Stay warm this winter

Summer Tyres v Winter Tyres

Tue, 09 Dec 2025 10:09:10 GMT

Summer Tyres v Winter Tyres

A YouGov study found 88% of British car owners don't switch tyres seasonally, with only about 4% making the change to winter sets.

Winter tyre use is higher in Scotland and more rural areas, where colder temperatures and snow are more common.

So, do we in the UK really need winter tyres?

Often the reason given for not using winter tyres is we don’t get enough snow in the UK.

This shows a lack of understanding of how tyres work, sure, winter tyres will give better grip in the snow, but tyre type work mostly on temperature.

Summer tyres optimal range is 7°c up to +40°c

Winter tyres optimal range is below 7°c down to – 30°c

In some European countries, the 7/7 rule is used, 7 days at 7°c or below requires winter tyres.

Here in the UK, winter temperature is so unpredictable that we could be below 7°c for 2 or 3 days then up into double figures.

The problem with using summer tyres in winter is, where temperatures are below 7°c for a few days, the rubber starts to harden, this affects grip, stopping distances etc. Then, if we get a flurry of snow, the hardened rubber cannot grip, bringing the country to a standstill.

The problem with using winter tyres is, where we have a few days with temperatures close to double figures, the rubber softens giving less precise handling and faster wear.

So, is there an alternative?

All-Season-Tyres. These have an optimal range of -10°c to +30°c

This makes All-Season-Tyres a good all-round tyre for the UK.

There are some drawbacks using them all the time, they can make handling feel a little softer and during dry hot spells, they don’t perform as good as summer tyres and in heavy snow, they don’t perform as good as winter tyres.

In general, if you avoid poor driving such as hash acceleration, braking or hard cornering, the All-Season-Tyre in a good all-round tyre for the UK climate.

A 2024 Tyrepress survey found 65% of UK motorists would consider all-season tyres for their next set.

Staying Warm This Winter

Sun, 07 Dec 2025 13:16:59 GMT

Tips for keeping warm

Staying warm during the winter is essential for comfort and health. Here are some tips to help you stay cozy and warm in colder temperatures:

1. Layer Up

Base Layer : Start with moisture-wicking fabrics like merino wool or synthetic materials to keep sweat away from your skin.
Middle Layer : Insulating materials like fleece or down help trap heat.
Outer Layer : A waterproof or windproof jacket will protect you from the elements and prevent cold air from getting in.

2. Wear Warm Accessories

Hats : A warm beanie or fleece-lined hat helps keep your head and ears warm.
Gloves : Insulated gloves or mittens are crucial, as heat escapes from your hands quickly.
Scarves and Neck Gaiters : Keep your neck and face covered to retain heat and protect against wind chill.

3. Insulate Your Home

Seal Gaps : Use weather stripping or caulk to close gaps around windows and doors.
Curtains : Thick curtains help to trap heat in your rooms.
Space Heaters : Use them in specific rooms you use most, but be mindful of safety.

4. Stay Active

Moving around increases circulation and body temperature, so try to keep active if you're indoors. Even simple stretches or household chores can help.

5. Eat and Drink Warm Foods

Hot meals and beverages, like soups, stews, or hot chocolate, can keep you feeling warm from the inside out. Try to consume foods that are rich in healthy fats and proteins to help your body retain warmth.

6. Use Warm Bedding

Consider flannel sheets, down blankets, or heated mattress pads to make your bed a warm haven. Electric blankets are a great option as well.

7. Warm Your Car

If you live in an area where the car gets cold, consider using a remote starter (if available) or pre-warming your car before you drive.

8. Use Hot Water Bottles or Heating Pads

Placing a hot water bottle or a heating pad in your bed or on your lap while relaxing can keep your body warm without cranking up the heat.

9. Wear Warm Footwear

Insulated boots, wool socks, and even slipper socks can prevent heat loss from your feet.

By combining a few of these strategies, you can stay warm and cosy, no matter how cold the weather gets!

