News

Construction Health and Safety Quiz

Construction Health and Safety Quiz with 6 quick questions. Each questions is multiple choice and has only one correct answer. Its just for fun and tests your knowledge on construction health and safety here in the United Kingdom. After you have completed the quiz you will be shown your score. You...

Health and Safety in the Workplace

On the page below is a Health and Safety in the Workplace info-graphic showing facts and figures on the effects of health and safety has on workplaces in the United Kingdom. Here at Courtley we take Health and Safety in the Workplace very seriously. So much so that we have compiled a new...

CITB check. Grace period removal

As of 31 December 2015, the CITB grace period for the Site Safety Plus scheme will be removed, to bring the scheme in line with other Cskills Awards products. This means that candidates must ensure that they attend the appropriate refresher course prior to the end date on their...

All change for CITB levy?

There is undoubtedly a skills shortage within the labour market that needs to be addressed. The government see that this must be filled, and to attract young people to take up apprenticeship posts it has challenged large business to embark on a drive to attract the right people. They propose...

Historical events – Kings Cross fire

On 18 November 1987 during rush hour, a fire ripped through the upper ticket hall at King’s Cross Underground Station. Thirty one people died as a result; an inquest returned verdicts of accidental death. About 150 fire-fighters fought the blaze. One of them, Station Officer Colin Townsley, was among the...

Don’t walk by

Today one of our Advisers was on site and saw this poster. Although we have seen it before, or a version of it, we thought it quite poignant and wanted to post it here for others to see. We would love to know your thoughts on the poem and whether...

Scaffold Safety Alert

Issue: Poor design of scaffold loading bay gate, providing inadequate edge protection to prevent falls from height. The HSE recently issued a bulletin notifying of number of manufacturers / suppliers who are marketing an extendable scaffold loading bay gate, which does not satisfy legal requirements, or applicable standards, when in...

Love overload

Paris officals have predicted that between 700,000 and a million padlocks will be dismantled, after part of the Pont des Arts bridge collapsed under their weight last summer. Workmen have begun removing the sections of the bridge where lovelocks had been attached, as it would take to long to remove...

Steel Firm are Fined £150,000 After Fatality

A steel foundry firm has been fined £150,000 after one of its workers died after being struck in the face with an abrasive wheel disk which had exploded from a hand held grinding machine. Many unsafe practices were found and previous near misses prior to the fatality had not been...

Health and Safety Myths – BUSTED

We have all heard the phrase, 'You can't do that, because of Health & Safety' when more often than not this is simply untrue. They are often health and safety myths. The fact is you can send a man to the moon and still comply with Health & Safety legislation!...

What is face fit testing?

Face fit testing is a way to check that your respiratory protective equipment (RPE) or face mask is fitted correctly. It is important any RPE is fitted correctly, as any equipment which does not form a seal to the face will not be providing the user with any protection. Here...

Changes to the health and safety policy arrangements

You will have noted from our recent safety bulletins that the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 came into force on 6 April this year. If you are involved with construction in any way, or if your health and safety policy contains arrangements for CDM (Principal Contractor), CDM (Sub Contractor),...

Small Projects Construction Phase Plan

In line with the CDM 2015 Regulations, the principal or main contractor for all jobs, no matter how small, must now have a construction phase plan in place. To help you out, we have developed a one-page small projects construction phase plan which is in line with the HSE's requirements. ...

Getting working at height right!

Falls from height are one of the largest causes of death and serious injury in the workplace. With more than 40 people killed and 4,000 suffering major injuries every year, we must get ‘working at height’ right! People are often fed false information, which on occasion, is used for convenience...