British Safety Council

Air pollution is killing construction workers

The British Safety Council has launched a campaign for air pollution to be officially recognised as an occupational health hazard for construction workers and others who worked outdoors. Among the measures it is calling for is the adoption of a workplace exposure limit for diesel engine exhaust emissions. Air pollution

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The future of health and safety in the Middle East

How do you future-proof your organisation? At its fourth annual conference in Dubai, the British Safety Council will explore how local businesses can prepare for opportunities and challenges ahead The British Safety Council, one of the most trusted international leaders in health, safety and environmental management, is hosting its fourth

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Fusion joins British Safety Council

Offsite manufacturer of light gauge steel panelised superstructures Fusion Building Systems, has become a Member of the British Safety Council – a national organisation dedicated to making sure no one is injured at work. Fusion’s membership supports a business aspiration to achieve industry-leading health and safety standards and performance levels,

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Latest Issue

BDC 321 : Oct 2024

British Safety Council

British Safety Council announces winners of the International Safety Awards 2022

549 organisations around the world today (Friday) received a highly prized accolade for their work in health, safety, and wellbeing, as British Safety Council revealed the winners of its prestigious International Safety Awards 2022. The awards recognise and celebrate organisations from around the world which have shown a true dedication in the last year to keeping their workers and workplaces healthy, safe, and well.  This year, 549 organisations of all sizes and sectors won an International Safety Award from 39 countries worldwide, including the UK, China, India and the Middle East, as well as countries in Africa, Southeast Asia, and Central America. 135 organisations were awarded a Distinction, 204 organisations were awarded a Merit and 210 organisations achieved a Pass.  The total number of successful entries this year was higher than in 2021, when 387 awards were given out. There was also a significant increase in the number of Distinctions awarded in 2022 compared with 2021 – up from 13% to 21% – and a significant fall in the percentage of applicants who were unsuccessful in their application, just 15% in 2022 compared with 29% in 2021.  The full list of winners is here.   Mike Robinson, Chief Executive of British Safety Council, said:   “Each year, the International Safety Awards recognise organisations that have achieved the highest standards in health and safety from around the world. This year we have seen even more reaching that level and winning an award. This makes British Safety Council’s vision that no-one, anywhere in the world, should be injured or made ill through their work all the more important, especially when we face ever increasing risks from factors such as climate change and global instability. “Winning an International Safety Award requires organisations to show they are investing in their employees’ health, safety and wellbeing and that everyone from the top down make health and safety a core part of their work and inspire others to do the same. In celebrating the achievements of the 549 winners in 2022, we encourage other organisations to follow their lead and place employees’ health and safety at the heart of their business. “Our warmest congratulations to all the winners of this year’s International Safety Awards, they should be truly proud of their achievement.” The winners span numerous sectors with significant representation from the construction, manufacturing, oil, gas and mining, and power and utility sectors and include such companies as BAE Systems Maritime Services, ISS, Morrison Energy Services, Willmott Dixon Group (UK), The Second Construction Limited Company of China Construction Eighth Engineering Division (China), Larsen & Toubro Limited (Mauritius), WSP Middle East (United Arab Emirates), NTPC and TATA Projects (India). Although, due to COVID, in the past two years the usual accompanying gala dinner has had to be cancelled, British Safety Council is looking at the feasibility of an event in 2022. Further details will be provided in due course. Other International Safety Awards for 2022 will be announced in May.  These are: Seize the Opportunity Award: This new award recognises organisations that have gone the extra mile to seize health, safety or wellbeing opportunities resulting from a crisis. CEO Award: This recognises the leadership and strategic vision of CEOs who have made a vital contribution to the health and safety of their business and to the wider society during 2021. The award recognises how an individual CEO has taken an active role in aligning and championing their organisation’s health, safety and wellbeing interests with their internal and external stakeholders. Health and Safety Transformation Award – sponsored by Croner-i: The Health and Safety Transformation Award is for organisations that have significantly changed or transformed any aspect of health, safety or wellbeing to a significant extent through the use of information. Health, Safety and Wellbeing Ambassador of the Year Award: This recognises an employee who, in the opinion of the organisation or person nominating them, has played a significant role in ensuring the health, safety and wellbeing of colleagues and others. Team of the Year Award: This recognises outstanding achievements resulting in a significant improvement to health, safety or wellbeing, from a collaboration of stakeholders, which may include members of the organisation, suppliers, subcontractors and/or the wider community. The James Tye Award: This recognises an organisation or a team of individuals who have developed and run a campaign in 2021 that has made a significant impact on health, safety or wellbeing in the workplace. It is named after British Safety Council’s founder, James Tye, who campaigned tirelessly on issues such as life jackets and seat belts. Wellbeing Initiative Award – powered by Being Well Together: This recognises and rewards those organisations that have demonstrated a proactive and effective approach to improving employee wellbeing.

