The following fire safety guidelines can be very useful:

To protect the assets of the building and workers, fire risk assessments are essential and fire safety must be a top priority in any warehouse.  Storage of certain products can result in a greater risk of fire.  Flammable liquids can easily ignite and raze a warehouse to the ground. Sprinklers, fire extinguisher, and emergency plans will help safeguard people and property.  Some of the largest fire losses in the industry have occurred in warehouse.

• Storage of materials should be at least 18 inches below fire sprinkler heads.
• Clear access should be maintained to all fire extinguishers and fire alarm panels.
• Fire extinguishers must be identified with appropriate signage.
• Trash accumulation and debris can be a potential fire hazard, as well as a hindrance
to evacuations.

There should be a designated area for storage of pallets, crates, etc., and limit the stack height of pallets to 6 feet.

• Aisle ways must be to clear free and of obstructions.
• Emergency lights must be functional at all times.
• Extension cords cannot be use for permanent wiring.
• Store flammable liquid properly.
• Never store materials in front of electrical panels or in electrical rooms.

For Fire Risk Assessments Services contact Veritas Consulting on  08001488 677 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting            08001488 677      end_of_the_skype_highlighting

President Obama comments on Natural Disaster in Japan

President Obama has spoken to the nation stating that there are no signs as yet that any radiation has leaked from the nuclear power plants that have been affected by the earthquake in Japan.  Japan is suffering the aftermath of the massive earthquake which hit the country in the early hours of Friday morning GMT time.

Concerns surrounding rescuing survivors, aftershocks, further tsunamis and solving problems with damaged properties and commutes mean that it will be some time before Japan is able to return to normality.  Obama stated that he has given direction to Steven Chu, the Energy Secretary, to give all the assistance to Japan which is required in the clear up.

Safety Measures Put into Action

Speaking at the White House News Conference Obama stated that although there is no evidence to suggest that any radiation has been leaked, potential precautions are needed to be taken.  The government evacuated 3000 residents close to the nuclear power plant who have had problems after the Quake.

The cooling system failed and this has resulted in concerns as even after shutting down the plant the reactor stayed hot.  The safety agency have evaluated the problem and have said that in order to solve the issue with pressure inside the reactor, radioactive vapour may need to be released in a controlled manner. Troops who have full training of how to cope with a chemical disaster have been sent to the plant in Fukushima in case there is a leak.

The United States was one of the countries who were given a tsunami warning, and many coastal areas were under full alert.  The warnings have now been lifted and the coastal regions in the U.S and other parts of the world have been given the all clear. Both Hawaii and Oregon noticed strong waves, although nothing was damaged.

Obama has already spoken to Naoto Kan, the Prime Minister of Japan, and sent one aircraft carrier to join one which is already stationed in Japan.  In the U.S he has told the Federal Emergency Management Agency to help Hawaii and other states which could be affected by a Tsunami.  He has urged all of the people living in coastal locations to pay attention to local news and any federal warnings.

Health and Safety Put to the Test

At times like this it is essential to put into action all the necessary health and safety procedures. Risk assessment and health and safety training is tested to the limit.  In order to ensure the safety of the public and workers it is essential to have plans in place which are there to help people manage in stressful situations after accidents.

Health and Safety Training exercises and first aid courses can help prepare any team to cope with all the possible problems which may arise in the work place.  By having health and safety procedures in place employees are able to minimize the risks and help others who may be in danger.

Step one read this article and Step 2 click the link at the bottom.

Employers, contractors, and customers need to maintain work areas so that are very safe to be around. Many lawsuits have been created by unsafe work environments and many accidents have occurred due to mistakes contractors and employees have made on job sites. For this reason, many companies and contractors are protecting themselves today by making all employees acquire CSCS cards.

There are many different types of CSCS cards available today though. The card you need to acquire will depend on the type of occupation or worksite you are hoping to access. Once you have a CSCS card in your possession, you will be able to prove to employers and customers that you are a qualified and knowledgeable construction employee.

Overall, CSCS cards have dramatically improved the safety and the quality of work found within the construction industry. Before these cards were mandated, practically anyone could work in this industry without any verifications of their skills or knowledge being required. The lack of knowledge and skill employees maintained at this time often led to many accidents that were completely avoidable if the workers had been well educated about proper safety procedures within the construction industry.

There are many different types of CSCS cards you can acquire today. There are cards available for individuals who are just starting to learn about the construction industry and there are cards available for individuals who are veteran managers within the construction industry. There are even cards available for employees who commonly visit construction sites, like delivery drivers.

So, before you apply for your new card, you should certainly review the different types of cards that are available in order to select the right card for you. If you are simply going through training courses right now, you may want to look into acquiring a trainee card. If you have just recently passed a construction exam that makes you more qualified than you used to be, you should certainly look into the cards that match your level of expertise within the construction industry.

