Health and Safety Feature Library

Operations Engineer's library catalogues editorial features going back five years.

Access to all archive material is free to all, including non-members of IPlantE (the Institution of Operations Engineers) or BES (Bureau of Engineer Surveyors), under the umbrella of SOE (Society of Operations Engineers). However, to discover the many benefits of becoming an SOE member, please click here.

05/02/2019 Cleaning up Leaks and uncontrolled releases of diesel can have major impacts on nature and the environment if they aren’t dealt with properly. Luckily there are different measures, products and services available for operators and businesses in ... » Read More

05/02/2019 Low-cost VOC sensors Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) perform many vital roles as fuels, solvents, feedstock and sterilants, to name a few. Monitoring their concentration is essential because of the potential health and safety risk that they pose. Alternative ... » Read More

05/12/2018 Load and behold Automated truck loading machines can be used as alternatives to forklift trucks and pallet trucks. How does this machinery work, and what installation and training requirements are needed? » Read More

02/11/2018 Ladder to success Working at height is one of the main causes of industrial fatalities, so using the right access equipment is imperative. What are the most important considerations to be made when choosing, and using, a ladder for access or work at height? » Read More

17/10/2018 Fire safety – after Grenfell In the wake of the Grenfell Tower tragedy, building inspectors and engineering surveyors must now assess the degree of fire protection in similar buildings. Brian Wall asks: Without adequate blueprints or records to fall back on, how are ... » Read More

17/10/2018 Tackling asbestos The British Occupational Hygiene Society (BOHS) has launched a Faculty of Asbestos Assessment and Management (FAAM). Adam Offord speaks to Colette Willoughby, director at Asbestos Compliance, BOHS principal examiner for asbestos, and FAAM ... » Read More

17/10/2018 Now you see me High-visibility clothing has become an essential part of work in and around industrial environments and vehicles. Adam Offord explores the legal basis, performance standards and properties of the much-used personal protective equipment » Read More

16/10/2018 Arc-breaker on the way New recommendations to install Arc Fault Detection Devices (AFDDs) in final AC circuits are aimed at cutting the chances of an electrical fi re in higher-risk locations. It’s early days, but the benefits of installing AFDDs are already ... » Read More

21/08/2018 Improving safety through connectivity in gas detection Honeywell explains how introducing a greater level of connectivity into gas detection can help optimise safety and improve productivity » Read More

21/08/2018 Why monitor dust in the workplace? Airborne particulates in any industrial operation can have serious health effects for workers, making effective monitoring a vital tool, as Mark Venables discovers » Read More

30/06/2018 Driving forward Forklift truck manufacturer Combilift has opened its brand-new global headquarters and manufacturing facility in Ireland. (NOTE: This article was originally printed in Manufacturing Management magazine) » Read More

30/04/2018 Plant protectors Facilities managers look after buildings, but how can they mitigate the likelihood of a terrorist attack? Adam Offord examines guidance from the British Institute of Facilities Management » Read More

28/10/2017 Industrial vending – vote or veto Industrial vending machines can be used to stock a range of items and tools, but would they work on your site? Adam Offord explores the options » Read More

28/10/2017 Protecting the protective equipment Everyone knows the importance of wearing the correct PPE at all times. However, Chris Beck discovers there is a worrying knowledge gap when it comes to caring for this vital equipment » Read More

28/10/2017 The height of good sense More than 4,000 people a year in the UK suffer major injuries from falls while working at height and it is a major cause of workplace death. Mark Venables explains that, while most of these incidents occur in construction, other sectors of ... » Read More

26/08/2017 Peril of particles Mark Venables examines the issues facing managers as they balance the needs of people and productivity associated with laser and 3D printing processes, particularly in meeting their health and safety obligations in the light of recent ... » Read More

18/01/2016 Trip advisor Slips, trips and falls are still the biggest cause of injuries to manufacturing employees, accounting for 30% of non-fatal accidents. From improved flooring and footwear to driving cultural change on the shopfloor, Ian Vallely looks at the ... » Read More

30/06/2014 Flixborough revisited Forty years on from the Flixborough disaster, Brian Tinham looks at the lessons learned then and since – and the repercussions for safety throughout the process industries. » Read More

02/05/2014 First of Jan IOSH chief Jan Chmiel speaks exclusively to Max Gosney about the dawn of a new era of clipboard-light health and safety and why it demands more enlightened manufacturing managers » Read More

20/03/2014 Fit for purpose Keeping your people and your balance sheet healthy – that is the central challenge of occupational health and safety, as Ian Vallely explains. » Read More

27/02/2014 Material world New materials are being investigated for coal-fired power plants as their owners and operators seek to reduce emissions, using alternative fuels and carbon capture technologies. » Read More

27/02/2014 Fee for Intervention or fining for HSE income? Police, prosecutor, judge and jury. » Read More

18/01/2014 The 46 reasons to take falls seriously Gravity is good. It causes dispersed matter to coalesce and ensures this combined material – which includes you and me – remains intact. It is also, literally, the force of nature that keeps our feet on the ground. There are, however, ... » Read More

14/12/2013 Future fuels? Materials handling is a sweet spot for hydrogen fuel cells, according to one expert. They've been introduced in the US, with proven benefits, so why haven't they taken off in the UK? Laura Cork reports » Read More

05/06/2013 Accidents waiting to happen Common sense it may be, but all too often the use of machine guards falls way short of the legal standards. Brian Tinham talks to TÜV SÜD about problems and solutions. » Read More