INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE OFRISK AND SAFETY MANAGEMENT

Visit our website at wwwiirsmorgIssue 122016

Pressure points

Psychosocial risks and work-related stress are among the most challenging issues in occupational health and safety They impact significantly on individuals organisations and national economies

Around half of European workers consider stress to be common in their workplace and it contributes to about half of all lost working days Absence surveys by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development consistently place stress in the top three causes of sickness absence The findings are consistent for the public and private sectors and for manual and non-manual workers rates are highest in the public and third sectors

Like many other issues surrounding mental health stress is often misunderstood or stigmatised However when viewed as an

organisational issue rather than an individual fault psychosocial risks and stress can be just as manageable as any other workplace health and safety risk

It is important to see stress as an outcome with pressure being the hazard The key to understanding stress as an issue is by understanding how and where it is caused All workers react differently to pressure while one may adversely react to a source of pressure another could react in a positive way to the same stimulus Individual susceptibility is therefore a key factor Employers must also be aware that individuals may suffer stress reactions from situations at home rather than it arising purely from work-related activity which can also affect performance and wellbeing at work

Health and safety practitioners may believe psychosocial factors are outside the scope of their job role and their competence It is therefore vital that we develop close working relationships with occupational health human resources and line management because it is only through working together that these often difficult and intractable issues can be dealt with effectively

The late Barry Holt championed the management of psychosocial risks for many years in his role as IIRSM Policy Director and the Institute will continue to keep members informed and educated on the subject by working with industry and collaborating with initiatives such as the Health in Construction Leadership Group to build on this

Upcoming Branch meetings ndash everything you need to know

16INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Directorsrsquo prosecutions at five year high

02 Structured support employees with cancer

06 Latest on the Dreamworks ride tragedy

12

wwwiirsmorg | 122016122016 | wwwiirsmorg 32

News Prosecutions

CHIEF EXECUTIVE Phillip PearsonDIRECTOR OF MEMBERSHIP AND COMMUNICATIONSClare FlemingMANAGING EDITOR Louis Wustemann

EDITOR Kellie Mundellkelliemundelllexisnexiscouk DESIGNER Carrie Love

ADDRESSIIRSM 77 Fulham Palace Road London W6 8JA UK Tel +44 (0)20 8741 9100 Fax +44 (0)20 8741 1349Website wwwiirsmorgEmail infoiirsmorg

Registered in England and WalesCharity No 1107666Company No 5310696

PUBLISHED BY LexisNexis copy Reed Elsevier (UK) Limited 2016Printed by Headley Brothers Ltd Kent

This publication is intended to be a general guide and cannot be a substitute for professional advice Neither the authors nor the publisher accept any responsibility for loss occasioned to any person acting or refraining from acting as a result of material contained in this publication

Reproduction copying or extracting by any means of the whole or part of this publication must not be undertaken without the written permission of the publishers

ISSN 1746-1359

News Prosecutions

PUBLIC SAFETY

lsquoAccidents happenrsquo says appeal court over bridge fall

68 year old fell 15m from a bridge Court of Appeal rules that the foreseeable

risk was minimal

The Court of Appeal has thrown out a claim by a visitor who fell from an ornamental stone bridge in a south London park that he was eligible for damages due to the councilrsquos failure to conduct a risk assessment or warn of danger

Christopher Edwards 68 had just finished a short cycle ride around Beddington Park with his wife when they decided to take a break and walk their bikes back to the car

The couple were crossing the 150 year old bridge ndash which has parapets either side measuring 30cm at their highest point ndash when Edwards lost his footing and fell about 15m onto rocks below The fall crushed part of his spine and left him wheelchair-bound

In 2014 Edwards took Sutton Council to court following the accident four years earlier claiming there should have been signs at the bridge warning people of the potential dangers

The judge held that there was a foreseeable risk of injury and therefore considered that there was an obligation to warn visitors as to the risks of the low parapets andor to instruct them to take a different route through the park However Edwards was found contributorily negligent to the extent of 40

But last month the Court of Appeal through Lord Justice McCombrsquos lead judgment found that the first instance

judge had misdirected himself with a failure in the original decision to recognise that under the 1957 Act it is necessary to first identify the relevant danger (if any) before being in a position to be able to do something about it

The Court noted that ornamental bridges are a common feature of many public gardens and while it was in theory possible for the low parapets of the wall to constitute a lsquodangerrsquo this did not trigger a duty to take further steps (whether by installing railings or warning signs) for two reasons The seriousness of the accident could not be equated with there being a serious risk of it occurring in the first place ndash there had been no previous accidents of any kind and any risk if it existed was remote The risk of injury could be regarded as minimal rather than serious

Secondly there was no duty to warn of obvious risks ndash the approach to the bridge was clear and its width and the height of the parapets were obvious

The Court of Appeal also found that had a risk assessment been carried out it would have made no difference as it would simply have stated the obvious The Court found no evidence that Edwards would have acted any differently had signage or other protection been in place

REGULATION

Directorsrsquo prosecutions at 5 year high

12 company bosses have been jailed Fines have also risen by 43

The number of company directors prosecuted for health and safety offences has more than trebled in a year according to figures from the HSE

Data shows that 46 company directors and senior managers were prosecuted by the HSE in the year to 31 March 2016 compared to 15 in the previous year

Meanwhile the number of employees prosecuted has fallen with just one individual employee prosecuted by the HSE in 201516 compared to ten in the previous year

According to the figures of the 46 prosecutions 34 found were found guilty resulting in 12 prison sentences The longest jail term imposed was two years

According to research by global law firm Clyde amp Co the total value of fines imposed following HSE prosecutions in the first six months since the new guideline was introduced on 1 February 2016 has risen by 43 compared to the same period in the previous year

Fines totalled pound206 million from February 2016 to August 2016 compared to pound144 million in February 2015 to August 2015 However this figure does not include sentences imposed in cases prosecuted by local authorities and anecdotally the firm believes the true figure is likely to be much higher

Christopher Edwards fell from this bridge in Beddington Park south London

WORK AT HEIGHT

ANNUAL STATISTICS

HSE annual figures prosecutions up 6 fines total doubles to pound383 million

Key figures Work related deaths 144 Non-fatal injuries to workers 600000 RIDDOR reportable ldquo7 dayrdquo injuries

152000 Cases of work related illness 13 million Working days lost due to injury and ill

health 304 million Annual costs of workplace injury

pound48 billion

The number of workers with work-related illnesses increased by 100000 last year according to new figures from the Health and Safety Executive

The data published in Enforcement in Great Britain 2016 is part of the annual release of statistics and reports by the HSE It found that four fifths of illnesses were musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) or stress depression or anxiety

The report also covers the number of improvement and prohibition notices issued by the HSE and local authorities in the past year with evidence of a noticeable decline

In 2015ndash16 11403 notices were issued by HSE and local authorities an 8 decrease compared to the previous year Of this total 8771 notices were issued by HSE down 7 compared to 2014ndash15

But there was a steeper fall among local authorities where the 2632 notices issued represents a fall of 12 compared to the 2984 issued in 2014ndash15

The figures also show that the total amount of fines handed down in the courts for health and safety offences in 2015ndash16 was pound383 million more than double the pound181 million in the previous year

InBriefParliamentary group calls for action on occupational medicine lsquocrisisrsquoOccupational medicine in the UK is facing a crisis caused by a lsquomassive fallrsquo in the number doctors being trained in the specialism combined with a drop in the provision of workplace occupational health services MPs have warned

A new report from the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Occupational Safety and Health notes only one in eight UK workers can access a specialist occupational physician with the numbers being trained in the specialism now at ldquoan all-time lowrdquo

Occupational medical workforce crisis the need for action to keep the UK workforce healthy makes a number of recommendations including a new model of funding for training and incentives Read the report at httpbitly2eIX1uB

Colin Jeffery was branded ldquocallousrdquo and ldquocavalierrdquo

copy P

eter

Tri

mm

ing

Builder jailed for teenagerrsquos manslaughter

A site boss who exposed young workers to a risk of death has been jailed for five years for the manslaughter of a teenage student

Colin Jeffery was sentenced at Exeter Crown Court on 14 October after a two week jury trial following the death of Mason Beau Jennians on 4 December 2014

Jennians was just 17 when he fell 67 metres from the ladder while working for lsquouncaringrsquo and lsquocavalierrsquo Jeffery 58 and his business Utterly Gutterley

He was found unconscious at the foot of the ladder by the owner of The Coach House in Abbotskerswell where he was working on his own He died the next day

The prosecution said Jeffery exploited the bravado and naivety of young workers who worked at height using ladders rather than scaffolding so he could undercut competitors

According to the Torquay Herald Express on the way to Derriford hospital in a car with Jenniansrsquo mother he ldquogot his story in earlyrdquo by telling her that her son was self-employed

Judge Graham Cottle described the act as ldquoappallingly callous and disrespectful even to mention it at what must have been a terrible time for herrdquo adding that it underlines what sort of man he is

As well as the manslaughter conviction Jeffery also pleaded guilty to a breach of Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act for further health and safety offences at four other properties in the Torbay area

Judge Cottle said the trial had shown that Jeffery exploited teenage boys as cheap labour with an attitude to health and safety and working at height ldquocavalier in the extremerdquo He added that Jefferyrsquos negligence was ldquoas bad as it could possibly have beenrdquo

He added ldquoYour behaviour towards these young men was utterly shameful You exposed them to totally unacceptable risks of falling to their deaths from considerable heights as they worked for you on numerous projects

ldquoThey were all vulnerable by reason of their age and complete lack of any relevant experience They were cheap labour and you exploited them Anyone with any appreciation of the risk would not have exposed themselves like that but they did so because they were youngrdquo

There had been no previous accidents of any kind and any risk if it existed was remoterdquo

Jeffery refused to hire scaffolding in order to undercut his competitors

17 year old Mason Beau Jennians fell

67m

Number of directors who have been prosecuted

46

wwwiirsmorg | 122016122016 | wwwiirsmorg 54

News ProsecutionsNews Prosecutions

SAFE SYSTEMS OF WORK

Contractor fined pound13m for roadworks fiasco

A tarmac firm and its clients must pay out more than pound16 million after a pensioner was killed during ldquoutterly confusingrdquo roadworks in Liverpool ndash just six weeks after another pensioner was hit by a car at the same spot

Liverpool Crown Court heard how on 3 July 2012 74 year old Peter Paterson suffered head injuries after he was hit by a car while using a crossing at temporary lights One side of the Queenrsquos Drive dual carriageway had been put into a contraflow to allow vehicles to travel in both directions However the temporary pedestrian lights were not working and no alternative was provided

The court also heard that the following month on 19 August 2012 69 year old Ernest Haughton died after he was hit by a car while attempting to cross a single lane of traffic on the same road again using a temporary pedestrian crossing However following complaints from motorists changes were made to the traffic control lights to alleviate congestion but this removed the natural break in traffic flow needed to allow pedestrians to cross the carriageway

An HSE investigation found that Liverpool City Council failed to ensure that the arrangements for managing the roadworks were suitable including failing to appoint a suitable coordinator for the work Instead it had sought to delegate

responsibilities to Enterprise Liverpool which is a council-owned operation

The investigation also found that Enterprise Liverpool had failed to ensure the designs for the traffic management were checked or approved the construction plan for pedestrian routes and provision of barriers was being followed and at the time of the incidents provided no safe means of pedestrians crossing the works area or the carriageway

Tarmac Trading was subcontracted to install traffic and pedestrian management

It was found to have failed to provide alternative assistance for pedestrians at the time of the first incident despite it being known that the temporary lights were broken A temporary bus stop had also been placed in the middle of the road at the crossing

When Haughton was killed the temporary lights had been removed but no alternative control measures were put in place to enable pedestrians to cross the live lane of traffic In addition a large A-frame sign was placed on the crossing obscuring the view of both pedestrians and motorists

Liverpool City Council admitted breaching Regulation 9(1) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007 (CDM) It was fined pound15000 and ordered to pay pound100000 costs

Enterprise Liverpool pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 22(1) of the CDM Regulations It was fined pound25000 and ordered to pay pound80000 costs

Tarmac Trading pleaded guilty to Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act It was fined pound13 million and ordered to pay pound130000 costs

Speaking after the case HSE inspector Jacqueline Western said ldquoThe combined failure of all three dutyholders to comply with their duties on more than one occasion during the Queens Drive resurfacing project led to one man losing his life and another suffering serious injury It could quite easily have been two fatal incidentsrdquo

HEALTH

Night shift and breast cancer link overturned

Breast cancer most common cancer in the UK One in 50 women have worked nights for 20

or more years

Working night shifts including long-term shift work has ldquolittle or no effectrdquo on a womanrsquos risk of developing breast cancer according to new research

A study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute looked at results from 522246 women from the Million Women Study a long term

investigation by researchers from the University of Oxford co-funded by the HSE Cancer Research UK and the UK Medical Research Council In addition researchers drew on information from 22559 women in the EPIC-Oxford study and 251045 women in the Biobank study All the participants answered questions on shift work and were followed for incident cancer

