Newsletter January 2010
Invest To Save Lives in 2010
Organisations have a choice as to how they manage CDM or Asbestos. Both issues have a high potential for producing hazards in the workplace; accidents, major incidents, grief. Some organisations embrace the HSE's regulations with enthusiasm, aiming to cut accidents & stay on the right side of the Law. Others face the other way if they think they can get away with it.
With fifteen years experience, Ai Solutions have their own war stories to tell; from exemplary to downright awful. We would like to invite you to 'step into the ring' as it were and share just a sample of that wealth of experience with ourselves, and our presentation team representing some of the best practice in the UK at our Annual Conference next May, in London. We have designed the seminar agenda to leave you richer, more focussed, more aware on how you might improve your approach to CDM and Asbestos compliance in your workplace, however large or small that may be. By engaging with our processes, you will stand to gain better risk management for these and potentially other health & safety management areas.
'Investing to save' is a common call in our recessionary times. Job losses, deskilled teams, frozen budgets, general depression about the future; each has its often stressful effect on you in your environment. Between us, we need to discriminate between abject 'flag flying' and the processes that will represent a route to our own goals, including your need to survive with your organisation and to comply with the Law. A tough call, but we know how to help you.
Ensuring Compliance
This year we are introducing the CDM Compliance System. Described below, the CDM management approach applies equally to asbestos compliance.
Three part process:
1. Consultancy: to establish direction, boundaries, and create a Guidance Document with sign off from senior management.
2. Technology: to establish IT boundaries, use of hosted solution to maximise application flexibility and ToolKit compliance system to give managers the compliance view they need.
3. Training & Auditing: to appoint and train management system administrators, key users, train the trainers, audit compliance, get sign up for optional awards scheme.
Our process is to ensure compliance by involving all the parties who need to comply with the CDM regulations through one common framework so that managers can deliver health & safety systems appropriate to their corporate needs. Costs will vary depending on the delivery options agreed with each client. Our aim is to deliver savings of at least 20% of total CDM management costs.
-- Read more about The Ai Solutions Compliance Approach.
Annual Conference - May 2010
This year, we intend to be back at the Royal Air Force Club in Piccadilly London for our annual conference in May. The date remains unconfirmed but we are working on 18th or 20th May with our preferred speakers and hope to confirm the date next month. We will provide a link for booking then, so please be patient.
Our conference theme 'Ensuring Compliance' will lead on from our main editorial this month with a series of presentations by third parties who will be telling attendees about their own 'take' on the process and how the attendees can benefit from the approach.
Please pencil the dates in your diary now.
Promotions for 2010
We are very pleased to announce new management roles for Shirley Cirket and Simon Hanks as from January 2010.
Shirley will be responsible for sales and marketing and Simon will manage the future development and implementation of ToolKit CS™. I am sure our existing clients will want to join with us in wishing them every success in their new roles.
The Hidden Killer
We are all aware that the HSE has a campaign for 'Asbestos - The Hidden Killer', a topic that we fully support. We are arranging a seminar to discuss how we can better manage the 'hidden killer'. However, there are organisations and personnel out there who do not understand 'why' we need to manage.
One of the biggest killers that comes from inhaling Asbestos is Mesothelioma. This is a rare type of cancer that typically affects the lining of the lungs, heart and abdomen. It is an aggressive cancer that affects the mesothelium causing cells in the membrane to become cancerous and divide rapidly. This causes the thickening of the membrane, fluid build-up and the formation of tumors. This can result in difficulty breathing, nausea, fatigue and a myriad of other concerns; which leaves mesothelioma patients with a life expectancy of usually less than one year following a diagnosis.
Mesothelioma is caused by asbestos exposure which occurs when fibres are inhaled or ingested into the body and become lodged in body cavities, causing inflammation or infection. But, symptoms of mesothelioma often do not appear for 20 to 50 years after initial exposure of asbestos. This ensures that the peak of mesothelioma cases will be decades after strong regulations on asbestos use.*
Scary stuff isn't it? However it is a very good reason to keep everyone around us aware of any asbestos in our buildings and the consequences of bad management/removal of the product.
* Information provided by asbestos.com
More Information
We regularly receive updates from our customers and contacts about changes to legislation, the latest rumours and so on. We try to be selective with what we pass on and acknowledge our sources as appropriate. If you have information of general interest in the Health & Safety, and particularly, CDM and Asbestos Management arena, then please let us know by e-mail if possible.