A brief look ahead at some of the key employment law developments expected in 2014.
The start of another year brings a range of significant new employment law developments for employers to be aware of. The key changes expected in 2014 are as follows:
Amended TUPE Regulations come into force on 31 January 2014 (see our news item);
Various changes resulting from the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013 take effect on 6 April 2014: o Mandatory pre-claim Acas conciliation introduced; o Employment judges given the discretion to impose financial penalties on employers who lose at a tribunal hearing; o Discrimination questionnaires abolished.
The right to request flexible working is due to be extended to all employees with at least 26 weeks’ service (not limited to those with caring responsibilities) on 6 April 2014 (NB latest indications are that this is likely to be delayed and will take effect later in the year);
Abolition of the current rules on Statutory Sick Pay record-keeping (6 April 2014) and the introduction of a new approach to sickness absence management is expected in spring 2014;
New Regulations expected during 2014 giving tribunals the power to order employers to carry out equal pay audits, if they are found to have discriminated in relation to contractual or non-contractual pay.
Breakfast update briefing – date for your diary
For more information on these and other recent and forthcoming employment law developments, please join us at the next employment law breakfast briefing, which will be held on Tuesday 11 March 2014, at the Barnham Broom Hotel near Norwich.
Look out for further details and information about how to book your place, which will be available very soon.
We are delighted to announce that our new website is live.
Our new site is full of information regarding our products and services, as well as our very latest news, case studies and careers.
Andrew McKay-Atkinson, Managing Director says ‘We specialise in industry leading products and efficient and professional washroom services, and our new website is a reflection of our professionalism as a business.’
Visitors to the site will have access to information on Active Washrooms products and services, including informative product descriptions and images as well as a quote request facility too.
Norse subsidiary, Devon Norse, has been awarded the contract for the cleaning of five NHS sites in South Devon.
The sites, all in the Torbay area, including two office buildings, two community resource centres and a carers centre.
Steve Jones , Cleaning Operations Manager at Devon Norse said that the contract, which covers internal building cleaning, is a further example of the company’s continuing success in the South-West .
The contract is worth around £40k a year and takes the annual value of Devon Norse’s NHS contracts to over £400k.
Advertising production company JMS Group are embarking on a new 2019 strategy to encourage more businesses to advertise online, on radio and on TV.
The creative experts have enlisted fellow Norwich-based company Full Mix Marketing to deliver a new campaign to help more businesses take advantage of lower costs for TV and on demand advertising.
“It’s now easier than ever to target highly specific audiences with TV, radio and on demand video advertising” says Francesca de Lacey, Managing Director of JMS Group. “With costs falling, we want to help even more companies in the East and beyond to burst onto their customer’s screens.”
Established in 1983, JMS Group have produced TV and radio advertising for a wide range of local, national and international businesses, including TaxAssist, Crisp ‘N’ Dry and Volkswagen. Founded by former BBC executive and ‘Breakfast Time’ presenter, John Mountford, they now create more than 200 TV commercials and 1,000 radio commercials each year for UK and European broadcasting.
With the rise of on demand TV services and social media, the production company have chosen recent award-winners Full Mix Marketing to help them make more businesses aware of new lower cost ways to use TV commercials and video to drive sales.
“We’re delighted to be helping JMS find the right mix of marketing to spread the word” says Sarah West, Managing Director of Full Mix Marketing “Costs have tumbled as on demand services let advertisers target individual viewers by factors like age, location or life style. With all their experience, expertise and facilities in-house, JMS can quickly deliver fantastic advertising for ambitious businesses.”
Full Mix Marketing have worked with the production specialists to develop a strategy which more directly targets new clients and reduces their focus on digital marketing alone. The JMS Group are keen to increase awareness of their services and realise a greater return on investment from their marketing budget. Following successful completion of the strategy, delivery has begun with Full Mix Marketing building a soon to be unveiled new website to showcase JMS Group’s impressive experience and portfolio.
“It’s fantastic working with Sarah and her team on our next exciting chapter” states Francesca de Lacey. “They’ve already helped us rediscover all the ways we’re different and how we go that little bit further to help our clients get the most from TV, radio and video. We look forward to a successful relationship as we both continue to grow.”
