Fire Safety in Hospitality

Section 11 of the 2005 Act states that employers are required to prepare and revise adequate emergency plans and procedures and provide the necessary measures for fire fighting and the evacuation of the workplace. Consideration for all employees and anyone connected with the workplace must form part of how an employer addresses the area of safety health and welfare and specifically the provision of emergency access and egress.

Soure – HSA 

Fire safety equipment and systems

All hotels, bars, restaurants, catering etc..  should be equipped with suitable fire safety equipment.

Smoke Detectors

When you have a bigger property, most jurisdictions require that you have an automated centralized smoke detector that integrates all smoke detectors in each location with a master panel. This alerts the staff to immediately identify where a smoke detector has activated and take steps of action without delay.

Fire Extinguishers

ABC fire extinguishers are multi-purpose and are the most commonly sold fire extinguishers for businesses and commercial properties. What does the ABC stand for? They are classes of what type of fires that fire extinguisher can put out:

• Class A – fires from wood, cloth, paper, plastic, etc.
• Class B – fires from flammable liquids like gasoline
• Class C – electrical fires from wiring and appliances

Sprinkler Systems

According to Engineers Ireland comprehensive report, Systems designed to BS 9251 are primarily for the protection of life and not intended for the protection of property or commercial risks. Sprinkler Systems are usually required as a means of demonstrating compliance with Building Regulations. However, there may also be occasions where a Sprinkler System is installed to compensate where a building is unable to achieve compliance with building regulations, for example;

• New / Older buildings where the minimum fire resistance cannot be achieved
• Buildings that cannot meet the access requirements for fire appliances
• Attic conversions where adequate secure escape is not practical or possible

Evacuation plan

All hospitality sectors need to have an emergency evacuation plan. A route must be laid out and that route must never at any stage be blocked or obstructed. Regardless of the location of a fire, once people are aware of it, they should be able to proceed safely along a recognisable escape route, to a place of safety.

If the premises is small and has a simple layout, the normal entrances and exits may be sufficient. There should be no possibility of anyone being cut off by smoke or flames before they can make their escape.

Competent Person

All premises need to have an assigned fire warden or a competent person to maintain all the fire safety equipment  – Smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, sprinkler systems & evacuation paths. They are in charge of;

• How the system works
• When is maintenance carried out, and provisions for arranging access
• Who should be contacted for immediate repair if the system goes wrong
• In addition details of what was agreed for the sprinkler system at fire safety certificate stage should be kept available for consultation

Take a look at our Fire Safety Awareness course overview here.

If you have any further questions please don’t hesitate to contact us.

First Aid in Hospitality

We at My Elearn Safety are always looking to share valuable information with our followers. The people over at Research Gate have written a great publication on First Aid Responsibilities for Hotels and Resorts. ResearchGate is the professional network for scientists and researchers. Over 15 million members from all over the world use it to share, discover, and discuss research.

First Aid – Implications for Hotels and Resorts

Like other workplaces, hotels and resorts have health and safety duties in relation to first aid under the new code, which provides:

 

“A person conducting a business or undertaking has the primary duty under the
WHS Act to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that workers
persons are not exposed to health and safety risks arising from the business or
undertaking.”

 

The WHS Regulations place specific obligations on a person conducting a business or under- taking in relation to first aid, including requirements to:

• Provide first aid equipment and ensure each worker at the workplace has access to the equipment
• Ensure access to facilities for the administration of first aid
• Ensure that an adequate number of workers are trained to administer this aid at the workplace or that workers have access to an adequate number of other people who have been trained to administer first aid.

While the focus of the new Code is on protecting workers and ensuring workplaces are safe, compliance also offers a wide safety net for visitors and guests. Indeed, in planning first aid resources the Code specifically recommends consideration of other people at the workplace who are not workers, for example, students in workplaces such as schools, members of the public in places of entertainment, fairgrounds and shopping centres.

 

The publication goes on to include:

• Example lawsuits
• Changing Status of First Aid and the Law

Continue reading publication here.

Have a look at our course here.

 

Construction Site Safety Best Practices

Construction Site Safety

Assess the risks

Slip, trips and falls

According to OSHA, falls are the leading cause of death in construction. Think about the exposed high-rise buildings or buildings with scaffolding around them. Even falls from ladders cause a significant amount of on-the-job industries. Injuries occur when workers do not install scaffolds securely or use ladders incorrectly which is the leading cause of accidents.

 

Hazardous materials/ Chemicals

A concerning rising safety hazard in the construction industry is the mishandling and misuse of hazardous materials.

The use of hazardous materials and chemicals is commonly identified as a key hazard in manufacturing industries but can often be overlooked in construction. Perhaps unknowingly, construction workers are handling, using and emitting hazardous materials every day on site.

Access all hazardous materials and Chemicals that will be on the construction site before the work begins and make sure the workers know the safety procedures around them.  For more information on how you can educate your employees on hazardous materials and chemicals please click here.

 

Electrocution

Electricity is one of the great inventions of the past century, but there’s no getting around the fact that it can be extremely dangerous if it’s not handled properly. Any construction site has the potential to expose construction workers to electricity. Many tools and pieces of equipment require electricity to operate. This is why it’s so critical for any type of construction worker to receive appropriate safety training for the use of electricity on a job site.

It’s also important for construction workers to have access to appropriate safety gear and equipment if they are required to work with or around electricity.

 

Heavy and/or powerful tools

The greatest hazards posed by hand tools result from misuse and improper maintenance. The employer is responsible for the safe condition of tools and equipment used by employees. Employers shall not issue or permit the use of unsafe hand tools. Employees should be trained in the proper use and handling of tools and equipment.

These tools also often cause hand-arm vibration. According to the HSE; By law, as an employer, you must assess and identify measures to eliminate or reduce risks from exposure to hand-arm vibration so that you can protect your employees from risks to their health.

 

Mental Heath

Dermot Carey, Director Safety and Training, Construction Industry Federation (CIF) said;

“Research shows that 10 people a week in Ireland take their own lives – 8 out of these ten are men. The construction sector is 96% male. We know from feedback we have received that workers in the construction sector are part of these statistics. As an industry we have focussed a lot of our effort in the past at managing safety issues – recently we have realised that we need to give time to managing people’s wellbeing…. the slogan for the day is “ Mind Your Head”. 

For more information on how you can educate your employees on Mental Health please click here.

 

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

The fundamental principle is that personal protective equipment (PPE) should only be used as a last resort. The safety and health of employees must be first safeguarded by measures to eliminate workplace risks at source, through technical or organisational means (e.g by substituting hazardous chemical ) or by providing protection on a collective basis (e.g providing scaffolding instead of harnesses).

The employer has to make an assessment of the hazards in the workplace in order to identify the correct type of PPE to be provided and to ensure that PPE is appropriate to the risk. Care must be taken in selecting PPE as certain types give reasonably high levels of protection while others,  that may appear almost the same, give relatively low levels of protection. Source – Health and Safety Authority

 

If you would any further information on how you can be more safe or have questions please don’t hesitate to get in contact with us either by mailing info@elearn.ie or calling Tel +353 1 693 1421.

Fire Safety in Construction

We at My Elearn Safety are always looking to share valuable information with our followers. The HSE has a great publication on Fire Safety in Construction, Guidance for clients, designers and those managing and carrying out construction work involving significant fire risks.

Have a look at our Fire Safety Awareness course overview here.

Fire Safety in Construction

Fire risk assessment

Legislation requires a suitable and sufficient fire risk assessment to be carried out by a responsible person (the employer or persons in control).

The FSO places responsibility for compliance on the ‘responsible person’. Article 3 defines the responsible person as:

• The employer (for a workplace to any extent under the employer’s control); or
• A person who has control of a premises in connection with them carrying out any trade, business or other undertaking (for profit or not); or
• The owner, where the person in control of the premises does not have control in connection with the carrying on by that person of any trade, business or other undertaking.

As with assessments of risk from other hazards, the fire risk assessment should be based on the following approach:

1. Identify the hazards.
2. Identify people at risk.
3. Evaluate, remove, reduce and protect from risk.
4. Record, plan, inform, instruct and train.
5. Review.

Step 1 Identify the hazards

The basic principles which follow are relevant to fire risk assessment in all circumstances. However, it is important to note that there will be different things to consider for new builds compared to the refurbishment of an existing building.

For a new build, your assessment will include its location and proximity to other buildings, the type of construction materials and methods. While completed buildings have the standards of fire protection required by Building Regulations, during construction and before final fire protection is in place the building will be more vulnerable to fire.

This vulnerability can often lead to the whole structure being involved in fire with resultant on- and off-site fire spread issues, eg the building could be timber framed and more vulnerable to fire before the external finishes are in place. This vulnerability needs to be taken into account early in the design process.

In some situations the additional costs entailed in providing adequate controls might make it more cost effective to specify alternative methods or materials from the outset. For a refurbishment project it will be important to take into account, among other things, the age and construction of the premises, eg the building could have a relatively heavy fire load due to lath and plaster ceilings and walls, wooden panelling and floors. There may also have been changes to the fabric of the building that could have significant consequences in a fire.

 

The publication goes on to include:

• Staps 2 – 5 in a fire risk assessment
• Detailed guidance on fire risk assessment and fire precautions
• Legal and enforcement responsibilities

To continue reading this publication please click here

Have a look at our Fire Safety Awareness course overview here

 

Food Allergens and Your Food Business

Food Allergens When Eating out

Eating out is now a large part of life that many of us enjoy to do. Alot of people eat out every day for example:

• School/College lunches or Dinners
• Business lunches
• Birthday/Anniversary celebrations
• Weekend treats
• Snacks and quick bites
• Travel – airport, planes, train/bus station etc..

From this sample list of occasions why people eat out, there needs to be a variety of food outlets to accommodate this. There are many kinds of food outlets from five star restaurants to hot dog stands and everything in between including sandwich bars, work canteens, fast food restaurants, functional catering, market stalls, supermarket deli counters, catering in institutions like hospitals and catering by childminders and child care organisations.

Allergies on the rise in Ireland

Hypersensitivity to food is on the rise. It’s now estimated that approximately 5pc of Irish children and 3pc of adults suffer from a food allergy. Twenty years ago, just 1pc of the population was affected. The level of severe reactions, requiring a trip to A&E, has also escalated.

“Rates of anaphylaxis attendance to hospital have also gone up – they have trebled in the last 20 years,” reveals Professor Jonathan Hourihane, professor of paediatrics in UCC and principal investigator in the UCC’s Infant Research Centre. “Death due to food allergy hasn’t increased, because it’s always rare, but food allergies are definitely more common these days.”

Source Indepentent.ie 

Cater to a variety of needs

People have a variety of food preferences and tastes that many of these outlets cater too. However you will miss out on a wide selection of people and sales if you don’t cater to people with food allergens.

As business we know that is costs less to keep a customer than it is to acquire a new one. If people come to your food business with family or friends they will have no reason to come back if you don’t cater to their needs.

 

How to cater for Food Allergens?

How does your restaurant handle food allergens? What can you do for customers with food sensitivities? Are you prepared to deal with different situations?

Know your food allergens

If you run a food business it’s vital to know what ingredients cause these allergic relations. We have written a blog on this, Do you know what “The Big 8” food allergies are? These eight allergens account for about 90% of allergic reactions, however by law in Ireland there are 14 allergens that must be declared, the other 6 allergens are listed in the blog linked above.

Educate yourself and your staff

Educate yourself and your staff about cross contamination. Education is the first tool of defence against preventing accidental contamination. We have many courses that will cover all the essentials and more;

• Management of Food Allergens –  This is an excellent addition to either Food Safety HACCP Level 1 or 2. This course is designed to introduce participants to understanding  food allergens and management of associated risks.

• Food Safety HACCP Level 1 – On completion of this food safety training course, participants will be able to understand their requirements under Irish food safety legislation as well as following best work practices.

• Food Safety HACCP Level 2 – There is a legal requirement – Regulation (EC) 852/2004 that all food handlers undertake food safety training commensurate with their duties.

 

Construction: The 10 Most Common Health and Safety Risks

We at My Elearn Safety are always looking to share valuable information with our followers. The UK company Papertrail have written a very informative blog on the 10 Most Common Health and Safety Risks in Construction.

Health and Safety Risks

Accident fatality rates in the construction industry are double that of the sector average, with rates of minor accidents almost incalculably more.

In such an ever-changing working environment this is hardly surprising. But many employers are still unaware of their duty of care to employees, visitors, and even those not directly related to their activities.

We’ve compiled a list of the top 10 most common risks associated with working on a typical construction site, and highlighted the steps you can take today to effectively manage those risks. Read on to find out more.

