News from around the World

News Archive

December 2018

HSE says “Stay safe in the festive season”

HSE have health and safety advice and guidance across a variety of seasonal topics...

With many temporary and seasonal jobs being filled at this time of year, it is important that employers ensure these workers understand their health and safety responsibilities.

Meanwhile, a combination of less daylight, wet leaves becoming slippery, and cold or freezing temperatures can lead to an increase in accidents. See our bad weather advice here.

It is also well worth noting that while the festive party season is well underway, the misuse of alcohol can lead to accidents at work

Please have a Safe, Healthy and Happy Christmas and New Year!

Event: 7th Ship Recycling Congress 2019

30-31 January 2018, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

5 Reasons Why You Can’t Miss 7th Ship Recycling Congress 2019 taking place on 30-31 January 2019!

Around 840 ships were scrapped worldwide last year, according to the latest figures from the NGO Shipbreaking Platform. Experts coming to Amsterdam to answer: what’s next for ship recyclers?

Hear the answers and meet the senior executives and experts from the industry.

ACI’s 7th Ship Recycling Congress will bring together senior executives and experts from ship owners, ship operator, ship yards, major associations, cash buyers, green owners, class societies, to discuss the latest changes, challenges and developments within the industry.

The two-day event will give you an insight into the latest updates on the EU Regulation 1257/2013, sustainable ship recycling, IMO Hong Kong convention, the global market overview, the Inventory Hazardous Materials, RSRS, and many more.

Contact: Mado Lampropoulou | Email: mlampropoulou@acieu.net | Tel: +44 (0) 203 141 0607

Events: TUC Organising Academy 2019 Course Programme, January – May 2019

The TUC had a very strong response for the Organising Academy Award and Diploma courses so have scheduled two new courses at The Manchester College.

The Organising Academy Award in Supporting Organising

This course is for those union staff members in administrative and other support roles who would benefit from a deeper understanding of core organising practices and their implications for the way that unions operate. For many reps and members, this may be the only contact they have with paid union staff. This course, over three days, gives support colleagues the skills and knowledge needed to support organising work.

The course covers:

• understanding organising
• working with members
• effective communication.

Date: 12-14 March 2019

The Organising Academy Diploma in Organising

This course is for union officers who would like to take up an organising role or have been undertaking an organising role within their union. Set over 16 days, the course explores the key skills and knowledge required to run successful organising campaigns.

The course covers:

• essential skills for organising
• research for organising
• campaigning
• developing the organising team

Dates:

• Module 1 – 28-31 January 2019
• Module 2 – 25-28 February 2019
• Module 3 – 25-28 March 2019
• Module 4 – 29 April - 2 May 2019

If you would like to nominate members of staff for attendance at either of these Organising Academy courses, please email Martin Hegarty at mhegarty@tuc.org.uk

Events: HSE Training courses in February 2019

• Future of Gas II Part of the Safety Excellence in Energy Series – Mon 4 - Tue 5
• Behaviour Change: Achieving Health & Safety Culture Excellence – Tue 5 - Wed 6
• HSE Inspectors’ Guide to Risk Assessment (Manchester) – Tue 5
• Noise – Occupational Noise Control Workshop (Manchester) – Tue 5
• Asbestos – Managing asbestos in domestic* and non-domestic premises – Thurs 7
• Ergonomics – Mon 11 - Fri 15
• Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome (HAVS) – Tue 12 - Wed 13
• Human Factors in Accident and Incident Investigations – Tue 12 - Wed 13
• Slips and Trips – Falls Prevention – Tue 12
• Stair Assessment – Wed 13
• NEBOSH HSE Certificate in Health and Safety Leadership Excellence (Manchester) – Thurs 14
• Manual Handling for Assessors – Wed 27
• Hazardous Area Classification for Gases and Liquids – Thurs 28
• Site and Transport Safety – Thurs 28

If you are interested in attending one of HSE’s courses, but the advertised dates are not suitable, please do drop HSE an email at training@hsl.gsi.gov.uk

Web: https://www.hsl.gov.uk/training.aspx

Event: Children and Young People’s Mental Health – from early Intervention to Improved Services

12 February 2019, Mary Ward House Conference & Exhibition Centre, London, UK

Reports of children and adolescents’ issues with mental health hit the headlines far too often. A total of 389,727 under-19s have an active referral – the highest figure ever.

At our sixth event in a series of conferences on this issue, Children and Young People’s Mental Health: From Early Intervention to Improved Services, will address how services can be improved.

Topics covered will include:

• NAO review of mental health services for children and young people
• Early intervention
• Social media
• Better integration of services
• Transitioning to adult services

Contact Tom Lawson on Tel: +44 (0) 161 376 9007 or www.openforumevents.co.uk/events/2019/children-and-young-peoples-mental-health-from-early-intervention-to-improved-services

Event: Tackling Dangerous Dog Attacks – Protecting the Public and Securing Animal Welfare

27 February 2019, Central London, UK

Hospital admissions caused by dog attacks have increased by 81 percent, from 4,110 to 7,461 since 2005 (EFRA, 2018). Since the introduction of the UK’s landmark Dangerous Dogs Act (1991) there have been 67 recorded fatalities, 37 of which occurred between 2005 and 2015 (Office of National Statistics, 2016). Fatalities and injuries have continued despite the imposition of a unique ban on certain breeds of dog.

Following the introduction of the 1991 Act, a number of new measures have been introduced to help tackle the issue. The Dangerous Dogs (Amendment) Act (1997) removed the mandatory destruction provisions on banned breeds and provided courts with more discretion to decide whether a dangerous dog should be euthanized. The Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act (2014) extended owners’ criminal liability to include attacks committed on private property, as well as substantially increasing judges’ sentencing powers. Local authorities and police forces may also issue Community Protection Notices (CPN) to help curb instances of irresponsible dog ownership.

Critics have claimed that the existing legislative framework undermines animal welfare with little or no positive effect on public safety. In particular, the ‘breed specific’ nature of the existing law has come under scrutiny. 74 percent of canine behavioural experts surveyed in 2016 by Battersea Dogs and Cats Home agreed that, ‘breed was either not important at all or only slightly important in determining dog aggression levels’. Moreover, 70 percent of dog-related deaths have been caused by non-prohibited breeds (EFRA, 2018). In 2018 the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA) select committee concluded a full-scale inquiry into the existing Breed Specific Legislation. Although the review stopped short of calling for a repeal of the current law, it did recommend the creation of new powers of early intervention as well as further departmental review in 2019.

This timely symposium will provide a critical forum for dog control specialists, local authorities, policing officials, dog behavioural experts and campaigners to develop a shared vision for controlling dangerous dogs and reducing the risk of future dog attacks. Delegates will also generate local strategies to promote responsible dog ownership and share best practices for protecting local communities from out of control dogs.

Conference website and brochure, including the full event programme: www.publicpolicyexchange.co.uk/events/JB27-PPE

Event: IIRSM Risk Excellence Awards 2019

22 May 2019, Church House, Westminster, London

Celebrating risk excellence – protecting profits and reputations, and more importantly lives.

Awards timetable:

• 28 February 2019 – Awards submission deadline
• 25 March 2019 – Finalists announced
• 22 May 2019 – Awards and Networking Dinner

Contact: holly.mulvihill@iorsm.org | Tel: +44 (0)20 8741 9100 | www.iirsm.org/awards2019

ITUC 4th World Congress held in Copenhagen on 2 December 2018

International Trade Union Confederation 4th World Congress opened in Copenhagen on 2nd December 2018 to a jubilant display of sound and colour, complete with indoor pyrotechnics, made for an exhilarating launch to the “Global Workers’ Parliament”.

Over 1200 trade unionists, representing workers from 132 countries, gathered for the opening ceremony at the Bella Center in Denmark’s capital. They were greeted by a celebration of the global labour movement featuring artistic performances inspired by the regions of the world.

Speakers included Prime Minister of Denmark Lars Løkke Rasmussen, the Lord Mayor of Copenhagen Frank Jensen and International Labour Organization Director-General Guy Ryder.

More information: https://www.ituc-csi.org/Opening-Cermony-ITUC-Congress-2018

Australia: Emergency workers in suicidal thoughts crisis

Police and other emergency service workers in Australia report suicidal thoughts twice as often as other adults and are three times more likely to have a suicide plan, a study has found.

The research found one in three emergency service workers experience high or very high psychological distress compared to one in eight Australian adults. A further three in four first responders who made a claim for psychological injury due to their work found the current workers’ compensation process to be “detrimental to their recovery.”

More information: https://www.tuc.org.uk/news/tuc-risks-878-8-december-2019#_Toc531701048

Avoid Tragedy and be vigilant with workplace transport

26 workers were killed in 2017-18 as a result of being struck by a moving vehicle.

HSE’s website has a vehicle and transport safety at work section with advice on how to help prevent accidents, by assessing and managing vehicle and driver safety – wherever you work.

There are also plenty of resources relating to workplace transport.

HSE recently prosecuted a courier service company after an agency worker was hit and run over by a fork lift truck, they were fined £120,000.

Tackling Stress

Tackling work-related stress is one of HSE’s health priorities – and if it’s something you are also taking action on, then take a look at HSE’s website for information and guidance on the right approach to take.

If you have decided that the Management Standards approach is the way you need to go, then you may be interested to know that HSE has developed an online version of the Stress Indicator Tool.

The Management Standards approach suggests using a survey as one (but not the only) source of information on whether work-related stress appears to be a potential problem for your workforce – HSE’s Stress Indicator Tool is an evidence-based survey consisting of 35 questions about ‘working conditions’ known to be potential causes of work- related stress, which correspond to the six Management Standards.

There is a free version available on HSE’s website, but HSE Publications and Products has also produced a software version of the Stress Indicator Tool that allows you to customise elements of the survey and run it online. Example online survey.

As soon as the survey is complete, the software analyses the responses and automatically generates a detailed report of the results, as well as a number of tables and charts. The report also highlights priority areas for action and suggests the next steps that can be taken to address them. An example report. [PDF]

More support for Usdaw’s injured workers campaign

The British Safety Council has become the latest organisation to back Usdaw’s Justice for Injured Workers Campaign, which seeks to stop the government from forcing more workers into the small claims court.

The government proposes to double the threshold for employer liability cases taken in the small claims court to those likely to be settled for £2,000 or less. British Safety Council policy director Dave Parr said: “Wherever employers are found to be negligent in the management of health and safety, there should be accountability. Workers should not be prevented from pursuing redress whenever they sustain a workplace injury or ill-health through no fault of their own simply because of financial limitations.”

More information: https://www.tuc.org.uk/news/tuc-risks-878-8-december-2019#_Toc531701035

Global: World of false promises on occupational health

The UN agencies with a role in occupational health and safety have been given monumental tasks but only trivial budgets, a new analysis has found.

The authors, members of the occupational health experts group the Collegium Ramazzini, warn that the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the International Labour Organisation (ILO) have limited capacity to press for the changes necessary and are further compromised by interference from ‘vested interests’.

More information: https://www.tuc.org.uk/news/tuc-risks-878-8-december-2019#_Toc531701046

Industry wants big boost in occupational health capability

Britain’s manufacturers are urging the government to use its review of occupational health provision in the UK to ensure all companies have access to an occupational health service (OHS).

Manufacturers’ group EEF said this should be part of a wider ‘overarching strategy’. The call came on the back of a major survey of work and health by EEF and specialist insurance broker Howden. EEF said its research shows that whilst the vast majority of employers are providing their employees with access to OHS, many are still falling short on record keeping and risk control measures. The survey also found the waiting time for surgery or health investigations, tests and recovery from surgery remains the biggest cause of work-related absence, followed by stress.

More information: https://www.tuc.org.uk/news/tuc-risks-877-1-december-2018#_Toc531181848

When it gets busy, logistics firms should take care of workers

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has called on employers to look after the health and safety of warehouse staff and delivery drivers at particularly busy times of year.

In an article ahead of Black Friday for the trade publication HSS Magazine, HSE’s Michael Paton wrote: “Staff across Britain are expected to work longer hours to cope with demand – whether that’s those in shops dealing with customers, warehouse staff lifting and moving heavy parcels or delivery drivers on the road for hours on end.”

More information: https://www.tuc.org.uk/news/tuc-risks-877-1-december-2018#_Toc531181846

ITUC and ETUC Call for Strong ILO Convention on Gender-based Violence

The European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) and the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) are calling on governments and employers to stop playing games with working women’s lives and back a strong and inclusive international labour standard on violence and harassment in the world of work.

The call comes on the UN’s International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, which takes place on 25 November every year.

“We know that some EU governments are looking to water down text that was agreed this year” said Montserrat Mir, Confederal Secretary of the ETUC. “We hope they will change course. With support from Governments, violence against women in the world of work, can be wiped out by employers, unions and union members.

“An ILO Convention could be put into EU and national law and require all workplaces to have procedures for dealing with violence and harassment, give the victims clearly stated rights and put in place sanctions against perpetrators.”

“Violence and harassment costs lives and livelihoods. It affects millions of women and their families” said Sharan Burrow, General Secretary of the ITUC. “Next year, the ILO has the opportunity to take a huge step towards a world of work free from violence and harassment. We are calling on governments and employers to join us in aiming high”.

The ETUC supports the International Trade Union Confederation which is campaigning for an ILO Convention to stop gender-based violence in the world of work to be adopted next year – during the centenary year of the ILO.

More information: https://www.ituc-csi.org/ituc-and-etuc-call-for-strong-ilo

Work-related cancers costs between 270 and 610 billion a year in the EU-28

A forthcoming book from the European Trade Union Institutes finds that work-related cancers costs between €270 and €610 billion a year in the EU-28. Occupational cancers are the primary cause of work-related deaths in industrialised societies, with more than 100,000 people losing their lives each year through being exposed to carcinogens in their workplace. Latest estimates set the share of work-related cancers at 8% of all new cancer cases (6 - 12% for men and 3 - 7% for women).

The book launched on 4th and 5th December 2018 in Brussels to coincide with an ETUI conference on “Women, Work and Cancer” is entitled “Cancer and Work”.

“These cancers are morally unacceptable, as they could easily have been avoided through adequate prevention measures”, says Laurent Vogel, senior researcher at the ETUI and co-editor of the book Cancer and work – Understanding occupational cancers and taking action to eliminate them.

“They are also unfair. Exposure to carcinogens at work are the cause of major social inequalities in health in Europe, as in the rest of the world. Labourers or nurses are much more likely to contract an occupational cancer than engineers or bankers. Indeed, a socio-occupational map can be drawn for the different types of cancer, tracing them back to these social inequalities”, comments Tony Musu, senior researcher at the ETUI and co-editor of the book.

The link between cancer and working conditions has been acknowledged and extensively documented in the scientific literature for more than two centuries, and several hundred carcinogens have been found to be present in workplaces. Levels of exposure to these carcinogens are a major source of social inequalities in health, moreover, since an individual’s risk of being diagnosed with a work-related cancer varies considerably depending on the position he or she occupies in the social hierarchy; the incidence is much higher for cleaners or construction workers than for managerial staff, for example.

When comparing the research budgets assigned to studying, respectively, genetic factors and occupational factors causing cancer, the former has considerable resources to it while the latter has to make do with ‘peanuts’, researchers found. In an article published in 2018, Aaron Blair and Lin Fritschi pointed out that, in the fifteen main scientific journals dedicated to cancer, the number of articles relating to occupational cancers “declined dramatically from around 80-90 per year from 1991-2003, to about 30 in 2009”.

