Telecoms company TalkTalk has been issued with a record £400,000 fine by the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) for security failings that allowed a cyber attacker to access customer data ‘with ease’. The ICO’s in-depth investigation found that an attack on the company last October could have been prevented if TalkTalk had taken basic steps to protect customers’ information. ICO investigators found that the cyber-attack between 15 and 21 October 2015 took advantage of technical weaknesses in TalkTalk’s systems. The attacker a... Continue reading

The Association for Project Safety (APS) has published its official commentary on CDM 2015, just over one year since implementation, and eight months after the end of the transition period. In a newly released report, it makes 15 recommendations and comments, as outlined below. 1. The APS strongly recommends the early appointment of the Principal Designer at the concept design stage. 2. It supports HSE implementation of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 – CDM 2015 is a good workable piece of legislation that, impleme... Continue reading

During the UK’s 43 years as a Member State of the European Union, its legal framework has been heavily influenced by the application of EU-derived legislation across a wide range of practice areas and industries. The UK’s decision to leave the EU is therefore likely to have far-reaching legal ramifications. Precisely how the UK’s legal framework will change to reflect the UK’s departure from the EU is, however, a matter of significant current uncertainty, as the experts at Chambers Global Practice Guides detail below. Current legislati... Continue reading

With figureheads including the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge spearheading campaigns to remove the stigma associated with mental health, it is often in the spotlight. And last week’s World Mental Health Day (10 October) has further increased awareness. However, it seems, there is still some way to go to reduce the impact of mental illness on the workplace. Figures released by The Work Foundation find that mental health conditions are a leading cause of sickness absence in the UK; over 15m days were lost to stress, depression and anxiety in 20... Continue reading

A number of key conferences and exhibitions have taken place in the SE Asia region in recent months, where occupational safety and health have featured prominently. International Workplace held its first conference in the region in Kuala Lumpur in September, as part of the global IFSEC event brand. The company’s Managing Director David Sharp updated the audience on the development of IOSH’s new competency framework – known as IOSH Blueprint – and how it can be used by individuals and organisations as a tool for personal development. I... Continue reading