Employment Rights Bill – Government Publishes Implementation Roadmap

sarahvardyAgriculture, Automotive, Construction & Property Management, Education, Haulage & Distribution, Health & Social Care, Hospitality & Leisure, Manufacturing & Engineering, Religious Organisations & Charities, Retail & Commercial & Offices

The government has published the Employment Rights Bill Implementation Roadmap, outlining when new measures will come into effect. This comprehensive plan aims to raise living standards across the UK, with around 15 million workers expected to benefit from new rights starting later this year. Highlights of the Roadmap include: Measures that will take effect after the bill is passed: The Strikes … Read More

The Sun’s Out – Time To Get The Shorts Out?

sarahvardyAgriculture, Automotive, Construction & Property Management, Education, Haulage & Distribution, Health & Social Care, Hospitality & Leisure, Manufacturing & Engineering, Religious Organisations & Charities, Retail & Commercial & Offices

With the sun making a brief appearance over the past few days, the familiar health and safety advisories have returned, highlighting the risks of prolonged sun exposure, including skin cancer and heat-related illnesses. Heat-related risks to workers Whether indoors or outdoors, working in excessive heat can cause a number of medical issues, including: Heat rash – a skin irritation caused … Read More

Updated Gas Safety Guidance

sarahvardyAgriculture, Automotive, Construction & Property Management, Education, Haulage & Distribution, Hospitality & Leisure, Manufacturing & Engineering

The British Compressed Gases Association (BCGA) has recently made a number of revisions to published documents on their website. The documents in question include: Code of Practice 31 – The safe use of cylinders on mobile workshops and service vehicles (Revision 6: 2025) Technical Information 29 – Oxy-fuel equipment: selection and assembly (Revision 2: 2025) Safety Alert 2 – Hydrogen … Read More

Revised Bloodborne Viruses Guidance

sarahvardyAgriculture, Construction & Property Management, Education, Health & Social Care, Hospitality & Leisure, Religious Organisations & Charities

A bloodborne virus is an infection that can be transmitted through direct contact with blood and other bodily fluids. The most common examples of bloodborne viruses are hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV.   The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) recently updated their guidance on managing the risks associated with blood-borne viruses (BBVs) in the workplace. This revised guidance provides … Read More

HSE NI Launch Food Production Inspection Campaign

sarahvardyAgriculture, Manufacturing & Engineering

The Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI) has launched a targeted campaign to improve workplace health standards in the agri-food sector. This initiative involves a series of advisory and inspection visits to food production businesses, with a strong emphasis on tackling key health issues that affect workers in this vital industry.   Campaign Overview HSENI’s campaign is designed … Read More

HSE Launch Free Stress eLearning Module

sarahvardyAgriculture, Automotive, Construction & Property Management, Education, Haulage & Distribution, Health & Social Care, Hospitality & Leisure, Manufacturing & Engineering, Religious Organisations & Charities, Retail & Commercial & Offices

Stress is a widespread issue in the workplace, which, alongside anxiety and depression, contributes to around half of all cases of work-related ill health. Employees may experience stress for various reasons, such as excessive workloads, limited control over their tasks, insufficient support, difficult workplace relationships, or changes in their role or the organisation. Employers are legally required to protect staff … Read More

New Camping Safety Guide from RoSPA

sarahvardyAgriculture, Automotive, Education, Hospitality & Leisure, Religious Organisations & Charities

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents has published a camping safety leaflet offering essential tips for staying safe during camping-related activities. The leaflet outlines a list of basic tips to consider before heading out to camp. These include checking the weather forecast, packing the correct supplies, and ensuring the correct emergency procedures are in place. RoSPA also makes … Read More

Updated Guidance on Fire Alarm Zone Plans: Why They Matter

sarahvardyAgriculture, Automotive, Construction & Property Management, Education, Haulage & Distribution, Health & Social Care, Hospitality & Leisure, Manufacturing & Engineering, Religious Organisations & Charities, Retail & Commercial & Offices

The Fire Industry Association (FIA) has released new guidance on Fire Detection and Alarm Zone Plans; this has been updated to align with the latest BS 5839-1:2025 standard. This update brings a renewed focus on the critical role of zone plans in fire safety management.   Key Changes in the Guidance The new guidance classifies the absence of a zone … Read More

West Nile Virus Detected in UK Mosquitos

sarahvardyAgriculture, Construction & Property Management, Hospitality & Leisure, Religious Organisations & Charities

Research undertaken by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has found fragments of the West Nile Virus in mosquitos collected from Retford, Nottinghamshire. This marks the first time that such fragments have been identified in the UK. The risk of West Nile Virus remains low, with only 2 out of 200 mosquito batches spread across the UK testing positive for … Read More

Updated Driver Hours Rules for HGVs and PSVs

sarahvardyAgriculture, Automotive, Haulage & Distribution

Coming into effect from April 21, 2025, the UK government has introduced updates to the driver hours rules for Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) and Public Service Vehicles (PSVs) under the Drivers’ Hours and Tachographs (Amendment and Modification) Regulations 2025. These changes aim to align UK regulations with international standards, particularly under the UK/EU Trade and Cooperation Agreement and the AETR … Read More