Workplace Blog

Manual Handling - 6 FAQs

Posted on August 14, 2013

Manual handling relates to the moving of items either by lifting, carrying, pushing or pulling. Pulling something may not be the case when it comes to the injuries, you can cause an injury by lifting, carrying or pushing an item. These injuries can be a result of, the amount of times you lift or carry an item, the distance you are carrying it, the height you are picking the item up from or putting it down i.e ground level and above shoulder height. Any awkward positioning whilst carrying out these tasks such as twisting, bending and stretching may cause injury also. Manual handling injuries are the most common kind of injuries covering over a third of all workplace injuries. These injuries include Musculoskelatal Disorder (MSDs) such as upper and lower limb pain/disorders, joint and repetitive strain injuries. These injuries can occur almost anywhere in the workplace. Heavy manual labour, awkward postures and previous or existing injury can increase the risk. Manual...

Office Pool Bike - Putting it to the Test

Posted on August 13, 2013

After winning a competition as a team in the workplace, we received our prize, a folding bike. The bike that we won was a Dahon Vybe City Bike/Urban Concept Bike. Since we are a 'green' company, we were pleased that we had won a pool bike for the office. No one in the office has ridden or used a folding bike before so we decided to put it to the test and see what was different about a folding bike. Well to start, this bike can fold up and be stored away in a smaller space than an ordinary bike can. This compact design can be folded down so you can store it in a cupboard, under the stairs or in the back of your car. The design allows the user to take it on a tram or bus folded...

Using Chemicals at Work - Control Measures

Posted on August 01, 2013

You can find chemicals in most workplaces and are used in different ways. Factories, shops, laboratories, offices and farms are just some of the places you would find chemicals in some form. The chemicals we use in our workplace may include products you buy to use in your core business, maintaining equipment or in general cleaning equipment. The term chemical could also refer to hazardous substances you create as part of your work processes for example, dust created by cutting wood or stone. A user of chemicals could be: - a farmer - a hairdresser - a cleaner - a worker in a chemical plant - a technician in a laboratory - a pest control operator As an employer the law requires you to control the use of chemicals at work. You will need to assess the risks in your workplace, then implement and maintain effective control measures. What is COSHH for? COSHH stands for Control of Substances hazardous to health...

Time Management - How to Organise Your Time Effectively

Posted on August 01, 2013

If you feel like you never have enough hours in the day and you are not getting event the simplest of tasks done, you need to start organising your time better to regain control over the hours. Good and organised time management doesn’t mean doing more work, it means that you will focus more on the important tasks or those that matter and will make a difference. Whether this applies to home life or work, learning how to organise/manage your time effectively will make you feel more relaxed, focused and in control. Work out your goals Emma Donaldson-Feilder, a chartered occupational psychologist, said “The aim of good time management is to achieve the lifestyle balance you want”. The first step to improving your time management is to work out what your goals are, by asking yourself some questions. “Work out who you want to be, your priorities in life and what you want to achieve in your career or personal life,” says Donaldson-Feilder. “That is then the gu...

How to Defend or Save Yourself Against Sharks Using Workplace Products

Posted on July 31, 2013

When reading the news online, I saw three different stories that involved the predatory animal of the sevens seas – sharks! Between 1580 and 2012 there have been 2,569 unprovoked shark attacks, 484 of which have be fatal. (Last updated February 2013). After discussing with the team (and getting some funny looks) here are some products that you may need to defend yourself if you happen to be swimming in shark infested waters. PLEASE NOTE: We only want you to defend yourself against the great white sharks as these are the main attackers on humans (as most sharks are actually harmless). Defensive mode First of all, it would be quite silly of the lifeguards or authorities not to display 'No entry' signs. Before the public go for a paddle in what they think is safe waters, they should be warned of the dangers that the area is i...

Feeling Safe and Secure in the Workplace

Posted on July 30, 2013

The most common way that a building has been accessed was either through a wooden, glass, (36% of incidents) metal, roller or shutter door (17% of incidents). A survey was taken by a number of businesses and were asked in their current premises had experienced any crime in the last 12 months prior to the survey. 46% of the premises covered in the survey has experienced at least one of the main crime types. It is so important to make sure that all of your security is in place and working. But it's not just about goods and stock being stolen, staff could feel uneasy when working in the building that has recently been burgled and it is the employers duty of care to make sure than all members of staff feel safe and secure when working. Here at The Workplace Depot, we sell a whole range of security equipment for businesses to choose and buy from. We have everything from laptop security to security cages so read through this article and then take a look at our Security...

