HSE Newsletter Issue 80 August

HSE NEWSLETTER

ISSUE 80 AUGUST 2019
WWW.VITAL.UK.COM

CONTENTS

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Welcome
5 minutes with...
Hot topic - Health and Wellbeing Machine
Avoiding bugs and germs outside
Environmental - protected species
VHRL safety notices
Top 5 Close Calls
Safety Award
My Idea Winner
Safety Matters - Close Call App
Your HSQE Team
Offices
Safety alerts

WELCOME

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WELCOME FROM HEALTH
AND SAFETY MANAGER,
MARK BARRETT

Dear All,

Welcome to the latest edition of our HSE newsletter. It was with great sadness to hear about the two
fatalities that occurred at Margam near Port Talbot, 3rd July 2019. A third track worker also came very
close to being struck. These three workers were part of a group of six staff who were undertaking
scheduled track maintenance on lines that were still open to traffic. It is another reminder of how
dangerous our work can be and for us to take extra care when completing our tasks. Vital pass on our
condolences to their families and offer our support to our colleagues at Network Rail. 
 
You should have all recently received your Annual Occupational Health Questionnaire via email so please
could you ensure they are completed and return them as soon as possible. This questionnaire forms part
of the VHRL Occupational Health Programme which is a legal requirement. If you have any queries, then
please contact me directly.
 
Across the industry, there has been an increase in Road Traffic Collisions (RTC) and this highlights that they
can occur in so called "good" weather and not just during the winter months. Please take extra care when
driving and remember to carry out your daily vehicle checks.
 
Finally, I would like to thank you all for your support that you have given to me and my Safety Team. My
team are touring the length and breadth of the country in order to provide you with the latest updates and
safety briefs. They are there to help you and the positive comments we have received from you and our
clients during our site visits have been very encouraging. Again, if you have any concerns then these can
be raised with your respective HSE Advisor or directly to myself.
 
Stay safe,

TSA team and Andy
MH&arSkMBaanrraegKtete,r l l y , R a i l M a n a g e r  

5 MINUTES WITH...

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ADAM SMITH, EXECUTIVE MANAGER

Describe what you do in 10 words or less.
Support Executive Board’s implementation of strategy.
Win work. Manage operations.
What part(s) of your job do you enjoy the most?
The variety. No two days are the same which allows me to
keep learning and developing.
What is your proudest achievement so far?
Winning the Morson 5-a-side tournament
If you hadn’t gone down your chosen career path, what
would you be doing?
Working in sports in some capacity I would guess. Premier
League footballer?
What do you do in your spare time?
Socialise and sport.

TSA team and Andy
Kelly, Rail Manager 

HOT TOPIC - HEALTH AND

WELLBEING MACHINE

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OUR HEALTH CHECK MACHINE IS BACK ON THE ROAD!
We hope that you have kept your results from your health check earlier this year as we are

pleased to announce that the Health and Wellbeing machine is now back on the road!
The machine will begin touring Scotland in August, it will then travel to be in the South of the UK

for September and then back to the North of the UK, including Head Office for October.
Your HSE Advisor will be touring with the machine so if you have not yet had your health check,
then please make sure you do complete one. If you had one earlier this year, please locate your

results so that you can compare your new results to see if you have made improvements on
your previous results. 

The test is non-intrusive and the results are yours to keep. When the machine toured earlier this
year, we complete 242 checks which was a great participation from all. 

Once again, I hope you can give this great initiative your full support this time round.

AVOIDING BUGS AND

GERMS OUTDOORS

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Each year a small number of people are affected by infections caught outdoors. These could be
avoided by following some simple precautions. Spending time enjoying the outdoors is very
important for health and wellbeing. Relaxing and taking exercise in the fresh air is good for your
physical and mental health. Not only is it free to do, you can start on your doorstep by visiting
local parks and woods.
 
Wash your hands
A number of germs, such as E.coli O157 and Cryptosporidium, are commonly carried by farm
animals. These germs can be present anywhere in the outdoors and may cause illness if
swallowed. They're usually passed from your hands to your mouth, and your hands don't need to
look dirty to carry them. You can pick these germs up through:
•             touching, stroking or petting animals
•             contact with fields, fences, gates and buildings where animals have been kept
 
This is why it's really important to wash your hands thoroughly before eating or drinking and after
contact with animals or the places where they’re kept.  Pregnant women should avoid contact
with animals giving birth and new born animals as they may carry germs that can be particularly
risky in pregnancy.
 
Hand washing technique
The best way of protecting yourself is by washing your hands thoroughly with soap and water.
This should be done before eating, drinking or doing anything else that brings your hands into
contact with your mouth, such as smoking.  When out and about, and there's no running water
available, you could use hand wipes. Hand sanitisers can be used if your hands are visibly clean.
As wipes and hand sanitisers aren't 100% effective against all germs, remember to wash your
hands with soap and water at the first opportunity.  If you’re planning to eat outdoors, follow
http://www.foodstandards.gov.scot/food-safety-standards/food-safety-hygiene
 
Drink clean water
Germs, such as E. coli O157, Cryptosporidium and Leptospira can contaminate lochs, rivers and
burns (streams) and can be harmful to people if swallowed. When setting out for the outdoors,
make sure that you've enough drinking water with you. If this isn't possible, or if drinking water
isn't available, untreated water can be made safe to drink by boiling or using chemical
treatments. Water bottles, cups and flasks should be kept clean and away from dirt.  It's
important to remember that some holiday accommodation in Scotland may not be on a mains
water supply. These are also known as private water supplies which if not well managed and
maintained can be a risk to health. The owner of the premises can provide you with more
information about the quality of the drinking water. Further information can be found at
http://dwqr.scot/private-supply/

AVOIDING BUGS AND

GERMS OUTDOORS

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Be tick aware
 Ticks can carry the germ that causes Lyme disease. Ticks are small spider-like creatures that
can be found on bushes and undergrowth in countryside, parks and gardens from spring through
summer and well into autumn. Most ticks that bite people are unlikely to be carrying the germ
that causes Lyme disease, but there's no way of knowing at the time.
 
How to prevent tick bites
You can reduce your chances of being bitten by ticks by:
•             covering skin which may come into contact with plants
•             wearing long trousers tucked into boots and long sleeves
•             using an insect repellent containing DEET
•             trying to stick to paths and avoid dense undergrowth
 
Removing a tick
You should always check carefully for ticks after being in the outdoors. Remember to check skin
folds, armpits, groin and waistbands where ticks are often found. Check necks and hairlines too,
particularly in children. Ticks can crawl under cuffs, so it’s very important to check for them even
if you've been well covered up.  Not all ticks carry the germ that causes Lyme disease. Those
that do, need to be attached to someone for around 24 hours before the germs are passed into
them. Removing all ticks quickly will prevent infection with the germ that causes Lyme disease.
They are best removed using a specially designed tick removal device, available in pharmacies
and outdoor shops throughout Scotland. Fine tipped tweezers can also be used to lift the tick
off.  How to remove a tick https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jAG2wI9EiNM&feature=youtu.be
 
Clean up after yourself
Germs can be brought from the outside into your home on: muddy footwear, bikes, pushchairs
and pets. Once inside, these germs can be a risk to your family and your visitors. Simply cleaning
dirty items before allowing them in your house reduces this risk. Remember to wash your hands
with soap and water after cleaning up.
 
Cover your tracks
If you've been enjoying the outdoors through walking or camping, it's important to leave the
environment as you found it.  Pet and human waste can carry germs that can threaten the health
of Scotland’s animals and the safety of food made from them. So, it's important to bag and bin
any waste whenever possible.  Take responsibility for your actions.  By treating the outdoors with
respect, we can all enjoy the benefits of being outside whilst minimising our impact on the
environment.

ENVIRONMENTAL
PROTECTED SPECIES

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NESTING BIRDS

All wild bird species, their eggs and nests are protected by UK law.
You must always try to avoid harming birds or to use measures which do not kill or injure them

before considering taking harmful action.

