Blog
How safe systems of work operate and what examples have most impact on safety
20 March 2023
Are you looking for ways to improve safety in your workplace? One of the most effective ways to do this is by implementing safe systems of work. Safe systems of work are essential procedures and guidelines designed to minimize the risks associated with specific work tasks or operations.
Who is accountable for safety in the workplace?
13 March 2023
Working in a safe and compliant environment is everyone's right. But who can be held accountable for creating that kind of atmosphere? Creating a safe and compliant workplace environment is a shared responsibility among various stakeholders, including employers, employees, and government agencies.
What options are available for safety training?
6 March 2023
Safety training is essential to ensure the safety of both employees and customers by educating them on how to identify and mitigate hazards in the workplace.
It also helps organizations to meet industry regulations and standards, such as OSHA regulations in the US, which require employers to provide a safe working environment for their employees.
How to build a company safety team that will outperform others
27 February 2023
The ability to create and maintain a safe working environment is critically important for businesses today. Accidents, injuries, and fatalities can have devastating effects on employees and their families, as well as significant financial and reputational costs for companies.
Get your safety career moving by selecting a suitable course
20 February 2023
Safety is an essential aspect of any profession, and acquiring the necessary skills and knowledge to ensure a safe working environment is crucial for the success of any organization. Safety training is a critical component of any safety program, and it is necessary to select a suitable course that aligns with your career goals and objectives.
10 Hazards that are instant killers in the workplace
13 February 2023
Workplace hazards are potential sources of harm or danger to employees and others in a workplace setting. These hazards can result in injuries, illnesses, or fatalities, and can have devastating consequences for individuals, families, and businesses. Ensuring workplace safety is crucial for the well-being of employees and the success of businesses.
A positive safety culture - what does that look like?
6 February 2023
Safety culture refers to the shared values, attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors related to safety in an organization. It encompasses the organization's commitment to safety, the way safety is prioritized and integrated into daily operations, and the attitudes and behaviors of all employees towards safety. A positive safety culture is one in which safety is seen as a fundamental priority and where all employees take ownership of safety and work together to continuously improve it.
Hazards in the office and how to spot them
30 January 2023
The office isn't always the healthiest or safest of places. Workplace hazards, big and small, can put your business and employees at risk. It's critical to recognize the potential risks in a workplace so steps can be taken to mitigate them, both for employees' health as well as financial losses.
Good housekeeping can prevent falls in the workplace
23 January 2023
Good housekeeping is an important part of ensuring the success and safety of any workplace. Not only does it have a positive impact on morale, but it can also help prevent costly accidents. Simple changes can make an enormous difference when it comes to fall prevention. By maintaining a clean, organized, and obstacle-free work environment, employers can reduce the risk of falls and create a safer and more secure workplace for everyone.
How to stop hot spillages in the office environment
16 January 2023
One of the most important parts of any health and safety plan is managing the risk of hot spillages in the office environment. Hot fluids can be extremely hazardous, causing scalds and burns, or even fires if left unchecked- not to mention collateral damage caused by spills!
Health and Safety tips for small business owners
9 January 2023
Running a small business is enormously satisfying and exhilarating, but it also comes with its own set of dangers and risks. As a small business owner, ensuring the health and safety of your employees and customers is a top priority.
How safety can be achieved on a budget
2 January 2023
Balancing safety and cost-efficiency can be a challenge, but it is far from impossible. When it comes to achieving safety in the workplace, many people assume that it requires a hefty budget – and while financial considerations certainly play a role, there are also a variety of other approaches organizations can take to improve health & safety standards on even the smallest budget.
How to get your safety career moving in the right direction
27 December 2022
The path to success in any field can be complicated, but the right approach, hard work and dedication can make a huge difference. Whether you're just starting out in the safety profession, or looking to further your career, it's important to ensure that you are making the right decisions and moving in a direction that will help enhance your expertise.
A Simple Guide To Completing a Risk Assessment and Method Statement (RAMS)
29 June 2022
It is widely known, especially within the safety industry, that an employee can pursue injury claims for accidents that occur in the workplace or during their employment, if their employer has been negligent or breached their statutory duties.
What is a Risk Register in Health and Safety?
22 June 2022
A risk register is a project management and risk management tool. It is used to spot potential risks associated with a project or organization, occasionally to meet regulatory requirements, but usually to stay on top of concerns that could derail desired goals.
Minimum Safety Training: Beginning Work on a Construction Site in the UK Versus the Republic of Ireland
07 June 2022
Despite taking every precaution and ensuring that workers have received extensive health and safety training, there will always be some workplaces that are extremely hazardous in terms of the potential for accidents.
Safety Lessons Construction Sector Can Learn from Other Sectors
24 May 2022
Construction is a high-risk industry that encompasses a wide range of alteration and repair activities. As a result, construction workers are exposed to various risks, including falling from rooftops, unprotected machinery, being struck by heavy construction equipment, electrocutions, silica dust, and asbestos.
