Our clients are excelling themselves

Amalgamate is delighted to be working with some fantastic, award-winning clients.

Hypostyle Architects is an established company with offices in Glasgow and Edinburgh, where their dedicated teams deliver for a wide range of clients.

One of their most recent awards was for the innovative design solution at Fore Street residential development in Glasgow. Well worth a visit!

Whilst we’re not ones to brag, we are also proud to be working with Shire Tree Surgeons. Based on the west coast of Scotland and delivering exceptional service across the country, Stuart and his team work in all weather to meet your arboricultural needs.

Amalgamate continues to advise Shire Tree Surgeons, who are now HSE compliant and TrustMark Assured.

We look forward to supporting our existing clients, and meeting new ones, throughout 2014 and beyond.

Happy holidays everyone!

Health in Winter – Seasonal Affective Disorder

You’ve probably heard of Seasonal Affective Disorder, or heard joking references to people feeling like they want to go into hibernation at the onset of winter, but SAD is actually more common than you may have realised, and can be much more serious than just a case of the ‘winter blues’.

The NHS estimates that 2 million people in the UK are affected by SAD, and for some it can be extremely debilitating. But even the moderate depressive symptoms of SAD are disruptive and unpleasant for the sufferer. So how can we help ourselves, our employees and our colleagues? Well, firstly, we have to know what we’re dealing with.

What are the symptoms?

As with all forms of depression, the key symptoms of SAD include a low mood and a loss of interest and pleasure in usual activities. But some other symptoms can include:

  • feeling irritable, tearful, apathetic or anxious;
  • suffering from frequent minor illnesses such as colds;
  • low self-esteem, feelings of guilt or worthlessness;
  • lack of energy, over-eating, and changes to sleep patterns.

The type and severity of symptoms will of course vary from person to person, and they can often get worse as winter develops and exposure to sunlight decreases.

How can you get help?

Speaking to your GP can enable you to access help, which may include light therapy, talking therapies like CBT, or anti-depressants. But there are also plenty of simple things you can do for yourself to prevent or alleviate symptoms:

  • As always, participating in regular exercise is a key factor in feeling well.
  • Try to experiment with some new activities so you can find one that you enjoy. If it’s fun, you’re far more likely to keep doing it.
  • Try to increase the amount of sunlight you are exposed to. Taking a walk at lunchtime, and ensuring you spend some time outdoors at the weekends can be really helpful. And if you are stuck inside, try to be near a window.
  • Ensure you’re maintaining a healthy, balanced diet – plenty of fruit, vegetables, fish and nuts will help to provide your body with the nutrients it needs. Don’t add to the stress your body and brain are already under by eating junk food and drinking too much alcohol.
  • If possible, avoid stressful situations and try to find techniques that work for you to help manage existing stress.

Of course, if symptoms are severe, people may not feel that they have the motivation or ability to tackle SAD themselves. In this case it is particularly important that they are encouraged to seek help from their GP. Like with other depressive illnesses, support from friends and family can be invaluable.

For more information and help, have a look at www.mind.org.uk or www.nhs.uk.

Health in Winter – Colds, Flu and Norovirus

In the winter it often seems like everyone is catching one thing or another, and short of hibernating at home, chances are you’re going to be exposed to plenty of germs. So what can you do to lessen the likelihood of you falling ill?

Well, as always, a healthy diet and regular exercise are near the top of the list. Eating nutritious, vitamin-rich food and maintaining a good level of fitness mean that your body doesn’t have to work so hard to stay healthy, and can keep your immune system running at full pelt.

Getting outside for some exercise in the limited daylight hours we currently have is also a good way to improve your mood, and reduce the effects of Seasonal Affective Disorder.

Probably the most important factor in protecting yourself though, is rigorous attention to hygiene. Colds, flu, and the dreaded Winter Vomiting Bug (norovirus) are all very contagious, and can be spread through coughs, sneezes, and sometimes even inanimate objects. Important hygiene points include:

  • washing your hands regularly and properly, particularly before preparing or eating any food
  • avoiding touching your nose or mouth
  • cleaning shared surfaces regularly to keep them free of germs.

And if you’re already sick, try to be a ‘good citizen’ and make sure you don’t pass it on to others:

  • try to stay off work until you’re well and no longer contagious
  • always sneeze and cough into tissues to help prevent infecting others
  • throw away used tissues immediately and wash your hands
  • if you suspect you have norovirus, don’t go to your doctor – they won’t be able to cure it, and you’ll only pass it on to other people. However, if it persists longer than a few days, phone them for advice.