All birds and their nests are slightly different. However, nests can usually follow similar
features of being made into a cup shape with a combination of mud, twigs, leaves and
feathers
Bird nesting season is predominantly between March and August, which is when impact from
works should be considered high risk,
Birds usually nest in trees and hedges but can also be found in old buildings or even
equipment.
Pre works
Try to plan any works which require vegetation clearance outside of the breeding season
(March-August)
If impact cannot be avoided then a breeding bird check will be required- guidance on how to
do this is available on Safety Central. If unsure, contact your local Environmental Manager
If presence of birds is confirmed then works must either be rearranged or a license from the
relevant regulator (eg. Natural England) will be required
Note - In order for a license to be granted it must be proved that compromising of the works
could cause a risk to public health and safety

During works
If a birds nest is found during the works:

STOP works and inform your line manager - don't move the nest
Report the incident to SCO 24/7
Contact your local Environmental Manager and Ecologists who will advise on the next steps
Also minimise:
Noise and vibration impacts from equipment and machinery during nesting season
Lighting impacts - direct lighting away from potential nesting bird habitats where possible

FIT FOR WORK

All VHRL workers must be fit for work before travelling and commencing any shift.  Fit for work is
defined as a state where the individual is physically, mentally and emotionally capable to enable
them to perform their tasks completely and safely.

OTHER EMPLOYMENT

Fatigue is a major risk to all who work in the rail industry. Accordingly, VHRL has systems in place to
reduce the risk of fatigue when planning shifts. It is therefore imperative the worker informs VHRL of
any other employment in order for this risk to be considered. It is the sole responsibility of the worker
having employment to inform the VHRL branch responsible for planning and allocating work in order
for this other work to be considered before any shift(s) are finalised.

MOSQUITO NETS AND INSECT REPELLENT

As we are now approaching some warmer weather, it won’t be long before you will need
mosquito nets and insect repellent. If you are working on sites where you need this PPE, then
please contact your Operations Manager as soon as possible so that it can be ordered in
advance.

HSE AMBASSADORS

We currently have 16 HSE Ambassadors with more in training.

Scotland Solutions Doncaster Canning Town
Shaun Gallacher Abid Uddin Sonia Andrews John MacVicar
Andy Kelly Mark Wallis
Alec Beattie Farnham Manchester Gareth Davies
Jim Stevenson Jalal Ahmed Brian Healey
Stephen Docherty Carol Dwyer
Dillon Miller Phil Allen Colas Free to be Safe Champion
Sean Mayle Gareth Davies - Canning Town

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH

VHRL workers will be sent an annual Occupational Health Questionnaire. This should be completed
and sent back to the Health and Safety Manager, Mark Barrett ([email protected]) as soon as
possible. If you do not wish to complete this questionnaire, then you must complete and return the
disclaimer which is also attached. If you are in Scotland, then there is no need for you to complete
this as our Bellshill office are already collecting the forms.
 
This questionnaire forms part of the VHRL Occupational Health Programme which is a legal
requirement. If you have any queries, then please contact Mark Barrett directly.

OSBORNE – STOP THINK JULY 2019

The latest Osborne STOP Think! newsletter for July 2019 can be found by accessing
the following link:
https://view.publitas.com/osborne/osborne-stop-think-cascade-july-2019-edition/page/1

TOP 5 CLOSE CALLS

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Don't just report it.
Close Call It!
0161 836 7200

SAFETY AWARD

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Winner – Jack Dawson - Bellshill Office

Jack Dawson, Track Charge Man for Vital Projects and Rail is being recognised for his cool and
decisive control of an incident in which a member of the public appeared to be contemplating
suicide. On 21 July 2019, Jack was carrying out his duties as a COSS at Larbert Station near Falkirk
when he noticed the person on the station platform, in the early hours, in a very intoxicated and

distressed condition.
The person accessed the track, prompting Jack to intervene, call the British Transport Police whilst
maintaining a protective, sensitive watch on the person concerned. When the Police arrived, they
took the person from Jack’s care and after assessing the situation, advised that they would ensure

the person was taken directly to hospital for professional care and support.
Jack’s calm assessment of the situation and sensitive, yet firm, management may have avoided

inflaming a potentially volatile situation where the outcome that could have had irreversible
consequences.

He also receives the grateful thanks of his Vital colleagues, by a unanimous vote, for his
professionalism and display of humane, caring that extended beyond his immediate scope of duties

Thanks to Jack’s quick thinking and speedy response by the BTP, a life was saved.
You are the worthy winner of our Monthly Safety Award.

