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The Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) has issued an interim technical bulletin (VH001) ahead of a full update to its guidance after finding a significant number of problems with the installation of fire dampers.

The Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) has issued an urgent warning about a potential fire safety weakness in a large number of building ventilation systems.

The interim bulletin comes ahead of a full update of its industry guidance for the ‘Installation of Fire Dampers and Smoke Dampers’ (DW145) which is due for launch at the Association’s National Conference in October.

BESA said it was taking the unusual step of producing an interim announcement because of the urgent nature of the problem after annual inspections carried out by maintenance contractors found that “a huge number of dampers” had been incorrectly installed.

Head of Technical Graeme Fox explained that many did not comply with manufacturers’ instructions and needed remedial action “without delay”.

“We have been alerted to the very dangerous practice of using self-drilling ‘tek’ screws which do not melt when temperatures rise during a building fire. This means spring-loaded dampers will not be released to contain the spread of fire within the zone and ensure the integrity of the fire stopping measure,” he said.

“Dampers must be secured by fusible fixings that allow the duct to break away otherwise the collapsing duct could pull the damper out of place and break the seal between the fire zones,” added Fox.

BESA’s technical committee sanctioned the technical bulletin, which is freely available on the Association’s website, to give contractors the information and appropriate terminology to alert clients to this potentially life-threatening problem.

The bulletin also updates the guidance and statutory requirements covering installation, testing and maintenance of fire dampers and smoke dampers including clients’ legal obligations to ensure their fire safety systems remain fit for purpose in line with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 for England and Wales and the Fire Safety (Scotland) Regulations 2006.

It outlines the crucial role played by the penetration seal in ensuring the overall fire stopping integrity of an installation, the importance of maintenance teams being able to find and access dampers for testing and repair, and the need for designers and installers to seek expert advice from damper manufacturers.

“While this is clearly a very worrying situation, we can take some reassurance from the fact that this problem is being brought to our attention by the increasing frequency of fire damper inspections and tests as awareness grows of this extremely important issue,” said Fox.

“We would urge contractors to alert their clients immediately so all the necessary checks and repairs can be carried out.”

The post BESA updates guidance on fire dampers after finding critical number of incorrect installations appeared first on SHP – Health and Safety News, Legislation, PPE, CPD and Resources.

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Welsh Labour’s Deputy Leader, Carolyn Harris MP, Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Menopause, has joined a 16-strong panel of medical professionals, influencers, and brand and policy experts to judge entries to the first ever menopause awards. SHP hears more about the awards from its host GenM…

The inaugural awards, launched by GenM – the menopause partner for brands, aims to celebrate businesses leading the change for menopause, with entries open exclusively to GenM’s over 60 brand Partners including the likes of Boots, Royal Mail, Marks & Spencer, WW (formerly Weight Watchers), Co-op, Holland & Barrett and Next. As part of GenM’s fast-growing collective of Partners, all 60 brands have publicly committed to better serving, representing, and advocating for the previously under-served menopause audience.

GenM’s Partners aims to rewrite the narrative and normalise the menopause conversation at home, at work, and in wider society. The GenM Awards will recognise and honour the brands going the extra mile to help the UK’s 15.5 million menopausal people to live happier, healthier lives.

Heather Jackson, Co-Founder of GenM, said “menopause is often treated in isolation as a purely medical issue, a workplace issue or a gender issue, but actually it’s the sum of all parts and it’s important for the brands we use everyday to treat it as such. The last few years have seen society wake up to the importance of the menopause and really take it seriously for the first time. Our Partners have made incredible progress inside the workplace and across society, helping everyone see the menopause in a new light.

“From Co-op creating a manager’s menopause support guide and releasing it for free, to Royal Mail’s internal Let’s Talk About Menopause camapign that spread awareness and understanding to hundreds of thousands of team members; we’re excited to celebrate the great steps that are being made.

“There has rightly been lots of attention on what is lacking in the menopause space, but it’s also important to recognise and acknowledge the amazing progress that has been made. We can’t wait to see the outstanding work, teams and individuals who are changing the game, and we’re so grateful for the contributions and support from our expert judging panel.”

Along with Carolyn Harris MP in the judging panel, other big names include TV Presenter Jenny Powell, ITV’s This Morning GP Dr Nighat Arif, and Fashion Creative Karen Arthur, who are all passionate advocates for improving the menopause experience.

The judging panel will decide the winners of eight prestigious awards, represented across four different award categories.

2022 GenM Award Categories:

1. A voice too loud to ignore – internal activity
• Best internal comms and initiatives for the menopause
• Best internal menopause activity to engage employees
• Menopause champion of the year

2. A voice too loud to ignore – external activity
• Menopause education campaign of the year
• Break The Stigma Award
• Best menopause signposting

3. Collective Power Award

4. GenM Founder Award

Winners will be celebrated in an online ceremony on 20 September 2022 and will receive an official ‘2022 GenM Award Winner’ badge to display across all communications.

Find our more about the Gen-M awards, here.

The post Carolyn Harris MP among inaugural judges at the first Menopause in Business Awards appeared first on SHP – Health and Safety News, Legislation, PPE, CPD and Resources.

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A bus company has been fined £380,000 after one of its employees was crushed between a reversing bus and a stationary vehicle.

The employee of Stagecoach Devon Limited was working at the company’s Torquay depot on the morning of 3 October 2019.

Due to space limitations, it is reported that the buses often had to reverse to be able to leave the depot in readiness for the day’s work.

The sole banksman, who would direct vehicles, was occupied at the top of the depot where most buses were parked.

As a result, it became custom and practice for the bus drivers at the front of the depot to reverse without a banksman, or to assist each other when reversing, despite not being trained as banksmen.

The injured employee, who was caught between a reversing bus and a stationary vehicle, suffered compound multiple fractures of his arm requiring six titanium plates and 65 metal staples between his wrist and elbow.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that Stagecoach Devon Limited failed to put a suitable and sufficient risk assessment in place.

This should have identified the risks inherent in the bus parking layout, as reported by HSE, and action could have been taken to remove the need to reverse or mitigate the risks from reversing. For example, changing the parking layout, providing a sufficient number of trained banksmen for peak times, and improved segregation of vehicles and pedestrians.

At Plymouth Magistrates Court, Stagecoach Devon Limited pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The company was fined £380,000 and ordered to pay costs of £18,000.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE Inspector James Collins said: “Those in control of work have a responsibility to devise safe methods of working and to provide the necessary information, instruction and training to their workers in the safe system of work.

“If a suitable safe system of work had been in place prior to the incident, the life changing injuries sustained by the employee could have been prevented.”

The post Bus company fined after employee suffers life-changing injuries appeared first on SHP – Health and Safety News, Legislation, PPE, CPD and Resources.

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