2008 - June
It’s amazing what jobs can be completed with a cutting disc - many regular users will tell you what they’ve managed to do. But should a tool that’s designed for cutting be used for other tasks? What did a recent case identify?
A subscriber has a worker who’s refusing to wear the protective equipment issued to him. If they get him to sign a disclaimer to confirm that he understands the risks, will this hold up legally? And if not, what should they do?
You’re trying to convince some of your staff to take health and safety issues more seriously. To achieve this, a colleague has suggested using case studies from others’ experiences. Is this a good idea?
Working on scaffold supplied by others
You’ve heard that you’re not allowed to work on scaffolding that’s been erected for the use of others. Apparently, if you do, you have to take on ownership of the scaffolding and carry out the appropriate checks. Is this right?
Special provisions for disabled staff
You’ve heard that if you employ someone with a disability, or an existing member of staff becomes disabled, you will need to make changes to their workstation. Is this true?
Are temporary inductions mandatory?
You have many visitors to your site but most stay in the reception and office areas. As most are only there for a short period, you don’t hold temporary inductions covering fire and safety issues. Do you need to change your policy?
Get ready for a two-year campaign
We’ve got used to HSE campaigns that last for months, but its latest one is set to last for two years! Is it likely to affect you?
Why bother to advertise internally?
You’ve created a new position and reckon that it would be ideal for a friend or family member of an existing member of staff. So why bother with expensive advertising? Are there any risks associated with keeping it “in-house”?
Saving tax with part-time staff
Did you know that hiring more part-time staff might actually cut your National Insurance (NI) bill whilst introducing greater flexibility? How might the savings stack up and what could be the pitfalls?
A way around the consultation rules?
You’re probably aware that if you plan to make more than 20 positions redundant, you have to follow a statutory consultation procedure. But what if staff volunteer? Will you still be caught by the rules?
Compensation for late payment of salary
Last month, for whatever reason, you were late in processing payroll data. This meant that staff received their pay a week late. Some of them are very unhappy and demanding compensation. Do you have to pay it?
After months of arguing over how far agency workers’ rights should be improved, a compromise has just been reached. What’s the latest news on this?
Latest on rolled-up holiday pay
Following the widespread misreporting of the European Court of Justice judgment on the legality of paying rolled-up holiday pay, the Employment Appeal Tribunal has reached a decision that helps clarify matters. What does it say?
What if you and a member of staff agree to part on a mutual basis? They’re under no pressure to resign and you haven’t dismissed them. Wouldn’t this be a cheap and safe option to consider?
Outlook add-on for power users
Even a powerful e-mail program such as Microsoft Outlook can use a helping hand when it comes to processing intensive e-mail traffic. Xobni is a utility that fits the bill perfectly.
When you install Vista, you’ll receive extra software as well. Most of this is superfluous and it will slow down your computer. The free vLite allows you to make your own install disk containing only the programs that you really need.
Don’t shout at the waiter in English on your holiday. There are resources on the Web to help improve your foreign language skills; many of them are free.
Summer is the time for making most use of your digital camera. To edit the results, there are various sites where you can achieve almost everything online. Which is the best service?
On holiday… and maybe keeping in touch
Suppose you’re leaving on holiday; how can you tell your e-mail contacts that you’ll be out of touch for a while? And if you want to stay in touch, how do you access your e-mail when you’re on vacation?
According to IT guru Gartner, in a few years time, web conferencing will be as common as telephone and e-mail are today. We checked a few services that organise hassle-free remote conferences, free of charge.
Video-sharing site YouTube is hugely popular: more than 100 million clips are viewed every day! To get even more out of this Google-owned programme, try the following free services.
Company videos with that something extra
Are you planning to shoot a video in which you present your business and show what it can offer? Perhaps you can add a couple of things to make your video more attractive.
Making websites according to Google
One wouldn’t associate “Google” with a service for creating simple websites. This is possible, however, thanks to the free Google Pages. But there’s Google Sites as well, free of charge. What do these programs actually do?
It’s holiday time - be prepared
Last month we looked at some ideas for UK holidays. But wherever you are going, you need to be prepared. We round-up a selection of sites to get you ready for that summer break.
Goods you sell to customers in other EC member states can be zero-rated for VAT, as long as you keep certain evidence. Recent case law suggests how you might overcome any challenges from the VATman.
