HSEDocs Blog

If you work in construction, property development or are looking to deal with asbestos in your home, you might have encountered signs of asbestos throughout the property. If this is the case, you are right to show concern. Asbestos is a dangerous substance. So, why is asbestos dangerous, who needs asbestos training?

Asbestos is a building material which was outlawed by UK regulators after researchers and medical officials found that those who worked with it later became seriously ill.  What was first called ‘the world's most wonderful mineral’ later caused mass public harm and, despite its incredibly useful properties, is now synonymous with a long list of respiratory illnesses and cancers. 

Asbestos is a natural silicate material that has been used by humans for over 4000 years. Its natural fibrous property leads it to be an incredible insulator and fire retardant when used as a building material. Due to these 2 properties, asbestos was used in roofing, piping, sewage systems and floor tiles. It was considered a wonder material due to its ability to fortify concrete, whilst being cheap to produce and easy to apply, where needed, in multiple ways. 

If you’ve ever worked in an establishment that serves food or you eat out often, you’ll have noticed the colourful sticker displayed in the front window that has been issued by the Food Standard Agency. This sticker says ‘Food Hygiene Rating’ and has a circled number ranging from 0 - 5. You might be wondering what these stickers indicate, who they are issued by, and what can be done to improve these ratings. Find out more with HSEDocs. 

Visit any commercial kitchen or catering equipment store and you’ll see a rainbow of chopping boards. But what do the different colours mean? In this article, our experts explain how the colours of chopping boards help to reduce cross-contamination risk, and what each of the colours are used for. 

HACCP, or is an initialism used in the hospitality industry to manage food hygiene and safety standards across all departments. When working with food, there are several hazards that you will come across that you will need to know how to deal with at every level of experience or responsibility.  So, what is HACCP and why is it important? HACCP stands for Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points.

What Are The Employers' Duties Under The Manual Handling Regulations? As an employer, you must have an understanding of the following areas to help you assess the risks involved in manual handling. This outline will give you the understanding you will need to carry out assessments that ensure safety for you, your team and members of the public when manually handling objects at work.

What Does AARR Stand For in Manual Handling? AARR is an initialism used to refer to the core concepts of keeping us all safe when lifting heavy objects. Understanding and following these key concepts can allow you to assess common risks and how to avoid harm in completing a manual lifting task. 

What Does TILE Stand For in Manual Handling? Manual handling covers several tasks including lifting, pushing, pulling, or carrying large and heavy objects. If you are doing any of the tasks outlined above, you must consider ‘TILE’ beforehand. The TILE acronym stands for Task, Individual, Load, and Environment. I.e, each of the factors that you should assess and consider from a health and safety standpoint.  We’ve outlined a few of the questions that you could ask yourself when considering each TILE in manual handling:

A COSHH (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health) assessment is an essential set of regulations that any workplace that exposes its workers to hazardous materials must have in place to ensure the health and safety of those workers. COSHH regulations help minimise the risk of exposure and harm that is caused by these substances, but exactly what substances require a COSHH assessment?