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Mobile Mini SHEQ team named ‘Team of the Year’ by British Safety Council

Mobile Mini UK’s SHEQ team has been crowned ‘Safety Team of the Year Highly Commended Winner 2021’ this month by the British Safety Council at the International Safety Awards. Out of 292 organisations of all sizes and sectors, including businesses from the UK, Africa, Asia, India, mainland Europe and the Middle East, only Mobile Mini UK succeeded in being crowned overall Team of the Year highly commended winner. These awards, which are now in their 63rd year, span all sectors with significant representation from construction, manufacturing, oil, gas, mining, power and utility organisations. They aim to celebrate organisations that have shown dedication to keeping their workers and workplaces healthy and safe. The team of the year category recognises outstanding achievements resulting in a significant improvement to health, safety and wellbeing, from a collaboration of stakeholders. The study submitted by the Mobile Mini UK SHEQ team focused on alliances and teamwork during the evolving coronavirus pandemic and was reviewed and adjudicated by several safety professionals.  This detailed how the different teams within Mobile Mini quickly aligned and adapted to ensure that the risk of Covid-19 could be adequately managed internally, allowing operational teams to provide a prompt service externally. Key features included the fast procurement of equipment and PPE, the rapidly facilitated switch from office working to home working, skeleton office teams working safely in socially distanced modified offices and the continued successful delivery of units to the frontline. Underpinning all of these changes was the Covid-19 risk assessment process, which was designed to ensure that all stakeholders had ongoing input. All teams responded admirably to these changes and no employee was injured as a result. This steadfast engagement and teamwork were some of the biggest factors in the business safely navigating through the worst of the pandemic and undoubtedly contributed to the judging panel’s decision when deeming Mobile Mini as worthy Team of the Year winners. Chris Watcham, Health and Safety Director at Mobile Mini UK said, “Winning this highly respected award is a truly remarkable achievement given the company we were in. This is an incredible endorsement from an internationally recognised and sought-after awarding body.  We believe this benchmark and the illustrious company we find ourselves in, further establishes our unwavering commitment to Safety, Health and Environment. We have always been proud of our industry-leading health and safety record, but this has become even more integral to expectations post the coronavirus pandemic. Although this was a safety award, the obvious input and teamwork from all teams within the business made this possible. Our thanks go out to all teams across the business who continue to make achievements like this possible.”  Last month three Mobile Mini UK sites, North East, North West and South Wales, achieved Merit safety from the British Safety Council. Recognisable businesses to have successfully obtained passes, merits or distinctions previously include the likes of BAE Systems, GlaxoSmithKline, Sodexho, Kier, Wilmott Dixon and Volker. Congratulating Mobile Mini on their award, Mike Robinson, Chief Executive of the British Safety Council, said, “The long list of winners of the International Safety Awards shows that an increasing number of companies are embracing the management of health and safety risks as an enabler of business, benefiting people, companies and society but none more so than Mobile Mini UK, as an overall highly commended winner. The team has shown a true alignment with the vision of the British Safety Council that no one should be injured or made ill through their work – anywhere in the world. My warmest congratulations to Mobile Mini UK as overall 2021 Team of the Year winner, you should be truly proud of your achievement.”

