MOHS Workplace Health is calling for the campaign to install defibrillators in all schools and public buildings, to be extended to the business community.
The initial campaign was launched after a 12-year-old boy suffered heart failure during a swimming lesson and no defibrillator was available to try and restart his heart.
West Bromwich based MOHS says installing this life saving piece of equipment in the working environment could help save the life of an employee who also suffers cardiac arrest at work.
Cardiac arrest is when the heart stops pumping blood effectively around the body so the brain is starved of oxygen, resulting in brain damage and death if treatment is not carried out quickly and effectively.
A major cause of cardiac arrest is ventricular fibrillation (VF) which occurs when the electrical activity of the heart becomes so chaotic that the heart stops pumping and quivers or ‘fibrillates’ instead.
A defibrillator uses electricity to shock the heart out of this lethal rhythm and back to normal.
According to Mark Jinks, first aid training supervisor at MOHS, the chances of survival decreases by 14 per cent with every minute that passes without defibrillation.
“Research shows that applying a controlled shock within five minutes of collapse provides the best possible chance of survival.
“Placing an automated external defibrillator (AED) in strategic places around the workplace, especially in areas where it’s difficult for an ambulance to access quickly, could prove beneficial in saving an employee’s life,” he said.
AEDs are designed to be used by ‘good Samaritans’ but their efficacy is greatly increased when the operator is trained.
Mark said: “The technology in modern defibrillators prevents misuse or a shock being delivered if it’s unnecessary. Some AEDs are even able to assess how strong the shock needs to be.
He added the cost of installing one or two AEDs in the workplace, coupled with sending a first aider on AED training course, would be a fraction of the cost of an employee off sick after a cardiac arrest or having to recruit should the affected employee sadly not recover.
To kickstart the AED campaign in the local business community, MOHS is offering an introductory price for a new ‘ready to use’ AED (with seven years’ warranty, two sets of pads, two AED starter kits, a four year life lithium battery and free carry case), and comprehensive training for up to six people for £1,500 (inclusive of VAT). Offer ends December 2013.
For further details, please call 0121 601 4041, email info@mohs.co.uk or go online at mohs.co.uk.
Learning to shock the heart could save a life
Employers urged to inoculate workers exposed to potentially fatal welding fumes
MOHS is urging local factory bosses to ensure workers are vaccinated against a potentially fatal bacterial disease caused by inhaling welding fumes.
Pneumococcal pneumonia not only strikes welders but also moulders, coremakers and furnacemen, killing at least two workers each year and hospitalising up to 50 more.
A single one off vaccination is available to help keep affected workers healthy and also ensure employers are compliant with current health and safety legislation.
In a guide published by Dr Jacquie Halliday-Bell, one of MOHS’s sessional occupational health physicians, workers are advised to have the vaccination after the department of health identified a link between welding fumes and the development of pneumococcal pneumonia.
“The vaccination, PPV23, is safe to use and works by developing good antibodies in healthy workers three weeks after immunisation.
“The cost per vaccination is around £30 so for a relatively low outlay, employers can help safeguard workers exposed to welding fumes and ensure they meet their duty of care obligations.
Dr Halliday-Bell also recommends good control of workplace exposure to minimise the risks, including effective local exhaust ventilation in affected working environments, appropriate personal protective equipment and educating workers, particularly as to the benefits of stopping smoking.
For a limited period, MOHS is offering the PPV23 vaccination at £20 per person. For more information, call Tracey Grove on 0121 601 4041 or email traceygrove@mohs.co.uk.
For the full report, ‘the MOHS guide to immunisation against pneumonia for workers exposed to welding fume’, please see below.
Overview
The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI), produces the Department of Health publication ‘Immunisation against Infectious Disease’, also known as the ‘Green Book’.
The November 2011 edition advises there is a strong association between welding and the development of pneumococcal disease, particularly lobar pneumonia in welders, and added them to the list of patient groups for whom pneumococcal vaccination (PPV23-purified capsular polysaccharide) can prevent is recommended [1].
Population at risk
There is an estimated figure of 60,000 welders in the UK. The HSE estimates that in the UK, even with current access to modern control methods, two welders die each year from pneumococcal pneumonia and 40-50 others are hospitalised due to the disease. This organism often affects younger as well as older welders. Other occupations with some exposure to metal fume who will also benefit from immunisation, include moulders, coremakers and furnacemen. It is important to note from the research that the risk of pneumonia appears to be confined to exposed men of working age. An added elevation of mortality from pneumonia has been evident in those working with ferrous metal (due to the iron hypothesis- see below) [2].
