News Results | Features Results | Comments Results
This search function has been limited to 300 new stories and 100 features and comments
Industry body wants to see national rules for minimum standards in UK workplaces.
Lack of an agreed definition is holding employers back from supporting workers better.
Public trust in fire safety precautions may not always be well placed.
Safety solution rolled out for the FM group’s lone and isolated frontline staff.
Lack of data proving that fixed and moveable assets are managed and maintained to required standards is too common.
Adam Taylor has been elected as chair of the Indoor Air Quality group of the Building Engineering Services Association.
New legislation and an increased focus on best practice are leading to more pressure on property and facilities managers.
Survey finds 70% of maintenance professionals saying that staying compliant is the most significant problem in their business.
BESA has launched a new specification for ventilation hygiene.
The corporate office FM specialist has secured the British Safety Council award for the second year in a row.
New mandatory competence assessment deadline extended by 13 weeks.
Custodians of indoor air quality will have a greater influence on human health and wellbeing than the medical professions.
Amulet is the first security firm to partner with Rail Safe Friendly, a network dedicated to improving rail safety in schools.
Growing risks and hostile environments are driving up the number of alerts.
Cambridge-based start-up Infersens has launched its first commercially available risk management and water waste solution.
London Fire Brigade has created an online fire safety training package to equip service providers with greater knowledge.
Against a background of changing regulations, that’s the way to think says the hard services trade group.
Following 10 named storms in the UK in the 2023-24 season already and no doubt more to come, some timely advice.
Keep people safe from future dangers of asbestos, the regulator warns.
Survey shows overwork is a major issue for the sector.
The specialised water treatment services provider has become the latest business to join the group.
Novus Property Solutions is celebrating a trio of milestones in its campaign to support and improve wellbeing and health.
The event, the second this year, will address the stigma around mental health in the industry.
The cross-sector group is focusing on the building occupation phase and inviting input on golden thread tools.
The Building Engineering Services Association has praised the creation of the first British Standard for health and wellbeing in buildings.
New system addresses legislative and safety concerns for construction sites and mitigates the multi-million-pound risks of site shutdowns.
The hard services specialist is currently installing defibrillator units at 154 train stations.
Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service is prosecuting six companies for failing to comply with the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005.
The Public Accounts Committee laments that, after decades of broad consensus on the need for repairs and restoration, progress has been painfully slow.
Marking the start of Mental Health Awareness Week, VIVO Defence Services has become a company supporter of Lighthouse.
The training and consultancy firm was recognised in the Safer Logistics category at the SHE Awards for its work with DPD.
The hard services specialist has been appointed to provide fire and security maintenance services to Edinburgh Leisure.
The service provider has been named winner of the Facilities Management Industry Sector Award and Water Industry Sector Award.
Balfour Beatty, BAM Nuttall and Heathrow Airport will take part in the world’s first regulatory sandbox for industrial safetytech.
New research has revealed the extent to which maintenance issues can impact the smooth running of a facility.
Funding has been announced for recruitment and training of building control inspectors and fire inspectors working with the Building Safety Regulator.
The learning specialist, along with its client DPD, has been shortlisted for the prestigious SHE Awards.
UK technology companies with game-changing safety tech products are being invited to get involved with a new Health & Safety Executive-backed initiative.
Seven top health and safety bodies have issued a ‘call to arms’ for the government to scrap the arbitrary deadlines of the EU Retained Law Bill.
Musculoskeletal disorders are the most common occupational illnesses, with back pain topping the list.
With changes to fire safety starting to come into force from 23 January, the Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management is urging the profession to get up to date.
New research reveals more than half of UK hybrid workers are concerned poor air quality and ventilation will impact their health.
Extensive asbestos remediation work is still needed on more than 100,000 UK buildings, according to a new report.
SPIE UK has secured ISO/IEC 17020 accreditation from the United Kingdom Accreditation Service for the management of Legionella risks.
An international awareness campaign to promote the critical role of better building ventilation has been launched.
The environment, health and safety software market will continue to grow this year, in parallel with and potentially overlapping ESG activities.
The Building Engineering Services Association has described the state of indoor air quality in UK classrooms as “scandalous”.
The Building Engineering Services Association has issued an urgent warning about a potential fire safety weakness in a large number of building ventilation systems.
The partnership delivers a successful Environment, Cleaning and Decontamination programme for professionals.
The leading-edge AI and machine learning sensor technology business was recently visited by Her Excellency the Honourable Dr Jeannette Young AC PSM.
Compass Group’s workplace caterer and facilities management provider have donated £21,000 to Mental Health UK.
The Building Engineering Services Association has thrown its weight behind a report calling for the imposition of higher ventilation standards.
June 16th is National Clean Air Day and the key role played by mechanical ventilation systems in making buildings safer and healthier will be a central theme.
April Harvey has been recognised for her role as health, safety and risk lead in the mobilisation of the first Covid quarantine facility and Covid-19 test centres.
Trade unions and scientists want employers to sign a pledge to protect the health and wellbeing of their employees by improving workplace conditions.
