Hot topics

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 [email protected].

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

MPA has partnered with National Highways' 'Driving for Better Business', reinforcing the industry's ongoing commitments to road safety, and taking the next step towards eliminating road-related risk.

Driving for Better Business (DfBB) is a free to access Government-backed National Highways programme, delivered in partnership with leading forum RoadSafe, that aims to improve road safety by promoting good management practices and demonstrating the benefits for organisations, their employees, contractors and other road users.

Image of  the type of resources produced by Diving for Business

A recent review of the guidelines on Safequarry that relate to the safe delivery and storage of bitumen highlighted that guidelines on safety showers were not included. Guidelines, which were produced by Eurobitume in 2016, have now been added.

They provide uniform minimum considerations for the performance, use, installation and maintenance of emergency safety shower equipment at facilities where bitumen products are handled in bulk and at elevated temperature. It is not an exhaustive list of considerations and, as such, anyone considering installing safety shower equipment should consult with a competent engineer or safety professional.

A specific risk and exposure analysis must be completed by the responsible party before any operation, new installation and reviewed if any modification is undertaken. 

Delivery drivers should be instructed not to make a delivery if the shower is found to be inoperable. Please note that during periods of cold weather it is especially important to check the emergency shower to ensure that trace heating or other measures designed to prevent freezing are operating correctly.

The MPA Health and Safety bulletin is now available to download

The highlights in this edition include

• MPA Health and Safety Awards 2024
• Preventing Serious Incidents - sharing information
• Safequarry - update and incident alerts
• Launch of new reporting protocol
• Update of H&S Statistics Q3 2023

One week to go before the 1st MPA webinar on LOTOTO - register now for free webinar

See flyer for more information on the two webinars on LOTOTO being run by MPA in conjunction with Reece on  31st January and 14th March. The webinar is titled 'Do not disrespect LOTOTO'

Please see information on two webinars on LOTOTO being run by MPA in conjunction with Reece on  31st January and 14th March. The webinar is titled 'Do not disrespect LOTOTO'

ALSO

Please see information on a Midland Region  Health and Safety Awareness Day on the 11th April. 

Christmas can be a particularly difficult time for some individuals. Research shows that a quarter of people say that this time of year makes their mental health worse. In the construction industry, poor mental health is also more prevalent – with a third of workers living with severe levels of anxiety, according to Mates in Mind.

Tarmac has launched a campaign with Mates in Mind which is based around a short video ‘The most wonderful time of the year?’. The video reinforces messaging about mental wellbeing, in particular, it highlights that if someone isn’t quite feeling themselves, they don’t need to face challenges alone.

Told through a single narrative, the film follows an individual through their working day as they struggle to open up about their problems. There is no dialogue from the worker for most of the video, until he confesses “I don’t think I’m ok”, to which his manager responds that he is there for him, offering to sit down and have a chat. The film demonstrates how stepping in and asking if someone is OK, can help open up the conversation for a person who may be experiencing challenges in their life.

Please view and, if you feel it is appropriate, share the video with others

‘The most wonderful time of the year?’

It may help someone within your organisation who is already struggling to seek support or remind your colleagues / employees of the importance of being aware of potential changes in others that may be an indication that they need some help.

If you choose to share the video, you could also include a reminder of the support that your organisation provides to help individuals with mental health issues or could include this link to the Mental Health and Wellbeing Section on Safequarry. This provides a links to two simple guidance booklets, one for managers and one for employees, and links to other organisations who can help.

More information about the Tarmac campaign is available from its website.

Damage to underground electrical cables can cause fatal or severe injury and the law says you must take precautions to avoid danger.

This can be achieved by a safe system of work based on planning, use of plans, cable locating devices and safe digging practices.

These four elements complement each other, and should all be used when working near buried cables. Please follow link to the HSE Guidance on these 4 elements.