17th May open seminar "Competencies: LEV Examination and Test" Revised Lift Guidelines (LG1) Launched at IMechE Event BSi Publications Now Available - At Discounted Prices New Escalator Guidelines in Development SAFed launches Health and Safety Passport Scheme Dairy date. 17th May open seminar "Competencies: LEV Examination and Test" SAFed member company Bureau Veritas is sponsoring an open seminar entitled "Competencies: LEV Examination and Test". The event will take place at the Society of Chemical Industry, 14/15 Belgrave Square, London SW1X 8PS on Wednesday 17th May 2006 and runs from 5:00pm-7:00pm. Click here for full directions. Bob Daunton, Specialist Inspector HSE, will take a closer look at COSHH requirements, including quality & competence, putting R9 in perspective, and the most common problems in testing and design. Martin Stear, Consultant Workplace Environmental Solutions, will then go on to illustrate what occupational hygiene brings to ventilation testing and design. The seminar is being organised by the British Occupational Hygiene Society (BOHS) and open to everyone. Refreshments will be available and there is a voluntary admission fee of just £1. Future BOHS seminars include a review of the proposed changes to the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations (21st June), and a look at indoor air quality (20th September). See the BOHS events calendar at www.bohs.org for further details. Back to Top Revised Lift Guidelines (LG1) Launched at IMechE Event SAFed, in conjunction with both The Lift and Escalator Industry Association (LEIA) and the Health & Safety Executive (HSE), has updated its Guidelines on the Supplementary Testing of Lifts document. The revised guidance document, previously referred to as LG1, was officially unveiled at special event hosted by the Institute of Mechanical Engineers in London on Wednesday 8th March 2006. In addition to bringing the old LG1 guidelines in line with current standards and legislation, the updated document places a greater emphasis on the role of the competent person. The revision also includes some changes in technical details to recognise more modern lift technology and maintenance techniques. Richard Hulmes, SAFed's Chief Executive commented. "The revised guidance adopts a more risk-based approach to the timing of supplementary testing in support of the thorough examination, rather than following a prescriptive testing timetable as is currently the case. Under the new regime it will be up to the ‰competent person­ to justify periodicity of the assessment by considering all aspects of each lift­s operation, such as its frequency of use, workload and operating environment. Tailoring the timing of each inspection to a lift­s usage profile ensures that a more appropriate inspection regime is created. This not only increases the overall level of health and safety, but can bring major cost savings to lift owners." The remit of the revised document has been widened to include guidance on non-workplace lifts, which are not covered by the regulations but are often given a thorough examination in line with best practice principles. To ensure that the revised guidelines were as authorative and practicable as possible the LG1 review committee was made up of leading lifting industry experts from SAFed, LEIA, major lift owners, local authorities, professional institutions and industry organisations. The review committee was chaired by the HSE which, for the first time, has formerly endorsed SAFed guidance by placing its logo on the front. Copies of the revised LG1 are available for purchase through this website at a cost of £15 for SAFed & LEIA members, or £25 for non-members (all prices plus p&p.) Click here to download the Annex A forms (Word format) Click here for the text of the Question and Answer session Back to Top BSi Publications Now Available - At Discounted Prices The complete range of British Standards Institution's publications can now be ordered through SAFed. It includes 38,500 current, draft and historic British Standards, as well as an extensive range of handbooks, guides and kits (related standards which are sold as a package). SAFed members are eligable for discounted prices by ordering through SAFed. The cost of purchasing each standard requested will be confirmed prior to the order being processed. Companies will be billed for the standards by SAFed. To place an order by credit card or make an enquiry please contact the Publications Department on +44 (0)20 7403 0987 or e-mail info@safed.co.uk Back to Top New Escalator Guidelines in Development The Safety Assessment Federation (SAFed) is currently in the process of preparing guidelines for the independent inspection industry on the thorough examination of escalators. Escalators are not specified under the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998 (LOLER) so do not require a statutory thorough examination, however, SAFed recommend that escalator owners consider a written scheme of thorough examination as a formal method of discharging the Health and Safety at Work Act responsibility 'duty of care' to users. The new document is being developed in conjunction with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), Local Authorities, lift industry and professionals and lift owners together with a further consultation of wider expert opinion. The document will include and update much of the information currently provided in the HSE documents PM34 and PM45, which are no longer in publication. The document will focus on the risk assessment approach to thorough examinations and the specific and unique risks associated with escalators as well as new design technology and emerging legislation and European directives. No date is forecast for this new publication although it is likely to be around 2nd quarter 2006. For further information please contact us either by e-mail at info@safed.co.uk or phone on 020 7403 0987.9 Back to Top SAFed launches Health and Safety Passport Scheme The SAFed Health & Safety Passport Scheme was successfully launched on 25 March 2004. The scheme comprises 17 modules covering all the core activities of safety at work and a number of industry specific modules including the construction industry, quarries, manufacture, woodworking, metal work and primarily all the workplace industries where SAFed member companies examine equipment. The purpose of the scheme was to provide a single comprehensive passport for engineer surveyors to operate safely across the industries in which they work. The scheme involves a comprehensive study programme, passing all the individual module tests before progressing to a final exam paper. They then receive further tutoring and an interview in the practical techniques before being issued with a SAFed Health & Safety Passport. The scheme is administered by the company, who are responsible for the competence and safety of their employees. The scheme also follows HSE guidance and is further monitored by RoSPA. The latter assesses both the company training process and the individual engineer surveyors. The passport is valid for three years after which an update assessment will be made to continue its validity. The SAFed health & Safety Passport scheme was created to provide a single comprehensive passport and was favourably benchmarked against other leading health and safety passport schemes, which are normally provided by way of a two day course. The holder of a SAFed Health & Safety Passport has been certified as competent to work safely across all industry sectors where they examine equipment. Current initiatives include recognition by the Eire FÂS Scheme, UK cross industry recognition in line with HSE recommendations and consideration for inclusion on the National Vocational Qualification (NVQ) scheme. Back to Top