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Svick1984  
#1 Posted : 23 August 2018 14:09:30(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
Svick1984

Hi all, first time I've ever posted so I hope I'm asking the right information in the correct place. I am due to start a new job as a H&S officer with a glass manufacturer; I come with experience from the retail sector as a H&S Officer and a level 3 NVQ in Occupational Health and Safety. My new employer is very understanding that I don't have specific industry experience and wants to develop me, but I want to make sure that I start to learn as soon as possible, what the specific legal requirements are about working in the glass manufacturing industry so I can get up to speed as quick as possible and do the job to the best of my ability. I know that some of my skills/knowledge are transferable, but some will be unrelated. Can anyone point me in the right direction of what specific regulations/pieces of legislation I may want to study in preperation for the job? I've tried using the HSE site and Google but it doesn't seem to be turning up specific information I can study. Any help would be very much appreciated. Thanks very much. SV

Svick1984  
#2 Posted : 23 August 2018 14:17:03(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
Svick1984

Also, is there a specific qualification I should look to attain working in the manufacturing industry to evidence my competency? Thanks.

pseudonym  
#3 Posted : 23 August 2018 15:00:51(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
pseudonym

Congratulations on the new job. 

A lot of H&S should be transferable to any organization - at least the principles are the same.

You've visited the site for your interview? What did you see / hear as you walked around - list your observations and use tour expereince and skills to see if there is an H&S angle for you to work on eg noise, manual handling, high temperatures, glass is made form silica, yes? look up silica and see what you can find out. 

You say your employer is understanding of your retail background - great! They are thinking positively and looking at what you CAN bring to the organization - they've probably come up with a list of things you need to learn about in the glass manufacturing industry already. Best of Luck

Svick1984  
#4 Posted : 23 August 2018 15:25:30(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
Svick1984

Originally Posted by: pseudonym Go to Quoted Post

Congratulations on the new job. 

A lot of H&S should be transferable to any organization - at least the principles are the same.

You've visited the site for your interview? What did you see / hear as you walked around - list your observations and use tour expereince and skills to see if there is an H&S angle for you to work on eg noise, manual handling, high temperatures, glass is made form silica, yes? look up silica and see what you can find out. 

You say your employer is understanding of your retail background - great! They are thinking positively and looking at what you CAN bring to the organization - they've probably come up with a list of things you need to learn about in the glass manufacturing industry already. Best of Luck

Thanks pseudonym; the tour revealed all the various glass-manufacturing processes (which I am yet to learn) as well as operating machinery, some noise, limited manual handling, use of FLT's (the latter which I am more comfortable with), high temperatures (as you suggested), use of work equipment etc. I've already enquired with my new employer what to research and I was suggested to look at 'Health and Safety within a manufacturing industry' but no specifics, although suggested look at ISO 45001, EN ISO 9001 and EN ISO 14001 and whilst I have a general idea of the ISO's, I can't get specific access to them (unless I pay for them). Is there any other way of accessing the latter? I know for example with the HSE you can buy Regulatory info, but you just as equally download PDF copies for free. Again, any specific qualification I should be looking to attain for manufacturing? Thanks. 

Kate  
#5 Posted : 23 August 2018 15:37:14(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Kate

I've worked in manufacturing for years and never come across a manufacturing-specific qualification, although there are courses in PUWER and the like.

Reading the standards wouldn't help that much; they only lay out general requirements for management systems and certainly don't tell you anything about manufacturing.  Unlike HSE documents, they are only available paid-for, or else pirated.

I suggest looking at the HSE A-Z topic list and picking out the relevant topics.

Kate  
#6 Posted : 23 August 2018 15:41:28(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Kate

Another idea is to find out what trade association represents the industry and see if they have any guidance documents.   I don't know about glass specifically.

DHM  
#7 Posted : 23 August 2018 15:42:37(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
DHM

Hi Svick 1984

Have a look online for the Glass and Glazing Federation - Industry body that might have some further resources you could find helpful.

I would also consider looking up PUWER, Electricity at Work Regs, Transport issues around the factory, training arrangements etc. One of the first things I would do once I had started work there is an audit so you can see where the potential gaps are and how they might be filled.

Kate  
#8 Posted : 23 August 2018 15:57:24(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Kate

Another thing to try when you start is to ask for (don't assume it will be offered) some time shadowing operators and maintenance technicians so as to get to learn the processes and working conditions.  Sometimes there will also be a helpful engineer or supervisor who will talk you through the processes.

Don't forget maintenance - it is often where the biggest risks are.

sideshow  
#9 Posted : 24 August 2018 08:20:57(UTC)
Rank: New forum user
sideshow

Echoing what Kate has stated, if you can walk through the whole process that is in operation. From when the materials arrive on site to when the finished product leaves or is ready for dispatch.

Take notes of what you see, what materials are being used, machinery, note what the various teams are doing within these areas. if they are unloading the raw materials at the start of the process, is it manual, use machinery, what state does the material arrive in, storage.

Spend as much time as you can in each section and ask the people in these areas. There is no such thing as a stupid question at this stage.

