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UK government’s white paper Get Britain Working to improve early OSH interventions. As the government states in the white paper’s executive summary, the UK is the only major economy that has seen its employment rate fall over the last five years; an issue that has largely arisen due to a growing number of people who are no longer in work due to long-term ill health. To reverse this trend, Get Britain Working proposes significant reforms as part of a ‘new approach’ that the government argues is designed to ‘enable everyone to have the opportunity of secure, rewarding and fulfilling work’. These include support for people to return to work if they are outside the workforce and help for people with a health condition so they can stay in employment. The government’s plan for reform is broad ranging and includes many proposals that are relevant to the OSH audience, notably an independent review into the role of UK employers in promoting healthy and inclusive workplaces. ‘Poor workforce health imposes large costs on employers, especially from sickness absence and turnover, while also making it harder for them to find the talent they need to grow and thrive,’ notes Get Britain Working. ‘There is also compelling evidence about the value of helping people with a health condition or disability to stay in work, including preventing them becoming economically inactive.’ The government says this independent review, which will run until next summer and will entail wide-ranging engagement with employers, employees, trade unions, health experts and disabled people and those with health conditions, will consider what more can be done to enable employers to: Increase the recruitment and retention of disabled people and those with a health condition, including via a new jobs and careers service. Prevent people becoming unwell at work and promote good, healthy workplaces. Undertake early intervention for sickness absence and increase returns to work. Source – ioshmagazine #healthandsafety #assurance #OSH

New workplace review hones in on health and wellbeing Review to improve health of workplaces part of government’s £240m ‘back-to-work’ White Paper. A review examining what employers can do to improve the health and wellbeing of people in work, and the recruitment of disabled people and those with health conditions, is part of a package proposals aimed at getting people into quality jobs. The White Paper, Get Britain Working, is backed by £240m of investment, and was announced this week by Work and Pensions Secretary, Liz Kendall. The review into healthy and inclusive workplaces will consider what more can be done to enable employers to increase the recruitment and retention of disabled people and those with a health condition, prevent people becoming unwell at work and promote good, healthy workplaces, and undertake early intervention for sickness absence and increase returns to work. The review will involve engagement with employers, employees, trade unions, health experts, disabled people and those with health conditions, and will complement the government’s labour market reform plans, Make Work Pay, which will tackle job insecurity and expand flexible working. Change to health and disability benefits To support these aims, the government believes there is a strong case to change the system of health and disability benefits so that it better enables people to enter and remain in work, and to respond to the complex and fluctuating nature of the health conditions many people live with today. The proposals come as over 9 million people are inactive and a record 2.8 million people are out of work due to long-term sickness. Young people have also been left behind, with one in eight young people not in education, employment or training, and 9 million adults lack the essential skills they need for work. According to government figures, the UK is also the only major economy that has seen its employment rate fall over the last five years. This has been largely driven by a significant rise in the number of people out of work due to long-term ill health, with an outdated employment support system which, says the government, is “ill equipped” to respond to this growing challenge. Source – shponline.co.uk #healthandsafety #wellbeing #assurance

25 years on and is the UK getting controls of asbestos? This month marks the 25th anniversary since legislation came into force across Great Britain and in Northern Ireland (the UK) making it illegal for anyone to buy, sell, import or export any materials containing asbestos. Asbestos has unique properties – it is resistant to fire and mechanically strong – and therefore it became, among other things, a popular insulation material for construction projects, making its way into houses, commercial and public buildings, including factories and schools. In a cement format, it has also been used for roofing sheets and pipes. Undisturbed asbestos does not pose a health risk if the material is managed properly. However, when asbestos fibres are disturbed and become airborne, people in the immediate surroundings will inhale these hazardous fibres, which can induce incurable cancers and lung diseases over time.  Individuals are at a greatest risk if they breathe in high concentrations of these fibres and over a prolonged period. Tragically, chronic lung diseases such as asbestosis can take decades for the symptoms to develop, which is why individuals are still dying 25 years after the UK imposed a total ban. Ruth Wilkinson, Head of Policy and Public Affairs, IOSH 'We know that about 5,000 people die from asbestos-related diseases every year in the UK. While the cause of their illness was likely exposure from decades ago, we believe that people are still being exposed today, putting them at risk of terminal cancers such as mesothelioma in the years to come. This is unacceptable. What is of significant concern is the lack of consistency in managing asbestos among duty holders and a lack of awareness and knowledge about it among those who are encountering it, particularly in smaller businesses. 'What we’d really like to see is a collective effort by policy makers, government, regulators, employers and worker representatives to address this. 'Within the UK, this can be part of a national strategic plan which is aligned to the built environment and net zero initiatives, as is it expected that buildings will require maintenance, renovation or demolishing as part of that agenda. Such a plan must therefore have a focus on duty holders, the duty to manage asbestos, and the competence of individuals. It must include the development of clear guidance around managing asbestos. It should also include enforcement. Also, essential to it is improved training for employees which raises awareness of the dangers of exposure, informs them how to deal with asbestos and what to do if they come across it. Source - ioshmagazine.com #healthandsafety #assurance #asbestos