Research in Birmingham and West Midlands
Among the evidence reviewed to support the opinion of the Joint Committee was the case control study by Palmer et al (2003) of hospital diagnosed pneumonia cases between 1996–99 in Birmingham and the West Midlands [3]. Across 11 hospitals, 525 men aged 20–64 had community-acquired pneumonia. The study found:
- Welders had an increased overall rate of pneumonia (adjusted odds ratio (OR) = 1.6, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.1–2.4) compared with controls non-exposed controls
- Risks were highest with exposure in the past year to ferrous fumes (OR for lobar pneumonia = 3.0, 95% CI = 1.4–6.7)
- A high proportion of confirmed S. pneumoniae lobar pneumonia cases were welders. (OR 3.1 95% CI = 1.0–9.5)
A cohort of 30 427 male Swedish construction workers exposed to metal fume was studied for risks of death from pneumonia. The increased relative risk of S. pneumoniae as the cause was 5.8 compared to other workers [4].
The pathological process
The bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae, (pneumococcus) is:
- a common commensal microorganism in the upper respiratory tract in healthy humans
- there are approximately 90 different serotypes
- some cause serious infective illnesses, including pneumonia, septicaemia and meningitis
- these invasive pneumococcal diseases (IPD) carry a significant fatality rate of approximately 5–12% in adults of working age [5,6].
The exact underlying mechanisms leading to infection in welders remains unclear. Some data suggest that chronic exposure to metal fume blunts responsiveness to inhaled particulate matter through free radical injury of host defenses against infection [7], alternatively inhaled iron may exceed the capacity of the iron binding protein system of the lungs, causing overgrowth of organisms that thrive on it [3].
Risk assessment and controls
Although the dose–response relationship and the level below which exposures should be controlled have not yet been defined, good control of workplace exposure remains the preferred method of managing the risk to workers. This would include:
- effective local exhaust ventilation
- appropriate personal protective equipment
- effective education of workers to minimise exposure
- smoking cessation
The risk of pneumonia is significantly lower for those workers who are minimally exposed to metal fume when using automated laser welding/cutting, or hybrid welding.
Pneumococcal vaccination
Several vaccines for pneumococcal pneumonia are available worldwide. The vaccine offered to children in the UK is known as the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine. It prevents infection for seven different serotypes. The vaccine offered to adults, PPV23, contains purified capsular polysaccharide from each of 23 capsular types of pneumococcus. These 23 account for 96% of the pneumococcal isolates that cause serious infection in the UK. In addition:
- the vaccine is safe, and most healthy adults develop a good antibody response to a single dose of PPV three weeks after immunization
- following a single injection, post-immunisation antibody levels usually begin to wane after about 5 years, although the true potential extent of immunity is unclear
- it will not prevent pneumococcal pneumonia arising from the 67 or so serotypes not covered by the vaccine
- it will not prevent pneumonias caused by other microorganisms, or metal fume pneumonitis.
Who to vaccinate and when?
Employees who should be offered vaccination with PPV23:
- welders
- moulders
- coremakers
- furnacemen etc
Those who will not benefit include those who undertake:
- plastic, electron beam and friction stir welding
- metal laser work
- powder bed deposition
- cold spray technologies etc
Funding
No Department of Health funding is available for PPV23 to be given in welders, so employers should:
- treat their responsibility to vaccinate exposed workers as an obligation under the Health and safety at Work Act 1974
- fund their vaccination programme
- expect to pay around £30 per vaccination
Timing of vaccination
There is uncertainty regarding the optimum timing of vaccination and the JCVI has not recommended an age restriction. It can be administered to exposed workers as ‘a one off’, at any age or stage in their career.
Main recommendations:
- Occupational health providers and employers should offer welders and other employees who are exposed to metal fume a single dose of PPV23
- Workplace controls should be used to minimise exposure to metal fume as far as reasonably possible.
- Exposed workers should be encouraged to discontinue or avoid taking up smoking, to reduce pneumonia, cardiovascular and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
References
1. Department of Health. Immunisation against Infectious Disease, 2006 (updated November 2011), Chapter 25 v2_0, p305. http://www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/documents/digitalasset/dh_131000.pdf
2. Palmer KT, Poole J, Ayres JG, Mann J, Burge PS, Coggon D. Exposure to metal fume and infectious pneumonia. Am J Epidemiol 2003;157:227–233.
3. K. T. PALMER AND M. P. COSGROVE: VACCINATING WELDERS AGAINST PNEUMONIA 329 Downloaded from http://occmed.oxfordjournals.org/ at University of Southampton on July 5, 2012
4. Torén K, Qvarfordt I, Bergdahl IA, Järvholm B. Increased mortality from infectious pneumonia after occupational exposure to inorganic dust, metal fumes and chemicals. Thorax 2011;66:992–996.