Working at Heights

The construction and/or demolition of buildings frequently requires tradesmen to work at height. In 2014, falls from height were the most common cause of construction site fatalities, accounting for nearly three in ten fatal injuries to workers.

The risks associated with working at height are often increased by added access and mobility restrictions. Training, including safety awareness training, is essential for employees required to work at height.

Clearly, working at height should be treated with added caution, so be sure to follow these guides from the HSE:

• Assessing work at height
• Roof work
• Fragile surfaces
• Ladders
• Tower scaffolds

 

…The blog goes on to include some of the following risks and also some risks you wouldn’t think of;

• Moving Objects
• Slips, trips and falls
• Noise
• Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome

and more, to continue reading this blog please click here. 

Have a look at our Construction Health and Safety Courses here. 

New Partnership Announcement with IAHA

We are very happy to announce a new partnership with with Irish Association of Healthcare Assistances (IAHA).

IAHA

The Irish Association of Healthcare Assistants is the professional body for Healthcare Assistants (HCAs.)

Their aim is to elevate the professional standard and performance of HCAs through a formal recognised qualification (QQI Level 5), continued professional development and advocacy. They believe this is achieved through fostering high standards of professional conduct, training and competence. The IAHA  strives to ensure that HCAs are included as valued members of the nursing team.

They appreciate that Healthcare assistants and clinical support workers have started to undertake advanced roles; Venepuncture, Urinalysis, Oxygen Therapy, Safe Administration of Medication, Wound dressings, Vital Sign & Blood Glucose Checks – list is endless. The IAHA support their professional development through governance guidelines and having the necessary structures, processes, standards and oversight in place to ensure that safe, person centred and effective services are delivered.

My Elearn Safety are proud to be partnered with a company who strive to elevate this standard of Healthcare and we look forward to working closely with them for the foreseeable future.

Look After your Construction Workers Health and Time

Do you have workers or are a worker yourself exposed to Chemicals, Silica Dust or Asbestos? It is the responsibility of the employer to make sure workers are protected and are informed of the best practices on how to work safely in a safe environment.

How to educate your employees

Doing a course is the easiest and most practical way to make sure your employees are educated. However taking a course can be expensive and time consuming for both the employer managing it and the employees taking the courses.

That is why many construction companies around Ireland have opted for Online Safety Training as a solution. Online training is a cost effective alternative to traditional class based learning. Courses can be taken with in a few hours of study time with 24/7 accessibility which your employees will prefer.

Below we have listed the most common health risks for workers in construction.

Construction Workers Health

Silica Dust

What is Silica Dust and route of exposer?

Crystalline silica is a basic component of soil, sand, granite, and many other minerals. Quartz is the most common form of crystalline silica. Cristobalite and tridymite are two other forms of crystalline silica. All three forms may become respirable size particles when workers chip, cut, drill, or grind objects that contain crystalline silica. Inhalation is the primary route which can penetrate deep into the lung

Legislation

The respirable fraction of the dust is invisibly fine and the OELV for Respirable Crystalline Silica (RCS) is 0.1mg/m3 averaged over 8 hours, as set down in the HSA Chemical Agents Code of Practice under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Chemical Agents) Regulations 2001. A risk assessment under these regulations is required where exposures to RCS can occur. The Safety, Health And Welfare At Work (General Application) (Amendment) Regulations 2016 S.I. No. 36 of 2016 contains a Prohibition on silica – Regulation 128 “An employer shall ensure that no sand or other substance containing free silica is introduced as an abrasive into any blasting apparatus. Source – HSA

Health effects

Did you know that Silica Dust has been classified as a human lung carcinogen? Additionally, breathing Silica Dust can cause silicosis, which in severe cases can be disabling, or even fatal. When Silica Dust is inhaled, it enters the lungs and causes the formation of scar tissue, thus reducing the lungs’ ability to take in oxygen which causes many issues including silicosis. Since silicosis affects lung function, it makes one more susceptible to lung infections like tuberculosis.

See Course overview here – Silica Dust Awareness 

Asbestos

What is Asbestos and route of exposer?