Is UK Workplace health getting better post Pandemic? The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has on 20th November 2024 published its annual statistics on work-related ill health and workplace injuries. The statistics reveal that the number of workers reported to be suffering from work-related ill health during 2023/24 is 1.7 million – which is similar to 2022/23 (1.8 million workers). The rate of self-reported work-related ill health remains broadly similar to the previous year, although the current rate is still higher than the 2018/19 pre-pandemic level. Approximately half of those reporting ill-health relate to stress, depression or anxiety, with an estimated 776,000 cases in 2023/24. The current rate of self-reported work-related stress, depression or anxiety is higher than the pre-pandemic level but has decreased from 910,000 in 2022/23. An estimated 33.7 million working days were lost in 2023/24 due to self-reported work-related ill health or injury. HSE’s chief executive Sarah Albon said: “This year marks 50 years since the legislation which established HSE was passed. Much has been achieved in that time, including a dramatic reduction of around 85 per cent in the numbers of employee fatal injuries in the workplace. “Today, Great Britain is one of the safest places in the world to work but these statistics serve as a reminder that there is still room for further improvement, and we remain committed to ensuring people remain safe and healthy wherever work is taking place.” HSE’s statistics also reveal the impact work-related ill health and workplace injuries are having on Britain’s economic performance. In 2022/23, the estimated annual costs of workplace injury and new cases of work-related ill health reached £21.6 billion, which is £1.6 billion less compared with 2021/22. The figures also show that 138 workers were killed in work-related accidents in 2023/24, while 604,000 workers sustained a self-reported non-fatal injury in the workplace during the same period. Source - hse.gov.uk #Healthandsafety #assurance #systemmanagmement

Why is H&S Compliance Software Vital in UK Construction? According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), in 2022/23, the construction industry recorded 45 fatal injuries and thousands of non-fatal injuries. These figures highlight the critical importance of maintaining rigorous health and safety standards across construction sites. In light of the unique challenges and regulatory landscape in the UK, health and safety compliance software has become an indispensable tool for ensuring that construction companies meet their legal obligations, protect workers, and enhance operational efficiency. Navigating UK Regulations and Standards The UK has a stringent framework for health and safety in construction, primarily governed by laws such as the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM Regulations). These regulations set out the responsibilities of employers, contractors, and workers to ensure that health and safety risks are managed effectively throughout the lifecycle of a construction project. Reducing Accidents and Fatalities Despite advances in technology and safety practices, construction remains one of the most dangerous industries in the UK. The HSE reports that falls from height accounted for 24% of all fatal injuries in 2022/23, with other significant risks including being struck by moving vehicles or objects, and contact with electricity. Health and safety compliance software enables construction firms to identify and mitigate these risks more effectively. The software can flag potential hazards, remind managers of scheduled safety inspections, and ensure that all workers have completed the necessary safety training. Boosting Efficiency and Reducing Costs Health and safety compliance software not only enhances safety but also improves the efficiency of construction projects. In the UK, construction delays due to safety incidents can be incredibly costly. According to research, UK construction firms lose an estimated £800 million annually due to accidents, injuries, and subsequent project delays. Compliance software helps reduce these delays by streamlining safety processes. Digital safety checklists, automated reminders for equipment maintenance, and real-time incident reporting mean that managers can focus on maintaining momentum on projects rather than manually tracking safety tasks. Furthermore, by reducing the number of accidents, companies can avoid the direct costs associated with medical treatment, compensation, and legal fees, as well as the indirect costs from project delays and lost productivity. Source – shponline.co.uk #healthandsafety #assurance #safetycompliance