The book Cancer and work – Understanding occupational cancers and taking action to eliminate them is being published at a particularly important moment in time, since the process of revising the EU’s acquis on the prevention of work-related cancers was relaunched in May 2016 after a protracted period of paralysis. It does not purport to be an exhaustive analysis of all of the factors discussed, but instead examines the current state of the art, practical examples of preventive action, legislative developments and the visibility of work-related cancers, particularly in the context of occupational disease compensation systems. Its aim is to further feed the ongoing debate and promote discussion of an ambitious strategy for eliminating work-related cancers.

This book is a collaborative effort and the result of over 20 years of cooperation between the ETUI, researchers in a variety of disciplines and trade union networks.

More information: https://www.etui.org/Events/Conference-Women-Work-and-Cancer

Exiting the EU: The financial settlement – follow-up report

This report aims to provide greater clarity on the financial settlement in advance of the ‘meaningful vote’.

The United Kingdom (UK) is scheduled to leave the European Union (EU) on 29 March 2019. The government has agreed with the EU the terms of the UK’s withdrawal, including how it will establish a new relationship with the EU during an implementation period. As part of this agreement, the UK will continue to participate in the EU’s annual budgets in 2019 and 2020 as if it had remained a member state. It will also pay a share of the outstanding commitments and net liabilities that the EU entered into by the end of 2020. This is known as the ‘financial settlement’.

In April 2018, we reported on HM Treasury’s central estimate of the cost of the financial settlement. We concluded that HM Treasury’s estimate that the financial settlement would cost between £35 billion and £39 billion was reasonable given the parameters it had set for the estimate. We noted that future events would determine significant elements of the financial settlement’s cost and that relatively small changes in events could push the cost of the financial settlement outside HM Treasury’s published range. Since April, additional information has become available that means forecasts of the value of some of the financial settlement’s components can be updated.

The government’s agreement with the EU has two major components: a Withdrawal Agreement, setting out the arrangements for the UK’s withdrawal from the EU; and a political declaration on the terms of the future relationship between the UK and the EU. The Withdrawal Agreement includes the terms of the financial settlement. The House of Commons is due to have a ‘meaningful vote’ on the government’s agreement with the EU.

More information: https://www.nao.org.uk/report/exiting-the-eu-the-financial-settlement-follow-up-report

RoSPA to urge health and safety professionals to connect with each other to save lives, at major international conference

RoSPA is set to promote a better-connected professional community at this year’s Asia Pacific Occupational Safety and Health Organization Conference (APOSHO) in December 2018.

Speaking at the major event in Hong Kong Wednesday, December 5, Dr Karen McDonnell, RoSPA’s occupational safety and health policy adviser, will urge delegates to “make the connection” with each other to strive for excellence and save workers’ lives.

Karen will tell attendees that communication and fruitful collaboration is at the heart of a global occupational safety and health community, and explain the pivotal role that an alignment in thinking should play in protecting lives from serious accidental injury.

She said: “There is so much excellent work happening across the world to ensure that our workers go home safe to their families at the end of every working day, so we must ensure that communication between occupational health and safety champions is developed, to share and nurture best practice across the board. We have such dedicated professionals internationally that I know we can develop an excellent and thriving community.

“We need to collaborate and tackle issues facing young workers, an ageing workforce, and to help to address the second-leading global cause of unintentional injuries – falls – through encouraging workers to take good occupational safety practice outside of the workplace.”

As part of her presentation, Karen will point to the RoSPA Awards Excellence Forum as an example of where professionals are helping each other to raise standards across the board. The forum, which is made up of entrants and winners of RoSPA’s internationally-renown Health and Safety Awards, facilitates and encourages mentoring and collaboration, and covers more than 7 million workers in 30 countries.

www.rospa.com

Event: HSE’s practical 1-day training course, Respirable Crystalline Silica (RCS) – Health Surveillance and Exposure Control

29 January 2019, Buxton, UK

Dust in your home is a nuisance. But dust in the workplace, and particularly in the construction industry, can be a serious health hazard.

