Doesn't it frustrate you?

Sorry I've not posted for over a week, folks - I've been busy having fun. Yep - Easter weekend provided me with lots of fun things to do, so I was too busy to post. But fear not - I'm back now, back in the world of health and safety. And what a world it is.

I received an interesting email from my boss this morning (while I was sniffling on my hanky in bed, I hasten to add) asking if I was interested in a story. The story in question was regarding the House of Lords' decision on work-related suicides.

Now I am well aware it's not a nice subject, but let's face it - health and safety is full of workplace deaths, falls from height, crushes by machinery - we are all immune to it now. Or are we?

It's your job to ensure such things do not happen, and I am sure you are very good at doing so. Obviously the likes of such websites as www.healthandsafetyprofessional.co.uk helps you do your job more efficiently (nice plug, thanks) but doesn't it frustrate you to constantly read about companies that don't adhere to policies, the very policies we are all striving to embrace and promote? Tell me!

Dame Carol Black's 'occupational health service'

I spent this morning at the launch of the health review by Dame Carol Black, entitled Review of the health of Britain's working age population: working for a healthier tomorrow.

From where I was sitting, there doesn't seem to much to get excited about, although the research is interesting and proposals sensible, it will probably take the Government a good few years to sit on thos recommendations before actually doing anything about them.

Therefore, it's up to you health and safety professionals to continue doing what you're best at, keeping your workers healthy and safe.

How not to work on a roof!

IIRSM member Roger Rustom kindly sent me these images of workers on a roof adjacent to his offices.

Roger, sitting in his Safety Department offices, couldn't just watch these men blatantly risk their lives and do nothing. So he contacted the HSE, who told them that they could and should not do anything and that they would write to the people concerned.

Will a letter (by the time it gets to them) really make a difference to men who so blatantly put their lives at risk and employers who are obviously condoning their actions?

Roger also has the whole incident on film and will be using it to educate his employees and contractors.

If you would like to send me photos of safety blunders, email me.

Online forum

Last week we held our first roundtable teleconference. Selected IIRSM members were invited to call in and discuss various topics high on the health and safety agenda in order to generate some good old fashioned debate - and they didn't disappoint.

Topics covered included CDM - how have the revised Regs bedded down? and what impact the new Corporate Manslaughter Act may have on industry. Recent stories in the press provided food for thought, and the profile of our industry certainly generated a welcome discussion. To read the forum threads in full, click here.

A write-up of the forum is also included in the April edition of the IIRSM Newsletter.

For details of our next teleconference, email me. All HSW subscribers and IIRSM members are welcome.