Get Protected - March 2009

The free newsletter of Tameside MBC Environmental Health and Consumer Services

Providing help and advice for consumers and businesses of Tameside

Download a copy of Get Protected - March 2009 492.97 KB

• Do your bit for the environment
• Violence at Work
• Digital TV Switchover
• Want to be more competitive?
• Don’t lose out this year
• Licensed Hackney Carriage/Private Hire Drivers – the vetting process
• Reducing Salt Intake in Greater Manchester

Do your bit for the environment

In the last edition of Get Protected we discussed the benefits that energy efficiency can have; it can save your organisation money and also help the environment.

Tameside’s Energy Unit would like to point you in the direction of a free service that the Groundwork Trust is offering to businesses in the area. More details can be found below.

Book your free resource efficiency consultation

Groundwork's funded resource efficiency programme can get you started on your environmental improvements by providing a free on-site resource efficiency review.

Subject to funding, your business may also be able to access further free, in depth resource efficiency support.

Details of the eligibility for this additional funded support will be provided as part of the initial free resource efficiency review.

To book your resource efficiency review: call Simon Coppack on 0161 220 1020 or email: info@groundwork.org.uk.

Violence at Work

Safer Retail - Better Business. Don’t become a victim of crime

Retail violence is already recognised as a major issue for businesses and the local community. However, it is now being recognised by Environmental Health Officers (EHOs) as an issue that needs tackling through the use of health and safety enforcement powers, where appropriate, to achieve improvements in safety and security. Over the next two years Environmental Health Officers are going to be working with businesses in Tameside to try and reduce the numbers of commercial robberies and other violent incidents across the Borough.

Violent acts can range from verbal abuse, in person or over the telephone, harassment, threatening behaviour, bullying and intimidation, to actual physical or sexual assault, armed robbery and damage to property.

Employers are particularly at risk from workplace violence as the goods and cash held in the shop or catering premises put them at risk from criminals who will use violence to steal, and contact with all sections of the public puts them at risk from people who become violent when they are angry.

Visits to businesses following commercial robberies

EHOs and Crime Reduction Advisers from Greater Manchester Police will be undertaking joint visits to those businesses that are unfortunate enough to be the victims of commercial robberies. They will be advising on how to further improve security and employee safety at these premises and where appropriate will be using Health and Safety at Work legislation to reinforce their message.

Safer Retail Better Business Guidance Pack

A retail violence guidance pack has been produced for businesses, which includes information to assist employers to proactively identify, assess and control the risks of violence in the workplace. The pack outlines reasonable, practical and cost-effective measures that can be taken to reduce the opportunity of violence at work. If you follow the advice set out in the pack, you will be well on the way to complying with your responsibilities, as required by the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, and will minimise the risk of being a victim of violence.

You can obtain a copy of the guidance pack by contacting us on 0161 342 3467.

Digital TV Switchover

• Do not be a victim of a scam!
  
• It is important that you do not become a victim of bogus traders and scams!
  
• Turn away all uninvited doorstep callers who claim to be linked to Digital UK or who claim that they can offer you a good deal, whether it be to replace your old aerial with a new one or help you set up your TV for the switchover! The information below should help you understand what the switchover involves:
  
• The digital switchover will take place in Tameside as part of the Granada region on the 4th November 2009.
  
• You do not need to buy a new TV.
  
• You do not need to subscribe to any satellite package.
  
• You can convert your existing TV by purchasing a Freeview box (if you do not have a scart socket on your TV, you will need to ask for a digital box with an ‘RF Modulator’.)
  
• Most rooftop and some set top aerials will continue to work after the switch over. To check the aerial strength visit Teletext page 284.
  
• It is estimated that a small percentage (5-10%) of rooftop aerials and 50% of set top aerials will be affected by the switchover.
  
• Any TV aerial is capable of receiving digital but you may find that you require a higher gain aerial that is designed to receive the digital frequency, which can be purchased for a fairly small price.
  
• The message is that you do not need to spend £100’s of pounds during the switchover!
  

Want to be more competitive?
Want to realise significant cost savings?
Want to improve your business image?

All this can be achieved, and more, by making your business more resource efficient. At Groundwork EBS, our resource efficiency programme is designed to help you improve your environmental performance; a process that will save you money, make you more competitive within your market place and will help improve your business reputation.

