Training Skills Feature Library

Operations Engineer's library catalogues editorial features going back five years.

Access to all archive material is free to all, including non-members of IPlantE (the Institution of Operations Engineers) or BES (Bureau of Engineer Surveyors), under the umbrella of SOE (Society of Operations Engineers). However, to discover the many benefits of becoming an SOE member, please click here.

22/10/2021 Who does what? A SAFed guide to lift testing Revision of the SAFed LG01 Guidelines on the supplementary tests of in-service lifts prompted a joint webinar with LEIA on 19 March 2021 for lift managers and duty holders » Read More

23/09/2021 She who watches the watchers Jane Nash is Allianz Engineering’s new health, safety and quality manager for its 600 engineering surveyors in engineering, construction and power business that inspect plant and equipment across industry for safety and compliance ... » Read More

08/04/2021 The enemy in the room In a further move to protect the workforce, HSE inspectors are targeting firms that flout the rules on dealing with dust hazards. And high on the list of offenders is hardwood. By Brian Wall » Read More

14/01/2021 Measuring access platform safety A new report from a trade association brings together, for the first time, reports of incidents and accidents involving powered access platforms. The data pinpoints the key safety risks of these ever-more essential site machines » Read More

07/01/2021 A nation alone - protecting the safety of lone workers Since March, many office staff have switched to work at home most or all of their time, many of whom are essentially lone workers. Merely relying on the day-to-day business activity may not be enough to protect all members of staff » Read More

10/09/2020 Sensing safety: helping protect the public around rubbish collection vehicles Waste collectors take to the streets on a daily basis – picking up and disposing of household and industrial waste. Operating such large vehicles when pedestrians, cyclists and other motor users are around requires the utmost attention. ... » Read More

31/08/2020 Hose re-ending: the fallacies behind ‘saving a bit of money’ Fluid power hose re-ending is a dangerous business. Not only does it fly in the face of industry standards, but it can also prove highly destructive… and even lethal if the remade joint fails. Add a lack of warranty and supplier liability ... » Read More

17/08/2020 Suit up The International Space Station is a modular space station in the low Earth orbit and just like industrial, commercial and domestic facilities across our planet, it typically needs to be maintained, repaired and upgraded by its residents. ... » Read More

03/08/2020 Watch your distance As UK industry tries to get back to some form of working normality, social distancing measures are still to be encouraged. Adam Offord finds guidance and products to help with social distancing in an industrial setting? » Read More

03/08/2020 Fever screening The Coronavirus epidemic has created a worldwide demand for infrared cameras as fever screening tools. Explaining how to be sure that the camera chosen can actually do the job it is supposed to do is Glenn Wedgbrow, business development ... » Read More

13/07/2020 Lifting spirits The UK Coronavirus crisis has seen distilleries, breweries and other plants pivot their operations to hand sanitiser production. How easy was it to do in such a short space of time? » Read More

06/07/2020 Work wearable Vehicle manufacturer Iveco has introduced a wearable ‘exoskeleton’ device from industrial automation specialist Comau. This is helping to reduce the fatigue on the upper limbs suffered by the operators engaged in activities inside the ... » Read More

22/06/2020 In times of change - message from SOE CEO Bruce McGill This comment piece comes from Bruce McGill, CEO at the Society of Operations Engineers, and first appeared in Operations Engineer's Summer 2020 print issue. » Read More

15/06/2020 Cutting effects Testing, inspection and compliance services provider Socotec discusses the health risks associated with respirable crystalline silica (RCS) and how best to protect against its harmful effects » Read More

01/06/2020 A national effort The UK, like many parts of the world, has been constrained by the on-going Covid-19 pandemic. However, in such a time of need, UK industry has stepped up once again and continues to play a key role in the fight back » Read More

25/05/2020 Bouncing back from Buncefield Almost 15 years on from the Buncefield disaster, Operations Engineer looks back at what went wrong, why and the steps taken to try to ensure such an incident never happens again » Read More

04/05/2020 A bug’s life The world has been gripped by the on-going Covid-19 pandemic. Are buildings friends or enemies in the war on the spread of coronavirus? » Read More

04/05/2020 Plastic fantastic? At the one-day Engineering Solutions Live show in March, Matthew Jones, senior applications engineer for northeast EMEA and wider EMEA at Stratasys, described the benefits that additive manufacturing can bring to industry in terms of ... » Read More

20/04/2020 Bearing the brunt Seismic isolation bearings decouple structures, such as buildings and bridges, from the ground. This allows such structures to behave more flexibly during seismic activity » Read More

06/04/2020 Looking through the training window Companies across industry are starting to introduce virtual reality and augmented reality training into the workplace. This is providing operators and engineers with the opportunity to hone their skills and learn relevant safety protocols ... » Read More

30/03/2020 Handy advice Irritant contact dermatitis is an eczema that can be triggered by a range of substances used across industry. This article focuses on employee hands and looks at what measures can be put in place to prevent it » Read More

10/03/2020 Safe cleaning with gas A series of vehicle explosions has prompted the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to issue guidance for mobile oven cleaning businesses that use LPG to heat dip tanks. While much of the advisory may be considered common sense, raising ... » Read More

08/01/2020 Tipping the balance A consortium of construction organisations has developed a seven-point strategy on the proper and safe use of forward tipping dumpers » Read More

08/01/2020 Fatal falls Maintenance problems are causing accidents and falls with extending lift platforms, according to the Health and Safety Executive, which has issued guidance. Similar guidance has also been issued by the National Farmers Union » Read More

01/11/2019 Building a better way A ‘golden thread’ of core information throughout the lifecycle of a building lies at the heart of a new building safety regime, in the wake of the Grenfell Tower fire. A vital part of that thread will be the building safety manager » Read More