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British Safety Council – fund the new regulator to ensure new Building Safety Bill delivers

Building safety must be properly enforced if new measures are to protect people says chief executive Mike Robinson The British Safety Council has today welcomed the government’s draft Building Safety Bill. Many of the measures had previously been trailed and today marks the formal publication of a range of measures outlined in the wake of the tragic fire at Grenfell tower three years ago. According the Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government, the bill takes forward the government’s commitment to fundamental reform of the building safety system. It includes measures to implement the principles and recommendations of Dame Judith Hackitt’s Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety. The government has also today published a consultation on Fire Safety. The bill formally creates a new national regulator for the safety of buildings, working with local authorities and environmental health departments. The government has asked HSE to establish a new building safety regulator to oversee the safe design, construction and occupation of high-risk buildings so that residents are safe and feel safe. It will be independent and give expert advice to local regulators, landlords and building owners, the construction and building design industry, and to residents. Last week, Mike Robinson, chief executive of the British Safety Council, wrote to the housing minister Chris Pincher MP asking for an urgent update on the building safety bill. He expressed his concern at the slow progress in removing dangerous ACM cladding from high-rise residential buildings saying: “While I know you share my frustration at the slow progress since 2017, I would be grateful if you could focus all the efforts of your officials in addressing this important issue of public safety.” Speaking today Mike Robinson, said: “I am glad that the bill has now been published, even if after such a long wait. The measures set out by the government in the Building Safety Bill should mean that building owners have nowhere to hide if they break the rules. But if that is to mean anything for residents and workers in potentially unsafe buildings then the government has got to stump up for it. The HSE has a great track record, but if they are to live up to the expectations of this bill then they must be properly resourced. The reality is that over the last decade funding has halved, and staff numbers cut by a third.” He went on to say: “Alongside establishing a sound financial basis for the new building safety regulator, we must see local authorities given the resources they need to inspect and enforce regulations. Enforcement must be able to make its presence felt – as I have said before, local authorities need hard cash as well as teeth.” About the British Safety Council The British Safety Council believes that no-one should be injured or made ill through their work.  Since its foundation in 1957, the British Safety Council has campaigned tirelessly to protect workers from accidents, hazards and unsafe conditions, and played a decisive role in the political process that has led to the adoption of landmark safety legislation in the UK. Its members in more than 60 countries are committed to protecting and improving the wellbeing of workers, believing that a healthy and safe work environment is also good for business. As part of its charitable work, the British Safety Council leads health and safety networking forums for all sectors, facilitates and promotes best practice in Britain and overseas. It also offers a range of services and products, including training, qualifications, publications, audits and awards. The British Safety Council works closely with organisations, charities and individuals who share its vision of ensuring that every worker goes home at the end of the day as healthy as they were when they went to work.

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British Safety Council announces the winners of the International Safety Awards 2020

