UK Health & Safety News Roundup – September 2018

Health and safety is a serious issue

As health and safety consultants and experts in our field, it’s essential that we remain up to date with what’s happening in the market. Laws and regulations change. Best practices are continually evolving.

Our monthly Health and Safety News Roundup is our pick of the news items and articles that we’ve read over the past month. We hope you find this month’s selection as informative and thought-provoking as we do.

This month’s news highlights how important UK companies and workers consider health and safety to be, and what it can cost business owners, directors and contractors who fail to comply with their obligations and responsibilities. Striking news includes:

• While some workers may laugh at the rules their bosses impose on them – including using plastic knives and forks in the staff canteen and banning tinsel from Christmas decorations – it shows that companies are taking the wellbeing of their employees seriously.
• A warning that companies must treat health and safety issues seriously, as fines for breaches are now based on turnover.
• UK tradespeople are the most safety-conscious in Europe, according to Bosch. More than half of UK tradespeople say they stop work several times a day to meet health and safety requirements.
• Failing to provide adequate information, instruction and training to employees costs Kent County Council £200,000.
• A story which aptly explains why it is so important to have a risk assessment if your employees work with chemicals.

Food for thought, indeed. Click on the headlines to reveal the full article.

· Specialist fined £65k for health and safety failings – Construction News

A construction firm and its director have been fined a total of £65,000 for health and safety breaches.

· Britain’s bizarre health and safety rules revealed – The Sun

Many offices have bizarre health and safety rules, it has been revealed. Plastic knives and forks only. No tinsel at Christmas. Dumb rules or an indication how serious firms consider H&S?

· Industry Backs Health and Safety Strategy | Composites UK

It has invited members to pledge their support for the health and safety … Composites UKwebsite, is a health and safety management system (HSMS), … Don’t miss out on the latest news from the UK Composites Industry – issued every month.

· Health and safety ramifications are “more severe than ever” – Builders …

Health and safety experts are warning that failure to adhere to regulations has bigger repercussions now than ever before, with fines now based upon turnover

· MGN 593 Health and safety chemical agents regulations … – Gov.uk

MGN 593 (M+F) Health and safety at work (chemical agents) Regulations 2010 have been amended, affecting 31 substances

· 10,300 Reasons you must carry out a risk assessment if your employees use chemicals

With new amendments to the Health and Safety at Work (Chemical Agents) Regulations, this is an apt story explaining why you must take the precaution of having an up-to-date risk assessment

· Survey says British tradespeople take health and safety … – PHAM News

UK tradespeople are the most safety conscious in Europe according to a recent health and safety survey conducted by Bosch

· Leading offshore company fined £60,000 for health and safety failings …

A leading offshore company has been fined £60,000 for health and safety failings, which led to one of the injured workers sufferings shattered legs.

· Kent County Council fined £200,000 over Sittingbourne school asbestos

Kent County Council admitted breaching Health and Safety regulations between May 2013 and October 2014 by failing to ensure adequate information, instruction and training to employees”.

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