Brightboot unveils new footwear that seamlessly integrates protection and high visibility
Brightboot, a PPE provider, unveiled at Safety and Health Expo 2018 a new range of protective footwear designed to increase visibility. They suggested that visibility has been a long-neglected and overlooked aspect of footwear design, and that ‘demand had been exceptional’ for their new range. Citing the fact that the greatest number of workplace fatalities came from moving vehicles, Brightboot stated that any measure that increased awareness of workers would ‘merit implementation’.
Read the full online reveal HERE.
Report by BBC North America highlights the dangers of cycling in Toronto
An interesting investigation by BBC North America this week outlined the dangers of cycling in one of the most developed cities in the world: Toronto. With fatalities averaging at almost 1 every 10 days for 2017, many have begun asking what authorities are doing to limit the risk. ‘Vision Zero 2021’, a scheme which aimed to eliminate all pedestrian casualties in the city by 2021, has widely been seen to have failed.
Read the BBC report HERE to find out more
Chinook succeeds in completing daring rescue of stranded climber in Oregon
BBC News reported on Monday on a perilous attempt by Oregon Mountain Rescue to extract a stranded and injured climber. The video shows the skilled pilot of a Chinook hovering precariously on the mountain edge, as climbers help to manoeuvre the wounded into position. The execution of the task is a credit to the professionalism and training of the rescue teams.
Click HERE to see the jaw-dropping footage
United Utilities announces plans to enforce a temporary hosepipe ban in the North West
On Tuesday, the representative body of the UK’s 9 privatised water utilities firms, United Utilities, outlined its need to enforce a temporary hosepipe ban. The ban, which will primarily affect the North West, looks to safeguard the dwindling reservoir supplies – ensuring they do not deplete to dangerous levels. The ban is an inevitable, and necessary, result of the continued spells of glorious weather seen through the UK in July.
Bristol and Thames Water indicated no intention to enforce a ban as of yet. More can be read to stay updated HERE.
The Farm Safety Foundation promotes its ‘Farm Safety Week’ campaign to raise awareness of the risks posed to UK Farmers
All this week, it has been Farm Safety Week, a yearly campaign run by the Farm Safety Foundation which aims to raise awareness of the risks and rewards of UK farming. Indeed, the HSE stated that farmers accounted for “15-20% of UK workplace fatalities” despite only making up “1.5% of the workforce”. UK Farmers are amongst the very best and hardest-working in the world, and so any initiative that champions their protection should be commended.
Click the link HERE to visit the Farm Safety Foundation’s website, where you can donate and read up on more about the charity.
“Stress is to wellbeing what accidents are to safety” says Safety and Health Expo Panel
Speaking at Safety and Health Expo 2018, which took place in June, Dr Caroline Yeoman suggested that a cohesive approach to tackling workplace stress could have long-lasting benefits for both employees and employers. She proceeded to suggest that effective initiatives were ones that were small-scale – as it helped to resolve very specific issues. By ensuring that approaches to wellbeing were ground-up, costs could also be drastically reduced.
Read more about how employers can help in the full article HERE
Or read OUR recent blog on the connection between exercise and physical and mental wellbeing HERE
An undetected ‘design flaw’ led to the deaths of two Tank operators, a military inquest has stated.
A senior military coroner has ruled that the deaths of two Royal Tank Regiment Corporals, who were fatally injured at Castlemartin in June 2017, were due to an undetected ‘design flaw’. The inquest heard that the Bolt Vent Axial (BVA) was never fully implemented into the particular tank model that was being operated. The BVA is responsible for providing a sturdy, airtight seal between the firing chamber and the rest of the tank. Therefore, its absence allowed dangerously high levels of hot gas to escape upon firing.
Read the full article on the inquest HERE