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This section mainly refers to the Health and Safety of our clients. However, the company is required by law to consider all aspects of
its work in terms of the effects that such work has on its employees, its
customers and anyone else (including pets) that might be affected by what we do.
For example, during the course of property inspections a preliminary risk
assessment is made in accordance with The Control Of Substances Hazardous to
Health Act (COSHH) 1988 (and as subsequently amended) regulations. This relates to
the condition of the property at the time of inspection. This means that chemicals and other materials chosen to
provide treatments are those available of low hazard to householders, third
parties and our operators. Most of our assessments indicate that all risks fall
within those normally associated with the applicable types of treatment.
We are also required to have written policy statements and comprehensive health and safety formats available for inspection at our office. These
detail how health and safety is dealt with in the company and who is the
responsible person or persons. We have carried out risk assessments of the
hazards that might result from the chemicals we use and the ways that we use
them. These are supported by documents (Material Health and Safety Data Sheets) provided by our chemical suppliers. This
in turn leads us to provide our operators with personal protection equipment
(e.g. gloves, goggles, footwear etc.) and to provide health and safety
information to our customers when required. The company is required to monitor its health and
safety performance and to review this from time to time, so that improvements to
the health and safety regime are always in progress.
Management of our health and safety systems is carried out by our appointed
consultants Stallard Kane
Associates.
Damp-proofing
Fluids used for installing chemical damp proof courses are covered by an Agrement
Certificate for that product. The water based siliconate damp-proofing fluid is
corrosive, but is non-flammable and can be regarded as being virtually odourless.
The cream-type damp-proofing material has a similar classification to that of
the fluids. Injection Mortar is a
cementitious compound, which is non-flammable and odourless. As a cement-based
product, injection mortar has the same health and safety classification as
cement. Timber treatments
All treatment chemicals used are approved under The Control
of Pesticides Regulations, 1986. The timber treatment fluids used will be low odour formulations of permetherin
(insecticide) or boron (fungicide and insecticide), either separately or
together depending on the treatment requirements. These treatment fluids are
Health & Safety Executive approved for 8 (or 1 - depending on the product) hour re-entry. This means that
re-entry into a treated area may be made safely when 8 (or 1) hours has passed since
the completion of the treatment and when treated surfaces are dry. Some of the
timber treatment chemicals we use have a one hour re-entry classification -
dependant on treated surfaces being dry. As drying out is less likely in an
hour, we tend to apply the 8 hour rule, and err on the side of caution.
Structural Waterproofing
Cement based tanking compounds have the same classification as cement.
Materials used for structural water proofing, forming cavity drainage systems
or dry-lining systems, have no health and safety classification. This indicates
that such materials form no health and safety hazard in their use.
An example of the sort of information issued to
customers is the following warning notice which we leave
on site on completion of the timber treatment.
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"Please ensure that this Health & Safety Information is passed on to
anyone who may be occupying or working in the property.
We endeavour to use only the safest products available. However, any working
environment always has an element of risk and, therefore, we would ask you to
read any safety precautions or warning notices that will be left on site and
observe the following:
- Do not enter any areas where work is in progress
- People who suffer from allergies, asthma or other respiratory problems
should vacate the property whilst work is in progress
- Household pets, plants, food and drink should be removed from any work
areas."
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