The British Safety Council has announced the individuals, teams, initiatives and organisations who have won awards as part of the 2020 International Safety Awards Scheme (ISAs). These awards recognise and celebrate outstanding achievements around the world amongst those who have made exceptional efforts to ensure peoples’ health, safety and wellbeing. The Young Health and Safety Champion of the Year awards recognises the exceptional contribution of individuals aged 16-24 in ensuring the health, safety and wellbeing of their colleagues and others. The winner this year is: Shewale Aniket Prabhakar, EHS engineer, PVVNL IDPS Additional RMU PKG, Ghaziabad, India (winner) The Wellbeing Initiative Award recognises organisations that can demonstrate a proactive and effective approach to improving employee wellbeing. This must be through a new or unique objective with a clear and measurable outcome, over and above the organisation’s routine work. The award is sponsored by Vitality Healthy Workplace, which provides a variety of services to help businesses to build a healthier, more engaged and productive workforce. The winner this year is: Ashgal ‘Health and Wellness Campaign’, India The Health and Safety Transformation Award recognises organisations that have changed or transformed any aspect of health, safety or wellbeing to a significant extent through the use of information. Applicants were required to describe the transformation, how it was used and its positive impact. The award is sponsored by Croner-i, one of the leading providers of information and guidance for businesses in fields such as health and safety, the environment and human resources. The winner this year is: Chr.Hansen New for 2020, the CEO Award recognises the leadership and strategic vision of a CEO who has made a vital contribution to the health and safety of their business and to wider society in 2019. The winner this year is: Matt Brabin, ISS, UK For the second year running the Team of Year Award recognises outstanding achievements resulting in a significant improvement to health, safety or wellbeing, from a collaboration of stakeholders. The winner this year is: ASHGHAL-DW002-P03 Roads and Infrastructure in West Muaither (Al Manasser) Package 3 New for 2020, the James Tye Award honours the founder of the British Safety Council. James campaigned tirelessly to improve the health, safety and welfare of people at work. He founded the British Safety Council in 1957 and continued to support it until he died in 1996. The winner this year is: Transport Corporation of India Ltd. (TCIL) Sector winners Construction and property – Gas Call Services Ltd Education – ISS Education, Working in partnership with University of the West of Scotland Eco-Campus Healthcare – Sodexo Healthcare at Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust – Oxford Road Campus Hospitality – Arsenal Football Club Local government – FCC Environment – Wychavon Collections Contract Manufacturing – (joint winners) Advanced Proteins / Flexitallic UK Ltd – Cleckheaton Not for profit – Plymouth Community Homes Oil and gas – SP Armada Oil Exploration Pvt. Ltd.- Armada Sterling II Onshore – GardaWorld Security Services. Middle East & Africa Power and utility – ENKA İnşaat ve Sanayi A.Ş – Nizhnekamsk 495 MW Combined Cycle Power Plant Project Transport – Unipart Logistics Country/regional winners China – China Construction Engineering (Macau) Co. Ltd. – Macau LRT C385R  (LRT Depot) India – SP Armada Oil Exploration Pvt. Ltd.- Armada Sterling II Jordan – Indo-Jordan Chemicals Co Ltd Kuwait – Kuwait National Petroleum Company – Head Office Pakistan – (joint winners) Engro Fertilizers Daharki Fatima Fertilizer Company Limited – Plant Site, Sadiqabad Qatar – Urbacon Trading & Contracting – Qatar Saudi Arabia – Sadara Chemical Company. Packaging Center – MdR Operations Sri Lanka – China State Construction Engineering Corporation Ltd-Construction of proposed ODEL Mall & Department Store – Colombo 07 Turkey – ENKA Insaat ve Sanayi – Nizhnekamsk 495 MW Combined Cycle Power Plant Project UAE – (joint winners) Dubai Multi Commodities Centre China State Construction Engineering Corporation (Middle East) (L.L.C), R 1013/2D Improvement of Al Shindagha Corridor Phase 2 D ProjectSouth America – Planta San Miguel, Cementos Progreso UK/Ireland – Unipart Logistics Africa – Indorama Eleme Petrochemicals Limited – Port Harcourt, Nigeria Southeast Asia (other) – Ed. Züblin AG, Singapore Branch Announcing the winners Mike Robinson, Chief Executive of the British Safety Council said: “My warmest congratulations to all of the individuals, teams and organisations that have won awards within our prestigious International Safety Awards scheme. “The winners have made huge efforts to protect and enhance the health, safety and wellbeing of everyone in their organisations. All the winners and those who were shortlisted went the extra mile by dedicating additional time, resources and commitment to ensuring that their work, teams and workplaces remained healthy and safe during the previous year.” He went on to say: “I would also like to say thank you to all of the organisations who took time to apply for these awards and to our panel of judges who volunteered to adjudicate them.” He concluded his remarks: “The British Safety Council’s vision is that no-one should be injured or made ill through their work, anywhere in the world. By publicising the achievements of the winners of these awards, we can encourage other employers everywhere to follow their lead and give workers’ health, safety and wellbeing the priority it rightly deserves.” Due to the ongoing coronavirus outbreak the British Safety Council took the difficult decision to cancel the 2020 International Safety Awards Gala Dinner. The winners will receive their trophies and certificates by courier at the earliest opportunity.

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Air pollution is killing construction workers

The British Safety Council has launched a campaign for air pollution to be officially recognised as an occupational health hazard for construction workers and others who worked outdoors. Among the measures it is calling for is the adoption of a workplace exposure limit for diesel engine exhaust emissions. Air pollution is linked with up to 36,000 early deaths a year in the UK. It is considered the biggest environmental risk to public health. Research from King’s College London suggests that more than 9,400 people die prematurely due to poor air quality in London alone. Ambient air pollution is linked to cancer, lung and heart disease, type-2 diabetes, infertility and early dementia. The British Safety Council has launched a report ‘Impact of air pollution on the health of outdoor workers’ which provides evidence to recognise ambient air pollution as an occupational health hazard in Britain. In the report, the charity presents the demands that spearhead its campaign to limit the dangers of air pollution to the health of outdoor workers. Several pilot schemes are beginning to monitor and measure the levels of air pollution experienced by people working and living in London. Their findings will be instrumental in developing recommendations for reducing people’s exposure to air pollution in the capital.  However, the government and regulatory bodies such as the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) continue to show a lack of interest in regulation and guidance on air pollution, the British Safety Council says.  In March 2019, the council launched its Time to Breathe campaign, which is focused on the protection of outdoor workers from air pollution. The cornerstone of the campaign is Canairy, a mobile app that gives outdoor workers and their employers insights into pollution and how to reduce staff exposure to it. It has been created in co-operation with King’s College London. Canairy draws on the London Air Quality Network (LAQN) pollution map at King’s and the user’s GPS to calculate an individual’s exposure to pollution on an hourly basis.  The new report ‘Impact of air pollution on the health of outdoor workers’ is the next step in the campaign. It gathers available evidence about the causes and consequences of air pollution in Britain. It also reviews international examples of initiatives set up to measure air pollution in different locations and their recommendations for risk reduction.

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British Safety Council announces the winners of the International Safety Awards 2019

On 5 April, British Safety Council announced the winners of the 2019 International Safety Awards, which recognise exceptional commitment to workplace health, safety and wellbeing. Hundreds of health, safety and wellbeing experts gathered at the prestigious Grosvenor House Hotel. Each was eager to find out if they would take home the ultimate category awards. The 2019 winners were presented awards by celebrity wellbeing campaigner and journalist, Alastair Campbell. THE ISA 2019 WINNERS IN KEY CATEGORIES Now in their seventh year, the Health and Safety Champion and Young Health and Safety Champion Awards recognise exceptional individual performance. These are people who, although not health and safety professionals, have played a significant role in keeping their work colleagues safe and healthy. For the Health and Safety Champion of the Year Award, organisations nominate employees aged 25 or over. The Young Health and Safety Champion of the Year Award is given to a worker aged 16-24. This year, the Health and Safety Champion award went to Dave Renshaw, Workshop and Warehouse Supervisor, Allied Infrastructure Management ltd, UK. The winner of the Young Health and Safety Champion award was Himanshu Yadav, Engineer, Subros Ltd, India. The International Safety Award winning organisations that were considered by the panel of judges as outstanding in their respective sectors were honoured with the Sector Awards. This year, the Sector Awards went to the following companies: Construction and property activities – MMC Gamuda KVMRT (T) SDN BHD, Malaysia Education – Kingston University, UK Financial, IT, legal, scientific, technical services and media – Eversheds Sutherland (International) LLP, UK Health and Social Care – ISS Facility Services – Healthcare, UK Leisure, sport clubs, hospitality and catering – Arsenal Football Club, UK Local government, defence and public services – Roads and Transport Authority, Dubai Manufacturing – Indorama Eleme Petrochemicals Limited, Port Harcourt, Nigeria Oil, gas, mining and quarrying – Mina Abdullah Refinery, Kuwait National Petroleum Corporation, Kuwait Onshore major hazard – Malaysian Refining Company SDN BHD, Malaysia Power and utilities – Larsen & Toubro Limited, Power Transmission & Distribution Independent Company, India Transportation, distribution and storage – Unipart Logistics, UK Wholesale and retail services – Arcadia Group Ltd, Leeds, UK The recipient of the 2019 Chief Adjudicator’s Award, which recognises an outstanding approach to risk management and employee engagement, was Sharkey SE, UK. The award also acknowledged Sharkey SE’s impressive leadership philosophy and demonstration of ‘safety first’ principles. Last year, the British Safety Council introduced two new award categories which reflect the changing nature of workplace health and safety. The winner of the Wellbeing Initiative Award was A. Schulman Inc Limited, UK, while the winner of the Innovation in Occupational Health and Safety Award category was L&T Construction, India. Also for the second time, British Safety Council granted the Outstanding Bravery Award.  Its recipient was Fazal Ahmad, HSE supervisor, at PakArab Fertilizers Ltd, Pakistan. He was identified in the adjudication process as deserving a special recognition for his selfless act of bravery in the face of great danger. Congratulating all the winners of the 2019 International Safety Awards, Mike Robinson, Chief Executive of British Safety Council, said: “We are here tonight to celebrate the achievements of 507 winning organisations and our joint efforts to improve health and safety standards around the world. “The British Safety Council is continuously striving to increase its impact. Last month, working closely with King’s College London, we launched Canairy. This unique app provides outdoor workers with information to help them reduce their exposure to air pollution and employers with intelligence to protect the health of their workers. Together with the app, the British Safety Council launched a UK-wide Time to Breathe campaign with a publicity event staged in Oxford Circus, central London, on 12 March. This event has demonstrated our campaigning zeal, reminiscent of the times of our founder James Tye. We are now calling on London-based employers to trial Canairy and help us build an accurate picture of the exposure faced by outdoor workers. “Last year saw a significant investment in our new range of mental health training and digital learning products. This year, mental health training will account for almost one quarter of all the training we deliver. We have also introduced both virtual and augmented reality into almost all of our courses delivered from our office in Hammersmith. “In November 2017, we opened our first non-UK office in Mumbai, and our Indian business is going from strength to strength. This year, nearly one third of all International Safety Award applications came from Indian companies. We’ll continue to expand our international reach, and later this year, we hope to launch our first charitable initiative outside the UK. It will be aimed at improving safety awareness of Indian schoolchildren.” Lawrence Waterman, Chairman of British Safety Council, concluded: “At the time when our country, communities and families are divided by political events and hostile attitudes of groups and individuals with entrenched views, it is important to focus on what can draw us together. The principal role of health and safety is ensuring the welfare of people, all people, while the aim of environmental management is to protect our planet.  “We’re now hearing less about a race to the bottom and reducing health and safety standards after Brexit. But we need to stay on our guard since there are politicians and executives who think worker protection is worth sacrificing for trade deals. That’s why we need to stay focused and keep improving our workplaces to make them healthy, safe and productive. That’s why we also need to keep campaigning. “Creating safe and healthy workplaces can be profitable, effective and productive.  That’s why whole organisations, from directors to the shop floor, celebrate the International Safety Awards.”

