Newsroom
News from Lucid and our trainees
The Lucid newsroom has been a series of stories to keep you up to date with what we're doing and supporting. We have recently decided to open this up to stories from our trainees.
If you have trained with Lucid and have an interesting news story about your company, your experience in laser, IPL or general health and safety, or a worthy cause to support, then please send a brief summary of your story to our newsroom editor.
We will, at the discretion of the editor and with your permission, publish a brief 'taster' as below and then provide the full story or information either on a page of our site or via a link to your website. This service is free and we hope it will be useful for you.
The photos here show a Land Rover we are sponsoring to drive to the Gambia in Africa for use by a hospital and remote clinics, and some trainees outside the Faraday Wharf building of the Photonics Cluster following an LED safety training workshop.
February 2008: Well done to Bert's crew Clive and Michael
Bert was delivered to the hospital at Banjul ahead of schedule at the end of January, and Bert's drivers, Clive and Michael, are now back home with photos and memories of the trip. A big "well done!" to Clive and Michael from all of us at Lucid. To see more photos of Bert in North Africa and the Sahara follow the links below.
January 2008: Bert visits Lucid the day before his big adventure
Bert is the Land Rover we are sponsoring and was brought to Lucid on Thursday 10 January, the day before setting-off from Kendal to drive down France and Spain, across North Africa and down the African coast.
The project called 'Challenge Gambia' is to deliver a Land Rover to a remote hospital in the Gambia where it will be used to help provide care and medical services to even more remote clinics and villages.
The Land Rover has been extensively rebuilt to ensure it will cope with the rigours of the drive to the Gambia, and further to ensure it will be in a fit state to provide a valuable service there. The new Land Rover has been dubbed 'Bert' and is joining 'Meg', an old Land Rover ambulance that made the same trip three years ago (see December 2007 news below for a picture of Meg) and has been providing a priceless service since then. The drivers are Clive Bradley and Michael Costello from the main company organising the challenge, Dove Nest Group Ltd.
For more on the challenge and to follow the progress of the Land Rover, please see the link here for the Dove Nest Group www.dovenest.co.uk. Pictured with the Land Rover are Lucid staff with the drivers, Michael far left and Clive far right. January in the Yorkshire Dales meant umbrellas were necessary, but Bert will soon be enjoying warmer whether!
In addition to providing financial sponsorship, the photograph opposite shows Michael checking the directions to the Gambia offered by Lucid's Annette and Sarah. Rather worryingly, Michael seems to be pointing North-West from our training centre in the Yorkshire Dales. This would be the log way around, but might have the advantage of avoiding the Sahara.
From leaving Lucid on the morning of the 10th January, Clive and Michael were spending the afternoon loading Bert with the provisions for the journey, spare parts and supplies for the charities being supported in the Gambia.
On the previous trip with 'Meg', Clive and his then co-driver Darren Ready, were part of the Plymouth Dakar rally which raises funds for charities in Africa. This time they are following the same route as the rally and with the kind consent of the organisers, such that they will enjoy some of the benefits of travelling in convoy with others across areas such as the Sahara, but they are not officially part of the rally. There are several reasons for this, but not least the desire to provide an altogether higher class of vehicle than is in the spirit and rules of the Plymouth to Dakar rally.
For more about the Plymouth to Dakar rally, the entry rules, and the work done by the organisers of this event please follow this link www.plymouth-banjul.co.uk.
We are pleased to note that whilst the multi-million pound budget teams from the Paris to Dakar rally have this year cancelled due to safety concerns, whilst our intrepid team are pressing ahead on a slightly smaller and less well supported budget.
In the photograph opposite, Clive is laughing at the prospect of Lucid director John Colton (rear seat) joining the trip to Africa. Lucid's senior health and safety consultant, Andy Binstead, took the photographs of the Land Rover you see here and has already stated that he would like to be in the team for any future trips. This would be after a full risk assessment, of course, and after asking permission from his wife...
We hope you will enjoy following the progress of Clive, Michael and Bert as they tackle bureaucracy and pot-holes (and that's just in Cumbria) on their way to the Gambia. Progress will be reported on the Dove Nest Group website under the Challenge Gambia Journal, from 11th January 2008. We also hope you agree that this is a nice way to spend the money we would have spent on Christmas cards that would now have been consigned to waste bins or recycling bins. Please do give us your feedback so that we can make informed decisions on what to do next time!