The contract caterer is backing The Natasha Allergy Research Foundation’s first clinical trial to help achieve its mission ‘to make allergies history’.
Any plans for the removal of asbestos from public and commercial buildings must include detailed information on how people will be protected and how it will be disposed of.
New guidance from the Building Engineering Services Association will help owners and managers protect occupants from airborne health risks.
The facilities services company has won a string of RoSPA awards and in catering there’s ‘rising star’ recognition.
As the UK telecoms network continues to evolve, the end of analogue telephone services is in sight. The future is fibre optic.
Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust has awarded its water hygiene services contract to Airmec Essential Services.
The British Cleaning Council reports worries that cleaning staff in healthcare, hospitality and other sectors are facing burn-out due to increased workloads.
Created by the charity Mind, the Mental Health at Work Commitment defines six fundamental standards for a business.
Employers should consider what extra precautions they should take in the run-up to Christmas, the council says.
Work-related stress and poor mental health risk becoming a health and safety crisis for Great Britain’s workplaces, the regulator has warned.
With more people making their way back to the workplace, academics and H&S experts are warning about ‘sign blindness’, a side-effect of over-exposure to new rules, warnings and safety notices.
Against a background of growing concern about indoor air quality, one provider of sophisticated cleaning equipment launched research into whether vacuuming could be a ‘hidden’ weapon in the quality arsenal.
Two new pieces of guidance on reducing Covid-19 transmission through ventilation and air cleaning technologies have been issued by the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers.
The removal of most Covid restrictions has increased calls for practical guidance and the setting of specific indoor air quality targets to support the health and wellbeing of building occupants.
Two engineering services bodies have stepped up their health & safety advice with the arrival of ‘freedom day’.
The British Safety Council’s Five Star Occupational Health and Safety Audit has been revised and updated.
Good ventilation in public buildings and on transport systems is essential to reducing the risk of Covid-19 and other infections, according to a new report from the Royal Academy of Engineering.
Public funding is urgently needed to ensure buildings benefit from improved awareness around mechanical ventilation systems and airborne disease risk.
The Building Engineering Services Association is supporting a campaign to have current building ventilation regulations completely rewritten.
A survey of sports fans’ attitudes about returning to stadium-based events has uncovered both enthusiasm and concerns.
Corps Security is giving all its female employees free personal security protection to keep them safe following a rise in concern around women’s safety.
The group has joined a global trade union federation for workers throughout the food chain in signing a declaration of intent on health and safety.
Building owners could face unlimited fines following new measures being brought in to strengthen fire safety.
The facilities services company is to assist with a new Covid-19 testing initiative at a site it already manages.
The Health and Safety Executive has announced the appointment of Peter Baker to establish and lead the new Building Safety Regulator.
Over 70% of the UK workforce does not feel completely safe working in their employer’s buildings.
An independent survey of more than 800 building decision-makers shows a clear shift to increased investment in healthy building trends and technologies.
The Health and Safety Executive study will focus on the transmission of the coronavirus in environments including workplaces, transport and other public settings.
The Building Engineering Services Association has published new guidance to help engineering and construction firms keep their staff safe in the light of new government restrictions.
Q3 Services has purchased the Channel Islands-based business Biofog Limited.
The field service management software specialist has been selected to develop a mobile app to power Compass Group's digitised Safety Walks programme.
The great pandemic work-from-home experiment has proved, broadly, a success. But a quarter of such workers express some concern about their mental wellbeing.
The standards organisation has refreshed its 'single-source' safe working guidance, coupling it with a planned webinar on implementation.
The British Council for Offices has published new guidance for the safe use of escalators and lifts, as the country begins to return to the workplace.
Conferences, exhibitions and networking events have always been an important and popular feature of the FM scene. For many people, the Covid-19 pandemic has changed all that.
The Prime Minister's call for employers to begin bringing people back into the workplace in August has drawn another cautious response.
The property services group is collaborating with a leading inspection, testing and certification company to help building owners and occupiers confirm their spaces are clean and safe.
The pilot, to evaluate the effectiveness of testing for people without symptoms of the virus who work in high-contact professions, is underway now.
Design and engineering consultancy Arcadis has been awarded £50,000 to help in developing advice on the return to work.
National trade body the British Pest Control Association has issued a new guide to help facilities managers re-open premises as lockdown restrictions ease.
The company's Bounceback Innovation Challenge aims to develop solutions that will help the industry better cope with challenges posed by the coronavirus.
Matthew Brabin, CEO at ISS UK & Ireland, has been named the Overall CEO Winner in the British Safety Council 2020 International Safety Awards.
The group is partnering with Bureau Veritas, the testing, inspection and certification specialist, to introduce a hygiene verification label for its procedures and services.
The engineering services group Ramboll has launched an interactive training app to help businesses prepare for returning to the office.
Two industry bodies have come together to offer guidance on the water safety issues involved in re-opening buildings after lockdown.
BESA and ECA have released a joint sector guide on work-related travel and updated their guides on working in close proximity and in areas of increased risk.
The UK's National Standards Body has published new safe working guidelines to help businesses manage the return to work and the reoccupation of their facilities.