Challenges Employers Face To Comply With Safety When Starting A Business (And How To Overcome Them)
20 May 2022
If you are starting your own business, one of the most important parts of your responsibilities is doing your due diligence to get health and safety protocols right.
What Industry Websites Provide Free Advice and Tools For Safety
7 May 2022
The most important goal of safety and health programs is to avoid workplace hazards, illnesses, disease, death, and the financial hardship these events will cause for the workers, their employers, and their families.
How Simple Tracking Of Data Can Improve Your Company Safety Standards
25 April 2022
Historically, companies only analysed lag indicators to meet safety standards and determine safety performance. Before that, workplace safety data was simply collected with the aim of filing historical records of business transactions, finances, and human resources.
Remote Working Guide For Office Workers During the Pandemic
17 April 2022
Corporations and companies have urged their workers to work remotely due to the uncertainties posed by Covid-19. While over a quarter of the US workforce already works from home, the new restrictions will require employees and supervisors to work out of the office for the first time. This new narrative has disrupted the ideal routines of a typical 9-5, and this does not come without its challenges.
Should I purchase a safety management system or have one designed for me?
8 April 2022
Creating and maintaining a safe workplace is a vital component of the operations of any organisation. To competently protect workers, their health and the environments they conduct their work in, both large and small organisations need to be armed with a precisely tuned Safety Management System (SMS).
How to Create a Solid Safety Budget for your Company
9 March 2022
Budget decisions are never simple to make, and many businesses are still adjusting to life and business at this point. Employees’ safety should be the greatest priority during the planning process, even if employers are looking for ways to cut costs if revenue has been impacted.
As an Employer can I be Jailed for Manslaughter for Wrongdoing?
9 March 2022
There are different penalties on different accounts of wrongdoing. In this post, we’ll share each one of their consequences in detail. Let’s dive into the penalties as per the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. The discussion is limited to construction sites.
Can I merge Safety, Quality and Environmental as one, and is this effective?
9 March 2022
Construction sector is the backbone of any country. It has the significant contribution in reshaping the country's GDPs but like any other sectors; it has remarkable chances for any incident which can lead to injury or any irreversible effect on the surrounding.
How does a Person get a Career in Safety
24 February 2022
Occupational safety and health (OSH) may be a profession that is not very common. However, it's a satisfying occupation with many predicted growth and possibilities.
RIDDOR What Is It and What Do I Have to Do
24 February 2022
RIDDOR is an acronym for the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases, and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013. Compliance with these Regulations is essential for employers in the United Kingdom.
The Concept of Behavioural Based Safety
14 September 2021
A popular style of implementing workplace safety standards is behavioural based safety. The motivating concept for the worker is to protect yourself while working, so you can reap the rewards of your labor.
The Safety of Powered Gates
14 September 2021
There are many things that we take for granted in the world we live in today. They are the simplest of things that make our daily activities better. Whether it is our cell phones and all the attachments they include, pneumatic actuators and the ease of functioning they offer us, or the powered gate.
Education in the Safety Field
14 September 2021
People often believe that to be successful in your endeavors in the work force, a formal education is required. Certifications and training certainly play a role in qualifying a person to be a safety pro. The main component that most employers agree on though, and that which is qualified by the HSE, is being a competent person.
Best Jobs in Health and Safety
14 September 2021
The safety industry is a field that too often doesn’t receive the recognition it deserves, until it is to late. Yet opportunities are abound for those that want to participate in making work environments safe. As local and global economies grow, the need to properly staff these fields, whether with a corporate giant, or in a small startup, requires knowing what you’re looking for, and where the best jobs are.
Mental Health in the Workplace
14 September 2021
Far too often when discussing the attributes of workplace safety the focus is turned to the physicality and more observable conditions that exist. The attention is placed on fixing the switches that are visibly broken, mopping up the liquid that spilled or teaching the employees to insert tab A into slot B to avoid a catastrophe from occurring. Engineers are able to recognize internal problems from sounds emitted from machines, and take it apart and rebuild it like it was new. The harder task though is recognizing what is affecting the internal programming of the operators.
Brexit
14 September 2021
The decision by the UK to move forward with Brexit, has the possibility to evoke the greatest change to the safety and health sector since Britain joined the EU in 1973, or since the implementation of the Health and Safety Act of 1974. More importantly it has the potential to refocus regulations and reform, more than the creation of the “six-pack”.
More Women in Health and Safety
14 September 2021
The roles that women have performed in the workplace have changed very much in the last 20 years. Starting with the percentage of women making up the workforce. These numbers have increased, despite the challenges of inequalities, wage gaps, and glass ceilings that they have been forced to endure over time.