For more information on the hospital and clinics being supported by this 'Challenge Gambia' project, please see the Bansang Hospital appeal and the Alexander Edwards Village Clinic Appeal.
December 2007: BMLA approves Lucid's 'Core of Knowledge' course
Our laser safety 'Core of Knowledge' course for staff working in medical, dental and cosmetic clinics has been approved by the British Medical Laser Association. This seal of approval provides clinics with the confidence that we will cover the topics and areas required in a 'Core of Knowledge' course, such that the requirements of the Healthcare Commission are met in relation to the training of clinic staff for clinics using lasers for medical, dental or cosmetic treatments on clients.
December 2007: Lucid spend your Christmas card money...
Once again instead of sending you all a card with the seasons greetings for Christmas and the New Year, we have decided to spend this money, and a little more, on a charitable project. This year the project is to sponsor a Land Rover to be driven down Europe and North Africa to a remote hospital in the Gambia where it will be used to aid a wide and remote area with poor transport infrastructure.
The picture here is of the old Land Rover ambulance, 'Meg', that we sponsored three years ago (see news from Jan 2005 below), which is still providing a valuable service at a hospital in the Gambia. You can just see the Lucid logo above the rear wheel arch, although the contrast is not great on the green, ex-military, background. The new Land Rover should provide better contrast for the logo as it is a white ex-NATO Land Rover that has previously seen service in Bosnia before a harder life as a family vehicle in the Yorkshire Dales and Lake District!
October 2007: Lucid complete 'PAT testing' course
Part of our service to client organisations is to offer the services and training courses that they require in order to fulfil their health and safety responsibilities. Further at Lucid we require our courses to be the best available, and as a result we have put considerable time and effort into ensuring our course is both correct and consistent with accepted best practice.
September 2007: a bumper month for Laser Safety training courses
This was our busiest month ever for Laser Safety training courses with more than 60 people attending our courses and passing assessments. This is a large number when we take a maximum of 8 people on each laser safety training course. In addition, our technical director, John Colton gave a talk to an invited audience of more than 50 delegates at the Royal Society of Medicine in London. This talk was about the Healthcare Commission registration of clinics offering treatments using lasers and IPL devices, and the role of the LPA and EMP in this process.
June 2007: Lucid offer Laser Protection Adviser (LPA) services
Mike Regan joins Lucid to help us move our laser safety services into the cosmetic clinic market as a certificated LPA. Previously this was a problem for us as although we had experts in laser and intense pulses light (IPL) technology and safety, we could not become qualified and certificated LPAs without demonstrating work in this area. Now with Mike on board we have one of the UK's best respected LPAs and the ability to grow a bespoke LPA service for client clinics.
February 2007: LED safety article in Photonics Spectra
Lucid's resident Physics professor G.R. Davies received numerous favourable comments on an article on LED safety that was published in the respected Photonics Spectra magazine. The article was entitled "High Power LEDs Pose Safety Hazards" and appeared in the February edition on pages 66 to 68. In a microscopy article at microscopy-uk.org, David Walker describes this article as "invaluable reading".
February 2007: Fire safety seminar support
Lucid Training supported a seminar hosted by the Cumbria Chamber of Commerce to promote awareness of fire safety requirements and the new fire safety legislation that came into force on the 1st October 2006. We will be giving more details of the requirements of the fire safety legislation on this website soon, but until then please contact us for information on fire safety training courses or services.
January 2007: LED Safety Workshop for corporate LED client
Having sampled the LED safety workshop at the Photonics Cluster a corporate client requested a similar event for staff on their own site. This forward thinking client has recognised that addressing possible LED safety hazards now can prevent huge problems at a later date and demonstrate a level of professionalism that is reassuring to their clients.
November/December 2006: LED Safety Workshops well received by trainees.
With LEDs becoming ever more powerful their hazard potential has increased significantly in recent years. In fact almost weekly we are seeing claims of higher output LEDs on the market, but little information on their safety or possible hazards. In November Lucid's Dr Neil Haigh and Professor Geoff Davies developed and delivered the UK's first LED Safety Workshop on behalf of the Photonics Cluster, with a second event booked almost immediately being run in December. The workshop combines LED safety training with some practical measurement sessions using Photonics Cluster labs. Further events are now planned for 2007.
November 2006: New asbestos regulations come into force
Recent changes in the EU Asbestos Worker Protection Directive have led to the introduction of new “Control of Asbestos Regulations” in the UK, on 13 th November 2006.
