Thursday, March 4, 2021

Weekly Digest: Updated guidance on air conditioning and ventilation

HSE's Weekly Digest e-bulletin: 4 March 2021

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Weekly Digest eBulletin

Updated advice on ventilation and air conditioning during the pandemic

HSE has updated and expanded its advice to help employers provide adequate ventilation in their workplaces during the pandemic.

This guidance builds on helping you to identify and take action in poorly ventilated areas. It also provides guidance on other factors to consider when assessing the risk from aerosol transmission, and determining whether adequate ventilation is being provided to reduce this risk.

 

You should be maximising the fresh air in a space and this can be done by:

  • natural ventilation 
    which relies on passive air flow through windows, doors and air vents that can be fully or partially opened

  • mechanical ventilation 
    using fans and ducts to bring in fresh air from outside, or 

  • a combination of natural and mechanical ventilation, for example where mechanical ventilation relies on natural ventilation to maximise fresh air

Read the updated guidance and find out how you can provide adequate ventilation in your workplace, helping to protect workers and other people from transmission of coronavirus.


Prepare for inspections by making sure your business is COVID-secure

covid-secure worker cleaning

Last week, the Prime Minister announced the four-step roadmap out of the current lockdown in England.

As businesses start to open, as detailed in the roadmap, HSE will continue to carry out spot checks and inspections on businesses to check they have COVID-secure measures in place.

 

The following links will help you prepare:

Workplace experts Acas also have some free advice and resources


Chemical manufacturers fined after employee scalded with boiling water

A chemical manufacturing company has been fined over £560,000 after an employee was scalded with boiling water during a cleaning operation.

Read this press release for full details on this prosecution.

 

Other recent enforcement news includes:


HSE safety alert on road tanker pressure/vacuum relief valves

HSE has issued a safety alert following an incident which saw the failure of a road tanker pressure/vacuum relief valve.

Bulk transport containers used for flammable, corrosive and toxic liquids and gases will normally have a pressure/vacuum relief valve fitted to prevent damage to the tank from changes in the internal pressure. These valves should be inspected and maintained in line with the manufacturer's instructions.

 

Following a road incident in April 2020, investigations by Cleveland Police and HSE found evidence that a pressure/vacuum relief valve had undergone an unauthorised modification by a third party which prevented the valve's safe operation.

 

View the safety alert for full details.


Latest job vacancies at HSE

hse workers

Develop a career at HSE and help to protect lives. We have a wide range of exciting job vacancies currently available.

View a full list of current vacancies.

 

For details of the highlighted opportunities, follow the links below: 

You can get all the latest news and updates from HSE across a range of industries and topics.

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