7 2EY

www.danesfieldhouse.co.uk 01628 891010

Are You Protected?



Whatever equipment you provide, it should be chosen carefully and your employees should be trained properly in its use and care. PPE is covered by the Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992 (as amended) which states that the equipment selected should be of a type suitable for the job and the individual. In addition, the employer should ensure that PPE is well maintained, has an appropriate storage place and is kept clean.

Making sure that PPE is well maintained relies on employees and supervisors carrying out regular safety checks for damage. To help ensure this happens we share three of the common types of PPE and outline the safety checks that should be carried out for each type.

Arm and Hand Protection When choosing arm and hand protection make sure that the material it is made of is appropriate for its use, they should also cover all of the workers skin and not leave a gap between cuff and sleeve. Gloves are easily mislaid and lost, so encourage works to return gloves to the designated storage place every day. If the shape has distorted or there are holes, rips or debris attached to them they should be thrown away and replaced. Be aware that if taken off without care, contaminants can be transferred to the inside of the glove or gauntlet and then sit against the skin. In this case the item should also be disposed of.

Head Protection Sweat and dirt should regularly be cleaned from the inside of the headgear and sweat bands kept clean. The hat itself should be checked over for cracks and dents, light damage is acceptable but if any deep gouges or cracks are found the item should be replaced. Similarly if the head gear has undergone a significant impact through a fall from height of a falling object it should also be replaced. Plastic hard hats have a limited lifetime which should be specified by the manufacturer. The HSE advise that head protection is replaced after three years unless the manufacturer states otherwise. Finally hard hats should not be

customised by paint or drilling holes and if stickers are to be placed on hard hats they should always be of a type approved by the manufacturer as some adhesives may weaken the plastic.

Hi-Visibility Gear Some industries specify a specific colour or class of clothing, but whatever the class or colour it must be kept clean as dirt significantly reduces the visibility of the product. Clothing should also be inspected for rips and loose seams. Vests and jackets are designed to be worn fastened up; open clothing results in lack of visibility of the front of the wearer.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) is widely used in the majority of workplaces. There are thousands of different types of PPE available, from simple items such as gloves and goggles through to more complicated equipment such as respiratory protective equipment and safety harnesses.

When was the last time you carried out a safety check of all your PPE? Remember, it is your responsibility to ensure that regular checks for damage are being carried out for every type of PPE.

Forthcoming Training Dates

Envesca, 1st Floor, 5 – 7 Stroud Road, Gloucester GL1 5AA

envesca-limited

01452 890327 • [email protected] • www.envesca.co.uk

BIG

SAVINGS!Save up to 45%

Find out how at

www.envesca.co.uk/

course/offers


January 20169 January

CIEH Level 2 Award in the Emergency First Aid at Work – Gloucester

12 JanuaryCIEH Level 2 Award in the Principles of HACCP – Gloucester

12 JanuaryCIEH Level 2 Award in the Emergency First Aid at Work – Gloucester

13, 14, 15 JanuaryCIEH Level 3 Award in Food Safety – Gloucester

13 JanuaryCIEH Level 2 Award in Fire Safety Principles – Swindon

18 JanuaryCIEH Level 2 Award in the Principles of Manual Handling – Gloucester

19 JanuaryCIEH Level 2 Award in Food Safety – Gloucester

20, 21, 22, 25, 26 January & 9 FebruaryCIEH Level 4 Award in Food Safety – Gloucester

20, 21, 22 JanuaryCIEH Level 3 Award in First Aid at Work – Gloucester

25, 26, 27 JanuaryCIEH Level 3 Award in Health and Safety in the Workplace – Birmingham

28, 29 JanuaryCIEH Level 3 Award in First Aid at Work Requalification – Gloucester

February 20161, 8, 15 February

CIEH Level 3 Award in Health and Safety in the Workplace – Gloucester

2, 3, 4, 5 FebruaryIOSH Managing Safely – Gloucester

10 FebruaryCIEH Level 2 Award in Health and Safety in the Workplace – Gloucester

10 February CIEH Level 2 Award in the Emergency First Aid at Work – Gloucester

10, 11, 12 FebruaryCIEH Level 3 Award in Health and Safety in the Workplace – Bristol

11 February CIEH Level 3 Award in Food Safety Refresher – Gloucester

11 February CIEH Level 2 Award in the Emergency First Aid at Work – Swindon

12 FebruaryCIEH Level 2 Award in Food Safety – Gloucester

16, 17, 18 FebruaryCIEH Level 3 Award in Health and Safety in the Workplace – Oxford

17, 18, 19 FebruaryCIEH Level 3 Award in Training Principles and Practice – Gloucester

18 FebruaryCIEH Level 2 Award in Fire Safety Principles – Gloucester

22 FebruaryCIEH Level 2 Award in Food Safety Refresher – Gloucester

22 FebruaryCIEH Level 2 Award in the Principles of COSHH – Gloucester

23, 24 FebruaryCIEH Level 2 Award in the Principles of HACCP – Gloucester

25 FebruaryHABC Level 3 Award in Effective Auditing and Inspection Skills – Gloucester

March 20161 March

CIEH Level 3 Award in Risk Assessment – Gloucester

2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 21 MarchCIEH Level 4 Award in Health and Safety in the Workplace – Gloucester

4 MarchCIEH Level 2 Award in Environmental Principles and Practice – Gloucester

8 MarchCIEH Level 2 Award in Health and Safety – Swindon

9, 10, 11, 14, 15 MarchCIEH Level 3 Award in Education and Training – Gloucester

16, 17, 18 MarchCIEH Level 3 Award in Environmental Management – Gloucester

22, 23, 24 MarchCIEH Level 3 Award in Food Safety – Gloucester

25 MarchHABC Level 2 Award in Customer Service – Gloucester

28 MarchAdvanced Food Hygiene Refresher – Gloucester

29 MarchCIEH Level 2 Award in the Principles of Risk Assessment – Gloucester

30 MarchCIEH Level 2 Award in the Principles of Manual Handling – Gloucester

31 MarchCIEH Level 2 Award in Food Safety – Gloucester

31 MarchCIEH Level 2 Award in Emergency First Aid at Work – Gloucester

We are continuously updating our dates. Please check our website for the most up-to-date listings.

uk’s leading food safety and health & safety … · her then husband and rowing partner,...

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