Learning that saves lives
Success can sometimes be a problem. The better we become at preventing incidents, the harder it can be to see what is actually preventing them.
By Mike Robinson, chief executive, British Safety Council on 11 September 2026
Safety Management Magazine opinions
Migraine in work: a test of the Government’s plans to Keep Britain Working
Migraine can have a profound, and often avoidable, impact on people’s working lives and careers. The Government’s growing focus on workplace health offers an important opportunity to change this, but only if this common, often disabling and frequently invisible neurological condition is properly understood and addressed by Government, the NHS and employers.
By Rob Music, The Migraine Trust on 07 September 2026
Heat at work: why Britain needs stronger protections for a hotter future
With rising temperatures posing a growing health risk to UK workers, the TUC is calling for HSE guidance to be updated to require employers to take specific steps to protect workers' wellbeing when temperatures exceed pre-set trigger points.
By Huma Haq, TUC on 01 August 2026
Work at height: never disregard the dangers
I suffered devastating injuries in a totally preventable fall from height at work, and I’m passionate in encouraging all employers to do more to educate workers about the dangers of taking short-cuts with safety.
By Paul Blanchard, Life After an Accident on 19 May 2025
Drones: flying high or greater depths?
Drones are often used to avoid the need for humans to work at height, but they can also be used in certain dangerous confined spaces, such as silos, sewers and tanks, reducing the risk to workers.
By Neil Blacklock, Rainham Industrial Services on 16 May 2025
Violence against shop workers grows in an epidemic of retail crime
Violence against shop workers has more than doubled in a year, according to Usdaw’s latest annual survey, as official figures show that shoplifting has risen by over a third. Shoplifting is not a victimless crime; theft from shops has long been a major flashpoint for violence and abuse against shop workers.
By Paddy Lillis, Usdaw on 26 April 2024
A false dichotomy: safety regulation vs. economic prosperity
In recent months, political leaders around the world have rallied behind an all too familiar battle cry: seeking to slash “red tape” and unlock promised profits, productivity, and potential. This pledge for regulatory reduction perpetuates a dangerous and false dichotomy - that safety regulations and economic prosperity exist only in opposition to one another. In reality, nothing could be further from the truth.
By Mike Robinson FCA, British Safety Council on 02 May 2025
Ladder Association embarks on latest phase of market surveillance
Research by the Ladder Association has repeatedly revealed serious concerns about the safety and quality of telescopic ladders sold in the UK via online marketplaces. Now, the Association is expanding its market surveillance, research and testing programme to cover ladders sold by physical stores, to both root out non-compliant ladders and identify those that are good quality and safe to use.
By Peter Bennett OBE, Ladder Association on 01 May 2025
Heat at work: a silent killer
Workers across the world are increasingly being exposed to excessive heat with serious implications for their safety and health. It is therefore vital that governments, employers and workers’ organisations develop, share and implement practical and low-cost strategies and measures for effectively reducing the risk from heat stress at work.
By Halshka Graczyk and Lacye Groening, ILO on 07 April 2025
Making good work the foundation
In 2024, for the first time, the UK dropped out of the list of the top 20 happiest countries: according to the World Happiness Index. This year, the UK rests in 23rd place, slightly ahead of the US and behind the Nordic countries, Germany, the UAE and others.
By Mike Robinson FCA, British Safety Council on 07 April 2025
The air we share: why tackling pollution protects us all
Air pollution is often invisible; its impact is anything but. Whether you’re a parent worried about your child’s lungs, a construction worker breathing exhaust fumes, or a commuter passing through busy streets, polluted air is everyone’s problem.
By Scott Paul, Mums for Lungs on 04 April 2025
Why electric cooking is the future we need
The way we cook is more than just a matter of taste and convenience – it’s a critical climate, health, safety, and economic issue. Despite the growing momentum toward building electrification, cooking remains one of the last strongholds of fossil fuel reliance in our homes and commercial kitchens.
By Tushar Nair, Global Cooksafe Coalition on 01 April 2025
Beyond compliance: why noise control must evolve beyond PPE
Engineering solutions for noise control on plant, machinery and tools are often straightforward, low-cost and bring financial savings themselves, so it’s time employers moved away from the default position of purchasing and issuing personal hearing protection to workers.
By Gill Cussons, Noise & Vibration Solutions on 13 March 2025