5. Robinson KA, Baughman W, Rothrock G, et al., for the Active Bacterial Core Surveillance (ABCs)/Emerging
Infections Program Network. Epidemiology of invasive Streptococcus pneumoniae infections in the United States,
1995–1998. J Am Med Assoc 2001;285:1729–1735.
6. Burman LA, Norrby R, Trollfors B. Invasive pneumococcal infections: incidence, predisposing factors, and prognosis. Rev Infect Dis 1985;2:133–142.
7. Palmer KT, McNeill Love R, Poole JR et al. Inflammatory responses to the occupational inhalation of metal fume. Eur Resp J 2006;27:366–373.
Dr Jacquie Halliday-Bell, November 2012
Employers urged to call time on workplace alcohol and drug abuse
As many as one third of UK employers say alcohol and drug misuse is a problem at work while 60 percent experience problems in the workplace due to staff drinking.
According to ACAS (Advisory, Conciliation and Arbitration Service), hangovers at work cost employers £6.4 billion a year in lost productivity with as many as 140,000 people going to work each day with symptoms.
Abuse of drugs is also a growing problem, with misuse estimated to cost industry £800 million per year. The problem looks set to rise as drugs become more widespread in society.
So what is the best way for employers to tackle this growing and costly problem? One solution is to ensure your company has a drug and alcohol policy in place and that all employees are clear about the regulations on drinking and drug taking.
Alcohol tolerance does vary from industry to industry eg in some business sectors, employees are encouraged to drink when entertaining clients, while in other jobs, such as driving instructors or company drivers, there is a complete ban.
Whatever the corporate approach to managing drug and alcohol problems at work, it should be communicated to all staff (this can be done via an employee intranet or as part of the staff handbook, with updates and reminders provided regularly).
If there is a union presence in the organisation, its representatives should be informed about the policy and the implications for breaching its directives.
We can help clients draw up a drug and alcohol policy and we usually recommend giving the workforce six weeks’ notice of it coming into force to allow time for consultation and enabling union representatives and employees to air any grievances or concerns.
This also allows time for any employee who may have an addiction or related problem to inform HR and seek assistance prior to implementation.
We also recommend the policy specifies the ‘alcohol in breath’ cut off limit ie 0.35mg/L for driving or even lower for other safety critical roles.
Once the policy formulated and agreed by all relevant parties, a company needs to decide which drug and alcohol testing methods is best suited to their needs.
The options available can be discussed with one of our OH advisors and can include breath testing or urine testing and either carried out randomly, on the spot (if an employee is suspected of being under the influence) or at a new employee starter screening stage.
A company also needs to decide whether they intend to treat any resulting problems as a disciplinary offence, a performance issue or a health issue, or a combination of all three.
To help line managers and supervisors understand more about substance abuse, MOHS runs a drug and alcohol awareness and equipment training half day course for a maximum of up to 10 people.
The course content includes:
- signs and symptoms – what to be aware of when suspicion arises of drug or alcohol misuse and what to look for around the workplace eg paraphernalia of drug use
- methods of testing – what testing kits are used for each type of testing and why, windows of opportunity, chain of custody, consent and what happens following a positive result
- use of tests – ones that can be performed by line managers or responsible people
- training – in the use of selected equipment
For more information on any of the above, please contact us on 0121 601 4041, email info@mohs.co.uk or go online at mohs.co.uk. Your call will be treated in complete confidence.
HSE to change from advisor to enforcement agency
This October (2012), the focus of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), will change following proposals to introduce a ‘fee for intervention’ (FFI) cost recovery scheme.
The traditional view of the HSE as an advisory body for workplaces, with an ‘infoline’ service and direct intervention from its inspectors as a final resort, will change dramatically.
All contact information has been removed from its website as the HSE embraces its new role as an enforcement agency first and foremost.
It has been forced to introduce FFI to offset cuts in funding. FFI seeks to fund HSE activities, at least in part, from those found to be in material breach of health and safety law.
In future, employers, particularly SMEs, may need to find new measures to ensure they meet health and safety regulations, as organisations in breach of them could find themselves at risk from the following:
- prosecution of the business/organisation with attendance fines and effects on corporate reputation
- prosecution of individuals within the workplace which could result in criminal records, affecting their careers, personal and financial lives
One such measure would be for employers to find a reliable and credible partner to fill the vacuum left by the significant reduction in proactive action from the HSE.
