Work-related fatality numbers revealed by Health and Safety Executive

by Featured NewsHealth and SafetySafety

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has revealed that one hundred and thirty-five workers have lost their lives in work-related incidents across Great Britain over the last year.

The most dangerous sectors: construction, agriculture, and manufacturing

According to the published data, construction (45 fatalities), agriculture, forestry, and fishing (21 fatalities), manufacturing (15 fatalities), and transportation and storage (15 fatalities) industries reported the highest numbers of work-related fatalities.

The agriculture, forestry, and fishing sector has the unfortunate distinction of having the highest rate of fatal injury per 100,000 workers of all the main industrial sectors.

The waste and recycling industry followed closely behind.

This annual report from the HSE, which is responsible for regulating workplace safety in Great Britain, covers the period from April 2022 to March 2023.

The major causes: falls, moving objects, and vehicles

The three most frequent causes of fatal work injuries were falls from height (40 fatalities), being struck by a moving object (29 fatalities), and being struck by a moving vehicle (20 fatalities).

In comparison to previous years, the total of 135 worker deaths in 2022/23 is higher than the previous year (123) but is consistent with levels before the pandemic.

Despite these numbers, Great Britain remains one of the safest places in the world to work. Th

ere has been a long-term downward trend in fatal injuries to workers, though the rate remained broadly flat in the years prior to the coronavirus pandemic.

In addition to worker fatalities, another 68 members of the public were killed due to work-related incidents in 2022/23, a decrease of 20 from the previous year.

Public statements and future outlook

Sarah Albon, the Chief Executive of HSE, stated: “Any loss of life in the workplace is a tragedy. While these figures show Great Britain is one of the safest countries in the world to work, safety must continue to be at the top of everyone’s agenda.

“Our mission is to protect people and places and we remain committed to maintaining safe workplaces and holding employers to account for their actions.”

The HSE also released the annual figures for Mesothelioma, a type of cancer caused by past exposure to asbestos. These figures indicate 2,268 people died from the disease in 2021, a decrease of 302 from 2020.

Regulations currently mandate that where asbestos is present in buildings, it must be managed, kept in good condition, and remain undisturbed. If this level of protection cannot be achieved, asbestos must be removed. HSE’s recent campaign, Asbestos & You, aims to raise public awareness of the risks associated with this dangerous substance.

IFSJ Comment

This report is crucial as it highlights the persistent risk workers face in certain industries. It’s a stark reminder that despite improvements, there is still a need for stringent safety measures and regular risk assessments. We must continue our efforts to ensure that every worker returns home safely at the end of the day.

About the Health and Safety Executive (HSE)

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. We prevent work-related death, injury and ill health through regulatory actions that range from influencing behaviours across whole industry sectors through to targeted interventions on individual businesses. These activities are supported by globally recognised scientific expertise.

Act ensures safety for pregnant firefighters from 27 June

by Featured NewsHealth and Safety

Introduction of the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act

The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA), a pioneering US federal law, will come into effect on June 27, 2023. This new law mandates employers to provide ‘reasonable accommodations’ to pregnant or postpartum employees, thereby enabling them to work safely. This legal update is anticipated to significantly support members of fire departments where specific policies for pregnant or postpartum workers may not be currently in place.

Employers’ responsibility and the role of employees

As Audrey Owczarzak, Secretary of Newport, KY Local 45 and member of the Elected Human Relations Committee, highlights, firefighters need to proactively request these adjustments. Despite the advent of this new legislation, employers are not expected to proactively suggest suitable accommodations.

The act, modelled after the American Disabilities Act (ADA), strictly prohibits employers from retaliating against employees requesting these accommodations. As attorney Tamara Imam elucidates, employers cannot engage in coercion, intimidation, threats, or any form of interference against employees making such requests, assuring their protection.

Examples of reasonable accommodations and the role of employers

The law outlines several potential accommodations including flexible working hours, appropriately sized uniforms, additional break time, and excusal from strenuous activities or exposure to potentially harmful compounds. Employers are required to negotiate in good faith with the employee over the feasibility of these accommodations. They may also request necessary documentation from the employee’s healthcare provider to assist with this process.

