1 April Spotlight On – The History of RoSPA The History of RoSPA This week, we’ve put the spotlight on RoSPA – the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents. RoSPA are an important organisation in the world of health and safety. They carry out impressive work in a wide variety of areas, all working towards their mission to save lives and reduce injuries. … Read More
30 March Simply Put – Health and Safety at Work Health and Safety at Work In this week’s ‘Simply Put’ article, we’re going right back to basics, and looking at what we actually mean when we say ‘health and safety’ – and why it’s important. Read More
25 March Spotlight On – Asbestos Related Diseases Asbestos-Related Diseases: Every year, asbestos causes around 5,000 deaths in the UK. It remains the single cause of work-related deaths in the UK. Asbestos isn’t yet a thing of the past – asbestos can be present in any building built or refurbished before the year 2000. Current estimates suggest that there are still up to … Read More
16 March Spotlight On – Poison Prevention (#PoisonPreventionWeek) Poison Prevention Week On Friday, Barack Obama made a proclamation about poison prevention. Each year, the third week of March marks National Poison Prevention Week (PPW) in America – and over here in the UK we’re also taking the opportunity to take a look at the issue. The aim of PPW is to educate the … Read More
11 March Spotlight On – HSE’s Basement Construction Safety Initiative HSE’s Basement Construction Safety Initiative This week, the HSE are carrying out a two-day inspection initiative regarding basement construction safety projects in two London boroughs. The aim is to improve safety in the growing basement construction sector. This comes amid concerns that health and safety related incidents in this sector are on the increase. Read More
25 February Spotlight On #WearTheScarf – The HSE’s Latest Asbestos Campaign #WearTheScarf – The HSE’s Latest Asbestos Campaign Whilst safe work with asbestos has come a long way in the past twenty years, there is still a lot of work to be done in the area. This month, the HSE launched a social media campaign (#WearTheScarf) to raise further awareness and provide assistance and information on … Read More
18 February Work Equipment is the employer’s responsibility Work equipment is a broad term covering a wide range of things. It includes ladders, scaffolds, cars, tools, machinery, etc. Regulation 5(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations states: “Every employer shall ensure that work equipment is maintained in an efficient state, in efficient working order and in good repair.” Work Equipment … Read More
29 January Asbestos exposure – a UK and world-wide problem Asbestos exposure is a major cause of death and serious ill health. Asbestos is made up of thin fibres. These can break down into much smaller and thinner fibres. The smallest fibres cannot be seen with the naked eye but they can be breathed in. Asbestos fibres are only dangerous if they are made airborne and breathed in, but … Read More
22 January Diesel fumes and cancer – Need for Risk Assessment Diesel fumes and cancer – in the UK, about 800 people a year are diagnosed with cancer caused by exposure to diesel fumes. Further to this, around 500,000 UK workers are exposed to dangerous levels of diesel fumes, while Europe that figure could be more than 3.6 million people. Anyone working with or around diesel-powered equipment or vehicles can be affected – … Read More
20 January Warehouse Safety: Falls from height Warehouse Safety – Falls from height can happen in warehouses anywhere – this case relates to a Canadian Company. In this case, the company directors receive jail sentences and the corporation is fined after worker dies in a fall. New Mex Canada Inc. (an importer and retailer of furniture and accessories) has been fined 250,000 Canadian … Read More