Lawford Kidd's Blog

The European Commission has welcomed the definitive adoption by the EU's Council of Ministers of measures to better protect workers from risks linked to exposure to chemicals at the workplace.

Every day millions of EU workers are potentially exposed to hazardous chemicals in a wide range of employment sectors including manufacturing and service industries, agriculture, health care and education.

The new rules will ensure that the requirements of the five Directives, which protect workers when using chemicals, are brought in line with the recently introduced new rules for the supply of chemicals.

The issue of building site safety is never far from the spotlight, with the Health and Safety Executive frequently running initiatives designed to highlight the risks that can occur in this type of work, and how these risks can be best managed.

However, despite these best efforts, too many employers continue to ignore the advice and examples of best practice available, and as a result workers continue to suffer serious or life-threatening injuries at work.

Worker suffers broken back

In one recent example a Cardiff-based worker was lucky to escape with his life after falling seven metres from a roof and breaking his back.

The Government's response to Sir Bruce Keogh's recommendations for overhauling the cosmetic treatment industry is welcome as far as it goes, but overall is ""too little, too late" according to the patient safety charity, Action against Medical Accidents (AvMA).

AvMA has had to advise and support people who have been harmed by sub-standard cosmetic treatment, and submitted evidence to Sir Bruce's review.

Whilst the Government has accepted the vast majority of Sir Bruce's report "in principle", it has not committed to full regulation of the industry or ensuring appropriate avenues for redress for patients who have been harmed.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has turned its attention to the issue of forestry safety, and is holding a Safety and Health Awareness Day to highlight the specific health and safety issues affecting workers in the forestry industry.

The day will cover issues relating to the use of forestry machinery and forestry chainsaw work, directional felling including the use of hydraulic wedges and bottle jacks, hand-arm and whole body vibration, and public access issues.

One of the most dangerous industries

The HSE warns that forestry is still one of the most dangerous occupations in Great Britain, and treework alone is responsible for 38 work related fatalities over the past ten years.

The latest Department for Transport road casualty statistics have shown a welcome decrease in the overall number of deaths and serious injuries in the year ending September 2013.

However, despite the decrease, the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) is concerned that two-wheeled road users are still a growing risk and must be given even greater priority for investment and education.

The figures show that: