Why Health and Safety on the Thatch Advice Centre?
We understand the importance of Health and Safety and have secured some comprehensive, modular, on line courses – with a free trial – to help our visitors.
Health and Safety is everyone’s responsibility. When works are planned, assessment of any risk to health and safety should always be undertaken. This is to look after both yourselves and anyone who is affected by what you do. You should not worry about Health and Safety just because it is the law. It is about sensibly looking at risks and doing your best to minimise/remove them. It is something that everyone does on a daily basis as part of life. Don’t forget that it is really just common sense clarified, organised, quantified and at best, certified.
When working on a roof, the responsibility does not just lie with the trader but also with the property owner. Knowledge and understanding of Health and Safety and taking the relevant action is important for the peace of mind of all involved. Not only that, a business who takes Health and Safety seriously is often a preferred supplier; trusted by peers, insurers and clients alike. They have the comfort of knowing that they have done their best to ensure the safety of themselves and those around them.
Health and Safety Legislation
There is also important legislation on Health and Safety which everyone should be aware of so we have asked for some clarification from our Associates at JayBee Safety. We don’t purport to know everything, but we have our Associates here to help us. Jaybee Safety is a well-established company offering Health and Safety Services and tailored for small and medium sized companies.
They explained the three main points on Health and Safety:
- Morality – the Right to be safe at work – Everyone has a right to come to work and EXPECT to be kept safe, (We all have a duty of Care).
- Legality – Health and Safety and Work Act & ALL associated regulations, i.e. COSHH, Electricity Safety, Working at Height reg, PPE regs, Manual Handling regs etc. – It is the law and a criminal offence not to comply.
- Financial – Implications and penalties if not compliant – You can get a hefty fine and a custodial sentence for non-compliance or if someone were to have a serious accident or an accident that could have been fatal. Sentencing guidelines mean there has been a significant increase in the number of fines since 2015, linked to turnover of that Company.
Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
Responsibility of business
Whether you are a sole trader or a limited company employing 6 or more people, the law applies to YOU! The only difference being that if you employee 5 or more people you MUST legally write it all down and have a written Health & Safety Policy, written risk assessments, method statements & other procedures that cover the risk associated with the work that you do.
However, if you do not have your policy and risk assessments written down, it may be very difficult to prove in a court following an accident, what you do actually do to bring risks down to an acceptable level as required by the regulations.
Two of the most important things to think about are your risk assessments and your training records. Ensure that your workers or contractors are properly trained to carry out their work and you have proof of this in writing that is up to date.
Getting Health and Safety right
One of the important things to get right when it comes to Health and Safety is to understand what you are doing. Use this understanding to assess any risk, learn about how to best remove it or bring it down to an acceptable level. It is a straight forward process depending on what works are being done what risk controls are in place to bring the risk down.
Thatchers and others working on thatched roof areas e.g. scaffolders, Lead workers, builders, painters etc. will all have to assess the risks and plan for safety before starting work. Make sure you communicate this with a safety briefing.
Example: Thatching a roof
Whether you are a one man band or a larger company, we think it is important for you to understand that when it comes to Health and Safety on thatching roofs, four important criteria are:-
- Working Safely
- Introduction to Risk Assessment
- Manual Handling
- Working at Height
Health and Safety – on line Courses
To that end, we have collaborated with JayBee Safety to be able to offer you some wonderful online training to help in these or other relevant areas.
These courses not only provide valuable knowledge and understanding but a certificate of competence at the end recognised by professional health and safety bodies.
Health and Safety Course Recognition
The courses offered by JayBee Safety are approved by the following recognised Professional bodies, specified on the summary of each course.
RoSPA Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents
IATP Independent Asbestos Training Providers
IFE Institution of Fire Engineers
IIRSM International Institute of Risk and Safety Management
CPD Continued Professional Development
How these Health and Safety Courses work
- Each course is set up in manageable short modules.
- The modules can be completed in stages, so you could do one a day in your lunch break
- Use a computer, tablet or even mobile phone. No pens or paper required!
- At the end of each module there are multiple choice questions on which you are assessed. There are 3 attempts to achieve the 70% result required for certification.
- Once successfully completed, you can then print out your Certificate.
Health and Safety Courses Free Trial Offer
Jaybee Safety have offered our Thatch Advice Centre visitors, subscribers, Associates and friends a fantastic opportunity. You can trial the first module of up to 3 courses from their comprehensive range, absolutely free. We are sure you will find these modules straightforward and useful and will then want to continue with the rest of the course. Prices for the above courses start at the very reasonable price of £28.
To take up the offer:
Go to www.jaybeesafety.co.uk and choose ‘Online Courses’ from the top menu.
Find the course you are interested in from the comprehensive list and click on ‘Free Trial User Log in’
Click the ‘Free Trial Here’ icon and register your details.
Have a go; it’s easy, clear and quick.
Some other Courses of Potential Interest
Prices start from £25
- Asbestos Awareness
- Asbestos Awareness for Architects and Designers
- Basic Fire Safety Awareness
- Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH)
- Electrical Safety
- Emergency First Aid at Work – on line Annual Refresher
- Fire Extinguishers
- Introduction to personal safety for lone workers
- Personal Protective Equipment
- Slips, Trips and Falls
Free Trial modules – Have a go!
Please have a look at the wide range of courses available at Jaybee Safety and have a go at some of the free trial modules to see how straightforward and comprehensive the courses are. The Thatch Advice Centre has already signed up and are reaping the benefits both in knowledge and peace of mind.