Take silica for example. This natural substance is found in most rocks, sand and clay. It’s also a major constituent of bricks, tiles, concrete and mortar.

Construction activities such as cutting, drilling, grinding and polishing generate a fine dust called respirable crystalline silica (RCS), also known as ‘silica dust’. If sufficient silica dust finds its way into your lungs as a result of prolonged exposure, it can lead to life-changing respiratory illnesses and even death.

HSE’s practical 1-day training course, Respirable Crystalline Silica (RCS) – Health Surveillance and Exposure Control, addresses background issues, current practice and developments in health surveillance, and provides information about controlling RCS exposures in the workplace.

Aimed at health care professionals, occupational health technicians and health & safety representatives, the course takes place on 29 January 2019 at the Health and Safety Laboratory in Buxton, Derbyshire and will be delivered by medical and scientific experts with direct experience of RCS-related health issues.

More information: www.hsl.gov.uk/health-and-safety-training-courses/respirable-crystalline-silica-(rcs)---health-surveillance-and-exposure-control

Event: The Future of Blue Light Services Collaboration Developing a Shared Vision for Effective Emergency Services

17 January 2019, London, UK

The challenges faced by UK blue light services are multitudinous. The number of emergency admissions to hospitals has risen by 16 per cent over the last five years (NHS, 2018). Fire and rescue services responded to 565,000 incidents between 2017 and 2018, an increase of 6,000, whilst fire-related fatalities increased by 27 per cent from 261 to 334 during the same period (Home Office, 2018). The challenges associated with evolving demand have been brought into sharper focus by the tragic Grenfell Tower fire and exacerbated by continued cuts to emergency service staff and resources. The loss of 21,000 police officers, 18,000 police staff and 6,800 police community support officers since 2010 has raised concerns over perceived levels of community safety and public security (HoC, 2018).

Successive governments have created measures to enable closer collaboration between emergency services in an attempt to secure further gains in efficiency and quality. Heightened interoperability in areas such as training and information gathering are intended to deliver more effective service delivery, whilst joint use of estates and shared response systems can reduce cost for the taxpayer. The Joint Emergency Services Interoperability Programme (JESIP) was established 2012-2014 to deliver new multi-agency training and to instigate a new culture of cooperation across blue light services. Most recently, the Policing and Crime Act 2017 created a statutory duty for all three emergency services to explore the potential for further collaboration. The legislation also provided Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs) with new powers to govern local Fire and Rescue Services (FRSs) following Home Office approval.

Despite robust government initiatives, comprehensive collaboration has remained elusive. In 2016 the tri-service review of the Joint Emergency Services Interoperability Programme concluded that, ‘interoperability has yet to be fully embedded across the services’ (HMIC, 2016). The National Joint Council (NJC), created in 2015, initially succeeded in promoting new agreements between Fire and Rescue Services (FRSs) and Ambulance Trusts. Nonetheless, the number of medical incidents responded to by Fire and Rescue Services reduced by 28 per cent in 2017/18 from 46,000 to 33,000 following the withdrawal of support from the Fire Brigades Union in September 2017 for joint service delivery. (Home Office, 2018).

As the demand for effective blue light services collaboration increases, this symposium represents a unique opportunity for police forces, fire and rescue services, ambulance trusts and local authorities to reflect on the most recent legislative developments and explore their duty to promote interoperability. Delegates will assess the state of blue light services collaboration in the UK and develop strategies by which to utilise enhanced interoperability to deliver effective and efficient service provision.

More information: www.publicpolicyexchange.co.uk/events/JA17-PPE

Multimillion-pound grants bring UK and Chinese researchers together in the global fight against superbugs

According to the Jim O’Neill Review on Antimicrobial Resistance, China uses around half the antibiotics consumed worldwide. Of these, 48% are consumed by humans and the rest is used in food-producing animals. The report suggests that AMR could cause a million premature deaths per year by 2050 in China alone.