Generally, the tax value of a benefit-in-kind is the cost to the employer. However, if your company pays above market rate for a service in order to obtain a reduced price for the director, where do you stand?
Bombproof use for your loan account
Your company regularly pays your personal bills and recharges those costs to you via your director’s loan account. This has never caused a problem with the Taxman in the past. So why is it doing so now?
Personal or company investments?
Your company has some spare cash that you were planning to withdraw and personally invest in quoted shares. But a colleague has suggested that your company could make that investment itself. Is there a tax advantage here?
You want your staff to present a consistent image to your customers, so you’ve asked them to wear clothes in the corporate colours. But what about paying for the dry-cleaning as well? What’s the Taxman’s view on this?
Petrol prices have already gone through the roof, but do you have to wait until the Taxman puts up his fuel rates to claim back these increases?
Boosting the benefit of maternity pay
If your partner is an employee of your company, you will want to maximise their maternity pay which you claim back from the Taxman. But there are still traps to watch out for. Read on.
Directors’ SIPPS have been widely promoted as vehicles for purchasing residential property and valuable assets such as art and antiques. But are they really something worth considering?
An employee has resigned. You’ve heard that he wants to take some information with him that you regard as confidential, e.g. price lists etc. Presumably you’ll have no problem in preventing him from taking this information?
Personally liable for an old debt
Several debt collection agencies have been in touch saying that they can recover old debts from the directors of the debtor company. Is this something to consider going for, and couldn’t it also be something else to worry about?
You’ve been asked to provide a guarantee to a supplier but aren’t keen. Someone’s suggested offering a comfort letter instead. Isn’t this the same as a guarantee or is it something worth considering?
A recent case has highlighted the potential cost of Inheritance Tax (IHT). What can you do to avoid this tax on the shares in your company?
Getting the best exchange rate
In these turbulent economic times, the charges and uncertainty associated with buying foreign exchange can be high, whether for business or leisure purposes. So if you look further afield than your local bank, could you cut the costs?
The pub chain Marston’s has just been fined £10,000 following an accident at one of its premises. How did it happen and why have we flagged up this particular case?
Completing DSE risk assessments properly
You’re concerned that some staff aren’t filling in the display screen equipment (DSE) risk assessment questionnaire properly, so risks are being left unmanaged. How can you stop this from happening?
Which first aid course should you choose?
Your office first aider has left, so you’ve decided to send another member of staff for training. However, as there are quite a few choices, you’re not sure which course is the right one for you.
According to a new poll, up to a third of employees are turning up to work with a hangover. Is this a health and safety issue. If so, what should you do about it?
If your staff use fall arrest equipment, and one of them actually has a fall, they may only have 15 minutes to live. So what do you need to have in place to ensure their survival?
Following a serious accident, it’s vital that you identify exactly what happened. One way of doing this is to formally interview any witnesses. So why not use our document to guide you through the process and record your findings?
DIY fire extinguisher maintenance
You have an arrangement with the supplier of your portable fire extinguishers to carry out regular checks and necessary maintenance. However, you feel that, to save some money, you could do it yourself. Is this a good idea?
Burning CDs or DVDs free of charge
Every modern computer is equipped with a CD or DVD burner. Lots of software for “burning” CDs or DVDs is available, both free and commercial. How good is the free software and which program is best?
It may be vital for you to know when a website or a webpage has been updated. For some sites this is possible via RSS news feeds, but not many sites offer such a facility. Here are some dedicated services that can keep you posted.
Are you planning to take your laptop with you on holiday? You should realise that it’s a prime target for thieves. Make sure you take precautionary measures!
By now, Gmail users will probably have discovered that this excellent webmail service offers a lot of useful features. However, nothing is perfect, so here are two handy tools which add even more features.
One of the major assets of social networking sites such as MySpace or Facebook is the little applications (“apps”) which you can add to your personal page. What are these programs and what extra features do they allow you to add?
Converting Word documents into HTML
You may want to integrate information in your webpages which is only available as a Word document. This needs to be converted to HTML, but how can you ensure that the code is “acceptable”?
The holiday season is here, but for many the rising fuel costs and environmental concerns are making holidays abroad a pricier and less attractive option. We review some sites that offer the best of Britain.
