complyatwork june2014

Comply at Work

safety snippets&

business bytes

June 2014

Tel 01204 772977 or 07792 400 503

Free Twilight Seminar P2

Upcoming Courses P3

Occupational Health P4

Check Your Insurance P5

Office Safety P6-7

Ways to Focus Your Mind P8-9

Keeping Your Customers Loyal P10

Worst Way to Start a Date P11

In the Spotlight P12-13

P2 | Safety Snippets Tel 01204 77 29 77 mobile 07792 400 503

Safety

Snippets

FREE TWILIGHT SEMINAR – LONE WORKING

On Wednesday 9th July 2014 at 4 pm, George Stavrinidis of Lone Worker Solutions Ltd will be giving us a, overview of Lone worker legislation and the issues you need to be aware of.

George will cover the following in terms of lone worker protection:

Outline: The Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007 is a landmark law that took effect on 6th April 2008. An organisation can now be found guilty of corporate manslaughter if the way in which it manages and organises its activities causes a death resulting from a gross breach of its Duty of Care to its employees and, or, anyone affected by its activities (including self-employed personnel, subcontractors, visitors to its premises and members of the public).

The passing of the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007 into UK law has resulted in the application of communications technologies to protect people at risk. This market has become known as the ‘lone worker protection market’.

• The case for protecting Lone Workers

• The HSE definition of a Lone Worker

• Employer's legal responsibility to their Lone Workers

• Prosecutions and fines

• Ways to use technology to protect Lone Workers

• The significance of BS8484 accreditation in the Lone Worker Protection market

• How an Alarm Response Centre (ARC) can be used

• The breadth and depth of Lone Worker Solutions own offering

• Q&A

Places are allocated on a first come, first served basis and these free sessions are proving popular, so if you would like to book, please contact Comply at Work, preferably by e-mail, as soon as possible with delegate names.

Refreshments will be provided, and Certificates of attendance issued for CPD purposes

Safety Snippets | P3 e-mail [email protected] www.complyatwork.co.uk

Comply at Work

UPCOMING COURSES

Our next One day

Emergency First Aid Course runs on Thursday 7th August

places are already going quickly so let us know as soon as you are able if you would like to make bookings.

If you would like a FREE First Aid policy template document, with no obligation, please get in touch with your request and

we will e-mail it on!

Our popular ‘Pick n Mix’ training session runs Friday afternoon on 18th July.

This includes Manual Handling followed by Asbestos Awareness.

Either or both courses can be booked and for groups or if attending both session, we can offer a discount.

These sessions are very popular with Tradesmen who require the training and certification for CHAS and Safe contractor

accreditations. Please are now limited, please let us know if you would like to

book as soon as possible.

Fire Safety Awareness/Fire Marshall TrainingWednesday 30 July 1 pm - 4 pm

£75.00 + VAT per personIncluding Certification and hand-outs/templates

Call us for further information and costings. Discounts are available for some of our courses.

Don’t delay as places are taken quickly!


Safety

Snippets

Source: Indicator

Occupational health

What’s the position on sun protection cream?

In the news. A report from Cancer Research indicates that there are many more cases of skin cancer now than compared with the 1970s. Does this mean you should be taking steps to protect staff who work outside?

Tip. In this instance you should follow the HSE’s guidance. It makes it clear that the responsibility to cover up and apply protective cream lies with the employee. However, you should encourage staff to use sun protection cream, cover up and take breaks in the shade.

Employers don’t need to provide staff with sun protection cream. The HSE makes it clear that employees must take responsibility for their own protection. You should remind staff of the risks, tell them to cover up and to take breaks in the shade.

e-mail [email protected] www.complyatwork.co.uk

Comply at Work

Safety Snippets | P5

Insurers are adding safety-related conditions to policies. Why is this, what do they relate to and what could happen if you fail to comply with them?

Why? Many insurers are inserting certain conditions into policy documents to prevent accidents, fires, etc. They want those insured to avoid making the mistakes that have already cost others.

But be warned. Our insurance insider has informed us that if you haven’t been made aware of the conditions, or don’t understand the importance of complying with them, you could come unstuck when making a claim. The insurer may argue that the policy is invalid.

The get-out clause. Businesses that have had their claims refused are being pointed to statements such as this: “If in relation to any claim for damage to the property insured caused by or resulting from fire or explosion you have failed to fulfil any of the following conditions, you will lose your right to indemnity or payment for that claim.”

