News from QUBUS

New requirements, guidelines and practical advice: Understanding the implications for industrial coating companies

The „Facilities Ordinance“ – or, to give it its full name, the „Ordinance on Facilities for the Handling of Substances Hazardous to Water, AwSV“ – was published in August 2018 and, as a new federal ordinance, replaces 16 different facilities ordinances – known as VAwS – from the respective federal states. Particularly for businesses operating nationwide, there used to be confusing differences depending on the location of the business. For the first time, harmonised requirements across Germany are now available in the field of facility-related water protection.

Further information on the implications for coaters, rectifying defects and examples of practical implementation can be found in the article: Focus on the AwSV Plant Regulation_BETTER PAINTING

If you have any questions about the AwSV, the Environment and Health and Safety Department will be happy to help. Our contact: Frank Schüle (+49 7171 1040817). schuele[at]qubus.de) and Marcus Sorg (+49 7171 1040820. sorg[at]qubus.de).

The IFO Academy’s new course programme for the second half of the year offers three new courses in collaboration with QUBUS, in addition to those on corrosion protection and coatings. The new courses are „Management Systems in Surface Technology“, „Caution: Hazardous Substances! – Handling and Using Hazardous Substances Safely“ and „Storing Hazardous Substances Correctly“. The first course, „Management Systems in Surface Technology“, starts in mid-October. It introduces participants to the fundamentals and requirements of management systems in the areas of quality, environmental and energy management, as well as their successful application in organising customer and regulatory requirements. Two courses will be held on the subject of hazardous substances in the context of environmental and occupational safety; these will teach participants how to handle, use and store hazardous substances correctly. In all courses, we focus on providing practical insights into the various subject areas and offer a holistic overview of the course topic.

At this year’s summer party and in-house exhibition, both customers and staff visited the stands to find out about the wide-ranging expertise of the individual IFO and QUBUS divisions. With a relaxed atmosphere and good food, the festival and exhibition provided the ideal opportunity for many interesting conversations and insights into the group of companies and our unique network of experts.

In accordance with the 42nd BlmSchV, we offer operators of evaporative cooling systems, cooling towers and wet separators the opportunity to carry out a risk assessment for their installations. Mr Marcus Sorg, who holds the qualification of "hygiene expert", is authorised to carry out risk assessments in accordance with the BetrSichV, GefStoffV and BioStoffV for evaporative cooling systems within the scope of the 42nd BlmSchV. In this way, we assist operators of such systems with registering the system with the central database (KAVKA), maintaining this data, keeping an operating log, preparing a risk analysis and ensuring the system is regularly inspected by an expert.

Contact person:
Marcus Sorg
Team Leader for Environment, Health and Safety, and Fire Safety
Email: sorg[at]qubus.de ; Tel.: +49 7171 10408-20

Our trainees, Violetta Henkel and Fabio Meloni, each received an award for special projects undertaken as part of their training.

Violetta Henkel took part in the school competition "Leaving – Arriving – Returning – Baden-Württemberg and Eastern Europe", organised by the Ministry of the Interior, the Ministry of Education and Cultural Affairs, and the Haus der Heimat, and was awarded a certificate and a prize.

Fabio Meloni took part in an Erasmus project entitled "Gender Equality – Career Development Potential in a European Comparison" and completed the project with a three-week stay abroad in London, United Kingdom, and a project assignment. As part of this, he received a certificate and the "Europass Mobility" to recognise his study placements in other European countries.

We would like to congratulate Violetta Henkel and Fabio Meloni on their award and are delighted with their commitment, motivation and new experiences.

There are still places available for the training course "Caution: Hazardous Substances! – Handling and Using Hazardous Substances Safely", which takes place on 26 June 2019. The seminar provides a practical overview of the requirements for, and the correct handling and use of, hazardous substances in the workplace.

This training course is aimed at staff in production and the warehouse, as well as trainee occupational health and safety specialists, environmental protection officers and safety representatives. Further information on the training course can be found here.

Against the backdrop of several outbreaks of legionellosis caused by the Legionella pneumophila bacterium in technical water systems in Germany in recent years, the legislature adopted the 42nd Ordinance Implementing the Federal Immission Control Act (42nd BImSchV) in 2017. This affects facilities that use water at elevated temperatures, in particular washers in electroplating plants or paint shops. The Ordinance requires businesses to carry out regular tests to check whether the water used contains bacteria. Although the exact procedure for the tests and the monitoring by the authorities have not yet been clarified in detail, the businesses concerned must register with the new government database, KaVKA (Register for the Recording of Evaporative Cooling Systems).

• Read the article

Would you like an overview of your fire safety arrangements and any potential risks?

Are you unsure whether you meet all the relevant fire safety requirements?

Then our fire safety check is just what you need. You can find more information about the fire safety check here

Employees are a valuable asset to any company, particularly those who have witnessed and lived through a wide variety of developments within the organisation – employees on whose skills and experience the company can rely and with whom the company has continued to grow. At our annual QUBUS and IFO Christmas party, Gabriele Ersepke was honoured by QUBUS Managing Director Christian Deyhle for her 10 years of service to the company.

Colleagues from the IFO’s Dutch office who were present also had cause to honour their colleague Willem ter Horst. He was presented with an award by Pauline Meijwaard, the Managing Director for the Netherlands, in recognition of his many years of support for the Dutch office, and was bid farewell as he entered his well-deserved retirement.

The management expressed their heartfelt thanks to the honourees for their dedication, as well as for their long-standing support and loyalty to the company.

An eventful 2018 is drawing to a close. We would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your excellent cooperation and the trust you have placed in us.

We wish you and your families a peaceful festive season and every happiness and success for 2019.

Your QUBUS and IFO team