Expert presentations, demonstrations and legislative updates provided delegates with practical advice and support tailored to the furniture industry at a recent health and safety seminar hosted by the British Furniture Association (BFA).
The national trade body partnered with Didac to deliver the ‘Behind the Mask’ event, which was hosted by Rochdale Occupational Health Service (ROHS) and included face-fit testing with JSP.
Aimed at business owners and directors in furniture manufacturing, as well as health and safety managers, HR managers with responsibility for workforce health and safety and anyone responsible for PPE provision or COSHH compliance, the session proved a valuable resource for BFA members.
Emma Fox, of Sofas & Stuff, attended the event, and says: “Although we take health and safety very seriously and we are working at it, I will be taking what I’ve learnt today back to the company, and we will be putting into place the extra things that we’ve now found out we need. You think you’re doing the best you can on-site, but there’s a lot of information out there and events like this consolidate it into what you need.”
Stevie Taylor, health and safety compliance and training associate at Didac, was one of the speakers at the event. He says: “It’s giving people in the furniture industry an indication of what they should be looking for, considerations such as training, health and safety, COSHH, all the regulations … we’re making sure they are ready to deal with any potential problems they might come up against. The whole health and safety world is complicated, and some people have got just one person dealing with it. Events like this give people the chance to learn from each other and also ask questions.”
Trevor Craven, regional sales director at JSP Safety, a UK PPE manufacturer, gave advice on respiratory protection and the importance of face-fit testing at the seminar. He says: “It’s really important with the furniture industry because people are working in an industrial environment where they are surrounded by contaminants such as dusts and solvents which could affect them for life and could give them diseases like COPD and lung cancer.”
Held at ROHS in Rochdale, the full-day seminar included practical workshops, advice sessions, networking and an open Q&A session.
BFA MD Phil Spademan comments: “We’ve been talking about the things that impact furniture industry on a health and safety basis, including the importance of making sure that face masks fit properly, stress in the workplace and also wood dust and how to make sure it is kept to acceptable levels.
“Events like this help members understand what their obligations are, as well as providing an opportunity for networking, sharing ideas, sharing thoughts and concerns and making sure we can find the solutions we need, to make sure that the furniture industry is a safe place to work.”
Click here for more information about the BFA and its programme of upcoming events.