What conditions? There can be quite a list. The following are just a couple of possible conditions:

“Any oil, grease or flammable solvent contaminated rags, wipes and cleaning cloths within the buildings, must be (a)kept in metal receptacles with closed metal lids; and(b)removed from the buildings at the end of each working week.”

“Waste storage area must be at least ten metres away from any building and secured in place by a proprietary fixing system or a padlock.”

Check your insurance conditions

Tip 1. Be aware that each insurer has its own conditions and they vary across business sectors. As such, it’s vital that you check your policy document at every renewal.

Tip 2. If it won’t be easy for you to comply, e.g. you don’t have space to store waste ten metres away from your building, make this case before agreeing the terms of the policy.

Conditions, such as where waste is to be stored, are being inserted to protect premises and keep claims down. If you don’t comply with them, your insurer may have grounds to deny a claim.

If you would like our FREE list of other conditions to be mindful of, please call us now and we will e-mail on to you, with no obligation


Safety

Snippets

e-mail [email protected] www.complyatwork.co.uk

Comply at Work

Safety Snippets | P7

Source: Indicator

Many businesses perceive that as they are office-based there are little or no Health and Safety risks.

In fact, there is an array of legislation an office needs to comply with to avoid prosecution, fines and claims.

Good Health and Safety standards can improve profits by reducing the risk of accidents and ill-health, particularly RSI and other upper-limb disorders resulting from poor ergonomic practices.

We can assist with workstation assessments, general office risk assessment, building assessments, including fire safety and associated legislation and training such as First Aid.

Ensure your peace of mind, improve productivity and reduce sickness absence and make your company more desirable to do business with.

Call us now for a free, no-obligation ‘health-check’ of your current compliance status on 01204 772977 or e-mail us at [email protected] and we will get back to you with friendly and clear advice.

Office Safety – Don’t be caught out!

Business

Bytes


You may believe that you’re productively multitasking as you bounce between your smartphone, tablet, and laptop. The fact is that you’re just being distracted, says inc. The words productive and multitasking should not be allowed in the same sentence. Single-minded focus is key to productivity.

Distractions like texts from employees or “urgent” emails from clients are time-consuming all on their own. But did you know that it takes up to 28 minutes for your brain to refocus after being interrupted? Wow! A two-minute interruption can lead to a full half-hour gone down the drain. Eight little distractions and half your day is shot.

Business Bytes | P9 e-mail [email protected] www.complyatwork.co.uk

Comply at Work

5 Ways to focus your mind

1. Set expectations for yourself.

It’s easy to drift off into social media, get stuck cleaning out your inbox, and even be drawn to mindless computer games. This is most common when you are unclear or uncertain about your next steps.

Update your task list on a regular basis and assign each item a few very specific, actionable steps leading to completion. With this powerful weapon in hand you will not have to make any decisions about your next steps. This alone will boost your productivity exponentially.

2. Set expectations for others.

If you create a culture that says your door is literally always open, you are asking for trouble. We teach others how to treat us. If your employees, clients, family members, and friends get a favorable response from you each time they interrupt, they will continue to steal your time and attention. You and your business deserve better.

Create specific times for your open door policy and stick to it. Go ahead, have those difficult discussions with the people in your life–being self-employed doesn’t mean you have leisure time on your hands seven days a week.

3. Be aware.

Multitasking is nothing more than a procrastination technique. When you are uncertain about your direction or unhappy about having to take on your next task, an interruption feels like a relief. You may tell yourself that a client needs an answer right away or that you’ll disappoint an employee if you’re not available immediately, but you know it’s not true. If you are constantly jumping from one thing to the next without completion you are avoiding something. Ask yourself why. Once you have your answers you can take meaningful action to do and complete more.

4. Turn off notifications.

If you’re working on your computer, close any windows you don’t need. Then turn off social media notifications, and shut down email, for goodness sake. There are very few things that can’t wait an hour or two. It feels good to be needed, but it feels better to be successful.

5. Use a timer.

Your brain can focus intently on a task for up to two hours at a time. Imagine what you could achieve in two uninterrupted hours! Many of my clients say that once they apply these productivity rules they accomplish more in a single morning than they previously did in an entire week. Set an old-fashioned timer for one hour and get to work. Then, set it for five minutes and take a break; stretch your legs, change your environment. Take the timer with you so you don’t wander off or get stuck in an unnecessary conversation. The timer rules! Now, give yourself one more uninterrupted hour and feel the magic!

These 5 steps can send your productivity levels through the roof, and none of them involve multitasking–or email.