The results were combined with data from seven previously published studies (covering 14 million women in total) from the US China Sweden and the Netherlands

The findings contradict many

previous studies that have suggested an association and three experts asked to comment all raised serious issues with this latest research saying it was deeply flawed

In a 2007 review the International Agency for Research on Cancer which is part of the World Health Organization categorised shift work that disrupted the ldquobody clockrdquo or circadian rhythm as a probable carcinogen

At the time there was limited evidence about breast cancer risk from population studies so the classification was based on a combination of animal and lab studies

But new research co-ordinated by researchers at the University of Oxford Night Shift Work and Breast Cancer Incidence Three Prospective Studies and Meta-analysis of Published Studies examined the outcomes of 14 million women in ten studies to see if they developed breast cancer

ldquoWe found that women who had worked night shifts including long-term night shifts were not more likely to develop breast cancer either in the three new UK studies or when we combined results from all ten studies that had published relevant datardquo said lead author Ruth C Travis DPhil from the Cancer Epidemiology Unit at Oxford University

WORK EQUIPMENT

The roadworks at Queenrsquos Drive dual carriageway in Liverpool were ldquoutterly confusingrdquo the court was told

New research and evidence review find no association between night shifts and elevated risk

CYBER SECURITY

Fraudsters expose vulnerabilities at Tesco Bank

Thousands of Tesco Bank customers had money stolen from their accounts recently in what is thought to be the most serious hack on the UK banking sector in recent history

Retail giant Tescorsquos banking arm said that pound25 million had been stolen from 9000 customers in what cyber experts said was the first mass hacking of accounts at a western bank The organisation has refunded those affected

Chief Executive Benny Higgins stressed that none of their customersrsquo personal data was compromised

British authorities are trying to find the ldquoroot causerdquo of the breach with the financial regulator describing the theft as ldquounprecedentedrdquo

Ashley Winton a data protection and privacy partner at law firm Paul Hastings said the proportion of accounts affected by the hack makes it a ldquovery significant breachrdquo adding that the typical hack tends to impact around 5-10 of customer accounts while more than 14 of Tesco accounts were breached

Peter Roe of IT analyst firm TechMarketView said ldquoThis looks like the most serious and certainly the most visible of the various difficulties suffered by the UK banking sector in recent times

The number of accounts affected suggests that this is a systemic failure of security around Tescorsquos core databaserdquo

The bank is now working with authorities and regulators including the Financial Conduct and National Crime Agency to address the circumstances regarding the attack

There have been 75 attacks on financial institutions in Britain this year ndash up from just five in 2014

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eoff

rey

Swai

neR

EXS

hutt

erst

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copy is

tock

phot

oilb

usca

Read our article on managing employees with cancer on page six

We found that women who had worked night shifts including long-term night shifts were not more likely to develop breast cancerrdquo

Trevor Grills was a vocalist in Fishermanrsquos Friends

Two tonne steel door crushed bandrsquos singer and promoterThe director of a manufacturer that made a two tonne steel door that killed a bandrsquos singer and its promoter has been cleared of gross negligence manslaughter But his firm Express Hi-Fold Doors was handed a pound30000 penalty at Guildford Crown Court after being found guilty of a breach of Section 6 of the Health and Safety at Work Act

Fishermanrsquos Friends vocalist Trevor Grills and band promoter Paul McMullen were killed at Guildfordrsquos G Live venue in 2013

The court heard the door allowed backstage access from the outside of the building It had been folded in half and was being lifted ldquolike a canopyrdquo above the two men when it collapsed

When two drive chains linking the motor and the gearbox to the drive shaft failed the door plummeted to the ground

The court heard there had been four similar failures on company doors before 2010 including the collapse of a hangar door at Shoreham Airport in 2003 after which Naylor wrote in a memo ldquoWe have a major problemrdquo But though the company made some modifications it failed to respond more fundamentally to ensure it had taken all practicable measures

Liverpool City Council in the dock Triorsquos failures led to death of pensioner

The combined failure of all three dutyholders to comply with their duties led to one man losing his life and another suffering serious injuryrdquo

For cyber security resources visit wwwiirsmorgcyber-security

More than 14 of the bankrsquos accounts were hacked

352000people get cancerevery year in the UK

162000people die of cancer in the UK every year

76 wwwiirsmorg | 122016122016 | wwwiirsmorg

Working with cancerWorking with cancer

Structured support Wersquore twice as likely to survive for 10 years after a cancer diagnosis now than we were in the 1970s This is excellent news but is also at the heart of a new set of challenges for employers

In a world where cancer plays such a significant part in peoplersquos lives ndash as patients as carers or within families ndash employers have a larger role to playrdquo

Survival rates are now at their highest ever level in England meaning 25 million people are currently living

with cancer in the UK as a result of improvements in diagnosis and treatments with every likelihood that survival rates will continue to improve Of the people diagnosed with cancer in the UK each year more than 100000 are of working age and estimates suggest that in total over 750000 people of working age are now living with a cancer diagnosis Health insurance company Unum has also reported that cancer is the biggest cause of long-term sickness claims accounting for almost a third in 2015

Dr Nick Summerton a General Practitioner believes that work plays an important part in improving the wellbeing and hastening the recovery among cancer sufferers ldquoLabelling someone as a victim of a cancer who shouldnrsquot be in work is detrimental to their general health and recoveryrdquo he says ldquoHaving six months at home to think about cancer isnrsquot doing anyone any good not the individual not their family and not the organisation thatrsquos missing their skills ndash particularly those older

workers more likely to be affected and all of their experiencerdquo

A changing landscapeFor organisations this means risks both in terms of losing employees to serious illness and also the ongoing need to support and manage people back into work with a long-term condition More than a third of the entire UK workforce will also be over 50 by 2020 according to the Office for National Statistics which means a growing proportion of employees affected by cancer

The question is do employers have policies and processes in place to both demonstrate the necessary support for their employees and minimise disruption and costs Research among 500 UK employers earlier this year suggests not The Cancer in the Workplace 2016 study found a lack of planning around managing risks relating to cancer More than two-thirds (71) of the HR managers surveyed said they donrsquot have any policies in place for communications and management of employees with a cancer diagnosis And

in terms of staff returning to work after a cancer diagnosis 61 say they didnrsquot have any policies for communication or management

Sixty-four per cent of HR managers in large organisations (between 1000 and 10000 employees) said cancer was an issue currently affecting people in their organisation But nearly half also thought line managers in their organisation were unprepared when it comes to managing employees with cancer with 13 saying they didnrsquot think they were prepared lsquoat allrsquo At the same time more than half think the line manager relationship is one of the most important forms of support for employees with cancer (45 opted for HR support 40 colleagues and 38 occupational health services)

ldquoThe issue here is the extent to which organisations are dependent on managers and their personal ability and willingness to take on highly personal and sensitive health issues to make an on-the-spot response and get involved with planning for recovery and a return to workrdquo continues Nick ldquoThe cancer

copy iS

tock

com

vita

novs

ki

71say their organisation doesnrsquot offer

cancer awareness or early detection

health benefit

through screening

as a

Working with cancer

8 wwwiirsmorg | 122016122016 | wwwiirsmorg

issue isnrsquot necessarily being addressed via employee health benefits 71 said their organisation doesnrsquot provide any information on cancer awareness or provide early detection of cancer through screening as a health benefit 45 didnrsquot offer any kind of health screening This matters as spotting cancer early not only improves the chances of a person`s survival but also early stage cancers require less aggressive and extensive treatments - meaning less time off workrdquo

The bigger pictureA lack of activity among organisations may be caused by the low levels of recognition among senior executives when it comes to the implications of cancer in the workplace Forty per cent said they didnrsquot think senior executives in their organisation were aware of the potential risks and costs Twelve per cent said they thought senior executives were very aware of the risks and costs involved At the same time the HR professionals surveyed thought there was or would be a significant impact on business performance Just over half (52) believed there would be a medium or high impact on levels of absenteeism from rising numbers of cancer cases and lsquosurvivorsrsquo returning to work 49 expected a medium or high impact on staff planning 43 on private medical

insurance premiums 39 on other insurance premiums 38 on

revenue or profit lossldquoTherersquos a lack of awareness

and clarity around the whole topic Nick says ldquoIn the report HR professionals didnrsquot agree over whether employees should have to be open about their condition at all Contrary to current legislation 46

thought staff should always have to tell their employer HR

continues to be confused over what their people are receiving in

the way of cancer screening for early detection Forty-three per cent wrongly thought prostate cancer was screened routinely by the NHS 22 thought testicular cancer and 17 thought lung cancer were also checked when theyrsquore notrdquo

The implications for employers are not just related to employee wellbeing and ability to perform in their role Under the Equality Act (2010) employees in England Scotland and Wales with cancer

are considered to have a disability and are protected from discrimination in the workplace ndash this affects the recruitment process terms and conditions offered and opportunities for promotion and training

The same legislation asks employers to make lsquoreasonable adjustmentsrsquo to make lives easier for employees with a disability like living with or recovering from cancer For example a manager who delivers negative critical appraisals of staff affected by cancer because theyrsquove missed targets or not attended meetings as a result of attending hospital appointments etc might be considered to be discriminating unfairly The same applies to discrimination against employees with caring roles in support of someone with cancer In some cases the workplace and forms of work are a contributory factor in an employeersquos condition

Addressing attitudesWork puts many people at increased risk ndash and not just where there are obvious hazards such as radiation or asbestos The NHS has identified that 13000 men and women die every year from work-related cancer For example inactivity or being overweight increases the risks for developing many cancers ldquoStudies in the US show that simply sitting for long periods at work increases risk of colon endometrial and lung cancer all leading to the claim that lsquositting is the new smokingrsquordquo adds Nick By allowing employees access to regular health checks individuals can become more aware of their individualised health risks and how these might be reduced

Itrsquos currently estimated that time off work for patients and their carers due to cancer costs employers pound55 billion each year in terms of lost productivity (according to Macmillan Cancer Support figures from 2012) Thatrsquos the direct cost but the serious nature of the disease and its long-term implications for individuals their family carers friends and peers mean that a cancer diagnosis affects networks of people across workplaces In practical terms there are a host of people management issues involved providing support and understanding in what is a highly sensitive and emotional situation communicating appropriately with staff managing changes in roles and organising cover making reasonable adjustments to work environment and conditions ensuring fair treatment keeping up an ongoing conversation with the cancer sufferer and

managing a positive return to work Given that the risk of a cancer diagnosis increases with age the ageing workforce in the UK means the proportion of cancer sufferers and survivors in workplaces generally will keep increasing

Nick believes a culture change is needed in terms of attitudes to people with cancer generally and particularly in the workplace Itrsquos estimated that more than a third of people living with cancer are adults of working age (under 65) As more people work for longer as they will the more significant the issue and the greater the importance of understanding among OH and HR professionals Currently as a result of time off work and loss of income for patients (and their carers) cancer is estimated to cost employers pound55 billion each year due to lost productivity

Cancer survivors often need to live with long-term consequences Around a quarter of people treated for cancer in the UK are said to continue to need NHS care even after being entirely cleared of the disease Impacts of treatments received include diabetes an increased risk of cardiovascular problems and osteoporosis as well as unpleasant symptoms like urinary leakage (which affects 40 of `cured` prostate cancer patients) Almost half (47) of survivors remain worried about cancer recurrence leading to more serious psychological implications problems with self-esteem anxiety and depression

Most simply there are policies and procedures that will help create a more accommodating environment keeping survivors in work ldquoEmployers need to consider think through and be open and clear on what level of support and flexibility they are able to provide employees affected by cancerrdquo Nick suggests ldquoStaff need that level of certainty and reassurancerdquo

Such reassurance might include flexibility in working hours for medical appointments or other treatments making adaptations to the workplace that allows more space time and confidentiality for people dealing with symptom concerns (like bladder or bowel problems) and the chance to have private and necessary conversations with a health professional Regular contact and discussions of cancer symptoms are critical and shouldnrsquot be dependent on waiting to visit a GP or a booked hospital check-up Skype and phone can be just as useful as early diagnosis is as much about spotting recurrences as the initial diagnosis Just

as importantly processes should include a framework for how your organisation supports its people with cancer who takes the lead in managing the relationship the kinds of questions that need to be covered at different stages (from diagnosis to managing the return to work) how to ensure ongoing and open conversations and for constructive plans being made in order to find the best outcomes for both employee and employer

A commitment to careldquoIn a world where cancer plays such a significant part in peoplersquos lives ndash as patients as carers or within families ndash employers have a larger role to play as part of their statutory duty of care but more importantly in demonstrating their understanding and commitment to offering lsquopeople-shapedrsquo employment that they are a genuine people businessrdquo continues Nick ldquoIn this context all health and wellbeing programmes are important anything on exercise weight smoking is relevant to improving chances of avoiding cancer and also likelihood of a strong recovery Most usefully employers will provide support for monitoring cancer cancer risk and recurrence in order to provide the all-important early diagnosisrdquo

