This week, Food Safety Consultant & Trainer Mayur Agrawal shares examples of ways that a small restaurant or takeaway might save more than €700 each year, and the impact that ensuring proper temperature control in the refrigeration system of a medium or large business can have.

Hello there!

Let’s talk about Sustainable Food Safety Management System or S.F.S.M.S. Well, that’s a bit of mouthful! Whether we like it or not, all of us in the food service sector will have to chew, swallow and digest S.F.S.M.S. Instead, we like the term – Sustainable HACCP. As HACCP ensures the food produced and served is safe to eat, Sustainable HACCP ensures this is done in eco-friendly and cost-friendly manner. In fact, as we are learning more about it, Sustainable HACCP is not only good for the planet’s gut but also healthy for the business!

For example, simply by maintaining stock rotation, a small restaurant or takeaway might save more than €700 each year by not having to discard the food which expired at the back of the shelf. This will also reduce the amount of food waste generated by food service sector in Ireland, estimated at over 235,000 tonnes in 2019 (Source: Central Statistics Office).

Another example: Working with more than 300 businesses to explore ways to minimize energy costs while ensuring proper temperature control, a 2022 study has found that –  by installing a ‘variable speed drive’ (a device which adjusts the speed of compressors and pumps according to the load) in refrigeration systems, medium and large businesses can save more than $6000 annually. This will also reduce more than 35 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions annually (Source: Sustainability Victoria). Like we said, eco-friendly AND cost-friendly!

Now if you have read this far, first of all, thank you! We take you’re also interested in learning about Sustainable HACCP and how this can be implemented in food service sector for all the good reasons. Whether it’s through efficient food storage or minimizing energy consumption, there are several practical measures a food service business can implement in their existing HACCP to move in the direction of Sustainable HACCP. We understand that there may be some challenges at the beginning, but we also believe that relevant training and financial support can really help small businesses take their first steps.

If you are interested in learning more about Sustainable HACCP or looking for staff training, please feel free to contact the team at [email protected] or call 021 4355917. The Food Safety Company are also partnered with Rural Food Skillnet for funding opportunities for training courses in Sustainable HACCP systems

There are many different routes that you can take to begin your career in Health & Safety. This week, the experienced team at Chris Mee Group shares their, Top Tips To Help You Get Started in a career in Health & Safety in Ireland.

1. Build a strong foundation of knowledge in relevant laws and regulations, including the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005
2. Get certified in a relevant field, such as Occupational Health and Safety or Environmental Health
3. Gain practical experience through internships or volunteer work in the field
4. Discover which related industry/topics are of most interest to you, then specialise in it
5. Develop strong communication and interpersonal skills to effectively interact with employees and management
6. Expand critical thinking skills from both practical experience and education
7. Network with professionals in the industry to learn about job opportunities and industry trends
8. Stay current with developments in technology and best practices related to health and safety
9. Be familiar with industry-specific regulations, such as those for construction or manufacturing
10. Be prepared to work in a fast-paced environment and to adapt to changes in regulations and industry standards

As one of the market-leading providers of Health & Safety, EHS, Energy, Environmental and Carbon Emissions services in Ireland, Chris Mee Group have extensive in-house expertise that is of great assistance and benefit to our employees. We’re always interested in speaking with Health & Safety professionals who’re looking to progress in their career.

• Read about the Chris Mee Group Graduate Programme here
• Join Our Team – Work with Chris Mee Group. Read More
• Submit your CV for review by the CMSE Recruitment team. CMSE Recruitment is part of Chris Mee Group. The agency specializes in providing EHS staffing solutions. They work with clients to identify and place qualified candidates for a variety of positions, including project managers, engineers, and tradespeople. The agency aims to provide a professional, efficient, and cost-effective service for both clients and candidates.

The Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 (Section 17) requires a person who commissions construction work to appoint competent persons to ensure that the project : 

(a) is designed and is capable of being constructed to be safe and without risk to health, 

(b) is constructed to be safe and without risk to health, 

(c) can be maintained safely and without risk to health during subsequent use, and 

(d) complies in all respects, as appropriate, with the relevant statutory provisions. 

These requirements embody the full life cycle approach to health and safety required by stakeholders in the project. 

The Safety Health and Welfare at Work (Construction) Regulations provide more detail on the requirements of Section 17. Specifically, they outline the legal requirement for a client to appoint project supervisors for the design process and the construction phase. These are defined as the Project Supervisor Design Process (PSDP) and the Project Supervisor Construction Stage (PSCS). 

A PSDP is an individual or body corporate, such as a firm of architects, chartered surveyors, consulting engineers, project managers , contractor or H&S consultant who has the necessary competence to carry out the relevant duties. 

A project requires the appointment of a PSDP when: 

• The construction work is expected to take longer <30 working days; 
• if the work involves more than one contractor (or sub-contractor); 
• if there is a particular risk present on the project; 
• If work will exceed 500 person days. 

To ensure effectiveness in addressing and co-ordinating safety and health matters from the very early stages of a project the PSDP must be appointed before design work commences.  

The duty of the PSDP is to ensure co-ordination of the work of designers throughout the project by doing a number of different things. This includes identifying and eliminating potential project hazards where possible and reducing associated risks. 

