April NL

Apr 2022

SAFETY NEWSLETTER

vital.uk.com

Contents Apr 2022

Section Introduction Welcome Safety Matters / HSQE Team

Page 3 Page 4

Hot topic Guardian Mates: THINK! Mobiles Campaign CIRAS reporting

Page 5 Page 6

Health and Wellbeing 5 ways to wellbeing Sleep better, fight fatigue

Page 7 Page 8-9

Driving Important change to the Highway Code

Page 10

Environment Path to Net Zero

Page 11

VHRL Notices

Page 12

Offices

Page 13

External Alerts & Notices Safety Alert NR – Lookout Operated Warning System Incident Safety Alert Colas Rail - Near Miss at Liverpool Street Station AMCO - COSS Do's and Don'ts Safety Update - Southern Shield

Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17-18

Welcome Group Director, Health, Safety, Quality and Environmental Compliance, Gareth Morris Welcome to our April newsletter.

Spring has arrived in some style and as we emerge from recent restrictions on normal living it is likely that more people will take to the roads to travel for business and pleasure.

Finally, the recent update to the Highway Code places further restrictions on the use of handheld phone in a vehicle. There is a useful article inside this edition of the newsletter that I recommend to you.

Stay safe Gareth Morris

Vital, as an operator of a large fleet of vehicles is acutely aware of the risks presented by driving for business, sometimes called operational road risk.

The periods between 02:00-06:00 and 14:00– 16:00 are when an accident is most likely to occur.

We work, in the main, during unsociable hours which statistically is the highest risk times due to tiredness or reduced attention.

It is extremely important to mitigate the impact of shift work on our body by ensuring we are sufficiently rested and prepared for the journeys to and from shift.

In addition to personal health and wellbeing, it is the driver’s role to ensure the vehicle is fit for purpose. The importance of checking your vehicle before setting off to work cannot be overstated. In addition to ensuring the safety of yourself, passengers and other road users, such checks can help you avoid personal legal liability. e.g. if you drive a vehicle with bald or defective tyres and are stopped by the police you could face a fine of £2,500 and 3 penalty points for each defective tyre.

If you have any doubt on the roadworthiness of your tyre you can visit your nearest Kwik Fit or ATS where a free tyre inspection can be had.

Report any concerns to the branch you may have regarding the vehicle’s mechanical condition as soon as you become aware of the problem.

Don’t take chances, no one will thank you for setting off in a defective vehicle that can become a lethal liability.

3

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

4

Guardian Mates: THINK! Mobiles Campaign Hands on the wheel? Hands off your phone.

THINK! has launched a new campaign to reduce handheld phone use amongst young drivers and coincide with a strengthening of the law around mobile phone use behind the wheel.

From 25 March 2022, it will be illegal to use a handheld mobile phone behind the wheel for virtually any use, including to take photos or videos, scroll through playlists or play games.

If you use a handheld phone behind the wheel, you can get a fine of up to £1,000, 6 points on your licence, and a driving ban.

The new campaign ‘Guardian Mates’ includes a series of short films and a radio ad which use the power of influence and respect between mates to help drivers tackle the temptation to pick up their phone. The campaign aims to get drivers to confront their behaviour by making mates present in the issue, unexpectedly appearing in the backseat of the car to intervene and stop them picking up the phone while driving.

These films will run across Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter and Pinterest, as well as online video and paid video on demand.

THINK! has a core audience of 17 to 24-year-old male drivers, who are four times more likely to be killed or seriously injured than male drivers aged 25 or over. However, this campaign also includes female drivers of the same age as research shows that both young male and female drivers have similar attitudes and behaviours towards mobile phone use. They also have less awareness of the law and penalties than older age groups.

The strengthening of the law applies to the use of handheld mobile phones. There is an exemption that allows contactless payments such as those at a drive-thru so long as the vehicle is stationary. A device can also be used handsfree while driving if secured in a cradle, allowing sat nav use. Drivers must however always take responsibility for their driving and can still be charged with an offence if the police find them not to be in proper control of their vehicle.

Follow @THINKgovuk on Twitter to discover more content from the campaign throughout March and April. Click here to view the campaign video Guardian Mates: Group chat Vimeo

5

CIRAS reporting CIRAS - a confidential reporting service

CIRAS is an organisation offering a confidential reporting service where safety concerns can be raised. Vital support this important service through membership and active participation.

