Health, safety & environment

An independent safety body has highlighted two incidents where a casual approach to maintenance work nearly caused a fire. Both cases were discovered by a fire and rescue service and were caught just in time. What happened?

Study of medical staff. A recent study of 28,000 nurses in Sweden aimed to evaluate whether long-term night and shift work patterns had an impact on type 2 diabetes and hypertension. Conclusion. Frequent spells of more than three night shifts in a row and the cumulative effects of permanent nightwork were associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, but not necessarily hypertension. ...

Lyme disease is a ‘flu-like illness caused by bacteria and transmitted to humans through the bite of infected ticks. It poses a significant health risk, especially for those working outdoors. What can you do to protect your workers?

Whilst it is well documented that poor mental health raises absenteeism in the workplace, it is becoming recognised that it may be having another negative impact - a rise in workplace injuries. Why is this, and can you do anything to reduce the risk?

A company has been fined £400,000 after an employee was seriously injured while carrying out a routine task at its chemicals site in Scotland. What were the circumstances of the event, could it have been prevented or the severity of the injury reduced?

Who is there to support the supporters? If you provide a mental health first aider (MHFA) you may find that taking on people’s problems day after day can leave them drained and burnt-out. Confidentiality. An MHFA may feel that they are bound by confidentiality and cannot discuss how they feel. But holding very serious and in-depth discussions with staff will eventually have an impact. Tip. If you employ more than one MFHA, train them to talk to each other (keeping the details of the individuals involved anonymous). Tip. Encourage MHFAs to set aside a monthly date and time in their diary to use an employee assistance programme (if you have one) to talk to a trained expert. If not, allow your MHFA time to process their experiences. Tip. A normal first aider may also need this level of support, especially if they have dealt with a traumatic accident in the workplace. ...