Health and safety audits provide vital insights into the most effective ways of improving an organisation’s safety performance. However, to get the most from the audit process, it is vital a company is open about its safety performance and systems, and happy to hear ideas for improvement, explains Suresh Tanwar, senior head of audit and consultancy at British Safety Council India LLP.
By Orchie Bandyopadhyay on 13 May 2025
In India, there are regular reports of young children being killed or injured while living in makeshift houses on construction sites where their parents work long hours as labourers. However, construction companies, schools and NGOs are increasingly working together to provide on-site childcare centres and schools so children can both be kept safe from the dangers and receive an education.
By Orchie Bandyopadhyay on 13 May 2025
With rising temperatures threatening both productivity and worker safety in many sectors of Indian industry, the central government’s Ministry of Labour and Employment has issued an urgent advisory note instructing all States and Union Territories (UTs) to take measures to protect workers and labourers in a range of sectors from the health impacts of extreme heat.
By Orchie Bandyopadhyay on 13 May 2025
Poor public health and long-term sickness absence are placing extreme financial pressure on the UK’s health and social care system and the overall economy. However, by investing in workplace health prevention programmes and education initiatives, employers can help reduce the scale of ill health among the population and minimise the associated costs for society and business alike.
By Dr Julie Riggs, British Safety Council on 16 June 2025
Artificial Intelligence looks set to vastly reduce the amount of time and effort required to record, create and analyse occupational safety and ESG data, procedures and performance, while automatically providing insight into areas for improvement and areas of excellence.
By Alex Nichol, Notify Technology on 16 June 2025
Although India banned bonded labour almost 50 years ago, the practice still persists throughout the country, prompting calls for the union and state governments to drastically step up their efforts to eradicate it.
By Orchie Bandyopadhyay on 11 June 2025
Migrant workers in India face significant risks to their health and safety, but a new community-based training programme by British Safety Council and labour rights organisation Work Fair and Free seeks to educate them on how to protect themselves and their co-workers from accidents and illness at work.
By Orchie Bandyopadhyay on 11 June 2025
The powered height access equipment sector is increasingly developing intelligent technological solutions to prevent operators from acting in an unsafe manner and alert others to dangerous situations – and major contractors are now driving their take-up by mandating their adoption on sites.
By Paul Rankin, Nationwide Platforms on 27 May 2025
Powered access equipment is widely regarded as one of the safest methods for enabling work at height, but like any equipment, there is always scope for further improvements in its safe use. As a result, the industry’s trade body, the International Powered Access Federation, uses global campaigns, training, research and online incident reporting to encourage a culture where users of powered access are genuinely committed to safe working practices.
By Brian Parker, IPAF on 30 April 2025
PASMA cards are a reliable way of checking operatives have been properly trained to correctly build and safely use mobile access towers, tower scaffolds and low level access equipment. However, it’s essential to carefully check things like the type of tower they are qualified on before allowing them to begin work on-site.
By Don Aers, PASMA on 02 May 2025
Whether dealing with the public in their homes or working in remote locations, lone workers face a variety of risks to their health, safety and wellbeing. It’s therefore vital that employers systematically identify and assess the specific hazards lone workers face and then implement suitable measures to mitigate them.
By Naz Dossa, Peoplesafe on 06 June 2025
Employers now have a specific legal duty to take reasonable steps to protect employees from sexual harassment at work, making it essential for businesses to proactively anticipate when sexual harassment may occur and implement practical and appropriate measures to prevent it.
By Nicole Vazquez, Worthwhile Training on 06 June 2025
Upon its introduction half a century ago, the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 ushered in a new regulatory system, philosophy and regulator for managing occupational safety and health (OSH) risks in Britain. To mark this landmark anniversary, four former senior Health and Safety Executive staff have published a book exploring how the system which underpins Britain’s OSH performance has survived for so long and weathered various challenges along the way.
By David Ashton, Kevin Myers, David Eves and David Snowball on 03 June 2025
