There are new changes to the laws that govern Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). In short, these new rules extend an employer's duties when it comes to PPE. Read on to find out what's changed, when it's effective, and what employer's need to do to stay compliant with this change to HSE regulations. New PPE legislation, what's changed? The Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations date back to 1992. They were introduced as part of the 6 Pack Regulation written to implement EU directives aimed at…
Three tragic cases recently reported in the care sector highlight the importance of thorough and ongoing risk assessment processes with management oversight, that ensure all risks and controls are properly communicated to workers. Not only did the three incidents result in tragic - and heartbreakingly avoidable - loss of life, the reputational and financial costs to the respective businesses were substantial. Besides this, the length of time from the dates of the incidents to the prosecutions will have placed both personal costs on family members,…
With Christmas fast approaching, soon many of you will be bringing a sparkle to even the darkest of offices. We want to ensure you enjoy the fun and festivities at Christmas with those close to you. To make certain Christmas goes with a “controlled bang”, we have produced some simple guidelines for you to consider when decorating your workplace Christmas trees… Christmas trees come in all shapes and sizes, real and artificial. Whichever, you chose, ensure it doesn’t cause any injuries this year. We recommend:…
A contractor was recently prosecuted after a Covid-19 spot check revealed multiple breaches in health and safety. How can employers protect themselves from a similar outcome? With Covid-19 taking priority for many health and safety professionals, it seems that the other aspects of safety may be being forgotten. In one instance, a construction contractor was fined after multiple health and safety issues were found during a proactive Covid spot check in Manchester. This included welfare, working at height, site security, electricity, and Covid-19. After issuing…
A retail business was recently fined £50,000 with a statutory surcharge of £170 and costs awarded to the council of £2,230. This was following an accident which saw a member of the public fall down an open and unguarded trapdoor. The risk of openings in floors should be obvious to most. If not, a similar incident in the Taunton branch of a national Newsagent in 2014 should have made this retailer alert to the risk. The customer fell through the unguarded trapdoor and down a…
Are you doing enough to protect your workers and avoid HSE enforcement action? A recent BBC article reported concerning figures which suggest that either employers are failing to protect their workers from COVID-19, or failing to adequately communicate effective COVID controls to their employees. The report states that between 6 and 14 January, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) received 2,945 complaints about safety issues. Due to this, the HSE has had to scale up its efforts to check and support firms, and has carried out…
Following the formalisation of a trade deal and the end of the Brexit Transition period, what is the immediate effect of Brexit on UK health and safety legislation? And how will your business, and your processes be affected? The UK has been driving health and safety standards across the world for decades. Even prior to the Health and Safety Act 1974, the UK has been at the forefront of improving health and safety policies, so much so that many other countries follow our lead and…
In April 2018, the regulation on the provision of personal protective equipment became more complex for employers. Do you fully understand your obligations when providing employees with PPE? If you’re unsure, we’ve created an employer’s guide to PPE to help you. In the Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 1992, regulation 4 states an employer’s obligations. ‘Every employer shall ensure that suitable personal protective equipment is provided to his employees who may be exposed to a risk to their health or safety while at work…
As the UK enters the seventh month of lockdown, the quality of people’s mental health is deteriorating at a concerning rate. More than two thirds (69%) of adults are reportedly feeling worried about the effect the virus is having on their life. According to a survey by the Samaritans, just over 1 in 10 callers reported experiencing suicidal thoughts or thoughts of self-harm during the first week of lockdown. It is perhaps not surprising that such a dramatic change to the way we live has…
The 18 - 24 May 2020 is Mental Health Awareness Week. This year, faced with the ramifications of a global health crisis, it's more important than ever to look after the mental health of your employees. Inspired by the tremendous acts of kindest we have seen throughout communities across the country, kindness is the chosen focus of this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week. A study conducted by the Mental Health Foundation had some interesting findings. Two-thirds of people said that being kind to others has…
