January NL 2022

Jan 2022

SAFETY NEWSLETTER

vital.uk.com

Contents Jan 2022

Section Introduction Welcome Safety Matters / HSQE Team Back to basics Vital's Brilliant Basics Work Safe, Home Safe

Page 3 Page 4 Page 5

Health and Wellbeing How to cut down on alcohol consumption Fatigue management

Page 6-7 Page 8

Driving The Highway Code

Page 9-11

Environment Winter energy saving tips

Page 12

Offices

Page 13

External Alerts & Notices Network Rail | Flame cutting or welding in tunnels Network Rail | Overturned forklift truck Fusion | 4x4 falling into excavation Siemens | Operative finer injury

Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17

Welcome Group Director, Health, Safety, Quality and Environmental Compliance, Gareth Morris

With best wishes for a Healthy and Safe New Year

Hello and welcome to our first Newsletter of 2022.

Take care Gareth Morris

I sincerely hope you and your families had a peaceful and happy Festive Season.

We start the New Year with a refreshed enthusiasm for delivering works in the safest manner possible.

Please remember that no one expects you to endure unsafe working conditions. There are multiple channels where you can express concerns and be sure that any issue will be taken seriously and followed up.

New Year is a time when we reflect on what occurred in the previous year, and we set New Year’s resolutions for the year ahead to improve things. Health and Safety is no different. All last year’s accidents did not need to happen. All of them could have been avoided if circumstances were slightly different.

Working everyday out on site, you are experts of site conditions, you know what safe looks like and you can influence how the safety message addresses areas that need improving.

Why not consider becoming a Close Call Champion and gain recognition for your contribution to a safer environment.

Your local Health and Safety Advisor will be glad to assist you on that topic and demonstrate a team approach to this important issue.

Vital will be running a variety of Safety Awareness campaigns throughout the coming year. We very much welcome your ideas for topics that matter to you and what you would like to see being discussed. Please use the details on the contacts page to send in your ideas.

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Safety Matters Created specifically for our workforce; a multi platform mobile app that has been designed for users to ensure they can report a close call at any time and any place.

Features Include:

Simple - Add the information to the form provided and submit Direct - All close calls reported through the app are sent instantly to our Health and Safety mailbox Photograph - Upload supporting images Offline - No network connection required, use the app anywhere

Safety Matters The Close Call Reporting App Available to download NOW!

HSQE Team

My Idea How would you improve safety?

HSQE Director Gareth Morris, Morson International - Manchester Gareth.Morris@morson.com 07736 657 039

HSE Adviser (Scotland) and Close Call Champion Stephen McKay - Scotland and Newcastle Stephen.McKay@vital.uk.com 07717 306 733

HSE Adviser and Safety Unit (North) Jane Hepburn – Manchester, Solutions, Milton Keynes (North) Doncaster, Market Rasen and Birmingham Jane.Hepburn@vital.uk.com 07717 306 797

HSE Adviser and Safety Unit (South) Alex Wilson - Cardiff, Farnham, Milton Keynes (South) and Canning Town.

Alex.Wilson@vital.uk.com 07717 306 811

What are your ideas for innovation?

What would you change?

To be in with the chance to with £100 worth of gift vouchers, email us your ideas at: MYIDEA@VITAL.UK.COM

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Back to basics Vital’s Brilliant Basics Our Brilliant Basics is about getting the basic service deliverables right so we have a solid base on which we can safely deliver our work.

This year we wish to focus on 5 basic points to improve safety. They are; 1. Be fit for work, be ready for work.

2. Follow the rules.

3. If unsure, take five and think, if still unsure – then ask.

4. Stop and report anything or anyone unsafe.

5. Treat each day like day 1 – do not be complacent.

Work Safe, Home Safe

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How to cut down on alcohol consumption Some of us may have found ourselves drinking a lot more than usual over the festive period and during the pandemic. If you're in the routine of drinking at home, try these five simple ideas to help you cut down.

Keep track of your alcohol units The UK Chief Medical Officers' (CMO) low risk drinking guidelines recommend it’s safest for both men and women to not regularly drink more than 14 units each week. Remember to spread your units out over the week and take several drink-free days.