However, if an employer can demonstrate that complying with a request may result in ‘undue hardship’ to their business operations, they may refuse the accommodation.

The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act: Implications and further discussions

Barbara Sellers, President of Shreveport, LA Local 514, emphasises the need for further discussions on what the act implies for firefighters and rescue workers. Key issues include potential effects of on-the-job exposures on the unborn child and the financial implications of reduced working hours. The new act intends to increase employer responsibility for employee welfare.

The Act provides recourse for violation of its provisions. After June 27, 2023, complaints can be lodged with the US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. As such, the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act signifies a positive shift towards a safer and more accommodating working environment for pregnant and postpartum firefighters.

Safety and health organisations form historic alliance

by AmericasFeatured NewsHealth and Safety

New Alliance to Enhance Occupational Safety and Health Management

Major UK safety and health organisations have come together to launch the Occupational Safety & Health Stakeholder Alliance, aiming to provide a comprehensive approach to safety and health issues.

In a historic move, the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH), the British Occupational Hygiene Society (BOHS), British Safety Council (BSC), British Safety Industry Federation (BSIF), Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH), International Institute of Risk and Safety Management (IIRSM), the Chartered Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors (CIEHF) and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) have signed a memorandum of understanding to establish this influential alliance.

Shaping the industry

The combined knowledge and expertise of the member organisations cover the full range of occupational safety and health (OSH) aspects, from education and regulation to policy development and professional standards. The alliance intends to function as a single voice for the OSH industry, leveraging the collective know-how of its members to inform and bolster decision-making at both governmental and corporate levels.

Members said they are thrilled about the formation of this unprecedented alliance, which poised to have a significant positive influence on OSH management across the UK. The group has invited broader involvement in the pursuit of its goals.

Enhancing practices and raising visibility

Committed to promoting prevailing good practice in the OSH sector, the alliance also aims to conceive and enact programmes and activities that augment it. Members will harness their collective influence to deliver unified messaging and stimulate consistent advancement on critical OSH issues.

Part of their efforts will also include raising the profile and worth of the OSH profession, underlining its key role in achieving OSH goals, and broadening the understanding and application of its varied disciplines and practices.

Prioritising mental health in the workplace

The alliance has also pledged to continue to lobby government departments to safeguard crucial UK safety and health legislation, primarily that derived from the EU. Despite the UK’s commendable record in safety, much work is yet to be done, particularly in the realm of health and, more specifically, mental health.

Workplace-related mental health problems constitute over 50 per cent of all workplace incidents, according to the latest Health and Safety Executive data. The alliance is determined to prioritise the mitigation of these issues, which is currently not as well-handled in the UK as it is in several other EU countries.

The adverse consequences of these issues extend beyond the affected individuals and their employers to the already burdened National Health Service (NHS). The alliance has outlined a priority of identifying and implementing measures that enable the OSH profession to more effectively mitigate the risk factors leading to workplace mental health problems.

IOSH advocates for widespread adoption of safe and healthy working conditions

by Featured NewsHealth and Safety

The Institution urges stakeholders to commit to leaving no one behind

In an appeal to delegates at a global conference, the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) insists that the provision of safe and healthy working conditions “must not become a privilege for the few,” in line with International Labour Organization (ILO) principles. This call to action comes as the first anniversary of the ILO’s adoption of safe and healthy working environments as a fundamental right approaches.

IOSH calls for focus on occupational safety and health

During her address at the International Labour Conference in Geneva, Ruth Wilkinson, Head of Policy at IOSH, drew attention to the fact that over half of the global workforce, particularly those in the informal economy, lack regulatory health and safety protection. She urged that the principle of occupational safety and health “must become the lifeblood of our universal aspiration for social justice.”

The ILO’s adoption of a safe and healthy working environment as a fundamental right at work was recognised by IOSH last year as the “most significant moment for workers’ rights in 25 years.” Despite the ratification of two significant conventions related to occupational safety and health, there remains a significant shortfall in their acceptance. Only 76 out of 187 member states have ratified convention 155, with 59 endorsing convention 187 and only 39 accepting both.

