Hi,
It’s the start of September, the end of the summer and the beginning of the final run in to the end of the year. For me, this period of time up until Christmas always seems to be busy, and this year is no exception.
It also feels like the second ‘fresh start’ period after the new year, which is why we think it’s a great time to revisit your compliance obligations and make sure you’re up to date with everything you need to do.
With that in mind, we’ve got an article for you below which will either teach you or remind you about some of the key pieces of Health and Safety legislation you need to be aware of as a facilities manager.
But before we get into that, here’s a couple of exciting updates for you.
Firstly, we’ve now opened up a waiting list for XenZone, our upcoming online training library, the only one of its kind in the world that is designed specifically for facilities managers. We’ve pushed back the launch date slightly, so the platform will now be available to subscribers from the 16th October.
In the meantime, you can find out more and join the waiting list by clicking on the big red button below. Once you’re on the list, we’ll make sure you’re kept up to date with any news and updates, and of course we’ll let you know as soon as XenZone goes live.
Simply click on button and you’ll be taken to a form which should already be filled out with your details, so you just need to click on one more button to join the list.
That’s it – 2 clicks and you’re done!
Secondly, we still have spaces available for our IWFM Level 4 Award Qual-in-a-Week intensive course in November. If you’d like to get an IWFM Qualification but can’t commit to the time required, this is the course for you! You can find out more and enrol here
So that’s it for this week’s updates – here’s our training content to kick off September.
The six pack – 6 pieces of health and safety legislation Facilities Managers need to know
The world of facilities management is dominated by legislation – in fact, ensuring legal and regulatory compliance is one of the core functions of FM. Nowhere is this more apparent than in the health and safety side of the job.
At first glance, the amount of legislation can be mind boggling, but there’s no need to be an expert in everything. Along with the overarching Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, which provides the foundation for all Health and Safety legislation, there are 6 key sets of regulations which expand on the rules set out in the 1974 Act. These are known colloquially as the ‘6-pack’.
Yes, we know – the ‘six-pack’ may sound like something you would read about in Men’s Health magazine but be aware of these and you’ll be a long way down the road to ensuring that your organisation doesn’t end up on the wrong side of the law.
Of course, it’s not just about staying compliant. These regulations exist to ensure that your buildings are safe, healthy environments for your colleagues, customers and members of the public to use.
Be thankful that they exist, because the workplace would be a much grimmer place without them.
Management of Health & Safety at Work Regulations
These are the over-riding regulations – the umbrella under which the remaining five elements of the ‘six- pack’ sit.
The regulations were introduced in 1999 to support the Health and Safety at Work Act and set out the responsibilities of both employers and employees. They focus mainly on the need for risk assessments to be carried out, a function that is often undertaken by the Facilities Management department, as well as a number of other requirements including (but not limited to) areas such as reporting and training.
Manual Handling Regulations 1992
The Manual Handling Operations Regulations require employers to avoid or minimize manual handling tasks that could cause injury, with an emphasis on risk assessment and implementing safety measures. Employees must adhere to safe handling procedures and use provided equipment to reduce injury risks.
Display Screen Equipment (DSE) Regulations 1992
The DSE Regulations require employers to assess and reduce risks associated with the use of display screen equipment, ensuring that workstations are ergonomically designed and regularly reviewed. Employees must take breaks, adjust their workstations for comfort, and report any issues to help prevent strain or injury. DSE risk assessments should be carried out at regular intervals, or whenever there is a change in circumstances such as the way a workstation is used, the setting up of a new workstation or if a new user starts using an existing workstation.
Workplace (Health, Safety & Welfare) Regulations 1992
The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations require employers to ensure that workplaces meet minimum health, safety, and welfare standards, covering aspects like ventilation, lighting, cleanliness, and facilities – all of which often fall under the remit of the facilities manager. Employers must maintain these standards to provide a safe and comfortable working environment for all employees.
Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER) 1998
The PUWER regulations require employers to ensure that work equipment is suitable, safe, and properly maintained, with appropriate measures to control risks. Employers must also provide adequate training and information to employees to ensure the safe use of equipment in the workplace.
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) at Work Regulations 1992
These regulations require employers to provide suitable PPE to employees when risks cannot be adequately controlled by other means. Employers must ensure that PPE is properly maintained, fits correctly, and that employees are trained on its use to ensure effective protection against workplace hazards.
Although PPE is a key (and very visible) part of Health and Safety provision, it is actually the last resort for eliminating or mitigating risk after all other risk controls have been exhausted. This is because they rely on people to act appropriately in order to reduce the risk that they face when undertaking certain tasks. Sadly, even with the most rigorous of training, people cannot always be relied upon to use PPE properly and effectively. There are plenty of other risk controls to consider which can be more effective at reducing Health and Safety risks – and that will be the topic of next week’s issue.
Sadly we don’t have the space in this e-mail to cover each of these items in detail – it’s Monday and we’re sure you have plenty to be getting on with other than reading an e-mail from us! Suffice to say if any of the above regulations are unfamiliar to you, it would be advisable to research them as a matter of urgency.
The six-pack consists of the most commonly encountered Health and Safety regulations, but there are others which may be relevant to you as a Facilities Manager. If you think there is something important that isn’t covered by the 6-pack, we’d love you to share your thoughts. Reply to this e-mail and we’ll make sure we mention it next week.
That’s all for now. Don’t forget to join the waiting list for the XenZone training library and stay up to date on our progress to launch.
Have a great week!
Chris and the Xenon Team
P.S. If you haven’t already studied or started studying for an IWFM qualification, which will cover topics like this in depth and fully assess your understanding, you may want to have a look at our guide to the IWFM Qualifications which will give you a full breakdown of how they work and what’s involved in the different levels. You can download it here.
P.P.S. If you’re already considering taking a qualification but don’t know which level to go for, a good starting point is our One-Minute-Leveller tool, which will ask you a few questions and give you a recommendation based on the result. You can access it here.
P.P.P.S. Don’t forget you can read all of the previous issues on our website. If you’re new to the mailing list or you want to revisit an earlier issue without digging through your inbox, you can find all of our past issues in the Vault.