Mind celebrates milestone
Mental health charity Mind is celebrating its national partner Dunelm becoming the 2,500th organisation to sign up to the Mental Health at Work Commitment.
Designed for organisations of all sizes from all sectors, the Mental Health at Work Commitment, part of the Mental Health at Work Programme, is a simple framework and is based on the Thriving at Work standards. It uses up-to-date research, and pulls from existing pledges and standards – so it’s the only roadmap organisations need to follow to achieve better mental health at work. There are more than five million employees at the organisations which have signed up to the Commitment.
Read more about the programme on the HSM website.
AI to stop water pollution before it happens
Artificial intelligence will be used in south-west England to predict pollution before it happens and help prevent it.
It’s hoped the pilot project in Devon will help improve water quality at the seaside resort of Combe Martin, making it a better place for swimming.
Sensors placed in rivers and fields will build a picture of the state of local rivers, rainfall and soil.
AI will then combine that data with satellite imagery of local land use.
It will predict when the local river system is most vulnerable to things like agricultural runoff, allowing for measures such as asking farms to hold off on applying fertiliser.
Computer systems company CGI is running the artificial intelligence project with mapping experts Ordnance Survey. CGI said it was more than 90% accurate during a test run.
It’s being trialled in what’s known as the North Devon Biosphere Reserve, a 55-sq-mile (142-sq-km) protected area that includes important natural habitats as well as farmland and small towns.
Learn more on the BBC website.
Spotlight on challenges, risks, and opportunities in RS’ 2023 Maintenance Engineering Report
At a time of unprecedented challenges facing maintenance engineers in a turbulent climate, it’s pertinent to get a snapshot of the state of play for the profession – effectively taking the pulse – to find out what are the issues most affecting maintenance engineers across a variety of industries.
The Industry in Motion 2023 Maintenance Engineering Report was compiled by RS Group in conjunction with the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE), based on survey responses from almost 700 IMechE members from the UK and Ireland. It has highlighted some top challenges, risks, and opportunities.
The report findings focused on a variety of factors – from the true cost of machine failures to harnessing technology and addressing the skills gap. And, as a result, some interesting insights were gathered that should be of value to those working in maintenance engineering, and help them navigate the minefield of developing effective maintenance strategies.
For more on the report, visit the Manufacturer website.
Private health care provider fined for exposing workers to chlorine gas
A private health care provider has been fined after three workers received treatment following exposure to chlorine gas.
Anthony Coombes, an engineer from Sandhurst, Berkshire, was working at The Hampshire Clinic on Basing Road in Basingstoke when he was exposed to the potentially deadly gas on 11 March 2021.
He had been hired by Circle Health Group, the firm that runs The Hampshire Clinic, and asked to reduce the PH levels in the clinic’s hydrotherapy pool. However, there were no trained employees for the safe operation of pool plant at the clinic’s physiotherapy suite and Mr Coombes had not been fully trained in chlorine dosing operations or chemical storage.
He added sodium hydrogen sulphate, also known as sodium bisulphate, to the pool’s sodium hypochlorite tank which caused a reaction and resulted in the release of chlorine gas.
Read more on the HSE website.
To keep up to date with the latest health & safety news and advice, follow us on social media: