Category: In The News

Research highlights impact of budget cuts on safety New research from Watco has examined the complexities of the facilities management (FM) industry, and how they impact the safety and smooth running within the modern facility. It revealed that almost two thirds (60%) of facilities managers have had their budgets cut by up to 25% in […]

£2.15m fine following recycling worker fatality HSE inspector Stephen Garner explains the background to a fatal accident at a paper recycling plant. On 30 January 2020, 32-year-old Dean Atkinson was returning from the employee welfare cabins to his workstation on the picking line at Ward Recycling’s paper recycling plant in County Durham, England. Dean needed […]

Wood dust failures lands £15k fine A manufacturing company has been fined £15,000 after exposing its own workers to wood dust and failing to comply with two improvement notices. Wood dust can cause serious and often irreversible health problems, including sino-nasal cancer, asthma and dermatitis. Employers have a legal responsibility to prevent or adequately control […]

Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity shines in 2023 The Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity continues to be a steadfast beacon of hope for those in need and in 2023, they saw 4438 people reaching out for support through its 24/7 Construction Industry Helpline, a 30% increase on the previous year. Its charitable spend also increased by 12% […]

Hospital staff left with life-changing conditions Workers at Bio Decontamination Limited attended Scarborough Hospital on 18 September 2019 after being hired to carry out the decontamination of the Aspen ward. The company used ionised hydrogen peroxide to decontaminate the rooms in the ward. They failed to appropriately seal the rooms, meaning the ionised hydrogen peroxide […]

New data released for Blue Monday New research from MHFA England, released ahead of so-called Blue Monday, shows 59% of employees do not regularly feel joy and satisfaction at work. 1 in 5 (22%) workers feel their sense of purpose, satisfaction, and joy at work has decreased since the pandemic. So called ‘Blue Monday’ is […]

Mitigating the risk of Lithium-ion batteries: Eight-step action plan Reports of fires breaking out due to the increased use of Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries are on the rise. Speaking at FIREX 2023, Matt Humby, Senior Technical Sales Consultant at Firechief Global, outlined where the batteries are being used and how to mitigate the fire risk. Lucy […]

Japan jet crash: How crew pulled off flawless evacuation from plane inferno  Passengers dashed to the emergency exits of a burning Japan Airlines jet without their hand luggage, in compliance with the flight crew’s instructions. The simple act of leaving their valuables behind would be a “major factor” behind the speed of the evacuation, with […]

Cider manufacturer fined following grandad’s death Tommy Manns, from Dymock, Gloucestershire, was driving for H Weston and Sons Limited, the manufacturer of Henry Westons Cider, when he was killed by the end of a security barrier on 28 September 2020. H Weston and Sons Limited was fined £1.4 million on Thursday after the company was […]

Keep workers stay safe and warm, urges HSE Great Britain’s workplace regulator, the Health and Safety Executive, is stressing the importance of protecting workers during the cold weather. It comes as the Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for ice and snow for parts of the UK. John Rowe, head of operational strategy said, “We’re calling […]