Safety, Health & Environmental Forum (Scotland)

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Events:

Sep 16, 2009:
Health Risks.

Oct 21, 2009:
Construction Skills.

Nov 18, 2009:
IIRSM.

Dec 16, 2009:
Christmas Special.

Programme »

Welcome!

SHEF (Scotland) is the oldest safety group in Scotland; we have been promoting safety for over 70 years. Read more about our history here. Safety

We meet on the third Wednesday of every month from September to June at Strathclyde Fire & Rescue Headquarters, click here for more information.

Meetings are open to everyone and membership is available from £40 for new members. If you would like to join click here for the application form or get in touch if you want to know more.

Lanarkshire stoneworkers safety event aims to clear the air

Construction workers in Lanarkshire are being invited to an event this Tuesday (24 November) to find out more about protecting themselves from Silicosis - a potentially lethal lung disease caused by breathing in stone dust. You can get more information from the HSE's website.

Date: Tuesday 24th November
Time from 07.30am
Venue: Beatsons Building Supplies, Glencryan Road, South Carbrain, Cumbernauld G67 2UQ

HSE National RPE Project

Information is being requested from users of RPE throughout the UK to assist with a workshop that is planned for later this month. Safety Groups UK would be very grateful if you could complete this questionnaire and ask if you would return it to: contact@safetygroupsuk.org.uk by 17th November.

Joint Meeting with IIRSM - Safety Leadership

SHEF(S) are very pleased to announce that Keith Scott, Chair of IIRSM and Group Head of Safety at Royal Mail will be speaking on Safety Leadership at Novembers meeting. Leadership is required at all levels within an organization and never more so than by safety professionals. Safety professionals practising at the higher levels in larger organizations need more than just health and safety qualifications and practical safety skills. They need the management skills that will enable them to become safety leaders in their own right and influence chief executives and senior managers. This presentation will help experienced safety practitioners identify the areas for personal development and where they need to refresh their 'soft' management skills to improve their safety leadership delivery.

Construction Skills Joint Event

October sees another joint event, this time with Construction Skills, held at Reid Kerr College. Students from Reid Kerr will be visiting the M74 Project in the morning and joining us at our meeting in Reid Kerr College at 2pm. Jim Stewart (Construction Skills) and Gerry McCulloch (HSE) will be giving presentations to the forum and students. Please come along and support a future generation of workers and help encourage a safer attitude among them.

Firefighter cycles 5 countries in 5 days

SHEF(S) is proud to sponsor John McQuade in his effort to raise money for the Fire and Rescue Family Support Trust. John completed a tour through Scotland, Northern Ireland, Republic of Ireland, Wales and England. You can read more in this local paper article.

Welcome back to a new session

We start this years session on the 16th September with a special SCoS led initiative called "Health Risks - do you know yours?" The official launch will take place at Hampden Park Stadium on Friday 4th September 2009 at 10.30am. Health Risks at Work - Do You Know Yours?

John Cairns runner-up in PPE Section of Business Manager Awards

John Cairns, PPE Officer of Strathclyde Fire & Rescue, Chair of SHEF(S) and Vice-Chairman of Safety Groups UK, was declared the runner-up in the PPE (Personal Protective Clothing) Section of The Business Manager Awards presented as part of the Workwear and Corporate Clothing Show in Birmingham.

The award was presented by fashion and workwear design icon, Jeff Banks, at a glittering award ceremony held at the Hilton Metropole Hotel at Birmingham’s NEC.
John Cairns with Award
John Cairns (2nd from left) and Alex McAllister of Lion Apparal Receiving their award from Jeff Banks (far left) and Bill Colven (far right) Global Business Director of Awards sponsors, Invista's Cordura Brand.

Members Day & End of Session

The 17th June sees the final meeting of the 2008-2009 session. Dona McLafferty & Alan Gunn will be speaking on their specialist topics - Eye care and Health & Safety Software. What a great year it's been! We've seen a large number of new members join and old members get back involved. The group won the Alan Butler Award for Communication and we've had some really great meetings - Safety Panto and SFR Technical Rescue Visit being highlights. Next session promises to be even better, so spread the word and get involved.

Technical Rescue Training Centre Site Visit

The site visit to Strathclyde Fire & Rescue’s Technical Rescue Training Centre in Hamilton took place on the 20th May. You can see a video of the day here. The centre came about as a result of 9/11, the ICL Plastics factory explosion in May 2004 and the 7/7 London bombings in 2005. Named Grovepark, after the street where ICL Plastics was based, the centre trains Strathclyde fire fighters in Road Traffic Collisions, Trauma Management, Urban Search and Rescue, Rope Rescue and Confined Space/Trench Rescue.

First Charges for Corporate Manslaughter

A company has become the first in the UK to be charged under the 2007 Corporate Manslaughter Act. Cotswold Geotechnical Holdings is accused over the death of employee Alexander Wright, 27, who was killed when a pit collapsed in September 2008. See BBC for more.

Enforcement

Despite our best efforts, sometimes things go wrong and the organisations we work for and their employees can face enforcement and prosecution. Peter Gray QC from the HSLA will be discussing prosecution and sentencing of companies, the increasing use of existing powers to prosecute directors and criminal liability of companies and directors in relation to fatal road traffic and construction accidents. This is an excellent opportunity to bring directors and other key management staff to hear about the risk of failing to comply and the consequences in event of conviction.

AGM & Strategy Update

The SHEF(S) Annual General Meeting took place on Wednesday 18th march 2009. The meeting included a presentation from Lesley Hammond on the HSE's future strategy.