Asbestos

Sat, 25 Mar 2023 13:03:25 GMT

Asbestos and Young People

It often appears that, millennials, gen Z workers and other younger people who work as plumbers, electricians, and in other trades are not too concerned about the risk of asbestos.

This is often due to believing that, as asbestos was banned in 2000 in the UK, the illnesses associated with asbestos will only affect the older generation.

It is estimated that around 1.5 million premises in the UK still contain asbestos.

Why? It is not illegal to have asbestos in a building.

Undisturbed asbestos isn't a danger and for this reason, it's still present in many homes today .

All businesses must have an asbestos survey carried out on any of their premises which may contain asbestos. All finding should be logged on to a register which must be made available to any person likely to work near or may come into contact with the asbestos.

A recent , 2022 , research was carried out by Labour Research Department (LRD) for the TUC and the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Occupational Safety and Health.

The survey found a total of at least 2,690 premises with asbestos (excluding schools and housing), owned by a sample of 31 local authorities in England (equivalent to nearly 10% of local authorities).

Only one council in the survey, Chorley Council, had removed asbestos from all its premises.

The TUC says the extent of asbestos presence in the research sample raises concern that the full figure for England could be in the tens of thousands.

Source https://www.tuc.org.uk/news/thousands-local-authority-buildings-still-contain-asbestos-new-tuc-research

Asbestos is only dangerous when not maintained, disturbed or damaged without the right measures in place to avoid fibres being released into the air.

If asbestos fibres are inhaled, they can cause serious diseases such as mesothelioma, asbestos related lung cancer, asbestosis, and pleural thickening. Construction workers of any age are at significant risk if they disturb materials containing asbestos during repairs and refurbishment.

These diseases often take a long time to develop, and it can take 20 to 30 years for symptoms to appear.

It is therefore, of major importance that all workers know how to recognise the dangers and take the right actions to protect themselves and those around them from being exposed to asbestos fibres.

Any worker who may come into contact with asbestos during the course of their work should receive instruction, training and supervision in line with the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974.

There are 3 levels of training:

Asbestos Awareness should as QNUK Level 2 Award in Asbestos Awareness (RQF) - Anyone who may come into contact with asbestos must receive this or similar training each year.
Unlicensed Removal – Anyone trained at this level will be able to remove certain asbestos such as garage roofing sheets, wall boards where this no, or very minimal risk of breaking the product.
Licenced Removal – At this level, all workers must be trained in removal and working for a licenced company who is registered with the HSE. There are very strict rules which the company must work to.

SaFA Training & Consultancy Ltd offer the 3 hour QNUK Level 2 Award in Asbestos Awareness.

For group booking of 10 delegates, this would work out at around £30 + vat per delegate

Call or email us for a personal quote.

Lyme Disease

Fri, 31 Jul 2020 03:55:23 GMT

What is Lyme's Disease, what are the symptoms and how to avoid it.

What is Lyme's Disease?

Lyme disease is a bacterial infection that can be spread to humans by infected ticks.

It's usually easier to treat if it's diagnosed early.

Many people with early symptoms of Lyme disease develop a circular red skin rash around a tick bite.

The rash can appear up to 3 months after being bitten by a tick and usually lasts for several weeks.

Not everyone with Lyme disease gets the rash.

W hat are ticks and how do you get them?

Ticks are tiny spider-like creatures that live in woods and areas with long grass. They're found all over the UK.

Ticks do not jump or fly. They attach to the skin of animals or humans that brush past them.

Once a tick bites into the skin, it feeds on blood for a few days before dropping off.

Important

Tick bites are not always painful. You may not notice a tick unless you see it on your skin.

Regularly check your skin and your children's or pets' skin after being outdoors.

W hat are the symptoms?

Along with the rash, some people also have flu-like symptoms in the early stages, such as:

A high temperature, or feeling hot and shivery
Headaches
Muscle and joint pain
Tiredness and loss of energy

Some people with Lyme disease develop more severe symptoms months or years later.

This is more likely if treatment is delayed.