Early intervention is key when it comes to mitigating design safety issues. Expert early-stage practical design inputs and solutions can lead to significant budget savings in the longer term through removal of issues expensive to remedy at later stages. The PSDP has a role in the construction stage in relation to temporary works and the interaction with the permanent structure, liaising with the contractor and the design team. The PSDP is responsible for the final delivery of the Safety File information to the client thereby concluding and involvement in the project from inital design to conclusion.  

CMSE Consultancy provide effective safety expertise to assist designers, architects, project managers, and more in fulfilling the roles of PSDP and Health & Safety Co-Ordinator.  

Call Darren and the CMSE Consultancy team at 021 4978100 for a confidential discussion about any upcoming construction projects that you are working on.  

Further guidance on the role and duties of the Project Supervisor for the Design Process are included in this document.  —>

Interested in becoming a PSDP? CMSE Training has a number of sessions available for the 2-day IOSH Project Supervisor Design Process two-day course.  

This course is beneficial to those who are involved in the PSDP process, including designers, specifiers, and those who need an understanding of the role/function of the PSDP. 

Upcoming course sessions: 

• Session one: December 15th, 16th . Delivered in virtual online classroom, accessible anywhere with an internet connection. 
• Session two: January 19th & 20th 2023. Delivered in virtual online classroom, accessible anywhere with an internet connection. 
• Session three: February 13th & 14th 2023. Delivered in virtual online classroom, accessible anywhere with an internet connection. 

Interested to know more about the course? Read More, and register here

In this article we discuss the importance of considering the full spectrum of ergonomic related issues that may occur in an organisation, along with showing the approach that can be adopted to understand the risks and be compliant with legal requirements.

Ergonomics is a broad discipline, the definition of ergonomics (or human factors) adopted by the International Ergonomics Association (IEA) is “the scientific discipline concerned with the understanding of interactions among humans and other elements of a system, and the profession that applies theory, principles, data, and methods to design in order to optimize human well-being and overall system performance.”  

While human factors and ergonomics are overlapping, as shown above in the Venn diagram, to differentiate between the types of assessment required, human factors is the term that is usually used when looking at cognitive factors that can influence human performance and safety e.g. behavioural safety, HAZOP, UI/UX design etc. Ergonomics is more associated with the physical factors of the work environment e.g., working postures, physical capabilities/limitations, repetitive motions, thermal environment etc.

An industrial ergonomic assessment while such assessments can focus on an individual worker, these are completed where a more in-depth analysis of a specific tasks, assembly line setup or process operation is required. Where no one size fits all and with the goal of fitting the task to the worker in mind, these assessments allow existing tasks and/or proposed new work environments to be evaluated as to their suitability to accommodate the employees engaged based on best practice standards and how risk reduction principles can be applied. 

These assessments can and should form part of the task specific manual handling assessments in the workplace which are a requirement of the Safety, Health, and Welfare at Work, (General Application) Regulations 2007, Chapter 4 of Part 2. Such assessments can be completed by a CMSE qualified ergonomist however guidance and awareness training can be given to facilitate the workforce or ergonomic champions with suitable tools to screen and prioritise work areas where in-house solutions can be sought or where more external expertise may be required.

Individual office ergonomic assessment – As the name suggests is a more specialised assessment for an individual in an office work environment often for the following reasons, existing medical issues, is experiencing persist discomfort at the workstation or as part of a return-to-work procedure to ensure the individual has the suitable working set-up. This is completed by a qualified ergonomist to advise on best practice for the worker, evaluate the most appropriate actions and solutions based on the type of work required to be completed.            

In addition, a general office ergonomic evaluation can advise and guide on the correct selection of office layout and office equipment to ensure dimensions and specification meet the DSE regulations and best practice for the largest working demographic where practical.

Display screen equipment (DSE) assessment – The Safety, Health and Welfare at Work, (General Application) Regulations 2007, (Chapter 5 of Part 2) outline the requirements that must be adhered to in relation to use of Display Screen Equipment (DSE). It requires a DSE assessment is completed on all employees who use DSE for continuous periods of more than 1 hour per day. These assessments are to be completed by a competent assessor, this could be an experienced health and safety professional or appointed members of staff with the relevant training and experience.

With a new working paradigm, often involving hybrid and varied working tasks, it is important that employees are working in an environment that is assessed as safe,  facilitate comfortable and productive and in order to reduce the risk of acute and chronic musculoskeletal injuries arising. 

Contact [email protected] where we can guide and advise on pragmatic and cost-effective ergonomic solutions and where an ergonomic strategy should fit into your business.  

Although we have moved out of the dependency of virtual interviews experienced over the last few years, that initial first round interview will, in most cases, occur online. Many candidates I have spoken with still find virtual interviews intimidating and slightly awkward, so here are my top tips to put your best foot forward, virtually! 

1. Make sure to click the MS Teams/Zoom or whatever video link you have been sent to ensure it works and you have downloaded any software you might need.  

2. Test your camera and Mic to make sure all is in working order. 

3. Make sure you choose to hold the interview in an area that has good lighting, and your facial expressions are well visible on camera.  

4. On that note, choose an area in the house that is quiet if you can, and has a good internet connection. Disconnect any other devices using internet to make sure your connection is strong.  

5. Check in with your family or housemates living with you to make sure they know you are interviewing and avoid any interruptions! 
    
   These are some simple steps you can take before your initial interview that will help you feel prepared, relaxed and confident as you enter that virtual meeting room! Hope these tips help. 

If you would like to discuss your career options further or discuss our open roles at present, please feel free to contact the team at [email protected] , or call us at 0818 315 415

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