Complete Guide to Bollards
Bollards can be an essential part of the safety of your site, although they are often an afterthought when the workplace is being planned. Choosing the right type of bollard, and the right place to install it, can keep your building safe from accidental or deliberate impacts, help to keep pedestrians safe while on site, and even provide a form of traffic control. Read on for our comprehensive guide to bollards... What is a bollard? Bollard [bol-erd], noun: one of a series of short posts for excluding or diverting motor vehicles from a road, lawn, or the like.[1] In the classical sense, a bollard is what you tie your boat up to on the dock. The modern definition, though, refers...
Buying a Petrol Generator - What you need to know
Buying a petrol generator doesn’t need to be as complicated as you might think, but there some important factors to consider. Use our simple buyer’s guide to make sure you get the right generator for you, your site and your needs. What are your power requirements? To address this question, you actually need to think about two different things – how much power your equipment needs but also what type of equipment are you using. A good place to start is by looking around your site and deciding on a realistic combination of critical equipment, finding the power usage of each and adding them together. Make sure to add in a decent (circa 1000W) buffer, both to account for additional and new...
Which Shelving Type is Best For You?
No matter what industry your business is in, you will need to invest in good quality metal shelving at some point. Whether your business is a one-man band or a large, multi-site enterprise, shelving helps you keep your space tidy and organised. Follow our guide to find out which type of shelving is best for your business. Why is choosing the right shelving important? Although it may seem as though all shelving types are the same, they can differ greatly. This means that each type of shelving is best suited for a specific application to help your every day tasks run more smoothly. Installing the wrong shelving type for your business runs the risk of valuable resources and money being...
A Guide to Euro Containers
What are Euro Containers? A euro container is essentially a sturdy plastic container with standardised base dimensions. This allows them to be easily used alongside a variety of complementary equipment like dollies, trolleys and pallets, for example. The standard model is designed to be stackable, so users can get the most out of their space. There are also nestable containers with tapered sides, perfect for use in deliveries or logistics as well as to reduce their footprint when stored. You can find euro containers anywhere that has storage and handling requirements: in warehouses, manufacturing sites, production lines and professional catering environments, for example. What size are Euro Containers? The standard euro container footprint is 600mm long x 400mm wide. Other...
3 Benefits of Swimming Pool Matting
3 Benefits of Swimming Pool Matting Whether it’s a summer dip in the pool or taking the kids to their weekly swimming lesson at the leisure centre, safety is essential. Water can easily get splashed out of swimming pools, making floors cold, slippery, and wet. This creates a hazard to anyone walking in the area. Slippery floors can lead to severe injuries, which puts gym and leisure centre owners at high risk of costly compensation claims when accidents happen. That is why the floor must be fitted with suitable and high-quality non-slip swimming pool matting. Keep reading our quick guide to learn more about how swimming pool mats and flooring can benefit you. 1) Improve Safety One of the primary purposes of swimming pool matting is to...
Wet Floor Signs – Everything You Need to Know
Signs and hazard warnings have become part of everyday, ordinary life. This is partly due to the growing importance of cleaning and disinfecting being undertaken in recent times. Of course, cleaner workspaces are always a benefit, but they come with some risks, including slips and trips. One of the most common floor cleaning methods is mopping. Although this disinfects the ground and removes any dirt and bacteria, it also creates a temporary slip hazard for anyone walking along the wet floor. That's where wet floor signs come in. Why is it important to use wet floor signs? Wet floor signs alert and remind people of the presence of a slippery substance on the walking surface. This could be due to cleaning or many other reasons, including accidental...
A Guide to Cigarette Bins
Having a designated outdoor smoking area for employees or visitors who smoke, use e-cigarettes, or vape is considerate, but what is the best solution to avoid having the space constantly littered with cigarette butts? Installing cigarette bins can help you to solve this problem – so smokers can de-stress while your business maintains a clean and hygienic look. Keep reading our comprehensive guide to learn more about choosing the correct cigarette bin for your workplace. Where should I set up the designated smoking area? Most places that install a smoking area – including bars, clubs, warehouses and restaurants – do so away from the main entrance. This is to prevent any second-hand smoke from being inhaled by anyone passing by. Setting up the area at...