To address this, an £8 million investment by the UKRI AMR Cross Council Initiative through the Newton Fund and 36 million RMB from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) will support new interdisciplinary China-UK AMR partnership hubs.

The four winning collaborations, with teams led by the University of Warwick and the Chinese Academy of Sciences; the University of Bristol and Peking University Health Science Centre; Cardiff University and China Agricultural University; and the University of Birmingham and Zhejiang University, bring together leading researchers from both countries to explore and address factors behind the rise in antibacterial resistance in China.

This interdisciplinary approach will enable researchers to:

• investigate in detail the emergence and spread of resistant bacteria
• understand the impact this has on the environment, agricultural systems, animals and humans using a ‘one health’ approach
• develop new interventions, including new drugs
• support policymakers to improve health and agricultural systems.

More information: https://mrc.ukri.org/news/browse/uk-and-chinese-researchers-to-collaborate-on-fight-against-superbugs

Top Job vacancy: Health and Safety Executive, Chief Executive (SCSPB3)

Closing date: 1 January 2019 to send application for Chief Executive of the HSE

This job is located in HSE’s headquarters based in Bootle – visible leadership will be required in both Bootle and London. Travel to HSE’s other GB locations will also be expected

Job description

At the Health and Safety Executive, we believe everyone has the right to come home safe and well from their job. That’s why our mission is to prevent work-related death, injury and ill health. We are proud of the support we provide to businesses – through free guidance and advice. By giving employers the confidence to manage risks correctly, we boost productivity, support the economy and contribute to a fairer society.

HSE helps workers understand how they can stay safe and well.

We are looking for a high performing leader to take HSE through these next stages of our development. We are seeking someone who has the ability to operate in a political environment at a senior level, interfacing with and across government and experience of leading a large organisation who can build on the success of the past but who can lead culture change.

We need someone who appreciates the benefits commercial activities bring to the organisation. The ability to identify the organisation’s strengths and build on them, whilst also applying innovative thinking and best practice from elsewhere, will enable the organisation to continue to develop. There are challenges and exciting opportunities ahead and leading this organisation through the next few years will be a great opportunity for the right candidate.

More information: www.indeed.co.uk/cmp/HEALTH-AND-SAFETY-EXECUTIVE/jobs/Chief-Executive-b8d7bf0dc6006265?q=HSE+Executive&vjs=3

Glittering RoSPA Awards return for 2019!

Looking for a way to make your health and safety stand out? The RoSPA Health & Safety Awards offer you the perfect platform. Being a #RoSPAWinner not only raises your profile and generates positive coverage for your organisation, it also unlocks benefits such as exclusive membership to RoSPA’s Awards Excellence Forum. Read the latest case studies to find out more!

From the internationally renowned Achievement and Sector Awards, to the brand new Safe@Work Safe@Home Award, which recognises organisations who have demonstrated excellence and innovation in promoting safety outside of the workplace - there’s something for everyone. See the full category guide, and discover which award is perfect for you.

Register by December 13th to be part of the Birmingham & London Awards. And with the London ceremony co-located with Safety & Health Expo at ExCeL London, 18-20 June 2019, you can kill two birds with one stone. Plus, until the end of November, RoSPA is offering a 10% Black Friday saving - simply quote code FL5719 when registering!

Visit: www.rospa.com/awards

Event: Tackling Dangerous Dog Attacks – Protecting the Public and Securing Animal Welfare

27 February 2019, London, UK

Hospital admissions caused by dog attacks have increased by 81 percent, from 4,110 to 7,461, since 2005 (EFRA, 2018). Since the introduction of the UK’s landmark Dangerous Dogs Act (1991) there have been 67 recorded fatalities, 37 of which occurred between 2005 and 2015 (Office of National Statistics, 2016). Fatalities and injuries have continued despite the imposition of a unique ban on certain breeds of dog.