Jack Dawson receiving his award with Director or Rail
Projects, Scott Mayle

MY IDEA

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JUNE JARROLD - FARNHAM

June Jarrold, one of our PIC COSS staff (Farnham
Branch) created a “POSSESSION SUPPORT

ASSISTANT BRIEFING INFORMATION” form to
help assist with her duties on site. June wanted to

ensure that her assistants had access to all
important information for the duration of the
work; having worked as a Possession Support
Assistant, prior to obtaining her COSS ticket, this
was something she had often wished she had

access to.
 

John Fowler, Senior ODM at Network Rail came
across this form and recognised this as good

working practice and a useful aid to briefings. He
said the form would also help support the COSSs
/ PICs brief, and ensure the assistant has a copy

of the important information to hand. As the
COSS / PIC would normally hold all the
paperwork on the night / day.

The Network Rail “PIC ASSISTANT BRIEF INFO –
V1” has since been created and rolled out both
internally to Network Rail staff and externally to

VHRL.

June Jarrold (Farnham Branch) with her £100 gift
vouchers

“When we talk about best practice, this is an
excellent idea and I think would be worth all
the COSSs/PICs apply this working practise.”

John Fowler

 MY IDEA

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Here at Vital, we are always keen to know the thoughts of our workforce. We
urge our employees to think freely and innovatively so we can provide safe
solutions for any problems that arise on the infrastructure. Now, we are
making it even more simple for you to get your thoughts and ideas heard!
It’s your chance to help us improve and be in with the chance to win £100 of gift
vouchers if your suggestion is put into practice!
Simply go to our website to email us at [email protected] with your
suggestions for improving safety or ideas for innovation.

MANDATORY MINIMUM PPE REQUIREMENTS ON AMEY SITES

As a minimum, unless otherwise specified in a contact specific PPE risk assessment, the
following items will be supplied to and worn by Consulting and Rail employees to control the
risks associated with the general working environment:
•             Hard Hats with chinstraps
•             Steel toe cap boots with mid-sole protection and ankle support (not rigger boots)
•             Eye protection to BS EN 166 suitable to the task being undertaken
•             Hand Protection to BS EN 388 Cut resistance level 5 in addition to the level of
protection suitable to the task being undertaken
•             Hi-Viz upper and lower body clothing to BS EN 471 with current branding*

WORKING IN HOURS OF DARKNESS AND IN POOR

NATURAL LIGHTING CONDITIONS

If any works or access to site is required in hours of darkness or where natural lighting is
poor, a head torch with a minimum lighting power of 550 lumen (such as the Amey Standard
approved Nightsearcher model HT550 or Nighstick head torches) will be supplied and worn
in conjunction with a hard hat. This is, however, a minimum standard lighting requirement
and should not be the sole source of illumination when undertaking a specific task. A suitable
and sufficient risk assessment must always be undertaken to ensure the correct mitigation
measures are specified and put in place with regards to working in poor lighting conditions.

DEHYDRATION

Dehydration means your body loses more fluids than you take in. If it isn’t treated it can get
worse and become a serious problem.  Symptoms of dehydration in adults and children
include:

Feeling thirsty
Dark yellow and strong smelling urine
Feeling dizzy or lightheaded
Feeling tired
Dry mouth, lips and eyes
Peeing little and less than 4 times a day
 
Dehydration can happen more easily if you have:
Diabetes
Vomiting or diarrhoea
Been in the sun too long (heatstroke)
Drunk too much alcohol
Sweated too much after exercising
A high temperature of 38C or more
 
How you can reduce the risk of dehydration?
Drink fluids when you feel any dehydration symptoms. Keep taking small sips and gradually
drink more if you can.
You should drink enough during the day so that your pee is a pale clear colour.  It is
recommended that the average adult should drink a minimum 2litres of water per day.
Drink when there is a higher risk of dehydrating. For example, if you’re vomiting, sweating or
you have diarrhoea

SAFETY MATTERS

THE CLOSE CALL APP 

Created specifically for our workforce; a multi platform mobile app that
has been designed for users to ensure they can report a close call at
anytime and any place. 
 

