Neal's Notes March 2006

ABSENCE COSTS UK ECONOMY £12 BILLION EVERY YEAR


Lord Hunt of Kings Heath has underlined the cost of sickness absence to the British economy. The latest estimate puts the cost to the economy at around £12 billion per year, with absenteeism in the private sector making up around £8 billion of the total. Addressing a Human Resources Director summit Lord Philip Hunt said,
"The workplace in the 21st century is a fast paced, dynamic and highly stimulating environment. It brings a number of benefits and opportunities, however, with these benefits comes new risks. Sickness absence and return to work policies are only worth having if they have the full support of directors and top-level managers. After all, leadership starts from the top."
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE), Department for Work and Pension (DWP) and Department of Health (DH) recently launched a new strategy, Health Work and Well-Being, aimed at tackling sickness absence across the public and private sectors to improve the occupational health of the British workforce. Stress is among the biggest problems in British workplaces, with the cost to the British economy being estimated at £3.7 billion per year, but added to this figure is the immeasurable amount of personal cost that stress and economic inactivity brings.
HSE's stress management standards, launched in 2004, give employers some simple steps to follow to identify stress at an early stage and a simple guide to possible measures that can be taken to reduce the problem before it gets to the point of staff absence. The management standards were designed in consultation with industry, trade unions, HR professionals and key academics.
Employers and employees are encouraged to work in partnership to solve issues of occupational ill health. A joined up approach is vital if absenteeism is to be reduced and potential future problems identified early and addressed.
Lord Hunt continued,
"The management standards are key to bringing about change and are vital if we are to continue improving the fabric of our society as an inclusive and prosperous nation and continue ensuring that individuals have access to fulfilling employment in a healthy and safe working environment."

SORTING SLIPS AND TRIPS IN CONSTRUCTION

"If you see it - sort it"
is the message from Stephen Williams, the Chief Inspector of Construction at the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), as construction inspectors begin a nationwide inspection programme targeting building sites with poor housekeeping.
Inspectors will visit approximately 1000 sites - of all sizes - as part of the 'Watch Your Step' good order initiative. The aim is to raise the industry's awareness of the potentially serious consequences of untidy sites and therefore to reduce the number of slips and trips in construction. Every year the construction industry reports over 3,000 slip or trip incidents. In 2004/5(p) more than 1,000 of these resulted in a worker fracturing or dislocating a bone, two of these incidents resulted in fatalities. Speaking from the St. Pancras station project, Channel Tunnel Rail Link (CTRL), a site using best practice to manage good order issues through its Take 15 campaign, Stephen Williams, stressed to the industry;
"It is time to change. Most slip or trip incidents can be avoided if everyone on site does their bit to make the workplace safer. So if you see it - sort it."

Mike Williams, the HSE Principal Inspector whose area includes the St. Pancras site, advised principal contractors to consider how they manage their sites to ensure that they are kept in good order.
"In London 409 slip and trip injuries were reported in 2004/05(p); however, due to under-reporting, HSE suspects the actual figure may be much higher
. "Walkways and storage areas should be designated and kept clear from obstructions. Pathways should be level and firm and arrangements should be made to remove waste from work areas. Employees have a role too, they should keep work areas as clear as possible of unnecessary materials and waste."
A 'toolbox talk' pack featuring a 5 minute DVD "Watch your step, a toolbox talk for construction", a supporting good order on site booklet and a poster, is available free from HSE Books, tel 01787 881165 or to download http://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/slips/index.htm

PATIENT SAFETY AND HEALTH AND SAFETY: TWO SIDES OF THE SAME COIN: HEALTH AND SAFETY MINISTER ADDRESSES PATIENT SAFETY 2006

"The safety of patients and staff is paramount,"
Lord Hunt, Minister for health and safety said today.
"The costs of getting it wrong are unacceptable, both morally and economically."
Addressing healthcare staff and patient safety experts at the National Patient Safety Agency's (NPSA) event 'Patient Safety 2006', Lord Hunt pointed out:
"Injuries from incidents such as falls account for around a third of patient injuries. For health services staff, 54% of major reported injuries are due to slips, trips and falls, compared with 34% across all employment sectors. Given that the vast majority of such injuries result in broken bones, the costs to the health services in staff absence are phenomenal, while those injured endure a great deal of pain and suffering."
"The slips and trips example illustrates the synergy between patient safety and health and safety,"
Lord Hunt continued.
"Whether the risks are to patient safety or staff, our two organisations are promulgating the same messages. The effective management of risk. Good health and safety, and patient safety, must be integral to good business management."
Lord Hunt continued:
"The NPSA is still relatively young. HSE has a longer history, and can demonstrate that its approaches work. The last 30 years have seen significant reductions in the rate of fatal injuries to workers. A recent report stated that half of the incidents to patients could have been prevented. I hope that the successes of health and safety will give you faith that inroads into patient incident rates can be similarly reduced."
One in ten admitted patients experience some form of harm, costing the NHS £2 billion, while 40 million working days are lost to UK businesses as a result of occupational ill health and injury, costing £12 billion a year. Lord Hunt spoke about key strategies aimed at taking forward improvements in these statistics. Referring to the importance of the Government's Health, Work and Well-being Strategy, he outlined its vision in achieving a society where: the health and well-being of people of working age is given the attention it deserves; healthcare services meet the needs of people of working age so they can remain in, or ease their return to work; work offers opportunities to promote individual health and well-being, and access to and retention of work promotes and improves the overall health of the population. Lord Hunt concluded his presentation:
"Both HSE and NPSA are key to engaging those who can really make the difference in health and safety and patient safety, and will continue together to ensure that the lessons are learnt to reduce the toll of incidents. A safe workplace, is a happy workplace for staff, better able to care for patients, and so a safer environment for them too. The two organisations have a great deal to offer to ensure that this is achieved."

