UK Health & Safety News Roundup – February 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, the news items that have caught our attention most include two articles discussing Brexit and health and safety, and other articles that look at health and safety in offshore environments, food production and farming. Click on the headlines to read news that includes:
- Interesting technology developments that could be brought into the workplace to improve health and safety procedures and help companies comply with evolving regulations. How about using drones to prioritise health and safety, or 3D visualisations to help workers become better acquainted with new or restricted workplaces?
- A warning to farms that the HSE will be undertaking targeted inspections on farms across the country. As farming has by far the worst health and safety record in the UK, farmers would be advised to seek a health and safety consultation rather than risk a hefty fine.
- Confirmation that health and safety fines are trending up, and fast. In 2014, the average fine was £29,000. In 2017/18 this had increased to £147,000, with companies now routinely fined more than £500,000 for health and safety breaches.
- Several photos published in The Sun show how workers around the world cheat death – could these examples happen in your workplace? We hope not.
- In Brexit news (we couldn’t not mention it, could we?), companies that make or import chemicals will need to register on a new UK system that will replace REACH.
As always, plenty to get your health and safety juices flowing, whatever industry you work in. Click on the headlines to reveal the full article.
· 6 ways technology will change health and safety in the workplace
An interesting summary of health and safety law in the UK and US since 1970, followed by a look at a few products that have been introduced in line with evolving health and safety requirements. Could your company soon be using drones, AI, and autonomous vehicles in its pursuit of complying with health and safety regulations?
· Farmers warned to be ready for health and safety inspections
Farming businesses have been warned to be ready for upcoming health and safety inspections, and those that fail to manage workplace risk will face serious penalties. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has announced that it will be undertaking a programme of targeted inspections on farms across the country.
· What’s new in health and safety?
A brief look at the new laws in health and safety in the UK – including news about the increasing size of penalties for breaches of health and safety regulations, and new guidelines for gross negligence manslaughter that could lead to up to 18 years in prison if found guilty.
· Construction company fined after fatal fall
Working at height is one of the biggest sources of accidents in UK workplaces. A London-based construction company has been fined £300,000 after being found guilty of several breaches of the Health & Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, which led to the death of a worker.
· Health and safety would have a field day on these building sites
A gallery of photos from around the world shows workers seemingly cheating death.
· Pub company fined for health and safety breaches
The UK’s fourth largest managed pub company has been fined £100,000 plus costs for an accident in which a worker broke several fingers while preparing to unload a drinks delivery.
· UK to replace REACH if no deal on Brexit
The United Kingdom government has issued guidelines for businesses that make or import chemicals, in case of a no-deal Brexit by March 29th. From that date, chemicals would have to be registered to a new UK system, according to the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. (For health and safety tips if your company uses chemicals, read our article ‘10,300 reasons you must carry out a Risk Assessment if your employees use chemicals’.)
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