Following the introduction of the 1991 Act, a number of new measures have been introduced to help tackle the issue. The Dangerous Dogs (Amendment) Act (1997) removed the mandatory destruction provisions on banned breeds and provided courts with more discretion to decide whether a dangerous dog should be euthanized. The Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act (2014) extended owners’ criminal liability to include attacks committed on private property, as well as substantially increasing judges’ sentencing powers. Local authorities and police forces may also issue Community Protection Notices (CPN) to help curb instances of irresponsible dog ownership.

Critics have claimed that the existing legislative framework undermines animal welfare with little or no positive effect on public safety. In particular, the ‘breed specific’ nature of the existing law has come under scrutiny. 74 percent of canine behavioural experts surveyed in 2016 by Battersea Dogs and Cats Home agreed that, ‘breed was either not important at all or only slightly important in determining dog aggression levels’. Moreover, 70 percent of dog-related deaths have been caused by non-prohibited breeds (EFRA, 2018). In 2018 the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA) select committee concluded a full-scale inquiry into the existing Breed Specific Legislation. Although the review stopped short of calling for a repeal of the current law, it did recommend the creation of new powers of early intervention as well as further departmental review in 2019.

This timely symposium will provide a critical forum for dog control specialists, local authorities, policing officials, dog behavioural experts and campaigners to develop a shared vision for controlling dangerous dogs and reducing the risk of future dog attacks. Delegates will also generate local strategies to promote responsible dog ownership and share best practices for protecting local communities from out of control dogs.

More information: www.publicpolicyexchange.co.uk/events/JB27-PPE

Event: Creating a Flood Resilient Nation – Ensuring UK Flood Preparedness in a Changing Climate

14 February 2019, London, UK

A reported 9 out of 17 record breaking rainfall months or seasons since 1910 have occurred after 2000 (Met Office, 2018). In recent years extreme rainfall and coastal flooding across the UK have caused untold human and financial cost. The most recent assessment by the Environment Agency claims that the cost of damages following floods in 2015/16 was roughly £1.6 billion. Currently, 520,000 properties in England, including 370,000 homes, are at risk of damage from coastal flooding whilst 2.7 million UK homes remain at risk of surface level flooding (CCC, 2018; Environment Agency, 2018).

Between 2015 and 2021 the Government committed to investing £2.6 billion in roughly 1,500 flood defence projects to create more flood resilient homes. Within the long-awaited 25 Year Environment Plan, the Department for Food, Rural Affairs and Agriculture (DEFRA) announced that it would also be ‘expanding the use of natural flood management solutions’. Moreover, in January 2019 the Environment Agency will be conducting a public consultation on a new national flood and coastal erosion risk management (FCERM) strategy. The report will set out an updated, ‘overview of flood and coastal erosion risk in England’ and, ‘a long-term, strategic ambition for managing flood and coastal erosion risk in England’. Under the ‘Flood Re’ scheme funds raised via a levy on the home insurance industry, totalling around £180 million annually, are used to provide broader coverage for homes at significant risk of flooding.

As future climate projections predict increased and extreme weather variability, questions remain over the extent to which the nation is prepared for severe flooding. A report published by the UK Committee on Climate Change in October 2018 claims that by the 2080s, ‘up to 1.5 million properties, including 1.2 million homes, may be in areas at significant level of flood risk.’ In lieu of further investment, DEFRA predicts that, ‘the number of properties at medium or high risk could rise from 0.75 million to 1.29 million in 50 years’ (DEFRA, 2018). Moreover, recent research by the Met Office and Flood Forecasting Centre illustrates the importance of continued research into effective modelling of extreme weather occurrences in understanding flood risk and building national resilience.

As the Environment Agency prepares its new national strategy on flood defence, stakeholders from across central and local government, flood risk experts and advocacy groups will assess existing provisions to mitigate the effects of flooding and develop new strategies to manage future risk. As well as gaining a unique perspective on the macro policy challenges surrounding national flood resilience, delegates will also consider the challenges faced by local communities and the role of local authorities in building a cohesive national policy apparatus.

More information: www.publicpolicyexchange.co.uk/events/JB14-PPE