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The future of health and safety in the Middle East

How do you future-proof your organisation? At its fourth annual conference in Dubai, the British Safety Council will explore how local businesses can prepare for opportunities and challenges ahead The British Safety Council, one of the most trusted international leaders in health, safety and environmental management, is hosting its fourth annual conference in Dubai, The Future of Health, Safety and Wellbeing in the Workplace, on Tuesday, 5 February 2019,  at the Sofitel Dubai Downtown. Across issues such as automation, ‘any time any place’ work, the impact of modern communication technologies and ‘flexible’ employment contracts, conference speakers will stimulate delegates to examine the present opportunities and risks for employee safety, health and wellbeing. They will also explore how excellent management in health, safety and wellbeing can transform organisations. Closely linked to that, there will be a discussion about the best approaches to promoting a positive workplace culture. The delegates will have an opportunity to sample the Virtual Reality (VR) technology which the British Safety Council uses to teach the evaluation of health and safety risks. For over 60 years, the British Safety Council has been campaigning, advising and educating workers and employers worldwide on how to make workplaces safe for everyone, as well as sharing best practice in work-related health, wellbeing and management of environmental risks. The British Safety Council has strong links with the Middle Eastern region, in particular with the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and works in partnership with many leading businesses in the country, such as Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA), Emirates National Oil Company (ENOC), the Ministry of Education, UAE, Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) and TECOM Group. Mike Robinson, Chief Executive of the British Safety Council, whose presentation will cover a number of key technological, societal and regulatory trends that will transform the workplace, said: “The world of work is rapidly changing, bringing both opportunities and considerable risks not only to businesses, the economy and the environment but also to wellbeing, health and safety of employees. It is imperative that employers gain an understanding of what’s in store and take a strategic view on how to deal with these challenges. “Over the next seven years, some commentators are forecasting that the number of connected devices will grow from less than 50 billion to over 300 billion. Penetration of smartphone use in the UAE is already 99%. The lives of people throughout the world will be affected in ways we cannot imagine. For example, the World Bank predicts that over the next 20 years, 69 per cent of jobs in India will be threatened by automation or the use of artificial intelligence. This together with the predicted growth in the gig economy, mean that workers will be at much greater risk of accident and ill-health and the always-on culture will lead to higher levels of stress, anxiety and depression. These are just some of the challenges that will pose considerable risks to companies and their workforces.” CONFERENCE PROGRAMME 10:00 Welcome and introduction: Mike Robinson, Chief Executive, British Safety Council 10:15 The importance of top management leadership: Dr Waddah S. Ghanem, Senior Director – Sustainability, Operational and Business Excellence, Emirates National Oil Company Limited (ENOC) LLC 10.45 Preparing for the future workplace:  Mike Robinson, Chief Executive, British Safety Council 11.30 Virtual reality – training showcase: James Mansbridge, Head of Digital Learning, British Safety Council 12.15 Promoting positive workplace culture, Clare Solomon Creative & Commercial Director, Tribe Culture Change 12.45 Lunch 13:45 Stream 1: Main room  Adopting ISO 45001: A new international standard for health and safety management, James Lewis, Head of Audit and Consultancy, British Safety Council 13:45 Stream 2: Break-out room Wellbeing in the workplace, Dr Carolyn Yeoman, Operations Director OCAID Wellbeing 15:00  Panel discussion Q&A chaired by James Mansbridge Head of Digital Learning, British Safety Council 15:30  Closing remarks: Mike Robinson Chief Executive, British Safety Council 15:40  Close

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Fusion joins British Safety Council

