Just Breathe – To draw air into and expel it from the lungs
HSE – Managing health risks in the woodworking sector
Every year in the UK, around 12,000 people die from lung diseases linked to past exposure to hazardous substances at work.
This includes inhalation of wood dust that can cause occupational asthma and, in the case of hardwoods, sinonasal cancer.
From April 2022, HSE Inspectors will be visiting woodworking businesses across Great Britain to ensure duty holders know the risks associated with woodworking, including wood dust, and have effective controls in place to keep workers safe and protect their respiratory health.
Inspectors will be looking for evidence that employers have considered the control measures required to reduce workers’ exposure to wood dusts, that workers understand that exposure to wood dusts can damage their long-term respiratory health and that effective control measures are in place to protect workers from harm.
Inspectors will use enforcement when necessary to make sure workers are protected.
We have worked with Safewell for many years and are retained clients, so we have developed an excellent working relationship with the team. However, this really came into its own when Covid 19 appeared.
As a Plumbing and Heating business, we were able to carry on working during the lockdown but only for responding to emergencies. We were obviously very concerned about the health and safety of our employees and before we even had chance to get in touch with Safewell, they had emailed us offering their assistance. It is hard to put down on paper how that made us feel - we like everyone else felt totally at sea, which way to turn, what to do? But Safewell were there guiding, supporting and being totally brilliant. Their attention to detail is very impressive and reassuring and we feel able to ask lots of questions without feeling silly.
During the pandemic Safewell helped us to write risk assessments, safety procedures and protocols. They kept in touch regularly, issuing new guidance as soon as it appeared and checking in with us. They held group Q&A sessions over Zoom which were helpful, and knowing other businesses were facing the same challenges and having the opportunity to discuss issues was invaluable. Their help during the preparation for a full return to work was brilliant, they enabled us to be fully prepared and feel in control, and when we had our first case of Covid within the team, because we had planned our response it felt ok.
I think our team felt very reassured by our robust approach and that our office was Covid secure. We are extremely grateful to all the team at Safewell