Home measures Take the guesswork out of pouring by getting yourself an alcohol measuring cup – even ordinary food weighing scales will do the trick. You can then be more accurate when you pour wine, beer or other alcoholic drinks, and you’ll be able to keep track of how much you’re drinking.

Go small Trends in wine glasses can make it hard to judge what’s small, medium or large. But did you know that a 250ml wine measure is actually almost a third of a bottle of wine? An easy way of cutting down is to buy small (125ml) wine glasses for the house, rather than large 250ml ones, and half pint glasses for drinking beer or lager. It’s also a myth that wine doesn’t keep overnight, you just need a good bottle stop.

Drink-free days When you allocate certain days of the week to go drink-free, you’re more likely to stick to it. Challenge yourself to come up with other activities at home instead of drinking alcohol in the evenings or at weekends, for example, having a games night, taking a long bath or trying a new cake recipe.

Get inventive with alternatives The trend for ‘NoLo’ (no alcohol or low alcohol drinks) is growing in popularity in pubs and other venues.

There are also lots of alcohol-free and lower strength alcohol alternative drinks on supermarket shelves these days. You can find alternative wines, alcohol-free spirit mixers to make cocktails and both alcoholfree and low ABV beers.

How to spot your triggers Work out when you typically drink alcohol. Try a strategy for each occasion to stay on track.

Being aware is important because your decision can be automatic. You might pour a glass at the same time each day without thinking about what you’re doing. Not only are you denying your body the drinkfree days it needs to recuperate, but when one glass leads to two or three, you could easily be going over the low risk drinking guidelines, of not regularly drinking more than 14 units a week, applicable for both men and women.

More long term, you put yourself at risk of developing alcohol-related cancer, alcohol-related liver disease, alcohol-related heart disease and mental health problems.

The way home You’ve finished work and it’s been a long, stressful day. All you want to do is relax. This might be when you’re most likely to nip into the off licence for a bottle of wine or drop some beer into the supermarket basket.

But starting to drink as soon as you arrive home from work could leave you snoring on the sofa by 9pm, cutting short your well-earned evening.

Stay on track: Think about what other things you can do to relax in the evening. Join the gym, do some yoga or take up a new hobby.

Dinner time You enjoy cooking good food and eating it. It’s how you relax at the end of a gruelling day. But your dinner time isn’t complete without a glass or two of wine to complement your food.

Stay on track: Make sure there’s a jug of water on the table. Having a glass of water alongside a glass of wine will encourage you to space out and enjoy the alcohol.

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When you’ve got the kids to bed It’s taken an hour of tantrums, tears and pleas. Now there’s finally silence from upstairs. Immediately pouring yourself a drink could stop you from making the most of these precious hours – you could be less motivated to do things.

Stay on track: Have something planned for when the kids have gone to bed and you're less likely to spend the rest of the evening with a glass in hand.

Watch a film, read your book or chat to your partner. You’ll appreciate these things better having drank less or no alcohol.

Your partner offers you a drink So you’ve resolved to not drink for the evening. But then your partner asks if you fancy opening a bottle of wine. Do you have the resolve to resist?

Finish the bottle and you’ll both have drunk a good portion of the UK Chief Medical Officers' low risk drinking guidelines. Doing this regularly could start to affect your relationship in negative ways particularly in the bedroom. Alcohol dulls sensation for men and women, and men can struggle to get an erection.

Stay on track: Spend time making and eating a nice dinner with your partner, talking and, perhaps, more as the night rolls on. If you both decide that you’d like to only have alcohol with your meal, limit it to just one or two medium glasses each.

There are many benefits to your health if you cut out alcohol completely. Here’s what you can expect, in the short- and long-term.

Short term Say goodbye to hangovers Better mental health Improved energy levels and better sleep Your skin will look better You could lose weight Long-term benefits Good health is a really important factor in how satisfied we feel with our lives and by taking the decision to stop drinking, you could reduce your risk of developing many serious alcohol-related diseases.