Source: Business matters

Business

Bytes


Your Client longevity will depend on communication, constant emotional deposits and multiple good reasons why they should stay loyal to you.

Here are 3 sure fire ways to put deposits in your customers emotional bank account. Deposits that will help you to build and maintain reciprocity.

1) Call rather than email. A friendly, genuinely interested voice is worth 20 emails.

2) Give them something they haven't already got. A report, a book, a tip, an introduction, anything to show you genuinely care about them.

3) Contact more often than you think you need to. Think of 3 customers you should have been in touch with and call them. Do this now.

Comply at Work uses these principles often, we care about our clients and our business is growing based on their recommendations.

Source: Michael Heppell

Keeping your clients loyal

AVOID this – the absolute worst way to start a date with a customer…

Picture the scene: you’re having dinner on your own in a restaurant. And the person of your dreams walks in. They come over to you. There’s good eye con-tact. You can feel a connection between you already. Breathlessly, they whisper “It’s great to meet you. Tell me about yourself…”

How would you respond? Like this…?“Great to meet you too. Luckily, I’ve got this book with me (you ceremoniously whip the book from your poc-ket). It describes my family history – where we live, how many of us there are, all our names, the things that are different about our family. It really is a One Stop Shop describing what’s special about us…

Hey, hold on, I haven’t finished yet…Where are you going…? Don’t go… Come back!”Devastating. Your one chance to make a first impres-sion – totally ruined.

A weird example to give you? After all, nobody would be-have like that when first meeting someone, would they?

So, why is it that some people feel it’s essential to take a brochure with them to first meetings with potential customers?

They’ve never seen you before. They don’t want to be looking over your shoulder, reading stuff about you. They want a chat. One you both find interesting and stimulating. One you both enjoy. And one that – like a first date – if things go well, leads to something much better for both of you…

So, when you’re meeting someone for the first time:

● Don’t take a brochure (you wouldn’t want to read theirs, so why would they want to read yours?)

● Prepare (in advance):

• a list of questions to ask them, to get the conversation going, and find out more about them

• a couple of interesting, useful things you could say about yourself (a good rule of thumb is “facts tell, stories sell. Tell stories about what you’ve done for others; don’t just list facts about what you do)

• 1-2 useful bits of info/advice for them, so they get value from the meeting

• Your opening line, so you feel confident going into the meeting

• Your closing lines - for the two situations of:

1. If the conversation’s gone well, how you’re going to ask for Date Two

2. If things aren’t going so well, how to end the meeting politely, with integri-ty but without a follow-up

● Diarise (again, in advance) to follow-up with them immediately after the meeting.

Business Bytes | P11 e-mail [email protected] www.complyatwork.co.uk

Comply at Work

Action Point

For your next meeting with a stranger, leave the brochure at home and follow the advice above. Both of you will be pleased that you did…

Source: Andy Bounds

Welcome on board to our new retained clients this month, Falcon Scaffolding from Preston, SK Sealants from Worsley and AutoScan, the UK’s largest quality service provider specialising in containment and quality engineering solutions to the Automotove Sector. Autoscan is based inTelford and has contracts throughout the UK. Its customer base includes, Bentley, Jaguar and Caterpillar UK

BC Hamer, Building Contractor had sent all employees on our Asbestos Awareness training, attended the CIEH accredited Health and Safety Award in the workplace course and our Emergency First Aid training and has also achieved CHAS accreditation for a further year – well done to all!

Service Solutions Ltd, based in Preston and SK Sealants based in Worsley have both achieved CHSs accreditation first time, with our expertise and assistance.

Comply at Work

spotlight

We have recently assisted Elf Productivity Ltd, based in Appley Bridge to apply for Safe Contractor accreditation and they have been passed by the assessor on their first attempt.

Safecontractor accreditation will enhance the company’s ability to attract new contracts and its commitment to safety will be viewed positively by its insurers when the company liability policy is up for renewal.

Safecontractor is applicable to most sectors although it is particularly relevant to food manufacture, property, facilities management, retail and leisure sectors, all of which are big users of contracted services.

Over 210 major, nationwide businesses, from several key sectors, have signed up to use the scheme when selecting contractors for services such as building, cleaning, maintenance, refurbishment or electrical and mechanical work.

If your company requires assistance with CHAS or Safe contractor, or any other SSiP scheme, please contact us as we have a significant amount of expertise and experience in these types of submissions.

We will be assisting all our new retained clients with Constructionline, Safe-C and CHAS acccreditiations.

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