The Differences Between Cork and Felt Notice Boards
When walking into an office, there are a few pieces of furniture and equipment that you expect to see. Desks, chairs, papers and documents and, of course, a noticeboard. Notice boards are the first point of call for new announcements and to-do lists and come in many shapes, sizes and materials. If you are looking for a notice board to add to your office space, follow our guide to find out which type is the best for you. Cork notice boards A more traditional option, cork is what many people expect a notice board to be made from. The classic image of a cork notice board with colourful pins creates an aesthetically pleasing design, adding a stylish look to any...
The Different Types of UK Safety Signs
Safety signs provide a fast and easy way of communication for all. They help your business comply with Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996 by delivering clear and legible instructions. The signs also decrease the risk of workplace accidents as they create a safer working environment. They are a common sight in hazardous workplaces such as factories and construction sites, but even safer workplaces must ensure that they use the correct signage to keep their staff and visitors safe. There are thousands of different signs available, but understanding which ones your business needs becomes much easier when you break them down into the four main safety sign categories. Prohibition Signs These are a critical type of sign as they prohibit behaviour that...
Spill Control: The Complete Guide
Spill control is, or should be, a strong focus of any industrial site’s health, safety, and environmental policies. Whether you’re new to the world of spill control or need updating on current best practices and available products, we’ve written this guide to provide you with everything you need to know. Index What is spill control? What Spill control regulations are in place? Spill prevention How to conduct a spill management risk assessment Drip trays: how and where should you use them? Spill pallets: what are they, and when should you use one? Cleaning oil spills What to do if you spill petrol or diesel How do spill kits work? What is spill control? Spill control is centred around reducing the likelihood...
Hazardous Storage Guide
Wherever chemicals are stored, there is a risk of fire, chemical reactions, and pressure build-up. For this reason, it is imperative to store chemicals and other hazardous liquids with great care and attention and adhere to Health and Safety Executive (HSE) guidelines and best practice principles. Our Hazardous Storage Guide provides essential guidance around Storage Cabinets, spill control management and general health and safety best practices. Index: Why is safe storage important? What are the main storage regulations? What is a risk assessment, and how to complete one? How to store flammable liquids safely How to store hazardous chemicals safely How to store oils safely What is COSHH? What makes storage COSHH compliant? How to deal with a chemical or oil spill...
10 Most Dangerous Places to Work in the UK
We’ve analysed the latest data provided by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to uncover some of the UK’s most dangerous regions to work in. Our report is based on workplace injuries over 12 months during 2019/20, with data obtained from HSE under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences (RIDDOR) regulations. We have chosen to look only at non-fatal injuries as, fortunately, fatal injuries at work are relatively rare these days, with 111 deaths over the course of 2019/20 compared with 65,427 non-fatal injuries. Reported non-fatal injury rates have generally been falling over the past few years – from a peak of 3,980 non-fatal injuries per 100,000 workers in 2000/01 to 2,160 last year – but injuries still affected an...
Quick ways to improve your Staff Car Park
There is no doubt that having a staff car park at business premises is a great benefit. It provides a secure place for your employees to park their cars during business hours and can help to ensure everyone is on time, as they don’t have to search for a parking space every day. But if you find that sometimes the car park gets too busy, or you need a way to improve the flow of traffic while making your car park safer, then keep reading our handy guide to solutions that will help. Speed Bumps Used to calm down the flow of traffic and decrease the average speed at which cars pass through, speed bumps can reduce accidents and near-misses. Where can...
How to Stop Rugs Moving on Carpet
Laying down a nice rug or two is a great way to add style and sophistication to your home. The great news is there are many choices nowadays, whether you want a classy rug to dress up the fireplace, add a touch of class to the hallway, or bring your bedroom to life. The major problem with rugs is that they tend to move, especially on carpeted floors. Whether you invest in a heavy rug or a light runner, you may quickly find them moving around on your carpet floor, especially if you have a busy household with plenty of footfall. Moving rugs can also be a little frustrating when vacuuming if they’re not appropriately secured to the floor underneath. Curling ends are also a...
