5 Simple Workplace Safety Tips

Posted on May 28, 2012 by admin

Every work environment has its own inherent dangers. However, there will often be preventative measures that you can do to dramatically reduce the risk of having injuries in your place of work.

We’ve chosen 5 very simple tips to help you make the working environment as safe a place as possible. These tips can be applied to pretty much any working environment:

1 – When designing the workspace, keep safety in mind.

From the very start, safety should be at the forefront of the whole design process of a workspace. Plan ahead and visualise how people will be likely to use the space. Where will machines be positioned? Where will materials be stored? Will workers be able to move freely?

In addition, if you think about the space in this way, you could actually create a more productive workplace.

2 – Get to grips with how employees use the space.

If you’re responsible for a company’s health and safety, the chances are that you don’t work on the floor. Without being amongst the workforce for a considerable amount of time, you have no way of knowing what the hazards are that need to be avoided.

To find out what areas need to be addressed, in terms of safety, you’ll need to observe the workspace regularly, or rely o feedback from your staff. No one knows about the dangers of their job better than them!

3 – Ensure that all equipment is in good working order.

It is up to the employer to ensure that all machinery and equipment is in safe working order. Regular checks should be made and maintenance carried out on a regular basis. Don’t just meet the minimum requirement for safety checks – there’s no reason not to check more frequently! Plus, if you spot any problems with any equipment, no matter how insignificant the defect may seem, report it immediately and make other workers aware of the defect.

4 – Keep your safety guidelines up to date.

Every business provides safety guidelines to employees, and these must be kept up to date. If new working practices, new machinery or new equipment is brought in regularly, you must update your safety guidelines accordingly.

5 – A clean workplace is a safe workplace.

It is imperative that you keep your workspace clean and tidy at all times. An untidy workplace means that there are unnecessary hazards present, making for an unsafe working environment.

Trade Union Accuses Government of Underestimating UK Workplace Health and Safety

Posted on May 17, 2012 by admin

Trade Union Unite recently launched an attack on Government minsters, claiming that workplace health and safety statistics are largely inaccurate and don’t paint a true picture of the UK’s current workplace health and safety track record.

In fact, annual figures released by the Health and Safety Executive are thought to be around 800% short of the true figure. Naturally, this is a great concern. The inaccurate figures are leading to Government ministers calling for cuts within health and safety, as they believe that UK health and safety is better than anyone else. Unite claim that this is nothing more than a myth.

2011 figures released by the Health and Safety Executive reported 171 deaths in the UK as a result of work-related incidents, whereas the figure should have been around the 1,400 mark.

On top of this, it is estimated that between 20,000-50,000 people die each year as a result of occupational diseases, such as mesothelioma, which are caused by negligent exposures to hazardous substances, such as asbestos.

General secretary of Unite highlighted the fact that if cuts do go ahead, the number of injuries and fatalities will increase:

“The Government is hell bent on reducing health and safety regulations and standards. It will lead to fewer inspections, less enforcement and more deaths, injuries and ill-health at work.”

Rather than making cuts, Unite believe that more money needs to be pumped in to health and safety, in order to improve working conditions for employees nationwide.

Britain’s Most Dangerous Jobs

Posted on May 11, 2012 by admin

Every job carries its own unique risks, even the jobs you’d least expect. Even the humble office worker is at risk of spilling a hot coffee, being electrocuted by poorly wired equipment or suffering a bad back from sitting down for extended periods of time.

However, there are some occupations that are inherently more dangerous, yet people still take on those risks by carrying out these jobs each and every day.

So, what are the most dangerous jobs in Britain?

Lorry/Commercial Vehicle Drivers

You may be forgiven for thinking that lorry driving is a relatively low-risk occupation. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, road injuries are the single biggest killer of workers in the UK. Every year, around 54,000 work vehicles are involved in accidents on Britain’s roads.

Construction Workers

There are around 2.4million construction workers in the UK, and in 2010/2011 there were 50 fatal injuries. It goes without saying that construction workers undergo one of the most dangerous jobs in the country.

There are many different subsectors within the construction industry, each with their own individual risks.

Offshore Oil/Gas Riggers

Workers on offshore oil and gas rigs have an incredibly dangerous job. These rigs are prone to explosions at any time and leave workers with very little option for evacuation.

British oil rigs have been featured in the news of late, with a string of helicopter accidents, during the transportation of workers to the rigs. This is just another of the risks taken by rig workers.

Fishermen

Deep-sea fishermen face huge risks every single day that they’re at sea. Open to the elements and often huge distances away from the safety of land, fishermen certainly have one of the most dangerous jobs in the country.

Bodyguards

Hi profile individuals will often require the services of a professional bodyguard or a team of bodyguards. These highly trained people will have to put their lives on the line to protect the client at all costs. Although there are relatively few deaths, the danger is ever-present.

Firefighters

Perhaps one of the most dangerous occupations we’ve mentioned – firefighters put their lives on the line, unknowing of what dangers lie ahead when they respond to an emergency.