People with cancer are also often `neglected` by health services when it comes to general health put into a category of lsquocancer carersquo where other potential health issues like high blood pressure high cholesterol are seen as less relevant in the circumstances But all the evidence shows that people with cancer who ignore other ongoing medical problems do much less well in terms of recovery and cure Employers can help staff keep that broader perspective with optional referrals for private GP consultations and health checks that can provide more regular assessments and reassurance ldquoThe fact is that people are far more likely to listen to health advice and attend appointments for check-ups that are organised by an employer as part of a structure of wellbeing and responsibility than being left to make their own arrangementsrdquo concludes Nick

Dr Nick Summerton is a GP and Medical Director at Bluecrest Wellness wwwbluecrestwellnesscom

50around

of people with cancer

will survive and the odds increase significantly if

detected

early

9

Working with cancer

copy fl

ickr

Art

ur S

alis

z

wwwiirsmorg | 122016122016 | wwwiirsmorg 1110

Institute News Institute News

INVITATION

Complimentary seminar for IIRSM Members

IIRSM Members are invited to attend this yearrsquos Annual General Meeting on 12 December in London Siobhan Donnelly President will chair the AGM and give an overview of IIRSMrsquos strategy and proposed changes to our Memorandum and Articles of Association Please cast your votes on the proposed changes via our online voting system

The AGM is an opportunity for members to participate and meet with the Institutersquos Trustees and team so please come along

Following the AGM we have arranged a free 60-minute seminar Guest speaker Michael Caulfield a sports psychologist and regular contributor to the BBC and Sky Sports will provide a session on lsquoAn introduction to mindset and performancersquo

Sporting Edge helps professionals to address performance issues but from a fresh perspective giving thought provoking behavioural and mindset strategies to take back to your workplace The seminar will help attendees learn how to thrive under pressure and develop techniques for performance and energy management

Sporting Edge was founded in 2005 by former England Cricketer and leading sports psychology expert Jeremy Snape Over the past 10 years Sporting Edge has supported and partnered with global brands business leaders sports teams universities and public organisations to tackle their performance challenges and goals

The seminar will be followed by a networking drinks reception and the opportunity to admire fantastic views over London from the 19th floor of UBMrsquos new offices close to Blackfriars Bridge

This is a not to be missed opportunity to acquire CPD and network with your friends and colleagues at IIRSM and we very much hope you can join us

Book early as spaces will be limited wwwiirsmorgeventsannual-general-meeting-12-dec-2016

WEST MIDLANDS BRANCHANNUAL ELECTION

Notice for Annual General MeetingSince March 2014 every Fellow Member Specialist Fellow Member Full Member Specialist Member and Associate Member of IIRSM has been entitled to vote in the annual IIRSM elections subject to being up to date with their membership fees

This yearrsquos voting opened on 18 November and closes at midnight (GMT) on 8 December 2016 Results will be announced at the Annual General Meeting on 12 December 2016 For more information please contact damodaracharyaiirsmorg Votes will be cast to

approve the Financial Accounts for 20152016

approve the adoption of amended Memorandum and Articles of Association

decide upon the proposed re-election of one Council member

approve the appointment of Kingston Smith as Auditors for the next 12 months

All eligible Members will be sent login details for the online voting system by The Electoral Reform Services (ERS) which is administering the voting on IIRSMrsquos behalf

You can view the agenda items minutes of the last AGM ballot papers and other relevant documents on the website when logged in to MyIIRSM Please ensure

your email address is up to date by logging into your profile

that email preferences are set to allow communications from IIRSM

your fees are up to date

Voting is made via an alternative secure site and you will need to use the two-part code sent by email to cast your vote

NORTHERN ENGLAND BRANCH

Sowing the seeds for future expansionAt the end of October IIRSM Chief Executive Phillip Pearson opened the new IIRSM Northern England Branch at the Juryrsquos Inn in Newcastle Phillip studied at Newcastle University and is particularly motivated to see this Branch evolve as we enter a very important phase of development

Phillip shared the Institutersquos new strategy to position IIRSM as the natural home for everyone who manages risk Our current membership is comprised of professionals who manage a range of business risks ranging from strategic to operational ndash health and safety risk management as well as environmental business continuity legal and reputational risksndash are all relevant Recognising this shift in many of our membersrsquo workplace responsibilities and appealing to risk managers more broadly will differentiate IIRSM from its competitors and ensure it is meeting the needs of a broader

membership base IIRSM will provide offerings in areas which are currently unavailable filling a gap and reinforcing the importance of good workplace risk management

While the details and roll out of such changes are in their infancy the strategy was well received by the attendees which included members at various grades and from a variety of workplace backgrounds present agreed that what IIRSM is focusing on will provide tangible benefits to members and even more importantly to businesses in general Based on the motivation and passion Phillip expressed for the future of the Institute attendees were left feeling that there is much to gain from a future with IIRSM

The second part of the meeting featured a presentation by Hugh Maxwell FIIRSM who discussed the challenges and processes followed to implement a successful risk reduction strategy in an international

high-risk business environment Attendees appreciated the high risk nature of steel production and in particular contracted-out services provided within the industry A number of the key tools and techniques employed including behaviour-based safety audits risk assessment good and timely reporting and investigation of incidents rewarding safety improvement opportunity implementation and engaged employees were all part of the solution adopted

Feedback from attendees was very positive Please come along to the next Northern England Branch meeting on 28 February 2017 Keep an eye on the website for more information

IIRSM has much to offer members and others involved in risk management in the area If yoursquod like to get involved and help your local Branch by either hosting the next event being a guest speaker or becoming part of the committee please do get in touch by emailing branchesiirsmorg

To book your place at the first meeting please visit the lsquoBook a Branch meetingrsquo page of the website wwwiirsmorgbranches

When Monday 12 December 2016 Where 19th Floor 240 Blackfriars Road

London SE1 8BF Time 1530

Meet the committee

A few months ago we surveyed our West Midlands members to scope their interest in attending Branch meetings in their local area We had a great response so thank you to everyone who completed it

We are proud to announce that we have established a West Midlands Branch with a strong committee They are

Roger Silvers Branch Chairman Paul Robinson Vice Chairman Andrew Hinton Branch Committee

Member

Roger holds an LLM with extensive experience in employment law health and safety and occupational health particularly in transport logistics and engineering Roger was consultant to London 2012 and the Commonwealth Games 2014

Paul is regarded as an industry leader and expert in health safety environment and quality (HSEQ) management and legal compliance He has more than 22 yearsrsquo experience in health safety environmental quality and security management in the UK and overseas including Group HSEQ Director for a multinational company operating within the oil and gas industry in Aberdeen

Andrew has extensive experience in the construction industry and has worked as a Planning Supervisor and CDM-C and currently he is a Project CDM Manager managing the health and safety elements under CDM 2015 of new builds and line refurbishments within the automotive industry

ldquoOur aim is to make the West Midlands Branch interesting and pro-active for all members with guest speakers interactive workshop sessions and networkingrdquo said Branch Chair Roger Silvers

ldquoWe are also keen to arrange site visits to get first-hand experience on how health and safety is managed in different industries and sitesrdquo

With more than 440 IIRSM members in the West Midlands

region the new Branch will be a focal point for networking learning and enhancing your CPD skills The West Midlands is home to a wide range of engineering and transport industries and this will be an opportunity for all to exchange knowledge and skills

The first Branch meeting will take place on 12 January 2017 the full agenda will be released soon If you are interested in contributing to our Branch Meetings by giving a talk case study or if you are able to organise a site tour please email rogerh-elpsystemscom

Left to right Paul Roger and Andrew are looking forward to welcoming Members from the region

A focal point for learning networking and enhancing your CPD skills

More than 440 Members in region

Salary Survey 2016 This yearrsquos Health and Safety at Work Salary Survey is now live Every year the magazine gathers hundreds of responses to draw up a detailed picture of salary levels and pay awards crunching the data by employment sector and region of the UKPlease take a few minutes to fill in the anonymous survey to help pin down whatrsquos happening in the profession wwwhealthandsafetyatworkcompay-survey-2016

New Fellows Congratulations to the following members who were recently awarded Fellowship statusMukhtari Abdul-Karim Tyron Bancroft Raymond Bone Shimjith Chiriyath Mark Colquhoun Patrick Darmody Edward Deighan Jeffrey Dutton John Ede John Fislwy David Foy John Hamilton Calvin Hanks Tracey Harding Karen Hoskins Manish Kumar Phil Maddison Adai Onazi Ray Owen Kevin Phillips Umar Puthukkadi John Rutter Paul Sawyer Peter Scholefield Capt Kulwant Singh John Smith Roger Smith Lin Wai Ming Paul Williams Adam Wilson and Dr Yousuf Majeed

All the information you need is at wwwiirsmorgmembersagm-2016

352000people get cancerevery year in the UK

162000people die of cancer in the UK every year

76 wwwiirsmorg | 122016122016 | wwwiirsmorg

Working with cancerWorking with cancer

Structured support Wersquore twice as likely to survive for 10 years after a cancer diagnosis now than we were in the 1970s This is excellent news but is also at the heart of a new set of challenges for employers

In a world where cancer plays such a significant part in peoplersquos lives ndash as patients as carers or within families ndash employers have a larger role to playrdquo

Survival rates are now at their highest ever level in England meaning 25 million people are currently living

with cancer in the UK as a result of improvements in diagnosis and treatments with every likelihood that survival rates will continue to improve Of the people diagnosed with cancer in the UK each year more than 100000 are of working age and estimates suggest that in total over 750000 people of working age are now living with a cancer diagnosis Health insurance company Unum has also reported that cancer is the biggest cause of long-term sickness claims accounting for almost a third in 2015

Dr Nick Summerton a General Practitioner believes that work plays an important part in improving the wellbeing and hastening the recovery among cancer sufferers ldquoLabelling someone as a victim of a cancer who shouldnrsquot be in work is detrimental to their general health and recoveryrdquo he says ldquoHaving six months at home to think about cancer isnrsquot doing anyone any good not the individual not their family and not the organisation thatrsquos missing their skills ndash particularly those older

workers more likely to be affected and all of their experiencerdquo

A changing landscapeFor organisations this means risks both in terms of losing employees to serious illness and also the ongoing need to support and manage people back into work with a long-term condition More than a third of the entire UK workforce will also be over 50 by 2020 according to the Office for National Statistics which means a growing proportion of employees affected by cancer

The question is do employers have policies and processes in place to both demonstrate the necessary support for their employees and minimise disruption and costs Research among 500 UK employers earlier this year suggests not The Cancer in the Workplace 2016 study found a lack of planning around managing risks relating to cancer More than two-thirds (71) of the HR managers surveyed said they donrsquot have any policies in place for communications and management of employees with a cancer diagnosis And

in terms of staff returning to work after a cancer diagnosis 61 say they didnrsquot have any policies for communication or management

Sixty-four per cent of HR managers in large organisations (between 1000 and 10000 employees) said cancer was an issue currently affecting people in their organisation But nearly half also thought line managers in their organisation were unprepared when it comes to managing employees with cancer with 13 saying they didnrsquot think they were prepared lsquoat allrsquo At the same time more than half think the line manager relationship is one of the most important forms of support for employees with cancer (45 opted for HR support 40 colleagues and 38 occupational health services)

ldquoThe issue here is the extent to which organisations are dependent on managers and their personal ability and willingness to take on highly personal and sensitive health issues to make an on-the-spot response and get involved with planning for recovery and a return to workrdquo continues Nick ldquoThe cancer

copy iS

tock

com

vita

novs

ki

71say their organisation doesnrsquot offer

cancer awareness or early detection

health benefit

through screening

as a

Working with cancer

8 wwwiirsmorg | 122016122016 | wwwiirsmorg

issue isnrsquot necessarily being addressed via employee health benefits 71 said their organisation doesnrsquot provide any information on cancer awareness or provide early detection of cancer through screening as a health benefit 45 didnrsquot offer any kind of health screening This matters as spotting cancer early not only improves the chances of a person`s survival but also early stage cancers require less aggressive and extensive treatments - meaning less time off workrdquo

The bigger pictureA lack of activity among organisations may be caused by the low levels of recognition among senior executives when it comes to the implications of cancer in the workplace Forty per cent said they didnrsquot think senior executives in their organisation were aware of the potential risks and costs Twelve per cent said they thought senior executives were very aware of the risks and costs involved At the same time the HR professionals surveyed thought there was or would be a significant impact on business performance Just over half (52) believed there would be a medium or high impact on levels of absenteeism from rising numbers of cancer cases and lsquosurvivorsrsquo returning to work 49 expected a medium or high impact on staff planning 43 on private medical

insurance premiums 39 on other insurance premiums 38 on

revenue or profit lossldquoTherersquos a lack of awareness

and clarity around the whole topic Nick says ldquoIn the report HR professionals didnrsquot agree over whether employees should have to be open about their condition at all Contrary to current legislation 46

thought staff should always have to tell their employer HR

continues to be confused over what their people are receiving in

the way of cancer screening for early detection Forty-three per cent wrongly thought prostate cancer was screened routinely by the NHS 22 thought testicular cancer and 17 thought lung cancer were also checked when theyrsquore notrdquo

The implications for employers are not just related to employee wellbeing and ability to perform in their role Under the Equality Act (2010) employees in England Scotland and Wales with cancer

are considered to have a disability and are protected from discrimination in the workplace ndash this affects the recruitment process terms and conditions offered and opportunities for promotion and training

The same legislation asks employers to make lsquoreasonable adjustmentsrsquo to make lives easier for employees with a disability like living with or recovering from cancer For example a manager who delivers negative critical appraisals of staff affected by cancer because theyrsquove missed targets or not attended meetings as a result of attending hospital appointments etc might be considered to be discriminating unfairly The same applies to discrimination against employees with caring roles in support of someone with cancer In some cases the workplace and forms of work are a contributory factor in an employeersquos condition

Addressing attitudesWork puts many people at increased risk ndash and not just where there are obvious hazards such as radiation or asbestos The NHS has identified that 13000 men and women die every year from work-related cancer For example inactivity or being overweight increases the risks for developing many cancers ldquoStudies in the US show that simply sitting for long periods at work increases risk of colon endometrial and lung cancer all leading to the claim that lsquositting is the new smokingrsquordquo adds Nick By allowing employees access to regular health checks individuals can become more aware of their individualised health risks and how these might be reduced

Itrsquos currently estimated that time off work for patients and their carers due to cancer costs employers pound55 billion each year in terms of lost productivity (according to Macmillan Cancer Support figures from 2012) Thatrsquos the direct cost but the serious nature of the disease and its long-term implications for individuals their family carers friends and peers mean that a cancer diagnosis affects networks of people across workplaces In practical terms there are a host of people management issues involved providing support and understanding in what is a highly sensitive and emotional situation communicating appropriately with staff managing changes in roles and organising cover making reasonable adjustments to work environment and conditions ensuring fair treatment keeping up an ongoing conversation with the cancer sufferer and

managing a positive return to work Given that the risk of a cancer diagnosis increases with age the ageing workforce in the UK means the proportion of cancer sufferers and survivors in workplaces generally will keep increasing

Nick believes a culture change is needed in terms of attitudes to people with cancer generally and particularly in the workplace Itrsquos estimated that more than a third of people living with cancer are adults of working age (under 65) As more people work for longer as they will the more significant the issue and the greater the importance of understanding among OH and HR professionals Currently as a result of time off work and loss of income for patients (and their carers) cancer is estimated to cost employers pound55 billion each year due to lost productivity

Cancer survivors often need to live with long-term consequences Around a quarter of people treated for cancer in the UK are said to continue to need NHS care even after being entirely cleared of the disease Impacts of treatments received include diabetes an increased risk of cardiovascular problems and osteoporosis as well as unpleasant symptoms like urinary leakage (which affects 40 of `cured` prostate cancer patients) Almost half (47) of survivors remain worried about cancer recurrence leading to more serious psychological implications problems with self-esteem anxiety and depression

Most simply there are policies and procedures that will help create a more accommodating environment keeping survivors in work ldquoEmployers need to consider think through and be open and clear on what level of support and flexibility they are able to provide employees affected by cancerrdquo Nick suggests ldquoStaff need that level of certainty and reassurancerdquo

Such reassurance might include flexibility in working hours for medical appointments or other treatments making adaptations to the workplace that allows more space time and confidentiality for people dealing with symptom concerns (like bladder or bowel problems) and the chance to have private and necessary conversations with a health professional Regular contact and discussions of cancer symptoms are critical and shouldnrsquot be dependent on waiting to visit a GP or a booked hospital check-up Skype and phone can be just as useful as early diagnosis is as much about spotting recurrences as the initial diagnosis Just

as importantly processes should include a framework for how your organisation supports its people with cancer who takes the lead in managing the relationship the kinds of questions that need to be covered at different stages (from diagnosis to managing the return to work) how to ensure ongoing and open conversations and for constructive plans being made in order to find the best outcomes for both employee and employer

A commitment to careldquoIn a world where cancer plays such a significant part in peoplersquos lives ndash as patients as carers or within families ndash employers have a larger role to play as part of their statutory duty of care but more importantly in demonstrating their understanding and commitment to offering lsquopeople-shapedrsquo employment that they are a genuine people businessrdquo continues Nick ldquoIn this context all health and wellbeing programmes are important anything on exercise weight smoking is relevant to improving chances of avoiding cancer and also likelihood of a strong recovery Most usefully employers will provide support for monitoring cancer cancer risk and recurrence in order to provide the all-important early diagnosisrdquo

People with cancer are also often `neglected` by health services when it comes to general health put into a category of lsquocancer carersquo where other potential health issues like high blood pressure high cholesterol are seen as less relevant in the circumstances But all the evidence shows that people with cancer who ignore other ongoing medical problems do much less well in terms of recovery and cure Employers can help staff keep that broader perspective with optional referrals for private GP consultations and health checks that can provide more regular assessments and reassurance ldquoThe fact is that people are far more likely to listen to health advice and attend appointments for check-ups that are organised by an employer as part of a structure of wellbeing and responsibility than being left to make their own arrangementsrdquo concludes Nick

Dr Nick Summerton is a GP and Medical Director at Bluecrest Wellness wwwbluecrestwellnesscom

50around

of people with cancer

will survive and the odds increase significantly if

detected

early

9

Working with cancer

copy fl

ickr

Art

ur S

alis

z

wwwiirsmorg | 122016122016 | wwwiirsmorg 1110

Institute News Institute News

INVITATION

Complimentary seminar for IIRSM Members

IIRSM Members are invited to attend this yearrsquos Annual General Meeting on 12 December in London Siobhan Donnelly President will chair the AGM and give an overview of IIRSMrsquos strategy and proposed changes to our Memorandum and Articles of Association Please cast your votes on the proposed changes via our online voting system

The AGM is an opportunity for members to participate and meet with the Institutersquos Trustees and team so please come along

Following the AGM we have arranged a free 60-minute seminar Guest speaker Michael Caulfield a sports psychologist and regular contributor to the BBC and Sky Sports will provide a session on lsquoAn introduction to mindset and performancersquo

Sporting Edge helps professionals to address performance issues but from a fresh perspective giving thought provoking behavioural and mindset strategies to take back to your workplace The seminar will help attendees learn how to thrive under pressure and develop techniques for performance and energy management

Sporting Edge was founded in 2005 by former England Cricketer and leading sports psychology expert Jeremy Snape Over the past 10 years Sporting Edge has supported and partnered with global brands business leaders sports teams universities and public organisations to tackle their performance challenges and goals

The seminar will be followed by a networking drinks reception and the opportunity to admire fantastic views over London from the 19th floor of UBMrsquos new offices close to Blackfriars Bridge

This is a not to be missed opportunity to acquire CPD and network with your friends and colleagues at IIRSM and we very much hope you can join us

Book early as spaces will be limited wwwiirsmorgeventsannual-general-meeting-12-dec-2016

WEST MIDLANDS BRANCHANNUAL ELECTION

Notice for Annual General MeetingSince March 2014 every Fellow Member Specialist Fellow Member Full Member Specialist Member and Associate Member of IIRSM has been entitled to vote in the annual IIRSM elections subject to being up to date with their membership fees

This yearrsquos voting opened on 18 November and closes at midnight (GMT) on 8 December 2016 Results will be announced at the Annual General Meeting on 12 December 2016 For more information please contact damodaracharyaiirsmorg Votes will be cast to

approve the Financial Accounts for 20152016

approve the adoption of amended Memorandum and Articles of Association

decide upon the proposed re-election of one Council member

approve the appointment of Kingston Smith as Auditors for the next 12 months

All eligible Members will be sent login details for the online voting system by The Electoral Reform Services (ERS) which is administering the voting on IIRSMrsquos behalf

You can view the agenda items minutes of the last AGM ballot papers and other relevant documents on the website when logged in to MyIIRSM Please ensure

your email address is up to date by logging into your profile

that email preferences are set to allow communications from IIRSM

your fees are up to date

Voting is made via an alternative secure site and you will need to use the two-part code sent by email to cast your vote

NORTHERN ENGLAND BRANCH

Sowing the seeds for future expansionAt the end of October IIRSM Chief Executive Phillip Pearson opened the new IIRSM Northern England Branch at the Juryrsquos Inn in Newcastle Phillip studied at Newcastle University and is particularly motivated to see this Branch evolve as we enter a very important phase of development

Phillip shared the Institutersquos new strategy to position IIRSM as the natural home for everyone who manages risk Our current membership is comprised of professionals who manage a range of business risks ranging from strategic to operational ndash health and safety risk management as well as environmental business continuity legal and reputational risksndash are all relevant Recognising this shift in many of our membersrsquo workplace responsibilities and appealing to risk managers more broadly will differentiate IIRSM from its competitors and ensure it is meeting the needs of a broader

membership base IIRSM will provide offerings in areas which are currently unavailable filling a gap and reinforcing the importance of good workplace risk management

While the details and roll out of such changes are in their infancy the strategy was well received by the attendees which included members at various grades and from a variety of workplace backgrounds present agreed that what IIRSM is focusing on will provide tangible benefits to members and even more importantly to businesses in general Based on the motivation and passion Phillip expressed for the future of the Institute attendees were left feeling that there is much to gain from a future with IIRSM

The second part of the meeting featured a presentation by Hugh Maxwell FIIRSM who discussed the challenges and processes followed to implement a successful risk reduction strategy in an international

high-risk business environment Attendees appreciated the high risk nature of steel production and in particular contracted-out services provided within the industry A number of the key tools and techniques employed including behaviour-based safety audits risk assessment good and timely reporting and investigation of incidents rewarding safety improvement opportunity implementation and engaged employees were all part of the solution adopted

Feedback from attendees was very positive Please come along to the next Northern England Branch meeting on 28 February 2017 Keep an eye on the website for more information

IIRSM has much to offer members and others involved in risk management in the area If yoursquod like to get involved and help your local Branch by either hosting the next event being a guest speaker or becoming part of the committee please do get in touch by emailing branchesiirsmorg

To book your place at the first meeting please visit the lsquoBook a Branch meetingrsquo page of the website wwwiirsmorgbranches

When Monday 12 December 2016 Where 19th Floor 240 Blackfriars Road

London SE1 8BF Time 1530

Meet the committee

A few months ago we surveyed our West Midlands members to scope their interest in attending Branch meetings in their local area We had a great response so thank you to everyone who completed it

We are proud to announce that we have established a West Midlands Branch with a strong committee They are

Roger Silvers Branch Chairman Paul Robinson Vice Chairman Andrew Hinton Branch Committee

Member

Roger holds an LLM with extensive experience in employment law health and safety and occupational health particularly in transport logistics and engineering Roger was consultant to London 2012 and the Commonwealth Games 2014

Paul is regarded as an industry leader and expert in health safety environment and quality (HSEQ) management and legal compliance He has more than 22 yearsrsquo experience in health safety environmental quality and security management in the UK and overseas including Group HSEQ Director for a multinational company operating within the oil and gas industry in Aberdeen

Andrew has extensive experience in the construction industry and has worked as a Planning Supervisor and CDM-C and currently he is a Project CDM Manager managing the health and safety elements under CDM 2015 of new builds and line refurbishments within the automotive industry

ldquoOur aim is to make the West Midlands Branch interesting and pro-active for all members with guest speakers interactive workshop sessions and networkingrdquo said Branch Chair Roger Silvers

ldquoWe are also keen to arrange site visits to get first-hand experience on how health and safety is managed in different industries and sitesrdquo

With more than 440 IIRSM members in the West Midlands

region the new Branch will be a focal point for networking learning and enhancing your CPD skills The West Midlands is home to a wide range of engineering and transport industries and this will be an opportunity for all to exchange knowledge and skills

The first Branch meeting will take place on 12 January 2017 the full agenda will be released soon If you are interested in contributing to our Branch Meetings by giving a talk case study or if you are able to organise a site tour please email rogerh-elpsystemscom

Left to right Paul Roger and Andrew are looking forward to welcoming Members from the region

A focal point for learning networking and enhancing your CPD skills

More than 440 Members in region

Salary Survey 2016 This yearrsquos Health and Safety at Work Salary Survey is now live Every year the magazine gathers hundreds of responses to draw up a detailed picture of salary levels and pay awards crunching the data by employment sector and region of the UKPlease take a few minutes to fill in the anonymous survey to help pin down whatrsquos happening in the profession wwwhealthandsafetyatworkcompay-survey-2016