Sodexo is committing to a clinically-informed approach to the development of new protocols and standards, supported by the newly appointed council.
Sodexo has boosted its health and wellbeing commitment to students to include access to a purpose-designed, NHS-approved app.
With the prospect of a return to the workplace nearing a reality for many, support strategies of all shapes and sizes continue to emerge from product and service suppliers.
There is a lot of smoke and mirrors being used to drive demand for particular HVAC technologies in the Covid-19 crisis, according to the chair of an influential industry group.
The security, cleaning and front-of-house services provider is supporting the pledge's goal for businesses and universities to help employees, customers and the community during the pandemic.
The property and facilities management services company is deploying a new mobile app to track the health and wellbeing of its remote workforce during the Covid-19 crisis and beyond.
As many of the UK's businesses consider reopening their doors, the Water Regulations Advisory Scheme is encouraging them to consider the risks posed by their water systems sooner rather than later, to avoid health risks.
The soft services group has added a new app to its digital platform, designed to monitor signs and curb the spread of the coronavirus.
Corps Security has joined the return-to-work services market with the introduction of new tools to support organisations as they look towards 'business as usual'.
As the lifting of some lockdown restrictions is reviewed by government, Mitie has published a return-to-work guide for facilities managers.
The independent cleaning and support services company has developed an online hub to share information in support of a return to the workplace.
Leading engineering services sector bodies BESA and ECA have jointly developed two new guides to help contractors to manage coronavirus-related issues on-site.
The soft services provider has developed a Covid-19 swab testing service to help organisations safely manage buildings and protect occupants pre- and post-lockdown.
Workplace design experts are predicting the pandemic could prove a major challenge to the future of hotdesking.
The British Cleaning Council is calling for all cleaners to be included in the expanded first wave of testing for coronavirus for essential workers.
Global real estate services firm Cushman & Wakefield has formed a Recovery Readiness Task Force to assist clients with post-covid-19 returns to the workplace.
The Student Living by Sodexo team has launched its residential living programme as a virtual service for students at Sodexo-managed university accommodation sites across the UK.
The Institute of Workplace and Facilities Management has published a round-up of advice for FMs faced with issues raised by covid-19.
The annual NEC event will be held in September, as it becomes the latest item on the FM calendar to be derailed by concerns around the coronavirus.
A new study by Cranfield University investigates the workplace safety and health challenges that arise specifically from outsourcing.
The property world's major European event, due to open on 10 March, has been rescheduled to June.
As the board charged with implementing the new Building Safety Regulator meets and government begins to frame its legislation, a leading construction body has called for enhanced powers for the Regulator.
The International Fire Safety Standards Coalition is seeking the views of industry experts on the development of the first global standard on fire safety.
Compass Group UK & Ireland has joined forces with Hospitality Action to support the industry charity's major new mental health awareness programme.
The facilities services provider has introduced its new hidden disabilities initiative at centre:mk in Milton Keynes.
The plan is to develop a new British Standard designed to establish performance benchmarks for healthier buildings.
The call for evidence seeks views and evidence on the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 for England in workplaces and the parts used in common in multi-occupied residential buildings.
The facilities services group's Irish business has achieved ISO 45001:2018 accreditation, the international standard for occupational health & safety.
All five prisons operated by Sodexo have achieved the British Safety Council's integrated Five-Star Safety, Health and Environmental Audit.
Mental Health First Aid England has launched best-practice guidance for employers on how to implement mental health first aid in the workplace.
New research indicates that waste collection systems used throughout the UK could be causing significant long-term musculoskeletal issues for workers.
Debate is expected today around the concept of mental health first aid in the workplace. This could be the start of significant change.
ISS Ireland has been awarded a Distinction for the third year running at the National Irish Safety Organisation Safety Awards, presented last month.
An industry initiative to encourage the government to deliver all of the recommendations contained in Dame Judith Hackitt's report has been launched with the backing of two key industry bodies.
The author of an independent review into fire safety and building regulations has warned it is impossible to rule out another "catastrophic event" like the Grenfell Tower tragedy if changes aren't made to the regulatory system.
More than 30 organisations from around the world have joined a project to develop landmark industry standards to address fire safety in buildings.
Marking the anniversary of the tragic fire, the safety community has sent an open letter to the Prime Minister stating that the need for action is now urgent.
The Construction Industry Council, the broad-based group for built environment professionals, is calling for an industry-imposed moratorium on the use of combustible materials in high-rise cladding systems.
The British Institute of Facilities Management has announced plans to develop a new certified accreditation and a suite of training courses for facilities managers in charge of life safety in buildings.
The Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety, initiated in response to the Grenfell tragedy, reached a culmination with the publishing of its final report last week.
The FM services provider has been named winner of the Outstanding Innovation category at the 2018 Global Business Excellence Awards.
It is World Day for Safety and Health at Work this Saturday, which may be fairly incongruous given that most of us will be relaxing at home; but is an important date in the H&S calendar nonetheless. Alex Davies reports from Abu Dhabi.
The new global standard for health and safety has been labelled a "landmark" that will encourage "much-needed solutions" by the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health.