The idea behind these new regulations is to consolidate and replace the existing legislation regarding asbestos exposure. In addition to this, the regulations have introduced a lower control limit for all types of asbestos and a requirement for mandatory training.
Also, the regulations now state that work with asbestos-containing textured decorative coatings will no longer be subject to the licensing regime.
These new regulations will affect several groups, including asbestos specialists, employers and facility managers. For a summary of the main changes, click here.
October 2006: Our sister company wins Innovative Business of the Year 2006
Well done to Lucid Optical Services Ltd, our sister company, who won the Pride of Cumbria award for the most Innovative Business of the Year. In particular, our sister company has been innovative in their development of some of the industry's first LED safety training workshops, laser safety qualifications and LED & laser safety software. As safety training specialists we have worked with our sister company on some of these areas where our interests overlap.
September 2006: Presentation day for inmates gaining qualifications in prison
Lucid Training has recently helped in a training programme to teach sought after telecommunications cable jointing skills to inmates in prison. Whilst our sister company Lucid Optical Services acted as lead training provider and supplied the specialist technical training, our trainers provided specialist safety training including the IOSH Working Safely qualification, manual handling, first aid and some elements of training in customer care. The inmates were all receptive to the safety training, excelled in the assessments and those that have since been released are now in jobs. For more on this programmes see the newsroom in the Lucid Optical Services website.
September 2006: HSE launch "Don't take the gamble" campaign on asbestos
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have launched a 'Don't take the gamble' campaign to highlight the risks of asbestos in buildings and encourage workers not to risk carrying out work on asbestos material that could need properly trained and licensed workers to do safely. For more about the campaign see www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos/campaign/index.htm?ebul=hsegen/04-sep-06&cr=01. The campaign runs to October 2006.
August 2006: Andy Binstead CMIOSH joins Lucid
Having known Andy for some time now, he has decided to join Lucid with the aim of helping us develop and deliver the most engaging training in health and safety. Andy shares the Lucid ethos that health and safety is for the well-being of people and not just to tick boxes, satisfy legal requirements and insurance companies. He shares our belief that health and safety can improve a business when properly implemented.
July 2006: congratulations to Sarah on gaining her BA (Hons) from Lancaster University
Well done to Sarah on gaining a 2:1 in English Language from Lancaster University and graduating this month. This is an excellent achievement with Lancaster University having a strong reputation for Linguistics. We took the opportunity to celebrate with Sarah, and the trainees here on courses, by opening a couple of bottles of Champagne.
June 2006: Sarah Cowperthwaite becomes the new voice of Lucid
Sarah joined the Lucid team in early June as our new office administrator. She has rapidly become involved in many aspects of the running of the training courses and is for many the first point of contact on phoning or emailing us at Lucid.
May/June 2006: New picnic area completed
Late in May we completed the groundworks for our new outdoor picnic area, and installed picnic tables to seat up to 16 people at the beginning of June. This facility has already proved popular with both staff and trainees who often use it for coffee breaks aswel as lunch breaks. The opportunity for fresh air and stunning views is regularly commented on by visitors.
May 2006: Professor Geoff R. Davies joins Lucid
The Lucid training team has expanded with Geoff Davies, a Professor of Physics for many years at Leeds University, joining Lucid initially on a part-time basis whilst still working as Emeritus Professor of Polymer Science at Leeds. Geoff is now working on developing LED and expanded source safety training courses.
January 2006: Lucid courses approved under the FIA qualification scheme
Several of Lucid's accredited awards were approved under the FIA qualification scheme. This means that trainees can be certain of FIA recognition for their achievements when they take these training courses with us and pass assessments. Lucid are the first training organisation to have their certified awards approved under this scheme.
September 2005: see us at OFMC 2005
The Optical Fibre Measurement Conference was this year being hosted by the NPL in Teddington. Lucid was there and contributing to the conference with a paper written in conjuction with Global Marine Systems. The paper describes the work done to devise and develop a tool to assist in the evaluation of one-way OTDR measurements of splice losses. Such unidirectional OTDR measurements are not normally recommended, particularly between fibres of differing mode field diameters (MFDs), but are common and unavoidable for submarine cable splicing. The paper presents the equations developed by Lucid's Dr Annette Colton and coded into a software tool by Lucid's Dr Neil Haigh, and shows comparisons with real bi-directional OTDR loss measurements and other data gathered by engineers at Global Marine Systems. Lucid plan to include some latest results and refinements in the presented paper as some further development work is on-going. The paper will be presented by Lucid's technical director, John Colton, who is also a contributor to the work and a joint author on the paper.
