Our recent full training day was dedicated to health and safety – for our team – contractors who work with us and for our clients.
The work we do presents lots of opportunities for injury and illness. Wall tie work almost always involves working at height. Falls from height causes many unnecessary deaths at work in the construction industry.
Timber treatment means we use pesticides, which need to be used carefully to protect clients and ourselves too.
General damp proofing and waterproofing operations present dangers to health including hearing loss, caused by loud machines, potential eye damage through drilling and cutting, back injury when lifting, skin problems caused by cement and chemicals and of course respiratory illness due to inhaling dust at work.
Our training day was great fun and it was also a chance for those members of the team who have recently qualified in safety training, to pass that knowledge on to their workmates.
First it was the turn of the office staff to get involved – manual handling
Office manager is qualified via City and Guilds, to train others on how to avoid injury through manual handling, there was a presentation on this to all our staff.
then…. Mask Face fit testing
Sian Hamilton took a break from typing the damp and wall tie reports to demonstrate her skills, as an official mask face fit tester. This means that Sian is able to test that the facemasks we provide our staff with when working, fit them properly and don?t let any harmful dust or chemical particles in. Every face is different so each of the staff was carefully tested by Sian throughout the day using HSE approved methods, which she herself has been tested on.
Our Wall Tie Technicians added their knowledge
Technician Craig Tarbotton recently achieved 91% in his IOSH manageing safely exams, so was keen to get involved and presented a tool box talk on hand arm vibration, letting the technicians know how this can harm their health at work, as they drill, cut, chisel and chase masonry – something we do every day.
Techncian Peter Linsell also chipped in with good feedback, particulally on how we can help reduce harm through hand arm vibration – no wonder he achieved 100% in his recent CSCS safety awareness test!
And finaly….. The boss set out more ways to reduce harm.
MD Bryan Hindle used his recent NEBOSH general certification to good effect; taking on several other subjects including Noise Induced hearing loss; Eye protection; skin protection and the safe use of tower scaffold.
Bryan also presented a section on the responsibilities of employees under health and safety regulations. This fits well into Bryan’s style of management – where all staff take responsibility for themselves, our clients and their workmates too.
Our business is damp proofing, wall tie replacement and woodworm or dry rot eradication, but training must now include good health and safety instruction. It can be boring and will not work, if staff are just talked at by ‘the boss’, or an outside firm. Our team are behind health and safety 100% so they are all involved and we had a great time, working to make things safer.
We bring this enthusiasm to work every day, whether learning new skills or materials, or when on site in a domestic house, a hotel or a block of flats.
For damp proofing; wall tie corrosion work or timber treatment, which is safe – choose the team behind Brick-Tie Preservation.
Call customer services for further information free on 0800 591 541
