Faraday Plastics event with HSE and thermoformers

The UK plastics thermoforming sector met with representatives from the Health and Safety Executive at the end of last month in Thurrock, Essex, as part of a Faraday Plastics facilitated event

The UK plastics thermoforming sector met with representatives from the Health and Safety Executive at the end of last month in Thurrock, Essex, as part of a Faraday Plastics facilitated event.

This event was the third in a series of roadshows that Faraday Plastics, HSE and the Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) have organised in order to promote a new industry agreement covering "Provisions of safe guards to prevent gravity fall of raised machine parts on thermoforming machines".

Following concerns that the industry had a poor record in this area, the partners had drawn together the machinery manufacturers and processors and developed an approach that is regarded by the HSE as a considerable step in the right direction.

The next phase was to introduce this Best Practice to the industry.

The meeting not only addressed the new Agreement but also discussed human issues surrounding accidents, technical issues, practical improvements and training.

Following an introduction by Richard Simpson, Director Faraday Plastics, speakers from the HSE and the Society of Plastics Engineers European Thermoformers Group, gave presentations that embodied sound advice that if adhered to will minimise or eliminate these types of accidents.

The statistics regarding the success of these events are now that: 90% of the industry has now been made aware of the health and safety issues.

25% of all UK processors have attended a relevant meeting.

All save one of the identified machinery manufacturers have attended a meeting.

Free advice of safe working practices has been disseminated.

Over 80 companies have heard the message.

All of the documents developed as part of this programme will shortly be available to download from the Faraday Website.

The approval of the new Faraday Plastics business plan - and funding for the next three years - gives companies renewed opportunity to attract plastics technology development funding and use the knowledge base of the operation.

Since Spring 2003 Faraday Plastics has produced several Technology Road Maps for the plastics sector - on subjects such as low-energy processing, nano-technology, plastics in healthcare, and others.

Faraday Plastics has also boosted its technology translator posts to a complement of seven, and is increasing its outreach work; matching companies to universities.

Lord Sainsbury, Government Minister for Science and Innovation paid tribute last year to the work of Faraday Plastics saying that it had 'already helped add some coherence to the disparate and fragmented activities that are taking place in this sector.

Faraday Plastics has helped facilitate better collaboration between different universities.

And it has helped stimulate new products and processes, new patents, and new start-up companies,' he said.

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