M & D's Rollercoaster Crash - 7 people hurt

Seven people have been injured after a rollercoaster crashed off the rails at a theme park in North Lanarkshire.

Six ambulances and six fire engines are at the M&D's park near Strathclude Park in Motherwell after being called at 15:37.

A number of specialist officers are also at the park, which has been evacuated.

An eyewitness said: "People were trapped upside down on the ride."

Emergency services said the incident was ongoing, but no further information was available.

Seven people hurt in rollercoaster crash at M&D's theme park

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-36635086

Credit Google images

Health & Safety Week 20th - 24th June 2016

According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), in 2014/15 over 1.2 million people were suffering from a work-related illness and 76,054 non-fatal injuries were reported. Although Britain has one of the best health and safety records worldwide, this figure shows there is still room for improvement to ensure staff are not put in danger at work. With the UK’s Health and Safety Week taking place from 20-24 June 2016, Carrie Earl, category manager at IronmongeryDirect, takes a look at reducing workplace hazards and suggests some useful tools to minimise the risk of injury.

Every year, 23 million working days are lost due to illness and injuries caused by today’s working conditions. Reducing potential hazards in the workplace is a must to protect employee well-being and ensure that businesses are legally compliant. Regardless of the industry a business is operating in, all organisations have a legal duty to ensure they have adequate health and safety procedures in place to keep their staff safe. Not only this, all staff have the right to feel safe and secure when they’re at work. Taking precautions to provide a safe environment for employees can dramatically reduce the risk of incidents occurring and should be a main priority for all companies.

Early Years The Organisation for Young Children Celebrating 50 Years

HBSC Ltd are delighted to be exhibiting at the Early Years International Conference and AGM in Lough Erne Resort, Enniskillen.  

We have special discounts available over the course of the next two days. We are looking forward to seeing you all there! 

Accreditations!!

We are delighted to have been recognised in the latest Institution of Fire Engineer's Journal for firstly achieving inclusion on the IFE's Fire Risk Assessors Register (Life Safety) and secondly achieving 'Member Grade' if The IFE. 

Mental Health Awareness Week

Mental Health Awareness Week takes place from the 16th - 22nd May 2016 with the theme of Relationships. 

The importance of relationships and how fundamental they are to our health and wellbeing is often forgotten. We cannot flourish as individuals and communities without them, infact they are as vital as better established lifestyle factors such as eating well, exercising more and stopping smoking.  

This year mental health.org.uk are asking people to make a relationship resolution to assess how much time we actively commit to building and maintaining good relationships and to ask whether we can invest more in being present with and listening to friends, family and colleagues. 

If you would like to know more about Mental Health Awareness please follow the link below

www.mentalhealth.org.uk/campaigns/mental-health-awareness-week

Rehab 4 Alcoholism offers a free helpline and intervention service for people suffering from drug and alcohol addiction. Tel: 0345 222 3509 Website: http://www.rehab4alcoholism.com

IOSH Northern Ireland Branch hold their AGM

The Northern Ireland IOSH Branch held their AGM today in the beautiful Belfast Harbour Commissioner's Office. Attendees at the event had the pleasure of listening to a very interesting insight into the role of Karen McDonald who is the current IOSH GB President.  

Also speaking at the AGM was David Knox from Belfast Harbour Commissioners who gave a very insightful talk into managing H&S   within the harbour taking into account the diverse range of activities carried out within Belfast Harbour. 

Karen McDonald IOSH President

David Knox from Belfast Harbour Commissioner's Office

Working together for farmers at Balmoral 2016

At this year’s Balmoral Show, the Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI) has joined forces with the Farm Families Health Checks Programme and Rural Support to highlight important health and safety issues facing the farming community. 

 

The joint stand will offer a wide range of information and advice for farmers, and their families, to help them stay safe and healthy on the farm.

HSENI will focus on farm safety relating to the ongoing Stop and Think SAFE campaign, including working at height, and will run practical demonstrations on Quad bike safety and chainsaw maintenance.

Representatives from The Northern Ireland Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) Branch will also be jointly manning the stand, so please call over for advice and information on farm safety. 

Northern Ireland Care Home Fined For Death of Resident

McGoldrick Enterprises Ltd, trading as Maine Private Nursing Home, was today fined £10,000 plus costs of £8,279 at Antrim Crown Court for health and safety failings which led to the death of a 51 year old resident.

Today’s sentencing comes after a Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI) investigation about the tragic death in April 2013 of Mary Dowds at her nursing home in Randalstown Co. Antrim.

Ms Dowds, who had physical and learning difficulties, was placed in a care chair with the use of a lap-belt. Mary was then left in her room unattended and inadequately observed, and was later found strangled by a poorly adjusted seat restraint as a result of slipping from her chair.

