WOBO recognises the activities of the UK Health and Safety Executive and their potential use within the global setting.
Changes to housing ministerial positions – Steve Reed has been appointed as the new Secretary of State for Housing, Communities & Local Government.
His remit includes overseeing key policy areas such as housing reforms, the fair funding review and devolution. Samantha Dixon MBE was also appointed as Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Minister for Building Safety, Fire and Democracy) in the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. Find out more about the:
New quiz added to building safety training for resident-managed high-rises – Our free online building safety training programme developed with The Leasehold Advisory Service (LEASE) has been further improved.
A newly added quiz will help test the knowledge of thousands of resident directors being encouraged to complete the recently launched 2-hour course. ‘Introduction to the Building Safety Act 2022’ covers:
- getting ready for the building safety regime, including the Golden Thread
- managing building safety risks and the Safety Case Report
- resident engagement strategies, Mandatory Occurrence Reporting and compliance
- the Building Assessment Certificate process
Access the free online training course.
Building control information: now easier to access – We have revamped our online building control information to make it easier for you to find the information you need.
The updated pages now provide improved access to:
- essential building control data
- frequently asked questions
- useful information on getting applications right
Explore the changes and find out more.
Using personal protective equipment to control risks at work – All employers must provide personal protective equipment (PPE) free of charge if a risk assessment shows it is needed.
To stay safe, workers may have to wear PPE such as safety helmets, gloves, eye or hearing protection, high-visibility clothing, safety footwear and harnesses. PPE also includes respiratory protective equipment (RPE) to prevent workers breathing in dust, mist, gas or fume. You can find out more detail in our step guide Using personal protective equipment (PPE) to control risks at work. It includes guidance on:
- when to use PPE
- what the law says
- managing risk using PPE
We also have a downloadable copy of our guidance publication on PPE at work regulations.
Working Minds new feature added for National Online Learning Day – Earlier this week was National Online Learning Day and a new feature has been added to the latest Working Minds learning module.
The new voice narration feature means you can now choose between listening or reading content or both. Make sure you register, revisit or share details with others that the online learning is available and offers accessible, flexible learning to help businesses make stress-prevention routine. With around half of all work-related ill health attributed to stress, depression and anxiety, the online learning provides practical guidance for employers on managing workplace stress effectively in an interactive and digestible way.
Find out more about the platform and HSE’s Working Minds campaign ‘5Rs’ approach:
- reach out and have conversations
- recognise the signs and causes of stress
- respond to any risks identified by agreeing action points
- reflect on the actions taken – have things improved?
- make it routine to check back in on how things are going
HSE as a market surveillance authority for workplace products – We monitor and enforce legal requirements on the safety of most products used in the workplace, including any risks to health.
We have a duty to notify the Secretary of State about:
- unsafe or non-compliant products
- the measures taken and communicated by an economic operator
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- Sigma Group Modulbox MB SV – all models
- Cochran Ltd Ultranox Boiler Burner
- Products recalled or notified to HSE’s Product Safety and Market Surveillance Unit, with a serious or high risk to the users, are published on GOV.UK’s product safety alerts, reports and recalls webpage.
Recent examples of products notified are: Find out more on our role as a market surveillance authority.
‘Serious gaps’ found in protecting workers from excessive noise – HSE’s most recent inspection campaign, including construction sites, identified significant failings in workplace hearing protection.
Key findings showed:
- 75% of employees lacked essential knowledge about storing, checking for damage or reporting faults with hearing protection
- 63% had not received guidance on continuous wearing during noise exposure
- 80% received no instruction on proper wearing techniques
- 95% of employers failed to verify workers could still hear vital warning signals when wearing hearing protection
- We are promoting the CUFF checking system to help employers assess hearing protection effectiveness:
- Condition (equipment integrity)
- Use (proper deployment when needed)
- Fit the ear (correct wearing)
- Fit for purpose (appropriate specification)
For more information visit our website and read our: