What to Keep an Eye Out For……
...what's new, changing, potentially changing or what you may have missed...
Passenger Lift Safety Alert
As a result of a recent fatal accident in Galway city involving a passenger lift, the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) have brought a number of safety concerns to the attention of those persons who are in control of passenger lifts.
Safety Concern
An issue has been identified with a number of passenger lifts when in motion between floors. Should pressure be applied to open the doors the following occurs:
Competent Persons
Competent Persons, carrying out maintenance, inspections/thorough examinations, in addition to their normal programme, and taking care of their own safety, should pay particular attention to the following:
Employers and persons in control should ensure checks are carried out by competent persons to ensure their lift/s comply with required standards.
Should issues arise as outlined above, controls should be put in place to ensure the safety of all persons using the lift.
The Safety Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 places duties on employers and persons who have control to any extent of a place of work to ensure that the means of access to and egress there from and any article provided for use are safe and without risk to health. Those responsible for the operation of passenger lifts should also ensure that they have a current report of thorough examination (required every 6 months).They should also be in possession of a log-book where details of any repairs or checks have been recorded.
Users of Passenger Lifts
Whilst passenger lifts provided for use in general are a safe method of access & egress, care should always be exercised when they are being used by vulnerable persons such as children.
Should the doors of a passenger lift open unusually as described above, then all passengers should stay clear of the doors and wait for the lift to complete its journey. The matter should then be brought to the attention of the person in control of the place of work.
Staying with Health and Safety……….
Slips, trips and falls remain the biggest cause of accidents in all economic sectors, from heavy manufacturing to office work according to the Senior Labour Inspectors Committee (SLIC) Campaign for the Prevention of Work Accidents which was launched on January 29 2014.Theinformation campaign is targeted at both Employers and Employees.
Within the framework of the information campaign, educational interactive software will be developed depicting situations where slips and trips are possible, along with the solutions to prevent them. A campaign calendar for 2014 and a poster will also be prepared.
It was expected that this legislation would be enacted in October or November 2013. However, it is understood now that the enforcement order for this Act is planned to be considered by the Oireachtas in early 2014.
Irish workplaces among worst in Europe for bullying
Bullying, harassment and sexual harassment are issues that face almost every Organisation at one time or another. It is important for every Employer to be aware that they are obliged to provide a work environment free from harassment and bullying. Where an Employer fails to do this, they can be held liable for the effects of harassment or bullying on their Employees.
A new study published on 4th February by the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions found that Ireland is seventh on the list of countries with the most workplace bullying, with almost 6% of workers saying they have experienced it. The level of physical violence at work is also high by European standards and sexual harassment is now at just over 1%.
The data shows that incidences of physical violence have declined while bullying or harassment and unwanted sexual attention remains consistent. Further findings in the Europe-wide study found that women in the 30-49 age bracket are most likely to experience bullying or harassment at work, followed by men aged 15 to 29. Those most likely to be sexually harassed in their jobs are women aged 15-29.
Passenger Lift Safety Alert
As a result of a recent fatal accident in Galway city involving a passenger lift, the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) have brought a number of safety concerns to the attention of those persons who are in control of passenger lifts.
Safety Concern
An issue has been identified with a number of passenger lifts when in motion between floors. Should pressure be applied to open the doors the following occurs:
- the lift car will stop,
- the doors on the affected passenger lifts will then go through an opening cycle exposing persons to a potential hazard,
- the doors will then close again, once they are not obstructed,
- the lift will continue to its destination as normal.
Competent Persons
Competent Persons, carrying out maintenance, inspections/thorough examinations, in addition to their normal programme, and taking care of their own safety, should pay particular attention to the following:
- The operation of the inner lift car door whilst the lift is in motion, after pressure is applied to simulate the manual opening of the door.
- The distance between the lift car door and the wall of the lift shaft.
- The operation of the inner and outer lift doors to ensure that doors operate as normal.
Employers and persons in control should ensure checks are carried out by competent persons to ensure their lift/s comply with required standards.
Should issues arise as outlined above, controls should be put in place to ensure the safety of all persons using the lift.
The Safety Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 places duties on employers and persons who have control to any extent of a place of work to ensure that the means of access to and egress there from and any article provided for use are safe and without risk to health. Those responsible for the operation of passenger lifts should also ensure that they have a current report of thorough examination (required every 6 months).They should also be in possession of a log-book where details of any repairs or checks have been recorded.
Users of Passenger Lifts
Whilst passenger lifts provided for use in general are a safe method of access & egress, care should always be exercised when they are being used by vulnerable persons such as children.
Should the doors of a passenger lift open unusually as described above, then all passengers should stay clear of the doors and wait for the lift to complete its journey. The matter should then be brought to the attention of the person in control of the place of work.
Staying with Health and Safety……….
Slips, trips and falls remain the biggest cause of accidents in all economic sectors, from heavy manufacturing to office work according to the Senior Labour Inspectors Committee (SLIC) Campaign for the Prevention of Work Accidents which was launched on January 29 2014.Theinformation campaign is targeted at both Employers and Employees.
Within the framework of the information campaign, educational interactive software will be developed depicting situations where slips and trips are possible, along with the solutions to prevent them. A campaign calendar for 2014 and a poster will also be prepared.
It was expected that this legislation would be enacted in October or November 2013. However, it is understood now that the enforcement order for this Act is planned to be considered by the Oireachtas in early 2014.
Irish workplaces among worst in Europe for bullying
Bullying, harassment and sexual harassment are issues that face almost every Organisation at one time or another. It is important for every Employer to be aware that they are obliged to provide a work environment free from harassment and bullying. Where an Employer fails to do this, they can be held liable for the effects of harassment or bullying on their Employees.
A new study published on 4th February by the European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions found that Ireland is seventh on the list of countries with the most workplace bullying, with almost 6% of workers saying they have experienced it. The level of physical violence at work is also high by European standards and sexual harassment is now at just over 1%.
The data shows that incidences of physical violence have declined while bullying or harassment and unwanted sexual attention remains consistent. Further findings in the Europe-wide study found that women in the 30-49 age bracket are most likely to experience bullying or harassment at work, followed by men aged 15 to 29. Those most likely to be sexually harassed in their jobs are women aged 15-29.