Safety in the Workplace

Posted on July 29, 2013

There are many health & safety rules and regulations that every workplace has to follow, but every workplace will need some tools to help them enforce these laws. Whether it's to prevent an accident from happening or just following the health and safety regulations, this equipment will help you in your quest to make your workplace, a safer workplace. Slips and trips After the cleaner has been and mopped all the floors, or a member of staff has accidentally spilt something on the floor, you will need to warn your fellow colleagues of the danger of potentially slipping over. Wet floor signs are the best thing for highlighting any slippery surface. In a warehouse or workshop, chemicals and hazardous liquids are spilt then you can buy hazardous...

Good Food Hygiene in Business

Posted on July 25, 2013

Good food hygiene is essential if you intend to make, process or sell food. It is vital that you and your employees understand what good, safe food hygiene is. What is 'Good food hygiene'? Good food hygiene is about how you control harmful bacteria, which can easily cause serious illness. There are four things to remember when it comes to hygiene: - Cross-contamination - Cleaning - Chilling - Cooking These are known as the 4 C's. If you remember these, you will help to prevent most safety problems. Cross-contamination ...

Pal-Disc Pallet Turntable

Posted on July 22, 2013

The Pal-Disc Pallet Turntable is a free-rotating turntable for loads of up to 2,000kg, and has a ramped edge for easy pallet truck loading. The turntable has a wide range of industrial uses including the automotive & engineering industries, animal feeds, grain silos, aggregates and general warehousing. Virtually Maintenance Free One of the most impressive aspects of the turntable is the fact that it is virtually maintenance free. It is suitable for use in 'harsh' environments where there might be high levels of dust and grime – such as the aggregates and animal feed industries. It has a brush strip on the inner age which can prevent some of the worse aspects of a dirty environment. Although the Pal-Disc Pallet Turntable is not specifically designed to be used outdoors, it can and is used by some businesses externally. The manufacturer would however recommend carefully monitoring it and ensuring it is kept well lubricated when used outdoors. It can also be u...

Six Top Tips to Personalise Your Desk

Posted on July 22, 2013

When you consider the fact that approximately twenty-five per cent of the working population are employed in what is generally categorised as office work, you’ll understand how important it is for staff to make their workstations an amenable combination of private, pleasant and personal. If you’re going to spend the best part of eight hours a days, five days a week on the same spot of carpet within the same few square feet sat at the same desk, it makes sense to make your workstation as comfy as possible. Studies have shown that transforming your desk into a personalised workspace can have a marked physical and psychological benefit – it makes our feel better (you want that) and improves productivity (your employer definitely wants that). Here then are a few suggestions to make your desk a home from home. Have Your Own Screensaver As long as it’s not a download from a dubious source (or image of a dubious nature), most employers are happy to let...

Top 10 Worst Health and Safety Myths

Posted on July 22, 2013

We all know that health and safety can be a bit OTT at times and there is no doubt of many silly decisions. Over the past few years, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has dealt some incredible myths about what health and safety bans or laws people follow. Most of the baffling myths have one thing in common – they are not required by health and safety law. As part of HSE's Myth Busters Challenge Panel, they have published its top ten worst myths. 1. Children being banned from playing conkers unless they are wearing goggles Brought up in September 2007, this old chestnut is a classic myth. A headteacher decided that the children of the school should wear safety goggles to play conkers. So then a trend started and some schools banned conkers or made children wear goggles and padded gloves, on 'health and safety' grounds. In reality, the risk of injury from playing conkers is very low and just not worth the hassle. If children are deliberately hit each o...

The Risks of Construction Dust

Posted on July 19, 2013

Construction Dust Construction dust can cause serious damage to your health and some types of dust can eventually kill you. Regularly breathing in these harmful dusts over a long period of time can cause a life threatening disease on your lungs. The dangers of asbestos dust is well documented elsewhere (see Asbestos health and safety on the HSE website) so we are focusing here on other types of dust which have harmful side-effects. What is construction dust? Construction dust is generally used to describe different types of dusts that you may find on a construction site. There are three main types of construction dust: ...