The construction industry group The Considerate Constructors Scheme has launched a campaign aimed at reducing poor air quality after a survey revealed that nearly two-thirds of respondents feel the industry is not doing enough on this issue.
ISO 45001, the new international standard for occupational safety and health, is set to be published in March.
The group's security business has been awarded a two-year contract with Highways England to provide up to 50,000 road workers with a health & safety passport.
Safety is a critical aspect of all facilities management policy and practice, of course, but nowhere more so than on a building's roof. Heights, edges, tripping hazards: it's a dangerous place up there. So what's the best solution?
The training and consultancy business International Workplace has been confirmed as a finalist at the Learning Technologies Awards 2017 for the latest version of its bestselling online health and safety course.
The Grenfell Tower public inquiry must be "a watershed for fire safety", the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health has declared.
The Local Government Association has called on central government to launch an "urgent and immediate" review of building regulations.
More than 700 organisations and individuals have signed an open letter to Prime Minister Theresa May challenging health and safety deregulation in the wake of the Grenfell Tower blaze.
The largest UK fines for health and safety incidents have increased substantially in the past year, according to new research.
It's not much of a stretch to see the negative side of H&S, illness and accident statistics, as also the negative side of workplace wellbeing.
The Heath and Work campaign is launched at a time when stress and musculoskeletal disorders account for around 80% of all working time lost due to illness, according to the Health and Safety Executive.
New research from the Royal Society for Public Health concludes that the average time spent commuting in the UK has increased in recent years to almost an hour a day: longer commutes are potentially shortening lives, it says.
A Sodexo employee from China recently travelled to the UK to receive the Best Candidate award for achieving the highest score of some 35,000 students in the International General Certificate in Occupational Safety & Health.
Carillion has teamed up with SPICA Technologies to roll out a pilot Internet of Things project for remote Legionella monitoring across a series of building society branches in Central London.
The most dramatic changes in health and safety enforcement since 1974, including new sentencing guidelines for offences, come into force next month. Compliance, BSRIA says, is more critical than ever.
The BIFM has published a Good Practice Guide to winter maintenance, in partnership with the specialists at GRITIT.
The Fire Sector Federation and Construction Industry Council are calling for change to Building Regulations guidance, as complex and inconsistent language has left even the experts confused.
The Middle East Facility Management Association has announced a new partnership with learning and development specialist International Workplace that will see MEFMA expand its range of courses in the GCC region and beyond.
Incentive FM has partnered with a UK charity to train staff on mental health awareness and suicide intervention.
Health & safety policy and practice is a standard part of the facilities management remit, as well as wider corporate operations, but it's all too easy to relegate it to the 'routine'.
Portable appliance testing is a straightforward concept that would probably draw universal support if put to a vote. But it's also a concept marked by confusion about requirements and disagreement about appropriate practices.
'Calling out the gritters' might be a well-known phrase in FM circles, but facilities professionals don't necessarily know their grit from their salt, according to winter risk management expert GRITIT.
The UK is experiencing increasingly unpredictable winters, according to a recent joint study by climate experts from the Met Office and University of Sheffield.
Somehow it seems to have become December more quickly than expected, and that raises the question of just how prepared FMs are for the inevitable bad weather.
The cost of people experiencing injuries on business premises in winter and of related employee ill health is vast in financial terms.
Aramark's offshore team has been presented with the RoSPA Order of Distinction, after it received a fifteenth consecutive Gold Award for Occupational Health and Safety.
The BIFM has published a new guidance document specifically aimed at facilities managers in light of their responsibility for health and safety in the workplace.
The Health & Safety Executive is seeking views on its proposal to replace the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007 and withdraw the Approved Code of Practice.
New research has put the cost of poor hygiene in the workplace at nearly £14bn. UK plc could save that money simply by improving standards.
Amongst all the change over the past year or two in health and safety law has been a shift in the concept of 'strict liability', the principle that left employers with all but no defence against some claims.
Changes to the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) 1995 came into effect with the arrival of October.
A new initiative has been launched, backed by the Department of Health via the Small Business Research Initiative, with the aim of tackling obesity and strengthening the hearts of office workers and commuters.
The outsourcing company has become the first FM business to achieve accreditation for its own management training course from the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health.
A freedom of information request made by business law firm DWF has revealed that invoices issued under the Health and Safety Executive's fees for intervention scheme have passed the £1m mark.
MI5 is looking for a Health and Safety Advisor; but don’t bother asking any questions about the job.
The Association for Specialist Fire Protection has launched a new Android-based fire risk assessment app.
PHS Waterlogic, Europe's largest supplier of mains-fed water dispensing and purifying systems, has issued a warning about some of the purification claims being made in the water vending market.
The Health and Safety Executive has launched three consultations on changes to the content of Approved Codes of Practice.
Procedures for and timing of testing of electrical equipment in the workplace must generate as much discussion in FM as many of the industry's 'big issues'.
The UK Asbestos Training Association has welcomed the move by a Welsh Assembly member to bring forward a bill that would see businesses and insurers take on £2 million in asbestos costs.
Researchers at Imperial College London have linked adult onset asthma to the cleaning industry.
The experts at Workplace Law have assembled a series of interviews looking back over the past 12 months and forward to see how events may shape and influence the next 12.
Two leading organisations have both launched new access to health & safety advice, targeting smaller businesses.
Specialist advisor Workplace Law has set out to determine if the Display Screen Equipment Regulations, which date back to 1992, are still fit for purpose.
The pace of change in regulations and obligations around the big topic of health & safety shows little sign of slackening.
The Health and Safety Executive has issued a second safety notice targeting the most common sources of significant outbreaks based on a review of data going back 10 years.
Thousands of businesses are to be exempt from health and safety inspections under new rules to be introduced by ministers in April 2013.
The British Security Industry Association has published a 'quick' guide to purchasing lone worker protection products and services to aid employers in choosing the right product to protect their staff.
Innovative communication techniques that helped to prevent worker deaths during the Olympic build could be harnessed to benefit other projects, a research study has found.
Following on from a prolonged period of review and assessment in the health & safety arena, the HSE has opened consultation on proposals to revise its Approved Codes of Practice.
New research has found that young architects develop the best understanding of health and safety through detailed application rather than abstract study. There are lessons here for all professions.
A man in his 50s has died while being treated at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh as the number of cases of Legionnaires' disease in Scotland continues to grow.
Unnecessary electrical safety tests cost office-based businesses an estimated £30m a year, according to the Health & Safety Executive.
The British Security Industry Association has added a new page to its website, offering lone workers and their employers a central point of information on health and safety, legal obligations and quality standards.
A set of four staff safety films, produced by ISS UK, has won two prestigious international television and film awards in recognition of their quality and innovative approach.
The award winning anti-entrapment safeguard developed by access specialist Nationwide Platforms is set to be showcased at Intermat 2012, giving a global audience sight of the pioneering system.
From 6 April employers no longer have to report injuries which keep workers off normal duties for seven or fewer days.
The Health and Safety Executive has confirmed that its controversial cost recovery scheme will go ahead but will now not start in April as originally planned.
Lanarkshire Health Board has been fined £24,000 for a breach under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, which led to a legionella outbreak at Hartwoodhill Hospital.
A Government-backed consortium has launched a website to help businesses adopt flexible working practices.
Outsourcing may be a great thing but it does bring with it some risks, which multiply with the length and complexity of the supply chain.
The Lofstedt report has been published today, making 19 recommendations for the reform of health and safety, which the government has accepted.
Training in health & safety is critical for everyone involved in FM. But how much, when and how are still controversial questions.
The Health & Safety Executive's telephone information service has shut up shop, as the agency moves to shift everything online.
These are uncertain times for this key discipline as reviews seem to come and go, with at least some proposed change apparently driven by cost cutting and a dread of 'red tape'.
The Facilities Services Group and its client British Waterways have developed a joint online programme providing a consistent approach to the delivery of health and safety training.
From today, statutory reporting to HSE of work-related injuries and incidents under RIDDOR (the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995) will move to a predominantly online system.
Workplace safety expert PHS Compliance has launched a new service that promises an instant safety needs analysis report to facilities managers at no charge.
The HSE has today opened a three-month consultation on how cost recovery for intervention will work, having already agreed the underlying principle with Government.
Three-quarters of employees questioned in a recent survey claimed to be 'unaware' of the health and safety procedures within their workplace.
Health & safety is in the spotlight again, as the Government turns its sights on the 'right' balance of legislation and regulation.
The fourth edition of i-FM in Brief, our regular newsletter designed to bring readers a round-up of recent news, features and market insights, is available on the site now.
The Fire Industry Association has published a new guide to fire safety in commercial premises.
Suddenly, health & safety seems to be on every agenda: from the government, which hopes to slim the regulatory environment down, to RICS, which has published new advice.
RICS has launched what it calls 'the first guidance note of its kind', designed to ensure consistency in the approach to health and safety procedures across the construction sector.
British businesses are losing their competitive edge because of a failure to tackle the risks of injury and illness in the workplace, IOSH research indicates.
UK businesses concede that workplace health & safety is important, but the volume of regulation and its ambiguity means it is often misapplied, according to research by the British Chambers of Commerce, which has dubbed the situation 'yellow tape'.
The owners of Newquay's Penhallow Hotel, scene of a disastrous fire in August 2007, have been fined £80,000 and ordered to pay costs of £62,000.
In its response to consultation on the future of RIDDOR, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents has urged a more radical approach to how incidents are recorded.
The draft terms of reference which will govern the independent review of health and safety legislation announced last month have been published.
The Health & Safety Executive has launched a pair of web-based initiatives designed to make it easier for organisations to implement good practice.
Work and Pensions Minister Chris Grayling MP has announced a package of changes to Britain's health and safety system, including a huge cut in health and safety inspections.
Councils and businesses will face tougher penalties for unnecessary non-emergency lift call-outs, the London Fire Brigade has said.
A Fife papermaking firm has been fined £260,000 after a worker fell almost 50 feet through a fragile roof to his death.
Cotswold Geotechnical Holdings has become the first company to be convicted of the new offence of corporate manslaughter.
In January, MITIE signed up the community interest company MHFA to offer free mental health first aid training courses to its own staff as well as staff at its clients.
The Health and Safety Executive has hit back at recent news stories declaring the end of its 'Hidden Killer' campaign which is focused on the dangers of asbestos in buildings.
This is the sort of story that highlights what sensible health and safety practice is up against.
This is the sort of story that gives health & safety a bad name. A ban on the use of ladders has left Stoke Council with extra costs of over £1m.
On his first day as Chief Executive of the Olympic Delivery Authority, Dennis Hone launched a new safety campaign for the Olympic Park site.
Health & safety policy and practice have been in the news regularly over the past six months as the coalition government considers whether the system needs streamlining.
Companies with a positive attitude to health and safety tend to have a healthier, more motivated workforce, two factors that contribute to growth on the bottom line.
Headline writers love the health and safety red-tape angle, but most businesses questioned by a major City law firm regard the 'administrative burden' as a non-issue.
As disruption caused by snow and ice continues, employers are being advised to take steps to prevent slips and falls on their property and to keep evidence of the precautionary steps they have taken.
The Government needs to be clearer on how a drive to cut red tape combined with spending cuts will not put people at greater risk of injury or illness at work, the leading health and safety body has said.
Stress, bullying and harassment, back strains, slips, trips and falls, and overwork top the list of workers' safety concerns, according to the TUC's latest biennial survey of safety reps.
The title of Lord Young’s much anticipated report, 'Common Sense, Common Safety', says it all in terms of new government policy; though it may be easier said than done.
Speaking at the recent IIRSM annual members luncheon, held in Westminster, Lord Young has labelled the prospect of clients being advised by an unqualified health and safety consultant a 'disgrace'.
The Ministry of Defence has received a formal Crown Censure from the Health and Safety Executive for the potential exposure of workers to asbestos fibres. FM partner Interserve has been fined for the same offense.
Public Health Wales, in collaboration with the HSE and Environmental Health Officers from eight South Wales local authorities, is continuing to investigate an outbreak of Legionnaires' disease clustered around the Heads of the Valleys corridor.
A new report from the TUC argues that moves to cut business regulation by reducing health and safety requirements are misguided.
The Health and Safety Executive's crusade to enforce the law on asbestos remains high on the agenda, with the month of August alone seeing fines imposed on three firms.
A new UK scheme to accredit safety consultants is due to be announced in the coming weeks, it has been confirmed.
A new survey has found that over a third of people questioned who suffer work accidents or injuries have not had health and safety inductions.
Simply improving health and safety at work can shave billions of pounds off the nation's debt, according to the group's President-Elect.
The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health has welcomed Prime Minister David Cameron’s announcement of a review into the growing risk aversion and fear of being sued in this country.
New research suggests that more than half of health and safety managers are now responsible for managing environmental issues at work.
Professional body the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health is renewing its call for health and safety consultants to be subject to a formal programme of accreditation.
A new survey commissioned by IOSH has found that health and safety is not the top priority for many workers.
Employers are being encouraged to get their staff more involved in health and safety in a bid to reduce injury and ill health.
While stiffer fines and punishments are now in effect for organisations found guilty of corporate manslaughter, the leading body for health and safety professionals believes new sentencing guidelines don’t go far enough.
The cost of fire damage now stands at a record level according to research published by the Association of British Insurers.
The HSE has launched a £1.2m, month-long campaign to warn Britain's 1.8m tradesmen about the dangers they face from asbestos.
Companies and organisations that cause death through gross breaches of care could face fines of more than £500,000 and be forced to make a statement about offences on their website.
The Health and Safety Executive has developed new electronic tools which it promises will help businesses with their compliance requirements and save them time and money, too.
The importance of cutting down on work-related ailments among cleaners has been highlighted during European Week for Safety and Health at Work.
TUC Congress delegates have backed a motion requiring some employers to carry out risk assessments on staff footwear.
A third of adults have seen their workday tea or coffee break end in disaster as a consequence of a biscuit-related incident. The most common complaint is scalding while dunking.
Revised HSE guidance for asbestos surveys is set to be introduced in the autumn.
The TUC's four-day Congress in September will tackle a wide range of issues in these days of recession-hit economy. One could see a particular group of specialists putting their foot down.
The Health and Safety Executive is warning companies responsible for carrying out legionella surveys on water systems of the need to ensure that their work is thorough and accurate.
The Health and Safety Executive is warning businesses not to be duped into buying unnecessary and overpriced copies of its health and safety law poster.
Research released today by the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health highlights that businesses' understanding of the possible implications of a prosecution under the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act is worryingly low.
On the day that the Health and Safety Executive unveiled its new strategy, it also revealed that more than a quarter of business leaders say they will face pressure to cut spending on health and safety this year.
Positive health & safety practice has the explicit backing of most UK businesses, but there is considerable worry about the time and cost involved in regulatory compliance.
Health and safety is a discipline plagued by irony: legislation and practice are well developed, and policies and procedures are queried in every tender, but implementation on the ground is often left to take care of itself.