Speaking after today’s sentencing Kevin Campbell, an inspector with HSENI’s Major Investigation Team said:

'Today our thoughts are with the family of Mary Dowds, whose death could have been easily avoided if the available information about the dangers from incorrectly fitted or adjusted seat restraints had been acted upon.

'Staff should also have been properly trained to make sure that restraints were fit for purpose, suitable for each individual resident, and adequately fitted and adjusted.

 'In addition, a system of supervision should have been put in place to monitor each resident based on their needs, whether sleeping or awake. In this case, where Mary was left alone in a room, in a chair facing away from the doorway, a simple audio check was clearly not enough.'

Closed May Day Bank Holiday

We will be closed on May Day Bank Holiday, 2nd May. The office will be open again on Tuesday 3rd May.  

Wishing all our Customers Happy May Day 

The Care Circle Group Maintenance Men Down Tools To Upskill

Tuesday 26th April saw Group Maintenance Personnel from The Care Circle Group get together for some Health & Safety training.

Training was held at Slemish Private Nursing Home.  Health & Safety Consultant, Hayley Burgess of HBSC Ltd facilitated the training and commented “The men were keen to get to grips with the more practical aspects of the training.  It is encouraging to see employees eager to keep up to date with their continued professional development and thus helping to ensure a safer environment for all to work in”.

The one day course covered H & S Law Policy, Accident/Incident Reporting, First Aid, Personal Protective Equipment, Fire Evacuation procedures, COSHH and Manual Handling.  Training was scored highly on participant feedback questionnaires and it also gave opportunity for maintenance personnel to share ideas for better work practices.

We hope you all had a great day, we certainly did! 

Care Circle Group are an award-winning provider of quality care, delivered within beautiful, homely environments.

Care Circle Homes are regarded as Homes of Choice in their respective locations in Northern Ireland and provide comprehensive nursing, residential and dementia care to residents across the spectrum of care need.

Alton Towers Admits Smiler Ride Safety Breaches

The owner of Alton Towers has been told it faces a large fine after admitting responsibility for the Smiler rollercoaster crash.

Merlin Attractions Operations Ltd admitted charges of breaching the Health and Safety Act.

Victims of the crash, including one woman who likened the aftermath to a "horror movie", were in court.

The firm's counsel, Simon Antrobus, said it accepted it could have taken additional safety measures on the day. 

Two women had leg amputations after last June's crash.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-36111412

IKEA issues warning after three children killed by same range of furniture

IKEA has issued a safety warning after three children lost their lives in tragic accidents involving the same range of furniture.

All three fatal incidents involved items from the Malm range, and occurred when the furniture tipped over on top of the children.

The most recent fatality was Philadelphia toddler Ted McGee, who died when a set of drawers fell on top of him, less than two years after two separate fatalities.

Ted's mum Janet had put the 22-month-old down to bed in his cot and was checking on him every twenty minutes.

However, when she couldn't find him in his cot, she presumed he was hiding until she saw the drawers tipped on the floor, according to the Philadelphia Enquirer.

Now, IKEA have issued a safetly warning, stating that to them "children are the most important people in the world".

The warning states:

"We at IKEA offer our deepest condolences to the McGee family.

"At IKEA, we believe children are the most important people in the world and the safety of our products is our highest priority.

"Upon being informed of this incident IKEA US immediately reported it to the authorities and an investigation is taking place.

"IKEA US has been advised that the product was not attached to the wall, which is an integral part of the products’ assembly instructions.

"We wish to emphasise that the best way to prevent tip-over of chests of drawers is to attach products to the wall with the included restraints and hardware per the assembly instructions.

"IKEA has included restraints with our chest of drawers for decades, and wall attachment is an integral part of the assembly instructions.”

IKEA warns that the Malm drawers must be attached to the wall

Coastal Tourism Hub Project

HBSC Ltd were delighted to be involved in the Coastal Tourism Hub Project. 

The aim of the project, supported by the Coastal Communities Fund, was to develop the capabilities and knowledge of participants to assist them in enhancing their product offering to ensure that visitors stay longer in the local area and spend more.

Over the last 12 months, 30 local tourism providers have benefitted from a range of support including business mentoring, World Host training and mystery shopping through the Coastal Tourism Hub. 

The initiative from Carrickfergus Enterprise has clearly inspired and fostered collaboration amongst the stakeholders involved.

Kelli Bagchus, manager Carrickfergus Enterprise, said: “There are so many hidden gems in this area that are not always visible to the tourist.”

Describing it is an exciting time in tourism, Kelli continued “this area is now on the radar for many tourists particularly Europeans keen to explore the area”.

“We hope the visitor map and joint website can further boost this interest.”

