Lawford Kidd, Personal Injury Solicitors

A recent survey has revealed that the main causes of major injuries to workers in the UK food industry are slips and trips, manual handling and falls from height.

According to the study by the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health’s Food and Drink Group (IOSH), there were 125 major injuries and 584 over-three-day injuries across 30 companies in 2013/14.

Around half of the major injuries were as a result of slips, trips or falls on the same level, while one in five major injuries were also as a consequence of either manual handling or falls from height.

The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) recently held a meeting in Aberdeen to discuss the potential risks brought about by the growing use of nanomaterials.

The use of nanomaterials is becoming more common as they apparently can improve product qualities such as strength, durability and absorbency. As a result of this increased use, more workers in a variety of industries are being exposed to potential risk. Nanomaterials are being used in industries such as health care, including for drug treatments; and technology, for example better data storage.

However it is recognised that there are knowledge gaps about the health risks associated with their use. According to safety and health consultant Peter Murray, there is little evidence to suggest that the exposure of workers to nanoparticles has been adequately assessed.

The UK's construction sector must improve its Health and safety standards according to interior fit-out company Newman Scott.

Said company was prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) back in 2013, for failing to follow appropriate health and safety processes. Newman Scott hopes other construction companies learn from the mistakes of others as well as the HSE's refurbishment initiative. By acting now, Newman Scott suggests that the number of deaths, injuries and cases of ill health in their industry can be reduced.

Around 18,000 pedestrians were injured in an accident involving a vehicle in the last full year, according to new analysis by road safety charity the Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM).

The charity is calling for an even greater focus on pedestrian protection to make cars safer and raise awareness of the risks.

The figures come from a Freedom of Information (FOI) request made by the IAM, asking for details of the most common pairs of contributory factors reported together by the police attending the scene of an accident in 2013.

New research shows that child pedestrians in Scotland are much more likely to be injured in road traffic accidents than adults across the nation.

Specifically, the recent study by Glasgow Centre for Population Health (GCPH), shows that the risk for children is two-and-a-half times more than the risk for adults.