This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Established by the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, the HSE was officially launched on 1st January 1975 under its first Director General, John Locke. In April of 1975, new legal duties were introduced for employers, the self-employed, and employees, with the HSE responsible for … Read More
Protecting Properties Against Flooding
According to research conducted by the Association of British Insurers, a total of £585 million was paid out for weather-related damage to people’s homes and possessions in 2024. This is a record high compared to the £485 million paid out in 2023. By the end of 2024, there had been a total of 7 consecutive quarters in which weather-related claims … Read More
Reasonable adjustments for neurodiverse employees
It is a well-established principle of equality legislation that employers have a duty to make reasonable adjustments to support disabled workers. What is reasonable will depend on the particular circumstances but could include measures such as: Finding a different way to do something, such as providing training in a different way, allowing extra time for certain tasks or considering … Read More
New business waste and recycling rules in England
Individuals, households, businesses and other organisations all have a duty of care to take reasonable steps to ensure that their waste is disposed of responsibly. Similar to the way that most households have separate collections for different types of domestic waste, new regulations coming into effect in England at the end of March 2025 will require most workplaces to … Read More
Hazards of installing stone worktops
Silica is a natural substance found in most stone, rocks, sand, quartz and clay. This can be released as dust during a number of tasks. Some of the dust created when working with this material may be fine enough to reach deep inside the lungs; this is known as respirable crystalline silica (RCS). This can be harmful to health, and significant exposure … Read More
Furniture fire safety standards – an update
Previously we reported how the Department for Business and Trade and the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) had begun a consultation process looking at a new approach to dealing with the fire safety of domestic upholstered furniture. A particular concern with the current regulations has been the volume of chemical flame retardants (CFRs) which are used to … Read More
Fire safety in small premises
In 2023 the Home Office published 3 new guides to help responsible persons and building owners comply with their fire safety duties in small non-domestic premises, guest accommodation and blocks of flats. Following changes to legal requirements introduced by the Building Safety Act 2022, the Home Office has now issued updated versions of those guides. All three guides explain … Read More
E-bike battery safety
A number of concerns have been raised in recent years regarding the safety of lithium-ion batteries, in particular fires involving personal light electric vehicles such as e-bikes. London Fire Brigade alone reported attending 143 e-bike fires along with 36 blazes involving e-scooters in 2023. This concern led the government to commission research and take action to enhance product legislation … Read More
Did lowering the speed limit work?
On 17th September 2023 the Welsh Government introduced a standard 20 mph speed limit on all restricted roads in Wales. The majority of these roads are located in residential and built-up areas, and previously most restricted roads in Wales followed the UK standard speed limit of 30 mph. This change increased the approximate total length of roads in Wales with … Read More
Importance of Tree Risk Management during Winter
During winter storms in the UK, trees pose significant risks, particularly to commercial properties. High winds and heavy snowfall can weaken branches, potentially leading to breakage or entire tree falls that may damage buildings, vehicles, and infrastructure, as well as pose a risk to life. According to the Health and Safety Executive, the combination of severe weather and poor … Read More