In order to acquire your card, you must first complete a few basic steps. These steps are needed to prove your skills as well as your knowledge. These steps are also necessary in order to prove that you have the qualifications that are necessary to acquire specific types of cards.

There are some organisations in business today that can assist you with this entire process. For some people, the process of acquiring CSCS cards can be fairly confusing and difficult in general. If you would like to make this process much easier to manage, and even much faster, you may want to think about utilising one of these services. In some cases you may also have to complete an exam to display the amount of knowledge you have about health and safety procedures within the construction industry.

So, in order to acquire your CSCS card, you may want to simply contact a company that helps individuals acquire these cards quickly and easily. Once you contact one of these companies, they will likely question you about your qualifications and assess which type of card you need. Once you have selected the type of card you need, and you have passed the required health and safety exams, you are ready to apply for your new card.

Click to book online your CSCS Card Test today in 2 easy steps.

At the heart of every great company are great employees. For this reason, many companies today are realising that employee safety needs to play a central role within their operations. In order for any business operation to be successful, employees must be able to work in a safe and secure manner. Health and safety consultants can help companies maintain the safety of their employees.

Health and Safety Consultants of this kind often focus on the overall structure of a company. Not only do these consultants review the smallest portions of an operation in order to assess the amount of protection employees have on a regular basis, but they also review the overall safety an organisation provides to its employees too.

These consultants can also be used on a project by project basis. If your company is planning on entering into a fairly new project, you can always hire a safety consultant in order to manage the project. By hiring a consultant from a health and safety consultant company, you will be able to maintain the safety of your workforce while also completing the task at hand in a timely manner.

Of course, there are many different benefits that can be derived through the use of these types of consultants. Consultants can remove hazardous obstacles that may be endangering your employees. They can also improve the overall safety of your operations.

These consultants can perform these tasks, because they have extensive training in the area of health and safety procedures. Once you hire one of these companies, they will be able to apply the knowledge they have acquired through the years to your workforce and job sites.

Health and safety Consultants can perform many functions for a business operation including improving the efficiency of an operation, reducing the amount of risks that are present within a business operation, and also ensuring that businesses comply with all regulations that apply to their job sites and workforce. So, whether you would simply like to reduce the amount of risk you face from endangering your employees, or you would like to ensure that your operations are completely compliant with all regulations that apply, a safety consultant will almost certainly be able to improve your company’s operations.

There are many benefits that can be derived through the use of professional health and safety consultants including a reduction in the amount of employee illnesses that are reported, a reduction in insurance premium expenses, and a reduced risk of expensive legal claims. All of these benefits can make your business’ operations more efficient and profitable overall.

Many corporations hire specialists in order to complete their projects. Specialists may be very skilled at what they do, but they usually lack in knowledge and expertise about health and safety procedures. By hiring health and safety consultants to review your business’ operations, not only will specialists within your company be able to focus on their jobs, but skilled and knowledgeable safety consultants will be able to remove any risks and obstacles that may be present on a job site as well.

Wishing you a happy BBQ season from expert health and safety consultants – at last the Summer is here!!! Please enjoy the summer and upcoming World Cup safely when barbecuing.

For your ease and comfort, we have included some helpful advice and tips for you.

• General Safety
• Make sure your barbecue is in good working order.
• Follow the instructions provided with your barbecue carefully.
• Ensure the barbecue is on a flat site, well away from a shed, trees or shrubs.
• Keep children, garden games and pets well away from the cooking area.
• Never leave the barbecue unattended.
• Ensure food is cooked thoroughly before serving.
• Keep a bucket of water or sand nearby for emergencies.
• Ensure the barbecue is cool before attempting to move it or place the cover on.

• Charcoal Barbecues
• Use only enough charcoal to cover the base to a depth of about 50mm (2 inches).
• Only use recognised fire lighters or starter fuel and only on cold coals – use the minimum necessary and never use petrol.
• Never put hot ashes straight into a dustbin or wheelie bin – they could melt the plastic and cause a fire.

• Gas Barbecues
• Make sure the tap is turned off before changing the gas cylinder.
• Change cylinders outdoors, in a well ventilated area.
• If you suspect a leak to the cylinder or pipe work, brush soapy water around the joints and watch for bubbles.
• when you move or re-connect the barbecue tighten to fix but do not overtighten all gas connections. Allways perform a leak test.
• After cooking, turn off the gas cylinder before turning off at the controls to ensure any residual gas in the pipe work is used up.

We hope you enjoy the barbecue season & World Cup during 2010 and wish you a Safe & Happy Cooking.