New Fellows Congratulations to the following members who were recently awarded Fellowship statusMukhtari Abdul-Karim Tyron Bancroft Raymond Bone Shimjith Chiriyath Mark Colquhoun Patrick Darmody Edward Deighan Jeffrey Dutton John Ede John Fislwy David Foy John Hamilton Calvin Hanks Tracey Harding Karen Hoskins Manish Kumar Phil Maddison Adai Onazi Ray Owen Kevin Phillips Umar Puthukkadi John Rutter Paul Sawyer Peter Scholefield Capt Kulwant Singh John Smith Roger Smith Lin Wai Ming Paul Williams Adam Wilson and Dr Yousuf Majeed

All the information you need is at wwwiirsmorgmembersagm-2016

71say their organisation doesnrsquot offer

cancer awareness or early detection

health benefit

through screening

as a

Working with cancer

8 wwwiirsmorg | 122016122016 | wwwiirsmorg

issue isnrsquot necessarily being addressed via employee health benefits 71 said their organisation doesnrsquot provide any information on cancer awareness or provide early detection of cancer through screening as a health benefit 45 didnrsquot offer any kind of health screening This matters as spotting cancer early not only improves the chances of a person`s survival but also early stage cancers require less aggressive and extensive treatments - meaning less time off workrdquo

The bigger pictureA lack of activity among organisations may be caused by the low levels of recognition among senior executives when it comes to the implications of cancer in the workplace Forty per cent said they didnrsquot think senior executives in their organisation were aware of the potential risks and costs Twelve per cent said they thought senior executives were very aware of the risks and costs involved At the same time the HR professionals surveyed thought there was or would be a significant impact on business performance Just over half (52) believed there would be a medium or high impact on levels of absenteeism from rising numbers of cancer cases and lsquosurvivorsrsquo returning to work 49 expected a medium or high impact on staff planning 43 on private medical

insurance premiums 39 on other insurance premiums 38 on

revenue or profit lossldquoTherersquos a lack of awareness

and clarity around the whole topic Nick says ldquoIn the report HR professionals didnrsquot agree over whether employees should have to be open about their condition at all Contrary to current legislation 46

thought staff should always have to tell their employer HR

continues to be confused over what their people are receiving in

the way of cancer screening for early detection Forty-three per cent wrongly thought prostate cancer was screened routinely by the NHS 22 thought testicular cancer and 17 thought lung cancer were also checked when theyrsquore notrdquo

The implications for employers are not just related to employee wellbeing and ability to perform in their role Under the Equality Act (2010) employees in England Scotland and Wales with cancer

are considered to have a disability and are protected from discrimination in the workplace ndash this affects the recruitment process terms and conditions offered and opportunities for promotion and training

The same legislation asks employers to make lsquoreasonable adjustmentsrsquo to make lives easier for employees with a disability like living with or recovering from cancer For example a manager who delivers negative critical appraisals of staff affected by cancer because theyrsquove missed targets or not attended meetings as a result of attending hospital appointments etc might be considered to be discriminating unfairly The same applies to discrimination against employees with caring roles in support of someone with cancer In some cases the workplace and forms of work are a contributory factor in an employeersquos condition

Addressing attitudesWork puts many people at increased risk ndash and not just where there are obvious hazards such as radiation or asbestos The NHS has identified that 13000 men and women die every year from work-related cancer For example inactivity or being overweight increases the risks for developing many cancers ldquoStudies in the US show that simply sitting for long periods at work increases risk of colon endometrial and lung cancer all leading to the claim that lsquositting is the new smokingrsquordquo adds Nick By allowing employees access to regular health checks individuals can become more aware of their individualised health risks and how these might be reduced

Itrsquos currently estimated that time off work for patients and their carers due to cancer costs employers pound55 billion each year in terms of lost productivity (according to Macmillan Cancer Support figures from 2012) Thatrsquos the direct cost but the serious nature of the disease and its long-term implications for individuals their family carers friends and peers mean that a cancer diagnosis affects networks of people across workplaces In practical terms there are a host of people management issues involved providing support and understanding in what is a highly sensitive and emotional situation communicating appropriately with staff managing changes in roles and organising cover making reasonable adjustments to work environment and conditions ensuring fair treatment keeping up an ongoing conversation with the cancer sufferer and

managing a positive return to work Given that the risk of a cancer diagnosis increases with age the ageing workforce in the UK means the proportion of cancer sufferers and survivors in workplaces generally will keep increasing

Nick believes a culture change is needed in terms of attitudes to people with cancer generally and particularly in the workplace Itrsquos estimated that more than a third of people living with cancer are adults of working age (under 65) As more people work for longer as they will the more significant the issue and the greater the importance of understanding among OH and HR professionals Currently as a result of time off work and loss of income for patients (and their carers) cancer is estimated to cost employers pound55 billion each year due to lost productivity

Cancer survivors often need to live with long-term consequences Around a quarter of people treated for cancer in the UK are said to continue to need NHS care even after being entirely cleared of the disease Impacts of treatments received include diabetes an increased risk of cardiovascular problems and osteoporosis as well as unpleasant symptoms like urinary leakage (which affects 40 of `cured` prostate cancer patients) Almost half (47) of survivors remain worried about cancer recurrence leading to more serious psychological implications problems with self-esteem anxiety and depression

Most simply there are policies and procedures that will help create a more accommodating environment keeping survivors in work ldquoEmployers need to consider think through and be open and clear on what level of support and flexibility they are able to provide employees affected by cancerrdquo Nick suggests ldquoStaff need that level of certainty and reassurancerdquo

Such reassurance might include flexibility in working hours for medical appointments or other treatments making adaptations to the workplace that allows more space time and confidentiality for people dealing with symptom concerns (like bladder or bowel problems) and the chance to have private and necessary conversations with a health professional Regular contact and discussions of cancer symptoms are critical and shouldnrsquot be dependent on waiting to visit a GP or a booked hospital check-up Skype and phone can be just as useful as early diagnosis is as much about spotting recurrences as the initial diagnosis Just

as importantly processes should include a framework for how your organisation supports its people with cancer who takes the lead in managing the relationship the kinds of questions that need to be covered at different stages (from diagnosis to managing the return to work) how to ensure ongoing and open conversations and for constructive plans being made in order to find the best outcomes for both employee and employer

A commitment to careldquoIn a world where cancer plays such a significant part in peoplersquos lives ndash as patients as carers or within families ndash employers have a larger role to play as part of their statutory duty of care but more importantly in demonstrating their understanding and commitment to offering lsquopeople-shapedrsquo employment that they are a genuine people businessrdquo continues Nick ldquoIn this context all health and wellbeing programmes are important anything on exercise weight smoking is relevant to improving chances of avoiding cancer and also likelihood of a strong recovery Most usefully employers will provide support for monitoring cancer cancer risk and recurrence in order to provide the all-important early diagnosisrdquo

People with cancer are also often `neglected` by health services when it comes to general health put into a category of lsquocancer carersquo where other potential health issues like high blood pressure high cholesterol are seen as less relevant in the circumstances But all the evidence shows that people with cancer who ignore other ongoing medical problems do much less well in terms of recovery and cure Employers can help staff keep that broader perspective with optional referrals for private GP consultations and health checks that can provide more regular assessments and reassurance ldquoThe fact is that people are far more likely to listen to health advice and attend appointments for check-ups that are organised by an employer as part of a structure of wellbeing and responsibility than being left to make their own arrangementsrdquo concludes Nick

Dr Nick Summerton is a GP and Medical Director at Bluecrest Wellness wwwbluecrestwellnesscom

50around

of people with cancer

will survive and the odds increase significantly if

detected

early

9

Working with cancer

copy fl

ickr

Art

ur S

alis

z

wwwiirsmorg | 122016122016 | wwwiirsmorg 1110

Institute News Institute News

INVITATION

Complimentary seminar for IIRSM Members

IIRSM Members are invited to attend this yearrsquos Annual General Meeting on 12 December in London Siobhan Donnelly President will chair the AGM and give an overview of IIRSMrsquos strategy and proposed changes to our Memorandum and Articles of Association Please cast your votes on the proposed changes via our online voting system

The AGM is an opportunity for members to participate and meet with the Institutersquos Trustees and team so please come along

Following the AGM we have arranged a free 60-minute seminar Guest speaker Michael Caulfield a sports psychologist and regular contributor to the BBC and Sky Sports will provide a session on lsquoAn introduction to mindset and performancersquo

Sporting Edge helps professionals to address performance issues but from a fresh perspective giving thought provoking behavioural and mindset strategies to take back to your workplace The seminar will help attendees learn how to thrive under pressure and develop techniques for performance and energy management

Sporting Edge was founded in 2005 by former England Cricketer and leading sports psychology expert Jeremy Snape Over the past 10 years Sporting Edge has supported and partnered with global brands business leaders sports teams universities and public organisations to tackle their performance challenges and goals

The seminar will be followed by a networking drinks reception and the opportunity to admire fantastic views over London from the 19th floor of UBMrsquos new offices close to Blackfriars Bridge

This is a not to be missed opportunity to acquire CPD and network with your friends and colleagues at IIRSM and we very much hope you can join us

Book early as spaces will be limited wwwiirsmorgeventsannual-general-meeting-12-dec-2016

WEST MIDLANDS BRANCHANNUAL ELECTION

Notice for Annual General MeetingSince March 2014 every Fellow Member Specialist Fellow Member Full Member Specialist Member and Associate Member of IIRSM has been entitled to vote in the annual IIRSM elections subject to being up to date with their membership fees

This yearrsquos voting opened on 18 November and closes at midnight (GMT) on 8 December 2016 Results will be announced at the Annual General Meeting on 12 December 2016 For more information please contact damodaracharyaiirsmorg Votes will be cast to

approve the Financial Accounts for 20152016

approve the adoption of amended Memorandum and Articles of Association

decide upon the proposed re-election of one Council member

approve the appointment of Kingston Smith as Auditors for the next 12 months

All eligible Members will be sent login details for the online voting system by The Electoral Reform Services (ERS) which is administering the voting on IIRSMrsquos behalf

You can view the agenda items minutes of the last AGM ballot papers and other relevant documents on the website when logged in to MyIIRSM Please ensure

your email address is up to date by logging into your profile

that email preferences are set to allow communications from IIRSM

your fees are up to date

Voting is made via an alternative secure site and you will need to use the two-part code sent by email to cast your vote

NORTHERN ENGLAND BRANCH

Sowing the seeds for future expansionAt the end of October IIRSM Chief Executive Phillip Pearson opened the new IIRSM Northern England Branch at the Juryrsquos Inn in Newcastle Phillip studied at Newcastle University and is particularly motivated to see this Branch evolve as we enter a very important phase of development

Phillip shared the Institutersquos new strategy to position IIRSM as the natural home for everyone who manages risk Our current membership is comprised of professionals who manage a range of business risks ranging from strategic to operational ndash health and safety risk management as well as environmental business continuity legal and reputational risksndash are all relevant Recognising this shift in many of our membersrsquo workplace responsibilities and appealing to risk managers more broadly will differentiate IIRSM from its competitors and ensure it is meeting the needs of a broader

membership base IIRSM will provide offerings in areas which are currently unavailable filling a gap and reinforcing the importance of good workplace risk management

While the details and roll out of such changes are in their infancy the strategy was well received by the attendees which included members at various grades and from a variety of workplace backgrounds present agreed that what IIRSM is focusing on will provide tangible benefits to members and even more importantly to businesses in general Based on the motivation and passion Phillip expressed for the future of the Institute attendees were left feeling that there is much to gain from a future with IIRSM

The second part of the meeting featured a presentation by Hugh Maxwell FIIRSM who discussed the challenges and processes followed to implement a successful risk reduction strategy in an international

high-risk business environment Attendees appreciated the high risk nature of steel production and in particular contracted-out services provided within the industry A number of the key tools and techniques employed including behaviour-based safety audits risk assessment good and timely reporting and investigation of incidents rewarding safety improvement opportunity implementation and engaged employees were all part of the solution adopted

Feedback from attendees was very positive Please come along to the next Northern England Branch meeting on 28 February 2017 Keep an eye on the website for more information

IIRSM has much to offer members and others involved in risk management in the area If yoursquod like to get involved and help your local Branch by either hosting the next event being a guest speaker or becoming part of the committee please do get in touch by emailing branchesiirsmorg

To book your place at the first meeting please visit the lsquoBook a Branch meetingrsquo page of the website wwwiirsmorgbranches

When Monday 12 December 2016 Where 19th Floor 240 Blackfriars Road

London SE1 8BF Time 1530

Meet the committee

A few months ago we surveyed our West Midlands members to scope their interest in attending Branch meetings in their local area We had a great response so thank you to everyone who completed it

We are proud to announce that we have established a West Midlands Branch with a strong committee They are

Roger Silvers Branch Chairman Paul Robinson Vice Chairman Andrew Hinton Branch Committee

Member

Roger holds an LLM with extensive experience in employment law health and safety and occupational health particularly in transport logistics and engineering Roger was consultant to London 2012 and the Commonwealth Games 2014

Paul is regarded as an industry leader and expert in health safety environment and quality (HSEQ) management and legal compliance He has more than 22 yearsrsquo experience in health safety environmental quality and security management in the UK and overseas including Group HSEQ Director for a multinational company operating within the oil and gas industry in Aberdeen

Andrew has extensive experience in the construction industry and has worked as a Planning Supervisor and CDM-C and currently he is a Project CDM Manager managing the health and safety elements under CDM 2015 of new builds and line refurbishments within the automotive industry

ldquoOur aim is to make the West Midlands Branch interesting and pro-active for all members with guest speakers interactive workshop sessions and networkingrdquo said Branch Chair Roger Silvers

ldquoWe are also keen to arrange site visits to get first-hand experience on how health and safety is managed in different industries and sitesrdquo

With more than 440 IIRSM members in the West Midlands

region the new Branch will be a focal point for networking learning and enhancing your CPD skills The West Midlands is home to a wide range of engineering and transport industries and this will be an opportunity for all to exchange knowledge and skills

The first Branch meeting will take place on 12 January 2017 the full agenda will be released soon If you are interested in contributing to our Branch Meetings by giving a talk case study or if you are able to organise a site tour please email rogerh-elpsystemscom

Left to right Paul Roger and Andrew are looking forward to welcoming Members from the region

A focal point for learning networking and enhancing your CPD skills

More than 440 Members in region

Salary Survey 2016 This yearrsquos Health and Safety at Work Salary Survey is now live Every year the magazine gathers hundreds of responses to draw up a detailed picture of salary levels and pay awards crunching the data by employment sector and region of the UKPlease take a few minutes to fill in the anonymous survey to help pin down whatrsquos happening in the profession wwwhealthandsafetyatworkcompay-survey-2016

New Fellows Congratulations to the following members who were recently awarded Fellowship statusMukhtari Abdul-Karim Tyron Bancroft Raymond Bone Shimjith Chiriyath Mark Colquhoun Patrick Darmody Edward Deighan Jeffrey Dutton John Ede John Fislwy David Foy John Hamilton Calvin Hanks Tracey Harding Karen Hoskins Manish Kumar Phil Maddison Adai Onazi Ray Owen Kevin Phillips Umar Puthukkadi John Rutter Paul Sawyer Peter Scholefield Capt Kulwant Singh John Smith Roger Smith Lin Wai Ming Paul Williams Adam Wilson and Dr Yousuf Majeed

All the information you need is at wwwiirsmorgmembersagm-2016

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ickr

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wwwiirsmorg | 122016122016 | wwwiirsmorg 1110

Institute News Institute News

INVITATION

Complimentary seminar for IIRSM Members

IIRSM Members are invited to attend this yearrsquos Annual General Meeting on 12 December in London Siobhan Donnelly President will chair the AGM and give an overview of IIRSMrsquos strategy and proposed changes to our Memorandum and Articles of Association Please cast your votes on the proposed changes via our online voting system

The AGM is an opportunity for members to participate and meet with the Institutersquos Trustees and team so please come along

Following the AGM we have arranged a free 60-minute seminar Guest speaker Michael Caulfield a sports psychologist and regular contributor to the BBC and Sky Sports will provide a session on lsquoAn introduction to mindset and performancersquo

Sporting Edge helps professionals to address performance issues but from a fresh perspective giving thought provoking behavioural and mindset strategies to take back to your workplace The seminar will help attendees learn how to thrive under pressure and develop techniques for performance and energy management

Sporting Edge was founded in 2005 by former England Cricketer and leading sports psychology expert Jeremy Snape Over the past 10 years Sporting Edge has supported and partnered with global brands business leaders sports teams universities and public organisations to tackle their performance challenges and goals

The seminar will be followed by a networking drinks reception and the opportunity to admire fantastic views over London from the 19th floor of UBMrsquos new offices close to Blackfriars Bridge

This is a not to be missed opportunity to acquire CPD and network with your friends and colleagues at IIRSM and we very much hope you can join us

Book early as spaces will be limited wwwiirsmorgeventsannual-general-meeting-12-dec-2016

WEST MIDLANDS BRANCHANNUAL ELECTION

Notice for Annual General MeetingSince March 2014 every Fellow Member Specialist Fellow Member Full Member Specialist Member and Associate Member of IIRSM has been entitled to vote in the annual IIRSM elections subject to being up to date with their membership fees

This yearrsquos voting opened on 18 November and closes at midnight (GMT) on 8 December 2016 Results will be announced at the Annual General Meeting on 12 December 2016 For more information please contact damodaracharyaiirsmorg Votes will be cast to

approve the Financial Accounts for 20152016

approve the adoption of amended Memorandum and Articles of Association

decide upon the proposed re-election of one Council member

approve the appointment of Kingston Smith as Auditors for the next 12 months

All eligible Members will be sent login details for the online voting system by The Electoral Reform Services (ERS) which is administering the voting on IIRSMrsquos behalf

You can view the agenda items minutes of the last AGM ballot papers and other relevant documents on the website when logged in to MyIIRSM Please ensure

your email address is up to date by logging into your profile

that email preferences are set to allow communications from IIRSM

your fees are up to date

Voting is made via an alternative secure site and you will need to use the two-part code sent by email to cast your vote

NORTHERN ENGLAND BRANCH

Sowing the seeds for future expansionAt the end of October IIRSM Chief Executive Phillip Pearson opened the new IIRSM Northern England Branch at the Juryrsquos Inn in Newcastle Phillip studied at Newcastle University and is particularly motivated to see this Branch evolve as we enter a very important phase of development

Phillip shared the Institutersquos new strategy to position IIRSM as the natural home for everyone who manages risk Our current membership is comprised of professionals who manage a range of business risks ranging from strategic to operational ndash health and safety risk management as well as environmental business continuity legal and reputational risksndash are all relevant Recognising this shift in many of our membersrsquo workplace responsibilities and appealing to risk managers more broadly will differentiate IIRSM from its competitors and ensure it is meeting the needs of a broader

membership base IIRSM will provide offerings in areas which are currently unavailable filling a gap and reinforcing the importance of good workplace risk management

While the details and roll out of such changes are in their infancy the strategy was well received by the attendees which included members at various grades and from a variety of workplace backgrounds present agreed that what IIRSM is focusing on will provide tangible benefits to members and even more importantly to businesses in general Based on the motivation and passion Phillip expressed for the future of the Institute attendees were left feeling that there is much to gain from a future with IIRSM

The second part of the meeting featured a presentation by Hugh Maxwell FIIRSM who discussed the challenges and processes followed to implement a successful risk reduction strategy in an international

high-risk business environment Attendees appreciated the high risk nature of steel production and in particular contracted-out services provided within the industry A number of the key tools and techniques employed including behaviour-based safety audits risk assessment good and timely reporting and investigation of incidents rewarding safety improvement opportunity implementation and engaged employees were all part of the solution adopted

Feedback from attendees was very positive Please come along to the next Northern England Branch meeting on 28 February 2017 Keep an eye on the website for more information

IIRSM has much to offer members and others involved in risk management in the area If yoursquod like to get involved and help your local Branch by either hosting the next event being a guest speaker or becoming part of the committee please do get in touch by emailing branchesiirsmorg

To book your place at the first meeting please visit the lsquoBook a Branch meetingrsquo page of the website wwwiirsmorgbranches

When Monday 12 December 2016 Where 19th Floor 240 Blackfriars Road

London SE1 8BF Time 1530

Meet the committee

A few months ago we surveyed our West Midlands members to scope their interest in attending Branch meetings in their local area We had a great response so thank you to everyone who completed it

We are proud to announce that we have established a West Midlands Branch with a strong committee They are

Roger Silvers Branch Chairman Paul Robinson Vice Chairman Andrew Hinton Branch Committee

Member

Roger holds an LLM with extensive experience in employment law health and safety and occupational health particularly in transport logistics and engineering Roger was consultant to London 2012 and the Commonwealth Games 2014

Paul is regarded as an industry leader and expert in health safety environment and quality (HSEQ) management and legal compliance He has more than 22 yearsrsquo experience in health safety environmental quality and security management in the UK and overseas including Group HSEQ Director for a multinational company operating within the oil and gas industry in Aberdeen

Andrew has extensive experience in the construction industry and has worked as a Planning Supervisor and CDM-C and currently he is a Project CDM Manager managing the health and safety elements under CDM 2015 of new builds and line refurbishments within the automotive industry

ldquoOur aim is to make the West Midlands Branch interesting and pro-active for all members with guest speakers interactive workshop sessions and networkingrdquo said Branch Chair Roger Silvers

ldquoWe are also keen to arrange site visits to get first-hand experience on how health and safety is managed in different industries and sitesrdquo

With more than 440 IIRSM members in the West Midlands

region the new Branch will be a focal point for networking learning and enhancing your CPD skills The West Midlands is home to a wide range of engineering and transport industries and this will be an opportunity for all to exchange knowledge and skills

The first Branch meeting will take place on 12 January 2017 the full agenda will be released soon If you are interested in contributing to our Branch Meetings by giving a talk case study or if you are able to organise a site tour please email rogerh-elpsystemscom

Left to right Paul Roger and Andrew are looking forward to welcoming Members from the region

A focal point for learning networking and enhancing your CPD skills

More than 440 Members in region

Salary Survey 2016 This yearrsquos Health and Safety at Work Salary Survey is now live Every year the magazine gathers hundreds of responses to draw up a detailed picture of salary levels and pay awards crunching the data by employment sector and region of the UKPlease take a few minutes to fill in the anonymous survey to help pin down whatrsquos happening in the profession wwwhealthandsafetyatworkcompay-survey-2016

New Fellows Congratulations to the following members who were recently awarded Fellowship statusMukhtari Abdul-Karim Tyron Bancroft Raymond Bone Shimjith Chiriyath Mark Colquhoun Patrick Darmody Edward Deighan Jeffrey Dutton John Ede John Fislwy David Foy John Hamilton Calvin Hanks Tracey Harding Karen Hoskins Manish Kumar Phil Maddison Adai Onazi Ray Owen Kevin Phillips Umar Puthukkadi John Rutter Paul Sawyer Peter Scholefield Capt Kulwant Singh John Smith Roger Smith Lin Wai Ming Paul Williams Adam Wilson and Dr Yousuf Majeed

All the information you need is at wwwiirsmorgmembersagm-2016

wwwiirsmorg | 122016122016 | wwwiirsmorg 1312

International News International News

SOUTH KOREA

Samsungrsquos phone trouble blamed on abuse of workers

Quality assurances by Samsung in the wake of the chaotic recall of the prone-to-burn Galaxy Note 7 smart phone fail to address the companyrsquos record on labour rights and working conditions which are at the root of the product safety problem according to the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC)

ldquoA culture of repression against a collective voice for Samsung employees has led to the disastrous quality failures at the companyrdquo said ITUC general secretary Sharan Burrow ldquoWhen the workforce is afraid to speak out about real problems on the production line because of an arrogant and domineering management culture workers and consumers alike face risks to their health and safetyrdquo

IRELAND

Nine injured after stairs collapse at lsquoHouse of Horrorsrsquo

An incident at one of Irelandrsquos top tourist attractions has seen nine people taken to hospital after stairs collapsed on a ride

The incident took place at Tayto Park an amusement park in Kilbrew near Ashbourne in Co Meath It is believed a set of stairs at the House of Horrors suddenly collapsed under the feet of the victims

A witness told the Irish Mirror there were about 15 people on the stairs when ldquoall of a sudden there was a massive huge crash and a bang

ldquoWe were at the bottom of the stairs and they just collapsed in front of us It was wooden It came straight down to the ground along with the people on itrdquo

A Tayto Park statement said ldquo[On 22 October at about 8pm] the lower portion of a permanent staircase leading to The House of Horrors gave way The Tayto Park emergency plan was immediately put in place and the emergency services attended the scene Nine people were transported to hospitals in the city as a precautionary measure to assess their injuries The management of Tayto Park will cooperate fully with the investigation as the safety of our guests is paramountrdquo

The Health and Safety Authority is investigating

SRI LANKA

Russia wants asbestos ban reconsidered

Ongoing pressure from the Russian government has secured a substantial delay to Sri Lankarsquos proposed ban on chrysotile asbestos

The prohibition first scheduled for 2018 has now been pushed back to 2024 according to reports after Russia warned the ban could damage relations between the countries

Russia a major exporter of Chrysotile fibre has appealed to the Sri Lankan government to reconsider its proposed asbestos ban and work with stakeholders

to find a mutually acceptable solution to address health issues which it believes are overblown

At the recently held Annual General Meeting of the Sri Lanka-Russia Business Council Russian Ambassador Alexander A Karchava asked to the council to intervene in the Governmentrsquos decision to ban the use of Chrysotile fibre in Sri Lanka stating that such a move could strain relations between the two countries

