Business advice following Health & Safety Executive (HSE) update on woodwork safety

UK’S LEADING SAFETY COMPANY ARCO SHARES EXPERT ADVICE FOLLOWING HEALTH & SAFETY EXECUTIVE (HSE) REVISIONS TO WOODWORKING SAFETY

From April 2022, woodworking businesses across the UK will be visited by HSE inspectors to ensure duty holders know the risks associated with woodworking and to inspect whether effective controls are in place to protect workers’ respiratory health.

To help businesses prepare, Arco, the UK’s leading safety company, is sharing expert advice, ahead of the Health and Safety Executive’s updates, to support employers with people involved in wood working.  

In January 2020, the HSE introduced new and revised workplace exposure limit guidance for 13 substances, including wood dust. Wood dust is a hazardous substance and inhaling the fine particles can develop into respiratory diseases, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and occupational asthmas. Settled dust contains the fine particles that are most likely to damage the lungs and hardwood dusts, such as oak, western red cedar and iroko, are carcinogens that can cause sinonasal cancer. 

In addition to the respiratory threat posed by wood dust, it is also a fire or explosion hazard. Unconfined wood dust can ignite and spread flames across a cloud in the air, while wood dust that is contained can build up pressure when ignited and lead to destructive explosions.

The serious health and safety threats demonstrate the essential need for appropriate controls and protective measures for woodworking environments. The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) guidelines sets out the legal requirements for organisations to protect their workers’ health from hazardous substances. Due to the health risks, wood dust is covered by COSHH and thus risk aversion controls are a legal requirement.

Kevin Williams, Respiratory Team Manager at Arco Professional Safety Services at Arco said: “The risk from wood dust should be minimised, ideally by using methods that do not generate wood dust or by removing it at source. Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) should be issued as a last line of defence once all other control measures are in place.

“The HSE will expect to see a clear education and understanding of the control measures put in place by employers to protect workers from harm. It is also a legal requirement for all employees to receive appropriate training and supervision for any related equipment to ensure safety standards are implemented accordingly.

“Workers should also be encouraged to be involved in health and safety as they are often the best people to understand the risks and help find solutions.

“Through worker involvement you can act together to reduce accidents and ill health within the workplace, by paying attention to layout, worker movement and keeping workshops and storage areas tidy.”

Learn more about how you can make sure your workplace is safe and compliant by reading Arco’s expert guidance: www.arco.co.uk/expert-advice/respiratory-protection/hazards/wood-dust

Arco Colleagues Receive Medal Honours for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee

Three colleagues from Arco Professional Safety Services, Mike Clayton, Bartek Biela and Rob Messenger, are being awarded the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Medal in recognition of their life-saving voluntary work with Midland Cave Rescue Organisation, and the Staffordshire Search & Rescue Team of Lowland Search & Rescue, respectively.

The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Medal is a recognition of exemplary service by members in frontline emergency roles, prison services and the Armed Forces with at least five full years of voluntary service. The three colleagues have utilised their expertise in the safety sector to support emergency services in life-threatening situations in some of the country’s most inhospitable environments, including the longest cave rescue in Welsh history last year.

Within Arco, Mike is an Equipment Department Manager and is responsible for the selection, procurement and delivery of the equipment in Arco’s Professional Safety Services business. Externally, Mike is the Chairman of Midlands Cave Rescue Organisation and the National Equipment Officer for the British Cave Rescue Council.

Mike commented: “I am proud to receive this medal as recognition for all the voluntary work undertaken over the past five years. No one volunteers for cave rescue for reward or honours but to be there to help others in difficulty, however, these acknowledgements are a bonus.”

Bartek, a Training Instructor at Arco Professional Safety Services, teaches a wide range of practical work at height and rescue courses as well as the IOSH accredited Work at Height for Managers and Personal Fall Protection Inspection courses. As an avid member of numerus caving clubs in the past, coupled with his expertise in the safety industry, Bartek understands the importance of rescue provisions for outdoor activities which guided his decision to become a Team Leader at Midlands Cave Rescue Organisation.

Bartek said: “It is a privilege and a great honour to receive the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Medal. When joining the organisation, I never expected any recognition or rewards as we are only there to help when this is most needed.”

Rob, a Work at Height and Confined Space Instructor at Arco, has been involved in several major incidents, large scale missing person searches and operations to provide lifesaving first aid to injured hikers. As a Team Leader of Lowland Search and Rescue Team, Rob is tasked with operational command and control as well as legal compliance with the regulations set by the Charities Commission.

At Arco, Rob delivers comprehensive work at height safety and rescue courses, confined space courses and first aid training as well as bespoke rescue from height training.

On being nominated for his Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Medal, Rob explained: “I feel honoured to be recognised amongst the men and women of the emergency services. People don’t volunteer because they have the time, they volunteer because they care.”

David Evison, Managing Director at Arco, said: “We’re incredibly proud that Mike, Bartek and Rob have been recognised for their excellent voluntary work over the last five years. They have each made a difference in their commitment to help keep people safe in inhospitable environments.

“As experts in safety, Arco, as a business, encourages its colleagues to share their knowledge and expertise in the communities we serve, including through volunteer work.”