Call to put mental health injuries on par with physical injuries
A leading corporate psychologist is spearheading a campaign calling for mental health injuries caused by work-related incidents to be treated with the same import as physical ones.
Tina Catling, a principal practitioner for the Association for British Psychology, is a Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers and the Royal Society of the Arts.
She is lobbying for mental health injuries to fall under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases, and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR).
Tina Catling said: “This would put mental health injuries on par with physical injuries, which would create more psychological safety in the workplace. It would not only save companies thousands in absences and productivity; it would save lives.”
As founder and director of the Leeds-based communications culture and innovation consultancy ThinkOTB, Tina coaches global leaders on building psychologically safe teams to unlock innovation and creativity, and has co-written two best-selling books.
Read more on the HSM website.
Sewage dumped illegally in Windermere over 3 years
A water company repeatedly dumped millions of litres of raw sewage illegally into one of England’s most famous lakes over a three-year period, the BBC can reveal.
More than 140 million litres of waste were pumped into Windermere between 2021 and 2023 at times when it was not permitted, our analysis shows, and United Utilities failed to report most of it.
It means the company’s illegal dumping of sewage into the lake went on for far longer, and was far more extensive, than was previously known.
United Utilities said some of its sewage releases into Windermere were “potentially non-compliant” but that it self-reports “over 94% of potential pollution incidents to the Environment Agency”.
Learn more about the incident on the BBC website.
Sandwich bread baker fined after worker loses finger
A nationwide bakery has been fined more than £360,000 after one of its employees lost a finger in machinery at a site in Northamptonshire.
Jacksons Bakery, a leading supplier of bread used in the commercial making of sandwiches, was given the fine after an engineer had a finger on his right hand caught in a flour sifting machine.
The then 31-year-old was assisting colleagues as they attempted to maintain the machine by clearing a blockage at the plant in Corby on 2 February 2023. Following removal of a guard, as the engineer assisted with the task, he checked the tension of a drive belt and his hand got pulled around the bottom pully which resulted in the amputation of part of his right middle finger. The engineer was unaware that the machine had been switched back on.
For more on the incident, visit the SHP website.
Government unveils significant reforms to employment rights
Ministers have unveiled the Employment Rights Bill, introduced within 100 days of the new government coming to office, to help deliver economic security and growth to businesses, workers and communities across the UK.
The bill will bring forward 28 individual employment reforms, from ending exploitative zero hours contracts and fire and rehire practices to establishing day one rights for paternity, parental and bereavement leave for millions of workers. Changes could take up to two years to come into effect due to the consultation period.
Statutory sick pay will also be strengthened, removing the lower earnings limit for all workers and cutting out the waiting period before sick pay kicks in.
Accompanying this will be measures to help make the workplace more compatible with people’s lives, with flexible working made the default where practical. Large employers will also be required to create action plans on addressing gender pay gaps and supporting employees through the menopause, and protections against dismissal will be strengthened for pregnant women and new mothers. This is all with the intention of keeping people in work for longer, reducing recruitment costs for employers by increasing staff retention and helping the economy grow.
Visit the HSM website to learn more.
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