erinwilson

You may have noticed that our blogging page on the website and other social media outlets needs to be more active, and we agree! Erin, our Business Development Manager (BDM), who normally ‘gently’ nudges us to post, has returned from maternity leave and will soon have us all back to being more socially active! 

In addition to being more socially active, we have just completed our internal Genesis OHS ‘Plank Challenge.’ The Plank Challenge is part of our Genesis 2023 Health & Wellbeing Programme. Each month, we encourage each other to maintain healthy or healthier lifestyles with various challenges, including focusing on sleep, hydration, mindfulness and self-care.

The physical planking challenge in February aimed to help strengthen core muscles, abdomen, and hips, improve body balance and boost our mental health. Throughout the month, we successfully built endurance and gradually increased the time we could hold a plank. To prove this, on the last day of the challenge, all those participating undertook the plank challenge in person or via teams. Although some of us could not endure the whole five minutes, all agreed that they felt stronger and noticed improved posture and mood, perfectly setting us up for March’s nutrition and hydration challenges. 

If you want to undertake a physical challenge in the workplace like the Plank Challenge, here are some of our top tips! 

1. Set clear guidelines: Clearly define the objectives of the challenge.
2. Encourage participation: Make the challenge accessible to everyone in the workplace, regardless of fitness level or experience. 
3. Create a supportive environment: Encourage participants to support and motivate each other throughout the challenge. Consider creating a Microsoft Teams group where participants can share their progress and encourage each other.
4. Monitor progress: Keep track of participants’ progress and provide regular updates (pssst this part is essential); it will help keep participants engaged and motivated throughout the challenge.
5. Prioritise safety: Ensure participants are informed how to undertake the challenge safely and guide proper form and technique to prevent injury.
6. Have fun: Remember, the challenge aims to promote physical activity and create a fun and healthy workplace culture. So make sure everyone involved has a positive and enjoyable experience.

If you would like a copy of our Plank Challenge Worksheet or would like to join us on future challenges, please let us know at info@genesisohs.co.uk 

The study, ‘Work after lockdown: no going back’ funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), has examined how hybrid working has now become the new workforce expectation with a mindset shift around how work can be organised. It has also considered the longer-term implications of working from home including employee wellbeing and whether new working practices were likely to remain encouraged. 

The report has identified various benefits experienced by workers from hybrid working through the various lockdown cycles in 2020 and 2021. These included: increased managerial trust in remote working; new management skills around remote working; new digital skills; better-quality meetings; improved access to work for people with disabilities/health conditions; reduced commuting and travel costs; going paperless; business model innovation (including greater use of technology); and improved team relationships. 

But there were also downsides, including social deficit, more complicated communications within teams; poor-quality line management; work intensification; lost opportunities for on-the-job learning; employee fatigue, and concerns over wellbeing.

The report identifies seven key areas that organisations should focus on when adopting or continuing a hybrid working model. One of which is to ensure that employee wellbeing is made a top priority within the organisation. Here at Genesis, we can help support you with the continuation or migration towards a hybrid working model with the following services: 

• Counselling Services, including mental health support for various issues relating to personal life or the workplace that employees may be experiencing or have done in the past. 
• Toolbox Talks, including General Health and Wellbeing 
• Classroom-based training on-site or delivered at our offices in Dumfries, either bespoke or open courses.
• Live online webinars, delivered by highly trained occupational and health and safety professionals who will reach and engage with you and your team. Popular webinars include Mental Health & Wellbeing Awareness, Mental Health Self Care and Health and Safety Awareness. Each webinar consists of live Q&A sessions, poll participation, and the opportunity to obtain a certificate of training upon successful assessment.
• Occupational health assessments to identify any support or adjustments that would assist with hybrid working.
• Hybrid workplace DSE assessments to help protect the health and wellbeing of employees and reduce common injuries and issues, including blurred vision, musculoskeletal problems, and headaches.

For further information on any of the above services, please call us on 01387 01387 248811. The complete ‘Work after lockdown: no going back’ report can be accessed online at www.workafterlockdown.uk

Definitions: A hybrid working pattern refers to a blend of home-based and office-based working, which may be fixed or fluid in the proportion of time spent in either location in a typical week.

Erin Wilson (BA Hons, Assoc. CIPD)
Genesis Business Development Manager

Parry J, Young Z et al. Work after lockdown: no going back. University of Southampton, 2022. www.workafterlockdown.uk

Occupational Health at Work April/May 2022 (vol. 18/6) pp42

At Work Partnership Journal issue 18 6 Work After Lockdown

The UK’s 10th Nutrition and Hydration Week is here! Nutrition and Hydration Week is an annual event with a shared objective to highlight, promote and celebrate improvements in providing nutrition and hydration locally, nationally and globally.

Nutrition and Hydration Week is an excellent opportunity for organisations to improve the health and wellbeing of their employees. By promoting good nutrition and hydration, employers can help their staff stay healthy, productive and motivated.

There are many benefits to employees of keeping on top of their nutrition and hydration, including:

– Improved energy levels and concentration

– Reduced risk of health problems such as obesity, heart disease and diabetes

– Better mental wellbeing

– Reduced absences

The workplace can also promote good nutrition and hydration amongst its employees, some ways in which employers can do so include:

– Offer healthy food options at work canteens or vending machines, such as fruit and vegetables, whole grains and low-fat proteins

– Encourage staff to take regular breaks for snacks and water

– Incorporate standing desks, allowing employees more range for movement and opportunity to remain more alert and active

– Host nutrition workshops and talks

– Promote workplace wellness programmes such as Genesis Wellbeing Medicals 

Genesis Wellbeing Medicals can help identify those at most risk of heart disease, stroke or chance of developing Type 2 Diabetes over the next ten years. Genesis provides employees with a detailed report, including recommendations and additional material for support. 

To find out more, please contact our office on 01387 248811 or email info@genesisohs.co.uk. 

On 6 April 2022, the Personal Protective Equipment at Work (Amendment) Regulations 2022 (PPER 2022) will come into force and amend the 1992 Regulations (PPER 1992). They extend employers’ and employees’ duties regarding personal protective equipment (PPE) to limb (b) workers. 

Definition of limb (b) workers

In the UK, section 230(3) of the Employment Rights Act 1996’s definition of a worker has 2 limbs:

• Limb (a) describes those with a contract of employment. This group are employees under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and are already in scope of PPER 1992
• Limb (b) describes workers who generally have a more casual employment relationship and work under a contract for service – they do not currently come under the scope of PPER 1992

What this means for employers?

PPER 1992 places a duty on every employer in Great Britain to ensure that suitable PPE is provided to ‘employees’ who may be exposed to a risk to their health or safety while at work. PPER 2022 extends this duty to limb (b) workers and comes into force on 6 April 2022. If a risk assessment indicates that a limb (b) worker requires PPE to carry out their work activities, the employer must carry out a PPE suitability assessment and provide the PPE free of charge as they do for employees. The employer will be responsible for the maintenance, storage and replacement of any PPE they provide. As a worker, you will be required to use the PPE properly following training and instruction from your employer. If the PPE you provide is lost or becomes defective, you should report that to your employer.

When will this come into affect? 

By 6 April 2022, you need to ensure that there is no difference in the way PPE is provided to your workers, as defined by PPER 2022. This means assessing the risk and ensuring suitable PPE is provided, when needed, to all people that fall under the definition of worker. The PPE provided must be compatible, maintained and correctly stored. All workers must use the PPE properly following training and instruction in its use from their employer. If the PPE you provide is lost or becomes defective, your worker should report that to you.

Health and Safety Executive inspectors have already started to include PPE assessment as part of their routine inspections to ensure that all duty holders (employers, employees, and workers) are up to date in the requirements of their duties under the PPER2022. Employers now need to carefully consider whether this change in the law applies to them and their workforce and make necessary preparations to comply. 

How can Genesis help support you with these changes?

• Risk Assessments, to indicate if a limb (b) worker requires PPE to carry out their work activities.
• Workplace audits.
• Training
• Toolbox talks – provide employers and employees with sufficient information, instruction, and training on PPE use.
• PPE suitability assessments.
• PPE compatibility, such as face fit testing.

To summarise, under PPER 2022, the types of duties and responsibilities remain unchanged but will now extend to limb (b) workers as defined above. If you would like further information regarding this upcoming amendment or require support to help incorporate these changes, please do not hesitate to contact me or any health and safety team member here at Genesis on 01387 248811 or email info@genesisohs.co.uk.

Note
These amendments do not apply to those who have ‘self-employed’ status. Workers may be required to wear items of PPE under legislation other than PPER 1992; the complete list of circumstances where PPER 1992 do not apply is contained in regulation 3.

Personal protective equipment (PPE) at work regulations from 6 April 2022 (hse.gov.uk)

For the first time, an exciting opportunity has arisen for Modern Apprenticeship to join our expanding team! Kick-start your career gain skills, experience and qualifications by applying for an Occupational Health and Safety SCQF7 role here at Genesis OHS.

A little bit about us encase you don’t already know…

Genesis is a family-run company established in 2005 by husband and wife Scott and Emma Eden. Genesis offers a professional consultancy offering occupational and environmental health and safety services to various clients of varying sizes throughout the UK and Europe. The company has developed from initially providing services predominantly to the construction industry to working across most sectors, including construction, manufacturing, power generation, utilities, retail, leisure, design and local government. The team has expanded vastly over the years, with Genesis now employing over sixteen professionals and has relocated premises three times to meet the businesses ever-increasing demands.

This is where you come in..

Genesis and Apprenticeships Scotland will provide the training and support required to play a key role in our growing company. The successful candidate will undertake a variety of exciting and challenging responsibilities. Should you be committed to completing the apprenticeship programme within the agreed timescale and attend all compulsory training workshops, salary increments will occur throughout the programme to reflect achieving these milestones during progress reviews.

Successful completion of this apprenticeship could lead to a permanent position within our health and safety team.

To find out more or apply for this amazing Modern Apprenticeship opportunity visit apprenticeships.scot –  Closing date is the 11th March 2022 so please make sure you apply before this date to avoid disappointment.

If you would like more details before applying please call our office on 01387 248811 and ask for myself and we can arrange a call, teams meeting or visit to our office.

Erin Wilson (BA Hons, Assoc. CIPD)
Business Development Manager
Genesis OHS Ltd