WOBO is pleased to provide a range of articles and links from SHP.
Global manifesto aims to support safety in developing countries
The Global Initiative for Industrial Safety has published a manifesto it says can “take a significant step towards addressing emerging and long-standing safety risks across the world”.
It aims to harness input from industry, government, academia, regulators and other international organisations to meet its goals, with a particular emphasis on technology and supporting safety in developing countries.
Specifically the manifesto is made up of five principles: uphold the human right to safe working conditions; ensure that safety is central to technology condition; exploit new technology-enabled safety solutions; share, monitor and promote safety lessons; and support safety improvements in developing countries.
Widespread strengthening of construction industry regulation at heart of Grenfell recommendations
The Phase 2 report of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry concludes with a set of recommendations from the inquiry panel mainly covering the construction industry. The system of regulating the construction and refurbishment of high-rise residential buildings that existed at the time of the Grenfell Tower fire was “seriously defective” in several areas, says the report. The regulation of the construction industry was “too complex and fragmented” providing a “recipe for inefficiency” and an “obstacle to effective regulation”. The report therefore recommends a wide scope of regulatory functions – including responsibility for Building Regulations and official guidance, building control, construction product standards, testing and certification, and the accreditation of fire risk assessors – should be overseen by a single regulator. It also concludes that the definition of a higher-risk building by reference only to its height is unsatisfactory, and that the definition for the purposes of the Building Safety Act should be urgently reviewed.
Urgent action needed to tackle “epidemic” of long working hours, says IOSH
Half the UK’s workers regularly put in two or more additional hours without pay every week – many of them an hour or more a day – while more than half admit working while feeling too ill to do so, new survey findings reveal.
The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) has published the results of its survey of 1,000 workers from a range of sectors and roles as it launches a new campaign to highlight the issue of ‘small print’ in workers’ contracts. IOSH believes that while job adverts often promote attractive perks ranging from “competitive” salaries and good career prospects to private healthcare and gym memberships, there are many unfavourable conditions hidden in the small print of contracts and business rules. It says these may pose risks to people’s health and safety if the work provided is not ‘good work’ – work that is safe, healthy, sustainable and accommodates people’s needs.
It’s time to rethink mental health
If we’re to rethink our approach to mental health we need to rethink legislative interpretation, says Steven Harris.
The conversation on mental health is increasing at an alarming rate, and is being quickly followed by an eager bunch of ambulance-chasing mental health ‘experts’ in the form of highly paid consultants, ready to give their solutions to an incredibly complex challenge.
This brings me to my first point, while an external professional from any discipline (be those human resources to health & safety) may be able to assist your organisation strategically, the tactical implementation of what ever measures you decide are best implemented under the watchful eye of a health professional. To be clear, in my opinion, that is someone registered and regulated by The Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) or named on a register accredited by the Professional Standard Authority (PSA).
Competency and co-operation in fire safety
Hannah Eales and Kathryn Sheridan at law firm, Kingsley Napley, discuss the Building Safety Act, and its domino-effect on competency within fire safety.
On 1 October 2023, Section 156 of the Building Safety Act 2022 (BSA) introduced a number of important changes to the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, with the intention of improving fire safety. The changes came about following a clear and urgent need for reform following the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017. The changes seek to tighten up and increase accountability of those responsible for fire safety.
The amendments also serve to increase the severity of penalties in respect of some offences under the Fire Safety Order – re-emphasising the seriousness by which compliance with fire safety will be regarded by the courts.
Is it time to learn lessons from UK public inquiries?
Erin Shoesmith, Partner at Addleshaw Goddard discusses public inquiries and what impact, if any, comes from their recommendations.
Public inquiries are engrained in modern political culture. They have a prominent role in investigating major public events and tragedies.
The issues they investigate have been front and centre in recent months following the ITV’s depiction of Mr Bates v The Post Office and the publication of the report following the Infected Blood Inquiry.
But do public inquiries bring about meaningful improvements?
In some cases, Inquiries do provide the necessary motivation for change. The Manchester Arena Inquiry was the catalyst for Martyn’s law, which featured in the King’s Speech last year and for which the draft Bill is being introduced for parliamentary scrutiny this year. The aim of Martyn’s law is to ensure stronger protections against terrorism in public places. The Grenfell Tower Inquiry inspired the Building Safety Act 2022 and associated regulations, which introduce a more rigorous building safety regime.
David England says understanding the mechanics of risk can enhance the true value of a health and safety professional.
The role of the health and safety practitioner can be called on in a multitude of industries: manufacturing, warehousing, maritime, chemical processing, and public entertainment are but a few examples. And while our core responsibility to keep people safe is unalterable, our understanding of the mechanics of the risks faced in each situation is key to implementing effective controls. I call these the environs of risk: the peripheral factors which can determine precisely how well any particular control measure can function.
I was recently involved in carrying out a road safety audit for the State of Victoria in Australia, for example. The principles of vehicle dynamics, speed, and signage positioning are all relevant as always; however, these were tempered by several other unique factors which required consideration. The condition and surface make up of the roads (particularly in rural areas) as well as possible vehicle sizes, the general attitude of drivers to the use of speed, and the volume of traffic – all of which are quite different to the UK’s – were carefully considered. In essence, it required developing the main features of a road safety audit in line with the very specific factors of the environment, factors which could be readily identified or studied.
Safety Culture: Navigating the curve
What issues arise as you travel the culture change curve? Sarah Prince at Tribe Culture Change shares her insight.
I work with organisations to help them journey through the cultural maturity curve. The curve below shows different levels of cultural maturity – from one to five – each showing a distinct phase in an organisation’s approach to health, safety and wellbeing.