New research from the British Safety Council finds that one in 12 workers Ð about 8% - now feel under pressure from their boss to take risks with peopleÕs safety in order to save money.
As headline-writers vie for the most dramatic impact, the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health - the worldÕs largest body for health and safety professionals Ð says there is no need to panic. But a little preparation would be a good idea.
Judith Hackitt, Chair of the Health & Safety Executive, has called on company directors to get out of their offices and be seen making a real commitment to good health and safety practice.
Europe's largest health and safety professional body has called on the Health and Safety Executive to beef up some of the strategic goals contained in its new strategy.
Health & safety inspectors are planning to visit 1500 sites across Britain this month, beginning with London.
The Health & Safety Executive has warned companies that they cannot outsource their duty of care responsibilities to a consultant or service provider.
Employers will be under more pressure than ever to prove that they are managing asbestos safely following a landmark court judgment, compliance experts Connaught report.
A new guide highlighting the health and safety responsibilities of local councillors has been unveiled by the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health.
Compliance specialist Connaught has warned that skimping on health and safety to save money during the recession could backfire in a big way.
Over one-third of UK companies are still ignoring the requirements of new fire regulations introduced two years ago.
The Health and Safety (Offences) Act 2008 is now effect, marking the end of the days when unscrupulous employers could get away virtually scot-free with injuring, maiming and making their staff ill.
With new laws ten days away, the President of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health has warned of tough times for companies that 'play' at health and safety.
Environment Secretary Hilary Benn has announced the development of a new warning centre to help protect people and businesses from flooding.
With staff resources under pressure and budgets growing tighter, where should you look to make cuts?
The Health and Safety Executive believes it is time for a new H&S strategy and has launched a consultation exercise seeking input on the direction forward.
Less than half of UK workers have been advised what to do in the event of their workplace becoming inaccessible, according to business continuity professionals.
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order became law in England and Wales in October 2006 with its Scottish equivalent following soon after - and if you are still confused, you are certainly not alone.
Health and safety action is always on the agenda, not least because of increasing regulation - and FMs are best placed to ensure both compliance and high standards.
Health and safety enforcement in Britain is 'withering away' and Scotland has been hit particularly hard, researchers have suggested.
This is European Week for Safety and Health at Work. Campaigners are targeting risk assessment as the key to reducing workplace accidents and illnesses.
HSS Hire, the national tool and equipment hire company, has reported a big increase in ladder sales, as part of a joint ladder exchange campaign with the Health and Safety Executive.
Exeter firefighters and paramedics were called to rescue a man after he fell from a ladder onto a flat roof while carrying out a risk assessment yesterday. Bad luck or what?
If the answer is no, you're in good company. Less than a third of people would blow the whistle on their employer if they broke health and safety laws, a new study has found.
GSH Group has committed to an active role in backing the Health and Safety Executive's campaign to raise awareness of the dangers of asbestos and how to identify and manage it safely.
The Health and Safety Executive is planning a free half-day seminar in September covering key workplace issues facing facilities managers.
Following on from the successful prosecution of two Essex companies for asbestos law violations, the Health and Safety Executive says it will not hesitate to seek penalties in any similar situation.
The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health has welcomed a government announcement supporting accreditation of health and safety professionals.
Water treatment contractor Nalco and cider maker HP Bulmer have both been fined over a fatal outbreak of Legionnaires' disease, which caused two deaths.
A two-year European campaign to raise awareness of the need for workplace risk assessments is due to start next week (24 June).
April 6th sees the end of the transitional period, with far-reaching implications for projects where Building Regulations apply.
Poor mental health is one of the most pressing issues facing men in the UK today.
Health and safety in the workplace is a critical concern for all businesses, regardless of their revenue, location or size.
Ask most facilities managers which season brings the most challenges and the top answer will likely be winter.
Steve Rainbow explores how an effective building management system removes the age-old question of when to tinker with the thermostat.
More and more organisations are, rightly, investing more time and resources into the mental wellbeing of their employees.
Building owners who fail to comply with proposed new fire safety measures could be faced with unlimited fines.
Gas monitoring and control is a key part of the role for FM professionals. But it can be a challenge to stay up to date with the latest thinking and technology.
Social distancing must have been one of the most used terms of 2020. Looking ahead to 2021 this same behaviour seems set to be a part of daily life for quite a while to come.
Amongst the many impacts of Covid-19 is this: everyone is talking about risk assessment.
With the threat of the Covid-19 pandemic far from over, facility owners and managers need to stay up to date with the latest information, and stay flexible in their return-to-work planning.
The Covid-19 pandemic and the resultant lockdown have caused a massive shift in the way we work. The experts from international law firm Faegre Drinker examine the challenges UK employers are likely to face in the coming months.
On Thursday 16 April, the UK government extended the lockdown by at least another three weeks. That’s not to say life will return to normal on early in May, of course. But, in the meantime, how should we think about this?
With the number of coronavirus cases rising, businesses are more conscious than ever of the need to protect themselves against this invisible enemy.