CIRAS partners with the GB mainline railway industry and has seen significant improvement in safety performance over the past two decades. Their confidential reporting service cuts across organisational boundaries and continues to be an integral part of Rail’s safety management system.

CIRAS will take calls on a wide range of concerns affecting the health, wellbeing and safety of staff, passengers or the public. From rules non-compliance and equipment issues through to fatigue, security and working conditions – these are all early indicators of potential harm. The concerns raised through the hotline often have common themes, allowing the industry to benefit from shared learning and good practice.

Why speaking up matters If you see something that looks unsafe, or think the way you or others are working is unsafe or damaging to health or wellbeing, you have two choices: do something, or do nothing.

Doing nothing is as much a choice as doing something - and we are all responsible for the choices we make.

By speaking up, you are making sure that companies are aware of any issues and have all the information they need to address a concern. You might be the only person who can see that there is a problem, so it’s important not to assume that others know about it or have spoken up.

And when you don’t want to raise your concerns through other channels, CIRAS can pass them on confidentially.

What do people report?

Exposure to fumes and poor air quality. Performing tasks without the right competence. Social distancing measures not followed. Training not suitable for the role. Regular trespass. Worn-out equipment. These are just a few examples of things people have raised with CIRAS. See their Frontline Magazine for more examples.

If you have a rail safety concern that you feel unable to raise with your own employer, call CIRAS now on: Report hotline: 0800 4 101 101 Report textline: 07507 285 887 CIRAS’s quarterly magazine, Frontline Matters, is available to download for free - click here.

6

Five ways to wellbeing Evidence suggests there are five steps we can all take to improve our mental wellbeing. If you give them a try, you may feel happier, more positive and able to get the most from life.

Below are five things that, according to research, can really help to boost our mental wellbeing.

Connect There is strong evidence that indicates that feeling close to, and valued by, other people is a fundamental human need and one that contributes to functioning well in the world. It’s clear that social relationships are critical for promoting wellbeing and for acting as a buffer against mental ill health for people of all ages.

With this in mind, try to do something different today and make a connection.

Talk to someone instead of sending an email Speak to someone new Ask how someone’s weekend was and really listen when they tell you Put five minutes aside to find out how someone really is Give a colleague a lift to work or share the journey home with them Be active Regular physical activity is associated with lower rates of depression and anxiety across all age groups.

Exercise is essential for slowing age-related cognitive decline and for promoting well-being. But it doesn’t need to be particularly intense for you to feel good slower-paced activities, such as walking, can have the benefit of encouraging social interactions as well providing some level of exercise. Here are a few ideas: Take the stairs not the lift Go for a walk at lunchtime Walk into work - perhaps with a colleague – so you can ‘connect’ as well Get off the bus one stop earlier than usual and walk the final part of your journey to work Organise a work sporting activity Do some ‘easy exercise’, like stretching, before you leave for work in the morning Take notice Reminding yourself to ‘take notice’ can strengthen and broaden awareness. Studies have shown that being aware of what is taking place in the present directly enhances your well-being and savouring ‘the moment’ can help to reaffirm your life priorities.

Heightened awareness also enhances your selfunderstanding and allows you to make positive choices based on your own values and motivations

Take some time to enjoy the moment and the environment around you. Here are a few ideas: Get a plant for your workspace Have a ‘clear the clutter’ day Take notice of how your colleagues are feeling or acting Take a different route on your journey to or from work Visit a new place for lunch Learn Continued learning through life enhances selfesteem and encourages social interaction and a more active life. Anecdotal evidence suggests that the opportunity to engage in work or educational activities particularly helps to lift older people out of depression. The practice of setting goals, which is related to adult learning in particular, has been strongly associated with higher levels of wellbeing.

Why not learn something new today? Here are a few more ideas: Find out something about your colleagues Sign up for a class Read the news or a book Do a crossword or Sudoku Research something you’ve always wondered about Give Participation in social and community life has attracted a lot of attention in the field of wellbeing research.

Individuals who report a greater interest in helping others are more likely to rate themselves as happy.

Research into actions for promoting happiness has shown that committing an act of kindness once a week over a six-week period is associated with an increase in wellbeing.

Source: Mind

7

Sleep better, fight fatigue

Many effects of a lack of sleep, such as feeling grumpy and not working at your best, are well known. But did you know that sleep deprivation can also have profound consequences on your physical health?

