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‘Ignorance is the curse of God; knowledge is the wing wherewith we fly to heaven’ – W. Shakespeare.

Media

The Control of Electromagnetic Fields at Work Regulations 2016

Hazard of the Month = Electromagnet Fields

Throughout the day we are constantly surrounded by electronic devices that produces Electromagnetic Field’s (EMF’s). Nonetheless, the vast majority of these EMF’s are within safe levels. EMF’s are created when a piece of electrical or electronic equipment is used right from a toaster all the way to a satellite dish therefore EMF’s are most likely […]

Why No Harm Being Done Doesn’t Remove Risk of Huge Fines

Businessman riding on a roller coaster

Risk of harm, rather than simply harm itself, is increasingly the crucial factor on which the HSE and the courts are coming down hard. Recent court decisions applying the Sentencing Council Definitive Guideline for Health and Safety Offences, Corporate Manslaughter and Food Safety and Hygiene Offences have highlighted that H&S offences are concerned with failures […]

Heinz Forced to Take Advert Off The Air Amid Health And Safety Row

Text which reads "IT HAS TO BE. Learn the #CanSong", alongside a Facebook symbol and a can of Heinz Beanz on a table.

Watchdogs have banned a TV commercial for Heinz Baked Beans on health and safety grounds. The advert showed youngsters and adults tapping out the complex rhythms of a song on empty cans. Heinz fell foul of the Advertising Standards Authority because it failed to show the top of the can being taped up to cover […]

Overview of The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)

European Union symbol alongside text which reads "GDPR EU General Data Protection Regulation."

Introduction This overview highlights the key themes of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) to help organisations understand the new legal framework in the EU. It explains the similarities with the existing UK Data Protection Act 1998 (DPA), and describes some of the new and different requirements. When we started drafting this overview, the GDPR […]

Why Construction Workers Need to Be Wary of Weil’s Disease

A symptoms infograph.

Weil’s disease, caused by Leptospira bacteria, and spread by rodents, is debilitating or even fatal in 10% of cases. Darren Williamson, Product & Procurement Manager for Arco, explains the dangers of the bacteria within construction and how workers can combat the infection using specially formulated hand wipes and solutions. Those who come into contact with […]

Mythbusting: You Can’t Reduce Severity

Site Safety poster

Over the years I have met several training delegates and auditees who told me a similar story:  “Our safety department won’t let us reduce the severity rating on risk assessments”. These people worked in a host of different industries:  Construction, rail, manufacturing and the public sector.  They were using risk assessment methodologies that required them […]

Report Shows Drone And Plane In ‘Very Near-Miss’ Over Central London

A drone.

A report from the UK Airprox Board has said that a passenger aircraft narrowly avoided a collision with a drone as it passed over central London in July this year. The Airbus A320, which was carrying around 165 passengers as it approached Heathrow Airport, was within 66ft (20m) of the device, the report said. The […]

Creating A Culture Of Better Health In Construction

Workers climbing up scaffolding.

The Most Dangerous Job In The UK If asked to name a dangerous way of earning a living, most people would probably opt for the construction industry.  This would be borne out by figures published by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) for workplace fatal injury rates for 2015/16, which show that the 43 deaths […]

A Tram Tragedy: Why We Need A Knowledgeable Media

Tram crash

On the day Donald Trump won the presidential election in the United States, an early morning tram left the tracks in Croydon, south of London and crashed.  The incident tragically resulted in the loss of seven lives and caused injuries to more than 50 people. Alongside the wall-to-wall post-election coverage, the tram incident was relegated […]

November 2016 – In the News

A site.

Heinz Forced to Take Their Empty Can-Tapping Advert Off The Air Amid Health And Safety Row Watchdogs have banned a TV commercial for Heinz Baked Beans on health and safety grounds. The advert showed youngsters and adults tapping out the complex rhythms of a song on empty cans. Heinz fell foul of the Advertising Standards […]