24
NOVEMBER 2014 PRO INSTALLER
PRO NEWS
www.proinstaller.co.uk
Are you
breathing
safely?
Workers carrying out activities such as cutting stone, concrete or
wood, working with liquids that contain dangerous substances,
or handling dusty powders (these are just a few examples) are
at danger of breathing in contaminated air resulting in short
term or long term ill health, and possibly death, with thousands
of workers dying every year as a direct result of this threat.
To prevent this from happening workers exposed to such
hazards should be wearing
an adequate and suitable
form of respiratory protective equipment (RPE).
Unfortunately it is often the case
that even though workers are supplied with adequate RPE, it may
not be suitable because it doesn’t
fit properly and therefore doesn’t
‘do the job’ it is designed to do.
The British Safety Industry
Federation (BSIF) runs the Fit2Fit
Accreditation scheme, to enable
businesses to work with someone
who is an accredited and therefore competent fit tester. It is a
legal requirement that respirators
with a seal must be tested to fit
properly and utilising someone
who has passed the Fit2Fit written
and practical examinations not
only ensures competency but
also raises general awareness of
the need to ensure a good fit for
RPE.
All RPE is designed to accommodate a wide range of the population, but differences in face size
and contours, nose structures,
strap location and the perfor-
mance level and style of mask
required will affect the fit. The
only way to be certain a satisfactory seal is achievable is through
individual face fit testing.
“Ultimately we want to reduce
the number of workers developing
life threatening illnesses directly
as a result of inhaling dusts, particles or vapours over many years.
We know the current number of
workers dying is around 12,500
each year and many of these
deaths can be prevented. Taking
time to provide the right RPE and
then making sure it is capable of
providing a satisfactory fit is quite
a simple process, but will have an
enormous impact on a worker’s
life” said David Lummis, former
Chief Executive, BSIF.
To find out more information
on the BSIF’s Fit2Fit
Scheme, please visit:
www.bsif.co.uk/fit2fit
No IBG Provider – No CPS Registration
FENSA reports that the
majority of its registered businesses have
embraced mandatory
Insurance Backed Guarantees (IBGs).
The system, set up by
FENSA and its Approved
Insurance Providers, allows
automatic notification of
installations from FENSA
to the insurance company
- automatic issuing of the
IBG policies direct from
the insurance company to
the homeowner and billing
direct from the insurance
company to the installer,
and this system is working
well.
‘provide cover to
the customer’
Howev er, there is a stubborn minority of installers
that have yet to provide
FENSA with details of their
chosen IBG provider and
therefore currently cannot
self-certify.
The consequences for
these installers are stark.
If an installer does not
issue (or pay for) an IBG
policy for each job notified
then that company will be
expelled from FENSA. Such
installers will also not be
able to register with another
glazing Competent Persons
Scheme, as they are in
breach of FENSA rules.
“There is no hiding place
for installers ducking out of
IBGs,” says FENSA Managing Director Chris Mayne.
“The system is computerised
so we can immediately see
which installers do not have
an IBG supplier in place
and they will be expelled
from FENSA.”
FENSA rules state: “To provide each customer (other
than a Local Authority or
Housing Association) with
an Insurance Backed Guarantee policy (conforming
to requirements laid down
from time to time by FENSA) to provide cover to the
customer should the Regis-
tered Business, for whatever
reason, cease to trade.”
Mayne adds, “We have
a duty to those FENSA
registered businesses that
are playing by the rules. We
cannot allow those installers that break or ignore the
scheme rules to carry on as
usual.”
For more information
visit www.fensa.co.uk