These more severe symptoms may include:

Pain and swelling in joints
Nerve problems – such as pain or numbness
Heart problems
Trouble with memory or concentration

The treatment is antibiotics

H ow to remove a tick safely

Use fine-tipped tweezers or a tick-removal tool. You can buy these from some pharmacies, vets and pet shops.

Grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible.

Slowly pull upwards, taking care not to squeeze or crush the tick. Dispose of it when you have removed it.

Clean the bite with antiseptic or soap and water.

The risk of getting ill is low. You do not need to do anything else unless you become unwell.

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IOSH MS Online

Wed, 03 Jun 2020 10:01:50 GMT

IOSH Managing Safely - Virtual Classroom - Via Zoom

We are now offering our IOSH courses by virtual classroom.

The highly recognised IOSH Managing Safely training course is suitable for those in a line management or supervisory role.

Through completing the course delegates can ensure that, as managers, they meet their responsibilities for Health and Safety in the workplace.

Blog Home Page

Tue, 05 May 2020 06:25:38 GMT

This is the home blog page for SaFA Training & Consultancy Ltd

SaFA Training & Consultancy Ltd will provide tips and updated news on these blogs.

We aim to keep our customers updated with all the latest legislation and provide interesting reads covering health, safety and first aid.

Health will cover both physical and mental.

Bookmark this page to keep in the know

How to Write a Risk Assessment

Mon, 01 Apr 2019 00:00:00 GMT

Making Risk Assessments Simple

When writing a risk assessment, it must cover 5 elements.

A way to remember this is to use the acronym “IDERR”

Identify the risks
Decide who is at risk and how
Evaluate the risk
Record significant findings
Review & Monitor

(I)

So first we need to identify all significant risks, we state significant because there will always be some risks that would present no injury or are so remote that they are likely to happen once every few years etc, and only cause minor injury. So for this purpose insignificant risks can be left out.

The best way to identify the risks is to talk to the person who does the task, observe them work and see if any risks present themselves; these could be risk to the operator or to people passing by.

The best thing about involving the person who does the task is they are much more likely to follow the findings of the risk assessment if they had some input into writing it.

(D)

Next we need to decide who is at risk from the task and how they will be harmed, this may have been picked up in the observation of the task, but again, talk to the operator, ask them who they think could come into contact with any risks the task poses.

(E)

Thirdly we need to evaluate the risk.

This is done by the probability of something going wrong x the severity of any injury.

The way I do this is, first I look at the severity, what sort of injury I would expect if something went wrong. This could be anywhere between a small cut and a fatality.

Next I look at the probability. How likely is this to go wrong taking into account all the precautions that are in place to try to prevent this?

Some people choose to record the risk before precautions and also after precautions.

Next I use a simple 5 x 5 chart as below to work out the risk.

Again some people prefer to use larger matrix’s i.e. 25 x 25 or larger. It is down to personal preference.

This gives a clear picture of the risk as High, Medium or Low

If the risk falls into the green area (low) then you don’t really need to do anything.

If the risk falls into the yellow area (medium) you may want to discuss any ideas with the operator / managers etc to see if there is a way to move the risk into the low bracket.

Any risk that falls into the red area (high) must be considered a potential danger and precautions must be put into place immediately to bring it at least into the medium bracket.

(R)

With the first “R” we need to record all significant findings. This is called your risk assessment.

(R)

The last “R” actually stands for monitor and review.

We need to set up a review date, but also we must monitor the assessment and ensure it is being followed and is "fit for purpose"

The monitoring can be done using task audits done frequently.

All risk assessments should be reviewed at least annually but if the risk is medium or high you may wish to do this more frequently.

Regardless of your review date, the risk assessment must be reviewed after any accident.

SaFA Training & Consultancy Ltd can deliver on-site courses to train your staff in how write risk assessments

Cold Water Shock

Tue, 01 May 2018 00:00:00 GMT

What is it and what you should do.

Cold water shock is a condition which affects the body when entering cold water, this can happen even if you intentionally enter the water.