Such a partner would be able to give the sort of guidance/action that ensures compliance with the standards expected by the HSE and other bodies, such as insurance companies and local authorities.
This guidance/action could include:
- health and safety audits
- assistance with identifying areas of non compliance
- help with identification of workplace hazards, risks and control measures required
- advice on specialist risk assessments such as noise and ergonomics
- health surveillance for employees exposed to risks such as excessive noise, hand arm vibration, solvents, fumes, asbestos etc
- capability and on site assessments for employees returning to work following illness or injury
- specialist health & safety courses eg manual handling, identifying specific hazards, IOSH managing and working safely, to help bring staff up to recognised levels and ensure competency and compliance
- first aid at work training including automated external defibrillator and anaphylaxis courses
As an independent occupational health, employee wellbeing and health and safety provider, MOHS Workplace Health can support organisations in any business sector, private or public, to ensure they meet their health and safety legislative requirements.
For more information on the above, please contact us on 0121 601 4041, email info@mohs.co.uk or go online at mohs.co.uk
Don’t drag your heels over quitting cigarettes – do it now!
This month (October 2012) sees the launch of a national campaign by the NHS aimed at all UK smokers, challenging them to quit for at least 28 of the month’s 30 days.
If you’re a smoker, stopping is the single most important step you can take to protect your health and live longer. Smokers die, on average, about 10 years younger than non smokers.
The dangers of smoking are well documented but just to remind smokers, every puff of tobacco smoke contains a nasty cocktail of more than 4,000 chemicals including tar, nicotine, carbon monoxide, ammonia and arsenic, of which 60 are known to cause various types of cancer.
These include cancer of the lungs, throat, mouth, pancreas, kidneys and bladder, and there is an increased risk of other cancers too.
The host of other reasons to quit include:
- high cost of smoking
- dangers of passive smoking for those around you, including loved ones
- fire risk – more people die in fires caused by smoking than any other source
It’s never too late to quit – even after years of smoking – as the health benefits of stopping start approximately 20 minutes after your last cigarette when blood pressure and pulse rate return to normal.
Quitting your bad fag habit is a challenge but people who plan and prepare to stop smoking are much more likely to be successful.
Smokers have to believe they can do it and they may also have to avoid situations for a while where not smoking could prove difficult, such as going to the pub with friends or having the in laws round to dinner.
Most people make several attempts to quit before they finally succeed. Here are some simple pointers to help smokers stop once and for all:
- set a quit date
- clear out all reminders of smoking – cigarettes, tobacco, ashtrays, matches – and make your home a smoke free zone
- Practise the four Ds:
- delay – until cravings pass
- drink – plenty of water
- distract yourself – do something else to take your mind off smoking
- deep breathing – take long slow breaths and try to relax
- Contact a quit smoking helpline or website including NHS smokefree on 0800 0224332 or www.smokefree.nhs.uk.
- Talk to your OH advisor, GP or pharmacist about stop smoking medications and ask for their support
And finally, never give up giving up! It’s worth it in the end.
Annual flu jab is not to be sneezed at
Just imagine if a magic wand could be waved over your workforce this winter and – abracadabra – absenteeism from fevers and chills disappear in a puff of smoke!
Sadly there’s no magic wand in the real world, but there is something easily available that’s nearly as good at protecting employees from this seasonal sickness – a flu vaccination.
Flu is a highly infectious disease that occurs mainly during the winter months and, unlike the common cold, its onset is often sudden with symptoms such as fever, chills, headache, aching muscles and a feeling of being unwell.
And it’s a virus that spreads easily from person to person through droplets in the air when the infected person coughs or sneezes. So when one worker succumbs, their colleagues are also at risk.
It is estimated more than 150 million working days are lost each year because of flu–related illnesses at a cost of £6.75 billion. The average flu-related work absence is between three to seven days and even after a return to work, approximately 80 percent of adults’ work performance is affected.
Making a flu jab available to employees is the best way to protect them from flu – if they don’t have flu, they can’t spread it to those around them.
A flu vaccine works by stimulating the first wave of a body’s natural defences and creates antibodies that will help defend your body from types of flu virus found in this year’s flu vaccine.
It is also a myth that a jab will give you flu. However, as the vaccination can take up to two weeks to begin working, it is possible to catch flu during this period.
The vaccination gives protection for up to one year and includes protection from swine flu. After the inoculation, there may be some initial temporary soreness where the jab was administered and some people may also get a slight temperature and aching muscles for a few days. Other side effects are rare.
