March 2009 - Draft BS 8550 Guide to auditing of water quality sampling

The British Standard for auditing if water quality sampling is preparation. A conference is being held on 4th March 2009 to present the background to the development of the standard and the results of field trials carried out prior to the publication of the draft for public comment. For further details visit: Royal Society of Chemistry Web Link

March 2009 - New Penalties for Health and Safety Offences

The Health and Safety (Offences) Act 2008 comes into force on 16 January 2009. The Act introduces additional penalties for both employers and employees who are found guilty of health and safety offences. Although the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 remains the key statute for outlining the duties of employers and employees, the new Act allows greater sanctions to be imposed in both the Magistrates’ and the Crown Courts.

This Act marks a new era in health and safety whereby ANY individual within a business, from the shop-floor to the boardroom, can now be sent to prison for breaches of health and safety law. A custodial sentence will now be a possible sanction for many health and safety offences where previously only a fine could have been imposed. Even relatively minor offences tried in the Magistrates’ Court could now result in a £20,000 fine and up to 12 months imprisonment. If the breach is deemed serious enough to be tried in the Crown Court, many offences will now carry an unlimited fine and individuals could face up to two years imprisonment.

Importantly, any employee who has failed to take reasonable care of the health and safety of himself or other persons or any director, manager, secretary or other similar officer of the business who has consented or connived to a health and safety offence or which has been caused by his neglect, can now be imprisoned.

March 2009 - First Environment to exhibit at Sustainabilitylive

First Environment will be exhibiting at Stand 121 at the Environmental Technology section of Sustainabilitylive. Our stand will present new developments in Indoor Air Quality monitoring techniques and understanding as well as showcase our full range of services.

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June 2008 - SafeContractor Registration Confirmed

First Environment's registration with the safeContractor scheme has been renewed for a further year marking our commitment to maintaining high standards of health and safety.

June 2008 - Client Zone Update

Our Client Zone on-line report access system has been updated to include tiered access to content. The Primary account holder can now add additional users and define the content, for example site information, for which access is allowed for each individual user.

April 2008 - Corporate Manslaughter and Homicide Act

As of April 2008 the new Corporate Manslaughter and Homicide Act comes in to force. Enabling prosecutions to be brought against organisations as a whole rather than and in addition to specific individuals where failures in health and safety occur.

March 2008 - Investor In People Award

First Environment has successfully completed re-audit for the Investor In People Award.