So ‘Freedom Day’ happened this Monday 19th July – the day when the remaining COVID-related legal restrictions like social distancing and mask-wearing were lifted in England. However, while there were crowds of jubilant party-goers queuing outside the nation’s nightclubs at Midnight, others (including many businesses) are taking a more cautious approach to the relaxations. So, what about construction? Read this week’s blog to find out more about what seems to be a clash between the government’s and industry leaders’ viewpoints as well as what we at Sheriff would advise.
A team of workers from Sheriff have recently spent their weekends improving the outside space at our office, creating a little sanctuary where staff can take a break and nature can flourish. The project has involved clearing away overgrown trees, shrubbery and debris from a stream that runs along the back of the office, as well as creating a small decking area and flower beds which have been seeded with a wild flower mix to support increased biodiversity. On top of this, almost all the materials used were reclaimed from our building sites, thereby saving them from landfill. Take a look at what we’ve done in more detail in this week’s blog.
Last week, our blog focused on head/ brain injuries and why it is so important that construction workers select, wear and maintain the right head protecting gear to stay safe. Within that article we made a reference to the issue of concussion and promised to come back to this in more detail so ‘voila’, here it is! Keep reading to gain a greater understanding of what concussion is, the signs and symptoms to look out for and what to do if you or a colleague suffers such an injury at work.
Without the right PPE, a construction site can become a very dangerous place and this is especially true when it comes to head injuries. But did you know that hard hats represent only 3% of PPE purchases in our industry and that only 6% of workers who have had a head injury at work seek medical attention? In response to these and other startling statistics, the brain injury charity, ‘Headway’, designated one week this June as Hard Hat Awareness Week, urging everyone in the industry to audit their head-protecting equipment. Read on to find out more about what you can do to safeguard yourself against a life-changing head injury.