Newsletter February 2019

Currently 24yrs old I have worked here at Enva for the past 5 ½ years starting out in the operations department as an apprentice administrator, after completing the NVQ L2 in Business Administration I was offered a permanent role. During those years I also completed the IEMA Foundation Certificate in Environmental Management.  Then after successfully passing the NEBOSH General Certificate in early 2018 I was made SHEQ coordinator in October 2018.

Having only been in the role a short period of time the most enjoyable part of the job is learning all the aspects of Health and Safety, it is a varied job that makes every day different. The researching and consistently learning new things is a great aspect of the role.

Currently we are working towards updating and putting all of our Risk Assessments and Safe Systems of Work into a new format which is taking up most of the days. Along with the various ongoing H&S checks of the workplace that happen throughout the month and via our continuous annual reviews.

I was made the Chair of the Health and Safety Steering group so along with the group we are constantly working on aspects that help promote a positive culture through the workplace and business.

It’s very important that all employees attend courses such as the IOSH Working and Managing Safely, it’s great as it gets people thinking and makes them see health and safety differently and also allows them to understand that it is everyone’s role and responsibility to be the eyes and ears of the business.
For that purpose, we always use accredited training providers to further the professional development skills of all our staff/management.

Here at AW Safety Management are able to deliver IOSH Working and Managing Safely training on-site or alternatively at our training centre offices in the heart of Edwinstowe, North Notts. We value our customers opinions and feedback deeply and ensure training provided has comprehensive feedback.

Call 01623 821516 for more details or visit our website www.awsafety.co.uk

In response to this months’ AWSM giving back we invited two of the charity workers to attend one of our Emergency First Aid courses for which one was trained completely free of charge.

The charity relies completely on donations and generates revenue though its shops and fundraising events, and its company chair Ian Brownley a personal friend of our first aid trainer Glyn Bagshaw.

AW Safety management were happy to assist where we could and welcomed its volunteers who successfully completed their EFAW certificates with us here at AWSM.

Whilst the volunteers were in attendance we wanted to find out more and share with our newsletter readers some of the great things this charity and its fantastic team of volunteers do in our community and across the region.

Questions for Ian Brownley – current chair of the CCLL

When did you start and who by/where was the charity founded?

The National Chernobyl Children’s Lifeline (CCLL) was started in 1992 by Victor Mizzi OBE. Subsequently after becoming a host family in 2003 I have since been chair of the Mansfield & Ashfield link of CCLL for 2 ½ years.

How much have the charity raised since it started? 

The CCLL raises £15-£20,000 each year to finance the group’s activities.

How many people locally in Notts/UK volunteer?

Approx 20-30 people, some as host families, others as shop volunteers and some do both.

What do your volunteers do and how do they get involved with you? 

Host children within their families for 3 weeks in the Summer, taking part in full programme of events. Others help with fundraising events or volunteer in one of the 2 Charity shops.

What events does the charity organise?

Social evenings, pie & pea suppers, sponsored events, awareness raising talks and fill shows.

What do your volunteers do and why train them? 

Our volunteers need to be able to understand the level of responsibility they hold as parents and as volunteers. They are fully supported by the CCLL committee and National Charity. The geographical links and run autonomously but are responsible to the main charity office. All members must comply with policies and procedures nationally.

The volunteer retail assistants in our charity shops are vital as this is where the bulk of the money is raised.

Our volunteer families undergo ongoing DBS checks in preparation to hosting children involved in the program.

The National Childrens Chernobyl Lifeline Charity volunteer workers in action below on one of AW Safety Management’s Emergency First Aid courses earlier this month.

Pictured above are charity volunteers Linda Else and Rachael Jackson  – please see the answers below to the questions posed by the AW Safety Management training centre manager whilst leaning their new First Aid skills acquired with us here at AWSM.

 Volunteer Names: Linda Else & Rachael Jackson

How long have you been a volunteer?

Linda: 12 years

Rachael: 6 months

What made you choose this charity?

Linda: It is all voluntary

Rachael: It’s local to me and I’m interested in the Chernobyl disaster, the work this charity does is second to none.

What events have you been involved in so far?

Linda: First Aid

Rachael: Volunteering in the shop, psychic evening event, fundraisers and the 2018 children’s leaving party

How will this EFAW qualification help you?

Linda: To run the shop

Rachael: Aid the children should the situation arise

What have you enjoyed the most about the EFAW course?

Linda: All of it

Rachael: A lot of fun learning & a great company and fabulous staff on site

Article written by Amanda Neuville – AWSM Training centre manager

Mild Steel Welding Fume exposure

The Workplace Health Expert Committee has endorsed the reclassification of mild steel welding fume as a human carcinogen, as existing measures of general ventilation do not achieve the necessary control.

Control of the cancer risk will require suitable engineering controls for all welding activities indoors e.g. Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV)  which should be supplemented by adequate and suitable respiratory protective equipment (RPE) to protect against residual fumes. Updated Risk assessments should reflect the change in the new expected control measures.

Regardless of duration, HSE will no longer accept any welding undertaken without any suitable exposure control measures in place, as there is no known level of safe exposure.

• There is new scientific evidence that exposure to all welding fume, including mild steel welding fume, can cause lung cancer.
• There is also limited evidence linked to kidney cancer.
• There is a change in HSE enforcement expectations in relation to the control of exposure of welding fume, including that from mild steel welding.
• All businesses undertaking welding activities should ensure effective engineering controls are provided and correctly used to control fume arising from those welding activities.
• Where engineering controls are not adequate to control all fume exposure, adequate and suitable respiratory protective equipment (RPE) is also required to control risk from the residual fume.

The Workplace Health Expert Committee has endorsed the reclassification of mild steel welding fume as a human carcinogen.

Article written by Amanda Neuville – AW Safety Training Centre Manager

Great News!
We’ve expanded our training capacity

We are pleased to announce the opening of our new additional 18 seat training room. Contact us for all your H&S training needs. See our “offers of the month”

Call 01623 821516 or email training@awsafety.co.uk for more details.

2019 Open Course online booking facility is now available.….visit our website www.awsafety.co.uk