Workplace Guides

The use of display screen equipment (DSE) means using devices or equipment that has an alphanumeric or graphic display screen. These are extensively used in the office environment. As part of any good safety management system, it is necessary for risk assessments to be conducted on the use of display screen equipment, to make sure of compliance with legislation and to reduce any risks which may arise from the use of DSE to the user.

Coliform bacteria are a large group of various species of bacteria. They include faecal coliforms, which are found in abundance in the intestines of warm-blooded animals, and also non-faecal organisms, which can be found in water, soil and on vegetation. In general, coliforms are not normally the cause of serious illness, but because of their origin and ease to culture they are used to indicate that other more harmful bacteria, such as salmonella, may be present.

E.coli is a bacterium which is a common inhabitant of the gut of warm-blooded animals, including humans. There are many different types of E.coli and, although many live harmlessly in the gut, some will cause disease. As it originates from animal or human faeces, its presence in drinking water is an indication of direct faecal contamination and may indicate the presence of more harmful bacteria which may be present in faeces.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a bacterial species which is particularly good at forming biofilms. Its growth in drinking water can cause problems with colour, taste, odour and turbidity if found in high numbers. Once established, biofilms can be difficult to eradicate from manmade water systems, because they need a biodispersant (a chemical to breakdown the biofilm) and/or physical removal prior to disinfection.

Over recent decades the general public has become increasingly aware of the potential adverse health effects of exposure to electric and magnetic fields at extremely low frequencies (ELF). Electromagnetic fields consist of electric (E) and magnetic (H) waves travelling together at the speed of light. ELF fields are those defined as having frequencies of up to 300Hz.

The Equality Bill received Royal Assent in April 2010. The Equality Act 2010 brings together 116 different pieces of equality law, providing a single legal framework through which inequality and discrimination can be challenged.  It covers ‘protected characteristics’ of race, disability, gender, age, sexual orientation, gender reassignment and religion or belief.

ESG, short for Environmental, Social and Governance is a set of factors measuring a business's impact on society, the environment, and how transparent and accountable it is. ESG has a positive impact on fundamental business practice relevant to the long-term success of any organisation improving their reputation, reducing risks, identifying opportunities, improving culture, intrinsic value and providing authenticity through transparency. It measures how a business integrates environmental, social, and governance practices into their operations, and ultimately their sustainability.

If you are the responsible person and know that your fire evacuation drill is coming around again, it is worthwhile taking some time out to evaluate the objectives of the fire drill and why we carry out fire drills. The guidance states that fire drills should be carried out at least annually to make sure that all occupants are aware of building evacuation procedures. However, should you have staff within the building working of a night or different shift patterns, you will need to carry out more frequent fire drills to make sure that all shift patterns are covered at least annually.