Been asked by several firms on my local (large) industrial estate to change fluorescent tubes & light bulbs. Easy work & good money - Wickes charge £3:29 for a 36w x 4' tube - which I can buy for £1:20 from TLC, so a good mark up on the bits as well..
Seems like two sets of regs are in place. Effin Safety "The Work at Height Regulations 2005" seems to prevent them standing on a chair to change a bulb, let alone a step ladder.
There also seems to be some regulation about office lighting, so if a bulb fails, they can't change it - but it has to be replaced.
Anyone point me at the specific office lighting regs? I feel a mail shot coming on.....
Common sense should stop anyone from standing on a chair to change a light bulb. The Work at Height Regulations do not stop anyone from using a step ladder. The requirement is that they carry out a risk assessment and only use a ladder if there is no safer option available. The type of ladder is also relevant. A H&SE inspector will be looking for one that is properly rated for the job and stable at the height it is to be used at. I have a Class 1 rated ladder with stabilising and levelling outriggers to keep them happy. BTW you are covered by the regulations too, so you should have a written risk assessment to cover any work you do at height.
I don't really understand what you are saying, but, if they think they can't use a stepladder, they have probably misinterpreted the 2006 changes to the Building Regulations. To reduce energy use in offices and to reduce computer screen glare, they require a change from direct lighting controlled by banks of switches near an entrance to indirect lighting controlled by ceiling sensors or by local switching. However, that is a standard for new installs and does not apply to existing installations.
Also, make sure you've got a written agreement with your customer about responisibility for disposal of used fluorescent tubes. You're not supposed to just skip them as they are hazardous waste. You need to cover your ar*e to avoid future liability if the firm gets done by the Environment Police.
For more info Google for: fluorescent tube disposal
My understanding is that as a self employed one man band, the risk assessment need not be in writing, but on the other hand, it would be as well to do so, in order to cover oneself.
While it is true that anyone with fewer than five employees does not have to put the risk assessment in writing, in practice, he may find that places that need to have a written risk assessment will not allow him in to work there unless he can produce one they can put on file.
Interesting that, last job I did I had 15 x 4' duff tubes to get rid of so I eang my local TLC branch. They said they were unaware of any regs & they just threw them in the skip!
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In July 2005, the Government introduced important changes to its Hazardous Waste Regulations. These changes upgraded spent fluorescent tubes, sodium lamps, PC screens and TV's to the category of hazardous waste.
If your business uses fluorescent or sodium lighting, runs computer or TV equipment, it is now considered a producer of hazardous waste.
Under the new regulations, producers of hazardous waste can no longer dispose of these items along with general waste. To do so is illegal, and renders the organisation liable to court proceedings with fines of up to £5,000.
In addition, hazardous waste such as lamps, computer and TV equipment can only be stored on unlicensed premises for a maximum period of twelve months. Storing the waste beyond this time is a further offense.
All producers must register annually with the Environment Agency (EA) before they can dispose of hazardous waste. You must also be able to demonstrate that you have transferred all hazardous waste to an authorised third-party or risk prosecution by the EA.
Unbelievable - you can be fined £5K for chuck away a tube.
Cheapest solution I've found is;
BLACK CORRUGATED PIPES
4ft, 6ft or 8ft length's available with 300mm diameter Stores between 100 and 400 tubes dependent on tube size Ideal for smaller buildings or low users
A snip at only £130! That does include taking it away & recycling the contents. You of course need to buy one every year.
Just e-mailed the local council to see if they can help!
You can also have your van confiscated if you are carrying ANY trade waste, not just 'hazardhous waste'.
I tried to register with the local council, so I can drop off trade waste at their site.(mainly garden cuttings/tree stumps etc) Firstly £61/tonne to dump there.There is a long list of what cannot be dumped.
2nd, you need a Council Permit to use the site. Small admin fee (£5 iirc).
3rd, you need to show your Waste Transfer Licence each time you arrive at the tip. £140 for 3 years.
At this point I gave up, and vowed to either hire a skip in, or leave the waste for the customer to deal with. If you are stopped, and found to be carrying trade waste (even a few old bricks I was told), then you will be fined, with the ultimate deterrent being they can impound your vehicle. Whether they do this in real life is doubtful, but I have read in the local paper of a number of people being fined for unlawful waste disposal, and carrying of waste, also, a few people who had 'hired' these fly tippers were fined, for not asking to see the waste transfer licence. Alan.
Nothing wrong with an office wheely chair - you can get a colleague to push you about so that you can change a few bulbs/tubes without having to dismount.
Better still, you can push a colleague about so that he/she can change the bulbs.
It is generally unsafe to make such a high step as is needed to get on and off and, depending on the material, the seat might collapse. Bums produce a much more widely spread load than feet.
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