 HBSC Ltd were delighted to be involved with the project through providing mentoring in H&S as part of the business mentoring provided to The Courtyard Coffee House, Abbey Self Catering, Fool's Haven Thatched Cottage and The Bank House, Whitehead. 

We would like to take this opportunity to wish all the participants on the programme success for their future ventures. 

Portaferry Pharmacy

Congratulations to all the Staff of Portaferry Pharmacy who completed their Level 2 Principles of Health and Safety, well done all !!  

Pictured Staff of Portaferry Pharmacy

Coastal Tourism Programme Participants Complete Fire Warden Training

We were delighted to be invited to deliver Fire Warden Training to participants on the Coastal Tourism Programme in association with Carrickfergus Enterprise

Participants receiving their certificates.  

Shoreham Air Show Risk Assessment Did Not Consider Different Plane Hazards

A risk assessment for the 2015 Shoreham Air Show, where 11 people were killed, did not "show the range of hazards presented by different display aircraft", the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) has said.

The disaster happened when a Hawker Hunter plane crashed on to the A27 in West Sussex on August 22 last year

The AAIB published a special bulletin into the incident, which revealed there was "no evidence of an attempt to consider either a hierarchy of protection or control".

The AAIB commissioned an agency of the Health and Safety Executive to review the air show's risk assessment.

It found "a number of deficiencies compared to what would have been expected", the AAIB stated.

The review added: "It is not clear that those who assessed the risks and recorded the assessment had a full understanding of the purpose of the risk assessment."

Shoreham's flying display director (FDD) was not aware of the sequence of manoeuvres that the Hawker Hunter pilot intended to perform, the AAIB found.

Without prior knowledge of the routine or the ground over which he would fly, it was not possible to identify specific hazards and which groups of people would be exposed to them, the report stated.

The FDD presented risk assessments to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to seek permission for two displays following the disaster that "were not materially different from that for Shoreham", the AAIB said.

Investigators issued a safety recommendation calling for the CAA to "specify the safety management and other competencies" that flying show organisers must demonstrate.

Photo Courtesy Belfast Telegraph

Mental Health in The Workplace - Five Tips for Organisations

If you want to set up a programme to help promote mental health in your organisation, it is absolutely key to get engagement at all levels, from your senior managers to your employees. In the same way that an employee can be affected by a cold or flu, anyone can be affected by a mental health issue; therefore it should be high on any organisation’s health agenda.

Here are five practical ways that organisations can help improve mental health at work:

1. Lead the way

Managers can help employees to strike a healthy work/life balance by encouraging them to take their holiday entitlement, take breaks and work sensible hours. Flexible working arrangements can also be beneficial. And make sure that as a manager you use deeds, not just words - if employees see their managers failing to take holidays and working long hours they may do the same. This message should come from the top.

2. Be confident

It’s often a difficult thing to talk about, but by opening up and engaging with your teams regularly and communicating about mental health, you can start the dialogue. If you promote a culture of support where positive behaviours are rewarded and people are valued, this will encourage openness. When you have openness, employees will be able to say that they need some help with the work they are doing and then you can support them.

3. Remember mental health is about the individual

Poor mental health can be the result of an accumulation of a range of different factors. By regularly touching base with individuals you can gain an understanding of what is happening for them both in and outside of work and give them an opportunity to come to you for help and advice. Simple questions like “how are things for you at the moment?” “How’s work going?” and “Do you want some help with that?” can make a huge difference to an individual.

And remember that everyone reacts in different ways; don’t make assumptions about what an individual needs, ask them what would be best for them.

4. Make sure you have the right tools

Equip your managers to support people through difficult times by giving them the tools to help. For example proactive policies, training in what to look for and how to manage cases, occupational health support and a good understanding of emotional intelligence. Ensure managers and staff members have access to stress management and resilience training. Not only does this equip your teams but it also helps develop their skills and confidence and shows you value them.

5. Make sure senior managers are aware if there are issues

There can be a disconnect between what a senior manager believes is happening and what actually happens. Line managers are in a great position to promote awareness at top levels in the organisation and improve everyone’s understanding of how an organisation can improve. Communicate clearly with teams and ensure that senior managers know if there are increasing demands on the team so that they understand what may need to stop, what needs to start and what needs to go on hold.

http://ioshblog.tumblr.com/post/139351312915/mentalhealthtips

Mental Health in The Workplace - Five Tips for Organisations

If you want to set up a programme to help promote mental health in your organisation, it is absolutely key to get engagement at all levels, from your senior managers to your employees. In the same way that an employee can be affected by a cold or flu, anyone can be affected by a mental health issue; therefore it should be high on any organisation’s health agenda.

