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UK News - Breaking news in the field of health and safety
Fish farming industry conference
This week's HSE conference in Inverness for the fish farming industry appears to have succeeded in facilitating a useful exchange of the views currently held by regulators and representatives of the industry and those who earn livings from the activity.
The Director of HSE in Scotland emphasised its wish to form partnerships with industry and industry associations, and also the greater priority being given to health issues, such as muscolo-skeletal problems. The issues surrounding personal protective equipment were well aired, notably in the development of a combination buoyancy aid/ lifejacket and associated firing mechanism design.
Other specific issues addressed were:
manual handling problems and some possible solutions;
the difficulties of sourcing mechanical aids suitable for the harsh marine environment and persuading a ' macho' workforce to implement safe handling methods;
legal requirements for cages - for workplace access safety, HSE reiterated its view that walking/working on the buoyancy rings of circular cages was not safe and therefore not acceptable; a video showing circular cages, some with full walkways and some with several short platforms, was shown and the industry was informed that all circular cages must have walkways fitted; HSE advised that new cages should not be purchased without such walkways and that companies needed to draw up an itinerary of cages currently in use and plan an appropriate upgrading programme over a realistic timescale;
cost v benefits to the industry of cage modification;
the requirement to ensure safe lifting operations, including the need to plan lifts and have appropriate and well-maintained equipment and trained operators;
the Safe and Healthy Working initiative which will provide advice and, if requested, a site inspection and report on health and safety in the workplace;
accessing funding for a roving safety representative;
transport safety, including the safe site, safe vehicle, safe driver campaign.
Comment
"The closing debate on the event delivered a frank exchange of views from all parties about previous advice and actions. This should not however cloud the fact that the conference was a success. The industry attended in good numbers and a wide range of topics was covered. That attention focused on the more controversial is inevitable and differences of opinion predictable. The way forward is to continue dialogue.
The tone and content of some of the press coverage about the event did not reflect the mood that HSE intended. Continual reference to past events is not beneficial to any party and HSE earnestly wishes to move forward and not look back." - HSE Director for Scotland.
