Recent published figures highlight a continued decrease in the number of people injured and/or made unwell at work.
The statistics published by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) show that in Britain between April 2010 and March 2011:... more
Posted on 21/11/2011 11:40:19
Labels: Knowledge
Competent or Clueless? The Importance of using OSHCR Registered health and safety consultants.
With prosecutions of Directors, Senior Managers, Supervisors and even Safety Consultants on the increase, it is essential that your Business secures competent advice from only competent persons or health and safety providers. One way of doing this is by using an OSHCR registered health and safety consultants. ... more
Posted on 14/11/2011 16:27:44
Labels: Knowledge
Law and the RRO Order - Five years since it became law in England and Wales the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order continues to cause controversy. Introduced in 2006, this complex piece of legislation generates ongoing challenges for duty holders, the enforcing fire service and legal practitioners. It is only through the growing number of prosecutions under the Order and its interpretation in the courts that many questions will start to be answered.
In legal terms, the legislation is still in its infancy with the country's leading fire expert's expressing concerns over definition of certain key terms which risk undermining the fire safety regime that the Order supports.... more
Posted on 31/10/2011 08:28:28
Labels: Knowledge
Health and Safety Executive, Judith Hackitt has been forced to respond to an article by Nick Ferrari of the Daily Express, who blames the HSE for implementing too many health and safety regulations upon us.
Nick Ferrari's "Healthy dose of Humbug" article reveals his view that a "crippling obsession" with health and safety policies now face every single one of us, with negative consequences to our lifestyles and the society in which we live.... more
Posted on 18/07/2011 11:33:20
Labels: Knowledge
New official statistics published today show the number of workers killed in Britain last year has increased.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has released provisional data for the year April 2010 to March 2011, which shows the number of workers killed was 171 an increase on the previous year, when 147 died - the lowest number on record. ... more
Posted on 11/07/2011 12:46:13
Labels: Knowledge
The BCC have written a report which challenges the current health and safety regulations. They believe that health and safety should be better balanced to avoid unnecessary burdens on businesses without jeopardising the safety of employees.
The BCC believe that there is an opportunity for the consolidation and simplification of numerous health and safety regulations, which would significantly reduce the compliance burden on businesses. There are currently 131 regulations relating to health and safety in the UK and as such, the BCC argue that the current stock of health and safety legislation distracts businesses from driving economic growth and creating employment. ... more
Posted on 05/07/2011 11:25:50
Labels: Knowledge
The HSE has written a "Health and Safety Made Simple" guide, which outlines the basics involved in complying with the law and how to manage health and safety in businesses. It covers some really interesting facts, each individually explaining how to manage basic health and safety practices in a simplified way for businesses.
One of these topics explains how businesses could provide training and information to staff. The article presents clear, simple instructions which help to ensure you are complying with basic training and information requirements. The second topic which may be of some assistance reports on making arrangements for first aid, accidents and ill health. This puts forward a check list for businesses to sign off when going through their first aid and accident and ill health list.... more
Posted on 01/06/2011 14:21:08
Labels: Knowledge
The HSE have written a report outlining some simple steps about the best way to manage risks in your business.
They have summarised some straightforward steps about how to assess a risks, they may seem simple but they are a good starter for ten if you have no risk assessment in your workplace.... more
Posted on 24/05/2011 08:35:03
Labels: Knowledge
HSE have announced their new arrangements for reporting injuries and incidents, these changes will take place from September 2011.
This change to the method of reporting injuries and incidents from a telephone based service to a more online orientated service has been taken in a bid to provide a more efficient and cost effective method.... more
Posted on 17/05/2011 15:39:49
Labels: Knowledge
Following on from the Workplace Health and Safety blog posted last week, the remaining sections covered in the report are highlighted below.
The third section is the 'Workplace Health and Safety: Workers Contribution'.
This report looks at how workers perceive their own role in maintaining good health and safety practices, and particularly looks at the views of both workers and managers on the input and influence workers have on health and safety decision making in the workplace. ... more
Posted on 10/05/2011 08:46:49
Labels: Knowledge
The HSE has conducted several short reports presenting data that focuses on various aspects of the health and safety system in British workplaces in 2010. These reports cover various sections, one of which is: 'Workplace Health and Safety: The Environment'.