FMs put wellness and the protection of the workforce right at the top of the agenda. So why, asks a new report, is no progress being made on the UK's highest reported workplace disease: hand arm vibration syndrome?
Air pollution is a global environmental health issue with reports increasingly suggesting that poor air quality may be associated with mental health problems. Peter Dyment examines ways FMs can help mitigate the problem.
In order to ensure a safe environment, it is important that all aspects of a building remain compliant and within the law. Property services firm MSL offers some advice on the basics.
Bouygues Energies & Services UK has mental health first aiders across its business. Kamil Banse, senior HR manager, told Fiona Perrin about this key initiative to protect colleague wellbeing.
As a business, you’re no doubt striving towards giving your customers the best possible experience. As an employer, you’ll be committed to the health and wellbeing of your staff. But something could be impacting your efforts more than you realise.
Compliance and safety are paramount to every pharmaceutical business, but the focus for the FM team is especially important. Mike Knapp explains.
Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999 employers have legal duties to assess all risks to health and safety, including the risk of lone working.
As on-site health & safety requirements seem to increase exponentially, the challenge for facilities managers in managing contractors grows consequentially.
Vicky Lopez explains why gritting services should be considered an important part of the strategic FM job.
Keeping employees safe in the workplace can be one of the most important functions of a facilities manager, Rob Burgon writes.
Jim Wallace encourages a common-sense approach to ensuring the safety of electrical equipment, as cutting corners can carry considerable risks.
In contrast to the warmth and security evoked by the lyrical strains of the popular US Christmas song, the first sign of the cold, white stuff tends to send many UK organisations into a panicked frenzy and leaves them very vulnerable.
We probably won't see an end to the concept of strict liability for many years to come, but things have changed. Robert Greenfield and Michael Morgan explain.
Amy Lyons looks at the emphasis on risk assessment in the new IET Code of Practice aimed at ensuring the safety of electrical equipment in the workplace.
Rob Greenfield argues that perceptions are finally changing for both clients and service providers.
This autumn it's all about change as new legislation affecting the facilities management sector is open to consultation or coming into force.
The waters surrounding health and safety legislation have been choppy of late. In their wake comes change for anyone responsible for reducing injuries and ill-health in the workplace.
Barry Holt discusses the risks and advantages that are associated with outsourcing from a health & safety point of view.
A news release issued by the Department of Work and Pensions on 17 February reported that working-age ill health costs the UK economy a staggering 150m lost working days and £100bn every year.
Health and safety has, over the last two years, become heavily scrutinised from a governmental perspective.
The reputation of health and safety has taken a bit of a battering lately.
Health and safety has been in the spotlight again, with the Government looking at regulations and policies.
Neil Harrison looks at the persistent challenge of getting people to buy into a safety culture.
Rob Greenfield writes: In a difficult economic climate it is inevitable that facilities managers will be asked to look at ways of cutting costs across all areas of their responsibility - and health and safety is no exception.
Graham Ellicott writes: FMs are increasingly becoming involved in the fire safety equation, either in specifying the fire protection measures that are being installed in the nation's buildings or in the management of the fire systems and equipment.
Jill Joyce writes: facilities managers are in a unique position to influence the toll of injury and ill health at work, as they play a key role in establishing safe and healthy working environments for their organisations.
Mark Carter asks: is a healthy and safe work environment the holy grail of the modern world - or is it in fact achievable?
Paul Moor writes: A systematic approach to evacuation and shelter planning is needed to ensure that staff safety and corporate reputation are protected in the face of today's threats.
Steven Garrod writes: Be it an art or a science, writing a business continuity plan on a blank piece of paper is almost impossible to get right. Yet this is what many people set out to do when they begin to develop a plan for their business.
Philip Hanna writes: Documented asbestos management plans are a legal requirement for all non-domestic premises, whatever the business, as well as the common areas of domestic premises. This article explains the law and provides tips for compliance.
The long-awaited 'duty to manage' element of the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations 2002, places stringent obligations upon those who manage premises, explains Dave Birkin. These need not be a headache if the correct procedures are adopted.
The next deadline in the roll-out of the UK’s new building safety regulations is coming up fast.
Over the next few weeks and months, buildings across the country will start to be reoccupied. A gradual process, this will nevertheless presents enormous challenges to many businesses.
Wednesday December 19th will see a debate in the Commons, pushing for the implementation of a mental health first aider in every workplace to help bridge the gap between mental health and physical health care legislation in business.
As the UK faces more frequent bouts of extreme weather, businesses are taking the impact this has on trading and operations far more seriously. Vicky Lopez explains how customer relations have evolved in the winter maintenance sector over the years.
Afraid of the inevitable loss to business revenue and legal action that come with unpredictable snowfall? Vicky Lopez explains why it pays to plan your winter gritting strategy in advance.
At what stage do you realise you need to reach out to a specialist? Vicky Lopez has the answers.
Is that a positive one or a negative one, asks David Lummis, CEO at the British Safety Industry Federation.
MITIE's decision to offer its staff access to mental health training demonstrates a genuine commitment to their well-being and continued development.
Despite what you might read in the papers, health and safety is good for Britain and it's good for British business.