Opinion

    Car Submerged in Flood Water iStock Project B

    Turning the dial on climate change adaptation

    Public and private sector organisations should be taking action to adapt to current and future impacts of extreme weather changes caused by climate change, and an IEMA toolkit provides practical advice on getting started.

    By Chloë Fiddy, IEMA on 04 June 2024

    Parliament Manifesto iStock benedek

    A historic moment, in more ways than one

    Now that electioneering is well and truly underway in the UK, in the run up to 4 July, I know it may be the last thing you want to hear more about. But given the polls and the lively nature of the debate so far, this has the potential to be one of the more historic and memorable elections.

    By Mike Robinson FCA on 03 June 2024

    Ella Roberta

    The simple steps we can take to stem the hidden danger of indoor air pollution

    It’s a simple, obvious truth: the cleaner the air we breathe, the healthier we are. Yet, most of us are inhaling pollution out in the streets as well as in the safety of our homes, offices, schools, hospitals and other buildings – without realising the damage it is causing to our health, nor that there are quick, easy solutions to clean the air and strengthen the health of our communities.

    By Rosamund Adoo-Kissi-Debrah CBE, Ella Roberta Foundation on 30 May 2024

    Mike Robinson 3 Med

    Why our world needs safety more than ever

    Our safety, in every sense of the word, is very much in the news right now. Whether it’s wars in Europe or the Middle East, threats from terrorism or rogue states, the need to keep children safe online, or violence faced by shop keepers, the numbers and level of threats to our safety seem to rise exponentially every day.

    By Mike Robinson FCA, British Safety Council on 30 April 2024

    Mike Robinson 3 Med

    How do we fix the UK’s poor mental health and wellbeing challenge?

    If you discovered your country was losing up to £78 billion a year, you would want to do something about it, right? Well, that is how much the UK loses to workplace sickness and ill health each year.

    By Mike Robinson FCA, British Safety Council on 02 April 2024

    Man WFH iStock triloks

    Working from home – is it a good or bad thing?

    A review of academic papers suggests the impact of homeworking on employees’ wellbeing, productivity and working relationships often depends on a variety of personal contextual factors, making it essential for managers to consult workers individually to identify how best to support them.

    By Charlotte Hall and Professor Neil Greenberg, King's College London on 09 April 2024

    Scared Woman on Phone iStock SensorSpot

    Lone worker monitoring technology: is it for safety or surveillance?

    As businesses make increasing use of safety monitoring to minimise the risks associated with lone working, consideration must be given to the impact on workers. Concerns that safety monitoring measures will be used for performance management purposes may well increase rather than alleviate health and safety risks.

    By Hayden Singh, Pinsent Masons on 03 May 2024

    Usdaw Freedom From Fear

    Violence against shop workers grows in an epidemic of retail crime

    Violence against shop workers has more than doubled in a year, according to Usdaw’s latest annual survey, as official figures show that shoplifting has risen by over a third. Shoplifting is not a victimless crime; theft from shops has long been a major flashpoint for violence and abuse against shop workers.

    By Paddy Lillis, Usdaw on 26 April 2024

    Four day working week sign iStock Adam Webb

    Why a four-day week boosts workers’ wellbeing, productivity and loyalty

    In 1907, William Willett campaigned for a simple but significant addendum to time. Having noticed an imbalance of daylight in the summer, he proposed ‘savings’ to preserve liveable post-work hours. If everyone, in sync, agreed to adjust their watch a few times per year, this simple expedient would “make for health and strength of body and mind”. It caught on. The 4 Day Week Campaign has a simple, not dissimilar, objective.

    By Samuel Hunt and Aliyah Davies, 4 Day Week Campaign on 25 March 2024

    Buildings With Cranes iStock Vladimirovic

    CDM prosecutions – what can we learn from them?

    Construction, design and management is an approach used within the construction industry that integrates all stages of a project. It considers all aspects of a construction process from the initial design and planning to the construction and maintenance of the building or structure.

    By Kevin Bridges and Hannah Beaumont, Pinsent Masons on 15 March 2024