A large percentage of drowning in open water are actually caused by cold water shock.

What is cold water?

Anything below 15°C is defined as cold water and can seriously affect your breathing and movement, so the risk is significant most of the year.

Average UK and Ireland sea temperatures are just 12°C. Rivers such as the Thames are colder - even in the summer.

What happens?

When a person is immersed in cold water, the blood vessels in the skin close, this increases the resistance of blood flow and the heart rate is also increased.

As a result the heart has to work harder and your blood pressure goes up. Cold water shock can therefore cause heart attacks, even in the relatively young and healthy.

The sudden cooling of the skin by cold water also causes an involuntary gasp for breath. Breathing rates can increase as much as tenfold.

All these responses contribute to a feeling of panic, increasing the chance of inhaling water directly into the lungs.

An adult can start drowning if 1/2 pint of water enters the lungs.

These symptoms usually last around a minute.

What can you do?

Do not jump in to water, enter slowly
Wear a wet suit

If affected by Cold Water Shock

Try to stay calm
Relax and allow to body to float
Get out of the water before your muscles cool down

As your muscles cool, your strength, endurance and muscle control reduces to the point when you can’t swim any longer so can’t rescue yourself. The point at which you can’t swim any more is called ‘swim failure’, and if you haven’t got out of the water or managed to get hold of a buoyancy aid (like a lifejacket) by this time, you will drown.

The Face of Little Annie.

Mon, 22 Jun 2015 00:00:00 GMT

This face is known to millions around the world and been kissed by billions.

But did you know According to his company website, Asmund Laerdal, the founder of Laerdal Medical, based in Stavanger, Norway, based the face on a real person.

The story goes, According to popular myth at the end of the 19th century, a young girl's lifeless body was pulled from Paris's Quai François Mitterrand, which was then called Quai du Louvre.

As no signs of violence could be found on her, it was decided she had committed suicide, with some stories suggesting it was a case of unrequited love that prompted her death.

Because no one could identify her, a plaster mask of her face was made and hung outside a shop door.

Her delicate beauty became popular with artists and writers, who fabricated stories about the cause of her suicide.

Asmund Laerdal, who became a pioneer for making resuscitation aids out of soft plastic, in the 1950s he developed Resusci Annie, otherwise known as Rescue Annie, a life-like mannequin used to train people in mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

His website says he was so moved by the unknown woman's tragic background; he adopted her mask for his first-aid doll.

He was convinced that if a mannequin was life-like, students would be determined to learn the lifesaving procedure.

Millions have been taught how to breathe life into the face of the girl who is believed to have taken her own, making her the most kissed girl in the world.

Since its original introduction, several different versions of Resusci Anne have also been introduced, including ones that simulate other emergency medical conditions, such as severe wounds and trauma.

If the myth is true, then this young girls tragedy has probably lead to saving more life's than any other single person.

Stay warm this winter

Summer Tyres v Winter Tyres

Summer Tyres v Winter Tyres

Staying Warm This Winter

Tips for keeping warm

1. Layer Up

2. Wear Warm Accessories

3. Insulate Your Home

4. Stay Active

5. Eat and Drink Warm Foods

6. Use Warm Bedding

7. Warm Your Car

8. Use Hot Water Bottles or Heating Pads

9. Wear Warm Footwear

Asbestos

Asbestos and Young People

Lyme Disease

What is Lyme's Disease, what are the symptoms and how to avoid it.

What is Lyme's Disease?

W ﻿ hat are ticks and how do you get them?

W ﻿ hat are the symptoms?

H ﻿ ow to remove a tick safely

IOSH MS Online

IOSH Managing Safely - Virtual Classroom - Via Zoom

Blog Home Page

This is the home blog page for SaFA Training & Consultancy Ltd

How to Write a Risk Assessment

Making Risk Assessments Simple

Cold Water Shock

What is it and what you should do.

The Face of Little Annie.

This face is known to millions around the world and been kissed by billions.

W hat are ticks and how do you get them?

W hat are the symptoms?

H ow to remove a tick safely