Established in 2016, Full Mix Marketing have gained a reputation for helping businesses across the region achieve success through strategic, digital and offline marketing. Founder and Chartered Marketer, Sarah West, was named the Institute of Director’s 2018’s New Director of the Year in East Anglia for her leadership of the results-focused marketing agency.
The Maids Head Hotel in Tombland, Norwich, has completed work on its latest suite, which has been named Catherine of Aragon. Louise Norfolk won a competition on the hotel’s Facebook page to name the suite and suggested Catherine of Aragon. Her prize is a night’s stay in the suite.
Catherine of Aragon (1485-1536) was the first wife of Henry VIII. She visited Norwich in 1520 and stayed with the Prior of the Benedictine Monastery (Norwich Cathedral). During her stay, she was entertained at the Maids Head Inn.
Norwich City Table Tennis Club have 80 members members ranging from 6-86, play locally (we run the Ping Pong Parlour in the Castle Mall, putting on Charity events), across the county and across the country in national competitions. We run junior competitions and a ladies league, over 55’s Bat and Chat sessions and are starting a LGBT+ session this April. It’s a great family sport with few limitations.
They are looking for sponsorship for:
£500 for a match table, which can include sponsors logos on / round it and will be housed at Frere Road Community Centre, where the Norwich team cup finals are being held, and teams across the county will come to play, along with being used for Bat and Chat, Junior Training sessions and social sessions.
£500 kit sponsorship, shirts carrying sponsors logos that will be worn in league, county, and national competitions and at promotional / charity events that we hold (Norfolk Show / Ping Pong Parlour) by junior and adult players who compete together.
£500 British League sponsorship, team name and shirts will incorporate sponsors name as they compete nationally.
If you sponsor they will host a team building for your business or partner events in return.
For more information email: norwichcitytt@gmail.com
Biohazard Cleaning is a daily occurrence in certain sectors, and with increases in regulatory control and health and safety guidelines, it is becoming more frequently used in others. From an industrial accident in a factory to a Friday night brawl in a pub, from the aftermath of a flood to a death, the emergency services do not have the time or resources to deal with biohazards such as trauma clean-ups or blood clean-ups. More importantly, emergency service staff are not trained or qualified to free a scene of biological hazards.
Biohazard situations are categorised into four groups, according to severity and impact.
Category 1 incidents include train crashes, plane crashes, bomb blasts and large scale road traffic accidents. Significant resources are required to eliminate any visual or bacterial remnants of the event, and must be attended by a bioengineer with a Primary Qualification.
Category 2 incidents include decomposition, fall from height, suicide on railway, and road traffic accidents. The incidents affect a more confined area and will require fewer resources than a Category 1 incident although the expertise needed to address the challenges for decontamination are the same and a bioengineer with a Primary Qualification must be present.
Category 3 incidents including an act of violence, minor industrial accident, flesh wounds and presence of sharps. They usually result from a minor incident involving a single person and are primarily required for the clean-up of bodily fluids. A bio first aider with a Secondary Qualification can attend Category 3 incidents without the supervision of a bioengineer.
Category 4 incidents include domestic incidents, minor injuries and occupier purges. A bio first aider with a Secondary Qualification can attend Category 4 incidents without the supervision of a bioengineer.
In the workplace, the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002, give employers a legal duty to protect the health and safety of employees and anyone else that may be on the premises. Outside of the workplace, if an incident occurs on private property, the property owner is responsible for arranging the clean-up, even if the emergency services attended. Fortunately, these property owners do not have to don their industrial rubber gloves and grab a bucket, because there are a lot of specialist cleaning companies ready, willing and able to do it for them.
But what criteria should be met when choosing a good company? How can you tell if they have done a good job? Monthind Clean LLP, East Anglia’s leading contract and specialist cleaning provider, has been providing Biohazard cleaning services to a range of clients for many years. Operatives should not just be trained in the processes of Biohazard and Trauma Cleaning, they should also be trained in how to deal with the local press, general public, local authorities and family of the deceased. There should be counselling available to affected operatives in traumatic events, and management support to ensure ongoing training and monitoring of staff wellbeing. All work should be risk assessed and quoted for prior to any work commencing so a client understands what will be done and how it will be carried out. A reputable specialist cleaning company will be able to provide evidence of its staff qualifications and will audit procedures regularly.
At Monthind Clean LLP, we have a response team in place and offer a 24/7 call out service. Our fully equipped response vehicles are always ready to undertake any type of bio cleaning required. We have Safe Systems of Work for every aspect of Biohazard and Trauma cleaning and our management team ensures they are always adhered to. With the correct Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) and procedures in place, bio-cleaning can be a very satisfying and safe job, but if the potential dangers to health for both cleaning operatives and people attending the site, during and after a clean, are ignored, the results could be catastrophic.
The risks to health include viruses such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV, which bodily fluids and faeces can carry. Pathogens can come in the form of bacteria, viruses, mould spores, or protozoans; they can cause disease and often have a significant presence in sewage waste. If flood waters have been in contact with sewage they will contain pathogens, and even if they haven’t, they are still likely to contain disease-causing micro-organisms. If post-flood clean-up is not carried out properly, mould spores can present a health risk in the future.
Decontamination and cleaning of soiled areas are vital in order to reduce and eliminate the risk of infection from exposure. By having up-to-date Safe Systems of Work, cleaning a potentially overwhelming trauma scene can be approached systematically, ensuring there is no cross-contamination and no area is missed. At Monthind, no corners are cut, nothing is missed. You’re not talking about a dusty shelf being overlooked; you’re talking about life-changing and life-threatening implications if the job is not done properly. Our operatives understand this, and it is important for potential clients to understand this too. The risks associated with employing companies providing inferior services, can prove to be very costly, and not just in a fiscal sense.
We are pleased to announce that we have teamed up for the 5th year running as the official video partner for the Norfok and Norwich Festival. At the official launch last night the trailer for 2019 was screened and the Festival Programme announced! This year will again be packed with ground-breaking music, unique theatre and performance, breath-taking circus, inspirational literature and visual arts treats and more. Head to the NNF website for a full look at what is in store and to book tickets at https://nnfestival.org.uk/whats-on/ and watch out for more of our festival films being released over the next few months on social media @eyefilm.
If you employ the services of a professional industrial cleaner, you may think that a workplace spring clean is an unnecessary expenditure for your business. However, unless your contract is structured to include specific tasks several times a year, you may be leaving your employees and customers at risk. We’re sharing our top tips for an inclusive Spring Clean to ensure you are rid of all the winter dirt and banish the lingering germs.
Clean those carpets
Nesting in the fabric of carpets, chairs and any other soft furnishings around the typical office environment, dust mites thrive in warm conditions. As these pests multiply, dust mite allergy sufferers will experience symptoms including sneezing, runny nose, itchy eyes, wheezing and eczema. An allergy to dust mites is more common than you might realise, with an estimated 12 million sufferers in the UK – that’s one in five people.
Whilst thorough vacuuming cleans some of the 1,000 allergen waste particles a single dust mite produces, it’s near impossible to maintain removal of all allergens. With a gram of dust containing as many as 1,000 dust mites and 250,000 allergenic dust mite faecal pellets, you’ll need professional carpet cleaning to help to manage the problem.
Get your windows shining
Nothing shows up the winter dirt and streaks on your windows like a beautiful sunny day, and nothing gives a worse first impression than filthy windows. If your staff can’t see out of the windows when they are seeking some creative inspiration, productivity could suffer, and if they see grey, dirty glass every time they look up, that could have a lasting effect on morale. Employ the services of a window cleaning team that utilises advanced cleaning systems for fast, safe, efficient cleaning and ensure that they put the health and safety of your staff and customers on the same level as their operatives. Monthind has invested in water purification technology that not only cleans better than untreated water, it also stays clean for longer.
Boost your kerb appeal
As spring approaches and the daffodils begin to bloom, it’s a good time to go for a stroll and review the effects winter has had on the outside of your business premises. From sweeping the car park, and removing debris to maintenance, cleaning the fascia, cladding and signage, clearing gutters and downpipes, and jet washing bins and bin storage areas, investing in a quality clean gives a good return on investment.
