News from RRC 

Latest HSE Reports are Now Available

Three of the Health and Safety Executive’s most recent research reports are now available on the HSE website. The HSE addresses the issues surrounding the removal of a compulsory retirement age and the implications this may have on health and safety in the workplace (click here to read more).

The HSE also reports on an investigation into differentiating between TDI and TDA using BM, to gain a better understanding of isocyanates, a cause of occupational asthma in the UK.

And click here to find out about the report on a study to investigate the uptake of health surveillance for hand-arm vibration and noise among dutyholders.  

RRC Arabic Health and Safety Award Textbook Presented to Bahrain’s Minister of Labour

Minister of Labour and Chairman of the Supreme Health and Safety Committee Mr. Jameel Ben Mohammed Ali Hemaidan received at his office Mr. Hasan Al Aradi, the Managing Director of RRC Middle East, who presented him with RRC’s new Arabic textbook for the NEBOSH Award in Health and Safety at Work.

This book is the first of its kind in Arabic, and aims to allow health and safety specialists to obtain this qualification from the British National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health.

Mr. Hemaidan appreciated the effort behind this book and its contents, which will have positive results in terms of qualifying a new generation of health and safety specialists in various sectors, where they will carry out their duties in implementing all health and safety foundations and requirements.

He also stated that such publishing will serve the business sector and develop the efforts of the Kingdom of Bahrain in protecting the workforce and ensuring its safety from all kinds of occupational hazards in the workplace.

For his part, Mr. Hasan Al Aradi presented his thanks and appreciation to the Ministry of Labour for their efforts to improve health and safety standards in the Kingdom of Bahrain and their continuous support for the various functions and activities being held in this field.

Mr. Al Aradi also expressed his appreciation for the support of the Minister of Labour and for his distinctive and continuous effort to spread the occupational health and safety culture in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

HSE Intervention Fees Come Into Effect

From Monday 1 October, the HSE will begin a cost recovery scheme that bills law-breaking businesses for the time spent investigating cases and bringing enforcement action.

Known as the Fee for Intervention (FFI) scheme, it will charge an hourly rate of £124 to those found to have broken health and safety laws, with the aim of taking some of the cost of regulation away from the taxpayer. Businesses which meet their legal responsibilities will not be charged.

More information – including documents giving an overview of the scheme, as well as more in-depth guidance – is available from the FFI page of the HSE website.

Controlling Legionella in Water Systems

After reviewing outbreaks of legionella in the last decade, a Health and Safety Notice has been issued by the Health and Safety Executive on the management of risk of these bacteria in evaporative condensers and cooling towers. The HSE’s Approved Code of Practice already addresses the control of legionella in water systems, but the objective is to create a more rigorous method of control.

Risks assessments are a requirement, and in the event of any risk, there are procedures that need to be followed in order to manage the risk and adhere to the legal requirements. To read more about identifying the risks of legionella, click here.

Further information about the HSE’s approach on legionella risk management can be found on the HSE official website.