Lucid's Dr Neil Haigh is also involved in a laser safety tutorial at OFMC'05, being given by Neil and Simon Hall from the NPL.
August 2005: Lucid Trainers apply to become FIA Certified Trainers
Four of Lucid's team of expert trainers have applied to become Fibre-optics Industry Association (FIA) certified trainers. This new status fills a hole in the fibre optics and communications cabling industry, where training could be provided by anybody with no checkes on their knowledge, skills or qualifications. Now we believe this scheme gives potential trainees an opportunity to verify that their chosen training provider has staff who are knowledgable and commited to training.
It is also important for trainees to check that their chosen training provider is FIA approved and their course is delivered by an FIA certified trainer, or it will not count towards the FIA qualifications. More on this shortly...
July 2005: Bigraphy on Dr John Haygarth published
A new biography on Dr John Haygarth FRS (1740-1827), who made several advances in the field of medicine, has been written by Sir Christopher Booth, and published by the American Philosophical Society (www.aps-pub.com ISBN 0-87169-254-6). Our largest training room is named the 'Haygarth Room' in honour of Dr John as he is known here, but his fame in recent times has not travelled so far from Garsdale, Chester where he worked and Bath where he settled in later life. We are happy that Sir Christopher Booth, from the Wellcome Centre for the History of Medicine at UCL, has recognised the significant contribution Dr John made and researched this work.
6 July: Champagne corks fly at Lucid
After hearing the news just before 1 pm that London had won the right to hold the 2012 Olympics we got out the chilled champagne to celebrate with the trainees here on two courses running this week. A glass of bubbly washed lunch down nicely. Well done to the London team and we look forward to hearing that some of you are working on cabling infrastructure for the huge building projects that will result from this victory.
June/July 2005: Lucid decide to advertise and market ourselves
Yes we've placed our first adverts ever in the comms industry press after almost seven years of relying on word-of-mouth recommendations. Read more...
June 2005: Demo version of LaserBee launched at Laser 2005
Lucid exhibited for the first time at Laser 2005 in Munich, where a demonstration version of our popular LaserBee software was launched. Peter Bennett of Laser Physics UK commented "around 90% of the people we've demonstrated LaserBee to have bought a copy - hence the need for a demo version for the people we can't get to quickly". Read more...
January 2005: Lucid sponsored Land-Rover ambulance reaches remote African community
Instead of sending Christmas cards, we donate to or sponsor a good cause. This year an epic trip to deliver a Land-Rover ambulance to an African community where it will help save lives and continue wearing the purple Lucid logo (just above the rear wheel arches)! Read more....
August 2004: Dave Gallivan joins the Lucid team
Welcome to Dave who had worked with two of our staff previously and has now joined us at Lucid. Read more...
March 2004: Lucid launches first accredited Laser Safety qualification in the UK
A panel consisting of representatives from Open College Network, universities, independent industry experts and Lucid staff has approved our "Laser Safety Introduction" course at level 2 (broadly equivalent to GCSE at grades A-C). This is the first Laser Safety Qualification from a QCA licensed awarding body in the UK, and to our knowledge in the world!
January 2004: "Laser Bee" laser safety software purchased by prestigious national laser laboratory
December 2003: First orders for "Laser Bee" laser safety software packages
November 2003: Lucid gains Open College Network (TROCN) centre approval
July - October 2003: Laser Bee launched at photonics & laser exhibitions in Munich, Edinburgh and Birmingham
September 2003: The annual inspection by City & Guilds - again, the report is excellent!
May 2003: Lucid chooses Laser Physics UK as distributor for our "Laser Bee" software package
December 2002: John Colton, managing director of Lucid Training, elected to the council of the FIA (Fibre-optics Industry Association)
October 2001: First course at Lucid's new training centre
September 2001: Dr. Neil Haigh joins Lucid
August 2001: Annual visit from City & Guilds External Verifier
December 2000: Steve Dobson joins Lucid
November 2000: Work started on new training centre
August 2000: Lucid gains City & Guilds Centre Approval
April 2000: Expanding geographically
Lucid runs two simultaneous courses in different countries outside the UK
March 2000: Manuals get even better
Lucid starts production of manuals in full colour in-house
January 2000: Peter Rossall joins Lucid.