Signs are an important part of any health and safety initiative, and one police officer has been demonstrating just how much difference a few safety signs can make with an inspirational safety campaign in Cambridgeshire.

Photograph from www.huntspost.co.uk

Sergeant Mike Jackman was one of the first officers on the scene when a 15-year-old boy named Rony John drowned in the River Great Ouse in July 2014. Sgt Jackman's first-hand experience of this tragedy prompted him to come up with a means of making Cambridgeshire's waterways safer, particularly for young people - when accidents do happen around large bodies of water, children and teenagers are the most common victims.

One year on from the drowning incident that claimed Rony John's young life, Mike Jackman has unveiled a new safety sign scheme of his own devising that makes it easy for people to get help in the event of an accident. The usual water safety signs are in place, of course...

...but Sgt Jackman has also added some signs of his own. These signs are positioned underneath the standard safety signs, and each one provides instructions on what to do in an emergency. For example:

In an emergency, dial 999 and say you are at site K

The thinking behind this system is quite simple: if a young person is drowning in a river or another large body of water, their friends are frequently unable to accurately identify their location to the 999 operator. Mike Jackman's signs make it easy for youngsters to specify exactly where they are when phoning for help, allowing emergency services to get there quicker and save the person or people in danger.

Every second counts in an emergency situation, and we think that Sergeant Jackman's signage system is quite ingenious. With summer now upon us, the temperature is high throughout the UK, and more and more people will be tempted to use rivers, lakes, reservoirs, and other large bodies of water to cool off. It is at this time of year that water safety is most crucial, so please obey safety signs at all times and, if you are responsible for public health and safety, consider going above and beyond with your signage system like the Cambridgeshire Police have!

Visit our Water Safety Signs page to browse and buy our comprehensive range of signs and notices for potentially hazardous bodies of water.

Slips, trips and falls are all too common in the modern workplace. The Health and Safety Executive has stated that they are "the single most common cause of major injury in UK workplaces", and that's not a not difficult claim to believe; not only can the fall itself result in severe injuries, it can lead to even more serious accidents if, for example, the victim falls into a piece of machinery or another hazard.

Here are some more statistics from the HSE:

• In 2013/14, slips, trips and falls were to blame for 29% of fatal workplace injuries
• Slips, trips and falls were responsible for 57% of all major/specified injuries to workers in 2013/14
• Over this period, a total of roughly 1.5 million working days were lost due to slips, trips and falls.

(Note that the phrase 'slips, trips and falls' covers a variety of different incidents, ranging from slipping on a wet floor or tripping over a loose floorboard to falling from height.)

So how can I prevent slips, trips and falls in my workplace?

We're glad you asked! With so many UK workers getting injured (or worse) by slips, trips and falls, employers need to everything they can to minimise the risk of a serious accident occurring. Here are some things that you can do to protect your employees:

• Use the correct hazard warning signs to make people aware of any potential risks (such as slippery surfaces, sudden drops, or trip hazards)
   
• Keep an eye out for any obstacles that could cause someone to trip over; common examples include bins, furniture, cables/wires, and desk drawers that have been left open
   
• Clean up any spills ASAP to prevent slips
   
• Always use a wet floor sign when cleaning is in progress
   
• If your employees are working at height, ensure that they are using the correct fall prevention equipment
   
• Train your staff to work safely and avoid slips, trips and falls (for example, do your employees know how to safely use a ladder?)

Visit our Slips, Trips & Falls department for more information and to purchase fall prevention signs for your workplace.

You probably heard about the Queen's asbestos problems earlier this week (and if you didn't, go and read the blog we wrote about it). Here are some other health and safety stories that didn't get quite so much attention this week...

Stafford Borough Council were hit with a £20,000 fine (plus costs) on Wednesday after an HSE inspection found that "a suitable risk assessment had not been carried out" at a local theatre. The investigation was carried out after a 33-year-old worker was injured in a fall at Stafford Gatehouse Theatre and left unable to work for more than two months afterwards.

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A company in West Yorkshire has admitted to breaching health and safety regulations in relation to a fatal incident that occurred in late 2012. Keith Jarman, a 65-year-old man from Doncaster, was killed by a falling metal cage roughly two and a half years ago whilst making a deliver to an Oasis store in Hebden Bridge; the managing director of Oasis Limited entered a guilty plea on Wednesday, and the company will be sentenced in September.

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Car manufacturers Hyundai are under fire in America, with the United Auto Workers union petitioning for health and safety improvements in the company's factories. According to Buzzfeed, the workers are particularly concerned about "exposure to unsafe chemicals" - read the full story here.

