A group of health and safety bodies is likely to jointly announce an accreditation scheme for safety consultants. The group, chaired by Chief Executive of the HSE, Geoffrey Podger, will announce the scheme in late summer when the details of the same will be finalized.

The new scheme has a two-fold objective. Firstly, it will make it simpler for employers who require external safety advice to find appropriate consultants in whom they can trust. Secondly, it will help improve the standard of safety advice that is given by the consultants to the employers.

One of the organizations involved in development of the scheme is IOSH. IOSH Chief Executive Rob Strange commented that it is very important for businesses, most likely small firms, who are looking for advice to get proper and adequate advice on health and safety issues. Also they should have confidence in those advising them. Our organization agrees with the views of Lord Young who said that ‘cowboy consultants’, with their OTT advice have done more harm than good to such issues. Moreover, improper advice is likely to put to risk the life of workers. Hence both consultants and small businesses are in support for such a scheme, as research suggests. The scheme will set the standard for qualified, competent and experienced health and safety consultants and also restore the confidence in such issues.

In the initial stages the scheme will cover the accreditation of safety consultants. It will be a voluntary scheme with a fee to cover administration charges. At the starting stages it will cover only those safety consultants who deal with traditional safety issues. Matters related to occupational hygiene such as dangers related with the usage of chemicals will not be a part of the accreditation scheme in this initial stage. An online register will be made accessible publicly.

A particular method of vision correction surgery is LASIK eye surgery. LASIK represents laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis. It is an outpatient surgical procedure which uses an excimer laser to treat myopia, hyperopia and astigmatism. During this procedure tissue is taken away from the transparent membrane which overlays the iris, known as the cornea. To improve how the eye concentrates light rays at the rear of the eye, the contour of the cornea is modified.

The process of Laser eye surgery is quite simple. Included in the pre-surgery examination, the eye is measured and the cornea is mapped, providing the surgeon with the prescription to program into the laser. During the time of the treatment, the eye is numbed with eyedrops so there is no pain.

A microscopically thin flap is cut on the outside of the eye. Then, to modify the curve of the cornea, the laser strips away pre-programmed amounts of cornel tissue below the flap with bursts of light. The flap is then closed back over the eye to create a natural bandage. No more than 5 minutes are necessary for this part of the procedure.

The day following LASIK eye surgery you might likely be seeing sufficiently well for gentle pursuits and might even be in a position to return to work, though it usually requires three to six months for the eye to recover totally and eyesight to become stable. You may need to avoid arduous pursuits, however, while the eye gets better. Also your eyesight may continue to sharpen as the recovery proceeds, although for many people the vision is clear and much better right after surgery.

There might be a number of temporary, moderate unwanted effects you get with laser eye surgery but as the cornea mends these usually subside. Weak night vision, glare or halos surrounding lamps, light sensitivity, reduced sharpness of vision, small pink or red patches around the white of the eye, hazy or blurry vision, irritation, dry eye, some pain or discomfort are some of the unwanted effects that could be suffered.

Overcoming hair loss is a predicament generally associated with aging, even though other causes also exist. Hair loss treatment options differ drastically depending on the specific nature of the case.

Solutions include surgery, internal and external medicine, camouflaging hair loss, and alternative solutions. Deciding upon the right choice will depend on the ailment causing the problem, the amount you’re prepared to pay, and other considerations.

Surgery.

In serious cases that do not respond to other forms of treatment, hair transplants are an alternative. In this treatment, the surgeon takes hair from one part of the patients body, typically the back of the scalp, and transplants it to balding patches. Since identical twins have the same genetic background, it is also practical to transplant hair from one identical twin to another.

Hair transplants in between people who are not identical twins are more tricky since the body may decline the new hair. Occasionally, special medication may help protect against the body from rejecting hair from such transplants.

Hair loss medication.

Many pharmaceutical companies market medication for hair loss. Finasteride and Minoxidil (Rogaine) are examples of such prescription medication. Minoxidil is a topical remedy that can be used by both men and women. Finasteride is used to hinder a substance known as dihydrotestosterone (DHT) that triggers male pattern baldness.

A class of drugs known as androgen receptor inhibitors are utilised to treat hair loss in women. Such substances include Tagament, Aldactone, and Cyproterone Acetate. Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) and oral contraceptives can also be made use of for androgenetic hair loss.

Disguising hair loss.

Some types of treatment do not truly prevent hair loss or increase new hair growth, but rather attempt to minimize the appearance of hair loss.

