Hot topics

Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) – Action Required to meet 31^st December 2025 Deadline

You can find more information by visiting the Guidance published by the Environment Agency and last updated in December 2022 – PCBs registration, disposal, labelling

The pdf, which can be downloaded by clicking on the title at the start of this Hot Topic, is an example of one company's briefing on its approach to the review and disposal of equipment containing Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs).

It provides background information on PCBs, identifies the type of electrical equipment where they are likely to be present and outlines an action plan and internal process to meet the deadline of 31st December 2025 for their disposal.

'Safe Stop'

Six separate ‘runaway incidents’ in 2024 highlight the importance of drivers ensuring that they follow “Safe Stop” procedures to prevent fatalities, serious injury and damage to property.

Tragically, one of these incidents did result in a fatality, any of the other incidents had the potential to have a similar outcome.

MPA urges members to ensure 'Safe Stop' procedures are in place for all employee and contract drivers, appropriate checks and training is in place.  See pdf for more information

The Sleep Charity is focusing on workplace sleep with its #SleepforSafety campaign and relaunch of its Sleep Charter.

A report highlights following key statistics;  

• 9 in 10 cite that they currently have problems sleeping

• Sleep deprivation costs the economy £40bn a year and over 200,000 working days lost

• Almost 60% have experienced their attention span being negatively affected by a bad night’s sleep more than once

• One in six crashes resulting in death and injury on motorways and A roads are fatigue related

• The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) reports that fatigue contributes to around 20% of accidents in the workplace

The charity has produced a resource pack for organisations wishing to raise awareness of the importance of sleep, this includes a range of free resources and outlines initiatives that can be taken by organisations to promote good sleep. DOWNLOAD SUPPORT PACK

The charities vision to raise the profile of sleep as a major factor for health and wellbeing and to ensure that sleep becomes a key issue on the Public Health Agenda. If you’re a business or organisation please consider pledging your support to the Charter for Sleep Equality

Please support World Drowning Prevention Day by sharing some life saving water safety messages with colleagues, friends and family. It is important that everyone understands what to do if they see someone in trouble in water or if you find yourself in trouble.

More accidental drownings occur at inland waters such as canals, rivers, lakes, reservoirs and other water filled voids like disused quarries than at the coast. Often people who drown never intended to be in the water but have fallen in whilst engaged in activities close to the waters edge.

Key drowning statistics across the UK and communities:

• Males continue to over represent, with 83% of accidental fatalities.
• Everyday activities, such as walking and running, accounted for 48% of accidental fatalities.
• 63% of accidental fatalities happened at inland waters.
• Recreational activities accounted for 44% of accidental fatalities.

If you see someone in trouble in water 'Call, Tell, Throw'

• The water is a lovely place to spend time, but we all need to know how to stay safe. Know what to do in an emergency - #CallTellThrow https://respectthewater.com/

If you are in trouble in water ' Float to Live'

• #FLOATTOLIVE: Research by @RNLI highlighted that 36% of people did not know what to do if they were in trouble in water. Please help raise awareness of this life saving technique 'Float to Live' by sharing it with others. Visit https://rnli.org/safety/float Video: @RNLI

Based upon feedback shared by several MPA members, including information about a very serious accident overseas which sadly resulted in a fatality, MPA would like to draw to the attention of members to a potential issue with elevated walkways and platforms. (See more details in Safequarry Incident Alert)

Anecdotally, MPA has been informed of other similar incidents that have had serious potential and have resulted in relatively minor injuries, but could easily have resulted in a serious injury or death. (Corrosion can also affect structural integrity and corrosion can be hidden by spillage, for example).

As a matter of urgency, MPA members are advised to routinely inspect and report on the condition of elevated walkways and platforms to ensure that these potentially unsafe conditions do not exist within their own operations. MPA members are also encouraged to notify MPA of any adverse findings that may help others and keep this as a live issue and prevent further incidents.

We are grateful to members who have drawn these issues to our attention in the spirit of Safer By Sharing. Incident alerts and High Potential Incidents can be notified to MPA

By E mail to;

• Colin.mew@mineralproducts.org
• Chris.leese@mineralproducts.org 
• David.yelland@mineralproducts.org

Or directly via Safequarry https://www.safequarry.com/home/incident-alerts.aspx

We are all Safer By Sharing

Burlington Stone have produced a training video for their operatives on the safe use of black powder in quarries. The video was produced following a consultation with HSE on their training.  

The 17 minute video shows the different factors considered whilst drilling holes in the slate blocks and how the blasts are prepared.

View video

Watch this video to find out why you should ENTER NOW and please share it with others in your company.

Find out how those who entered last year have benefited here.

The simple to complete entry forms and briefing notes can be downloaded from the Safequarry website. The deadline for all entries is 30^th April 2024, with the exception of entries for the John Crabbe Trophy and Sir Frank Davies Award (which are open to MPA members only), which is 9^th September 2024.

As we approach the Easter break and school holidays, MPA is requesting members to be extra vigilant and for quarry operators to review their public safety risk assessments and any site-specific, mitigation measures such as fencing and warning signs.

With the unusually wet weather experienced across the UK, water levels are higher than normal, currents stronger in waterways, most inland water bodies are still very cold, paths and banks are muddy and unstable, making slips and falls by pedestrians more likely. These conditions increase the potential for members of the public entering quarries to put themselves at risk of falling over faces or into water.

Click on title for more information and links to resources

Thursday 11^th April 2024, Nottinghamshire

Book Now and Gain 8 Hours CPD

Returning for the first time since October 2019, the MPA Midland Region Health & Safety Awareness Day is taking place on Thursday 11^th April at the Tarmac National Skills & Safety Park in Nottinghamshire. The day is designed to promote best practice and encourage the whole workforce to be the eyes and ears of fellow workers.

The booking form can be found here. For all enquiries, please contact Jane Blake at events@mineralproducts.org.

Topics covered on the day will include:

Mental Health, Working in Confined Spaces, Conflict Management, LOTOTO and Isolation, Working at Height and Emergency First Aid, with an emphasis on the use of defibrillators and CPR.

Event presenters and supporters include Reece Safety, MSA Safety, Dawn Collins Training, Westlake Management and Pulse EMT, along with Tarmac, Latus Health Group/IDC, MPQC and the Institute of Quarrying.

Members, non-members, contractors, hauliers and all other interested parties are more than welcome to attend.

A recent incident alert, that involved the rollover of a readymix truck, highlighted a number of common causes / driver errors associated with rollovers. One of them was

•  Not carrying out a MYSAFE assessment, taking the time to scan the jobsite prior to positioning for discharge.

Following publication of the incident alert, more information has been requested about the MYSPACE system developed by CEMEX , it is a checklist for drivers prior to delivery.

A PowerPoint about MYSPACE and the checklist form have now been added to the toolbox talks on Safequarry.

The system is also referenced on page 26 of the MPA's Drivers Handbook. See below

The Mineral Products Association (MPA) is calling for entries to the prestigious 2024 Health & Safety Awards, which have just been launched. 

MPA welcomes entries from organisations, large or small, and which may be members or non-members of the MPA but operating in the product sector represented by MPA. This might include operators, contractors, suppliers, other service providers or organisations that represent companies or individuals working in the sector.

Entries must relate to activities based in the UK, and may be made on an individual organisation or joint organisation basis

Watch the video to find out more.

Briefing notes and entry forms are downloadable from the Awards section of Safequarry