How is the health and safety sector preparing for the future? Concerns about budget cuts and skills shortages are leading organisations to become agile. Could outsourcing in the health and safety areas of a business be a crucial part of the mix? Respondents of the 2024 Health & Safety Report, produced by RS in association with Health and Safety Magazine (HSM), expect the primary concerns over the coming year to be skills shortages. Almost half (47%) of those surveyed viewed this as a high risk. Budget cuts followed this (41%) and pressure to improve continuity (39%). Inflation also remains a concern, with 36 per cent of respondents worried about this, while almost one in four (23%) point to regulatory changes. Is outsourcing the solution? The most common service outsourced to a third party is cable recycling, but even here only 45 per cent of survey respondents make use of this, with 41 per cent choosing to do it in-house. It’s a similar story with battery recycling, which is outsourced by 43 per cent of organisations. As cited in the report, a third (33%) of respondents outsource HSE training, compared to 60 per cent who prefer to deliver this in-house. And 26 per cent use external organisations to track and report their Scope 3 emissions. There’s huge potential for organisations to make more of outsourcing, but it is still early days in some areas. Twenty-seven per cent of our survey respondents think improved policies and procedures would have a positive impact on their health and safety compliance. This has increased from 20 per cent the previous year. Staff retention is another focus, with 25 per cent thinking this would help, a rise of five per cent from 2023. After Brexit, we saw a large turnover of employees, particularly within the food environment and we still see high levels of vacancies within these organisations. That’s a macro-example, manifested from an internal perspective. New processes may require updated procedures and, with a high turnover of people, organisations are constantly having to re-evaluate this. Source – shponline.co.uk #healthandsafety #assurance #documentmanagement #safetycompliance

Are your fire door standards up to date? The Association for Specialist Fire Protection (ASFP) is taking proactive steps to address the challenges arising from the removal of the national classes for fire resistance in Approved Document B (England). With the upcoming move towards the European test standards and classification system, Task Group 10 (TG10): Fire Doors, has been formed to help facilitate a smooth transition for stakeholders across the entire fire door sector. Millions of fire doors of all material types are currently supplied and installed in the UK. The removal of the familiar BS 476 protocols and frameworks will add further layers of complexity for the fire door sector, encompassing product development, testing, manufacturing, certification, installation protocols and management of product during its life service. TG10 aims to bridge this gap by facilitating industry and expert collaboration and creating comprehensive and futureproofed guidance for stakeholders involved in fire door safety. This guidance, in the form of a new ASFP Colour Book, will provide: Clear explanations and guidance on navigating the transition from national classes to European fire resistance classification frameworks Best practices for fire door specification, installation, maintenance and management under the new regulations Support for implementing the "Golden Thread" of product information in high-risk buildings, ensuring full and accurate documentation for fire door systems. Source - specificationonline #healthandsafety #assurance #firesafety #goldenthread

Is UK companies doing enough to combat burnout in the workplace? Some workplace metrics are easy to measure - from levels of profit and loss to rates of sickness and absence - while measuring levels of burnout is an altogether more complex task. It’s also increasingly becoming an agenda item in the boardroom.  Burnout is a syndrome resulting from chronic unresolved or ineffective management of stress in the workplace, and more recently it has been classified as an 'occupational phenomenon' (not a medical condition) by the World Health Organisation. Identifying burnout in the workplace isn’t always easy. When people feel burned out by their work, you won't necessarily see it – human beings can be adept at masking the signs – particularly if we don’t feel psychologically safe enough in our working environments to reach out. ‘Pluralistic ignorance’ –is a term used to describe when we feel something is wrong, or we’re not on top of our game, but instead of talking with someone about it, we carry on as normal. And, subsequently, because everyone else is doing the same thing, we may perceive others are OK and the problem is ourselves. Burnout is not limited to high pressure roles. It can impact anyone because the underlying drivers are common factors across today’s working environments – high work demands and perceived lack of job control, mismatch between reward and recognition, perceived lack of community, lack of fairness or organisational justice, or a mismatch between individual and corporate values, for example. Gallup’s 2024 State of the Global Workplace global study identified that a quarter of leaders around the world feel burned out often or always; around 40% of those with people management responsibilities experience stress on a daily basis. We know that burnout leads to chronic fatigue, irritability, insomnia and reduced motivation. Physically, it can manifest through headaches and muscle tension, high blood pressure and a loss of appetite. In the workplace, burnout manifests through reduced innovation and productivity, absenteeism, presenteeism and reduced quality of work – and it represents a significant cost to UK business both in financial and, more importantly, human terms. However, quoting large financial impact numbers means little compared to understanding how stress and burnout actually impacts your own organisation’s people, performance and bottom line. So how can we do this? Fundamentally, we need to understand our people ‘enablers’ and our people ‘inhibitors’ so we can create informed, relevant and impactful approaches. Know what data and information to look at – and look at it holistically – and know what to do with it. Source - britsafe.org #Healthandsafety #assurance 

