Neals Notes December 2001
Left Handed Mousers
A Canadian College has carried out a study of the effects of left-handed mousing. It showed that although left handed mousing was perceived as more uncomfortable and slower for natural right handers, wrist and shoulder postures were more neutral with the mouse on the left hand side. A follow-up showed that 70% of those involved in the trial kept the mouse on the left. It seemed to take about a week to become accustomed to the left handed position.
Left Thumb & Index Finger Manipulating A Mouse Made For Right Handers
No Win, No fee!
Personal injury claims, particularly for musculoskeletal injury, are soaring and are being reflected in soaring insurance premiums. Osteopaths for Industry is now operating a musculoskeletal helpline which can help in the establishment of a safer working environment, improve productivity and provide a competitive edge. Call 01372 467760.
On Line Info for Workers
The roles and responsibilities of employers and employees, problems in the workplace, complaining, whistle blowing and reporting accidents are among the areas covered by a new web page established by the Health and Safety Executive to provide workers with rapid access to essential health and safety information. http://www.hse.gov.uk/workers/index.htm It includes links to the TUC and to the HSE InfoLine contact centre.
Guidance for Directors re Health and Safety responsibilities
Drawn up after consultation with a number of bodies which included the IOD, this guidance states that "the role of the health and safety director should not detract either from the responsibilities of other directors for specific areas of health and safety risk management or from the health and safety responsibilities of the board as a whole" See http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg343.pdf Copies are also available from the IOD.
Asbestos Management Proposals
The Health and Safety Commission has just published a consultative document with revised proposals for the introduction of a new duty to manage the risk from asbestos in premises. It takes into account comments arising from the response to last year's consultative document. The main change is to widen the definition of duty holder. The employer in occupation of the premises will still have the main body of duty but there is now a proposed duty on all those who legally have maintenance and repair responsibilities.
The new regs require those responsible for workplace premises to
1. Find out if asbestos is present in a building, where it is located and what condition it is in
2. Assume that materials contain asbestos unless they can be sure they do not
3. Record all findings
4. Assess the risks from these materials
5. Prepare and implement plans to manage the risks from such asbestos
6. Provide information to anyone liable to come into contact with asbestos.
Call HSE's Infoline on 08701 545500 or write to HSE Information Services, Caerphilly Business Park, Caerphilly CF83 3GG
Directors' responsibilities for Health and Safety
This booklet from The Health & Safety Commission is for board members of all types of organisations in both private and public sectors. It will help such board members to make sure that health and safety risks arising from an organisation's activities are managed correctly. The main thrust of the booklet is directed mainly at company directors. Effective management will maximise the well being and productivity of all working for an organisation, will stop people from getting injured, ill or killed through work activities, improve an organisation's reputation in everybodys eyes and kep turnover and pofitability high. Details from HSE Books 01787 881165 or fax 01787 313995.
Poor working conditions could be costing the economy of UK PLC a cool £100 million a year
when taking into account days lost at work, reduced productivity and health care costs. And, one technical magazine in the US reported some time ago that more workers were injured in the States through using a computer keyboard than any other workplace tool Add to this those using computer keyboards at home where ergonomic assessments are not normally encountered and the figures for RSI injuries through the use of a standard flat keyboard must be astronomical. Don't forget that it has been known since 1974 that the RSI injuries incurred at a computer workstation are 90% plus due to the use of a non ergonomic keyboard where the hands continually flit sideways to initiate carpal tunnel problems.
Construction Confederation says Safety reps scheme is flawed in many respects
The Construction Confederation represents 5,000 companies responsible for over 75% of the construction industry's turnover. It has just withdrawn from the Health and Safety Commissions workers safety advisors pilot scheme which aims to test the idea of trade union representatives visiting small firms in an attempt to improve safety records. Research has shown that workplaces with safety reps have, on average, half the major injury rate of workplaces without.
Suzannah Nichol who is the Confederation's director of Health and Safety criticises the scheme as "being flawed in many respects and does not address important questions raised by employers". She continues, "The pilot will not meet the objectives of the research as there is no way of measuring whether health and safety standards have improved as a result of the scheme. Safety representatives who move from site to site cannot build up relationships with managers in the same way as site-based representatives"
George Brumwell the General Secretary of UCATT has branded the Confederation's members as "the pariahs of the safety world" and has accused them of anti trade union bigotry. The TUC has issued a point by point rebuttal of the Confederation's objections. A similar scheme has been operating in Sweden since 1948 with similar scheme being set up in Belgium, Spain and Northern Italy. In the UK there are pilot schemes going ahead in retail , leisure, motor repair and the voluntary sectors.
Golf caps change into safety helmets at the whiff of a Health and Safety Inspector
At least that is the opinion of Prospect the Inspectors Union which wants the Government to provide an additional £35m per year for the HSE. The union wants this money to be spent in doubling the number of safety inspections within four years so that workplaces are inspected at least every five years. It is thought that "only 15% of major injuries are currently investigated and employers realise that the chances of getting caught are minimal" says Dave Prentis UNISION's general secretary.
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