Kent Health & Safety Group
5th May 2011
Church Farm Hall
Minutes
Attendance list
John McNeil Arcelormittal Kent Wire
Ray George Retired (visitor)
Russell Mees Ametek Ltd
Barry Evans Thurrock Council
Philip Fairhurst Park Leisure
Allan Bone Park Leisure
Doug Baguley DBA H&S
Colin Norgate Just 4 Safety
Carole Shepherd KCC
Gary Hewitt Gravesham BC
Apologies for absence
Christine Pavey, Doug Chenery, Bill Parkinson, Dave Tyler, Chris Pike, Mark Curry, Greg Buckley, Paul Durkin, Richard Pavey, Pete Hyland, Eddie Adrian.
Welcome to members and visitors
The Secretary welcomed members to the May meeting of the Kent Health and Safety Group.
COSHH & Hazardous Goods Compliance
The Secretary introduced Aynur Bozkurt, the Director of Business Development and Mark Williams, the Head of Operations for Chemwatch UK.
Aynur Bozkurt began by explaining that Chemwatch originally an Australian company has now been operating for 20 years and has clients from around the world, some of which have been using their services for 15 years. Mark is currently Head of Operations for the UK.
Aynur explained that Chemwatch comprises a team of around 150 personnel, including Professional Chemists, IT developers, OHS and Regulatory Specialists.
Aynur presented each stage of the process and explained how each element can be accessed. She stated that the systems available allowed accurate updating for the client, information that is not always available on line or supplied with a product.
The team provides independent review of substances, mixtures and preparations and currently looks after around 4,000 businesses.
They also write MSDS for many of the worlds largest companies around 4,000 MSDS are produced each month. They currently have 13 million available including some unusual substances such as Cocaine, Heroine, Bird Droppings and some for Fumes.
Enquiries have been made by NASSA regarding materials such as Moon Dust.
They also have a programme available so you can produce your own documents.
Hazard assessment sheets can be completed / printed, and the system allows the user to request any one of 30 languages.
It is possible to create a plan that identifies the contents within individual buildings.
The team also produces IT solutions that emphasise new technologies almost as soon as they become available.
Certified trainers are able to visit your site to deliver standard training packages or those which reflect the customer’s special interest.
They have an Emergency Response team able to provide advice, 24/7, related to fire /explosion, spills and chemical exposure. It is possible to print details that can be taken to Hospital / GP.
A number of questions were answered:
Ø The cost of access to the programmes would be based on the size of the business and number of employees and how many were at risk.
Ø The number of substances /MSDS used.
Ø Access to the system need not be restricted to a single user.
Ø Additional labels can be printed for additional storage requirements.
Ø Alerts would be issued as soon as updates have been made.
Ø The system would be fully protected to avoid changes to data.
Russell Mees thanked Aynur and Mark for their time and for an interesting and informative presentation. It had demonstrated an impressive package which offered considerable detail for managing product / substance data.
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General Business
The minutes of the April meeting were agreed.
Correspondence
The Secretary stated that a selection of publications were available at the side of the back of the room to which members were welcome to help themselves.
This month these included the latest ‘Safety Express from RoSPA.
‘Newsletter’ from Safety Groups UK
Safety Group booklet giving details of all UK safety groups, this does show KHSG as good value membership.
Fire Safety information.
Kentec Training Limited had some offers for IOSH ‘Managing Safely’ courses.
TUV UK Limited were able to supply NEEBOSH training for General and Construction certificate as well as the new level 2 H&S at Work qualification. They could offer flexible tuition alternative at preferential rates for group members.
Website
Melissa is continuing to keep the website up to date, although the Secretary stated he would very much like to be able to display more material on the site, in particular the ‘Group News’ page. Suggestions would be welcome.
The Secretary was very surprised recently to receive an email from the HSE complaining that we were displaying their business logo without permission. Failure to remove could result in action taken.
Melissa had removed this immediately until the situation is resolved.
HSE Update
Mike Walters has stated that the HSE is still waiting to see how the financial cuts will affect their set-up. This should become clearer over the next few months. They are however moving to become more reactive (approx. 70 % of their time).
The remaining time will be spent on targeted proactive work in sectors such as: construction, waste and recycling, high risk manufacturing (molten and base metals, smelting and casting metal, wood products, glass, ceramic and building products, fabricated metal products plus food / drink).
Mike also wanted to bring to our attention: http://news.hse.gov.uk/lau/2011/04/19/cutting-through-red-tape-retal-sector/
This is a Cabinet Office website regarding cutting red tape. Looking at specific sector or industry it will be asking for people’s views and lists a number of H&S pieces of legislation. The current topic is the ‘Retail Sector’, future subjects from 6th May ‘Hospitality, Food and Drink’, 20th May ‘Road Transportation’, 2nd June ‘Fisheries, Marine Enterprises and Internal Waterways’, 16th June ‘Manufacturing’.
Mike would encourage members to have their say.
Update from other organisations
Safety Groups UK will be holding their AGM on 16th June in Middlesborough.
IOSH next group meeting will take place on 10th May at 18.30 at the Innovation Centre. The subject is Ergonomics and the speaker will be Sarah Tapley (former HSE inspector).
Safety & Health Expo 17th – 19th May in Birmingham.
Safety Health & Environment Show 7th June in Blackpool.
Help / Learning experiences
Colin Norgate asked for help identifying someone to conduct Carbon Monoxide monitoring, following recent discussions with the HSE. Russell Mees suggested a contact and also stated that further support may be available at the forthcoming S&H Expo.
Accident and dangerous occurrences.
There were none to discuss.
Gary Hewitt stated that he had recently submitted statistics for the last financial year which have shown a sharp decrease in operational accidents. The largest decrease was in the ‘Waste & Recycling’ section. He suggested that the main reason for this decrease could be a recent increase in staff training.
Any other business
Russell Mees stated that it would be nice to increase our current committee numbers.
Gary Hewitt agreed, and added that we have had interest shown for the role of Auditor.
Looking ahead to the next programme, a number of topics were available including ‘Electrical Safety’, ‘Asbestos’, ‘Ergonomics’, ‘Gas Safety’, ‘Vehicle Overloading’, ‘Lone Working’, ‘Noise/Dust Monitoring’ & ‘Skin Care’.
Information passed on from RoSPA stating that the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) has launched a photo competition to raise awareness of safety and health at work. Any members who are keen photographers may be interested.
On a similar topic a recent BBC website item regarding a new series of footpaths being constructed on mountain sides in China. Gary passed round some photographs of this construction work.
Barry Evans recalls seeing the same location before this work commenced.
Next meeting
The next meeting will take place on the 2nd June 2011 when Henderson Chambers will present Health and Safety Law. This will be immediately followed by the AGM.