Gardener ordered to take down barbed wire to protect intruders (4th November 2008)

A gardener who put up barbed wire around his allotment to protect it from thieves has been told he must take it down in case the intruders hurt themselves...

From Newsletter Stories

Messy workmates save builder's life (1st October 2008)

A builder is believed to have survived a six-storey fall down a lift shaft because his workmates had been using it as a rubbish chute...

From Newsletter Stories

This can’t be stressed enough (1st October 2008)

A social worker who suffered a heart attack after becoming stressed at work has received £175,000 in compensation, the TUC reports.

From News

Tougher health and safety penalties to become law (1st October 2008)

The Health and Safety Offences Act has received Royal Assent spelling increased penalties and greater sentences for those who flout health and safety legislation. It received Royal Assent on 16 October 2008 and will come into force in three months time, in January 2009.

From News

Safety training aids (1st October 2008)

In your August comment, you mentioned the need for straightforward safety advice and information, especially for smaller organisation

From News

Boozy builders' £50,000 trail of destruction (12th September 2008)

Two Polish builders caused £50,000 worth of damage when they drove a digger truck to a local off-licence to pick up some more booze – after they ran out on site...

From Newsletter Stories

Health and safety reforms set to save small business £300 million (5th September 2008)

Better advice and support on health and safety could save small businesses up to £300 million a year, according to, Improving outcomes from health and safety, a new report from the Better Regulation Executive (BRE)

From News

Escalator ban for former olympic hurdler (18th August 2008)

An 80-year-old former Olympic hurdler has been banned from running the wrong way up escalators because of safety concerns...

From Newsletter Stories

Health and safety reforms set to save small business £300 million, says BRE (6th August 2008)

Small businesses could save up to £300 million a year with better advice and support on health and safety, a new report from BRE has said...

From Newsletter Stories

Seagulls force vicar to wear hardhat (21st July 2008)

A Cornish vicar has taken to wearing a hardhat to church to protect him from an unusual hazard - a pair of dive-bombing seagulls...

From Newsletter Stories

Electrician is hard to shock (11th June 2008)

An electrican from Romania has claimed he never suffers from electric shocks, even when he touches live wires without protection...

From Newsletter Stories

Live missile used as anvil (10th April 2008)

A farmer in a Romanian village shocked local firefighters when they discovered he was using an unexploded missile as an anvil...

From Newsletter Stories

Boss bans dirty undies (3rd March 2008)

Fed up with poor personal hygiene standards among staff, a Serbian boss has mad it a sackable offence for staff to come into work wearing dirty underwear or without having a shower...

From Newsletter Stories

Work-related stress a killer, says study (5th February 2008)

Stress at work has been shown to promote biological changes in the body which increases the risk of coronary heart disease, according to a new study by the European Heart Journal, published at the end of January...

From Newsletter Stories

Smoking ban bit of a fag? (8th January 2008)

A German restaurant owner has come up with an ingenious solution to getting round the smoking ban - cutting holes in the wall so customers can stick their heads out to have a cigarette...

From Newsletter Stories

Hain urges representatives to come together to solve construction site fatalities (7th August 2007)

Peter Hain, the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, is to ask employers, trade unions and other organisations to come together and find ways to reduce fatalities in the construction industry...

From Newsletter Stories

Health and safety ban on piano man (9th July 2007)

A cruise passenger was recently banned from playing the grand piano on a ship - in case he hurt his fingers...

From Newsletter Stories

Myth of the month (8th June 2007)

The latest myth busting cartoon from the Health and Safety Exceutive (HSE) addresses the myth that new regulations require trapeze artists to wear hard hats...

From Newsletter Stories

HSE launches ladder exchange scheme (1st June 2007)

With falls from height continuing to be the main cause of work place fatalities, the HSE has launched a ladder exchange scheme to encourage the removal of 'dodgy' ladders from the workplace...

From Newsletter Stories

New guidance on Legionnaires' precautions (3rd April 2007)

After concluding that a catalogue of errors was to blame for the Barrow Legionnaires' tragedy, the HSE has published a list of practical recommendations aimed at preventing future outbreaks of the disease...