1 in 3 of us suffers from poor sleep, with stress, computers and taking work home often blamed.

However, the cost of all those sleepless nights is more than just bad moods and a lack of focus.

Regular poor sleep puts you at risk of serious medical conditions, including obesity, coronary heart disease and diabetes – and it shortens your life expectancy.

It's now clear that a solid night's sleep is essential for a long and healthy life.

What happens if I don't sleep?

Everyone's experienced the fatigue, short temper and lack of focus that often follow a poor night's sleep.

An occasional night without sleep makes you feel tired and irritable the next day, but it won't harm your health.

After several sleepless nights, the mental effects become more serious. Your brain will fog, making it difficult to concentrate and make decisions. You'll start to feel down, and may fall asleep during the day. Your risk of injury and accidents at home, work and on the road also increases.

Top tips for a good night's sleep As a rule, Britons get an hour less sleep than they should. Try sleeping for an extra hour and start noticing the difference.

Try to go to bed and rise at the same time, even at weekends or on rest days.

This can prevent that tiredness 'hangover' you get starting work early on your first day back.

If you drink caffeinated drinks in the afternoon or evening, try cutting back. The caffeine in your coffee has a half-life of six hours. In other words, if you have a coffee at 5pm half of the caffeine is still in your body at 11pm.

Avoid alcoholic drinks just before bedtime. It may seem like a good idea to help you relax, but the research shows it actually disturbs your sleep.

Turn you bedroom into a sanctuary. Use black out blinds or thick curtains. Ensure it's cool enough for you to sleep soundly.

Limit any noise intrusions. Try to leave any gadgets or screens outside your bedroom, or at least switch them off an hour before bed.

If it continues, lack of sleep can affect your overall health and make you prone to serious medical conditions, such as obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure (hypertension) and diabetes.

Take the sleep quiz to see if there's any room for improvement. Circle the score for the answer that most applies to you

8

Source: Frontline Matters Magazine

9

Important change to the Highway Code From 25 March 2022, using a handheld mobile phone behind the wheel for virtually any use, became illegal. Penalties: fine of up to £1,000, 6 points on licence and a driving ban.

Using a phone, sat nav or other device when driving It is illegal to hold and use a phone, sat nav, tablet, or any device that can send or receive data, while driving or riding a motorcycle.

This means you must not use a device in your hand for any reason, whether online or offline.

For example, you must not text, make calls, take photos or videos, or browse the web.

The law still applies to you if you’re: stopped at traffic lights queuing in traffic supervising a learner driver driving a car that turns off the engine when you stop moving holding and using a device that’s offline or inflight mode Exceptions You can use a device held in your hand if: you need to call 999 or 112 in an emergency and it’s unsafe or impractical to stop you’re safely parked you’re making a contactless payment in a vehicle that is not moving, for example at a drive-through restaurant you’re using the device to park your vehicle remotely

Using devices hands-free You can use devices with hands-free access, as long as you do not hold them at any time during usage.

Hands-free access means using, for example: a Bluetooth headset voice command a dashboard holder or mat a windscreen mount a built-in sat nav The device must not block your view of the road and traffic ahead.

Staying in full control of your vehicle 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.

Penalties You can get 6 penalty points and a £200 fine if you hold and use a phone, sat nav, tablet, or any device that can send and receive data while driving or riding a motorcycle.

You’ll also lose your licence if you passed your driving test in the last 2 years.

You can get 3 penalty points if you do not have a full view of the road and traffic ahead or proper control of the vehicle.

You can also be taken to court where you can: be banned from driving or riding get a maximum fine of £1,000 (£2,500 if you’re driving a lorry or bus)

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: "I will do everything in my power to keep road-users safe, which is why I am taking a zero-tolerance approach to those who decide to risk lives by using their phone behind the wheel. I’m ensuring anyone who chooses to break this vital law can face punishment for doing so and we’ll continue our efforts to ensure our roads remain among the safest in the world."

Source: Highway Code

10

Path to Net Zero Carbon Decomposing plants and other organisms, buried beneath layers of sediment and rock, have taken millennia to become the carbon-rich deposits we now call fossil fuels. These non-renewable fuels, which include coal, oil, and natural gas, supply about 80 percent of the world’s energy. They provide electricity, heat, and transportation, while also feeding the processes that make a huge range of products, from steel to plastics. When fossil fuels are burned, they release carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, which in turn trap heat in our atmosphere, making them the primary contributors to global warming and climate change.

