Weekly Digest Newsletter: 18 January 2024

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HSE launches 'Asbestos – Your Duty' campaign

'Asbestos - Your Duty': campaign logo

HSE’s 'Asbestos – Your Duty' campaign targets those responsible for managing asbestos in buildings (dutyholders).

 

To support dutyholders, we recently updated our web pages for the duty to manage asbestos in buildings. This includes guidance on: 

  • what the legal duty is and the steps required to comply with the law 
  • who the dutyholder is, depending on the type of building etc, and what they must do  
  • new templates of an asbestos management plan and an asbestos register with a site plan 
  • examples of how asbestos can be managed across different industries

The campaign provides dutyholders with a range of resourcesYou can: 


Bus company and cleaning firm fined after worker killed

A national bus company and a commercial cleaning firm have both been fined after a worker was killed when he was hit by a reversing bus driven by a colleague.

The worker had been working in the yard of a bus depot when the vehicle was reversed out of the wash-down area.

 

HSE's investigation found that:

  • the bus company had failed to properly assess the risk of vehicle-pedestrian contact
  • both companies failed to implement a suitable system of work to control this risk
  • insufficient measures were in place to protect pedestrians from vehicles being moved around the depot and to ensure that walkways within the perimeter of the yard were being used

For further details read this press release.

 

Our website has guidance on separating pedestrians and vehicles in the workplace.

 

Other recent prosecution cases include:


HSE campaign highlights dangers from metalworking fluids

HSE's campaign to keep workers safe from the risks of metalworking fluids or coolants is finding many of the businesses inspected are failing to protect workers.  

In September last year, HSE announced it was carrying out inspections. Since then, more than half of those checks have identified failings. 

 

This is a highly technical, specialist field applying precision engineering – but it can also cause harm to the lungs and skin.

 

In a bid to improve knowledge in this area, HSE has created an online quiz as part of the ongoing campaign.

 

For more information about the campaign, read our press release.


Safe Net Zero 2024 event: book your place now

13 February 2024,
Portland Street, Manchester

Safe Net Zero 2024 is a content-rich, technical event from HSE exploring the selection, technical performance and safety of materials used in hydrogen environments.

 

Attendees will hear from over 20 experts and thought leaders, who are all engineering a safe transition to hydrogen energy technologies to achieve net zero.

 

Find out more and/or book your place(s)


Latest jobs: join the team at HSE

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Give your career a kickstart as 2024 begins and join our team saving lives and livelihoods here at HSE.

We currently have a range of vacancies. For details of selected posts, follow the links below:

You can get all the latest news and updates from HSE across a range of industries and topics.

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