Offsite manufacturer of light gauge steel panelised superstructures Fusion Building Systems, has become a Member of the British Safety Council – a national organisation dedicated to making sure no one is injured at work. Fusion’s membership supports a business aspiration to achieve industry-leading health and safety standards and performance levels, setting a benchmark for the offsite construction sector as a whole. As a Member, Fusion will be able to access the latest health and safety information, stay up to date on all legislative changes and utilise the training resources made available for employees, with the aim of achieving a positive and proactive health and safety culture right across the business. David Bayliss, Fusion Health & Safety Manager, said: “Robust health and safety procedures are important for any business, but in construction, the risks could be considered more severe. We operate across varying environments; offices, a manufacturing facility, transportation and on live construction sites, so need to be sure we’re working to best practice guidelines at all times for the safety of our own employees, as well as those they’re working with. “We aspire to be industry-leading in our health and safety standards and our Membership of the British Safety Council will help us on our way to achieving this. All employees will benefit from the online resources which are made available to them and our commitment to working safely will continue to form part of our supply chain partner agreements.” Fusion’s health and safety record over the past seven years is already significantly better than average for the manufacturing facility and is industry-leading on-site. The Company also holds accreditations with CHAS (Contractors Health & Safety Assessment Scheme), BOPAS (Build Offsite Property Insurance Scheme), ISO9001, ISO14001, and is a member of industry bodies including the SCI (Steel Construction Institute). David continued: “Our membership of the British Safety Council is further evidence of how we’re developing as a business and how we’re working to improve standards not only in offsite manufacturing, but across the wider construction industry.”   For further information visit www.fusionbuild.com or www.britsafe.org

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Human rights, as well as health and safety, are compromised by Grenfell-style combustible cladding

British Safety Council supports the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s challenge to the government over failure to protect lives The British Safety Council welcomes the challenge to the government that a failure to address the risk to life posed by flammable external cladding, similar to that used on the Grenfell Tower, is a breach of human rights.  The Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has written to the Department for Housing, Communities and Local Government (DHCLG) outlining its concerns about the continued use of combustible cladding in existing buildings and advising the department of its responsibilities under human rights laws to protect lives. The Commission has expressed its concern that the consultation on the use of external cladding omits any reference to the government’s duty to protect lives under article 2 of the European Convention on Human Rights and schedule 1 to the Human Rights Act 1998. “The British Safety Council has participated in the consultation, calling for much tighter building controls, clearer guidance and effective enforcement,” said Lawrence Waterman, Chairman of the British Safety Council. “The EHRC intervention takes a wider view and supports our long-held and consistent argument that health and safety is a crucial underpinning of the human right to life.” He continued: “The British Safety Council vision of no-one being injured or made ill by their work will only be realised when everyone cooperates to defend this basic human right for all. We call on the government to take a much clearer lead and responsibility for past failures to protect life so tragically highlighted by the Grenfell Tower fire.”

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British Safety Council Announced the Winners of this Year’s International Safety Awards

The British Safety Council have announced the winners of this year’s international Safety Awards. These awards are designed to celebrate organisations worldwide that have shown a dedication to keep their Health and Safety at a high standard. This year, there were 531 organisations all a variety of different sizes and from different sectors won an International Safety Award. The winners included companies from round the world including the UK, Africa, Asia, India, mainland Europe and the Middle East. Out of these 531 organisations receiving an award, 31 businesses received a distinction, 300 businesses were awarded a merit and 200 achieved a pass. This years’ International Safety Awards was their 59th and it allows independent judges to assess whether organisations from around the world have demonstrated their obligation to protect the health and safety of their staff. This involves making sure that the businesses do everything they can to ensure their workers are safe from being injured or falling ill because of their job role. The independent judges for the scheme look for a reasonable amount of management of the Health and Safety risks by businesses. Making the workplace safe is vital and can bring long term benefits to the workers and employers. Ensuring Health and Safety regulations are at their best will also benefit society as a whole, knowing that they are in a safe environment when they go into a workplace. Celebrating the organisations that are named winners at the International Safety Awards should encourage more and more businesses to improve their Health and Safety measures. The winners of the award gain publicity which can boost the success of the companies. The 2017 and 60th International Safety awards Gala Dinner will be hosted by Gabby Logan and held on the 5th May. This year’s winners include Abu Dhabi Island, Indian Oil, Sotech General Contracting Limited, Bibby Distribution Limited, Carillon Services and Kier Construction Central- RAF Cranwell FTS.

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