EGG CARTON MANUFACTURER FINED £50,000 OVER ASBESTOS

Following its successful prosecution of Omni-Pac (UK) Ltd, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) reminds everyone of the dangers of asbestos. The Great Yarmouth based company was fined a total of £50,000 and ordered to pay prosecution costs of £86,000 at Norwich Crown Court, after pleading guilty to breaching health and safety law. This criminal case follows an investigation by HSE into the condition of asbestos containing materials (ACMs) at the firm's site in South Denes Road in October 2003.
Following the hearing, Paul Carter, HSE investigating inspector, said:
"Asbestos is the single greatest cause of work-related death; breathing in asbestos fibres can lead to serious diseases, including cancer. This case demonstrates that HSE takes the failure to properly manage the risks from asbestos extremely seriously. Businesses need to ensure that they are complying with the law.
"Omni-pac failed to maintain the asbestos containing materials throughout the site, particularly in those areas at high level that were not readily visible. The company failed to adhere to its own procedures and consequently people could have been exposed asbestos over a long period of time."
Air samples showed a high level of asbestos at Omni-Pac. The primary source of contamination was from damaged and poorly maintained asbestos insulation on top of dryers used to produce the finished papier-mâché egg cartons. Omni-pac pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing, held at Great Yarmouth Magistrates' Court on Monday, November 7. The company admitted breaches of Sections 2(1) and 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, with respect to the company's duties both to its employees and to others who were affected by the way it conducted its undertaking. The company was fined £25,000 for each breach.
Asbestos is the single greatest cause of work-related deaths in Great Britain. Around 3,500 deaths each year. Inhalation of asbestos fibres can lead to serious diseases such as lung cancer, mesothelioma (cancer of the lining of the chest or abdominal wall) and asbestosis (an irreversible scarring of the lungs that causes a decrease in lung function).

NEW TIMETABLE FOR CONSTRUCTION DESIGN REGULATIONS

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has announced the revised Construction (Design and Management) (CDM) Regulations would be implemented in Spring 2007. The Regulations will revise and bring together provisions in the existing CDM Regulations 1994 and the Construction (Health Safety and Welfare) (CHSW) Regulations 1996 into a single regulatory package. In response to the three-month consultation exercise the Health and Safety Commission (HSC) has agreed to postpone implementation from 1 October 2006. The new timetable has the support of the Construction Industry Advisory Committee (CONIAC) CDM Review Working group. Stephen Williams, HSE's Chief Inspector of Construction said:
"The revised CDM Regulations will replace the two key sets of existing regulations. When we began our review of those regulations, the HSC set us some important and challenging objectives. HSE and its partners believe we are well on the way to producing a set of replacement Regulations which will achieve those objectives, but we would be selling ourselves short if we rushed our proposals through.
"We need more time to make sure we get the changes right and the industry also needs to have adequate time to familiarise itself with the finalized CDM package.
Stephen Ratcliffe from the Construction Confederation said:
"We recognize the importance of getting these changes right. Moving the proposed implementation date forward gives us more time to prepare guidance for our members, and this will form an important part of the overall package."
HSC discussed a report on the emerging findings of the consultation at its open meeting in December 2005, and decided the new regulations should be supported by an Approved Code of Practice (ACoP) and industry-produced guidance. To give industry time to plan and prepare for the regulatory changes, HSE intends to make a final draft of the ACoP available 3 months in advance of the Regulations coming into force. In the meantime HSE will be working with the industry to co-ordinate production of industry-specific guidance as agreed by the HSC.

1 "Revision of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations (CDM) 1994, Construction (Health, Safety and Welfare) (CHSW) Regulations 1996, Approved Code of Practice (ACoP) and Guidance". 2005 Consultative Document CD200, published by HSE see http://www.hse.gov.uk/consult/condocs/cd200.htm
2 CONIAC advises HSC on the protection of people at work and others from hazards to health and safety within the building, civil engineering, engineering and construction industries. CONIAC was reconstituted at the beginning of 2004, with a smaller membership and a new approach. The new approach reflects the desire of HSC to work in partnership with intermediary groups in the construction industry and to take forward the new HSC Strategy.
CONIAC has six sub groups to take forward its workplan. These sub groups align closely with the aims of the Construction Divisions Priority Programme.
  • Designer Working Party
  • Safety Working Party
  • Working Well Together Steering Group
  • Occupational Health Working Party
  • Worker Engagement Working Party
  • CDM Regulations Review Working Party
See http://www.hse.gov.uk/aboutus/hsc/iacs/coniac/index.htm "Revitalising Health and Safety in Construction". 2002 Discussion Document, published by HSE, see http://www.hse.gov.uk/consult/2002.htm

