During one of our routine annual health surveillance medical appointments with a customer in the print industry, a member of their staff was found to have isocyanate levels above normal limits.
Isocyanate is a hazardous chemical which is used in many industries, including motor vehicle, furniture manufacture, printing, and paint and adhesive manufacturing. Exposure can lead to serious long-term health effects, including occupational asthma.
Swift action is not only a regulatory requirement – it is a critical step in protecting employee health and preventing further exposure.
Once the isocyanate result had been flagged up by our Occupational Health Technician, our Health & Safety team, together with the customer, moved quickly. Within days, one of our experienced consultants was at the customer’s workplace conducting a comprehensive assessment of their site, which focused on working practices, exposure controls, and environmental management.
Safewell Solution
Our assessment included the following:
Reviewing COSHH assessments for all isocyanate-containing substances, ensuring they followed the HSE’s Essential Guide and captured all necessary control measures from the relevant Safety Data Sheets.
Checking servicing documentation for Local Exhaust Ventilation (LEV) and air circulation systems.
Recommending repeat air monitoring to reassess current conditions. This led to the upgrade of the LEV system, installation of bench extraction hoods, and the purchase of enclosed screen wash equipment.
Confirming that Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) requirements (e.g. gloves, goggles, protective clothing) were clearly listed in the control measures, and reinforcing their use.
Clear Actions and Long-Term Improvements
As a result of our review, and working together with the employer, a series of practical measures were agreed and implemented to reduce exposure risks and enhance compliance across the site:
Ongoing air monitoring in screen and print areas
Regular management walk-rounds to ensure correct PPE usage
A tailored Toolbox Talk on PPE, written by Safewell and delivered in-house
Investigation into isocyanate-free alternatives
Creation of a PPE procedure, with HR involvement, including potential disciplinary action for non-compliance
A follow-up health surveillance appointment for the affected employee in six months, as advised by the Occupational Health Physician
Continued annual health surveillance for all relevant staff
This case highlights the real-world value of Safewell’s integrated approach. Because we offer both Occupational Health and Health & Safety services, we were able to respond immediately, coordinate internally, and deliver a comprehensive solution without delay.
And the outcome? Enhanced confidence for the employer, with improved awareness among their employees, and a proactive plan in place to ensure exposure levels remain tightly controlled going forward.
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