He added he was willing to bring in a group of experts to Sri Lanka to educate the country on the lsquosafe usersquo of asbestos

Sri Lanka currently imports Chrysotile fibre from Russia one of the worldrsquos major mining countries for the production of roofing materials which are used island-wide in construction

INDIA

22 killed in major hospital fire

Twenty-two people were killed and 120 injured in a major fire at SUM Hospital in Bhubaneswar recently

Most of the victims were in the first floor intensive care unit a doctor at the Capital Hospital said

According to local reports the tragedy occurred due to suffocation as the smoke spread in most of the wards soon after the fire Most of the victims who were on oxygen support died

The fire was first spotted in the dialysis unit on the first floor of the hospital The smoke started spreading to different parts of the hospital through ducts of air conditioning and false ceiling

Attendants of patients blamed the hospital authorities for lack of communication in the evacuation process

An inquiry into the incident is underway

PAKISTAN

Tanker fire at shipbreaking yardA series of explosions aboard an oil tanker at the Gadani shipbreaking yard in Pakistan has killed 21 workers and injured 60 more

Latest reports from National Trade Union Federation Pakistan (NTUF) indicated that some 250 workers were enlisted for the dismantling of the tanker which was beached at the Gadani yard in mid-October

The union added that up to 150 workers are still trapped inside the 1995-built tanker Aces which supposedly ignited due to gas wielding processes undertaken during the dismantling work

The Deputy Commissioner of Pakistanrsquos Lasbela District Syed Zulfiqar Ali Shah Hashmi has ordered a stoppage of shipbreaking activities at all yards in Gadani while the vesselrsquos owner has been arrested IndustriALLrsquos affiliate confirmed

ldquoA blast due to the presence of inflammable and toxic gases inside the fuel tank of the ship occurred at 940am and soon after it the fire engulfed the shiprdquo NTUF said in a statement

ldquoOne of the reasons of the blast is that the workers were forced to start the dismantling process even before the fuel tank could be cleaned of leftover highly inflammable oil and its fumes The breaking of a ship is done with gas wielding process which led to this disasterrdquo NTUF added

USA

California nurses win violence protection

A set of trailblazing regulations to prevent violence in Californiarsquos hospitals and healthcare facilities have gained unanimous approval from the statersquos Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board

Workers in the healthcare and social assistance industry face extremely high rates of workplace violence say nurses In 2014 5 of all incidents of workplace violence

reported occurred against workers in the healthcare and social assistance industry And the rates have been increasing between 2005 and 2014 rates of workplace violence incidents have increased by 110 in private industry hospitals

The new rules were issued under 2014 legislation backed by the union California Nurses AssociationNational Nurses United

ldquoThis is a landmark day for the entire country as California has now set the bar with the strongest workplace violence regulation in the nationrdquo Bonnie Castillo director of health and safety for CNANNU said in a statement

AUSTRALIA

Dreamworld rapid ride tragedy investigations ongoing

Queensland police have completed their forensic investigation at the Dreamworks theme park on the Gold Coast after a ride malfunctioned and killed four visitors

Siblings Luke Dorsett 35 and Kate Goodchild 32 died on 25 October when their raft on the Thunder River Rapids ride flipped Dorsettrsquos partner Roozi Araghi was also fatally injured along with a 42-year-old woman on the Thunder River Rapids ride

Dreamworld bills itself as Australiarsquos biggest theme park with more than 50 rides and attractions The ride at the centre of the investigation opened in 1986 and whisks visitors in circular rafts along a fast-moving artificial river Dreamworld describes it as a ldquomoderate thrillrdquo attraction

Queensland Ambulance spokesman Gavin Fuller blamed a ldquomalfunctionrdquo for

the accident causing two of the victims to be ejected from the ride ldquoThe other two were caught inside the riderdquo he added

ldquoAs the investigation is ongoing and is under the control of the Coroner the Queensland Police Service does not intend to provide further comment on the matterrdquo The Queensland Police Service said in a statement

The theme park said it would remain closed ldquountil further noticerdquo

After the tragedy Busch Gardens Tampa Bay decided on Tuesday to shut down its Congo River Rapids ride which park officials say is similar to the ride in Australia Park officials said the Congo River Rapids ride was closed ldquoout of an abundance of cautionrdquo while they work to understand what happened in Australia according to The Associated Press

It is thought a raft on the Thunder River Rapids ride at the amusement park turned over on its conveyor belt

GERMANY

Virtual reality to make sites safer

Researchers in Bochum Germany are trying to improve health and safety conditions on construction sites by creating interactive training courses for virtual reality headsets

The technology is intended to be used both by construction workers and by occupational health and safety experts Before a site is opened to be worked on health and safety experts will be able to walk around a virtual version of the site identify any areas that will pose particular safety risks and plan appropriate safety measures before workers begin construction

Virtual reality courses will also be used to prepare the workers sensitising them to possible dangers by allowing

them to explore the site before it opens and interact with the environment by lifting and carrying objects

According to Dr Jochen Teizer a safety expert for the construction industry German construction sites see many accidents each year that are caused by ldquoa lack of a safety culture in the company or insufficient requirements for safe working conditionsrdquo rather than the fault of any individual worker

The researchers are taking advantage of the fact that large construction sites are already planned virtually before being created using these three-dimensional model builds as the base for their own constructions

The technlogy brings a whole new meaning to safety goggles

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New

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REX

Shu

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stoc

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wwwiirsmorg | 122016122016 | wwwiirsmorg 1514

Membersrsquo Pages Membersrsquo Pages

If you are looking for advice call the health and safety information helpline with your questions on +44 (0)1296 678 465 or email iirsmhelplinealcumusgroupcom for information on any health and safety related topic Here are just a few of your recent queries

QampAsEUROPEAN SAFETY STANDARDS

My client is looking to replace a soft swimming pool cover with a hard cover The product it has selected is from France and the specification details that it is compliant with French Standard NF P 90-308 There is no reference to a BS or EN number so what would you suggest in terms of checking if this product complies with British Standards

Standard NF P 90-308 was designed by the AFNOR Group ndash one of the worldrsquos largest accredited third party certification bodies similar to the British Standards Institution (BSI) NF P 90-308 is a European standard to set the minimum safety requirements test methods and consumer information relating to safety covers and their fastening systems in order to prevent children under the age of five accidentally falling into swimming pools (See wwwafnorcoukuk for more information)

In the UK there are no specific health and safety laws for swimming pools however pool operators must comply with their general duties under the Health and Safety at Work Act and the associated regulations Operators must make a suitable and sufficient assessment of the health and safety risks to workers and users to help decide what they must do to make their pool safe

The law does not state what safety measures an operator must put in place Such judgements must be made by each operator based on the particular risks in their pool More information on conducting a risk assessment are detailed in Managing health and safety in swimming pools which has been produced to help pool operators comply with health and safety law (available at wwwhsegovukpubnsbookshsg179htm)

Following the guidance is not compulsory and you are free to take other action But if you do follow the guidance you will normally be doing enough to comply with the law

BSEN 15288-1 specifies safety requirements for the design planning construction and operation of swimming pools It provides guidance regarding the risks associated with design characteristics required for a safe environment The requirements put forward in this standard are applicable to all new classified pools and as appropriate to specific

refurbishments of existing pools BSEN 15288-2 specifies safety requirements for the operation and management of swimming pools The guidance provided in this document covers risks for both staff and users associated with public swimming pools

BS EN 15288-1 amp2 can be purchased from httpbitly2evcgDV

You will notice that the BSI standard has a cross reference to other standards one being NF-P-90-308 This is a recognised European standard

RISK ASSESSMENT APPROVAL

I recently attended a meeting in a play area with some fellow local councillors the clerk to the council and a playground inspector I took a copy of the appropriate risk assessment and suggested we needed to define the ages of the children using the equipment as new signage was to eliminate this information However the clerk (who has not received any health and safety training) told me that ldquoitrsquos not a risk assessment because it hasnrsquot been approvedrdquo

This is the first time in my 30 year health and safety career that I have been told my risk assessment needs to be approved Approved by whom

As wersquore sure you are aware there is no requirement under health and safety legislation for a risk assessment to be approved by any external body The only situation we can see where a risk assessment might need to be internally lsquoapprovedrsquo would be where an organisation has decided that this should be done by someone else within the same organisation for example where risk assessments carried out by line managers or supervisors are then checkedapproved by health and safety officers or managers

MOBILE SCAFFOLD TOWERS

When using mobile scaffold towers (which are over two metres in height) I understand an inspection report must be carried out by a competent person before its first use and every seven days (and additionally after any event that may have effected its stability (for example adverse weather struck by machinery and after any modification) If it is moved

from one location to another several meters away (as mobile scaffolds often are) but remains unmodified does this require another formal inspection by a competent person and would this require another written report

Regulation 12 of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 concerns the inspection of work equipment Paragraph (3) states Every employer shall ensure that work equipment exposed to conditions causing deterioration which is liable to result in dangerous situations is inspected ndash (a) at suitable intervals and (b) each time that exceptional circumstances which are liable to jeopardise the safety of the work equipment have occurred to ensure that health and safety conditions are maintained and that any deterioration can be detected and remedied in good time

Paragraph (4) goes on to say Without prejudice to paragraph (2) every employer shall ensure that a working platform ndash (a) used for construction work and (b) from which a person could fall two metres or more is not used in any position unless it has been inspected in that position or in the case of a mobile working platform inspected on the site within the previous seven days

These Regulations are available at wwwlegislationgovukuksi2005735madedatapdf

So the answer to your question is no a tower scaffold would not need to undergo another formal inspection if it has not been modified and has only been moved to another position several metres away

SHIFT PATTERNS FOR YOUNG WORKERS

Some of our departments operate on a rotating 12-hour shift pattern while some others operate on a rotating eight-hour shift pattern Is there a minimum age that an employee or apprentice has to be in order to work either a 12-hour shift or an eight-hour shift What records if any do we need to have in place

There is nothing specific under health and safety legislation regarding age and working shifts of any length however the general guidance on this topic within the HSE publication Managing shift work

(wwwhsegovukpubnsbookshsg256htm) may be useful The HSE has also produced a fatiguerisk index for shift workers This document along with guidance on how to use it can be found via wwwhsegovukresearchrrhtmrr446htm

However the following information regarding the working time limits for young workers (for example anyone who is above the minimum school leaving age but under 18) under the Working Time Regulations will be useful especially in relation to 12 hour shifts

ldquoA young worker cannot usually be made to work more than eight hours per day or 40 hours per week These hours cannot be averaged over a longer period and yoursquore not allowed to ignore these restrictions Yoursquoll only be able to work longer hours if you either need to keep the continuity of service or production respond to a surge in demand for a service or product and provided that there is no adult available to do the work your training needs are not negatively affectedrdquo This information can be found at wwwnidirectgovukarticlesworking-hours-and-young-workers

Despite being produced for Northern Ireland specifically the above information is still applicable to the rest of the UK

So while an under-18 apprentice would be able to work an eight-hour shift provided they do not work more than five such shifts in a week it is very unlikely that they would be able to work a 12-hour shift Of course once they have turned 18 they will fall under the same working time limits as any adult worker ndash they must work no more than 48 hours a week on average normally averaged over a 17-week period unless they choose to opt out of the 48-hour week limit in which case there would be nothing specifically prohibiting them working an eight or 12-hour shift

With regard to record keeping there are no specific requirements under health and safety legislation to keep any record particularly in relation to what shift patterns employees work You would need to keep records to show that you are complying with the working time limits under the Working Time Regulations for young workers and those adult workers who have not chosen to opt out of the 48-hour week

TRAINING COMPETENCE

One of my clients uses chainsaws and all training has been carried out in-house No official certificates have been issued Training would have been provided by a member of staff andor a Polish interpreter who no longer works there They are not using chainsaws for tree felling ndashthey skim oversized logs cut back sticksbearers on

packs What type of training should be provided Can they provide this in-house or does it need to be accredited

There is no specific health and safety legislation which states that this type of training can or cannot be done in-house an employer would need to ensure that whoever it selects to deliver the training to its employees is competent to do soThe HSE offers this definition of competence in relation to training ldquoCompetence can be described as the combination of training skills experience and knowledge that a person has and their ability to apply them to perform a task safely Other factors such as attitude and physical ability can also affect someonersquos competencerdquo (See wwwhsegovukcompetencewhat-is-competencehtm)

Regulation 9 of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER) concerns training It states (1) Every employer shall ensure that all persons who use work equipment have received adequate training for purposes of health and safety including training in the methods which may be adopted when using the work equipment any risks which such use may entail and precautions to be taken (2) Every employer shall ensure that any of his employees who supervises or manages the use of work equipment has received adequate training for purposes of health and safety including training in the methods which may be adopted when using the work equipment any risks which such use may entail and precautions to be taken

