Tag Archives: support

Returning to work support: COVID-19

We’re starting to move towards a relaxation of the lockdown rules surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic, therefore many businesses are returning to work. At Amalgamate, we’ve been working to develop health, safety and wellbeing strategies for the reoccupation of workplaces across all different industries.

We have been working closely with our clients throughout the current outbreak to support them in managing the health, safety and wellbeing implications of COVID-19. Our team has built a recovery ready toolkit that allows our clients to fulfil their compliance needs and ensure they are protecting their employees.

These include:

Enhanced H&S Policy and arrangements;
Tailored COVID-19 secure and task specific risk assessments;
Safe operating procedures for the reoccupation of construction sites, small and medium sized offices and large multi-location organisations;
Site inductions and toolbox talks for re-opening;
Online and blended learning courses for First Aid & Fire Safety
Developing audits and re-opening checklists; and
Providing guidance and support

Our teams are also able to provide:

Updates to fire risk assessments to account for revised building operating models
Updates to First Aid risk assessments and systems
Legionella and asbestos surveys
Employee health and wellbeing programmes to ensure that you have a happy and healthy workforce

This a challenging and unique situation so if you need support in your business returning to work amidst COVID-19, please contact us on t: +44 (0)141 244 0181 or email us on info@amagamalgamate-safety.com.

Our experienced consultants will be more than happy to discuss your needs and provide practical health, safety and well-being advice to ensure that your buildings are safe to re-open and it is safe for your employees to return.

We’re also able to provide environmental cleaning services through our network of specialist suppliers, for more information on this please click here.

For guidance published from the Government on reopening businesses safely, click here.

Working from Home Support

As we continue to move towards a relaxation of the current rules surrounding COVID-19, we start to consider what the ‘new normal’ might look like. We feel that a return to our previous routines may be a long way off, and home working will remain for the foreseeable future.

As an employer, we have the same health and safety responsibilities for home workers as for any other workers. Ensuring that our employees are safe, healthy and productive can feel like a significant challenge for many businesses.

Prior to the current pandemic, our teams have been supporting clients with employees working from home or classed as teleworkers for many years and developed a toolkit to support these needs. During the outbreak we’ve been working in collaboration with our clients to enhance that toolkit, providing ergonomic and wellbeing support.

Our services include:

Self-Assessment – An online risk assessment to be completed and submitted for review;
Triage – Survey results are triaged by our DSE Assessors or Ergonomist to identify employees at risk or requiring further support;
Ergonomist Support – Ergonomists available to support employees. Local Ergo Support teams through Skype, bluejeans or zoom to provide advice and support on workstation set up, ergo risks and healthy work habits;
Online Training – Help your teams with ergo set up knowledge and provide advice and support. Delivered over Skype, bluejeans or zoom; and
Ergo Cafe Drop-in Sessions – Online drop-in cafe sessions once or twice a week for 30-60 mins. Designed for people to call in and ask questions/request advice regarding any issues they are experiencing while working from home. Delivered over Skype, bluejeans or zoom.

MindGenius have also recently published a great article on Homeworking & Homeschooling during Covid-19 which you can click here to read!

As a consultancy, we see working from home playing a significant part in our work life for the foreseeable future. As a result we are investing in new technology to manage those risks and we’re also in the process of developing an integrated risk assessment, support and training App for businesses of all sizes.

For more information on our support packages or our Home Working App, please contact us on t: +44 (0)141 244 0181 or email us on info@amagamalgamate-safety.com.

We also have a few articles with some tips for working from home:

Creating an ergonomic workspace – Click here.

Working from home during COVID-19 – Click here.

Working from home: Physical and Mental Wellbeing – Click here.

Supporting dyslexic employees

Background

At Amalgamate we believe that Health & Safety is an integrated part of every business – and people make businesses. That is why we’re focused on the individuals and them being effective at work.

Worksmart’s Managing Director, Steve Neilson, approached Amalgamate asking for support in implementing procedures to help dyslexic workers within their company.