Our fleet is an essential tool for us to practice our trade providing support to Rail infrastructure maintenance across the UK. Although we burn fuel, we care about the impact it has on the environment which is why Vital are proud members of Shell’s Drive Carbon Neutral programme which allows us the opportunity to lower our carbon footprint and drive carbon neutral.

Vital have offset 15,693,000 miles through the Carbon neutral scheme retiring 6,075 tons of CO2 emissions.

The carbon credits are verified by an independent third party and help balance the impact of operations Ways to stop climate change: Invest in renewable energy. Changing our main energy sources to clean and renewable energy is the best way to stop using fossil fuels. These include technologies like solar, wind, wave, tidal and geothermal power.

Help us keep our homes cosy. Homes shouldn’t be draughty and cold – it’s a waste of money, and miserable in the winter. The government can help households heat our homes in a green way – such as by insulating walls and roofs and switching away from oil or gas boilers to heat pumps.

One of the best ways for individuals to help stop climate change is by reducing their meat and dairy consumption, or by going fully vegan.

Restore nature to absorb more carbon. The natural world is very good at cleaning up our emissions, but we need to look after it. Planting trees in the right places or giving land back to nature through ‘rewilding’ schemes is a good place to start.

Protect forests like the Amazon. Forests are crucial in the fight against climate change, and protecting them is an important climate solution. Cutting down forests on an industrial scale destroys giant trees which could be sucking up huge amounts of carbon.

Protect the oceans. Oceans also absorb large amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, which helps to keep our climate stable. But many are overfished, used for oil and gas drilling or threatened by deep sea mining.

Protecting oceans and the life in them is ultimately a way to protect ourselves from climate change.

Reduce how much we consume. Our transport, fashion, food and other lifestyle choices all have different impacts on the climate. This is often by design – fashion and technology companies, for example, will release far more products than are realistically needed. But while reducing consumption of these products might be hard, it’s most certainly worth it.

Reduce plastic. Plastic is made from oil, and the process of extracting, refining and turning oil into plastic (or even polyester, for clothing) is surprisingly carbon-intense. It doesn’t break down quickly in nature so a lot of plastic is burned, which contributes to emissions. Demand for plastic is rising so quickly that creating and disposing of plastics will account for 17% of the global carbon budget by 2050 (this is the emissions count we need to stay within according to the Paris agreement).

11

VHRL Notices Requirements for signing in on site

Effective immediately, all Operatives must be compliant when attempting to sign into every work site.

You must have: Full Orange PPE, including boots, safety glasses, hard hat, and gloves PTS Card/Sentinel Induction card (if required) Without all the above, Site Access Control will refuse entry to site. You will be logged as a no show and no payment will be offered for the shift.

Tower Scaffold on Vital supervised work sites

If you are allocated duty as ES or COSS with a Tower Scaffold booked for your worksite, it is essential that you check that the Scaffold Operative has a current, appropriate competence to construct the tower.

After swiping the Operative’s Sentinel card, also check for an in-date PASMA card. If the Operative cannot provide relevant evidence competence, they should not be permitted to construct the tower.

The ES and/or COSS should verify that the Scaffold Operative has confirmed the tower is safe to use by attaching a Scaff Tag before anyone climbs the construction.

Green is go, Red is Stop.

The colours of the tag are less of an issue than the need to have a completed record for each tower.

The Scaffold Operative is responsible for completing the tower as per manufacturers guidance.

Scaff tag(s) should be returned with the Operative’s time sheet to their host branch, as they should be retained for at least 3 months.

Sharing our success

Vital Birmingham branch completed a successful night during March at Parkfield Road Viaduct for the Barnacle Core works. Vital delivered our Safety Unit to the site to brief all operatives regarding the importance of reporting incidents, accidents and near misses to prevent any further hazards. We highlighted cases from previous incidents to show how they could have been prevented. We also briefed everyone on how to use the Balfour Beatty Close Call app which is a great tool to identify and eliminate future incidents or accidents.

It was an opportunity for operatives to feed back to us and the client, Central Rail Systems Alliance, any concerns they may have and also to suggest what they would like to see to help make a safer environment.

Thank you to all involved and the operatives on site for engaging.

12

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

13

14

15

16

17

18

Safety Newsletter Apr 2022

vital.uk.com