The Framers Forum

have to do the risk assessment on the workshop and no sure how to go about it,anybody done theirs?would be helpful if there were any scottish framers that have done it just in case there are any variations with the h & s laws

The Health and Safety Executive provide a handy template here http://www.hse.gov.uk/risk/risk-assessm ... mplate.doc. This is just a comonsense walk-around-your-workshop-and-list-hazards approach.
You might like to compare with http://www.business.scotland.gov.uk/bdo ... =RESOURCES

It's worth writing a Health and Safety policy (also on business.scotland) and do tell your insurer you have done so - you should be able to negotiate a slight discount on the risks section! (It worked for us )

Louise

thanks louise,maybe the guild could work on something specific to the framer or maybe an article in the abt about it,as far as i can tell so far,there aren't many jobs that dont carry a risk,you should have seen the splinter i got the other week,and i cant find gloves that stop that,one of many potential hazards around your average workshop,and how do i explain the crate of glass up the stair ,they would have a hairy fit if i told them

Yep health and safety is a tough one for our industry but from personal experience it should include:

1) never put fingers under the underpinner clamp (that hurts)
2) make sure you learn lessons of number one and don't do it again weeks later, I guess the safety guard was on there for a reason!
3) Be careful of morso blades (they are sharp)
4) use caution when pulling out V pins with pliers (get it wrong and you slice your finger open)
5) if you are going to do stupid things like this, try not to get blood on the frame!

On a more serious note, how many people out there are like me, I bought the safety gloves for the glass but only ever use them when carrying multiple sheets of 4'x3'. We should probably wear them for handling all glass if we implemented H&S properly!

I guess its not taken seriously for a lot of us till an accident occurs then its too late

Regarding the use of safety gloves for glass. I've just been inspected by h&s and the inspector said the use of gloves was up to the individual.

She was more concerned that the dust extractor for my saw ( which is not a requirement to have) had not been inspected by a specialist in the last 18 months. (I just offered to cease using it!)

Thanks Dougie - I'll pass your request over to Annabelle on Art Business Today.

I'm sure most of it is good old common sense and some will depend on the specifics of workshop layouts, equipment and so on.

I assume most risks in a frame shop fall into these categories:
lifting
slipping
falling and working at heights
cutting
burns
food and drink related
hygene related
personal safety related

Are there any others?

The list could be endless but glass, chemicals, spillages are among the high ones

Abacus wrote: She was more concerned that the dust extractor for my saw ( which is not a requirement to have) had not been inspected by a specialist in the last 18 months. (I just offered to cease using it!)

Probably because finely divided dust particles are explosive so the potential for harm from a dust extractor not properly maintained is quite serious. In fact sanding dust extractors are fitted with explosion relief panels to help avoid catastrophe.

Richard