Alcohol is linked to seven different types of cancer including bowel cancer, breast cancer, liver cancer and mouth cancer. Giving up drinking could also have a big, positive impact on your liver and should reduce the chances of developing liver disease, as long as it hasn't already been irreversibly damaged.

Your level of risk will depend on how much alcohol you have drunk over the long-term, as well as other factors like family history and lifestyle. But, as drinking even at low levels increases the risk of these diseases, deciding to stop drinking completely is a positive choice.

Drinking alcohol also causes other long-term health problems. Stopping drinking lowers the risk of: Heart disease, stroke and high blood pressure Liver disease Sexual dysfunction Gut problems Stopping drinking could make your life feel brighter in all kinds of ways, as well as helping your long-term health. If you’re ready to stop, arming yourself with strategies and tips can help you or a loved one take small steps towards big results.

Want to change the way you drink? Get the free app from Drinkaware; track your alcohol consumption, calculate units and calories and set goals to help you moderate your drinking! Download the the MyDrinkaware App here.

Source: DrinkAware

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Fatigue management Fatigue is one of the biggest causes of accidents in the industry. It is described as a state of extreme tiredness resulting from physical or mental exhaustion; it can lead to reduced alertness, impaired decision-making and poor judgement of distance and speed.

What causes fatigue?

The main causes of fatigue are: A loss of sleep – acute, for example, having fours instead of the usual eight hours; or cumulative – having four hours instead of the usual eight over several days.

Poor quality of sleep with lots of interruptions.

Long working hours, particularly if these are as long as 14 to 16 hours.

Poorly designed shift work.

Inadequate breaks during the working day.

Recognising the signs Fatigue can cause a vast number of physical, mental and emotional symptoms including: Chronic tiredness or sleepiness Headaches Dizziness Sore or aching muscles Slowed reflexes and responses Impaired decision-making and judgment Hallucination Moodiness, such as irritability Impaired hand-to-eye coordination Appetite loss Reduced immune system function Blurry vision Short term memory problems Poor concentration Low motivation

Winter blues Winter blues, or seasonal affective disorder (SAD) affects around two million people in the UK. Symptoms include depression, overeating, sleep problems and irritability.

These tips might help you to manage your SAD Keep active - even just a quick walk in the day can help.

Get outside - get out in natural daylight and sit near windows Keep warm - staying warm can reduce the winter blues by half Eat healthily - boost your mood with food. A healthy balanced diet will give you energy See friends and family Start a new hobby - give yourself something to look forward to and focus on Reporting fatigue Fatigue is rarely reported with the main reason being fear of negative consequences. If you are concerned that you or a colleague is suffering with symptoms of fatigue, raise this with your line manager or supervisor.

For more information and tips on how to manage fatigue click below www.nhs.uk/live-well/sleep-and-tiredness/selfhelp-tips-to-fight-fatigue/

Here are six ways to fight fatigue 1. Plenty of sleep – get at least seven to eight hours of sleep 2. Cut the coffee - Avoid drinking caffeinated drinks four to five hours before bed as this can cause sleeplessness 3. Put down your mobile - Avoid using technology 30 minutes before bed.

4. Eat well to stay well - A healthy diet that promotes longer- lasting energy. Avoid junk food and drink plenty of water.

5. Take a break - Make sure you get frequent breaks throughout the day 6. Don't drive drowsy - Avoid driving if you feel tired.

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The Highway Code When was the last time you read the highway code?

None of us are perfect drivers. However, drivers who habitually display poor driving behaviour are far more likely to get caught. Below are 10 lazy, inconsiderate or downright dangerous driving habits with legal consequences you might not be aware of, including driving convictions with a hefty fine.

Motoring convictions for bad driving habits Many of the bad habits in the list below will breach some aspect of the Highway Code. If the last time you even thought about the Highway Code was on the morning of your driving test, you might think this isn’t too serious.

Unfortunately, any breach of the Highway Code could be considered a Careless Driving offence. It doesn’t need to be one of the obvious breaches either, like breaking the speed limit or drink-driving. The habit you think of as something very minor can easily be a motoring offence with legal consequences if you’re convicted.

