The Duke of Cambridge launches new mental health initiative for emergency responders
Prince William has given a speech to 200 front line workers at The Royal Foundation’s Emergency Services Mental Health Symposium, hosted on Thursday 25 November, opening up about his time in the emergency services, and highlighting the growing need to prioritise the mental health of emergency workers.
Within his speech, The Duke of Cambridge spoke of his time working for RAF Search and Rescue and the East Anglia Air Ambulance. He recalls, “I remember the pressure of attending calls in the most stressful conditions, sometimes with tragic conclusions.”
He continues, “I also remember returning home with the stresses and strains of the day weighing on my mind, and wanting to avoid burdening my family with what I had seen.”
Read more on the SHP website.
IOSH and International Labour Organization sign agreement to improve occupational safety and health worldwide
IOSH and the UN’s International Labour Organization (ILO) have signed an agreement to enable joint activities that improve working conditions and protect workers around the world.
The memorandum of understanding aligns IOSH’s vision for a safer and healthier world of work with the ILO’s main aims to promote rights at work, encourage decent employment opportunities, enhance social protection, and strengthen social dialogue on work-related issues.
Both bodies have formally agreed to collaborate in ways that use their reach, influence, and technical and training expertise to participate in missions that achieve positive impacts through enhanced safety, health and wellbeing at work.
Learn more about the agreement on the IOSH website.
Urgent warning issued over dangerous advent calendar which could harm kids
An urgent warning has been issued to mums and dads over an alarming advent calendar which poses a risk to their kids.
Mums and dads have been warned over a new fidget toy advent calendar doing the rounds. Parents have been told it contains high levels of a toxic chemical that could harm children.
According to Trading Standards, the calendar should not be purchased. If you have bought one, return it to the retailer immediately, they add. Parents are also warned not to pass on the calendars to kids. Tests of the toys found excessive amounts of plastic softening chemical bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP).
Find out more on the BirminghamLive website.
Merseyside firm guilty of repeated breaches of health and safety law
A company based in Knowsley which manufactures perimeter protection products has been fined after repeated breaches of health and safety law over a period of eighteen months, including contravention of an Improvement Notice.
Liverpool Magistrates’ Court heard that between 29 August 2018 and 24 January 2020, despite several interventions by HSE, Securafence Ltd failed to effectively manage health and safety on site. During this time, ten Enforcement Notices were served on the company to address ongoing risk and non-compliance at the site
An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), found that the company had no formal system to ensure that health and safety controls were in place. Management lacked health and safety competence and knowledge and, as a result, employees were exposed to risks to their health and safety.
This included exposure to hazardous substances from welding fumes and paint spray from a wet spray booth – which remained in use despite the company informing HSE that it had been taken out of service. Another health and safety risk cited was the risk of injury through access to dangerous parts of machinery as a result of missing/inadequate guarding.
Fore more on the case, visit the HSE website.
To keep up to date with the latest health & safety news and advice, follow us on social media: