Health and safety workloads have never been more demanding, says new industry report
New legislation and an increased focus on best practice are leading to heavier workloads and excess pressure on property and facilities managers, according to a new report from health, safety and property compliance firm William Martin. When compiling its first annual property compliance report, the firm examined data from 20,000 risk assessments and survey reports that were uploaded to its compliance management software, Meridian, between April 2023 and March 2024. Figures showed almost 327,000 health and safety actions were raised across all disciplines, a 22% increase on the previous year. Commenting on the increase, Phil Jones, Managing Director at William Martin said: “The property and facilities management industry shoulders a huge responsibility when it comes to upholding the highest standards of health and safety. Alongside the introduction of recent laws such as the Building Safety Act 2022, we’re undoubtedly seeing a far greater focus from organisations on ensuring best practice and continuous improvement, rather than just compliance. “I’ve always believed that abiding by legislation should be the minimum benchmark rather than the final goal, so this positive step towards safer working environments is something I welcome. However, the downside is the extra pressure this is putting on those responsible for health and safety, due in no small part to the increased reporting that’s required to demonstrate high performance. But because abandoning best practice is not an option, this is something the industry needs to find a way to deal with.” Beyond this headline increase, the report identifies 10 key health and safety trends, which include: Phil Jones added: “Workload burdens are undoubtedly contributing to some of the more worrying trends identified in our report, such as the unacceptable length of time it’s taking to address Priority 1 actions, and poor record-keeping around lift safety. “Tech and AI can form part of the solution, by reducing the scope for human error, and reducing the chances of risks being missed or reports being misfiled. Using tech to work smarter rather than harder also frees up time to focus on the activities that will actually drive change and reduce risk. “The key trends and insights contained in this report will hopefully inform property and facilities management professionals on what should be the key focus areas within their own businesses. We are already planning to publish this data annually, which will enable longer term industry trends to be identified.” The full report is available to download from the William Martin website here. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Hydro Aluminium UK elevates health and safety status with two RoSPA Awards
Hydro Aluminium UK Ltd, a subsidiary of the global aluminium and renewable energy company Norsk Hydro, has demonstrated its commitment to elevating health and safety standards by entering the UK’s leading health and safety awards scheme and scooping two accolades from The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA). Hydro Aluminium UK Ltd was awarded both a Gold Achievement Award and a Best New Entry Award (UK) at this year’s RoSPA Awards for its strong commitment to health and safety. It was awarded the accolade after it took a thorough approach to clearly explaining and demonstrating its health and safety management system in action during the past year. The organisation also ran a series of initiatives such as a family fun day, safety stand down days and extracurricular first aid training, and installed a series of defibrillators for general public use. Erika Curnow, an apprentice interim manager at Hydro Aluminium UK Ltd, was also announced as the winner of RoSPA’s Inspiring Women in Safety Award, for her own personal inspirational impact within health and safety at the organisation. Sponsored by EcoOnline, a leading provider of EHSQ software solutions, RoSPA’s Best New Entry Award recognises outstanding submissions made by organisations entering the RoSPA Awards for the very first time. The RoSPA Health and Safety Awards is one of the largest occupational health and safety awards programme in the world. Now in its 68th year, the Awards have almost 2,000 entries annually, covering nearly 60 countries and reaching millions of employees. The programme recognises an organisation’s commitment to continuous improvement in the prevention of accidents and ill health at work by looking at entrants’ overarching health and safety management systems, including practices such as leadership and workforce involvement. RoSPA Award judges include a wealth of highly experienced senior occupational health and safety professionals and consultants, and a main award judging panel chaired by Dee Arp, Chief Operations Officer at NEBOSH, and other in-house experts and selection panels. Ian Bould from Hydro Aluminium UK, said: “We’re thrilled to win RoSPA’s Best New Entry Award (UK) and a Gold Achievement Award during our first year in the scheme. Safety is paramount at Hydro Aluminium UK, and this award reflects our team’s dedication and determination to make health and safety an absolute priority.” Matt Cryer, Head of the RoSPA Awards said: “As a newcomer to the RoSPA Awards, Hydro Aluminium UK has made a remarkable impression with their approach and commitment to health and safety. Their comprehensive approach to workplace safety sets a high standard for other organisations to follow. “Hydro Aluminium UK’s recognition with the Best New Entry Award (UK) highlights their proactive efforts in promoting a safe working environment for their employees, aligning with RoSPA’s mission to prevent accidents and save lives.” Matt Rouse, SVP Customer Success, Europe at EcoOnline, the organisation that sponsored the Best New Entry Award, said: “We are proud to sponsor RoSPA’s Best New Entry Award and are excited to see the determination organisations have to ensure their employees get home safely at the end of the working day. We extend a huge congratulations to Hydro Aluminium UK and look forward to seeing how they progress within the RoSPA Awards Scheme.” Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Exciting News for UK Construction Safety!
Doka, a renowned provider of formwork and scaffolding solutions, has introduced its cutting-edge Xsafe Catch Fan system to the UK! 🌟 This innovative solution helps redefine benchmarks for construction site safety, making work environments safer and more efficient. Let’s dive into the details: Enhanced Safety: Falling materials, tools, and debris pose significant risks on construction sites. The Xsafe Catch Fan provides a safe, high-quality catch system that can be quickly deployed and repositioned with ease. Minimise unnecessary hazards! Efficiency Boost: The Xsafe Catch Fan minimises the workforce needed for assembly and application. Clever mechanisms, including an easy-lock system and quick-folding net, streamline installation. Plus, it reduces the need for multiple workers on different levels during repositioning and cleaning. All-Round Winner: Doka designed the vertical extensions of the Xsafe Catch Fan to meet customer needs. Square tubes simplify installation without requiring hole alignment for securing with bolts. And guess what? No adjustments are needed when moving it from floor to floor! Corner Solution: Since early 2024, the Xsafe Catch Fan also features a unique foldable and EN 1263-compliant corner solution. It’s perfect for those tricky areas that are sometimes hard to cover. Few additional parts, maximum protection! 🔗 Learn more about Xsafe Catch Fan here:https://www.doka.com/uk/system-groups/doka-safety-systems/xsafe-catch-fan/xsafe-catch-fan 🚀 #ConstructionSafety #Innovation #DokaXsafeCatchFan
Arco chairman wins Lifetime Achievement Award for commitment to H&S
Arco chairman Thomas Martin has been honoured with a prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award, recognising his ‘exceptional contribution to the safety and health industry over almost four decades’. He was bestowed with the award at Wednesday’s [MAY 1] Safety and Health Excellence Awards, part of the three-day Health & Safety Event, where Arco, the UK’s leading safety company, has made its return for 2024, coinciding with the celebration of its 140th anniversary. Also on the night, Arco was commended in the Distributor of the Year award, with judges recognising the company’s commitment to customer satisfaction and its joined-up approach to safety products and services. Thomas said he was honoured to accept the Lifetime Achievement Award. He said: “I’ve always surrounded myself with experts, and this has enabled me to make an impact on our industry. Market leaders earn the right to comment, and career learnings ensure this is done responsibly. The award celebrates the first 36 years, and there’s plenty more to do; I’d better get on with it.” As the fourth-generation leader of the family business, Thomas started his journey in a London advertising agency before joining Arco in 1988. With a clear passion for the business, Thomas assumed pivotal roles within Arco, including Trading Director (Safety) in 1993, Supply Chain Director in 1998, and Joint Managing Director in 2002, before taking the helm as Chairman in April 2017. Presenting the Lifetime Achievement Award, host Dara Ó Briain said during Thomas’s time as Joint Managing Director and now Chairman, he had helped shape Arco into one of the ‘premier businesses in health and safety, by both scale and impact’. Testament to this, Arco has led the industry on responses to global emergencies and best practice, pushing for regulatory changes and championing expertise and corporate responsibility. In 2007, Arco joined the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) an alliance of companies, trade unions and non-profit organisations that aims to promote respect for the rights of workers worldwide. Arco is the first and only safety distributor to join the ETI. During the Ebola outbreak in 2015, Arco was the leading PPE partner in the UK’s humanitarian response, supporting government agencies with advice on the correct products needed to keep volunteers safe but also in procuring and supplying the products to the front line. Most recently, during the Covid-19 pandemic, Arco stepped up to secure additional PPE for frontline workers, while advising government bodies on PPE regulations and standard. Following the crisis, Thomas gave evidence to the Public Accounts Committee on how the Government response could be improved for the future. Arco Also Commended in Distributor of The Year Award Read more about Arco here: www.arco.co.uk/about. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Complete Technology Group is awarded Building A Safer Future Champion Status
Complete Technology Group is the latest company to be awarded Champion status by Building a Safer Future, positioning them as a leader in the industry as they actively commit to a journey of continuous improvement in building safety leadership and culture. The firm, that works with landlords responsible for multi-dwelling units to help deliver digital infrastructure, successfully completed the two Champion assessment modules and in return has received detailed insight and external validation regarding their existing building safety processes, as well as a wealth of actionable data and practical tools to assist them in making improvements. Steve Elliott, Non-Executive Chair of Building a Safer Future, commented: “Complete Technology Group deserves many congratulations for achieving BSF Champion status. Their successful completion of the assessment is commendable, and we strongly urge other organisations working in the built environment industry to take inspiration from their example and register for the process.” Chris McLain, CEO of Complete Technology Group, commented: “CTG is not only committed to meeting industry standards but exceeding them and we’re delighted to continue our building safety journey with BSF Champion status. The process requires us to open ourselves up to scrutiny, uncovering any blind spots in our approach to building safety. So, to successfully complete the second stage – and become the only telecoms firm to do so – is testimony to our people and our culture. We’re improving safety and quality of fibre installations in blocks of flats through our robust audit and adherence to Golden Thread principles. We’ve followed an incredibly detailed and independent review across our entities to achieve BSF Champion status, giving landlords, residents and telcos confidence in our governance and the quality of what we do.” Building a Safer Future (BSF) is a non-profit organisation committed to raising standards in building safety and supporting required culture change in the built environment industry. Companies can apply to participate in the BSF Champions programme by visiting the Building a Safer Future website on www.buildingasaferfuture.org.uk and completing the application form**, or alternatively they can email alexander.caller@buildingasaferfuture.org.uk Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals *Organisations that have achieved Building a Safer Future Champion status include:
