We’re smack bank in the middle of winter in the northern hemisphere, and there’s still a way to go. If you’re in the UK this is a hazy transition, and summer doesn’t really seem to have arrived until it’s already almost over. For facilities managers and business owners, this means a lengthy period of vigilance… Read More
We shouldn’t need to tell you about the dangers of asbestos. All forms of the naturally occurring mineral are known carcinogens, and its use has been banned completely in the UK since the turn of the millennium. While it continues to turn up in old buildings, products and on brownfield land, safety assessors across the… Read More
Up to a 3rd of injuries that happen in UK workplaces are Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs) – injuries that impact the joints, bones and muscles, and the back. Estimates from the Health and Safety Executive show that, in 2016/17, there were 507,000 people suffering from work-related MSDs. Over the same period, a remarkable 8.9 million working… Read More
With the Government having banned asbestos almost two decades ago, construction companies are still working to remove the fibres from buildings. Although companies are training staff to work safely within asbestos exposure sites, they do not always realise the dangers of silica dust. However, there is a mineral found in many materials, commonly used on… Read More
While many of us have welcomed the prolonged hot spell in the UK, it’s easy to undervalue the risks that come with the hot weather at work. While we always have the option to sit in the shade, grab a drink and cool off in our free time, many of us can feel pressured to… Read More
Concerns about young people listening to loud music are hardly new. For as long as there have been headphones, parents have chastised their children about playing music too loud, and the children have done their best to ignore it. Playing loud music is considered a right of passage and an emotional outlet, drowning out the… Read More
New legal pot laws in Canada and support for legalisation from Donald Trump may mark a seismic shift in global drug policy, and a conclusive end to the war on drugs. But how would cannabis legalisation or decriminalisation affect the workplace? What would your liabilities be as an employer in an area where drug use… Read More
Why not Train Instead of Do? What is the best way to learn? Some argue that its through practical activities such as science experiments in class. Or maybe its through reading, since we can remember almost everything we read. There are many different effective methods to learn — but which is the best? Studies show… Read More
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 requires that Fire Risk Assessments are carried out on all commercial premises and the communal areas of residential premises. The Order also requires the assessment are arranged by the ‘responsible person’ and carried out by a ‘competent person’. Who is the ‘Responsible Person’? The employer or owner/occupant of… Read More
Robots: they’re cold, calculating killing machines. Or helpful, durable workers – it really depends on who you ask. Our opinions of robotics and automation are coloured by science fiction, and the doom-laden proclamations of robots taking all our jobs have caused us to be even warier. But do we really have anything to fear from… Read More