What's new at HSE » Risk

Safety advisers need accreditation, HSE chair says

HSE — Fri, 03 Jul 2009 10:45:11 +0000

Health and safety advisers need accreditation to ensure they meet appropriate standards of professional competence, the Chair of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has said.

View Safety advisers need accreditation press release

Myth of the month - July 2009

HSE — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 09:00:47 +0000

Dispelling the health and safety myth: Health and safety is a threat to village fetes

People often assume that the rules are so complex they make it too much effort to organise an event. But when managed sensibly, health and safety shouldn’t (and doesn’t) stop things happening.

View the July 2009 myth of the month

COSHH - Risk assessments

HSE — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 14:37:50 +0000

HSE have compiled a set of example Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) risk assessments for some industries. You can use these to get ideas for completing assessments in your company. They include a paving company, die caster, warehouse, DIY store…

View the COSHH example risk assessments

Risk management website - rebranded

HSE — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 15:26:47 +0000

The risk management website has been relaunched - New design, better navigation, how to make an risk assessment, example risk assessment…

View the rebranded Risk management site

Staff Protection & Wellbeing 09

HSE — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 06:59:11 +0000

Staff Protection & Wellbeing 09, London, 19 October will take place on the first day of the 2009 European Health and Safety Week. The event will bring together public-sector organisations to share good practice, common health and safety concerns, aims and objectives. Judith Hackitt CBE, Chair of HSE will also be present.

Staff Protection & Wellbeing 09 further information and booking details

Sign up safely - Free event

HSE — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 11:22:24 +0000

Barnsley, 30 June 2009. HSE and The British Sign & Graphics Association free safety and health awareness day, looking at health and safety in the sign manufacturing industry. The event features demonstrations of access equipment, as well as talks on: working at height, manual handling, COSHH and risk assessments.

Booking and full event details

The Health and Safety of Great Britain - New HSE Strategy

HSE — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 10:34:25 +0000

HSE has published it’s new Strategy: “The Health and Safety of Great Britain \\ Be part of the solution” - visit the Strategy website to download the Strategy and listen to the HSE Chair’s summary of the Strategy.

Visit the HSE Strategy site

New research - surprising attitudes towards health and safety

HSE — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 10:30:14 +0000

New research demonstrates that employers and workers recognise that providing a safe workplace makes sound commercial sense. HSE has launched a new strategy, Be Part of the Solution, designed to reduce the number of workplace accidents and take a common sense approach.

View the New Strategy press release

You can’t wear flip-flops to work

HSE — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 13:00:14 +0000

During the summer, many of us think about wearing sandals or flip-flops to work to help us stay cool. Despite recent reports to the contrary, health and safety law doesn’t ban them.

Find out more about this myth

Employer safety warning after child falls from raised vehicle ramp

HSE — Thu, 28 May 2009 13:40:01 +0000

HSE in Wales is warning employers to ensure they fully assess risk to employees and others, after an incident at a garage in Rhondda where a child fell six feet from a raised vehicle ramp.

View child falls from raised vehicle ramp press release

RRAC - need to tackle an “epidemic of fear”

HSE — Tue, 26 May 2009 09:55:16 +0000

The independent Risk and Regulation Advisory Council has published its recommendations to the Prime Minister in its report, Response with responsibility: Policy-making for public risk in the 21st Century. The report looks at how distorted perceptions of risks can encourage poor policy-making and unnecessary laws, leading people to feel that Government is interfering too much in their lives.

Find out more about this report

Understanding and influencing farmers’ attitudes

HSE — Tue, 12 May 2009 09:30:07 +0000

Agriculture has the highest rate of fatal accidents of all UK industries. This study has examined farmers’ attitudes, and the underlying influences, to identify how these might be changed to help improve safety in the industry.

View research report

Myth: Ice cream toppings have been banned for safety reasons

HSE — Fri, 01 May 2009 06:55:40 +0000

We were recently surprised to hear that ice cream toppings had been banned amid health and safety fears. This rumour came from an ice cream parlour giving out extra toppings in separate containers, instead of pouring them over the ice cream. They were concerned that people might slip on any spills.

Find out more about this myth

Refurbishment warning: control risks, protect workers and public

HSE — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 06:30:44 +0000

HSE has warned construction employers and developers that the risks on refurbishment sites must be controlled to protect the safety of both workers and the public. The warning follows the prosecution of a developer after the collapse of a building which was undergoing refurbishment.

View developer prosecuted after building under refurbishment collapses press release

RR702 - Integrating risk concepts into undergraduate engineering courses

HSE — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 06:33:51 +0000

This report describes a joint project conducted by HSL and the University of Liverpool Engineering Department to integrate risk concepts into their undergraduate engineering course.

Read RR702: Integrating risk concepts into undergraduate engineering courses

Myth: People don’t have to take any responsibility for their own health and safety

HSE — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 07:35:17 +0000

Reality: We all have a duty to keep ourselves safe, by co-operating with safety measures and not putting ourselves or others in danger. This is just common sense - something we all use every day.

Myth of the month - April 2009

HSE Podcast - March episode

HSE — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 09:27:43 +0000

Audio broadcasts from HSE. This episode: Dr. Sayeed Khan talks about worker employer relationships and occupational stress, and highlights the benefits of the new HSE Stress at work site. Judith Donovan reports on the successes of the recent HSE Agriculture campaign. Question to HSE Infoline: “How do I write a risk assessment?”

Listen online, download or subscribe to the HSE podcast

Myth: Health and safety rules take the adventure out of playgrounds

HSE — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 12:27:20 +0000

We’re all for playgrounds being exciting and challenging places. Children should have fun in them, get fit, develop social skills and learn how to handle risks.

Myth of the month - March 2009

Flash-bang science back in the classroom

HSE — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 08:00:42 +0000

School science teachers are urged to stop using a fear of breaking health and safety rules to re-introduce exciting and engaging practical classroom demonstrations.

Read the press release in full

Myth of the month - Pancake races banned!

HSE — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 13:14:19 +0000

Health and safety requirements were given as the reason that a pancake race couldn’t take place last year.

Find out why this is a myth