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NEWS


TIME TO TACKLE WORKERS’


SUN RISKS Businesses can help to raise awareness and prevent cancer caused by solar radiation exposure at work, using free materials from the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health’s (IOSH) award-nominatedNo Time to Lose campaign.


These resources have been developed as part of IOSH’s occupational cancer campaign, which commissioned new research, produced easy-to-use health advice and works with employers and organisations in the UK and worldwide to help prevent cancer caused by the work people do.


The No Time to Lose campaign aims to raise awareness of skin cancer, to encourage people to regularly self- examine their skin, and to educate the public about the dangers of sunburn and excessive tanning.


Johnathon Major of the British Association of Dermatologists, said: “Skin cancer is now the most common form of cancer in the UK and incidence rates are still rising, with outdoor workers being at high risk.


“A concerted effort must be made to make both employers and employees aware of the dangers posed by sun exposure, and to encourage the adoption of responsible preventative measures.


"No Time to Lose aims to do exactly that, and we applaud IOSH’s efforts in making the workplace a sun-safe environment.”


In 2015, research commissioned by IOSH into solar radiation exposure at work in Britain, revealed that each year, malignant melanoma, which is the more serious form of skin cancer, kills nearly 50 people, with 240 new cancer cases being registered.


The study was done by Imperial College London, which also found that 42% of malignant melanoma cancer cases involve construction workers. Other key sectors include agriculture, public administration and defence, and land transport.


Kate Field, Head of Information and Intelligence at IOSH, said: “We urge businesses to develop ‘sun safety strategies’ that include regular updates on the UV index from weather forecasts, minimising sun exposure in the middle of the day and asking employees to wear long-sleeved, loose-fitting tops and trousers. Using high-factor sunscreen is helpful but should not be relied on as the only barrier to the harmful rays.


“OurNo Time to Lose campaign website has free resources businesses can download to raise awareness of solar radiation exposure at work. The pack includes factsheets, posters, pocket cards and more to help inform and engage the work force."


www.notimetolose.org.uk HEALTH AND SAFETY


FINES RISE BY 148% Companies across the UK have been forced to pay out over £61m in health and safety fines throughout 2016 – almost 2.5 times that seen in 2015, according to BLM’s health and safety tracker.


Research conducted by the insurance and risk law firm found that there were a total of 292 incidents recorded during 2016, with an average pay- out of almost a quarter of a million pounds. This is four times the £69,500 average cost seen the previous year, where 358 cases were brought.


This follows a change in legislation made in February 2016, with new guidelines imposed for health and safety, food hygiene and corporate manslaughter offences. The court now considers culpability, seriousness and likelihood of harm and the size of a business and its turnover when imposing fines.


Fines for businesses with a turnover in excess of £50m can now reach up to £10m for health and safety offences, and corporate manslaughter fines could be as much as £20m. This new system has been implemented to improve the standards of compliance with health and safety legislation for larger organisations by imposing fines proportionate to the size of the business, rather than using a universal figure for all offences.


The significance of this change is highlighted in BLM’s figures, with 18 fines issued last year with a value of over £1m, compared with only two in 2015. This includes the high profile £5m fine issued to Alton Towers following the Smiler disaster, which remains the largest ever fine from a single incident.


Helen Devery, partner and Head of Health and Safety at BLM, said: “The new sentencing guidelines send a strong message to all businesses big or small: it is people and business critical to ensure that safety processes and systems are a board level priority. The introduction of the risk of harm means that near misses will be reviewed and subject to potential prosecution, so this has been a game- changing 12 months for the industry.”


www.blmlaw.com www.tomorrowshs.com 11


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