Here are five practical ways that organisations can help improve mental health at work:

1. Lead the way

Managers can help employees to strike a healthy work/life balance by encouraging them to take their holiday entitlement, take breaks and work sensible hours. Flexible working arrangements can also be beneficial. And make sure that as a manager you use deeds, not just words - if employees see their managers failing to take holidays and working long hours they may do the same. This message should come from the top.

2. Be confident

It’s often a difficult thing to talk about, but by opening up and engaging with your teams regularly and communicating about mental health, you can start the dialogue. If you promote a culture of support where positive behaviours are rewarded and people are valued, this will encourage openness. When you have openness, employees will be able to say that they need some help with the work they are doing and then you can support them.

3. Remember mental health is about the individual

Poor mental health can be the result of an accumulation of a range of different factors. By regularly touching base with individuals you can gain an understanding of what is happening for them both in and outside of work and give them an opportunity to come to you for help and advice. Simple questions like “how are things for you at the moment?” “How’s work going?” and “Do you want some help with that?” can make a huge difference to an individual.

And remember that everyone reacts in different ways; don’t make assumptions about what an individual needs, ask them what would be best for them.

4. Make sure you have the right tools

Equip your managers to support people through difficult times by giving them the tools to help. For example proactive policies, training in what to look for and how to manage cases, occupational health support and a good understanding of emotional intelligence. Ensure managers and staff members have access to stress management and resilience training. Not only does this equip your teams but it also helps develop their skills and confidence and shows you value them.

5. Make sure senior managers are aware if there are issues

There can be a disconnect between what a senior manager believes is happening and what actually happens. Line managers are in a great position to promote awareness at top levels in the organisation and improve everyone’s understanding of how an organisation can improve. Communicate clearly with teams and ensure that senior managers know if there are increasing demands on the team so that they understand what may need to stop, what needs to start and what needs to go on hold.

http://ioshblog.tumblr.com/post/139351312915/mentalhealthtips

Mentally Healthy Workplaces Matter

“Mentally healthy workplaces matter” This @Britsafe @MindCharity short film explains how promoting well-being, tackling the causes of ill-health and supporting staff are key to keeping a workforce healthy https://lnkd.in/d7gZSup … #HelpGBWorkWell show less

Time To Talk Day Thursday 4th February 2016.

Mental health problems are common - but nearly nine out of ten people who experience them say they face stigma and discrimination as a result. This can be even worse than the symptoms themselves. Time to Change is England's biggest programme to challenge mental health stigma and discrimination.

There are lots of things you can do to help spread the word about Time to Change, to get people talking about mental health, and support friends, family or colleagues.

We all have mental health, like we all have physical health. Both change throughout our lives. And, like our bodies, our minds can become unwell.

Mental health problems might actually be more common than you think. One in four of us will be affected by mental illness in any year. The effects are as real as a broken arm, even though there isn’t a sling or plaster cast to show for it.

There are a number of different types of mental health problem, and they each have a different impact on the individuals who experience them. Learning more about different mental health problems may help you to support a loved one who’s going through a hard time. Spreading knowledge about different mental health problems is also important in combating the stereotypes that often cause stigma and discrimination. 

This is not an exhaustive list of mental health problems. You can find out more about the symptoms and treatments for different mental health problems from the Rethink Mental Illnessand Mind websites.  

Anxiety

Anxiety disorders happen when someone has feelings of anxiety that are very strong or last for a long time. Find out more about anxiety disorders and read blogs about anxiety.  

Bipolar

Bipolar disorder is characterised by the experience of swings between low mood and high, manic mood, usually with more normal phases in between. Find out more about bipolar disorder and read blogs and personal stories. 

Depression

Depression is characterised by the persistence of feelings of sadness or misery. Find out more about depression and read blogs and personal stories. 

Eating disorders

Eating disorders can occur when someone has a relationship with food that they find difficult. Find out more about eating disorders and read blogs and personal stories. 

Obsessive-compulsive disorder

Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is an anxiety disorder where unwanted thoughts, urges and repetitive activities become an obstacle to living life as someone wants to. Find out more about obsessive-compulsive disorder and read personal stories. 

Personality disorders

Someone might have a personality disorder if their personality traits cause regular, long-term problems in the way they cope with life. Find out more about personality disorders and read personal stories. 

Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a mental illness that occurs when the parts of the brain that are responsible for emotion and sensation stop working properly.  Find out more about schizophrenia and read personal stories. 

For more information on what you can do, or how you can help your colleague, follow the link

http://www.time-to-change.org.uk/talking-about-mental-health

And finally, how much do you know about Mental Health??  Click on the link and take the Mental Health Challenge............ We hope you lear something1

http://www.time-to-change.org.uk/mental-health-quiz

Small Things Can Make a Big Difference