Twenty years on since the PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) Directive was implemented, it is now in the process of being superseded by a new PPE Regulation (EU) 2016/425. As well as reflecting new technology and processes for developing and bringing PPE to the market, the new Regulation has been shaped to enhance consumer safety and ensure fair competition between companies. According to BSI guidance, at present the key changes of the new standard are: PPE Directive will be replaced by a Regulation.  A number of types of protection will... Continue reading

The advent of portable systems such as laptops, smartphones and tablets, has created changes, not only to the physical manner in which such devices are used but also in where they are used, moving ‘computer work’ out of the office and into the café, hotel, train, home and many other locations, says a new report from the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work. This, in turn creates further, more complicated health and safety concerns for employers. Here we address some of the key points raised by the report. Increasing concerns have... Continue reading

One in five UK employees with a physical health condition also have a mental health condition, according to research carried out by The Work Foundation. And those employees with mental and physical health comorbidity are much more likely to struggle with their health affecting work: 29% are affected ‘a great deal’ compared to 13% of those with a physical condition only and 15% of those with a mental condition only. According to the Mental Health Foundation, a clear distinction is often made between ‘mind and body’, but when considering... Continue reading

New CIPD research provides first robust estimate of the size of the gig economy and highlights need for greater clarity over and enforcement of employment rights. New research published last week by the CIPD shows 4% of UK working adults aged between 18 and 70 are working in the ‘gig economy’, and nearly two-thirds of them (63%) believe the Government should regulate to guarantee them basic employment rights and benefits such as holiday pay. That means approximately 1.3 million people are engaged in ‘gig work’ according to the report,... Continue reading

The continuing focus on mental health at work was supported by the release last week of new data from the UK’s Office for National Statistics (ONS), which revealed which professions had the highest risk of suicide. Analysis of ONS suicide prevalence statistics for 2011 to 2015 has been carried out to gain a better understanding of factors that influence suicide, in order to inform the government’s Suicide Prevention Strategy and help identify where inequalities exist amongst different groups. ONS analysis commissioned by Public Health Engl... Continue reading