Week Commencing 21/11/2022 – In The News

Guidelines launched to help staff succeed at work and get businesses growing

people sat at a desk working together, one person is sat in a wheelchairDisabled people and those with long-term health conditions will get more support from employers to help them succeed in the workplace thanks to new guidance.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE), Great Britain’s workplace regulator, has issued guidelines that state what employers can do to support staff.

The UK has record rates of employment, but disabled people are less likely to be employed than non-disabled people and are twice as likely to fall out of work.

The new guidance stresses the importance of making sure workplaces are accessible, that staff communication is clear and inclusive, and appropriate occupational health support is available.

Helping people succeed at work is critical to growing the country’s economy, especially as firms are finding it more difficult to fill vacancies.

Learn more on the HSE website.

AI cameras catch 590 people without seatbelts in Devon and Cornwall

speed cameraNearly 600 people have been caught by police not wearing seatbelts on Devon and Cornwall roads since the end of September.

The incidents were detected by Aecom cameras, which use artificial intelligence (AI) to capture offences. The cameras caught 590 people not wearing seatbelts and 40 people driving while using a mobile phone.

Police have described the figures as “alarming”. They have been released by Devon and Cornwall Police to mark the end of national road safety week.

During the week, the specialist cameras, which were first launched in September, were deployed at key locations in both counties.

A total of 2,057 speeding offences were detected, along with 101 people not wearing seatbelts, and nine drivers using mobile phones.

Read more about the incidents on the BBC website.

Making sure Black Friday doesn’t become a bad Friday

black presents on black backgroundIn many parts of the world, Black Friday is one of the busiest days of the year for retailers. Ahead of this year’s event (held on Friday 25 November), Marta González Moreno, of IOSH’s Logistics and Retail Group, looks at how health and safety is managed to ensure staff and customers don’t come to harm

In recent years, Black Friday has become one of the most important days for retailers. For some of them, the customer footfall on this day is even higher than the first day of winter sales.

It is a great day for business but with more people come additional risks, and it is essential to plan ahead as much as possible to ensure the safety of the staff and of the many excited customers. Here is my checklist of most common hazards to prepare for in Black Friday.

Visit the IOSH website to read the advice.

HSE publishes annual work-related ill-health and injury statistics for 2021/22

To people going over stats printed on paperThe estimated number of workers in Great Britain suffering a work-related illness is 1.8 million with stress, depression, and anxiety making up around half of cases, new figures show.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has today (Wednesday November 23) published its annual statistics on work-related ill health and workplace injuries.

The figures from Great Britain’s workplace regulator show there were an estimated 914,000 cases of work-related stress, depression, or anxiety in 2021/22.

An estimated 17 million working days were lost due to work-related stress, depression, or anxiety in 2021/22. This is over half of all working days lost due to work-related ill health.

Visit the HSE website to learn more.

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