CMSE Training Consultancy Recruitment

The EGF was established by the
European Union (EU) in 2006 to enable individual Member States to
provide assistance to workers made redundant as a result of
major shifts in global trade patterns.

The EGF have up to €500 million available each year.

The EGF helps workers find new jobs and develop new skills when they have lost their jobs as a result of:
changing global trade patterns, e.g. when a large company shuts down or a factory is moved to outside the EU
or
global financial and economic crisis.

The EGF provides co-financed assistance to individual Member States to provide programmes and services to workers made redundant as a result of the adverse impacts of globalisation.
The types of services and programmes eligible for EGF support include career advice and guidance, education and training courses, and enterprise supports.

To be eligible for support from the EGF individual redundant workers must meet a number of conditions. In the case of redundant construction workers they must have:
- been made redundant between 1st July 2009 and 31st March 2010
- worked in one of three specified sectors within the overall construction sector
- been identified in one to the three approved EGF Construction Applications.

All redundant workers eligible for support under the three EGF Construction Programmes will have been notified of their eligibility by letter.  They will also have been provided with an EGF Eligibility Number.

On the 19th December 2011, a notification letter was issued to a total of 8,779 construction workers and apprentices eligible for support from the EGF.

If you have not received a letter from the EGF Managing Authority in the Department of Education and Skills and still wish to check your eligibility you can contact the EGF Construction Contact Centre.

EGF Training Grants pay fees for approved courses in private education and training companies.

EGF Grants range in value and can be as high as €5,000.
Before you can apply for an EGF Training Grant you will need to identify an approved training course that can be completed before Friday 8th June 2012.

Find out more – Click here to go to our website!

CMSE are delighted to announce the introduction of our new STCW – 95 (Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping) course.

Course Title: Elementary First Aid Course (EFA) STCW – 95.

The Elementary First Aid Course (EFA) STCW – 95 is a one day classroom based course and forms part of the mandatory basic training for all personnel assigned designated emergency duties.

On completion of this course the student will be able to provide immediate basic medical care at the scene of an accident or other medical emergency until the arrival of a person with first aid skills or the person in charge of medical care aboard.

The purpose of this course is to comply with the international Marine requirements for watch-keeping personnel serving as ship officers and crew.

CMSE already offer STCW courses and we pride ourselves on our association with such accredited courses.

This course is due to commence in early 2012 and we believe it will complement our current Marine and Fire Safety trainingwhich we offer in our specialised Fire Safety Training Centre in Cork.

To find out more please call us on 1850 315 415 or email info@cmse.ie

Find out more – Click here to go to our website!

When these fibres are inhaled
they can cause serious diseases which
are responsible for around 4000 deaths a year.
There are four main diseases caused by asbestos:
mesothelioma (which is always fatal),
lung cancer (almost always fatal),asbestosis (not always fatal, but it can be very debilitating)and diffuse pleural thickening (not fatal).

Asbestos fibres are present in the environment so people are exposed to very low levels of fibres. However, a key factor in the risk of developing an asbestos-related disease is the total number of fibres breathed in. Working on or near damaged asbestos-containing materials or breathing in high levels of asbestos fibres, which may be many hundreds of times that of environmental levels can increase your chances of getting an asbestos-related disease.

Asbestos related diseases won’t affect immediately but later on in life, so there is a need for you to protect yourself now to prevent you contracting an asbestos-related disease in the future. It is also important to remember that people who smoke and are also exposed to asbestos fibres are at a much greater risk of developing lung cancer.

hse

Find out more – Click here to go to our website!

Anyone at work who is responsible for directing workers while at work and organising work activities also have health and safety responsibilities for those workers.

These include:
Directors of all types of workplaces in both the private and public sectors,
Officers of undertakings
Board chairpersons and board members
Senior managers and any other managers or supervisors

These people must ensure that the safety and health risks, arising from their work activities are properly managed. They must control the key risk areas for their employees, their customers and the public who may be affected by what they do in the workplace.

Many small to medium sized enterprises (SME’s) do not operate within formal management structures like larger undertakings and corporations. However, all workplaces, whether large or small, tend to have a governing body of some sort consisting of two or more directors, such as a managing director or works manager. These people must understand and meet their legal responsibilities.

For all undertakings, whether big or small, it is important that their directors and officers are fully informed of the relevant safety and health matters and requirements that apply to them.

They need to understand their role in governing safety and health is part of their responsibilities for good corporate governance in running their businesses.

www.has.ie,  November 2011

CMSE offer a large range of Health and Safety training courses.
Call us on 1850 315 415 to discuss your requirements.

Find out more – Click here to visit our website!

Safe Pass
Health & Safety in Construction.
The FÁS Safe Pass Health and Safety Awareness Training Programme is to ensure that, over the course of time, all workers in construction will have a basic knowledge of health and safety, and be able to work on-site without being a risk to themselves or others who might be affected by their acts or omissions.