Of course, there is no sure-fire way to stop people getting sick, but one thing that definitely helps to control outbreaks is if people don’t feel the pressure to be present at work or school when they are unwell.

It’s in nobody’s best interests to have someone suffering from a cold or flu working in a shared environment. This only leads to more people getting sick, and further loss of productivity, as well as the negative effects resulting from employees feeling obliged by their employer to work whilst ill.

Reflecting on Stress Awareness Day

Yesterday was UK Stress Awareness Day, and amidst the discussions some recent figures provide sobering reading:

5 million days are taken off work due to stress, costing employers £460m in lost wages

A third of employees feel they wouldn’t be able to speak openly to their manager about stress

Only 22% of workers felt that their manager takes active steps to help them manage stress.

How organisations deal with employees suffering from stress says a lot about the culture of their workplace. It is very concerning that nearly half of employees believe that if a person takes sick leave due to stress, their employers will think that it is just an excuse for some time off, and 42% think that stress is seen as ‘a sign of weakness’. As with many mental health problems, there is a perceived stigma, and an unwillingness to openly discuss the issue.

There is a definite need for employers to have structures in place for helping to prevent stress, and assisting employees who are having difficulties. And while having a thorough approach to Health and Wellbeing has a moral/ethical component, it is also worth considering that a happy, healthy workforce is an effective workforce. Staff members who are feeling over-worked and unable to cope can’t contribute their best to an organisation, so it’s also in an organisation’s financial interests to ensure that their workplace is one that deals positively with staff and their needs.

There are many approaches and ideas when it comes to reducing workplace stress, and these will vary depending on the business, type of industry, and organisation size.

But some key factors are: encouraging better work/life balance, providing flexible working arrangements, teaching ways of recognising symptoms of stress, pro-actively dealing with conflict, and fostering open communication between employees and managers. Essentially though, dedication to identifying causes, and treating the issue

with the seriousness it requires, are the keys to combating workplace stress – so that maybe by Stress Awareness Day 2014, fewer employees will feel that they have to hide the problems they are dealing with.

For further general information and reading on this issue, see organisations such as Mind
UK and the NHS’s Health4Work.

For assistance with Health and Wellbeing in your workplace, contact:
info@amalgamate-safety.com or telephone 0141 244 0181.

Reflecting on Stress Awareness Day

Yesterday was UK Stress Awareness Day, and amidst the discussions some recent figures provide sobering reading:

5 million days are taken off work due to stress, costing employers £460m in lost wages

A third of employees feel they wouldn’t be able to speak openly to their manager about stress

Only 22% of workers felt that their manager takes active steps to help them manage stress.

How organisations deal with employees suffering from stress says a lot about the culture of their workplace. It is very concerning that nearly half of employees believe that if a person takes sick leave due to stress, their employers will think that it is just an excuse for some time off, and 42% think that stress is seen as ‘a sign of weakness’. As with many mental health problems, there is a perceived stigma, and an unwillingness to openly discuss the issue.

There is a definite need for employers to have structures in place for helping to prevent stress, and assisting employees who are having difficulties. And while having a thorough approach to Health and Wellbeing has a moral/ethical component, it is also worth considering that a happy, healthy workforce is an effective workforce. Staff members who are feeling over-worked and unable to cope can’t contribute their best to an organisation, so it’s also in an organisation’s financial interests to ensure that their workplace is one that deals positively with staff and their needs.

There are many approaches and ideas when it comes to reducing workplace stress, and these will vary depending on the business, type of industry, and organisation size.

But some key factors are: encouraging better work/life balance, providing flexible working arrangements, teaching ways of recognising symptoms of stress, pro-actively dealing with conflict, and fostering open communication between employees and managers. Essentially though, dedication to identifying causes, and treating the issue

with the seriousness it requires, are the keys to combating workplace stress – so that maybe by Stress Awareness Day 2014, fewer employees will feel that they have to hide the problems they are dealing with.

For further general information and reading on this issue, see organisations such as Mind
UK and the NHS’s Health4Work.

For assistance with Health and Wellbeing in your workplace, contact:
info@amalgamate-safety.com or telephone 0141 244 0181.

730 Days

It’s not a long time but the past 730 days have been significant for the Amalgamate team as that’s the length of time we’ve been in business. As we quietly celebrate our second successful year we wanted to reflect on the challenges we’ve faced and overcome, the people we’ve met, and those close friends and colleagues who have offered advice along the way. To each and every one we’d like to say, ‘Thank you’.

In business there is so much to learn and we’re quite sure that the learning will never stop! We see this as a positive. Through a lot of enthusiasm and determination we’ve successfully delivered for clients from Aberdeen to Amsterdam and from Brussels to Bucharest. Our flexibility of offer and our team of professional advisors support us in our ambition of meeting and exceeding client expectations.

Every business needs H&S and this is clearly demonstrated in the diversity of our client base. From architects and engineers to hotels and tree surgeons, and everything in between, we audit and advise, we support and we train people, but perhaps most importantly, we listen. An important quality in any business!

Some of our highlights have included working with the charity Enable Scotlandto promote their ‘Safety Challenge’, providing training to an array of delegates from senior managers to high school students, and of course travelling across Europe to support our clients is always a pleasure.

Aside from the delivery aspects, other highlights have included working with North Ayrshire Council, networking across the country and meeting diverse and interesting people along the way.

We believe we are now part of a community of business people who are incredibly supportive of one another. While offering support is not unusual, we feel the strength of that support is quite overwhelming. Two years in, we hope to be able to support other businesses in a similar way as we continue to grow the Amalgamate team.

Year 3 starts here!

Changes to First Aid Regulations

“Without the requirement for HSE to approve training providers, it is particularly important that businesses pay close attention to the guidance on how to select a reputable and highly competent trainer”

On the 1st of October amendments will be applied to the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations which will mean that the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) will no longer be required to approve the training and qualifications of nominated workplace first-aiders. They are, however, providing two new guidance documents to help businesses understand what the legal requirements are, and how to ascertain their first aid needs.

Andy McGrory, HSE’s policy lead for First Aid, has stated that “From October, HSE will no longer approve first-aid training and qualifications. The guidance documents clarify what the law requires and provide practical help to businesses in assessing and understanding their first aid needs.

Where a first aider is required, the guidance documents make it clear that the employer is free to select a training provider who is best suited to those needs.

We have taken onboard comments and suggestions that we have received through our public consultations on the changes and from extended stakeholder discussions and business input to ensure the guidance provides everything an employer will need to manage their first aid requirements.”

The HSE are providing Regulations and Guidance (L74) and Selecting a first-aid training provider (GEIS3) at their website. These are intended to help employers assess their needs, understand the legal requirements, and identify and select a competent training provider as required.

The HSE website states that “The guidance on selecting a training provider outlines the options available to employers and includes a checklist for evaluating first aid training organisations, covering trainer competence, quality assurance systems and syllabus content.”

Without the requirement for HSE to approve training providers, it is particularly important that businesses pay close attention to the guidance on how to select a reputable and highly competent trainer, ensuring that the safety of their staff is not compromised.

For information regarding our First Aid training courses, and Health and Safety consultancy services, contact us at info@amalgamate-safety.com or 0141 244 0181

 

The law, sentencing and managerial attitudes

Health and Safety legislation, and in particular the Corporate Manslaughter legislation that was introduced in October 2007, has recently been the topic of much discussion in both the Health & Safety and business communities. Recently published reviews on the performance of the legislation by a range of legal experts highlight prosecution rates, and the influence that the legislation has had on companies. So this seems like a fitting time to revisit this legislation and ask what it means for companies and managers.

Essentially, the legislation aims to make it simpler to convict organisations for serious health and safety failings by management that result in a fatality. A case will take into account the attitudes, policies and accepted practices that are present in the organisation, and aim to assess how these may have contributed to the fatality. Recent changes to the sentencing guidelines mean that organisations found guilty will now usually face fines of at least £500,000. Organisations can also be convicted of other serious Health and Safety offences in the case of a fatality, which could result in a director being sentenced to up to 2 years in prison.

The focus here on managerial attitudes to Health and Safety is an important one. It reminds us that what is important is not just having the correct paperwork in place, it is having a ‘real life’ approach to Health and Safety – taking it seriously and making it a practical part of day-to-day workplace activity. Staff members need to see that their managers don’t just pay lip service to these issues – they actively engage in making their workplace a safer, better place to be. If managers have a lackadaisical attitude to corner-cutting, or an acceptance of activities that put people at risk, there is a real danger that this attitude permeates throughout the staff and leads to further unsafe practices.

So, what can you do to improve things? Fostering a better approach to Health and Safety requires the involvement of all levels of staff, and a focused look at what your company does, and how they do it. At Amalgamate we have the expertise to help you integrate Health and Safety into your working practices and reduce risk, making your workplace a better place to be. For more information contact us on 0141 244 0181, or at info@amalgamate-safety.com