Four-day working weeks have hit the headlines again, with a second UK-wide pilot set to begin in November. While there is debate around whether shortening the work week is the answer, attitudes towards more flexible ways of working are changing and employers who fail to recognise this risk being left behind.
By Kerry Reals on 31 October 2024
From March 2025, many businesses in England will have to begin separating their recyclable and food waste from general waste prior to collection, but the changes will bring wider business benefits, such as reduced waste disposal costs and improved sustainability credentials.
By Adriana Olaya Rodriguez, Newell Brands on 12 November 2024
When most people think of injuries in the materials handling industry, they picture serious incidents – severe trauma or even fatalities. However, a silent issue affects far more workers every day: musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs).
By Kirsty Cunningham, Mitsubishi Forklift Trucks on 11 November 2024
Established following Dame Judith Hackitt’s ‘Building a Safer Future’ report, BSR was set up as part of the Health and Safety Executive. The new Building Safety Regulator in England is transforming the landscape of building safety, by ensuring that higher-risk buildings where people live and stay are designed, constructed and managed to the highest levels of care and accountability to ensure residents’ safety.
By Neil Hope-Collins, HSE on 24 September 2024
Problems with the fit of some disposal filtering facepiece respirators across the variety of face shapes and facial features found in the workforce, means those who fall outside of the standard facial dimensions may not be getting full protection from respiratory risks. This has prompted one leading RPE manufacturer to develop a new design that provides a good fit for a wider range of different face shapes and sizes, keeping more people safe in the workplace.
By Ian Kelsall, Draeger Safety UK on 05 September 2024
There are growing concerns about the heightened risk of asbestos exposure in schools and hospitals, but the UK is falling behind Europe in tackling the problem of asbestos in non-domestic buildings.
By Mesothelioma UK and University of Sheffield on 05 September 2024
Assessments of background asbestos levels in UK buildings may be providing employers with a false sense of reassurance. The UK also looks set to fall behind Europe in reducing the risks the substance poses to building occupants and workers.
By Colette Willoughby, Asbestos Compliance Limited on 30 August 2024
Although the previous Conservative government rejected widespread demands for a national register of asbestos in non-domestic premises, a new online platform aims to create a register of existing surveys that can be quickly and freely accessed by those who need to carry out work that could disturb the deadly material.
By Andrew Paten, UK National Asbestos Register (UKNAR) on 29 August 2024
Ruth Denyer has spent almost three decades working as a health and safety professional in the entertainment industry, starting out in theatre before spending 17 years at ITV and then joining global streaming service Netflix. Safety Management sat down with Ruth to discuss a range of issues, from the realities of keeping people safe on set without dampening creativity, to her role as co-president of the International Institute of Risk and Safety Management (IIRSM) – which, alongside Ruth, will celebrate its 50th birthday next year.
By Kerry Reals on 29 August 2024
When workers are exposed to hazardous substances like dusts, it may be necessary to carry out air monitoring to check both employees’ personal exposure levels and the general effectiveness of control measures. But it’s essential to understand the benefits and drawbacks of the different types of sampling equipment used.
By Tim Turney, Casella Solutions on 29 August 2024
While inexpensive precautions for preventing slips, trips and falls have a part to play in any day-to-day risk management system, more expensive options, such as replacing damaged floor coverings, are often the most effective long-term measure for minimising the danger to staff and visitors.
By Phil Jones, William Martin on 22 August 2024
Many employers are keen to support the psychological health of their workforce through the provision of different forms of training and employee support services, but it’s vital there’s genuine evidence of the effectiveness of the training and support provided, otherwise the investment will be wasted.
By Professor Neil Greenberg and Georgina Godden, March on Stress on 21 August 2024
Migraine can have a debilitating effect on an individual’s performance at work, so it’s vital employers take steps to reduce the triggers for an attack and provide adequate support.
By Andrea Quinn, The Migraine Trust on 21 August 2024