Health and Safety Recruitment
14 September 2021
Employers today have so many other factors to deal with than their predecessors did in years past, before organizations were created to implement and enforce health and safety in the workplace. The Health and Safety act of 1974, OSHA, H&SA, and ENETOSH to name a few of these organizations came to fruition to standardize practices, and identify common goals to address their respective populations, and overlap one another to ensure a safer worldwide workforce.
Safety Professional
14 September 2021
It is reassuring to think about the strides that have been made regarding the roles and responsibilities for today’s safety professionals. In the 40 plus years since the International Social Security Association, (ISSA) initiated the standards, which the European Network of Safety and Health Professional Organization, (ENSHPO) took reign of to establish a higher standard.
Roles and Responsibilities of a Safety Engineer
14 September 2021
A person embodying the role of a safety engineer typically has received a formal education or specific training in occupational safety. As it occurs today, design engineers can complete college or university without taking a single health or safety course. In fact it has been argued by management professionals trying to fill health and safety positions, that a stronger focus is too often centered on math courses such as calculus, and not enough on business management and international safety.
Budgeting For Accidents
14 September 2021
Over the years occupational deaths have been in decline, and this is a great achievement. They do still occur though. Whether from motor vehicles, falling, electrical or fire related incidents, companies have had to find a way to eliminate, the emotional and the financial stigmas associated with these occurrences.
Theorizing Accidents
14 September 2021
An early 20th century innovator of studying accident causation, Herbert Heinrich made significant conclusions that still impact our approaches today. His studies showed that among the 27,000 cases he reviewed, 88 percent of accidents on the job were committed or influenced by co-workers, 10 percent were caused by unsafe conditions and, 2 percent were simply unavoidable.
Safety Teams
14 September 2021
Today’s safety and health teams exist in an ever changing world. With every legislative and parliamentary procedure that passes, companies need to account for addressing these new issues. In addition to managing physical plant conditions, such as ergonomics, product liability and safety monitoring, we also have to focus on personal effects such as employee medical health, ethics and workers compensation.
Accident Prevention Programs
14 September 2021
Today’s workplace has grown substantially since the 1800’s. Among the advancements, one of the greatest improvements has come in accident prevention and safety. Manufacturers have had an endless supply of people to fill and refill positions, people were often considered a cheap commodity.
Excellence in Safety
14 September 2021
Weekly safety meetings tend to exude redundancies. The obligatory head nods, agreeing to work harder and spreading the word. Then after the doughnuts are eaten and the coffee has grown cold, tendencies tend to draw towards getting back to your station, and making the projected numbers.
Auditing Isn't New
14 September 2021
The workplace today is varied and diverse. Varied in its populace, and diverse in its demands. An associate may cross over from a set of rules in one work station, to a second work station with a different set of rules of compliance. Encompassing everything that an individual might encounter on a daily basis requires multiple sets of audits, walks, and evaluations.
A New Safety Team
14 September 2021
With the changes brought by World War II, a new tone in safety was set. How business owners addressed safety changed around the world. Employee safety was the right thing to do, and it saved money at the end of the day. With a motto of, ‘if I did this better, could more money go back into the bottom line?’ owners set forth a plan to build the right safety team.
Transitioning from Oil & Gas into other renewable Energy Sectors
14 September 2021
Since the oil and gas industry slump started one year ago as many as 70,000 oil-related jobs have been lost and this number could double or almost treble in the future. Shell recently announced a 30 percent drop in annual profits resulting in 10,000 job cuts across the globe, and BP is expected to make significant worldwide cuts too as details emerged of 1 in 5 North Sea jobs facing cuts.
RIDDOR and COVID-19
Many employers are concerned about their reporting obligations for COVID-19/Coronavirus/SARS-CoV-2 under RIDDOR in the ongoing pandemic. You may be pleased to know that you do not have to report everything to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). We'll provide more info about when, what, and how to report.
The most common concern we've seen recently from employers is whether they need to report all COVID-19 and coronavirus testing results to the HSE. The short answer is no. According to the HSE: “There is no requirement under RIDDOR (The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013) to report incidents of disease or deaths of members of the public, patients, care home residents or service users from COVID-19. The reporting requirements relating to cases of, or deaths from, COVID-19 under RIDDOR apply only to occupational exposure, that is, as a result of a person's work.”
Generally speaking, the ordinary RIDDOR rules already cover COVID-19. You should only make a report under RIDDOR when one of the following circumstances applies:
• an accident or incident at work has or could have caused the release of coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). (Report as Dangerous occurrence)
• a worker is diagnosed with COVID-19 due to occupational exposure. (Report as Disease)
• a worker dies because of occupational coronavirus exposure. (Report as Work-related death due to exposure to a biological agent)
The bottom line is that existing rules cover most COVID-19 measures, and most of the COVID-19 guidance comes from public health authorities rather than the HSE. The environment remains chaotic, but you can minimize your legal exposure by continuing your existing compliance steps. This will include communicating with your insurer about risks, following public health guidance, and communicating regularly with your workers or unions on any of their concerns.
© Gavin Coyle, 2021