This report looked at the health and safety environment and the way that the health and safety is integrated into daily practices. This covers leadership of the health and safety system where workers and managers perceive responsibility to lie, and whether occupational health services are available. ... more
Posted on 03/05/2011 08:38:45
Labels: Knowledge
The government have recently published a report aimed at reducing the amount of 'red tape' associated with Health and Safety.
The overall message of this report is the governments belief that they think in order to stimulate the growth of an 'entrepreneurial nation', they need to ease the burden of bureaucracy on business. They propose that protecting people in the workplace and in society will still remain a key priority, but the burden of health and safety red tape will be relaxed. It is suggested that the future will see a shift to our health and safety regime from being rigid and inflexible, to a lighter touch approach-concentrating efforts on higher risk industries and on tackling serious breaches of the rules.... more
Posted on 26/04/2011 10:17:37
Labels: Knowledge
I'm sure it will render few of you speechless to hear a claim that, "each year, over one million people say that they suffer from an illness that was either caused or aggravated by work". Comments such as this prompt numerous debates about our Health and Safety Industry and raise the question:
'Are we doing enough to provide employees with the infrastructure and advice to remain safe at work?'... more
Posted on 13/04/2011 10:34:34
Labels: Knowledge
By now many of you will be aware of Lord Young’s report on the effects of health and safety legislation, entitled Common Sense Common Safety.
This isn’t the place to rewrite the whole report, it can be found at http://www.number10.gov.uk/news/topstorynews/2010/10/lord-young-report-55605.... more
Posted on 12/11/2010 09:24:22
Labels: Law
From shop floor to safety manager, I’ve seen many sides of safety. Now as a health and safety advisor, I always listen with interest to the comments people offer on our profession, accepting that everyone has their own opinion and perception, many of them coloured by their own experience, and not all of them rose-tinted.
So my heart was warmed when I read a recent survey of 200 safety managers which asked them to state their main priority (with no options offered). The top answer was accident reduction, followed by training. Improving health and safety management systems and policies came third. Not very heart warming at first glance you may think.... more
Posted on 01/11/2010 10:24:57
Labels: Managers
So here we go again, leading on from an earlier blog and an update on Lord Young's review of H&S, we have further examples of what seems like a common perception that health and safety professionals are becoming the whipping boys of industry. I go on holiday to Scotland and before I've even got through my second day I hear the 'H&S gone mad' statement!
Strike 1: A tour guide at a large castle mentioned that the lone piper walking on top of the scaffolding during the military tattoo has now got to be tethered to make sure he doesn't fall off, "health and safety gone mad". As to why he is walking on top of a temporary scaffold on the castle wall with a big enough drop to kill him easily, is not explained.... more
Posted on 01/09/2010 16:10:44
Labels: Law
Having just delivered two personal protective equipment (PPE) awareness training sessions, I'm often surprised just how little information the actual wearers of the equipment know. The huge range of choice can be very confusing when confronted with three very similar pieces of kit yet it is vital that when different types are on offer employees know how to tell which is which and their uses and limitations.
In the majority of organisations, a competent person has kindly undertaken a risk assessment, thoughtfully and carefully selected the equipment on the employee's behalf to ensure it is appropriate for the risk (maybe after guidance from an ARCO or manufacturer's representative) and then purchased the item. Prior to anyone wearing this particular item of PPE there is a requirement to provide training that is adequate and appropriate to the risks, in particular on the uses and just as important, the limitations of the protective equipment. Even more relevant in today's multi-cultural society is the requirement to ensure it is comprehensible to the person to whom it is provided.... more
Posted on 29/07/2010 09:50:42
Labels: Safety
“Over-the-top health and safety culture”
We don’t do politics, but the recent comments from the new Government does raise a concern that they are followers of the tabloids and some celebrities who continue the regular negative portrayal of ‘Elf and Safety’. It could be interpreted that recent comments such as “the UK has become "saturated" by health and safety laws”, shows “a reliance on myth and exaggeration".... more
Posted on 06/07/2010 10:48:39
Labels: Law
The Future of Risk Assessment
When I was asked a few weeks ago to talk on the future of risk assessment at the Health and Safety Expo the idea seemed simple enough at the time. However, as the days passed and I got to thinking about the future of risk assessment I realised that, thinking of risk assessment as a tool, it may not have such a bright future.... more
Posted on 14/05/2010 12:05:20
Labels: Risk
Arco website help desk - Need help? email: web.help@arco.co.uk © Arco Limited, Registered in England, No 133804, PO Box 21 Waverley Street, Hull HU1 2SJ.
VAT No: 166911546