For #SafeDay2024, Turtle Urges Construction Workers to Learn Location of Nearest Workplace Defib and Bleed Control Kit ‘Just in Case’
Turtle Defib Cabinets – an innovative manufacturer of defibrillator and bleed control cabinets, bleed control kits and supplier of medical equipment – is recommending people who work in the construction industry to learn the location of their nearest defibrillator and bleed control kit this World Day for Safety and Health at Work (28 April 2024). Action needs to be taken in less than five minutes in the event of a serious bleed injury or cardiac arrest. Therefore, being confident of where equipment can be found is a sensible ‘just in case’ strategy that can mean the difference between life and death. Somewhat shockingly, there is still no legislation in the UK for businesses to install Automatic External Defibrillators (AED) in their premises. Nevertheless, Turtle also urges any person finding a lack of lifesaving medical equipment nearby office to question their health and safety departments and petition for a higher level of team care. There is also an opportunity for businesses to contribute to Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Targets while keeping their employees safe; installing an external locked cabinet is an important resource for the local community. Photo caption: Representatives from GMI Construction, The Daniel Baird Foundation and Birmingham Council outside a construction project in Birmingham where GMI Construction installed a publicly accessible bleed control cabinet For every minute that passes without defibrillation, the chance of survival decreases by seven to 10 per cent, with survival being unlikely after ten minutes. There are more than 30,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests in the UK each year according to the British Heart Foundation and the survival rate is less than 1 in 10. Considering the incidence of cardiac arrests and the critical time scale in which a person requires defibrillation to survive, Turtle maintains that Automatic External Defibrillators (AED) should be available in all places where ambulance response could exceed five minutes. The time taken to retrieve the equipment must also be factored in, meaning many construction sites should ensure multiple defibs are accessible. A person suffering a catastrophic injury can bleed out and die in as little as three minutes. 135 workers were killed in work-related accidents in 2022/23¹ and there were 60,645 employee non-fatal injuries reported by employers in 2022/23 (RIDDOR)²; of which 32 per cent were slips trips and falls, 11 per cent involved a person being struck by a moving object and both falls from height and acts of violence were recorded at 8 per cent. The risk of a person suffering a bleed injury in one of these scenarios is high so health and safety departments should ensure they have Ambulance Service designed and approved bleed control kits in premises and on-site vehicles – accessible within a minute or two at the most. Furthermore, the Office for National Statistics revealed in January 2024³ that knife crime has surged by 5 per cent in the past year so projects located in hot spot town and city centres have an opportunity to safeguard their staff and the public by possessing a bleed control kit. And – as with any publicly accessible and registered defibrillator – a 999 operator will direct a caller to the nearest public bleed control kit if required, meaning an externally installed bleed control cabinet is beneficial for the whole community 24-7. GMI Construction has implemented this strategy in city centres. Mike Dowson, Founder and MD or Turtle Defib Cabinets, said: “We never think the worst will happen, but the figures are sobering; 30,000 people experience cardiac arrest each year, 60,645 employees were injured at work last year and there were 48,716 knife-enabled crime offences in the year to September 2023. Then you look at the action and survival statistics and it’s clear that defibs and bleed control kits must be within reach in just a couple of minutes – the chance of survival after cardiac arrest decreases by seven to 10 per cent every minute without defibrillation and a person can bleed out in as little as three minutes.” “This World Day for Safety and Health at Work, I’d like to urge everyone on site or in an office to know exactly where to find their nearest defib and bleed control kit. If the lifesaving medical equipment can’t be accessed and brought back to their location quickly, I suggest they speak to their health and safety department; with a commitment from businesses to own the equipment and from employees to know the location, then I’m certain more lives can be saved.” People should always call 999 in the case of a medical emergency and the Ambulance Service will direct the caller to a defib cabinet or bleed control cabinet if there is one nearby. Turtle works closely with The Daniel Baird Foundation and £5 from every bleed control kit and £10 from every cabinet is donated to the non-profit. For more information about Turtle’s defib cabinets, bleed control cabinets and the equipment to place inside, please visit www.turtledefibcabinets.co.uk, or follow on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals