HSE Launches Initiative to Tackle Workplace Injuries
Workplace injuries have been seeing an increase in the
These workplace deaths and injuries not only cause grief to the victims but also impact the nation’s economy. According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) estimates, the combined financial costs incurred by the
Some of the major causes of workplace injuries include slips, trips and falls. According to official statistics, the maximum number of deaths in workplaces has been on account of falling from a height. The HSE has launched a new campaign to reduce workplace injuries, targeted at those sectors which are highly vulnerable to large number of slip, trip and fall incidents each year, such as building and plant maintenance, health, security, education, food retail, catering and hospitality, food manufacturing, and construction
The drive initiated by the HSE is known as the Shattered Lives campaign, which aims at spreading awareness regarding the prevention of workplace mishaps caused by slips, trips and falls. HSE has chosen the internet as the medium to spread this awareness and is promoting its new Shattered Lives website on the issue.
The website includes an online tool, STEP, along with WAIT, an equipment toolkit which provides access to information about dealing with heights in the workplace. The website provides online assistance for dealing with slip and spill risks in the workplace. It also highlights the importance of using ladders properly so as to reduce the risk of falling from a height. The website is a practical tool and an online guide to prevent workplace injuries and deaths.
‘Working Safely’ is for those staff who are exposed to common workplace hazards on a day to day basis and who need a basic grounding in the essentials of health and safety. The IOSH Working Safely programme is therefore especially suited to operatives within most organisations as it covers a broad range of common workplace hazards.