For instance, one method is to broaden the scalp with miniature balloons inserted under the skin of hairy areas of the scalp. The expanded hairy area is used to surgically patch up balding spots. One more process is scalp reduction in which unnecessary skin on the scalp is surgically removed to reduce the size of balding areas.

Other solutions.

Many people like to use natural and other alternative remedies for hair loss. Such remedies can be much less costly than those mentioned above, although the research to support their success may be sparse or non-existent. Some of these remedies are based on standard medical practices used in many countries before the dawn of contemporary medicine.

Some products, for example, use a combination of natural herbs, vitamins and minerals to activate hair growth or to protect against situations that lead to hair loss. Some of these solutions are internal while others use topical application.

A number of cosmetic products also can be found to help conceal areas of hair loss.

Find more information about finding a hair loss treatment

In a fast paced life, stress is commonplace. Stress takes toll on health, relationships and overall wellbeing.

In a new study funded by the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) in coordination with the University of Sheffield, it was found that over 35% people face stress in life due to bullying at workplace regularly daily or weekly.

Workplace bullying is unique. Superiors bully subordinates while co-workers belittle underperforming colleagues. Bullying can be about work, manner of dressing or even mannerisms. This can take toll on the mental wellbeing leading to depression and severe mental illness.

According to Christine Sprigg, a Lecturer in Occupational Psychology, the study clearly reveals that work related stress is directly related to mental wellbeing. The study involved nine organisations with over 5,000 employees participating in the research.

The main factor contributing to stress among many other factors was employee bullying. Employees faced bullying from superiors, co-workers and subordinates too. What stood out in the study was the ability of the employees to remember incidents that occurred several months earlier and that they were still affected by it.

It became clear that bullying and mental wellbeing were very closely involved. The study also revealed that factors that boosted morale like performance bonuses, recognition and incentives helped combat mental stress to a great extent. Employees who bore bullying silently were able to cope with it as they were also surrounded by supportive structures. They did not let bullying become a serious matter.

Christine Sprigg now looks forward to using these positive influences to make workplaces happier and cheerful. A healthy workplace is the key to mental happiness. Bullying at workplace is common and can be overcome by influences that trigger happy feelings and boost self-esteem. Confidence and self-esteem go a long way in overcoming the bad bully.

Workplace Law offer IOSH Training Courses, accredited by the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health, which provides training to assist in the development and implementation of a stress management system within your own workplace environment to assist managers to successfully manage appropriate policies and procedures and improve upon management skills to help tackle bullying and stress in the workplace.

The European initiative to ensure that safe practices are employed during routine maintenance and repair procedures at workplaces, has now been inaugurated in Britain. The campaign provides ideas on how to ensure safety during these essential activities in addition to underscoring the possible risks.

The campaign is called the European Healthy Workplaces Campaign on Safe Maintenance 2010-2011. The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) is the primary force behind the campaign across Europe while, in Britain, the HSE is taking the onus of promoting the campaign. Other supporting bodies include EEF The Manufacturers’ Organisation, Trades Union Congress (TUC), employer and employee welfare organisations.

One important focal point of the British campaign will be the HSE advisory which is available online on the safety regulator’s website. This advisory is being promoted as a one stop shop for businesses to analyse the efficacy of their safety systems. The site includes checklists to assess maintenance procedures, and improvement ideas. Visitors can also download posters, fact sheets and other information on what the business can do to ensure safe practices.

According to the campaigners it has been found that about 25 to 30% of the deaths which occur in manufacturing businesses can be attributed to maintenance or repair related work. The most common accidents include fall from great heights and failure to disengage machinery before starting repair or maintenance.

Speaking about the campaign, HSE Chairperson, Judith Hackitt, cautioned that maintenance or repair work must be given their due credit. Often these are considered as mere inconveniences. Employees and employers must understand that these are critical activities which can ensure the safe working of machinery and help protect employees from harm during operations.

Hackitt also reiterated the need for all organisations, big and small, to assess the existing safety maintenance systems periodically. Improvements and enhancements must be implemented when necessary to keep the work area and equipment safe, she advised.

Also, employees working under pressure of looming deadlines often compromise their safety and that of others by failing to employ all necessary safety precautions in order to save time. Ensuring that proper maintenance is carried out will keep the equipment working optimally, thus maximising productivity while keeping the maintenance workers safe.

IOSH training by the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health is designed to give managers and supervisors all they need to know to help handle health and safety in their teams; click on IOSH Course to learn about the importance of promoting a positive health and safety culture in the workplace environment, and to help organisations find the best ways to lead and promote health and safety, and therefore meet its legal obligations.