Latest British Safety Council news

LEGISLATION TRACKER

Motor Vehicles (Refilling of Air Conditioning Systems by Service Providers) Regulations 2009
The Motor Vehicles (Refilling of Air Conditioning Systems by Service Providers) Regulations 2009 have been issued.

Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) (Amendment) (No. 3) Regulations 2009
The Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) (Amendment) (No. 3) Regulations 2009 have been issued.

LATEST FEATURES
Ask the Expert: Providing Information, Instruction and Training
The British Safety Council’s Information Service answers hundreds of queries a month.

Employers sought for free young driver workshops
The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) is looking for 10 organisations which employ young drivers to pilot new driving for work workshops.

New HSE podcast available
The HSE has issued the latest in its series of audio podcasts, designed to update duty holders about relevant developments in the safety field.

Revised COSHH leaflet issued
The HSE has published a revised version of its key chemical safety leaflet, ‘Working with substances hazardous to health.

Safety photos from HSE
As part of the recent relaunch of its website, the HSE has established an image library where health and safety-related photographs can be downloaded for free.

YOUR QUESTIONS ANSWERED
Using escalators during fire evacuation
Our main building has a number of internal pedestrian escalators.

Health and safety implications of business closure
Due to the current economic downturn, my organisation has to reduce the size of its workforce and close a number of buildings.

NEWS ROUND-UP
Carbon Trust Standard Company certifies its 100th achiever
The financial services group HSBC has received the Carbon Trust Standard mark of excellence.

Conference to address construction industry fatalities
In an effort to drive improvements in health and safety performance, the British Safety Council (BSC) is to host a major conference in London for directors, managers, health and safety practitioners, regulators and construction industry leaders.

Warning on basement excavations
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is warning building contractors involved in constructing basements to make sure that they plan the work properly and install sufficient temporary supports when excavating the foundations of houses, following the prosecution of a Tunbridge Wells company.

Well-being at work
The Institute for Employment Studies (IES) recently conducted a snapshot survey of employers on the subject of well-being at work, which indicated that the issue remains a priority for employers, despite the recession, but that there are concerns about the Government’s new fit note.

Joint fire buying to save money
The Government has launched a new procurement strategy for the fire and rescue service in England for 2009 to 2012, focusing on joint buying by the fire and rescue service in order to achieve savings and benefit local communities.

Link between booze and a snooze
The Department of Health (DoH) recently conducted a survey that shows over half of drinkers are unaware of the link between alcohol and sleep problems.

CCS should be fitted for new gas-fired power stations
Executives from a number of leading energy companies are arguing that new gas-fired power stations should be subject to the same carbon capture and storage (CCS) fitment requirements as new coal-fired plants.

Campaign to crack down on drug driving
The first national TV advertising campaign to tackle drug driving has been launched by the Transport Secretary, Andrew Adonis, following new research showing that 1 in 10 young male drivers admit to driving after taking illegal drugs.

Fire failings and ‘elf ‘n’ safety’ jokes
The President Elect of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) has questioned whether recent findings by a Sunday newspaper which highlighted “thousands” of fire-related safety failings in British hotels and guest houses are symptomatic of a wider problem of disrespect for health and safety matters.

Update on HSE swine flu advice
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has updated its advice for employers on how to deal with the current swine flu situation.

BSC does its bit to fight construction fatalities
The British Safety Council (BSC) announced last week that it is introducing the NEBOSH National Certificate in Construction Health and Safety to its suite of training products.

Pandemic vaccine priorities
The Department of Health (DOH) has announced its priorities for swine flu pandemic vaccines, in order to target those most at risk.

Mesothelioma sufferer wins compensation
A plasterer who has just months to live has received a substantial sum in compensation just 10 months after he developed asbestos-related cancer, according to the lawyers Thompsons Solicitors.

Bursaries for occupational hygiene
The British Occupational Hygiene Society (BOHS) has announced the launch of a new bursary scheme, aimed at encouraging people already working in the field of occupational health and safety to take their first steps towards a possible career in occupational hygiene.

Compensation awarded to injured driver
A delivery van driver who had to be freed by the fire service when a faulty van door crushed his hand has received £7000 in accident compensation.