Lawford Kidd's Blog

Road safety charity Brake has urged the UK Government to reintroduce casualty reduction targets.

The call follows the publication by the Department for Transport of its Reported Road Casualties in Great Britain Annual Report for 2014, which shows that 1,775 people died on the roads (a 4% increase on the year before). A further 22,807 were seriously injured (a 5% annual increase).

Casualties of all severities rose to 194,477 in Great Britain in 2014, an increase of 6% from 2013, interrupting what was a steady downward trend since 1997.

East Ayrshire Council (EAC) has taken the unprecedented step of becoming the first Local Authority to pledge its support to the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health's (IOSH) No Time to Lose Campaign

The anti work-related cancer campaign, the purpose of which is to increase awareness of the exposure to cancer-causing substances in the workplace and also to encourage employers / organisations to take action to prevent such, has already attracted in excess of fifty pledges and considerably more endorsements.

October is upon us, and the Raynaud’s Disease Association have made this month Raynaud’s Awareness Month.

What is Raynaud’s Disease?

Raynaud’s disease, also known as Raynaud’s phenomenon, Raynaud’s syndrome or simply Raynaud’s, is when either cold or stress affects the blood flow to your extremities. The condition can also affect your ears, nose and lips. Its name comes from French doctor Maurice Raynaud, who discovered the disease.

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.