Cath Morris HSE inspector commenced by handing out to everyone copies of leaflets she had collected from Western Power Distribution, which gave some very useful guidance on 'Avoiding Danger from Overhead Power lines'.

The Presentation that followed was titled ' Hot topics 'which outlined the areas that were currently most topical these included:

Transport - traffic management systems, to include pedestrian routing

Falls from Height - Handrails, overhead walkways

Slips,Trips,Falls - Adequate lighting of walkways

Manual Handling - to include Assessments for maintenance work, fibre handling, ergonomic design of workstations

HAVS - vibration assessments, positive purchasing policy

Noise - 1st and 2nd action levels to be reduced to 80 and 85 dBA respectively

Occupational Asthma

Stress - recognition

Competence / CPD - HSE check sheet to be used during future visits. This will include levels of NVQ and CPD recording,
     - Safety reps TUC course, appointments
     - Managers at all levels
     - HR selection and training
     - EPIC semi-national agreements

Control of Contractors

Accident investigation - expanded schemes to access root causes and any underlying custom and practice

Cath then highlighted four projects which the HSE were looking for industry volunteers to assist with, these involve; Protection of the Public; Junior visitors and attracting them into the industry; Quarry design from start point; manual handling and good practice in ergonomist hand won stone environment.

An update on the Contractors scheme reported that 1500 companies had enrolled on the scheme and some 8200 passes had been registered.

A request was made by Cath for the HSE to be involved in any local safety initiatives, which involved safety days, and the sharing of knowledge locally would be supported by the HSE. The recommencement of Local Area Committees was also discussed - HSE would support these but industry would have to instigate.

A range of questions followed the presentation from the floor, which mainly centred on the issues of the competence assessment and NVQ's.

A comment was made, that the HSE website currently links quarrying with other extractive industries and general feeling was the industry should stand alone.

A vote of thanks was duly given by the branch vice chairman Kevin Sargent.