Workplace Guides

BREEAM In-Use is a scheme used to assess environmental impacts and sustainability issues relating to existing buildings.  It is designed to reduce the running costs of buildings and improve their environmental and sustainability credentials by identifying areas for improvement.

Carbon dioxide (CO₂) is a non-flammable, colourless, odourless gas. The main generators of carbon dioxide in the workplace are human beings. The gas is produced as a by-product of breathing.

Competitiveness and productivity in the workplace are of paramount importance, with more emphasis on this than ever in the current political climate. Employee performance declines when Carbon dioxide (CO2) levels are high and also creates the impression of a stuffy office environment among many workers. With organisations wanting to boost their productivity, understanding how carbon dioxide impacts your employees’ work-life is crucial.

Carbon monoxide (CO) is an odourless, colourless, tasteless and poisonous gas which interferes with the delivery of oxygen in the blood to the rest of the body. As a result of these properties, it is often referred to as the silent killer.

Microbiological contamination (sometimes referred to as “biofouling”) of closed water systems can be caused by a number of different micro-organisms including Pseudomonas. This can cause a range of issues such as; blockages preventing water circulation and the failure of equipment in the system such as pumps and valves.

Closed water systems operate best with treated water and stable conditions. Adding new pipework, plant equipment, or terminal units, either through your own refurbishment or from a tenant fit out, can disturb the stability of the system. Debris, oxygen, untreated fill water, incompatible chemicals, or bacterial contamination can be introduced which could lead to corrosion and a loss of system efficiency in a system that has been stable and working well for many years. Having a controlled connection process protects the existing system and reduces the risk of avoidable remedial works.

The Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007 came into force across the UK on 6th April 2008. Contrary to some reporting, it did not introduce any new safety laws or legal obligations, but it has removed obstacles that had previously hampered the prosecution of, in particular, large companies.

Corporate responsibility (CR), or corporate social responsibility (CSR) as it can also be termed, has a myriad of definitions, but primarily concerns the responsibility an organisation has for the impacts of its activity and decisions on its stakeholders, society and the environment, over and above its legal obligations, through its transparent and ethical values and behaviour.