From a health and safety perspective, construction workers are bound by law to hold a valid Safe Pass card. With this Background in mind the programme was developed in consultation with interested parties.
The Aims of the programme are focused mainly around health and safety awareness, while the Benefits include an improved safety culture.

www.hsa.ie , 2011

CMSE are a leading provider in Safe Pass courses.
We run courses in Cork weekly and also in Dublin on a regular basis.

Please feel free to call us for further information.
1850 315 415

Find out more – Click here to visit our website!

Architect’s ’signed off’ on apartments for developers based on a visual inspection and on letters from contractors confirming the work was above board. The architect who signed off on Priory Hall said last night he was “shocked at what the fire officers have now found”. The disclosure raises the prospect that other blocks built during the boom may also be potential death traps.

Developer Thomas McFeely has publicly apologised to tenants.  The council’s fire safety inspector Donal Casey said a fire could spread swiftly through the complex due to defects with fire safety barriers in the external walls.

 Architect Stephen Oppermann said yesterday his firm carried out a visual inspection of Priory Hall after the apartments were finished. “It is a visual inspection,” he said. Although the apartments were built in 2006, the full extent of the problem emerged in May this year after the council bought two apartments and engaged consultants to inspect them. The council found defects which meant that any fire which got into the external cavity wall could spread rapidly to the entire complex.

Mr Oppermann said the cavity fire barriers were in their original project drawing. However, he said it was being alleged that they were not installed.

Labour TD Sean Kenny called on Environment Minister Phil Hogan to scrap the self-regulation system brought in in 1990. The minister plans to make it mandatory for builders and architects to provide certificates of compliance stating that the buildings meet all regulations.

The Independent, 2011.

Priory Hall is only one example, CMSE can help ensure all builders are following regulations and ensuring peoples safety. CMSE prepare/carry out:
(a) A Fire Safety Audit of premises for Property Management companies/banks/insurance companies which will include the following:

• Fire Stopping Survey.
• Compartmentation Audit to ensure Fire Resistance of Structure
• Review of protection of means of escape
• Review of Fire Alarm and Emergency Lighting
• Review of Fire Safety Management Systems
• Review of Fire Safety Certificates granted
• Review of statutory documentation required under the
  Fire Services Act 1981(2003),IS 3218:2009,IS3217:2008 and
  Part B of the Building Regulations

Our reports will prioritise actions required and we can prepare the following:

• Fire Safety Certificates
• Regularisation/Revised Fire Safety Certificates.
• Design Fire Alarms/Emergency Lighting
• Prepare tender package for any fire safety deficiencies found as a
  result of the above fire safety audit.
• Project Management of all fire safety deficiencies solutions if required.

How is your company handling things?

The 2010 statistics for ‘fatal’ accidents reveal that the ‘Transport and Storage’ sector which employs an estimated 93,000 persons is placed third, with the Construction Industry second and Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing topping the table with an astonishing 29 deaths. While the incidents can be broken down into different areas, for the most part they can all be classified as workplace accidents.

A workplace accident is defined by the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) as “where a person is injured at a place of work and cannot perform their normal work for more than 3 consecutive days, not including the day of the accident.
In 2001 a total of 9,215 non-fatal injuries were reported to the HSA and by 2010 this figure had reduced to 7,284 which remains a significant number.
While improvements have been made there is still scope for further improvement.

By far the largest single cause (31%) of workplace injury is as a result of ‘Manual Handling’, with injury to the back accounting for 21 percent of those injuries reported.
Much of the training undertaken in Ireland is done due to legislation and regulations being in place. We rarely appreciate the potential benefits.
Training is for other people, and while we demand that vehicle repair staff servicing trucks and buses are properly trained to the manufacturer’s standard, we have to see the need to properly train employed staff to operate such equipment and be safe in their day to day duties.
Chris Mee Safety Engineering provide very practical, hands-on Manual Handling Courses as well as RPL (Recognition of Prior Learning) courses.
Call us on: 1850 315 415 or email info@cmse.ie to find out more and ensure the safety of your employees at work.

Unoccupied buildings can lead to an increase in Legionnaires’ disease, if the owners or managers of buildings fail to put in place control measures.

Speaking at a seminar last March,
senior HSA inspector Darren Arkins drew attention to the
risks that arise from buildings being unoccupied,
unused or closed for protracted periods.
He explained that if a water system remains inactive for long periods, harmful bacteria can start to proliferate within the stagnant water. There is likely to be a lower water turnover, which can lead to an increased risk but a lower exposure (which will decrease the risk).
He added that inspection may be reduced, decreasing the frequency of exposure, but any works carried out would involve contact with water which has become stale or stagnant, increasing the risk of exposure.

LEGIONNAIRES’ DISEASE
Legionnaires’ disease is a potentially fatal disease caused by aerobic bacteria, usually legionella pneumophila. This is an aquatic organism that thrives at temperatures between 25 and 45 degrees Celsius. They do not appear to multiply below 20 degrees Celsius and are killed within a few minutes above 60 degrees.

Legionnaires’ disease acquired its name from an outbreak which occurred when American Legion veterans were attending a convention in 1976. Over 200 people were given medical treatment and 34 died.
Outbreaks of Legionnaires’ disease are linked to contaminated water. Infections often occur in poorly ventilated areas, often after inhaling airborne particles containing the bacteria. Those at higher risk are males over 40, smokers and those who may be immune-compromised.

This danger of Legionnaires’ disease is currently more pressing than usual, because the poor property market means that a large number of properties are currently being managed by administrators.

CONTROL MEASURES
Having signalled the danger, Mr Arkins outlined the control measures that should be undertaken. A written scheme for controlling exposure should be prepared. This should include: descriptions of the hot and cold water system; details of who is responsible for carrying out risk assessments; details of the safe and correct operation of the system; the checks that will be carried out; and how often the checks will be carried out and who will carry them out. The training of responsible persons should be set out in the written control procedures.

Dealing with prevention methods, he said the most commonly used method of reducing the risk of an outbreak of legionella in hot and cold water systems is temperature control. Also, outlets which are not in regular use should be flushed and redundant pipework should be cut back. Control can be achieved by keeping water systems clean, preventing stagnation and maintaining water temperatures that prevent or minimise legionella growth. However, he warned that “control will only be achieved if all the control measures are in place”.

Mr Arkins points out that the duties of employers and those in control of buildings are set out clearly in the legislation relating to managing risk of biological agents, including Legionella bacteria. Apart from the SHWW Act 2005 and the General Application Regulations 2007, employers and those in control of buildings should refer to the Biological Agents Regulations 1994 (SI 146/1994), as amended by the Biological Amendment Regulations 1998 (SI 248/1998) and the Chemical Agents Regulations (SI 619/2001)

Health & Safety Review, September 2011.

The European Sustainable Energy Award for Prisons

 CMSE is delighted to have been awarded the European Sustainable Energy Award for Prisons project. The European sustainable energy award for prisons encourages intelligent use of energy in multi-residential buildings, specifically prisons. 

This project involves a pilot study on energy management in prisons
in the UK, Malta, Croatia, Latvia, Greece, Slovenia and Ireland.

The partner organizations in the consortium are: -

• Severn Wye Energy Agency – UK
• Projects in Motion Ltd – Malta
• University of Zagreb, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and
  Naval Architecture – Croatia
• Ekodoma – Latvia
• University Of Thessaloniki – Greece
• Building and Civil Engineering Institute ZRMK – Slovenia
• Her Majesty’s Prison Hewell – UK
• Chris Mee Safety Engineering – Ireland 

Prison sites consume a great deal of energy because of their size, building stock and constant usage pattern. 
As well as this the increasing cost of energy and focus on cost-effective services, point to a real need to use
energy as efficiently as possible.

E-SEAP (European Sustainable Energy Award for Prisons) aims not only to address technical and practical energy issues to achieve savings but also; to raise awareness, increase skills and improve access to support.
CMSE believe this is a great project and are delighted to be part of it. The project has been developed and is managed by Severn Wye Energy Agency, UK.
SWEA (Severn Wye Energy Agency) is a strictly not for profit, registered charity and Chris Mee Safety Engineering are proud to be contributing partners on this project.

As part of the E-SEAP project each participating prison will receive an award to show what level they are at.
Awards will be leveled at bronze, silver and gold and will be internationally recognised to enable the scheme to be pioneered on a European level.
E-SEAP is offered to prison services free of charge thanks to funding provided by the European Commission’s ‘IntelligentEnergyEurope’ programme.

At present there are 14 participating prisons and there are approximately 800 prisons throughout Europe.

This programme will not only save money in prisons but also give people the skills and knowledge to practice these cost effective techniques outside of this area also.
Prison managers, staff and offenders will all receive training in order to show how vital this project is.
It is envisaged that this training may then be passed on to these participants families and therefore will encourage them to become more energy efficient at home. This of course results in people saving money on their bills.

The targets of this project are based upon the direct experience and achievements of the UK pilot which has been carried out. The pilot study consisted of 9 prisons in Wales and SW England. This study confirmed the value of working closely with the prison service to achieve a significant increase in energy awareness and energy savings.
In the long term it is hoped that E-SEAP will become a model for energy saving that is referenced by institutions other than prisons in the development of their own strategies, e.g. hospitals, universities and military establishments.

Please email info@cmse.ie if you would like further information on this topic

 Mr Hogan attended a water metering conference in Croke Park yesterday where he confirmed he wants to have a state-run company, Irish Water, in place by the end of the year to oversee the metering programme.

Mr Hogan also confirmed that the installation of water meters in homes would begin early next year.

The EU/IMF bailout obliges Ireland to introduce water charges by 2013. However, Mr Hogan said no water charges would be levied until the meter installation programme was complete, which could take up to three years.

“There will be no flat-rate water charge, but there’ll be a water charge by meter. Over and above a generous allowance for your domestic purposes, you’ll pay a water charge.”

For Water Meter Installers Courses please see www.irishwatermeters.ie

www.examiner.ie article by Claire O’Sullivan and Juno McEnro