26/10/2010 by Geoff.

British Recycled Paint (TM) is made from reclaimed waste emulsion paints collected at a number of household recycling centres. It’s paint that would otherwise have been incinerated or sent to landfill. It is estimated that 50 million litres are wasted in this way in the UK each year.

For more information visit www.recycledpaint.co.uk

Written by Claire Howarth H&S, Quality and Environment specialist.

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26/10/2010 by Geoff.

It’s almost 4 years since major changes to the fire safety law came into force and still many businesses don’t have sufficient understanding of how the law affects them.

According to the Office of National Statistics 35,000 fires occur in office premises every year!

What must duty holders do?

1. Ensure competence of their responsible person(s) and fire risk assessor(s)
2. Ensure risk assessments are building specific
3. Ensure that identified actions are planned and their implementation properly managed

Fire safety enforcement in England and Wales sits with local fire authorities. Poor fire safety and/or failure to comply with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety Order) 2005 can lead to prosecutions.

Written by Claire Howarth H&S, Quality and Environment specialist.

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18/10/2010 by Geoff.

Following on from our warning about the Equality Act published 4/10/10 we now bring you some more focus on the subject.

The Employment Equality (Age) Regulation 2006 allows employers to compulsorily retire employees at age 65 and over who followed the statutory retirement procedures without risk of unfair dismissal or age discrimination claims.

These provisions were due to be reviewed in 2011, but the government has brought forward this review to 2010. The consultation closes on 21 October 2010.

Subject to the outcome of the consultation the government proposals are as follows.

• From 6 April 2011 employers will no longer be able issue notifications of compulsory retirement at age 65.
• 6 April 2011 to 1 October 2011. Only employees who were notified before 6 April 2011 with a retirement date before 1 October 2011 can be compulsorily retired using the existing statutory retirement procedures.
• From 1 October 2011 employers will not be able to compulsorily retire employees.
• Employers wishing to use a company compulsory retirement age (regardless of the age) must demonstrate its justification otherwise it could constitute age discrimination.

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18/10/2010 by Geoff.

If the unthinkable happens and a serious safety incident occurs in your workplace then you will need to be able to produce the risk assessment for the activity being carried out at that time as well as the safe working procedure for that task. 

I would also strongly recommend that you make sure that employees sign to say they have seen these, read them and understood them. 

I accept that all of this paperwork can be a bit of a pain for busy managers but you will be so pleased that you can produce them if you are asked to under the difficult circumstances which inevitably follow any such serious incident in a place of work.

Written by our H&S trainer Phil Wass 

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12/10/2010 by Geoff.

If you set up your business after 22nd June 2010 you may be eligible for a different type of holiday!

The new regional National Insurance Contributions holiday came into effect on 6 September 2010.

If you set up a new business outside London, the South East and East of England you may be for a NIC holiday of up to £5,000 for each new employee  taken on in the first year of  business. The scheme will last from 22 June 2010 to 5 September 2013

You can claim if your new business started after the last Budget date, 22 June 2010 and the following conditions apply:

1. Holiday applies to the first 10 employees taken on in the first year of the new business.
2. The holiday period for each employee will last for the first year of his or her employment or a shorter period to 5 September 2013 when the scheme ends.
3. The maximum saving of NIC contributions for each employee will be limited to £5,000.
4. The NIC holiday is subject to a formal application to HMRC when you engage your first employee.
5. There are anti-avoidance provisions to prevent existing businesses from reorganising their affairs to qualify for the relief.
6. The NIC savings are limited to secondary employer’s contributions.
7. The principal place of business must not be in an excluded area (see full list below)

If you think your business may be eligible for this new relief and would like help applying to HMRC contact enquiries@emseff.co.uk.

Excluded regions are:

• Greater London
• Eastern Region comprising; the counties of Bedford, Cambridgeshire, Central Bedfordshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk and Suffolk. The non-metropolitan districts of Luton, Peterborough, Southend-on-Sea and Thurrock.
• South East Region comprising; the counties of Buckinghamshire, East Sussex, Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, Kent, Oxfordshire, Surrey and West Sussex. The non-metropolitan districts of Bracknell Forest, Brighton and Hove, Medway, Milton Keynes, Portsmouth, Reading, Slough, Southampton, West Berkshire. Windsor and Maidenhead and Wokingham.

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12/10/2010 by Geoff.

Times are tough and savings need to be made by many but please do not let your health and safety systems be a complete casualty at this time.  That safety policy needs to be up to date, those risk assessments need to be current, etc.  Remember that if something goes wrong then a tough trading economy will be no defence for abandoning a continued commitment to basic health and safety in the workplace.

If you need help contact us on enquiries@emseff.co.uk

Written by our H&S trainer Phil Wass

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04/10/2010 by Geoff.

From 1^st October 2010, the National Minimum Wage (NMW) rates will be:-

• Workers aged 21 and over: £5.93 (currently £5.80 per hour)
• Workers aged 18-20: £4.92 (currently £4.83 per hour)
• Workers aged 16 and 17: £3.64 (currently £3.57)

From October 2010, the standard adult rate will apply from the age of 21.

There will now be an Apprentice Minimum wage of £2.50 per hour.  The new rate will apply to Apprentices under 19 and to those aged 19 and over, but in their first year of Apprenticeship.

Written by our HR & Recruitment Specialist Simone Greasley

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04/10/2010 by Geoff.

As an Employer are you ready for the Equality Act which came into force on 1^st October 2010?The Act has far reaching implications for Employers…….to protect your business, you should review your policies and working practices and ensure your Managers are fully briefed on the Equality Act. 

For practical support and guidance, contact EMS on 0115 9147768 or enquiries@emseff.co.uk

Written by our HR & Recruitment Specialist Simone Greasley

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