Asbestos a mineral that exists naturally in a fibrous form, what makes it so dangerous is that it is resistant to heat, water, chemicals and electricity. There are many products that have asbestos in them including; fireproof coatings, concrete and cement, bricks, pipes, gaskets, insulation, drywall, flooring, roofing, joint compound, paints and sealants. Asbestos also exists in electrical appliances, plastics, rubber, mattresses, flowerpots, lawn furniture, hats and gloves. Working with asbestos products puts your health at risk.

Legislation

The Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (Exposure to Asbestos) Regulations, 2006 (S.I. No. 386 of 2006) , aim to protect the health and safety of all employees who may be exposed to dust from asbestos containing materials, during the course of their work activities. The regulations apply to all work activities and workplaces where there is a risk of people inhaling asbestos dust. Source – HSA

Health effects

Asbestos is a Category 1 carcinogen and all six types can cause cancer. Blue and brown asbestos are known to be more dangerous than white asbestos. There is no cure for asbestos-related disease. Following exposure to asbestos, a person may develop one of the following three fatal diseases: Asbestosis: fibres penetrating deep into the lung causing scarring of the tissue. Asbestos-related lung cancer and Mesothelioma, a cancer of the cells that make up the lining around the outside of the lungs.

See Course overview here – Asbestos Awareness 

Chemical safety in Construction

What is Chemical Safety in Construction and route of exposer?

Chemical safety is an important consideration on construction sites. There are also many hazards that may not be obvious, but they can still present a health hazard if they aren’t handled properly. Some of the most common chemicals that workers are exposed to include: Zinc, Cadmium, Beryllium and Mercury. There is a wide range of expose including, contact with the skin, inhalation and ingestion and injection.

Legislation

Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005. The Code of Practice contains the following elements: – Schedule 1 to this Code of Practice stipulates the OELVs, which are currently legally binding under the Chemical Agent Regulations. – Schedule 2 to this Code of Practice provides a list of substances which are under review by the Health and Safety Authority. – Schedule 3 contains a Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS) Number index of all substances included in the Code of Practice.  Source – HSA

Health effects

As there are a vast amount of different types of chemicals used and each have their own health effects it’s not possible to list them however what we can say is that exposure, especially prolonged exposure is very dangerous to your health. Some chemicals may also have physical chemical hazards, e.g. flammable, explosive or have additional hazards if they are mixed or stored with incompatible chemicals. Chemicals can also have an adverse effect on the environment if they are used, stored or disposed of incorrectly.

See Course overview here – Chemical Safety

Top Challenges That Early Childcare Educators Face

We at Elearn are always looking to share valuable information with our followers.  The Houses of the Oireachtas have written a very informative Report on the Working Conditions of the Early Years Education and Care.

Early Childcare Educators Challenges

Training and Upskilling

vi) The Role of State Funded Training Agencies in Improving Quality Standards Training organisations offering accredited childcare training programmes have a crucial role to play in ensuring the high standard of training on offer. Training organisations need to be fully committed to providing the best quality training programmes for the early years workforce. Those facilitating programmes must hold the appropriate skills, experience and qualifications and regularly access continuing professional development themselves to keep updated in early childhood policy and practice.

Quality assurance standards should be consistently applied and all early childhood care and education programme content should be current, relevant and fit for purpose. Training organisations should also ensure that there are sufficient places available on part-time courses so that the early childhood workforce can combine work and study while progressing to levels 7 and above on the National Qualifications Framework (NQF). Systems of Recognition for Prior Learning (RPL) should be in place to recognise and reward the skills base developed by staff working in the sector, who require formally recognised qualifications, over a number of years.

Both education and training appear to be better predictors of childcare quality than practitioner’s age, work experience or professionalism. The fact that childcare providers who continuously participate in training offer higher quality care than providers who attended training sporadically is also evident. In Ireland, most training currently supported by State funding in the Early Childhood sector focuses on the ECCE scheme, with less training or development offered for those working with children under three years of age (e.g. Leadership for Inclusion (LINC) training). It was highlighted by practitioners that the level of supports available to those working with children over three should be available to those working with under 3s, and that there cannot be an inequality in relation to supports available. Such inequality serves only to disadvantage both staff and children….. Continue reading 

 

If you are interested in Childcare Courses to up-skill yourself or your colleagues/employees, take a look at our ChildCare Package overview here where we have bundled all the course requirement for early childcare educators for your connivance at a cheaper price then taking all the courses separately.