6 Tips for using a Standing Desk Correctly
As people are becoming more aware of their fitness levels and ways in which they can stay healthy, standing desks have increased in popularity because those who have previously had to sit behind a desk all day can now choose to stand instead, which feels like a more active option. There has been plenty of scientific research on the advantages and disadvantages of standing desks and whether using one has more health benefits than sitting down. Hence, people know exactly what to expect if they decide to make the switch. Advantages of Standing Desks Several health risks are associated with prolonged sitting periods, such as an increased risk of diabetes, heart disease, and even early death in extreme cases. In addition,...
A guide to Workbench Worktop Materials
When walking into any workshop, one of the first things you expect to see is a workbench. Whether it's electronics or engineering, workbenches are very important pieces of equipment that allow people to go about their daily tasks. If you are on the hunt for a workbench, but you aren’t sure which worktop would be best suited for your job, then keep reading our handy guide to find out. Why is the worktop surface type important? Each job that is undertaken carries a certain amount of risk with it, and choosing the right workbench worktop for that job can help to reduce this risk. For example, electrical work should be carried out on an anti-static workbench surface to prevent static electricity...
Choosing the best Industrial Workbench
A workbench is the cornerstone of your workshop, whatever field you work in. Finding the best workbench for your requirements can boost your productivity and improve your comfort. There are a lot of factors to consider, though, to ensure you get the perfect bench for your needs. Here’s our guide to some of the areas that you should consider. Workbench Size The size of the bench you get will depend on a couple of different things. Firstly, how much space have you got? You can’t get a huge workbench in a small room or if there are doors, fixed cupboards or essential equipment or machinery that you need to work around. Secondly — what kind of work are you doing? Small, delicate...
Fire Extinguishers: The Complete Guide
Fire extinguishers are a critically important piece of Fire Safety Equipment and are a common sight in all workplaces, schools and public buildings. They can mean the difference between a small fire being put out straight away or the fire service being called. That is why it is important to know about the different types of fire extinguishers and their uses. Index: What are the different types of Fire Extinguishers? How long do Fire Extinguishers last? When should a Fire Extinguisher be replaced? How should Fire Extinguishers be Stored? What are ABC Fire Extinguishers What are Fire Blankets? What type of Fire Extinguishers should I use for Lithium Battery fires? What Signage is used with Fire Extinguishers? What are...
What is the difference between TIG, MIG, arc and oxyacetylene welders?
There are four main types of welding: MIG, TIG, arc and Oxyacetylene. Each differs in ease of use, accuracy, cost and finish, so it’s essential to ensure that you are proficient in the proper technique for the kind of work that you do. If you're looking for new welding Tools and Supplies, our handy guide is here to give you a quick overview of each type, with their relative positive and negative aspects compared. MIG Welding Also known as gas metal arc welding (or GMAW), MIG welding uses a handheld gun to arc an electrode to the metals you are trying to weld, melting and forming a bond between the materials. To protect the weld from oxygen contamination, you can either use a solid...
What Are Anti-Fatigue Mats?
Anti-fatigue mats are ergonomic floor mats that minimise fatigue from prolonged standing on hard surfaces. Made typically from rubber or specialised foam, these mats provide a softer surface to stand on, offering cushioning and support to ease stress on the feet and legs. Anti-fatigue mats are often used in places where prolonged standing is inevitable, such as industrial sites, retail counters, kitchens, and offices with standing desks. This guide will detail what anti-fatigue mats are and the key factors to consider before choosing one. What Are Anti-Fatigue Mats? Anti-fatigue mats are specialised floor mats designed to alleviate physical stress and boost blood circulation, thereby reducing fatigue. These mats play a crucial role in environments where standing for extended periods is a...