Two prevalent issues plague businesses nationwide: accidents potentially causing injuries to employees and visitors and theft within the premises. Despite the reduction in theft from a peak of 17,700 offences in 2002/03 to 6,558 in 2022/23, any level of theft remains unacceptable.

Effective waste management is crucial for maintaining a sustainable and environmentally responsible society. Industrial waste bins play a vital role in that waste disposal processes, particularly for paper, general or recycling waste.

Manhole covers are an essential component of the UK’s drainage and sewerage infrastructure, providing access to underground systems for maintenance and repair.

Investing in material handling equipment offers numerous benefits for warehouse operations. From increased safety and reduced labour costs to improved inventory management and faster order fulfilment, these tools can transform your warehouse into a well-oiled machine.

Whether a forced relocation or by choice, moving business premises can be a fraught enough task in itself, so why not take advantage of the upheaval with floor layout improvements and equipment upgrades.

We all love seeing and hearing the wonderful array of birds that reside in the UK, with many of us putting out food daily in our gardens for them. As a nation we spend £250m a year on wild bird food, such as seeds, peanuts and fats. However, the cost and disruption to industry from our feathered friends is often disregarded.

The two things about the British weather that we all know, is that first off it is not predictable and the second is that we never seem to be prepared for it! Snow in November right through to March or beyond is a distinct possibility and yet businesses across the UK systematically fail to be ready to deal with what should be an inconvenience rather than a complete disaster. Companies would fair better by assessing the risks and then order the equipment and supplies needed in advance so they will be better prepared for what is coming!

Is there a definitive origin for the art of queueing? The word queue comes from the 12th century Old French word 'cue' meaning tail of an animal, which originates from the Latin word 'cauda'. So when did queueing start in Britain? During the early 19th century queues had become common occurrences as masses of people had migrated from the countryside to the towns to find work during the Industrial Revolution.

Recent events have shown how vulnerable we can be to fires when the temperature rises. Bonfires, BBQs, electrical faults or even a simply discarded cigarette stub can start what can turn out to be a catastrophe.

While the stadiums, gymnasiums and sports venues are filled with 4500 athletes from 72 nations vying for medals, consider the amount of work required behind the scenes to make the Friendly Games a success for the thousands of spectators visiting the 15 venues in the West Midlands over the 12 days of sporting events.

The two things about the British weather that we all know, is that first off it is not predictable and the second is that we never seem to be prepared for it! Snow in November right through to March or beyond is a distinct possibility and yet businesses across the UK systematically fail to be ready to deal with what should be an inconvenience rather than a complete disaster. Companies would fair better by assessing the risks and then order the equipment and supplies needed in advance so they will be better prepared for what is coming!

PVC strip curtains have a variety of uses when installed in factory, warehouse or despatch areas. They can be used to keep the heat out in the summer and keep the heated air within the area during the colder months. They provide segregation between different work areas allowing for various processes to take place without disrupting each other. Keeping dust, debris, insects and even pests away from the workplace is very important and these curtains can help to achieve this as well.

During the past eight months it has been very easy to overlook an important responsibility for employers and businesses when being faced with the new challenges of the Coronavirus pandemic. Health and safety in the workplace is pivotal to company operating strategies and cannot be compromised at any time.

You know it's going to happen and then you find yourself hunting around for an old and no doubt part damaged broom! You remember back to last year when you swore that you would be better prepared this year. Well, you still have time provided you act quickly!

The Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the UK lockdown from March 23rd 2020. Three months later he then reported that lockdown easing measures would start to be implemented from July 4th with the re-opening of some of the hospitality industry and other public spaces.

As the lockdown eases across the UK, thousands of businesses and public buildings are having to consider how they can minimise the risk of infection from entering their premises.

The lunchtime rest period or tea break is normally seen as a social time for employees in the UK. Businesses are having to adapt in light of the Coronavirus epidemic, whilst still managing to provide that vital time for workers to take a well earned break from daily work duties and to recuperate in time for the tasks ahead.

We are having to get used to very different rules and guidance in our daily lives regarding the Coronavirus epidemic. This is no more illustrated than in the workplace with businesses having to adapt their working practises and define policies that allow for social distancing and safe practises. Indeed, the front entrance to a building is now being seen as the first line of defence.

From May 13th lock-down procedures are being eased across England in an effort to help stimulate the economy. Those who can easily work from home are still advised to do so but for many, returning to their place of work has now become a reality.

These are extraordinary times and our absolute priority is to ensure the health and safety of our customers and employees.

A high street discounter supermarket and a logistics giant both called on Action Handling to supply floor marking tapes to mark out areas where customers and staff should stand for social distancing.

Knock on the door, ring the bell, ring it well, wipe your feet and walk in.  It’s a rhyme I was recently reminded of, that my great grandfather shared with us as we grew up. I am sure if you are from the Sheffield area, it’s a rhyme you might have heard of too. It then got me thinking about entrance matting and how it relates to the rhyme.

An analysis of work injuries across all job types, shows that slips, trips and falls are the most common cause of physical harm. The degree of harm sustained depends on the hazard in place and the height at which it occurs. A simple stumble can result in anything from a minor mishap to a serious accident which may involve dangerous machinery, or even a person falling from height to death.

A County Durham based company recently approached us to manufacture three bespoke roll forward tipping skips. Having seen our standard range of skips online, they talked to our sales manager, Jon Ball about having their specific needs and requirements met.

