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Issue 5 Autumn 2018 Welcome! Welcome to the fifth edition of Aston World! Here we celebrate a mixture of new business awards, staff Middleton Shopping Centre achievements, training and innovation developments. We are delighted to announce Our commitment to customer that we have been awarded service and providing the cleanest As we grow as a Group we the full soft services contract and safest possible environment are dedicated to the need to for Middleton Shopping Centre. for our public to enjoy is priority communicate both internally Formerly The Arndale Centre, and we are looking forward to and externally and to also built in 1971, the site comprises working with Aston Services Group abide with our responsibilities 3 levels of retail shopping and to fulfil this.” extensive car parking for 378 not only to the environment Alistair Clayton, Commercial vehicles. It provides around but also our people. Director at Aston Services Group 340,000 sq ft of retail space as commented, “Middleton Shopping Developing our people to well as a gym and Middleton Centre is an historic ‘hub’ of the Health Centre. enhance your business. community and we are delighted to Lynette Howgate, Associate have been awarded this contract. If you have any comment or Director at Middleton Shopping We too are looking forward to ideas for future content – Centre, said, “We are a long working in partnership with the please contact Kieran Coe at established retail destination in the centre team at Middleton.” [email protected] heart of Middleton’s town centre. Elsewhere in Aston World: Hybrid Mitsubishi SHE newsletter Retail and Industrial videos launched Employee awards IOSH safety & World Host training BAE Barrow Rolls Royce 2 Aston WORLD Hybrid Car In line with our continued commitment to reducing our carbon footprint, Alistair Clayton, Commercial Director, has changed his car to a Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV – the new electric / petrol Hybrid. With a range of 33 miles on the electric power and an all wheel drive SUV, the car comes with great ‘green’ credentials – and with Alistair charging the harnessing from our solar panel car via the solar energy we are roof installation at Aston House – you could call it a ‘Win-win’. New Industrial Video Recognised as the go to provider SHE of specialist cleaning services, Our new video shows the Here’s the first edition our Industrial Division have capabilities of the Industrial further developed the resources Division https://www. of our Health & Safety to deliver big projects. As Ian astonservicesgroup.co.uk/news/ & Environmental Gilston, Aston Services Group video.html newsletter... Chairman puts it, “Our name is The video shows both our Jacquie Davies, Head of QUENSH, quality and we are building a extensive range of services has been working very hard to reputation for delivering on what and also our commitments to put together the first edition we say.” accreditation and health and of this newsletter which will be Safety in the workplace. shared publically and internally within the Aston Services Group. We envisage a new edition to be issued quarterly and should you have any comments or input please feel free to email Jacquie@astonservicesgroup. co.uk SHE Safety | Health | Environment May 2018 Safety When summer means hay Health fever, here’s how to help SHE Environment Whilst we all long for those beautiful long summer days and the smell of freshly cut grass, hay fever Quality & compliance sufferers dread the high pollen counts, and the itchy, Welcome to the Aston Services Group Monthly Bulletin. sneezy, wheezy symptoms that are associated with it. For further details on any of the newsletter content - please do not hesitate to contact me. A 2013 study showed that anywhere between 10-30% of adults suffer with hay fever, and research from the Met Office suggested that UK employees who suffer from severe hay 1. KEEP THE WINDOWS CLOSED ISO 45001 standard publishedfever need an average of 8.4 days away from their desk. Good quality air conditioning is much better than having Many people believe that hay fever simply manifests as itchy the windows open during the summer period. Opening The long-awaited ISO 45001 standard has been published. eyes and sneezing that can be managed with a cocktail of windows allow the minuscule pollen particles to find antihistamines, eye drops and nasal sprays. Whilst this may their way in and settle around the office. The publishing of the standard marks the beginning of the migration period from OH SAS 18001 to the ISO replacement. Organisationsbe true in thatsome cases, we know that as many as 57% of adults 2. CONSIDER FLOORING will have sleep disturbance as a result of their hay fever. hold OHSAS 18001 have three years to comply with the new standard. Plush carpets tend to harbour both dust and pollen, Aston Services Group will be working towards the standardPoor and sleep we results hope to in daytime fatigue and problems with which creates a