Its that time of the month again when we do our lone worker safety news roundup, looking at the biggest news in the health and safety and lone worker world.
As the first name in lone worker safety we are keen health and safety enthusiasts. We keep our ear to the ground and bring you the biggest health and safety news of the month.
So, grab a coffee and enjoy reading some Brexit-free news for once!
MP’s Lives at Risk After PM’s Brexit Speech
Nothing is Brexit-free these days!
Theresa May’s scathing reproach of UK Members of Parliament has, some MPs say, put their lives at risk.
On the 20th March, Theresa May addressed the public and blamed MPs for the deadlock in the commons over her Brexit withdrawal deal.
By the next day, MPs had responded angrily, saying her inflammatory speech had put their lives at risk, many of whom had already received death threats.
In fact, The Independent Group’s, Anna Soubry has been told by police to avoid her home and not be alone at night after some extremely serious death threats were levelled at her.
Commons Deputy Speaker, Lyndsay Hoyle wrote to all MPs and urged them to travel by taxi or with colleagues after May’s speech in an effort to keep them safe. After the tragic shooting of Jo Cox, we are sure the severity of the situation is not lost of anyone.
Indeed, this is not a new phenomenon, as this article about the abuse and threats MPs faced during the 2017 election testifies.
As with many job roles, MPs are often lone working and face threats and actions of assault and abuse and should take measures to protect themselves.
Preparing For The Health and Safety Expo
Everyone, including First2HelpYou, are getting ready for the Health and Safety Event at the NEC in April.
The Suzy Lamplugh Trust are the Charity Sponsor for the event. Anyone who knows the lone worker sector will know we all work very hard to ensure the disappearance of a lone worker, like Suzy, does not happen again. We are proud advocates of the Suzy Lamplugh Trust.
Last year we were honoured to do a presentation in the Lone Worker Arena. This year we are excited to have more time to speak to all the other health and safety experts out there and see what they have to say.
If you are going to the event, pop along to stand K42 and say ‘Hi!’ to us!
Speed Limiters in Cars Are A Welcome Change
Despite leaving the European Union (eventually probably), the UK Department for Transport has decided to adopt the latest policy out of Brussels-that all new cars shall be fitted with speed limiters by 2022.
As our recent infographic on driving safely when lone working shows, more than a quarter of all road traffic accidents in the UK involve someone who is driving for work at the time.
A speed limiter works by using GPS to determine the speed of the road and limiting the car to drive to that speed. It can be over ridden by pressing the accelerator hard to allow for overtaking, for example.
This initiative is part of the EU’s aim to cut road traffic related deaths to zero by 2058-somethng we can’t wait for. They predict this measure could save 140,000 serious injuries by 2038.
Lone Working To Be Addressed At Expo
The second ever Lone Worker Expo is coming in October and, whilst it is still a way off, it has been in the news this month.
Barbara Hockey is the Health and Safety Executive’s Policy Lead for Vulnerable Workers will be giving a keynote speech at the expo and had this to say:
“Lone working happens in a wide range of workplaces. There are no specific regulations for lone workers except for a few very specialised workplaces such as diving, so our advice is to tailor the risk assessment based on actual work that is being done, taking into account that additional factors of being alone. It’s important that the emphasis is on the employer to fully understand the work activity and what impact working alone can have – not just physical safety but also the health and wellbeing of employees.”
We couldn’t have put it better ourselves. A lone worker risk assessment is absolutely vital in helping to protect your most vulnerable workers. You can find out more about lone working risk assessments here.
We are proud supports of the Lone Worker Expo and will certainly be there on the day.
The First Name In Lone Worker Safety
If you would like to talk to us about anything to do with lone worker safety, please get in touch.
We are a service driven business, which means we provide the same level of protection as all the other lone worker providers out there but with a more tailored and personable approach.
We take the time understand the specific risks facing your lone workers and tailor a solution for you. We are there to answer any questions, deliver face to face training, and do all the hard work during the roll out phase.
So, if you are looking for a lone worker partner, give us a call on 0333 7729401 or email sales@first2helpyou.co.uk and we will get right back to you.