With Google launching its “Health” portal (beta) in the US, medical records are becoming available online. It’s time to check out what’s happening in the UK.
Time management may be a bit hackneyed these days, but it is still vital in a business context. Keeping track of the amount of time you or your employees spend on a project can be tricky. Here are some ideas that can help.
Windows Vista comes in various versions, with Vista Ultimate as the most expensive variant. Is there free software that gives you the same options as Ultimate while working with the cheaper Vista editions?
You’ve always provided car parking for staff (either on site or in a municipal car park). However, it’s now costing too much. Can you simply leave staff to make their own arrangements? And what’s the tax position?
It’s reckoned that at least 10% of the UK population have taken drugs in the last year. Because of this, it would be unrealistic to believe that any company is entirely free of drugs. So how can you tell if someone is taking drugs?
Don’t rush into ill-health dismissals
On occasion, you may have a situation that seems to tick all the boxes for dismissal on-ill health grounds. However, following a recent case, what are the latest checks that you should make before going ahead?
A worker of yours is taunted at work by colleagues for being “gay”, but everyone seems to know that he’s in fact, heterosexual. Could you be liable for harassment under the Sexual Orientation Regulations?
With a steady rise in the number of tribunal claims, having the right documentation in place is vitally important in order to help you stay out of trouble. So what are the most important things to get right?
You may have heard about a new register that names staff sacked for theft etc. Whilst this may sound ideal, could there be risks in using it?
An employee suspects that a colleague is up to no good in your workplace. Are they obliged to come forward and report it or can they remain silent without fear of recrimination. What does the law say?
Your pensions advisor has said that your company can claim full tax relief on all pension contributions paid on behalf of your spouse, irrespective of salary. Is this right?
Returns of benefits and expenses for 2007/8
Where perks are provided to employees and directors in the form of expenses etc., these details must be returned to the Taxman. Did anything change for 2007/8 that you need to be aware of?
In response to political pressure over the abolition of the 10% tax rate, the Chancellor has announced some late tax changes. How should you, in turn, respond?
The practical difficulty which faces many businesses is what to do whilst waiting for a VAT number. Should VAT be charged to customers, and if so, how should it be accounted for?
There is a reasonably generous tax exemption for employee functions such as Christmas parties, summer outings etc. How much is this exemption and how can you take advantage of it this summer?
A colleague has told you that if before a tax year-end you transferred assets to your spouse in order to bank a tax relief or two, you can then simply transfer them back and keep the tax saving. Seems too good to be true; is it?
Changes to personal taxation which came into affect on April 6 2008, provide a compelling reason to hold your spare cash in an offshore-based fund. Sounds interesting? How can you take advantage of these changes?
Failure to observe live overhead electricity cables led to the death of two workmen and a substantial fine for a principal contractor. What lessons can be learned from this particular case?
The sun is out, so here come the same old questions
The sun is shining again and the perennial questions are being asked: will you provide the external workers with sun cream? And, it’s too hot in the office; what are you going to do about it?
Which assessment is right for my business?
You know that you have to undertake risk assessments to ensure that your staff aren’t put in danger. You’ve seen many different ways of presenting them and now you’re not sure which one you should follow. What do you need to consider?
Do you have to replace fire blankets?
Some of our subscribers have been informed that their fire blankets should be replaced after five years. Is this true or yet another myth?
You’ve noticed that some companies are keen to promote a “zero accident” policy in their workplace. You can see potential problems and don’t think it’s really achievable in your business.What approach should you take?
REACH - what’s that all about then?
The Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of Chemicals, or REACH, applies to many businesses, not just chemical manufacturers. But according to a recent survey 75% of firms haven’t heard of it. So what do you need to know?
CHAS won’t speak to your consultant
If you employ a health and safety consultant, will staff from the Contractors Health and Safety Assessment Scheme (CHAS) speak to them on your behalf? Apparently not! So what’s going on?
Physical inspections are less likely
The Environment Agency has changed tack and is now following a policy of enforcing remotely. Why is it doing this and what could it mean for your business?
To create a presentation in the office, most people turn to PowerPoint but there are lots of online presentation tools as well. Which of them are useful?
You’ve found that some of the green initiatives that you’ve adopted haven’t paid back anything like as much as you expected. Why is this and what can you do to improve the situation?