30-31_ARENA_SUMMER2015.qxd_Arena_A5 20/05/2015 12:11 Page 2 arena t l a h He Send your health questions to the .uk arena team at: [email protected] Injury inquiry have sick Q I following been an off accident I had at work. I have now been told I am to be disciplined, can they do this as I was injured at work? You don’t say what you are being disciplined for. If it is because your employer has investigated the accident and believes that it was your fault, they can discipline you for breaching health and safety procedures. Talk to your union rep before the hearing to identify the cause of the accident, or any mitigating circumstances. Alternatively you could be facing a hearing as a result of the attendance management policy if you already had a poor attendance record before taking time off for the accident. They should however take into account the fact that your recent absence resulted from an accident at work, especially if you were not to blame. Either way, ensure that you are represented by your Usdaw rep during any disciplinary proceedings. If you haven’t reported the accident to FirstCall Usdaw then give the union’s free accident claim line a call on 0800 055 6333. Hazard label supplier to produce a safety data sheet. This should identify any significant occupational or environmental risks, and should also give advice on safe storage and disposal as well as suitable protective equipment. It is not unusual for cleaning chemicals to carry health warnings. They are designed to remove grease and germs from equipment so they can damage natural oils in the skin. However, simple precautions such as the right type of waterproof gloves and goggles to protect the eyes from splashes are usually sufficient. Your health and safety rep is entitled to have a copy of the safety data sheet and can raise any concerns you may have about the way it is used or the protective equipment provided. our Q In processing meat factory, Asbestos fear the hygiene team have Q In lift our ran warehouse, a fork- into some been told to use a new disinfectant when washing down machinery between shifts. The label on the container has a scary symbol and warnings that it is h and your corrosive and warnings Your healt l a ork is a vit about not breathing fumes safety at w e. servic or getting it on your skin. f o Usdaw’s part isit: How do we know that it re advice v For mo to g.uk is safe European use? laws on .usdaw.o f r ety www dsa chemicals in the /healthan workplace require the panelling and damaged it. It was only when my mate asked if it might be asbestos that they called the experts in. Later an asbestos removal firm arrived, sealed off the area and took away the damaged material. Immediately after the accident I swept up some of the damaged panel. How can I tell if I was exposed? It seems very likely that you could have been exposed to