Urgent need for greater resources

Wilkinson further emphasised the necessity to “devote the greatest possible financial, political, technical and human resources” towards the implementation of the forthcoming ILO Global Strategy on Occupational Safety and Health 2024-30. She assured the audience that IOSH would contribute to the strategy’s guiding principles and formulation.

Commitment to a safer future

As part of their commitment to safer and healthier workplaces, Wilkinson said IOSH: “Pledges to make available the accumulated experience and knowledge of thousands of individual occupational safety and health professionals worldwide.” This commitment is vital to create workplaces that are not only safer but also more sustainable, thereby promoting social justice.

NEBOSH develops safety and health seminars for Intersec 2023

by EventsFeatured News

NEBOSH has partnered with industry experts to develop a day of safety and health seminars at the 2023 Intersec exhibition and conference in Dubai.

NEBOSH Day is set to take place on 18 January and feature sessions from senior health and safety leaders from the region. The topics covered include governance and leadership in HSE, managing HSE for mega projects and psychosocial risks.

The agenda will cover: What is world class safety leadership and how do you achieve it? with
Jim Andrews, Group Head of Health, Safety and Environment, Petrofac; Governance and Leadership in HSE with Dr Waddah Ghanem Al Hashmi, Chairman, Professional Engineering Chapter, UAE Society of Engineers; Social/technical paradigms in safety leadership with Salman Dawood Abdulla, Executive Vice President, HSSEQ and Business Transformation, EGA; Managing HSE for mega projects with Dr Rob Cooling, Executive Director of HSEQ, NEOM; a panel discussion: The changing role of the HSE Practitioner; Psychosocial risks: What are they and how do they contribute to sustainability? with Dee Arp, Chief Operating Officer, NEBOSH; What part should OSH professionals play in the creation of a socially sustainable business? with Andrew-Wilkinson-Sharpe, Acting Chief Executive, NEBOSH.

Andy Wilkinson-Sharpe, NEBOSH Acting Chief Executive, commented: “NEBOSH is delighted to have been given the opportunity to devise the health and safety programme for the 18 January at Intersec. We have made sure that “NEBOSH Day” will be of real value to delegates. Thank you to the senior health and safety leaders who have agreed to present and share their expertise and insights with our audience on the day.”

Speaker Dr Waddah S Ghanem Al Hashmi added: “I was very excited to be asked to be part of NEBOSH Day at Intersec here in Dubai. NEBOSH is an organisation that I have been associated with for nearly 15 years, and this is a great way for our collaboration to continue. I will be delivering a presentation on the recently approved UAE Standard “Occupational Health and Safety Management – Governance and Leadership Top Management requirements for UAE.S ISO 45001:2019” UAE.S 5052:2022 which encourages and supports a more proactive approach when it comes to health and safety. I am looking forward to being involved and learning and exchanging ideas with colleagues on the 18 January.”

Intersec takes place from 17-19 January 2023 at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Centre. NEBOSH will be exhibiting on stand 2-D37.

Belmar Volunteer Fire Department to receive Assistance to Firefighters Grant

by Featured News

The Belmar Fire Department is to receive a federal grant totalling $223,571.42 from the Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) Program.

The AFG grant program supports fire departments with funds to help purchase needed equipment that would improve an applicant’s ability to protect the health and safety of the public. The grant will be administered by the US Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Belmar Fire Department is an all-volunteer department which delivers primary fire protection and rescue services to Belmar’s 7,600 permanent residents—a figure that can grow to over 50,000 seasonal residents over the summer.  It has approximately 40 members who make up the Union Fire Company, Goodwill Hose Company and Volunteer Hook and Ladder Fire Company.

Congressman Chris Smith announced the award and said: “The volunteer firefighters of the Belmar Fire Department put their lives on the line every day to protect people and property in the borough and  in neighbouring towns when fires and other emergencies arise.”

Smith continued: “The self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA) to be purchased with these funds is absolutely critical to enabling firefighters to enter burning buildings and still be able to breathe.  With the federal support, the town can properly protect its fire crews and continue providing quick and effective emergency response services to those in harm’s way.”

He concluded:  “A special thanks to Mayor Mark Walsifer and Fire Marshal Ryan Dullea for their great work on the application, including a risk assessment, to show the need to prioritize this life-sustaining SCBA.”

NEBOSH and HSE join forces to develop new qualification

by Safety

NEBOSH and Great Britain’s health and safety regulator, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), have partnered to develop a new qualification aimed at preventing one of the main causes of musculoskeletal disorders; manual handling.

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) accounted for 8.9million lost working days in Great Britain in 2019/20 with manual handling estimated to be the main cause. 0.5 million workers suffered from a work-related musculoskeletal disorder in 2020/21, with a cost to organisations and to the UK economy. This is a global problem; the World Health Organization estimates 1.71 billion people experience musculoskeletal conditions worldwide, three in five workers in Europe report MSD complaints, more than half of US adults experience an MSD and it’s estimated that they cost countries between 0.5-2% of Gross National Product.

The new NEBOSH HSE Certificate in Manual Handling Risk Assessment is a one-day qualification which is based on the Health and Safety Executive’s best practice guidance and tools. It focuses on practical solutions to help recognise, assess, and manage manual handling risks. On completion of the course, learners will be required to undertake a manual handling risk assessment, based on a selection of video case studies, to put their new knowledge to the test.

Matt Powell-Howard, NEBOSH Head of Product Development, says: “Many organisations jump straight to providing training on manual handling – how to lift etcetera. In developing this qualification we’re encouraging organisations to take a step back and take the time to effectively risk assess their manual handling activities. By doing so they may be able to eliminate or reduce an activity and, if manual handling is required, then they’ll have all the information they need to protect their workers.”

The NEBOSH HSE Certificate in Manual Handling Risk Assessment is available to study from 10 February 2022 via our global network of Learning Partners. Read full details and choose a Learning Partner today: NEBOSH HSE Certificate in Manual Handling Risk Assessment.

Beirut explosion: Lebanon faces humanitarian emergency

by Middle East - Featured News Archives

The explosion in Beirut is further straining the health system and food supplies, as well as risking the country’s COVID-19 response. 

Lebanon faces a humanitarian emergency following the explosion on Aug 4, 2020, of more than 2000 tonnes of ammonium nitrate stored at Beirut’s port that has added severe strain to a health system already buckling under an economic crisis, civil unrest, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the hosting of some 1.5 million refugees in a country of about 6 million people.

The blast killed at least 200 people, injured more than 6,000, and left 300 000 homeless. On Aug 10, soon after rejecting an international inquiry into the explosion’s cause, the government resigned amid rising anger and protests demanding the removal of the political elite and an end to corruption, bad governance, and mismanagement.

International donors pledged 253 million euros in aid at a summit arranged by France on Aug 9, but they also called on the Lebanese Government to listen to demands for reform made by protesters.

WHO said three hospitals were non-functional and another two suffered substantial damage. In addition, 17 containers with essential medical supplies and a recently delivered shipment of personal protective equipment to tackle COVID-19 were destroyed at the port.

“WHO is deeply concerned about the hospital and health workforce capacity, supplies of medicine, and chemical fumes which might have a harmful impact on the health of people with underlying conditions”, the agency said in a donor alert issued on Aug 6.

Officials estimate that the explosion caused up to US$15 billion of damage. Damage to the port was expected to exacerbate the economic and food security situation because the port was a major entry point for aid, and Lebanon imports 80–85% of its food. According to the UN World Food Programme, even before the explosion, 50% of Lebanese people surveyed said that they were worried about not having enough to eat.

“It’s a catastrophe, it’s incomprehensible. Everyone is traumatised and there is a big mental health impact”, Iman Nuwayhid, dean of the faculty of health sciences at the American University of Beirut (Beirut, Lebanon).

Lebanon reportedly has enough doctors and nurses but is facing shortages of medical supplies, even before the blast, because of an economic crisis over the past few months, according to Karam Karam, a clinical professor of medicine at the American University of Beirut. A devaluation of about 80% in the Lebanese pound and bank controls on foreign currency meant that imports of medicines and equipment had become much more costly. “People are dying because they don’t have shelter or money to pay for health care”, he said. “Everyone blames the criminal and corrupt junta that rules us.”

Before the explosion, 75% of Lebanese people were in need of aid, 33% had lost their jobs, and 1 million people were living below the poverty line, and these numbers were considered likely to rise.

COVID-19 is posing a further burden – more than 6,000 cases and 78 deaths had been recorded by the health ministry as of Aug 8. There could be a spike in cases because many health and rescue workers responding to the explosion, as well as protesters, have not observed social distancing or worn masks.

While the resources of many hospitals were being directed towards the casualties of the explosion, the capacity to deal with COVID-19 should not be lost, urged Firass Abiad, the general manager of Beirut’s Rafik Hariri University Hospital (the main Lebanese Government hospital charged with managing the epidemic), in a tweet on Aug 6.

There was also concern about the impact on health caused by the chemicals released by the explosion. “The main long-term hazard is from combustion products such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, which are carcinogenic”, Roy Harrison, Professor of Environmental Health at the University of Birmingham. More immediately, the main health hazard was from the formation of particulate matter that causes reductions in lung function and symptom exacerbation in people with asthma, he said.

Honeywell launches digitised workforce management suite

by Projects

Honeywell has announced a complete, modular software solution to help industrial companies enforce compliance with key health and safety requirements as their employees returning to the workplace, including body temperature checks and automated entry management processes.

Leveraging Digitised Workforce Management with real-time location functionality, the solution facilitates site monitoring compliance in accordance with social distancing policies and enables contact tracing and monitoring of worker safety. It also includes remote collaboration capabilities to empower company operations with a reduced workforce.

As part of a broader Plant & Personnel Safety portfolio, Honeywell Digitised Workforce Management – Business Continuity and Response solution combines software and hardware technology to support return to work and transition to operations.

The system can support Honeywell thermal cameras that can be used with systems compliant with NDAA 2019, Section 889 to check for elevated body temperatures and provide input to the access control system. This can enable operators to restrict entryway access if an elevated temperature is detected helping to automate the preliminary screening process and reducing manual tasks. This helps to optimise the individual and collective risk profiles of the workforce. Digitising the entryway approval workflow for visitors and returning employees and contractors enables organisations to onboard the workforce  efficiently, leveraging workforce management and access control into a new layer of protection.

“These new layers of protection help industrial companies bring their workforce back to work with greater protections, at the appropriate time,” said Pierre Van Neste, global director of sales, Plant & Personal Safety, Honeywell Process Solutions. “These protections don’t just provide utility here and now – they give workers, businesses and industry alike a broader solution for preparedness and situational awareness in the future.”

Honeywell’s integrated safety and security solutions with digitised workforce management software creates scalable support services for clients to minimise the risk of exposure and transmission within their workplace while enabling business continuity and accelerating a managed return to safe operations.

For more information, please visit Honeywell’s Plant and Personnel Safety Solutions.

Cottenham firefighter rallies community to donate face masks

by Projects

A Cottenham based firefighter has rallied his local community to donate face masks to a hospice charity. Crew Commander Roger Pake raised more than £2,000 to cover the cost of 700 N95 masks for staff at Arthur Rank Hospice in Cambridge.

Roger said: “I saw the plea from the charity on Facebook and felt I could help. I know people that have family members looked after by the hospice, plus my wife works there so I am fully aware of the great work they do. This is why I was very keen to do something to help.”

Roger divides his time between running his own business as an electrician and being available to respond to emergencies as an on-call firefighter from Cottenham Fire Station.

He added: “I knew I could use contacts from my business to source masks for the staff at the hospice, so decided to see if my Facebook friends wanted to get involved and donate some money to fund them. I have been truly overwhelmed by the response and the generosity of people. I had no idea that I’d receive this much support.”

Hospice Matron Carly Love added: “We are so grateful to Roger and all those who contributed to the collection and the purchase of 700 masks. This is vital equipment that the hospice currently needs to enable the excellent care that they deliver in the community to continue and ensure that the patients that still need the help of the hospice continue to receive this vital service. We were truly touched by this generous donation; it really will make a difference.”