A lot of your skills will transfer over to your new role easily and a lot of the same processes will still apply, 

Risk assessment is the same process.. Identify, who is at risk etc, just a different environment to assess.

Communicate and engage with everyone, you'll be surprised at how much people respond to being asked about their role, 

Good luck

pete48  
#10 Posted : 24 August 2018 09:02:42(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
pete48

You say glass manufacture but what sort? Flat glass )e.g. windows etc), bottle glass etc. Also is it manufacture or processing? i.e actually making glass or simply processing the glass (e.g. large flat sheets into windows ?

How big is the company in the market? Does it belong to any of the trade associations? Are you working alone or part of a larger group of H&S people.

You could start by looking here for some basic info.

 https://www.britglass.org.uk/our-work/health-safety

Good luck, it is a fascinating area of industry with lots of both hard and soft issues for H&S. 

Edited by user 24 August 2018 09:03:48(UTC)  | Reason: finger trouble typos

Ian Bell2  
#11 Posted : 24 August 2018 09:10:26(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Ian Bell2

You won't find much further specific h&s legislation. Thats not how h&s works.

You need to figure out how the generic legislation - PUWER, COSHH etc specifically applies to your new company.

As others have said, many areas of h&s are transferable - machinery safety, chemical safety.

There maybe particular British/EN Standards or specific industry guidance from trade organisations to help you - as suggested

chris42  
#12 Posted : 24 August 2018 09:12:32(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
chris42

I would also think about the raw material that glass is made from and the form the raw material takes and become knowledgable about its health risks.

Chris

Svick1984  
#13 Posted : 24 August 2018 09:53:57(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
Svick1984

Originally Posted by: pete48 Go to Quoted Post

You say glass manufacture but what sort? Flat glass )e.g. windows etc), bottle glass etc. Also is it manufacture or processing? i.e actually making glass or simply processing the glass (e.g. large flat sheets into windows ?

How big is the company in the market? Does it belong to any of the trade associations? Are you working alone or part of a larger group of H&S people.

You could start by looking here for some basic info.

 https://www.britglass.org.uk/our-work/health-safety

Good luck, it is a fascinating area of industry with lots of both hard and soft issues for H&S. 

First of all, thanks for the replies everybody; much appreciated.

In answer to your queries Pete, they manufacture all sorts of glass for things like shop fronts, atria, canopies and entrances, balconies, escalators, lifts etc it's designed to be toughened, laminated, offer fire protection and be decorative. I'm not sure how big they are, although they've worked on quite a number of high profile jobs. I'm not certain about trade associations to be honest; I know they are accredited by BMTRADA for ISO9001 and IS14001 and have a voluntary accreditation for FORS. They only have a workforce of around 80 or so, and I'll be the only official H&S individual, although they have a quality control manager and I'll work closely with the director.

pete48  
#14 Posted : 24 August 2018 10:07:48(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
pete48

That is flat glass processing then.

My immediate recollections are. Noise. (Large tempering furnaces, arrising machines, glass blower dryers) heat treatment ovens, manual handling, cuts from handling glass, machinery guarding, glass lifting equipment, overhead cranes, silica dust. Often not good safety culture although I have some idea that may have improved in recent years. If they also do installs you will have all the on site Construction issues as well.

I would check to see if they are members of Glass & Glazing Federation (GGF) and whilst there also look at the GGF website section on H&S and Publications.

https://www.ggf.org.uk/

As I said good luck with it. If you were looking for a challenge you may well have found it in flat glass processing. -:)

Edited by user 24 August 2018 10:13:51(UTC)  | Reason: added some detail

Svick1984  
#15 Posted : 24 August 2018 10:13:59(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
Svick1984

Originally Posted by: pete48 Go to Quoted Post

That is flat glass processing then.

My immediate thoughts are. Large noisy tempering furnaces, heat treatment ovens, manual handling, cuts from handling glass, machinery guarding, silica dust. If they also do installs you will have all the on site Construction issues as well.

I would check to see if they are members of Glass & Glazing Federation (GGF) and whilst there also look at the section on H&S and Publications.

https://www.ggf.org.uk/

As I said good luck with it. If you were looking for a challenge you may well have found it in flat glass processing. -:)

Thanks so much again; it's quite a leap from the retail to the manufacturing industry and it's a little scary (as in some respects it's so different) but I'm keen to learn, and it really helps having a starting point and know what I should be researching :) I don't know for an absolute certainy, but I think they only do the output manufacturing and now actually the installation (could be wrong though).

Kate  
#16 Posted : 25 August 2018 07:19:05(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Kate

Being keen to learn is the best starting point you can have.  And the first few weeks are a golden time for asking all sorts of basic questions without people thinking you are daft.

Good luck in your new job.

SW  
#17 Posted : 02 September 2018 12:00:30(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
SW

Hi

I used to work in the glass industry for over 20 years and you have had some great advice given above.

I would second the advice about reading the Glass and Glazing Federation literature - lots of good info there.

And the risks listed above were spot on too from Pete48 - noise, machinery safety, manual handling, vehicle and transport safety - on and off site, craning, contractor control - all relevant where I was working.

I would spend maybe half a day with each Department operative to get a better understanding of their tasks and associated risks.

Good luck

SW

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