EurOhse 2006 Masterclasses

http://www.eurohse2006.com
EurOHSE Masterclass on Training of emergency planning teams presented by Les Moseley and Eve Coles on 24th May 2006 at the Royal National Hotel , Russell Square, London.
The Masterclass aims to show what is needed to train teams in emergency planning. It builds on existing knowledge and skills in emergency planning that should be in place within the framework of managing health and safety at work.
Learning Objectives
At the completion of the Masterclass participants will have:
  • increased their own knowledge of current practice in emergency planning
  • know-how to consult and train staff in establishing and communicating a clear policy throughout the organisation
  • the knowledge /ability to be able to incorporate in the appropriate management structures and reporting the objectives to be achieved
  • developed a planned approach to emergency planning informed by risk assessment and supported by standards, targets and knowledge of available tools to assist
  • know-how to be able to periodically review performance against policy objectives and targets to ensure lessons learned are fed back into the risk management system and communicated to all staff

The Masterclass is aimed at:
OSH managers, directors and others responsible for Emergency Planning Teams, risk managers and emergency and business continuity planners in industry, commerce and local and central government.

Presenters

  • Les Moseley is Director of the Coventry Centre for Disaster Management and Course Leader for the professional diploma course in Emergency Planning. Before joining Coventry University, Les spent 16 years in the British Fire Service and 14 years working in Emergency Planning. Immediately before joining the University he was Chief Emergency Planning Officer and Principal Officer with the West Midlands Fire & Civil Defence Authority and prior to this, County Emergency Planning Officer for Warwickshire County Council. Les is a Fellow of the Institute of Civil Defence and Disaster Studies, a Graduate Member of the Institution of Fire Engineers and a Member of the Emergency Planning Society. Les’ recent research contracts have included Emergency Preparedness in Qatar and an assessment of the Swedish Rescue Service Agency’s response during the Asian Tsunami. He is also an advisor to the International Civil Defence Organisation and the World Health Organisation and regularly supports them in education initiatives worldwide. Les is also a regular contributor to the local and national media and recently appeared on BBC2’s ‘If the lights go out’ and ‘Terror Alert’ on Sky One.
    Les is Director of the Coventry Centre for Disaster Management and Programme Manager for the professional diploma courses including the Diploma in Business Continuity Management. He is a Fellow of the Institute of Civil Defence and Disaster Studies, a Graduate Member of the Institution of Fire Engineers and a Member of the Emergency Planning Society. He is an advisor to the International Civil Defence Organisation and the World Health Organisation and regularly supports them in education initiatives worldwide as well as carrying out worldwide consultancies. Les is also a regular contributor to the local and national media.

  • Eve Coles is module leader at the University of Coventry for a level 2 module in Crisis Management, level 3 modules in Organisational Management in Disaster Relief and Disaster Studies, and a postgraduate level module in Emergency Management Studies. She is also responsible for the Diploma in Business Continuity Management and modules in Risk Assessment for Emergency Planners and Business Continuity for the Public Sector on the Diploma in Emergency Planning. She also contributes to a module at level 1 in Disaster theory, Research methods at level 3 and other postgraduate modules. Eve originally trained as a teacher at Margaret McMillian College of Education, Bradford gaining a Certificate of Education. She is a graduate in Social Studies from the University of Bradford and is registered for her Ph.D at the University of Durham. Eve has presented papers at many conferences and written books, reports and articles.

EurOhse 2006 Masterclasses will provide key points for future activities for all those responsible for securing good standards of health and safety in the workplace, and excellent networking opportunities.
The first three Masterclasses will be held in May 2006 in the Edward V11 Suite, Royal National Hotel, Russell Square London, details as follows: Places will be limited for these interactive Masterclasses . make sure that you have a place and make http://www.eurohse2006.com/front-end/booking.htm your reservation now!

SPECIAL REGISTRATION OFFER

The cost per Masterclass is £295.
If you register for 2 Masterclass events you will receive a 10% discount. If you register for 4 or more Masterclass events you will receive a 20% discount For further details regarding the content of the Masterclasses contact the programme organiser Sheila Pantry at Tel: +44 (0) 1909 771024 or Email: sp@sheilapantry.com For further details regarding booking a place contact
EurOhse 2006 Office and Logistics Manager
European Occupational Health and Safety Magazine (EurOhs)
Angel Business Communications Ltd
34 Warwick Road
Kenilworth CV8 1HE
Warwickshire, UK
Tel: +44 (0) 1926 512424 Fax: +44 (0) 1926 512948 Email: Questions? Please call our customer service line on: +44(0)1926 512424 or email us at jesse@angelbc.co.uk http://www.eurohse2006.com

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