We all have to adjust a bit in the winter months. The weather is one thing, but the change in mood is also palpable, with darkness falling before many people have left work. As well as being generally unpleasant outside, winter brings with it a raft of new considerations around safety – particularly if you… Read More
As people have become more open about their mental health, employers are increasingly looking to support their employees in this regard, and ensure they are happy and productive in the workplace. The most prominent aspect of this has been the growth in First Aid for Mental Health training, a suite of courses that SAMS now… Read More
Everybody’s good at something. Some are prized bakers; others can ride enormous waves without falling off; and a select few can walk six dogs at once without the dogs walking them. While some of us turn our talents into viable careers, so many others nurture skills as hobbies, and never really think that they can… Read More
We talk about asbestos a lot, and we know it can get a bit boring. You hear the same things about asbestos awareness, asbestos in schools and the importance of compliance, but it doesn’t really motivate you to take the problem seriously. And with many people taking asbestos courses online, you don’t get that face-to-face… Read More
Having just passed the Summer Equinox, we’re experiencing all the benefits and drawbacks of extremely long days. Yet the only reason it gets light so early is that we continue to put our clocks forward – a change that can interrupt our circadian rhythms, and cause up to three weeks of insomnia. Turning the clocks… Read More
From irons to toilet seats to fake snow, there was a period in the 20th century where everything was made with asbestos. This magical material was strong, fireproof and insulated against electricity, and the public couldn’t get enough. Like the earlier craze for radium however, it soon emerged that asbestos held a deadly secret. The… Read More
Many of us think of asbestos as an antiquated threat. The deadly substance seems like it’s been banished and dealt with, gone the way of lead paint or leaded fuel. There’s an awareness that it still exists – largely because of fly-tipping – but not that it poses a present danger. For most people, it’s… Read More
“FORTNITE MADE ME A SUICIDAL DRUG ADDICT” “GAMING AS ADDICTIVE AS HEROIN” “GAMING ADDICT KIDS TAKEN INTO CARE” That last headline is just the latest in a series of articles linking behavioural problems to video games. With the massive popularity of games like Fortnite and Apex Legends, newspapers have picked up a refrain that goes… Read More
We’re smack bank in the middle of winter in the northern hemisphere, and there’s still a way to go. If you’re in the UK this is a hazy transition, and summer doesn’t really seem to have arrived until it’s already almost over. For facilities managers and business owners, this means a lengthy period of vigilance… Read More
We shouldn’t need to tell you about the dangers of asbestos. All forms of the naturally occurring mineral are known carcinogens, and its use has been banned completely in the UK since the turn of the millennium. While it continues to turn up in old buildings, products and on brownfield land, safety assessors across the… Read More