McGee Group Limited was fined £500,000 with £66,236.22 in costs for a breach of Regulation 22(1)(a) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007, following the death of 33-year-old labourer Dainius Rupsys in April 2014.
Southwark Crown Court heard that Mr Rupsys from Lithuania w…
Even though the average office is a whole lot safer than say, the average construction site, there are still a fair number of health and safety risks that need to be managed. Here are some of the most common and how to avoid them.
Slips, trips, and falls
These tend to be the number one health …
Asbestos may have been banned in the UK 20 years ago this month, but it continues to have a devastating effect on people’s lives today. In this post, we explore how and why asbestos is still a problem.
The UK Ban on Asbestos
Following a ban in the 1980s on blue (crocidolite) and brown (amosi…
HGVs are big, heavy, vehicles with lots of moving parts and as such they need to be treated with great respect as they have the potential to cause serious accidents (including fatal ones). Fortunately, paying suitable attention to health and safety can go a long way to avoiding this.
Here are f…
An estimated 10 million British motorists drink and drive. In December, when alcohol consumption rises by 40% in the UK, nearly 8% more people are arrested on drink driving charges than any other month of the year.
These surprising figures show just how many people are risking their lives – and…
Mechanised lifting and transportation greatly enhances the efficiency of workplace operations - but only if health and safety is given the attention it deserves. Neglecting hazards can cause accidents, leading to loss of livelihood, delayed operations, and disruption to both cost and time-efficiency…
The manufacturing industry faces many challenges year on year. It’s an important sector to both current and emerging markets.
These are the most commonly faced challenges to the industry in the UK in 2018.
Manufacturing can be a dangerous industry, and it’s…
Personal Protective Equipment, often referred to as PPE, describes the equipment that is used in order to protect workers against any risks to their health and safety. PPE covers a wide range of equipment throughout many different industries, with some of the most common items of equipment being hel…
Cleaning products and chemicals are probably one of the most common hazardous substances used in the hospitality sector. Apart from sharp equipment in kitchens that presents a risk, chemicals also present many hazards such as burns, skin irritation and respiratory harm. To minimise these risks, prop…
Plummeting temperatures and fallen leaves have been foreshadowing what this “year of the snowstorm” might look like, which is said to likely be the coldest since 2010/11. At this time of year, new potential hazards arise in the workplace – both outside and in – that need to be taken care of to preve…
As a naturally occurring material, the history of asbestos in tools and products stretches back thousands of years. Its seemingly miraculous properties of fire resistance and tensile strength led to its use in all kinds of products, with a particular boom in the early 20th century.
While many of …
There will always be a place for PowerPoint presentations, especially if business boardrooms have anything to say about it. But as an effective learning tool, there is room for improvement.
Even the most attentive student isn’t going to absorb everything they need from bullet points and anecdotes…
In very simple terms, the reason for investing in hi-vis (high visibility) clothing for your workers is quite straightforward - it can stop them from being injured. It will also possibly save you from all kinds of reputational damage or compensation claims if one of your workers gets hurt in an …
To ensure the safety of themselves as well as clients there are certain safety measures all construction workers must take to assure everyone on a site it free from any potential danger. For more read our article.
Construction is considered one of the most dangerous occupat…
With the autumn progressing and winter well on its way, it’s time to make sure employees are aware of the risks that a turn in the weather can bring.
Any job has its risks but some are more inherently risky than others, such as scaffolding for instance. When harsh weather is combined with heigh…
Construction sites are considered high-risk environments. Pay a visit to one and you will immediately see why — with large teams of people simultaneously working on various aspects of the project, all kinds of tools and heavy machinery involved and in motion, and the different areas of the site itse…
Unfortunately, there are still a high percentage of employers who don't take safety seriously enough and are yet to embrace and appreciate the importance of occupational safety.
There is also by some a belief that providing a safe working environment is too expensive, they cannot justify the …
In some industries, it’s inevitable that employees are going to need to work at height. This is inherently risky, but it’s possible (and necessary) that businesses identify and assess those risks before reducing them. In fact, businesses have a legal obligation to do this.
Here are some o…
Working with chemicals can obviously be dangerous. As careful as you may be, accidents do happen. However, with the correct Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) you can mitigate the risk of harm. There are a wealth of different elements of PPE designed to protect against chemical hazards and know…
The number of people on the road in the UK is rising, but according to government statistics, the rate of accidents is increasing even faster. That means it is important for us to take steps to become safer in our cars. Here are eight steps to follow to become a better driver.