Worksmart Contracts are a leading solutions based Interior Fit-Out & Refurbishment Contractor. They deliver Projects on Time with Value for Money, Quality with Communication and Determination throughout Scotland and the UK.

This infographic illustrates how to support dyslexic employees including common strengths and challenges and how you can provide a Dyslexia-Friendly Workplace. — This infographic from Dyslexic Advantage illustrates common strengths and challenges that are often involved with dyslexia and how you can provide a Dyslexia-Friendly Workplace.

Managing Dyslexia

Dyslexia is a common learning difficulty that can cause problems with reading, writing and spelling. It is estimated that between 5-10% of the worldwide population is seriously affected by this.

Dyslexics are present in every industry, including high risk ones such as construction. Realising that risk, Worksmart requested guidance for managing dyslexic workers in order to maximise their potential at work and ensure that safety critical information was communicated effectively.

Support

Our Consultant Roza Ketner provided Steve and his team with comprehensive guidance on managing dyslexia in construction. She has also adapted existing safety documents being used on Worksmart sites into a dyslexia friendly format.

Our ‘Managing Dyslexia’ guidance provides information about dyslexia, its challenges and practical advice on how to support dyslexic employees in the workplace. It has been written and formatted in a dyslexia friendly format. This works well for everyone in the workforce – not just the ones with additional needs.

In addition, we have also reformatted Worksmart’s site induction presentation to support dyslexic users. The presentation is now being used across the company ensuring that all safety critical arrangements are fully understood by everyone.

To Conclude

We will continue to support Worksmart by developing all of their safety toolkits into a dyslexia friendly format including method statements and risk assessments.

We believe that it is worth going the extra mile in order to ensure that everyone at work is safe and thriving – because a business can’t thrive without its employees.

For further information on supporting dyslexic employees in the workplace, click here.

We have also been helping to provide support for Polish employees, to read more about this click here.

If you require support with managing dyslexia on site or have any further questions, please do not hesitate to call us on t: +44 (0)141 244 0181 or email: info@amalgamate-safety.com

Supporting Polish employees

Background

At Amalgamate we believe in supporting all employees and that’s why we’re providing extra help for supporting Polish employees.

Our client, Steve Neilson of Worksmart Contracts Limited, approached Amalgamate asking for support for Polish workers. Worksmart employs a number of polish operatives and regularly engages with polish sub-contractors and therefore asked if we could translate their safety procedures into Polish.

Polish Workforce

Since 2004 nearly a million Polish citizens have migrated and found a new home for themselves in the UK, assimilating very well to their new lives.

Polish employees are present in every industry, and usually their English is good enough to freely communicate around the workplace. However, some industries, especially high risk ones like construction, may request additional support for their Polish employees. This is to ensure that safety critical arrangements are effectively communicated, understood and implemented correctly.

At Amalgamate we have always been welcoming towards newcomers in both our own and our client’s businesses. We are dedicated to supporting our clients and their employees.

Toolkit Development

Our Consultant Roza Ketner (also a Polish national) translated Worksmart’s safety management toolkit into Polish on their behalf. This included the company’s H&S Policy, site inductions, risk assessment, method statements and toolbox talks. These are now used across all Worksmart sites, ensuring that safety critical arrangements are fully understood by all of their workforce.

We will continue to support Worksmart with all aspects of Health and Safety. This initiative enhances their ability to manage their construction sites safely and communicate effectively with all of their workforce.

Literacy, Knowledge, and Understanding

It’s important to emphasise that levels of English literacy must be assessed for foreign candidates before employment. This is to ensure the safety of both this individual and all other people in and around the workplace.

Both Amalgamate and Worksmart are determined to continue to build a strong and safe future for ourselves, our workforce and our clients.

We’ve also been helping to provide support for dyslexic employees in the workplace, to read more click here.

If you would like to discuss how our consultants can support you and Polish employees please contact us on t: +44 (0)141 244 0181 or e: info@amalgamate-safety