Stunning colours! But if you have company premises, then falling leaves can be a big problem to handle. There's no escaping them, even at home the decaying foliage becomes an unwanted headache to have to deal with.

Were you prepared when the temperatures soared? Why is it that UK companies never quite seem to get ahead with extreme weather planning? In the latest heat wave, suppliers across the country ran out of fans, air conditioning units, water coolers and even cold drink machines. To avoid this happening again, Action Handling advise their clients to put in place a strategic plan to cover all the seasons and all the possible extreme weather problems that can happen.

Through the Climate Change Act, the UK government has committed to reducing emissions by 80% of the levels they were in 1990, by the year 2050. In order for this target to be achieved, businesses and industry are being encouraged to replace high-carbon investments with greener alternatives when the opportunity arises. We have compiled some ways in which some factories, warehouses and other industrial workplaces can make positive and greener changes, which not only help with lowering carbon emissions but also help save money long-term.

We all know that there is more to dealing with inclement weather at work than just whacking the heating on; but did you know that, according to the HSE, occurrences of accidents at work statistically increase in the colder months.

Figures from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) show that an estimated 4.5 million working days were lost in the UK in 2015/16 due to self-reported workplace injuries. Whilst the general trend is that the number of reported injuries occurring at work is reducing over time, the HSE also note that due to the widespread underreporting of incidents, those figures are likely to be considerably higher in reality.

We all know that it doesn’t take much for an organised and tidy stockroom to quickly become a mess. When things get busy, it’s sometimes easier to cut corners and go back later – however, leaving stock, empty cardboard boxes, packaging and numerous other items lying around can seriously impact on the efficiency and safety of your storage area.

When running a business, productivity is a key part of management, with teams always looking for ways to improve. However, recent studies have shown that an organised workplace can assist productivity – and when you think about it, it makes sense.

We've written a few posts discussing employer obligations when it comes to providing a safe workplace for employees. Sufficient training and supervision, equipment suited to the task at hand and implementation of procedures are all part of the process. In the end, however, it comes down to the individual employee to work responsibly, employ correct equipment and act in a safe manner at work.

We’ve written previously about the positive effects of having an organised workplace and how effective storage can contribute to productivity. Employee well-being is becoming more of a focus for many companies, with fluid employment markets and increased opportunities meaning businesses need to do more to attract and retain the best employees for the job.

Office space has changed a great deal over the past few decades. Gone are the rows of carbon-copy desks and enclosed offices for a chosen few – now open plan layouts, fresh air, central meeting spaces and clean design are the hallmarks of a modern office. Studies conducted over the past few years have found that environment can play a big part in employee satisfaction and well being, leading to improved productivity.

Eco-friendly, sustainable, recycled - none of these are new terms in the modern business world. For many years now, companies have been looking at ways to reduce their carbon footprint, use resources to their best advantage and recycle whenever possible. It makes good sense for the planet and also financially, with savings to be found in streamlining practices, utilities and materials so we only use what we need.

Few things look more unsightly around your workplace than discarded cigarette butts, yet it’s estimated that 79% of all public places in the UK are blighted by them. Since the smoking ban which prohibits smoking inside any public space came into force in 2007, littering is a problem which seems to have escalated.

Winter can be a testing time for any business. Freezing temperatures, high winds, snow and ice can all conspire to make things a little more difficult than they might otherwise be. Obviously, the weather in the UK is somewhat fickle, making it very hard to predict what may or may not happen next month, next week or even tomorrow, which means forethought and preparation are key in keeping things running smoothly.

Almost one tonne per household which is pretty much a Nissan micra each per home, that’s without taking into account large events which we attend and produce a mountain of waste such as sporting events, pop concerts and industry waste, no wonder the wheelie bin is very much an everyday essential especially as our  household waste increases by 3% per year, so on that ratio our waste at home in 17 years will be two Nissan micra's.  

Anti-fatigue mats are predominantly used in industrial and commercial working environments to provide worker comfort. Standing for lengthy periods of time during your work shift on hard and sometimes cold floors causes general fatigue plus health problems such as poor blood circulation, aches in joints, and pains in feet, hips and back. Standing for long periods is also bad for health because of the strain on the lower limbs. The problems caused with feet can include corns, bunions, flat feet and heel spurs. Medical professionals also link standing for long periods day in day out to varicose veins. These causes to health problems can be easily reduced by providing a comfortable working environment, and anti-fatigue mats also reduce slips, trips and falls. As we know slips, trips and falls mean a decrease in staff productivity, absenteeism and ultimately can cost employers millions of pounds each year.  

We often cite Health and Safety requirements in our blog posts – after, all, they are an integral part of doing business in the UK. The information we cite is for general purposes only – each business should have their own policy in place and all staff should be aware of what it is. However, there are several basic rules that can apply to most companies, such as:

• Proper staff training
• Using the correct equipment for the job
• Keeping equipment maintained and up to date with regular safety checks
• Providing a clean work environment

Eco-friendly, sustainable, recycled – none of these are new terms in the modern business world. For many years now, companies have been looking at ways to reduce their carbon footprint, use resources to their best advantage and recycle whenever possible.

We recently posted about the importance of safely storing hazardous materials to protect your most important asset, your employees. However, if you’re running a business with its own office or warehouse, you also have other assets worth protecting. Tools, computer equipment, warehouse contents, employee or workplace vehicles and sensitive documents are just some of the items that can be found at most businesses, not to mention the premises themselves.

Use this time to comply with Health & Safety guidelines and fit safety treads and matting to help minimise accidents in the workplace and create a comfortable work environment.