We provide the technical expertise to help:

• Enhance the bottom line through minimisation of waste generation
  
• Increase efficiency with better use of raw materials, labour and utilities
  
• Decrease waste sent to landfill
  
• Improve your image with stakeholders

We can provide the support you need to help you identify, plan and execute resource efficiency programmes, varying from quick hit, single issue solutions to long term planning and continuous improvement strategies.

To find out more about how Groundwork EBS can support your business, contact Simon Coppack on 0161 220 1020.

For business efficiency visit us online at http://www.groundwork.org.uk .

Groundwork EBS
Groundwork Manchester,
Salford & Trafford,
Timber Warf,
42-50 Worsley Street,
Castlefield,
Manchester
M15 4LD

Don’t lose out this year

• Without energy saving light bulbs you’ll lose £40
• Without cavity wall insulation you’ll lose £160
• Without loft insulation you’ll lose £205
• Without double glazing you’ll lose £140
• Without a condenser boiler you’ll lose £275*

* All figures are per year and based on Energy Saving Trust assumptions at the time of publishing.

To find if there are grants and offers available for you visit www.tameside.gov.uk/energyefficiency or call the Energy Saving Trust Advice Centre on 0800 512 012.

Licensed Hackney Carriage/Private Hire Drivers – the vetting process

When licensing Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Drivers, as a local authority we have a statutory duty to ensure that they are ‘fit and proper’ to hold such a licence. All licensed Hackney Carriage and Private Hire Drivers are, therefore, subject to vigorous checks, including the following:

Verifying Documents

When a taxi driver applies for a badge he is required to provide his full DVLA licence as well as other documents acceptable for the purpose of identity i.e. passport. The documents are checked by our members of staff who are trained in the detection of false documentation.

DVLA Subject Enquiry

We have a facility with DVLA whereby we can apply to them for information in connection with a driver’s record.

Criminal Records Bureau

The applicants must have an Enhanced CRB Disclosure which displays all convictions, cautions, reprimands and any other relevant information which involves the applicant. They must have this check when they first apply and every 3 years thereafter whilst they are licensed. In addition to this, if a driver is convicted of an offence whilst they are licensed they must inform us within 72 hours. The main search areas that the disclosure goes through are:

• Police National Computer
  
• POCA (Protection of Children Act) lists
  
• POVA (Protection of Vulnerable Adults) lists
  
• Local Police Checks – for local held records
  
• Previous Address area Police Checks
  

We also receive relevant information from the Police and other partnership agencies whenever it becomes available.

Speakers Panel

Licensing Officers have delegated powers to grant licences. All applicants/licence holders are subject to the AGMA guidelines for the determination of new applications and review of existing hackney carriage and private hire drivers licences. Where a licence cannot be granted by an Officer, the applicant/licence holder will be referred to Speakers Panel for their consideration.

Reducing Salt Intake in Greater Manchester

Across Greater Manchester fish and chip shops and other fast food businesses are being asked to use salt shakers with fewer holes.

Why?

We are supporting a national campaign led by the Food Standards Agency. It recommends that adults and children 11 years and over should eat no more than 6g of salt a day (about one level teaspoonful).

In the UK 85% of men and 69% of women eat too much salt. As a result most people would benefit from cutting down on the amount of salt they eat.

Three quarters (75%) of the salt we eat comes from processed foods. Most people would lessen their risk of coronary heart disease and stroke by consuming less salt in their diet.

This initiative aims to allow people to enjoy their food but discreetly tries to reduce the amount of salt which is added to food.

We are providing salt pots free of charge

If these new pots have fewer holes than the ones you are using, please use the new pots instead of your old ones. If your staff put the salt on for customers - ask them not to shake the salt shaker any more than usual.

In addition to the new design salt shakers, a poster highlighting the Food Standards Agency's recommendations will accompany the shakers. It is designed to raise awareness. It would be helpful if the poster could be displayed where it can be seen by your customers.

What are the Benefits?

• Its healthier for your customers - eating too much salt can increase blood pressure and this in turn can increase the risk of developing heart disease or having a stroke.
• You will use less salt.
• It will cost you less.
• There will be less wastage.

By using the new salt pots you will be part of our campaign to improve the long-term health of the people who live and work in Greater Manchester.

Thank you for your help.

For further information please contact your local authority’s food safety team or visit the Food Standards Agency's salt campaign site: www.salt.gov.uk