FEATURES INCLUDE  REPORT A CLOSE CALL
0161 836 7200
SIMPLE - Add the information to the form
provided and submit www.closecallnow.com

DIRECT - All close calls reported through
the app are sent instantly to our Health
and Safety mailbox 

PHOTOGRAPH - Upload supporting
images

OFFLINE - No network connection
required - use the app anywhere
 

SAFETY MATTERS
THE CLOSE CALL REPORTING APP 

Available to download NOW!

YOUR HSQE TEAM

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Health and Safety Manager and Close
Call Champion
Mark.Barrett- The Mill
[email protected]
0161 836 7053 / 07717 306 817

HSE Adviser and Close Call Champion
Stephen McKay - Scotland and Newcastle
Stephen. [email protected]
07717 306 733

HSE Adviser and Safety Unit (North)
Jane Hepburn – Manchester, Solutions, Milton
Keynes (North) Doncaster & Market Rasen
[email protected]
07717 306 797

HSE Adviser and Safety Unit (South)
Alex Wilson - Cardiff, Farnham, Milton Keynes
(South) and Canning Town.  
[email protected]
07717 306 811

OFFICES

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Manchester (Head Office) Abercynon Bellshill
tel 0161 836 7000 tel 01443 809 950 tel 01698 840 950
email [email protected] email [email protected] email [email protected]
The Mill, G16/17 Ty Cynon, Dalziel House, Ground Floor,
South Hall Street, Navigation Park, Strathclyde Business Park,
off Ordsall Lane, Abercynon, Lark Way, Bellshill,
Salford, Manchester, CF45 4SN Lanarkshire,
M5 4TP ML4 3RB

Cardiff Crewe Doncaster
tel 029 2083 9955 tel 01270 906 130 tel 01302 244450
email [email protected] email [email protected] email [email protected]
The Laurels, Dragons Wharf, First Floor Offices,
Heol Y Rhosog, Sandbach, Carr House,
Springmeadows Business Park, Cheshire, Heavens Walk,
Rumney, CW11 3PA Doncaster,
Cardiff, DN4 5HZ
CF3 2EW

Farnham Market Rasen Milton Keynes
tel 01252 964 020 tel 01302 308 080 tel 01908 015020
email [email protected] email [email protected] email [email protected]
Unit 10, Unit 2, Suite 532,
Guildford Road Trading Estate, Gallamore Lane Ind. Estate, Elder House,
Farnham, Market Rasen, Elder Gate,
Surrey, LN8 3HZ Milton Keynes,
GU9 9PZ MK9 1LR

Newcastle London
tel 0191 300 0433 tel 0203 963 5080
email [email protected] email [email protected]
Spaceworks, Unit 10,
Benton Park Road, Canning Town Business Park,
Newcastle upon Tyne, Stephenson Street,
Tyne & Wear, London,
NE7 7LX E16 4SA

SAFETY ALERTS

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Summer working
Safety advice - system of work requiring touch
lookouts
TSA July 2019 - Schools out for summer
Llanwern possession irregularity
Summer working - Dehydration
Electrification of OLE - Bristol Patchway to St Bridges
Newport
Balfour Beatty TBT - Manual Handling
Balfour Beatty TBT - Slips, trips and falls
IP Scotland - Event Summary
Minimum PPR Requirements on Amey Sites
Safety Advice NRB19-09 Prohibiting use of Brush
Cutters with a Metal Star Blade

Summer Working

Beat the Heat & Manageme

Summer Working Briefing, July 2019

ent of Change - 2019

Introduction

BRITAIN is to be hit by an Afr
warnings to prepare for a “dan

Public Health England (PHE)
jointly issued a level two ‘alert
ahead of temperatures hitting

This briefing is designed to pr
can stay safe and well whilst w
leisure time.

It is the start of the holiday se

2

rican plume sparking
ngerous” heatwave.

and the Met Office have
t and readiness’ warning
g 37C (95F) this week.

repare you, in order that you
working, as well as in your

eason but work won’t stop….