The accompanying guidance also advises that it is not possible to detail what constitutes as adequate training because requirements will vary according to the job or activity and work equipment etc In general you will need to (a) evaluate

the existing competence of employees to operate the full range of work equipment that they will use (b) evaluate the competence they need to manage or supervise the use of work equipment and (c) train the employee to make up any shortfall between their competence and that required to carry out the work with due regard to health and safety

Account should be taken of the circumstances in which the employee works For example do they work alone or under close supervision of a competent person When is training necessary Training needs are likely to be greatest on recruitment However training needs are also required (a) if the risks to which people are exposed change due to a change in their working tasks or (b) because new technology or equipment is introduced or (c) if the system of work changes

You should provide refresher training if necessary Skills decline if they are not used regularly Pay particular attention to people who deputise for others on occasions ndash as they may need more frequent refresher training than those who do the work regularly Everyone who uses a chainsaw at work for whatever task must have received adequate training under this regulation The training should cover (a) dangers arising from the chainsaw itself (b) dangers arising from the task for which the chainsaw is to be used (c) the precautions to control these dangers including relevant legal requirements Over and above this due to the significant risks involved if a chainsaw is to be used on or in a tree the operator will be expected to hold a certificate of competence or national qualification relevant to the work they undertake

L22 Safe Use of Work Equipment the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations can be downloaded from wwwhsegovukpubnspricedl22pdf

Join the conversationThe opinion corner is designed to gauge exactly what our members are thinking on current issues in the industry If you have a question you would like us to ask members please email kelliemundelllexisnexiscouk

This month wersquore asking

Do you think the trend for appeals against recent higher fines will trigger a review of the sentencing guideline Have your say visit wwwlinkedincom and search Groups for IIRSM and request to join

wwwiirsmorg | 122016122016 | wwwiirsmorg 1514

Membersrsquo Pages Membersrsquo Pages

If you are looking for advice call the health and safety information helpline with your questions on +44 (0)1296 678 465 or email iirsmhelplinealcumusgroupcom for information on any health and safety related topic Here are just a few of your recent queries

QampAsEUROPEAN SAFETY STANDARDS

My client is looking to replace a soft swimming pool cover with a hard cover The product it has selected is from France and the specification details that it is compliant with French Standard NF P 90-308 There is no reference to a BS or EN number so what would you suggest in terms of checking if this product complies with British Standards

Standard NF P 90-308 was designed by the AFNOR Group ndash one of the worldrsquos largest accredited third party certification bodies similar to the British Standards Institution (BSI) NF P 90-308 is a European standard to set the minimum safety requirements test methods and consumer information relating to safety covers and their fastening systems in order to prevent children under the age of five accidentally falling into swimming pools (See wwwafnorcoukuk for more information)

In the UK there are no specific health and safety laws for swimming pools however pool operators must comply with their general duties under the Health and Safety at Work Act and the associated regulations Operators must make a suitable and sufficient assessment of the health and safety risks to workers and users to help decide what they must do to make their pool safe

The law does not state what safety measures an operator must put in place Such judgements must be made by each operator based on the particular risks in their pool More information on conducting a risk assessment are detailed in Managing health and safety in swimming pools which has been produced to help pool operators comply with health and safety law (available at wwwhsegovukpubnsbookshsg179htm)

Following the guidance is not compulsory and you are free to take other action But if you do follow the guidance you will normally be doing enough to comply with the law

BSEN 15288-1 specifies safety requirements for the design planning construction and operation of swimming pools It provides guidance regarding the risks associated with design characteristics required for a safe environment The requirements put forward in this standard are applicable to all new classified pools and as appropriate to specific

refurbishments of existing pools BSEN 15288-2 specifies safety requirements for the operation and management of swimming pools The guidance provided in this document covers risks for both staff and users associated with public swimming pools

BS EN 15288-1 amp2 can be purchased from httpbitly2evcgDV

You will notice that the BSI standard has a cross reference to other standards one being NF-P-90-308 This is a recognised European standard

RISK ASSESSMENT APPROVAL

I recently attended a meeting in a play area with some fellow local councillors the clerk to the council and a playground inspector I took a copy of the appropriate risk assessment and suggested we needed to define the ages of the children using the equipment as new signage was to eliminate this information However the clerk (who has not received any health and safety training) told me that ldquoitrsquos not a risk assessment because it hasnrsquot been approvedrdquo

This is the first time in my 30 year health and safety career that I have been told my risk assessment needs to be approved Approved by whom

As wersquore sure you are aware there is no requirement under health and safety legislation for a risk assessment to be approved by any external body The only situation we can see where a risk assessment might need to be internally lsquoapprovedrsquo would be where an organisation has decided that this should be done by someone else within the same organisation for example where risk assessments carried out by line managers or supervisors are then checkedapproved by health and safety officers or managers

MOBILE SCAFFOLD TOWERS

When using mobile scaffold towers (which are over two metres in height) I understand an inspection report must be carried out by a competent person before its first use and every seven days (and additionally after any event that may have effected its stability (for example adverse weather struck by machinery and after any modification) If it is moved

from one location to another several meters away (as mobile scaffolds often are) but remains unmodified does this require another formal inspection by a competent person and would this require another written report

Regulation 12 of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 concerns the inspection of work equipment Paragraph (3) states Every employer shall ensure that work equipment exposed to conditions causing deterioration which is liable to result in dangerous situations is inspected ndash (a) at suitable intervals and (b) each time that exceptional circumstances which are liable to jeopardise the safety of the work equipment have occurred to ensure that health and safety conditions are maintained and that any deterioration can be detected and remedied in good time

Paragraph (4) goes on to say Without prejudice to paragraph (2) every employer shall ensure that a working platform ndash (a) used for construction work and (b) from which a person could fall two metres or more is not used in any position unless it has been inspected in that position or in the case of a mobile working platform inspected on the site within the previous seven days

These Regulations are available at wwwlegislationgovukuksi2005735madedatapdf

So the answer to your question is no a tower scaffold would not need to undergo another formal inspection if it has not been modified and has only been moved to another position several metres away

SHIFT PATTERNS FOR YOUNG WORKERS

Some of our departments operate on a rotating 12-hour shift pattern while some others operate on a rotating eight-hour shift pattern Is there a minimum age that an employee or apprentice has to be in order to work either a 12-hour shift or an eight-hour shift What records if any do we need to have in place

There is nothing specific under health and safety legislation regarding age and working shifts of any length however the general guidance on this topic within the HSE publication Managing shift work

(wwwhsegovukpubnsbookshsg256htm) may be useful The HSE has also produced a fatiguerisk index for shift workers This document along with guidance on how to use it can be found via wwwhsegovukresearchrrhtmrr446htm

However the following information regarding the working time limits for young workers (for example anyone who is above the minimum school leaving age but under 18) under the Working Time Regulations will be useful especially in relation to 12 hour shifts

ldquoA young worker cannot usually be made to work more than eight hours per day or 40 hours per week These hours cannot be averaged over a longer period and yoursquore not allowed to ignore these restrictions Yoursquoll only be able to work longer hours if you either need to keep the continuity of service or production respond to a surge in demand for a service or product and provided that there is no adult available to do the work your training needs are not negatively affectedrdquo This information can be found at wwwnidirectgovukarticlesworking-hours-and-young-workers

Despite being produced for Northern Ireland specifically the above information is still applicable to the rest of the UK

So while an under-18 apprentice would be able to work an eight-hour shift provided they do not work more than five such shifts in a week it is very unlikely that they would be able to work a 12-hour shift Of course once they have turned 18 they will fall under the same working time limits as any adult worker ndash they must work no more than 48 hours a week on average normally averaged over a 17-week period unless they choose to opt out of the 48-hour week limit in which case there would be nothing specifically prohibiting them working an eight or 12-hour shift

With regard to record keeping there are no specific requirements under health and safety legislation to keep any record particularly in relation to what shift patterns employees work You would need to keep records to show that you are complying with the working time limits under the Working Time Regulations for young workers and those adult workers who have not chosen to opt out of the 48-hour week

TRAINING COMPETENCE

One of my clients uses chainsaws and all training has been carried out in-house No official certificates have been issued Training would have been provided by a member of staff andor a Polish interpreter who no longer works there They are not using chainsaws for tree felling ndashthey skim oversized logs cut back sticksbearers on

packs What type of training should be provided Can they provide this in-house or does it need to be accredited

There is no specific health and safety legislation which states that this type of training can or cannot be done in-house an employer would need to ensure that whoever it selects to deliver the training to its employees is competent to do soThe HSE offers this definition of competence in relation to training ldquoCompetence can be described as the combination of training skills experience and knowledge that a person has and their ability to apply them to perform a task safely Other factors such as attitude and physical ability can also affect someonersquos competencerdquo (See wwwhsegovukcompetencewhat-is-competencehtm)

Regulation 9 of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER) concerns training It states (1) Every employer shall ensure that all persons who use work equipment have received adequate training for purposes of health and safety including training in the methods which may be adopted when using the work equipment any risks which such use may entail and precautions to be taken (2) Every employer shall ensure that any of his employees who supervises or manages the use of work equipment has received adequate training for purposes of health and safety including training in the methods which may be adopted when using the work equipment any risks which such use may entail and precautions to be taken

The accompanying guidance also advises that it is not possible to detail what constitutes as adequate training because requirements will vary according to the job or activity and work equipment etc In general you will need to (a) evaluate

the existing competence of employees to operate the full range of work equipment that they will use (b) evaluate the competence they need to manage or supervise the use of work equipment and (c) train the employee to make up any shortfall between their competence and that required to carry out the work with due regard to health and safety

Account should be taken of the circumstances in which the employee works For example do they work alone or under close supervision of a competent person When is training necessary Training needs are likely to be greatest on recruitment However training needs are also required (a) if the risks to which people are exposed change due to a change in their working tasks or (b) because new technology or equipment is introduced or (c) if the system of work changes

You should provide refresher training if necessary Skills decline if they are not used regularly Pay particular attention to people who deputise for others on occasions ndash as they may need more frequent refresher training than those who do the work regularly Everyone who uses a chainsaw at work for whatever task must have received adequate training under this regulation The training should cover (a) dangers arising from the chainsaw itself (b) dangers arising from the task for which the chainsaw is to be used (c) the precautions to control these dangers including relevant legal requirements Over and above this due to the significant risks involved if a chainsaw is to be used on or in a tree the operator will be expected to hold a certificate of competence or national qualification relevant to the work they undertake

L22 Safe Use of Work Equipment the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations can be downloaded from wwwhsegovukpubnspricedl22pdf

Join the conversationThe opinion corner is designed to gauge exactly what our members are thinking on current issues in the industry If you have a question you would like us to ask members please email kelliemundelllexisnexiscouk

This month wersquore asking

Do you think the trend for appeals against recent higher fines will trigger a review of the sentencing guideline Have your say visit wwwlinkedincom and search Groups for IIRSM and request to join

122016 | wwwiirsmorg16

Branch meetings

Upcoming Branch meetings

North Scotland Branch MeetingDate Thursday 24 November 2016Time 1800 ndash 2000Location Aquatics Meeting Room 1 amp 2 Aberdeen Sports Village Aquatics Centre Regent Walk Aberdeen AB24 1SXGuest speaker Willie McColl from Glenbrex Ltd will present on a decision making model and its application to incident managementVisit wwwiirsmorgbook-a-branch-meeting to book your place today

South West England (Devon amp Cornwall) Branch MeetingDate Thursday 1 December 2016Time 1330 ndash 1530Location Cornwallrsquos Royal Treliske HospitalGuest speakers Robin Gatenby Head of Safety Fire and Security at Royal Cornwall Hospital will present a session on how to handle sharps and Charles Perryman Director at PIRA Health amp Safety will give a presentation on the emerging multi-million pound finesVisit wwwiirsmorgbook-a-branch-meeting to book your place today

Nigeria Branch MeetingDate Friday 2 December 2016Time 1000Location IIRSM Office No 17 Akingbola Street Off Olanrewaju Street Oregun Ikeja Lagos NigeriaVarious stakeholders in public and private sectors will discuss and deliberate social dialogue on issues of occupational safety and health policies and governanceVisit wwwiirsmorgbook-a-branch-meeting to book your place today

London Branch MeetingDate Thursday 1 December 2016Time 1500 ndash 1700Location IIRSM Head Office No 1 Farriers Yard 77-85 Fulham Palace Road London W6 8JAGuest speaker Review of the CDM Regulations 2015 by Philip Baker Past President of the Association for Project SafetyVisit wwwiirsmorgbook-a-branch-meeting to book your place today

UK

OTHER UPCOMING UK MEETINGS

INTERNATIONAL

YorkshireDate Tuesday 29 November 2016

East ScotlandDate Wednesday 18 January 2017

Northern EnglandDate Tuesday 28 February 2017

Develop your CPD and join one of our upcoming Branch meetings We welcome both IIRSM members and non-members so please feel free to invite friends and colleagues We look forward to seeing you at a meeting soon

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wwwiirsmorgevents