From Newsletter Stories

Do drink and drive... (16th October 2006)

Dutch paper Het Laatste Nieuws recently reported on a Dutch scentist who actually encourages young people to drink and drive...

From Newsletter Stories

That's all folks... (4th September 2006)

As the HSE urges over-zealous practitioners to get a life, TV regulator Ofcom has decided to cut smoking scenes from Tom and Jerry cartoons after investigating a complaint.

From Newsletter Stories

Financial pressure 'crippling' HSE (4th September 2006)

From Newsletter Stories

Achieving safe procurement (31st August 2006)

Subsequent to the publication of the BSIF research, following availability of the BOMEL information from the HSE on RIDDOR reports involving PPE, there has been dialogue across the safety industry on the fact that over 22 000 incidents involving PPE are generated each year. The significant findings are that most are caused as a result of mis-selection and/or misuse.

From Safety first

Networking Day (31st August 2006)

The BSIF Networking Day and Gala Dinner is firmly established as the Safety Industry event of the year and a day that should not be missed. Our aim is to provide an opportunity to network with industry colleagues and friends in an enjoyable social atmosphere.

From Safety first

Latest news in brief (31st August 2006)

It's in your hands campaign gathers momentum

From Safety first

BSIF business development (31st August 2006)

The BSIF has appointed David Lummis to manage the Federation's commercial operations under the recently launched umbrella of BSIF Enterprises.

From Safety first

Passport schemes (31st August 2006)

For some months now the BSIF has been seeking to facilitate changes to the current arrangements to deliver sector specific safety passports for workers. The principle that any employee or contractor should be able to produce a safety passport to evidence their 'competence' is sound: it should provide comfort for the employer and flexibility for the holder of the passport.

From Safety first

From the secretary's desk (31st August 2006)

As I am putting this item together, the matter of personal safety and the need for people to be protected has been brought sharply into focus as a result of the terrorism threats which have just closed our major airports.

From Safety first

Cool staff (31st August 2006)

The TUC is warning that if employers fail to keep workplaces cool, they could be liable if a member of staff falls ill due to the heat or has an accident because they are feeling tired or faint.

From Safety first

Fewer fatal injuries (31st August 2006)

The Health and Safety Commission has published the annual workplace fatal injury statistics for 2005/2006 which show that 212 people were fatally injured. This is a reduction from 223 in 2004/2005 and the lowest recorded fatal injury figure.

From Safety first

I know, let's use petrol! (16th August 2006)

A Scunthorpe man demonstrated an original interpretation of ‘giving it a bit of elbow grease,’ blowing up his house while attempting to clean glue off his kitchen floor...

From Newsletter Stories

Companies may now face manslaughter charges (15th August 2006)

Corporations can now be successfully prosecuted for manslaughter following the introduction of the Corporate Manslaughter Bill introduced to Parliament last month.

From Newsletter Stories

HSE launches noise and HAVS campaign (15th August 2006)

More than two million UK workers are exposed to either excessive noise or hand arm vibration. The HSE aims to address this with a new programme to protect workers from suffering permanent damage to their health as a result of their work.

From Newsletter Stories

Visits on target (1st August 2006)

Less than five months after the launch of Workplace Health Connect, 1000 small businesses have requested a visit from an adviser. This puts the service on target for reaching 11 000 workers through workplace visits in England

From Training

Safe start for young workers (1st August 2006)

Research has shown that, across Europe, 18 to 24-year olds are at least 50% more likely to be injured in the workplace than more experienced workers.

From Training

Naughty sat nav system (10th April 2006)

Visitors to the Yorkshire Dales are being sent up a dangerous track by their cars satellite navigation systems, reports the Telegraph.

From Newsletter Stories

Employers advice on involving workers in H&S management (7th March 2006)

The HSE has launched new resources for employees them involve workers in health and safety management. Published as part of the its "worker involvement" website the HSE says the tools provide a wealth of sound help and advice to businesses.

From Newsletter Stories

How not to impress H&S inspectors... (7th March 2006)

A Swiss strip club owner spectacularly failed to convince health and safety inspectors that his venue was fire-proof – by burning it down.

From Newsletter Stories