What does careless driving mean in UK law?

Careless driving can be briefly defined as: “If a person drives a mechanically propelled vehicle on a road or other public place without due care and attention, or without reasonable consideration for other persons using the road or place, he is guilty of an offence.” Source: Legislation.co.uk You’ll be convicted if you can’t give a good explanation for why your driving fell below the required standard.

Consequences of a careless driving conviction There are nine conviction codes for careless driving in total, but the three that are most commonly applied (for offences that don’t involve a fatality) are: Depending on the seriousness of the offence, any of these convictions carry between three and nine penalty points and stay on your driving record for four years from the date of the offence. A maximum fine of up to £5,000 can also be applied to careless driving convictions.

More serious careless driving convictions The other six convictions codes, from CD40 to CD90, are applied to careless driving offences that result in a death, and the consequences are obviously more severe: Between 3 and 11 penalty points.

Codes CD40 to CD70 stay on your licence for 11 years from the date of conviction.

Codes CD80 and CD90 stay on your licence for 4 years from the date of conviction.

Potential disqualification from driving and mandatory extended re-test before you can drive again.

Potentially unlimited fine.

A possible prison sentence of up to 5 years.

What bad habits can be classed as careless driving?

Here’s our top 10 bad habits that can result in a conviction for careless driving. Some of them might surprise you.

1. Splashing pedestrians Pedestrians are road users, too, and splashing them deliberately or carelessly is definitely inconsiderate behaviour!

Drivers would normally face a £100 fixed penalty fine and three points on their licence, but the fine could increase to £5,000 if the case goes to court.

2. Flashing headlights The Highway Code states: “Only flash your headlights to let other road users know that you are there. Do not flash your headlights to convey any other message or intimidate other road users.” In reality, drivers flash their headlights for other reasons, too, but they could land you in trouble.

Flashing other drivers to warn them of speed traps ahead can be construed as obstructing a police officer in the execution of their duty Flashing a driver to get them to move aside can be considered aggressive and intimidating.

Flashing a driver waiting at a junction to allow them to proceed. You may think you’re just being helpful.

Unfortunately, if the other driver doesn’t check carefully for other road hazards, it can lead to an accident.

Flashing pedestrians at zebra crossings for the same reason.

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3. Not clearing snow from your car The Highway Code states: Before you set off: You MUST be able to see, so clear all snow and ice from all your windows You MUST ensure that lights are clean and number plates are clearly visible and legible Make sure the mirrors are clear and the windows are demisted thoroughly Remove all snow that might fall off into the path of other road users There’s obvious potential for causing an accident if you don’t take due care and attention to clear snow and ice from your car.

4. Leaving your vehicle unattended while ice melts On a cold morning, it’s tempting to let the car’s engine run for five minutes and nip back indoors while the de-mister clears the windscreen. Unfortunately, this is contrary to the Highway Code, which states: “You MUST NOT leave a parked vehicle unattended with the engine running or leave a vehicle engine running unnecessarily while that vehicle is stationary on a public road.”

5. Handling a sat nav or hand-held phone whilst driving This isn’t just a bad habit – it’s illegal. The distraction caused by inappropriate use of sat navs and mobile phones can cause an accident.

The government will be tightening this rule in 2022, making it illegal to use a hand held device under virtually any circumstance while driving. These new rules will introduce the banning of drivers using their phones to take photos or videos, scroll through playlists or playing games.

Anyone caught using their handheld device whilst driving will face a £200 fixed penalty and six points on their licence.

The Highway Code states: “It’s illegal to hold a phone or sat nav while driving or riding a motorcycle. You must have hands-free access. “You must stay in full control of your vehicle at all times. The police can stop you if they think you’re not in control because you’re distracted and you can be prosecuted.

6. Smoking, eating or drinking while driving It’s not illegal to smoke, eat or drink while you’re driving. However, if it creates a distraction that causes you to drive badly, even if it doesn’t lead to an accident, you could be charged with careless driving, or not being in control of the vehicle.