Agenda

▪ The dangers of hot weather
▪ What to do to avoid being th
▪ The effects of heat and warn
▪ Skin cancer
▪ Holiday Planning & Cover
▪ Where to go to get further in

3

he victim of heat
ning signs

nformation

The dangers of hot weat

▪ Skin cancer
▪ Skin burns
▪ Dehydration and heat-

related stress
▪ Heat exhaustion and heat

stroke
▪ Heat cramps
▪ Heat rash
▪ Premature ageing

4

ther

Stay Protected

▪ Cover Up: Wear long, loose cloth
sun off your skin

▪ Protect your head, face, ears and
consider wearing neck capes for h

▪ Seek shade whenever possible, a
your breaks

▪ Use sunscreen with at least SPF
regularly – if the dispenser is emp
welfare cabin then report immedia
supervisor. Recommend spray ov
doesn’t require clean hands to app

▪ Be skin safe: Check your skin reg
unusual moles or spots. Report an
your skin or moles to your GP

5

hing to keep the

nd neck –
helmets
as well as during

F 30 and reapply
pty in your
ately to your
ver cream as it
ply.
gularly for any
ny changes to

Stay Protected

▪ Black Hats: Swap your hard for a
white one but ensure that a black
band is still visible.

▪ Heat Exhaustion: Excavator/
machine drivers are at greater
risk. Plan work to avoid the
midday sun (12-2) except for
customer-driven urgent work, or
take more regular breaks in the
shade.

▪ RAMS: Remember to consider
other persons onsite e.g. pre-con,
supervisors, customer liaison,
HSES Advisors, visitors etc.…

6

a
,

Stay Hydrated

▪ Drink water frequently
▪ Drink enough water that you

become thirsty
▪ Avoid drinks with high caffei

content
▪ Replace salt and minerals b

healthily
▪ Plan heavy manual work for

parts of the day

7

u never
ine or sugar
by eating
r the cooler

The effects of heat

Look out for the symptoms – for y

▪ Heat Exhaustion: Heavy sweatin
complexion, headache, nausea, d

▪ Heat Stroke: Hot, dry skin or prof
throbbing headache, high body te
slurred speech leading to changes
weak pulse, vomiting, and seizure

Heat Stroke is a life threateni
somebody has the symptoms of H

8

you and your colleagues:

ng, moist skin, pale or flushed
dizziness, weakness and fatigue

use sweating, hallucinations, chills,
emperature, confusion/dizziness,
s in consciousness, rapid and
es.

ing condition. If you suspect
Heat Stroke dial 999 immediately.

The effects of heat

Look out for the symptoms – for y
your colleagues:
▪ Heat Rash: looks like a red cluste

pimples or small blisters. It is mor
to occur on the neck and upper ch
the groin, and in elbow creases.
▪ Heat Cramps: muscular pains or
usually in the legs or abdomen.

9

you and

er of
re likely
hest, in

spasms

Did you know?

6 PEOPLE currently each
die a
Mon Tue
Wed

1,700 PEOPLE GET SKIN
CANCER

FROM SUN EXPOSURE AT WORK

that’s 5 PEOPLE
per day

10

h day a result of SKIN in the UK*
as Fri CANCER Sun

Thu Sat

*Source: Skcin

90%

OF SKIN CANCER DEATHS
COULD BE PREVENTED

*Source: IOSH No Time To Lose Solar Radiation Campaign

The effects on your skin

11

n

IOSH Sun Safety in Cons
IOSH Sun Safety in C

https://www.youtube.com

12

struction

Construction Video

m/watch?v=i1vEuLdOgnw

Holiday Planning & Cove

• Ensure that there is enough supervision o
all times

• Holidays and like-for-like cover should be
well in advance

• Teams may be unfamiliar with the geogra
area or the tasks planned by differing dep
– take extra time to assess the task and t
working environment

Remember the Golden Rules:

▪ Be Fit for Work
▪ Always Receive a Briefing Before Star

Work
▪ Report any unsafe events or condition
▪ Stop if Anything Changes

13

er

onsite at
e planned
aphical
partments
the

rting
ns

Holiday Planning & Cove

Your observations make a difference

er –

Where to get further info

15

ormation

Let’s all beat the heat!

▪ Ask if you want to know
more

▪ Stay protected
▪ Take responsibility for

checking your skin
▪ Stay hydrated
▪ Look out for each other!

16