Fire Marshal Training Completed

Fire Marshal Training

On a bright and windy Saturday morning in September, all Merryhill asbestos supervisors and members of the back-office team had fire marshal refresher training.

Training was delivered by Benfield Fire Safety following recommendation from an employee. The importance of fire safety is paramount, especially given a large proportion of our work takes place on construction sites.

The training was very well received by all who attended, with many commenting it was the best fire training they had received to-date. We would highly recommend Benfield Fire Safety for any fire-related training or risk assessment needs you may have.

Confined Space Training Completed

Confined Space Training

At Merryhill, we take the safety of our site teams very seriously.

Asbestos can often be found in awkward places such as undercrofts, attics, duct systems and basements. All of these scenarios have one thing in common, they are all often confined spaces.

The HSE defines a confined space as: “a place which is substantially enclosed (though not always entirely), and where serious injury can occur from hazardous substances or conditions within the space or nearby (e.g. lack of oxygen).”

Merryhill work with a number of clients that require our teams to have confined space training. The training provider, 3D’s Training UK Ltd were thorough and the trainer very interactive.

Merryhill have used a number of providers of the years, but this particular course struck a chord as it was delivered in such a positive and engaging way. The way training is delivered is often more important than the content. For a number of the people on the course it was a refresher so keeping people who already have some knowledge can be a challenge.

We’re pleased to say that all people who partook the course all passed with flying colours, well done to all those involved.

Site Teams Receive Electrical Isolation Training

Electrical Isolation Training

Earlier this month, some of our site teams received additional training in the safe isolation of electrical circuits.

Merryhill are on a number of social housing contracts and often work near live electrical installations. This is primarily when we are asked to remove or make safe, asbestos containing textured coated ceilings.

Given the volume of work on such contracts, it is often the case that Merryhill site teams rely on other contractors to isolate / make safe any installations affected by our works.

By having our own site teams trained to carry out such isolations it means we are able to provide a better service for our clients, whilst ensuring the safety of our operatives.

We are often asked how we can provide the best possible value for money on such contracts and this is one of many ways Merryhill is able to assist. By not having to send 2 teams to the same property, social landlords can save time, money and improve their carbon footprint due to reduced trips often made by car / van.

Merryhill is committed to providing the most up-to-date and relevant training for our site teams. This course, along with many others form part of our ongoing improvement plan to increase the skill set of our employees. We believe that skilled and competent employees are not only beneficial to us as an employer, but also helps to make staff feel appreciated and valued.

Merryhill Personnel Given Mental Health First Aid Training

Merryhill Gets Mental Health First Aid Training

Earlier this month, 2 members of the Merryhill team were given mental health first aid training. The 2-day course, delivered by St John Ambulance was organised to help raise awareness amongst all staff members about the importance of mental health and to promote best-practice across the whole organisation.

The course is designed to give people the skills to have a non-judgmental conversation, recognise the signs and symptoms of common workplace mental health issues and effectively guide a person towards the right support.

Mental Health Statistics

The statistics surrounding mental health are worrying and anything we can do as an organisation to improve the situation we believe can only be of benefit.

  • 1 out of 6.8 people will experience mental health issues in the workplace
  • 1 in 3 people will suffer from depression in their lives
  • According to the National Building Specification, mental health issues account for people taking almost 70 million days off sick per year – the most of any health condition – costing the UK economy between £70Bn and £100Bn a year.
  • Every year over 400 construction workers commit suicide

Course Feedback

Commenting after the course, Bryan Dart, Operations Manager said:

The 2-day mental health first aid course was a very worthwhile experience and a real eye-opener. Working in a high-hazard environment means we primarily focus on physical health issues and ensuring the safety of our staff, fellow site workers and members of the public.

Our aim is to be a more supportive employer. By giving our teams the facts about mental health and the practical skills to support wellbeing, we are working towards building a healthier and more productive workplace.

Such was the success of the course and feedback received, Merryhill has also decided to boost our awareness of mental health by ensuring all of our asbestos supervisors are trained as mental health champions.

This 1-day course is designed for people to gain a greater awareness of workplace mental health, to detect early symptoms of common mental health illnesses and the skills to support their own and others’ positive wellbeing.