The best time to get your workforce vaccinated is between early October and early November so be sure to order your flu jabs as soon as possible. Order now by contacting Tracey Grove on 0121 601 4041 or traceygrove@mohs.co.uk. Price per flu jab is £8.50 (+ VAT). Bulk discounts are available.
NB: please note, flu vaccination allocation is limited so please book early to avoid disappointment!
Measures to protect your workforce
Employees are an organisation’s most important asset but ensuring their health and safety can be a legislative minefield without access to the right information and experience.
Things also became potentially more difficult last October when the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) stopped offering guidance to become an enforcement agency intent on prosecuting those who breach any part of the healthy and safety at work act (1974).
And penalties are steep for those in breach of the law – individuals could face fines of up to £20,000 or two years in prison.
Yet, for a faction of the cost of a fine, there are a range of effective measures to not only safeguard the workforce but also ensure legal compliance.
Such measures include:
- health surveillance for employees exposed to risks such as excessive noise, hand arm vibration, solvents, fumes, asbestos etc
- risk assessments to identify workplace hazards, employees at risk and control measures needed
- specialist health & safety courses eg manual handling, identifying specific hazards, IOSH managing and working safely courses, to help bring staff up to recognised levels and keep them there, despite changes in health & safety legislation
- providing every UK employee with access to a trainer first aider in the workplace, whether they work there or are visiting the premises.
Statistics show that the main causes of workplace absenteeism are musculosketal disorders and mental health issues – costing employers thousands of pounds in
lost productivity – yet early intervention by a physiotherapist or counsellor could facilitate a speedier return to work, and the cost would be much less than having the employee off work for a period of time.
Research has also shown that wellbeing and health promotion programmes increase employee satisfaction and increase productivity, reduce sickness and lower staff turnover (PricewaterhouseCoopers, 2008).
Employees could benefit from advice and information on quitting smoking, nutrition and healthy eating, exercise or how to be more stress resilient, to name a few lifestyle issues that can affect their workplace performance.
Vinnie Jones’ CPR technique
While we love Hollywood hard man and former footballer Vinnie Jones doing CPR to the soundtrack of the Bee Gees’ ‘Stayin’ Alive’ in the BHF’s new ad campaign aimed at encouraging people to ‘have a go’, we must stress that this advice is purely to raise awareness and has no bearing on First Aid at Work. Although the media campaign is supported by the United Kingdom Resuscitation Council, the correct method of CPR includes ventilations and chest compressions. Trained individuals should continue to follow the guidance received during training they receive on recognised courses such as the ones we offer. But you have to ‘hand’ it to Vinnie, anyone who can make CPR a talking point is ok in our book!
First Aid Training at Work delivers responsible social benefits too.
Businesses would benefit from seeing first aid training as part of their corporate social responsibility and employee benefit activities as well as part of their statutory responsibility to meet their health and safety responsibilities, an article in Augusts Occupation Health suggests.
Mohs Workplace Health supports this. The Office for National Statistics for England and Wales (2008) reports that each year there are 150,000 deaths which could have been prevented if proper first aid was available at the time. Last year there were around 150 preventable deaths in the workplace.
First aid can save lives, build morale and boost team work. Teams are properly trained feel valued and motivated, reassured in the knowledge that their organisation cares about them enough to offer them protection whilst they are at work.
“Our First Aid Training is serious but fun” says Mark Jinks, Training Supervisor at MOHS “We have a volunteer programme running in the local community – this gets everyone involved. We run events for local business organisations, here at our office, for example we are shortly to have an event with the Black Country Chamber of Commerce. we believe that First Aid is an invaluable tool to help organisations ‘put back’ into society and we have many tales of lives being saved by people who have attended our events”
To find out more about booking one of our first aid courses please contact our training administrator, Nikki on nikkiadams@mohs.co.uk
Noise assessments at work are vital when the levels rise!
Did you know that the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005, stipulates that noise assessments are carried out for any business likely to produce more than 80 dB. Because it is a health and safety requirement it is vital that you have a noise assessment carried out.
MOHS has over 40 years of experience and wide knowledge base, including; health and safety professionals, specialist practitioners and occupational health physicians allowing our team to help you assess and effectively manage noise in your workplace. We advise clients from night clubs, to heavy industry and factories ensuring that their noise levels are at a safe level.
To meet the regulations you might need:
- a noise assessment
- offer access to specialist practitioners
- guidance through the new ‘Physical Agents Directive’
- advice on creation of a hearing conservation programme
- health surveillance as required by legislation
This service will form part of your integrated health and safety management system and a simple assessment is only £60.00 per hour
We also offer on site audiometry with a specifically designed, computer moderated mobile testing system.
* reporting time is costed at the above rate