Is £54bn enough to deliver the London Plan over the next five years? The group, which consists of London’s largest housing associations, has drawn on figures from the Greater London Authority and Savills to estimate an affordable home in London costs £450,000 to build.  Housing associations therefore need to secure £54bn to deliver 120,000 social homes by 2027/28. The G15 also published a report today, ‘Increasing London’s Affordable Homes,’ urging the government to provide financial certainty for housing associations through a 10-year index-linked rent settlement, allowing them to secure the private financing needed to deliver affordable homes over this parliament. It has also called on the government to address “the unfair disparities” in rent levels between new and existing tenants through rent convergence and give housing associations access to the underused Building Safety Fund. The research highlights that, due to financial challenges in the sector, G15 members saw a 78% decrease in housing starts in London, dropping from 10,255 in 2022/23 to just 2,222 last year. Including all tenures and areas outside of London, G15 landlords have cut their development pipelines from 14,658 starts in 2022/23 to 6,387 in the last financial year, which marks a 56% decrease. Grant rates contribute 12% to scheme costs today, compared to about 75% in the 1990s. The G15 has also called on the government to work with the London mayor and set up development corporations to build on strategically defined areas of green or grey belt land, compensating for any loss of nature. In addition, the body has said that the government should create an Affordable Housing Commission, to scrutinise housebuilding targets and hold the government accountable for delivering them. The chair of the G15 and chief executive of L&Q, Fiona Fletcher-Smith said: “The need for new homes in London is clear, but it’s essential that the government doesn’t lose sight of the importance of social and affordable housing in this plan”. Fletcher-Smith added: “We’ve seen a decline in the number of new social homes in recent years, and this trend must be reversed. “Housing associations are ready to step up, but we need government support to unlock the private finance that will make Labour’s target a reality.” She added: “Housing associations are not-for-profit entities, which means every penny we generate goes back into building and maintaining homes”. “We have the capacity to unlock billions in private finance, but we need the government to act now. With the right support, we can play a key role in meeting Labour’s housing goals and ensure that London’s future is more affordable and secure for all its residents.” Source – housingtoday.co.uk #Healthandsafety #housingassociations #assurance 

Is the Govt UK housing programme a pipedream? The latest Housing Pipeline report from the Home Builders Federation (HBF) found that the 10,400 sites approved during the year to June 2024 represented the smallest number for any 12-month period since the series began in 2006. That figure – 10% down on the same period last year and 53% lower than the 2008 peak – follows a trend of decline over the past two years, in which record lows have been set in successive quarters. For social housing projects of three or more homes, the 82 schemes approved represented a steep fall of 37% from the previous quarter, and 15% lower than a year ago. At 5,167, the number of units on these projects was 21% down on the preceding quarter and a 27% drop from a year earlier. In all, 2,707 schemes were granted permission in Q2 2024, a 7% fall from the previous quarter and 9% lower than a year earlier. In terms of overall units, the 62,103 approved in Q2 2024 were 3% down on Q1 and 12% lower than the corresponding quarter in 2023. Neil Jefferson, chief executive of the HBF, said that the new numbers “starkly illustrate the challenge the new government faces to boost housing supply”. Approvals will need to increase by 55% to reach the government’s new annual target of 370,000 new homes, said the HBF, which has welcomed changes by Labour to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). In late July, Angela Rayner, deputy prime minister and housing secretary, announced a consultation on a new draft NPPF, which will raise councils’ housebuilding targets by about 70,000 homes a year by changing how local housing need is counted. “While the speedy interventions on planning are very welcome, there are a number of determinants on housing supply levels,” Mr Jefferson said. “The lack of affordable mortgage availability means more support for buyers is needed,” he said. “Creating demand for new homes provides the confidence the industry needs to invest and deliver both private and affordable homes.” Chancellor Rachel Reeves is expected to announce a 10-year rent settlement for social landlords in the next Budget, due on 30 October, with the government having promised greater certainty to enable them to “plan for the future”. Sector leaders have welcomed that prospect as providing a foundation for increasing housing supply, after years of uncertainty under successive Conservative governments. In August, the G15 group of large London housing associations called for a minimum 10-year settlement and a guarantee that would not be altered, in order for financial challenges in the sector to be met. Mr Jefferson added: “The upcoming Budget provides an opportunity for the government to take more positive steps to address the mounting housing crisis and to commit to their pledge to get Britain building again.” Source - insidehousing.co.uk #Healthandsafety #assurance #socialhousing