The Highway Code includes all these activities, and others, as distractions to be avoided when driving. It states: "Safe driving and riding needs concentration. Avoid distractions when driving or riding such as: Loud music (this may mask other sounds) Trying to read maps Starting or adjusting any music or radio Arguing with your passengers or other road users Eating and drinking Smoking" *It is illegal to smoke in an enclosed private vehicle if you have passengers under the age of 18.

7. Beeping your horn for the wrong reasons Drivers often beep their horn to express anger or irritation at another driver. Sometimes beeping the horn is an intimidating tactic for a driver to get their own way on the road; however, using the horn this way can be construed as aggressive and inconsiderate.

The Highway Code states: Use only while your vehicle is moving and you need to warn other road users of your presence. Never sound your horn aggressively. You MUST NOT use your horn: While stationary on the road When driving in a built-up area between the hours of 11.30 pm and 7.00 am, except when another road user poses a danger

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8. Tailgating Tailgating is a particularly dangerous habit that can make it impossible to avoid a collision in an emergency.

Offenders may simply be under-estimating their speed and safe stopping distance, but it’s often used as an intimidating tactic to move other drivers out of the way.

In addition, tailgating can cause a distraction to the driver in front, which itself could trigger an accident.

The Highway Codes states: “Leave enough space between you and the vehicle in front so that you can pull up safely if it suddenly slows down or stops. The safe rule is never to get closer than the overall stopping distance.

“Allow at least a two-second gap between you and the vehicle in front on roads carrying faster-moving traffic and in tunnels where visibility is reduced. The gap should be at least doubled on wet roads and increased still further on icy roads” 9. Failing to indicate Vehicle indicators let other road users know your intentions. Drivers that keep you guessing are at best, irritating, and in some situations, downright dangerous. There’s no specific offence for not using your indicators. However, as with many other bad habits on this list, it can lead to a charge of “driving without due care and attention or without reasonable consideration for other road users”. The Highway Codes states: Give clear signals in plenty of time, having checked it is not misleading to signal at that time Use them to advise other road users before changing course or direction, stopping or moving off Cancel them after use Make sure your signals will not confuse others 10. Hogging the middle or outside lanes This is another thoughtless driving habit that might seem annoying, but fairly insignificant on the face of it. However, there are good reasons why middle- or outside lane hogs could be in breach of the Highway Code.

Ultimately it causes more congestion on Britain’s already busy motorways, giving drivers one less lane to use to overtake slower drivers in the middle lane It can lead to accidents, as other drivers rush to overtake them in the lane to the right, or use another dangerous practice of undertaking on the left The Highway Code states: “You should always drive in the left-hand lane when the road ahead is clear. If you are overtaking a number of slower-moving vehicles, you should return to the left-hand lane as soon as you are safely past. Slow-moving or speed-restricted vehicles should always remain in the left-hand lane of the carriageway unless overtaking.”

WORK SAFE DRIVE SAFE! HOME SAFE 11

Winter energy saving tips Your heating system is the biggest energy drain in your home, accounting for almost half your total energy costs.

Winter can be especially problematic, as heating costs are a matter of survival. Fortunately, there are a few simple ways you can reduce your heating costs and save money on your utility bill while still staying toasty in the winter.

Let the sun in during the day The sun is a fantastic source of free heat. By opening your curtains and blinds during the daytime, you take advantage of the greenhouse effect and allow the sun to naturally heat your home.

Close the curtains at night Unfortunately, windows can also be a source of heat loss, as they are not as well insulated as your walls. Close your curtains and blinds when the sun goes down to prevent cold chills from cooling your home. Consider purchasing insulated curtains to maximize the energy efficiency of your windows.

Close doors and vents in unused rooms Have a guest room you don’t use? A storage room? Whatever the reason, if you have a room in your house that people rarely enter, you’re wasting valuable energy heating it in the wintertime. Close off all vents in the room and shut all doors. This will prevent you from paying to heat uninhabited space.

