NEWS CALLS FOR NATIONAL SCREENING AS MPS HEAR SILICOSIS DEATHS ARE BEING MISSED
Occupational health experts have called for a national screening programme for workers exposed to respirable crystalline silica (RCS) after a Westminster roundtable heard the UK could be significantly underestimating the number of people developing the incurable lung disease silicosis.
The discussion, led by Ian Lavery MP and supported by health and safety specialist Arco, brought together MPs, clinicians, regulators and industry representatives to examine what participants described as systemic failures in the diagnosis, reporting and prevention of the disease.
Although only 52 cases of silicosis have been officially confirmed in
the UK, specialists warned the true figure is likely to be much higher because of underreporting, missed diagnoses and a lack of routine health surveillance in high-risk industries.
Dr Johanna Feary, Academic Consultant in Occupational Lung Disease at Royal Brompton Hospital, said workers are often diagnosed only after irreversible lung damage has occurred.
"Silicosis is asymptomatic in the early stages, so waiting for symptoms to appear before testing people means we're going to miss cases," she said.
Dr Feary added that many affected workers are in their 20s and 30s, with
deaths reported in people as young as 28, and called for a properly funded national screening programme to improve early detection.
Evidence presented at the roundtable suggested many workers in smaller workshops and micro-businesses receive little or no occupational health monitoring, while poor integration between occupational health records and NHS data can lead to silicosis being mistaken for other respiratory conditions.
Christian Halford, Technical Quality Director at Arco, said preventing exposure required practical measures rather than a single solution.
"Exposure can be reduced, but only if the right controls are properly implemented. The focus needs to be on practical solutions that reduce exposure on the ground," he said.
The All-Party Parliamentary Group for Respiratory Health will use evidence from the roundtable to develop recommendations aimed at improving worker protection, earlier diagnosis and regulatory oversight.
www.arco.co.uk www.arco.co.uk/pr/what-is-silicosis SKILLS SHORTAGES THREATEN WORKPLACE SAFETY, WARNS ROSPA REPORT
Skills shortages are putting pressure on workplace safety, productivity and the wider UK economy, according to a new report from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA).
The report, Protecting Workforce Competence for Safer, Healthier Workplaces, produced by RoSPA’s OSH Skills Commission in partnership with Speedy Hire, examines how challenges in recruitment, training and retaining competent workers are affecting organisations across the UK.
Drawing on insights from health and safety professionals, HR specialists, occupational health experts and operational leaders, the report highlights concerns around fragmented skills pathways, declining worker health and wellbeing, and the need for workforce capabilities to keep pace with emerging risks, including artificial intelligence and an ageing workforce.
The OSH Skills Commission was established to explore concerns raised by RoSPA members and the wider occupational safety and health sector. Through a series of expert roundtables,
9
it identified the importance of developing competence throughout a worker’s career, from early-stage learning and mentoring through to continued professional development.
The report argues that workforce competence should be recognised as a core organisational asset and a foundation for safer, healthier and more productive workplaces. It warns that skills gaps can increase workloads, undermine decision- making and weaken psychological safety, creating avoidable risks for workers and businesses.
Baroness Christine Crawley of Edgbaston, RoSPA Vice President and Head Commissioner, said: “The OSH Skills Commission was formed in response to a sector in crisis. Yet however daunting challenges such as widening skill gaps and increasing workloads may seem, the innovative ideas and sense of purpose shared at the roundtables and now presented in this report means I am confident OSH professionals can not only overcome them but transform them into opportunities for improving health and safety in the future.”
The report sets out practical recommendations, including stronger early-career development, mentoring, skills passports and succession planning, to help employers, safety professionals and policymakers strengthen workforce capability.
Andy Johnson, Group HSSEQ Director at Speedy Hire, said competence must remain a priority for organisations. “Workforce competence is not just a health and safety issue; it is a business imperative. That's why we partnered with RoSPA to better understand the challenges affecting workforce capability and identify practical solutions that can benefit organisations across the UK.”
“We hope the report encourages employers, industry and government to work together to build a safer, more resilient and future-ready workforce.”
RoSPA said the findings highlight the need for a coordinated approach to skills development as organisations respond to technological change, demographic shifts and evolving workplace risks.
www.rospa.com
WWW.TOMORROWSHS.COM
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44
