Tackling workplace stress: HSE publishes five-step guide for British businesses in Stress Awareness Month

by Featured NewsHealth and Safety

Five steps to combat stress in the workplace unveiled

This April, as part of Stress Awareness Month, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is urging employers across Britain to adopt a five-step approach to mitigate and manage workplace stress.

The initiative is part of the HSE’s Working Minds campaign, aiming to support mental health in the workplace by encouraging employers to engage actively in the mental well-being of their workers.

Liz Goodwill, the head of the work-related stress and mental health policy team at HSE, emphasised the importance of this initiative: “We are inviting business owners, employers, and managers to join others across Britain to make a difference during Stress Awareness Month in five steps.”

The campaign’s structured approach focuses on the ‘5 Rs’: Reach out, Recognise, Respond, Reflect, and make it Routine, guiding employers through the process of identifying, addressing, and normalising conversations around workplace stress.

Legal obligations and support tools

Preventing work-related stress is not only a moral responsibility but also a legal one.

All employers in Britain are obligated to address work-related stress, helping to foster good mental health within their organisations.

The Working Minds campaign provides numerous resources, including free online learning, Talking Toolkits, risk assessment templates, and examples to aid businesses and workers alike.

Goodwill further elaborated on the legal implications for employers: “Failing to manage work-related stress can cost employers in reduced productivity, sickness absence costs, or even losing a valued member of the team.

“Employers are required to assess the risk of work-related stress impacting their workers and act on the risks identified.”

Campaign partners and support for a proactive approach

The campaign has garnered support from over 30 organisations, including the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) and The National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health (NEBOSH).

Rachel Suff, senior policy advisor at the CIPD, stressed the necessity for a proactive approach to mental health: “Many organisations are reactive and tend to put more emphasis on providing support when people become ill rather than on prevention, including for mental ill health and stress.

“We want to see every organisation taking a proactive approach to employee wellbeing.”

Matt Powell-Howard, Head of Product Development at NEBOSH, also expressed his support: “I’m really pleased that NEBOSH is supporting the Working Minds campaign as we are committed to promoting good mental health and preventing work-related stress.”

IFSJ Comment:

The HSE’s Working Minds campaign’s focus on addressing workplace stress through a systematic, month-long initiative underscores the growing recognition of mental health‘s importance in occupational safety and health.

By providing a structured framework for employers to tackle stress, the campaign aims to enhance individual well-being and improve overall organisational health.

This approach, supported by the legal framework, underscores the necessity of integrating mental health considerations into the fabric of workplace health and safety strategies.

As businesses continue to navigate the challenges of maintaining a healthy workforce, the principles outlined by the HSE serve as a valuable guide for fostering a supportive and resilient work environment.

HSE’s new Building Safety Regulator strategic plan: Transforming the built environment

by Building ManagementFeatured NewsSafety

A comprehensive overview of the strategic plan

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has released its strategic plan for the newly established Building Safety Regulator, outlining its mission, objectives, and detailed activities for the period from 2023 to 2026.

This plan represents a significant step in the transformation of building and fire safety regulations, following the tragic Grenfell Tower fire in 2017.

Mission and objectives

The Building Safety Regulator’s mission is to protect people and places, creating a built environment where competence and responsibility ensure high-quality, safe buildings.

This mission is particularly significant in the wake of past tragedies.

The Regulator aims to improve the safety and standards of all buildings, ensure the safety of residents in higher-risk buildings, and restore trust in the built environment sector.

Key areas of focus

Delivering consistent standards within the building control profession

The Building Safety Regulator’s strategic plan underscores the importance of establishing a regulated building control profession.

This initiative involves setting a common standard of competence and assuring the performance behaviors and outcomes of building control bodies.

The overarching goals are to improve competence standards and consistency, increase public confidence in building control, and establish a respected profession​​.

Overseeing and driving improvements across the built environment

Another focal area of the plan is to oversee and drive improvements across the built environment.

This involves identifying and assessing emerging risks to the safety and standard of all buildings, providing expert advice, producing technical standards, and promoting and improving competence standards essential to safety.

The Regulator will keep abreast of changes and trends within the built environment, developing a proactive understanding of innovation, new and emerging legacy issues, and their impact on building safety and standards​​.

Regulating the planning, design, and construction of new higher-risk buildings

The strategic plan also focuses on regulating the planning, design, and construction of new higher-risk buildings.

This includes ensuring fire safety is incorporated into the planning of new buildings and improving design and construction standards.

By doing so, the Regulator aims to ensure safer buildings and greater trust in safety​​.

Ensuring responsible management of higher-risk buildings

A crucial aspect of the plan is ensuring that those responsible for higher-risk buildings manage risks effectively to keep residents safe.