Stay warm with clothes and blankets It’s much more cost effective to warm your body than your house. Keep the thermostat low and compensate by wearing a nice sweater and warm socks around the house. Stay toasty at night under a thick blanket, comforter, or duvet.

Choose LED lights LED lights are the most energy-efficient lighting option currently available. They use 75% less energy than standard incandescent lights and last 25 times longer. You’ll have to spend a little more up front, but LEDs are durable and long-lasting.

After using the oven, leave the door ajar Heating your home entirely with your oven would be an impractical waste of energy. However, if you’re using it anyway, there’s no sense in letting that heat go to waste. After taking dinner out of the oven, leave the door cracked open and allow that extra heat to escape and warm your kitchen.

Lower the temperature in your home Lowering the temperature in your home by just a couple degrees can result in significant long-term savings. Turn your thermostat down to the lowest temperature you find comfortable.

Turn the thermostat down when you go to sleep You can save 10% on your energy bill just by turning your thermostat down 10 to 15 degrees for eight hours a day. Turn down your thermostat when no one is home and when everyone is asleep. You’ll stay toasty warm under your thick blankets while saving money.

Get a smart thermostat Even better, consider purchasing a smart thermostat. A smart thermostat is a Wi-Fi enabled device that automatically adjusts temperature settings in your home for peak energy efficiency. These devices learn your habits and preferences and establish a schedule that automatically adjusts to energy-saving temperatures when you are asleep or away.

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Office Locations Manchester (Head Office) T: 0161 836 7000 E: HeadOffice@vital.uk.com

Abercynon T: 01443 809 950 E: Abercynon@vital.uk.com

Bellshill T: 01698 840 950 E: BellshillRail@vital.uk.com

The Mill, South Hall Street, off Ordsall Lane, Salford, Manchester, M5 4TP

G16/17 Ty Cynon, Navigation Park, Abercynon, CF45 4SN

10 James Street, Righead Industrial Estate, Bellshill, Lanarkshire ML4 3LU

Cardiff T: 029 2083 9955 E: Cardiff@vital.uk.com

Birmingham T: 0121 809 3010 E: birminghamrail@vital.uk.com

Crewe T: 01270 906 130 E: Crewe@vital.uk.com

The Laurels, Heol Y Rhosog, Springmeadows Business Park, Rumney, Cardiff, CF3 2EW

F03 First Floor, Fairgate House, 205 Kings Road, Tyseley, Birmingham, B11 2AA

Office 2 The Dairy, Crewe Hall Farm, Old Park Road, Crewe, Cheshire, CW1 5UE

Derby T: 01332 982 470 E: Derby@vital.uk.com

Doncaster T: 01302 244450 E: Doncasterrail@vital.uk.com

Farnham T: 01252 964 020 E: Farnham@vital.uk.com

Ground Floor, Room 30 Derwent Caxtor House, RTC Business Park, Derby, DE24 8UP

First Floor Offices, Carr House, Heavens Walk, Doncaster, DN4 5HZ

Unit 10, Guildford Road Trading Estate, Farnham, Surrey, GU9 9PZ

Market Rasen T: 01302 308 080 E: MarketRasen@vital.uk.com

Newcastle T: 0191 300 0433 E: Newcastle@vital.uk.com

London T: 0203 963 5080 E: CanningTown@vital.uk.com

Unit 2, Gallamore Lane Ind. Estate, Market Rasen, LN8 3HZ

Spaceworks, Benton Park Road, Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne & Wear, NE7 7LX

Unit 10, Canning Town Business Park, Stephenson Street, London, E16 4SA

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This safety alert demonstrates the importance and need to have a safe work plan for every activity, even when off track.

Key lessons learned include: • Do not attempt an unsafe method of working • Only use equipment and people with the appropriate competence and experience for the task.

• A comprehensive task risk briefing should be followed with the operation to be controlled by a suitably experienced person.

• Exclusion zones must be rigorously enforced.

• If you are asked to participate in an obviously risky action, invoke Work Safe and advice your supervisor or the Health & Safety Department.”

If it’s not safe to do, don’t do it.

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Safety Newsletter Jan 2022

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