Treat your business to a deep clean
Spring towards summer with a morale-boosting, image enhancing deep clean for your company premises. Monthind offers a range of deep cleans to meet the special requirements of hygiene sensitive areas such as kitchens, restaurants and washrooms. Make sure you are meeting legislative requirements of these sensitive areas by using an accredited contract cleaning company that can carry out this work quickly and efficiently using both chemical and steam-based technology.
De-clutter your way to boosted efficiency
Tidy desk, tidy mind? Everyone works differently, but most work more efficiently if they are not buried under a mountain of files and paperwork. Help your compliancy team and your staff by encouraging a clear desk policy (imperative if you work a hot-desking scheme). It makes it so much easier to keep keyboards, desks etc. cleaner and more hygienic. Clear out those old files and brochures, making sure you shred any sensitive literature. You may be surprised at how much clutter has been accumulated over the past year.
Let Monthind Clean help…
If you’re looking for a professional industrial cleaning company that delivers, contact the team at Monthind Clean. We can take care of everything from daily cleaning to seasonal, specialist and emergency cleaning, including window cleaning, gutter and fascia cleaning, floor refinishing, carpet cleaning and biohazard cleaning.
Telephone 01206 215300 to organise a no obligation quote.
After a few months of careful planning, designing and building, Breakwater IT are pleased to announce the launch ofour new website.
The new website has been designed to be very informative and visual and with the buy in of our customers we think we have really achieved that. Several of our customers feature on the homepage, this showcases both our diverse client base and the ability we have to support such a wide range of industries.
We are well known for IT support in Norwich but we now also have clients that span the country. We hope our website starts to reach and attract more clients a little further afield and with a fresh look at our SEO this year we are confident in doing that.
If you haven’t yet seen our site please do take a look, especially at our team page, we really had fun making this page in particular.
Breakwater IT offer IT Support, IT consultancy and a full Business Telecoms service to SME’s in the region and beyond. Call us for an initial consultation or contact us via our new website!
The reunion included a special dinner in the Minstrel Suite at the hotel and a trip to City of Norwich Aviation Museum where a new display about Tiger Squadron’s time based at RAF Horsham St Faith (now Norwich International Airport), has just been opened.
Tiger Squadron had a long and distinguished operational RAF history. Founded in July 1917 during the days of the Royal Flying Corps, the squadron was on the front line from March 1918 to the end of World War I.
During World War II, Tiger Squadron was heavily involved in the Battle of Britain, including a short spell based at RAF Coltishall in Norfolk. The squadron also flew its Spitfires in the Mediterranean and North Africa theatres, as well over Germany after D Day.
Soon after the War, Tiger Squadron, headed to RAF Horsham St Faith for a long residency, during which it flew Meteors and Hawker Hunters. In 1961, the squadron was chosen to introduce the Lightning F1 to operational service and moved to RAF Coltishall, where it was based until 1964.
That marked the end of the squadron’s connection with Norfolk. The final operational phase was from 1985 to 1992 when it flew Phantom’s from RAF Wattisham. The Tigers then became a training squadron flying Bae Hawk at RAF Valley and were finally disbanded in 2000.
A Norfolk link was re-established during the Phantom era when Norwich Airport Aviation Group invited members of the squadron to Norwich. Bob Cossey a member of the Aviation Group was soon commissioned to write the history of Tiger Squadron and was invited to be Secretary of The 74 (F) Tiger Squadron, a post he holds to this day.
Bob has written four books with links to Tiger Squadron: the history, which is called ‘Tigers’, ‘A Tiger’s Tale’ – a book about John Freeborn, Battle of Britain pilot, ‘Upward and Onward, The Life of Air Vice Marshall John Howe’ and ‘An Eye in the Sky’, the Royal Flying Corps and RAF career of Air Commodore Henry George Crowe.
The Office of Product Safety & Standards has issued guidance for businesses dealing with cosmetics, in the light of a potential no-deal Brexit. There may be actions that need to be taken by businesses.