The Health & Safety Dept Bristol, South West, Midlands and Wales

As the end of October approaches, we’ve been looking to Hollywood to see how health and safety horrors could have been avoided if only they’d followed some safe health and safety advice. Read more here: https://buff.ly/48cJJQb #HealthAndSafety #HalloweenHorrorStories #WorkplaceSafety

It’s World Mental Health Day. Mental health should never be stigmatised – today or any other day. As an employer, you have the power to lead by example and create a workplace where employees feel supported, respected, and safe. If you’d like to learn more about what you can do to support employee wellbeing, please get in touch for further information. #WorldMentalHealthDay

Do you have your employees back? This week is all about raising awareness of back care. As an employer, it is your duty to protect your employees from developing back pain through work, by managing the risks in your workplace. From being in one position for too long and working with display screen equipment to lifting heavy loads to driving long distances, there are many work scenarios that can cause or contribute to back pain. When possible you should eliminate activities that could lead to back pain, or if they cannot be avoided, you should implement control measures to reduce the risk. Remember, you should always take care of the backbone of your business... your employees. #BackCareAwarenessWeek

With World Mental Health Day just a few days away, do you understand your legal duty as an employer to support your employees with their mental health? Learn more below... #WorldMentalHealthDay #MentalHealth #EmployeeWellbeing

World Mental Health Day is on October 10th, and acts as a reminder that employee mental health is as important as physical ailments when it comes to the workplace. The most common forms of mental health issues are depression and anxiety. These can be a response to stressful life events, e.g. the death of a loved one, financial worries; but can also be caused, or exacerbated by, issues at work. In the UK, one in four people will suffer from a mental health problem at some point. So, for the sake of your business and the health and safety of your staff it is essential that you know how to manage and alleviate work stress-related issues, as well as being mindful of outside causes. As an employer you have a legal duty to support your employees in their role, regardless of the cause. Let’s look at what can be done to help. Read more here: https://buff.ly/4eRyTRH #WorldMentalHealthDay #MentalHealth #EmployeeWellbeing

What duties do you have as an employer when it comes to gas safety? Find out below... #GasSafety #HealthAndSafety #WorkplaceSafety

In the second week of September we saw the 13th Gas Safety Week, a time in the calendar in which to put gas safety front of mind. And well we might, as a survey from Gas Safe concluding in 2024 found that one in five gas appliances in UK homes were found to be faulty. We normally think of gas safety in terms of domestic settings. But gas is piped into workplaces too, to power heating systems, deliver hot water and in some businesses as fuel to cook food. Other businesses will have more complex gas uses. So what health and safety responsibilities do employers have for gas and gas appliances at work? Find out here: https://buff.ly/4deY2Va #HealthAndSafety #GasSafety #WorkplaceSafety

As the first line of defence against the spreading of any fire, fire doors are a fundamental health and safety requirement for any commercial or public building. However, they remain an area that is often neglected and falls below industry standards. Fire Door Safety Week recognises the importance of fire doors, and ongoing considerations such as installation, maintenance, operation and inspection. As a business owner, it’s your responsibility to ensure your fire doors are up-to-date and working as they should be, to mitigate the risks to your employees and your building in the event of a fire. The Health & Safety Dept can help your business meet industry standards – contact us today to learn more. #FireDoorSafetyWeek

Health and safety and older workers... What key considerations do you need to make? #HealthAndSafety #OlderWorkers #EmployeeSafety

Last month, we saw the joyful and inspiring news story of Manette Bailley, the 102-year-old woman who performed a sky dive for charity. Two years earlier she drove around Silverstone racetrack at 130mph in a Ferrari on her 100th birthday! It is a striking reminder that age need be no barrier to many things, which brings us nicely to considering the health and safety of older workers in the workplace. With the pension age going up and life expectancy at about 80 for men and women, the prospects of retiring at 65, 60 or even earlier have diminished for many. With this in mind, it's crucial to ensure your health and safety practices are suitable for all staff members. To learn more about health and safety for older workers, read our full blog: https://buff.ly/3MwACj7 #HealthAndSafety #OlderWorkers #WorkplaceSafety