IS YOUR BUSINESS FIT FOR A DISASTER? Many companies fail to plan for the future, especially where an unforeseen event could affect the viability of the company. Remember Buncefield? How about the Foot & Mouth or Blue Tongue problems? We never think it could happen to us and very often it doesn’t; it happens to someone else. But we can still be caught up in the consequences and have to make emergency moves to ensure that we remain in business. So it makes sense to have a plan, just in case. Business Continuity Planning (BCP) is designed to: * Reduce the effects on the business when a disaster occurs * Cut the time it takes to recover from a disaster * Minimise the risks in the recovery process The secret of a good BCP is that all the critical decisions have been taken in advance, at a time when you are not under stress and so can think logically about the best way forward. When looking at disaster recovery, you need to identify and assess the risks faced by your company which could result in a catastrophe. What are they and what can be done to prevent them? Emergency planning allows you to manage the crisis and lessen its impact by operating a well thought out and rehearsed plan. Staff are the priority but it may also be possible to arrange the rescue of essential or valuable objects and information. The BCP itself allows for a fast and efficient, planned return to work, wherever and however that may be. There are three critical areas to consider here: * Premises: If your building is damaged, where you can go at short notice * Information Technology: Making sure your communications systems never go down * Human resources: Ensuring staff know the alternative arrangements and have the resources available to work The key tasks for management in Business Continuity Planning are to: * Identify which operations need to be re-activated and in which order, the maximum time acceptable and the resources needed to make it happen * Distinguish contingencies for the resources * Put together a cost-effective strategy for re-activating the business * Develop the BCP to its maximum potential and keep it up to date * Train your staff in how to use it * Test the plan to make sure it works (only on paper of course, we don’t expect you to set fire to the place!) If you have any queries about developing a BCP for your business or would like some help to do so, contact David Associates on 01908 370303 or visit David Associates

FEELING SAFE? On the face of it, a typical construction site. But is it safe? Take a look at the photograph and see how many, if any, potential hazards you can identify. Email your answers to info@david-associates.com by 4 December 2007 and the person who finds the most hazards will receive a FREE safety check of their premises.

CALL FOR A SIX PACK Are you having nightmares keeping your business within the law where Health & Safety is concerned? With around 130 separate regulations covering what may or may not be done, it can appear almost impossible to keep your company on track to stay safe and legal. Unless, of course, you have the benefit of a Six Pack! Who or what is a Six Pack, we hear you ask. Well, Six Pack refers to six European Directives, issued by the European Commission: Management of Health & Safety at Work Known as Management Regs, this places a legal duty on employers to carry out a risk assessment as a first step towards ensuring that their workplace is safe. Introduced in 1992, it lies at the heart of health and safety at work. Manual Handling Covers all lifting and carrying jobs, in fact any task where physical effort is involved, specifying the issues that employers must consider in order to reduce handling risks for employees. Display Screen Equipment Applies to hardware, such as VDUs and the operating software, imposing duties on the employer to reduce risks from both the equipment itself and the way it is used. Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Lays down the basic standards for a wide variety of welfare, health and safety matters including things like water, toilets, walkways and stairs. Provision and Use of Work Equipment Places a responsibility on the employer to choose the correct equipment, maintain it and ensure that it is used safely by correctly trained people. Personal Protective Equipment Again, the onus is on the employer to choose and provide, free of charge, the right equipment such as protective clothing and kit, where there is no other way of controlling the risk. The employer is also responsible for making sure it is properly maintained and used according to instructions. If your company is complying with these six regulations you should be covered. More information on the individual regulations can be found on the HSE website If you are at all unsure about any of the above then the best advice is to talk to a Health & Safety consultant who will audit your procedures and give you a full report on where they can be improved.

MYTH OF THE MONTH Workers are banned from putting up Christmas decorations in the office Cartoon courtesy of HSE website

This newsletter can only cover health and safety topics in general. For advice on specific matters please call David Associates on 01908 370303 or 077 13 14 16 17

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Sincerely,
David Joyce MIIRSM Tech IOSH
Health and Safety Consultant
David Associates Ltd