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Finally, a couple of updates from Alton Towers, which is still reeling from the much-publicised Smiler crash earlier this month. The theme park has re-opened its gates since the accident, but visitors are complaining that too many attractions have been closed, with many suggesting that Alton Towers should lower their admission prices to reflect this.

According to the Express & Star, "Park-goers...have queued up for more than an hour for some attractions only to see them shut with no prior warning for safety testing." However, a representative for Alton Towers stated, "any delays that we are experiencing now are within our expected level."

Meanwhile, Joe Pugh - one of the people injured in the Smiler crash - was released from hospital on Tuesday; according to the Daily Star, Joe, his girlfriend Leah Washington (who had her leg amputated in the wake of the accident), and a third victim have all received payouts from the theme park's insurers.

More health and safety news and insight here.

Reports are circulating that Queen Elizabeth and her family may soon have to vacate Buckingham Palace to make way for 150 million pounds' worth of repair work. The cause? Asbestos, among other issues.

According to The Times, the Royal Family has spent £300,000 on asbestos removal in the past year, and yet "vast swathes of the palace still require asbestos to be removed from the walls and other cavaties". The palace also need a new heating system (this alone could cost upwards of £1 million), along with a whole lot of long-overdue maintenance and repair work.

Still, it's the asbestos that's clinching the headlines...

...and it's not hard to see why. We tend to imagine that asbestos only exists in run-down buildings that haven't been used since the 1980s, but deep down, we know that this isn't the case - earlier this year, we told you that asbestos is still present in a shocking 86% of UK schools, and the news about Buckingham Palace further demonstrates that asbestos really can be found everywhere.

And that's quite a scary thought. Asbestos has been banned more or less outright since 1999, and with good reason: it's a severe health hazard that can cause mesothelioma, lung cancer, and several other life-threating illnesses. Asbestos-related diseases claim many thousands of lives every year, from tradespeople to schoolteachers, and health and safety authorities are still struggling to bring the death toll down.

With all of this in mind, here are a few quick guidelines for dealing with asbestos on your premises. Perhaps Her Majesty might find them useful?

• DO NOT ATTEMPT TO REMOVE THE ASBESTOS YOURSELF. Asbestos removal should only be carried out by qualified professionals with the appropriate protective equipment.
  
  
• Asbestos is safer when left undisturbed - STAY AWAY FROM ASBESTOS and ENSURE THAT OTHERS DO THE SAME.  We recommend using asbestos signs to identify the hazard, and warning tape to keep people away from the affected area.
  
  
• DEAL WITH THE PROBLEM AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. Asbestos is a serious health risk even when left alone, so don't just forget about it once it's been cordoned off - call in a professional to get rid of it (don't worry, it probably won't cost £300,000...unless you live in a palace!)

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Earlier this week, we told you all about UK Health & Safety Week, which is currently on its last day for 2015. That blog post included the following list:

• Mesothelioma and other asbestos-related illnesses
• Respiratory diseases
• Musculoskeletal disorders
• Skin complaints
• Hand arm vibration
• Stress and mental health problems

There are the specific workplace hazards that the organisers of Health & Safety Week wanted to address with this year's event. Today, we're going to tell you how Label Source can help you and your employees to steer clear of these problems.

Asbestos-Related Illnesses

Our asbestos range is home to many labels and warning signs that can be used to identify asbestos hazards and warn everyone to stay clear. Some of these products also give instructions on how to safely deal with asbestos.

Respiratory Diseases

If your employees are being exposed to smoke, fumes, spores, vapours, sprays, or airborne particles, this sign will remind them of the PPE they should be using to minimise the risk of respiratory diseases.

Musculoskeletal Disorders

Improper manual handling techniques are perhaps the most common cause of musculoskeletal disorders. Visit our Manual Handling Safety department for a range of products that will help you and your employees to follow best practices when lifting heavy objects.

Skin Complaints

Do your employees work with hazardous chemicals or other potential irritants? Make sure that all dangerous substances and workspaces are clearly identified with the appropriate signs/labelHand Arm Vibration

Some hand-held tools vibrate violently when in use, and this can lead to HAVS (Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome) and other painful disorders. To prevent this, carry out a full vibration risk assessment and label your equipment appropriately to inform workers of the recommended safe use periods

Stress

Obviously, stress can't be attributed to one sole factor, and to truly address stress in your workplace may require a substantial re-working of your current practices. Still, our stress management posters may be a good place to start - they identify some common causes and recommend ways to reduce stress in a working environment.

Give Label Source a call on 0800 3761 693 if you need any help to improve the health and safety standards of your workplace.