An employee of a motorcycle manufacturer who was fired after she called one of her colleagues a ‘knob head’ over a workplace email was unfairly dismissed, the Employment Appeal tribunal (EAT) has upheld. Talon Engineering’s decision to dismiss Mrs. V Smith was found to be unreasonable because of its refusal to postpone her disciplinary hearing for a second time so … Read More
Is maximum workplace temperature legislation possible?
Following the Great British Heat Wave, many employees (and employers) across the country are asking the question: ‘Why isn’t there a legally enforceable maximum workplace temperature?’ This isn’t the first time the question has come up, but it is the first time a maximum workplace temperature has become a real possibility. Why haven’t we already got a maximum workplace temperature? … Read More
Intrusive Interference or Legitimate Interest – How much should you monitor people at work?
Monitoring work activity is no longer just the case of a manager or supervisor directly observing their team, the rapid growth of technology has enabled a wide range of monitoring activities and used inappropriately or unfairly, monitoring could be counter-productive and have a demoralising effect. There are many reasons why organisations may want to monitor the activity of people at … Read More
Designing Safe Buildings
RIBA (The Royal Institute of British Architects) has announced that over the next twelve months they will be developing a new mandatory test for all UK Chartered Members on health and safety and building users life safety. This is, in part, inspired by the Hackitt Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety earlier this year following the Grenfell Tower fire … Read More
New Chemical Exposure Limits
Due to their hazardous properties limits are set for the amount of certain substances that people may be exposed to at work. A workplace exposure limit (WEL) is the maximum concentration of an airborne substance averaged over a reference period which employees may be exposed to by inhalation. The HSE’s publication EH40/2005 Workplace exposure limits includes the list of substances … Read More
The Secret Life of the Office Toilet, What is Your Washroom Used For?
All employers are required suitable welfare facilities for their workers, this includes: suitable and sufficient sanitary conveniences; suitable and sufficient washing facilities; an adequate supply of wholesome drinking water; suitable and sufficient rest facilities; and where meals are regularly eaten in the workplace, suitable and sufficient facilities for persons at work to eat meals Regulations go on to say that, … Read More
Avoiding Falls From Height
The consequences of a fall from height can be severe. Figures recently released by the HSE show that while falls from height were the most common type of fatal accident at work typically accounting for around 28% of accidental deaths, they only tend to represent around 7% of non-fatal injuries (see https://www.sigersonassociates.co.uk/news/deaths-in-the-workplace-rise). What can go wrong? Looking at some recent … Read More
New Construction Hoists Guidance
The Construction Plant Association (CPA) has published a new technical information note that outlines the steps to be taken in assessing appropriate out-of-service wind speeds for construction hoists in the UK. Out of service wind speeds are important as they will have an effect of the stability of a hoist. You can download the new note (TIN302) and other guidance … Read More
Manual Handling and Sickness Absence
Figures recently released by the Office for National Statistics show that, musculoskeletal problems (including back pain, neck and upper limb problems etc) were responsible for 28.2 million days lost to sickness in 2017. The figures were higher for men at 28% of days lost compared to 18.4% for women. Musculoskeletal problems can often be a result of poor manual handling … Read More
National Minimum Wage – The Current Situation
The National Minimum Wage has been the focus of many legal cases recently, with everything from sleep-in shifts and whistleblowing, to national naming and shaming for firms failing to pay the NMW. With so much going on, it can be easy to lose track of what you need to be aware of, and what the latest ruling is. So, here … Read More