The Regulator will ensure that Accountable Persons identify the safety risks of fire spread and structural failure in their buildings and put in place proportionate measures to manage them safely.

This initiative aims to increase resident confidence and assure them when they move into a new higher-risk building and when work is carried out in their building​​.

Evaluation and performance

The plan includes a comprehensive evaluation and performance strategy, ensuring continuous review and adaptation of its approaches in response to emerging trends and insights.

IFSJ Comment

The HSE’s strategic plan for the Building Safety Regulator marks a pivotal moment in the quest for a safer, more responsible built environment.

By setting clear objectives and a robust performance framework, the plan targets future interventions and regulatory activities to prevent tragedies like Grenfell Tower.

The focus on consistent standards, risk assessment, and resident engagement underlines a proactive approach towards building safety.

This plan is not just a regulatory framework; it’s a blueprint for cultural change in the built environment, aiming to rebuild trust and ensure the safety and quality of buildings for future generations.

High-rise building residents’ safety perceptions and experiences detailed in new HSE report

by Building ManagementSafety

Understanding high-rise residents’ safety views and concerns

A new report from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) provides comprehensive insights into the perspectives of high-rise building (HRB) residents in England regarding building safety.

This study, managed by HSE’s Insight and Service Design Team, aimed to centralise residents’ viewpoints in the development of the new Building Safety Regulator (BSR), set to be operational in 2023.

The BSR’s establishment follows the Grenfell Tower fire of 2017 and the subsequent Hackitt Review.

It will ensure safe design, construction, and occupation of HRBs, mandating more extensive responsibilities for building owners and residents alike​​.

Research methods: blending qualitative and quantitative approaches

The research adopted a mixed-method approach, combining quantitative surveys with qualitative in-depth interviews and group discussions.

These methods were used to gather a representative sample of HRB residents’ experiences, attitudes, and behaviours concerning building safety.

The qualitative research, conducted by Kantar Public, and the quantitative survey, executed by BMG Research, collectively offer a contextual understanding of residents’ issues, interactions with building safety stakeholders, and views on BSR development​​.

Diversity in high-rise living experiences

The study found a diverse population residing in HRBs, with variations in age, income, employment, educational background, health, ethnicity, English language proficiency, and digital skills.

Building types, ownership, and management structures also varied greatly, impacting residents’ experiences significantly.

The research identified five distinct resident ‘typologies’ based on tenure, individual, and systemic factors, each with unique experiences and concerns​​.

Resident satisfaction and safety concerns

While most residents expressed satisfaction with their flats and buildings, fewer were content with their landlords, letting agents, or building management companies.

Common complaints included poor communication, lack of transparency, and delayed responses to issues.

The study also revealed that residents prioritised ‘day-to-day’ issues like health and safety concerns, basic utility problems, and service concerns over building safety issues due to their lower impact on daily life and infrequency​​.

Understanding of building safety

Residents generally understood ‘building safety’ as day-to-day security from threats like crime, anti-social behaviour, and broken facilities, rather than fire or structural safety issues.

However, when prompted, residents demonstrated a clearer understanding of fire safety, with 73% feeling responsible for it.

In contrast, only 33% felt responsible for structural safety, often seen as a technical issue outside their control​​.

Reporting safety concerns and resolution confidence

The process of reporting safety concerns varied in difficulty among residents, with 39% finding it easy and 38% finding it challenging.

Confidence in effectively resolving fire and structural safety problems was also mixed, with 65% feeling confident about fire safety resolutions and 59% about structural safety.

The quality of building management significantly influenced these perceptions​​.

Views on actions taken for building safety

Opinions were divided regarding the actions taken by building owners, management organisations, and the UK government to ensure fire and structural safety in HRBs since 2017.

Approximately a third of residents were uncertain, while 30% agreed and 29% disagreed that the right actions had been taken for building safety​​.

IFSJ Comment

The HSE’s comprehensive report on HRB residents’ safety perceptions and experiences offers critical insights into the challenges and concerns faced by those living in high-rise buildings.

The study’s findings highlight the complexity and diversity of residents’ experiences, shaped by various factors like building management models, ownership structures, and individual characteristics.

These insights are crucial for informing policy, operations, and communications related to the new Building Safety Regulator.

The report’s nuanced understanding of residents’ perspectives, ranging from satisfaction with living conditions to concerns over fire and structural safety, underscores the importance of tailored and effective communication and management strategies.

The development of the BSR, in response to the Grenfell Tower tragedy, marks a significant step towards ensuring safer living environments in HRBs.

This report not only contributes to shaping the future of building safety regulations but also serves as a reminder of the ongoing need to address the complex and varied needs of HRB residents.

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.