HSQE Communication Bulletin - February 2026¶
Document Reference: COMM_HSQE_02_2026
Issue Number: 1
Issue Date: 02/02/2026
Review Cycle: Monthly
Controlled By: HSQE Consultant
Document Type: Communication Bulletin
Document Control Information¶
| Rev | Changes | Date | Approved By |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Initial Issue - February 2026 HSQE Updates | 02/02/2026 | Aaron Mason |
Executive Summary¶
Time to Talk Day on 6 February; HSE January prosecution roundup highlights welfare and access failures; 2026 internal audit cycle begins.
Time to Talk Day — Thursday 6 February¶
Time to Talk Day is the UK's biggest mental-health conversation day. The premise is simple: a conversation has the power to change lives.
AMWS approach for the day:
- Jason runs a 10-minute toolbox talk on the morning of 6 February — the "Are You Really OK?" prompt
- Coffee and a chat at the yard from 09:30 — no agenda, no notes taken
- Lighthouse Construction Charity helpline (0345 605 1956) cards re-circulated in van packs
Why it matters: Construction has the highest male suicide rate of any sector. Talking is the single biggest protective factor. POL_HSQE_29 Mental Health is our policy backing.
HSE January Prosecution Roundup¶
Pattern in the January 2026 HSE prosecutions:
- Welfare facilities — Ling Developments £15,858 for failing to provide suitable welfare. This is a recurring theme on small-to-mid sites
- Wall collapses & temporary works — Ace Infra £60,000 (Birmingham)
- Access from excavator buckets — Hampshire site, manager fined for obstructing HSE
- Enforcement-notice non-compliance — construction director fined personally
Read-across: The common thread is "small site, big shortcut". AMWS sites are typically small. The same exposures apply.
2026 Internal Audit Cycle — Started¶
The rolling 16-audit internal cycle kicked off this week (IA202601 Context & Leadership). Schedule:
- Audits IA202601–IA202604 by end February
- IA202605–IA202608 by end March
- IA202609–IA202616 by end April
- Findings consolidated for May interim Management Review
If Sean drops by for an audit and asks for a document, please pull it from the IMS portal directly — don't dig through old folders.
Smart Metering — Network-Wide Progress¶
Across the UK water sector, smart-meter rollouts crossed the 250,000-connection mark in late 2025 and continue to accelerate through AMP8. For self-lay and connection work this means:
- Fewer confined-space chamber entries — remote reads replace manual
- Better repair planning — leaks identified before they surface
- Less emergency excavation — proactive rather than reactive jobs
Operational read: Expect more pre-planned jobs and fewer 999-style callouts as the rollout extends. Good for fatigue, good for RAMS quality.
Health Surveillance — HAVS Questionnaires Due¶
Annual HAVS health-surveillance questionnaires for operatives using vibrating tools are due February. Reminder:
- Self-completion, returned to Leanne by 28 February
- Any positive symptom (tingling, numbness, white finger) → Tier 2 examination scheduled
- See SOP 8.7 Health Surveillance for the process
- Trigger-time logging is the auditor's evidence — keep the daily logs
Action Items for February¶
- ✅ Time to Talk Day delivered — 6 February
- ✅ Annual HAVS questionnaires returned (Leanne — by 28 Feb)
- ✅ Welfare-facility check on every active site — SOP review
- ✅ Internal audits IA202601–IA202604 closed out
- ✅ Lighthouse helpline cards re-stocked in van packs
Looking Ahead to March¶
- World Water Day 22 March
- AMWS 2025 Carbon Baseline (Sean) due
- HSQE Q1 review
- Daylight savings — clocks forward 29 March
This document forms part of A M Water Services Limited's Integrated Management System and should be read in conjunction with the IMS Manual (MAN_01) and relevant Standard Operating Procedures.