problematic environment for hay fever Jacquie Davies undertake the audit towards the end of the year. alertness and concentration. Many hay fever sufferers and dust allergy sufferers alike. Sweepable and moppable Head of Health Safety describe this as “brain fog”. There is therefore no surprise that floors are better for pollen free working conditions. If The International Labour Organisation calculated that there are Quality and Compliance, productivity is significantly reduced in perennial hay fever there are carpets, ensure they are thoroughly vacuumed approximately 2.78 million fatal accidents in the workplace every year. This Aston Services Group Ltd sufferers. on a daily basis by the cleaning staff. is in addition to the 374 million non-fatal accidents and illnesses occurring Mobile: 0753895 5358 from the workplace or work-related activities. Such Pollenstatistics has only three serve waves, as with the result that staff can be 3. REMOVE PLANTS AND FLOWERS Office: 01772 425070 a strong reminder as to why health and safety at workaffected is so important, by hay fever and from January right through to the end of Whilst they can make an office look nicer, these should why it should be considered an integral part of any organisation. Fax: 01772 425071 summer, but there are things that employers can do to create a be removed from working areas, as people seemingly pollen free work environment throughout hay fever season. forget that flowers create pollen. Email: [email protected] Web: www.astonservicesgroup.co.uk 4. REMOVE SOFT FURNISHINGS Aston Services Group SHE Committee In the age of the trendy office, cushions and beanbags have become common. It may be beneficial to remove SPILLAGES: these during the hay fever months, or at least ensure they are vacuumed daily. January saw the inaugural meeting of theThree Aston Services vital Group steps Safety, Health to takeand Environment Committee. The purpose of the SHE Committee will be to ensure we 5. STORE COATS AND JACKET SEPARATELY cover all relevant issue within the business. It would be great to have a separate cloakroom for coats and jackets. Clothes pick up small pieces of pollen each time IN THIS ISSUE: The committee has agreed some standing itemsJust forlike fire,The a spill members can causeof the Committeemajor damage are all enthusiastic to you go outside, these small particles are then deposited into the agenda and allow for other items to be workersadded as and aand site, looking even forward more toso working if the wrongtogether chemicalto make a • ISO 45001 the working space, especially if your staff are in the habit of necessary. The main agenda points will be:is used to begindifference. with. Three The criticalmembers stepsare Sally in Taylor, order Operationsto • SHE Committee Director, Jacquie Davies, Head of Health Safety hanging their coats on the back of their chair. • Statistics on accident records, ill health,handle sickness a site spillage swiftly. Quality and Compliance. Gavin Armitage, Cath • How to help with absence. 6. ALLOW FLEXIBLE WORKING hay fever Mangan, Ann Marie Thompson and Phil Todd, Communicate the hazard – no matter how large If these measures have not helped, consider offering flexible • Accident investigations and subsequent action. Industrial and Maintenance Director. Going forward • Spillages: the three or small; vital steps • Inspections of the workplace by enforcing the committee will review, consult and agree with the working on high pollen days, allowing staff to work from home or starting/finishing early. Pollen counts are different authorities, management or employee healthClear and up theimplementation spill – ensure ofit doesany new not policies get any and worse; procedures. safety representatives. throughout the day. If the 9am pollen is high, an 8am or and The minutes and action points will be distributed to 10am start may be preferable when levels are lower. The Met • Risk assessments. you for circulation and display on all notice boards. Recovery – ensure spill kits are maintained on a regular Office website is an excellent source of information, and • Health and safety training. Please ensure that you share the minutes with our basis so that they are fit for purpose and the appropriate offers a pollen count map to help you to plan. • Emergency procedures. brand partners and do not hesitate to contact any of measures are in theplace committee next time members around. with any queries you have. • Changes in the workplace affecting the health, 7. HELP YOUR STAFF TO SEE A DOCTOR Remember that Health and Safety is not a chore, it’s safety and welfare of employees. Allow your staff to see their doctor to discuss hay fever just the way we do business. • Recycling and Energy Performance. treatments. If the standard over the counter medications • Documentation Review. have not been helping, there are a range of prescribable medications that can be offered, including tablets, nasal sprays, and even a hay fever injection, which is used to Copyright ©StockLayouts LLC.