Safety Matters – October 2025
The H&S Dept
Safety first mindset
In 2022, former cricketer Freddie Flintoff was involved in a near-fatal accident, whilst filming an episode of Top Gear for the BBC. He was driving a Morgan Super 3, an open-topped, three-wheeled car capable of reaching speeds of up to 130mph.
With no crash helmet on, it was reported Flintoff was travelling at just 22mph (reports vary) when the vehicle flipped and he was dragged over tarmac for 50m, before the car went on to grass and flipped back. His immediate thought was that he was dead.
Flintoff sustained severe injuries to his face and ribs. The surgeon who treated him said they were very complex and amongst the severest he had dealt with in his career. The BBC has since paid £9 million in compensation to Flintoff as a result of the accident. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) determined that the car was not at fault.
Fellow Top Gear presenter, motoring journalist Chris Harris, has spoken of his regrets at not giving Flintoff a safety briefing before the filming took place. In 2024, Harris said “…that was the first time that we’d never had the chance to talk about how he might approach a difficult vehicle, and that was the one day it went wrong. I find that very difficult to live with and I feel partly responsible.”
As with all health and safety matters, risk assessments are paramount in reducing the chance of harm. One way to mitigate the risks is to include compulsory safety briefings.
We extend our sympathies. It is clearly a traumatic tale for all involved, and one that could have had an even worse ending. If it can encourage other organisations to enforce time to be taken to give safety briefings even when on a tight schedule, then at least some positive legacy can come from it.
Misuse is not an excuse
As we approach the festive season, there will likely be parties and celebrations on the horizon. In many instances, alcohol will be flowing. And in some cases, despite them being illegal, drugs will be consumed. It therefore seems pertinent to ask: Do you have an alcohol and drug misuse policy?
Misuse in this scenario is the use of illegal drugs and misuse of alcohol, medicines and substances (such as solvents). All employers can benefit from developing a policy on drug and alcohol misuse which could also be part of your overall health and safety policy.
The policy should identify when you will take disciplinary or other action, such as reporting drug possession or dealing at work to the police straight away. An effective policy should also detail help for an employee if they confide that they have a drug or alcohol problem, rather than immediate dismissal. While it does fall under HR, where vehicles and machinery are in use it is most definitely within health and safety scope too.
The Health & Safety Dept are on hand to develop such policies for your business and ensure they address health and safety matters adequately. Perhaps you already have one in place, in which case we are able to review it and suggest any changes that may make it more effective for your workplace.
Infection control, to Captain Tom
With COVID as a crisis largely in the rearview mirror for us and all the memories – from Nightingale hospitals to Captain Tom Moore fade, we mustn’t let good hygiene practices slacken.
Afterall, we are just entering cold and flu season, and these can strike anywhere. The latest research from The Office of Health Economics (OHE), in conjunction with Pfizer, puts the cost of respiratory illnesses to UK businesses at £44 billion each year.
The research found that short-term respiratory infections had a large impact. For example presenteeism (working whilst ill) had a major negative impact on productivity. On average a short-term respiratory infection will impact an employee for over one working week (5.2 days). On average, 1.1 of these days are taken as leave whilst 4.1 are presenteeism days, during which time productivity drops by 32%.
The productivity losses from presenteeism make up 54% of the employer costs from respiratory infections, costing more than the absenteeism. So what is the health and safety answer to help lower these astronomical financial losses?
Well, it’s that old saying: prevention is better than cure.
- Promote good hygiene. Handwashing, mask wearing and social distancing (where appropriate) are all practices which can make a big difference to the spread of illnesses.
- Vaccinations. The majority of UK adults are exempt from the free Flu vaccine provided by the NHS each year. Offering a workplace vaccination programme could significantly reduce the impact of respiratory illnesses to your business, mitigating absenteeism and presenteeism. Get advice from The HR Dept on how this can be administered without damaging employee relations.
Infection control isn’t just an issue for the winter months. Non-seasonal occupational infection risks are also something to consider. For example, the risk of Legionnaires’ disease, a pneumonia-like illness linked to water sources.
Legionella can be found in natural water sources such as rivers or ponds, but more significant to businesses, it is also associated with wet cooling towers and hot water systems. Under The Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 (HSWA) and The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) businesses are required to control the risk of Legionella bacteria in water systems.
Other occupational risks of infection include medical practices and tattoo and piercing parlours, and the risk of needlestick or sharps injuries. As an employer, if sharps are used or are a risk then you must manage the risks to your workers.
The primary duty is to prevent exposure to the risk of a sharps injury. If the risk cannot be prevented, then you must control the risk of exposure. Research has shown that a combination of training, safer working practices and the use of safer sharp products can prevent the majority of sharps injuries, thus minimising the risk.
We’re sure that all businesses would want to minimise any risk of infection to their employees and so here at The Health & Safety Dept we can come on board and help your workplace minimise the risk. Whether its safe systems of work, risk assessments or developing policies, we’re here to help.
Noises off
The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 are designed to protect workers from injury resulting from noise exposure. The HSE has recently published the findings from their inspection campaign into workplace hearing protection. The results show that there are significant failings, the key issues being employee training and equipment management.
In many instances, worker protection against excessive noise will be hearing protection. However, this is only viable if it is fit for purpose. The headline figures included that three quarters of employees lacked the correct knowledge to store, check or report faults with hearing protection and in 80% of cases they had received no instruction on proper wearing techniques.
Industries that are commonplace for excessive noise include (but are not limited to):
- Manufacturing and industrial spaces.
- Construction and demolition.
- Aviation and transportation.
- Waste management and recycling.
The CUFF checking system is designed to help employers assess hearing protection effectiveness:
- Condition (regular inspection to ensure the equipment is fit for purpose).
- Use (is the equipment suitable for consistent protection).
- Fit the ear (correct wearing to maximise protection).
- Fit for purpose (is it appropriate for the hazard level).
If you would like to discuss how we can help your business keep staff safe when it comes to excessive noise, then contact us today to get started.
eLearning of the month: Noise Awareness Training
Here at The Health & Safety Dept we are equipped to ensure your business is meeting all requirements to maximise the health and safety of your workplace. As the HSE has recently published their findings from their investigation into excessive noise, one way we can support your business is through noise awareness training.
This 25-minute eLearning course is designed to introduce workers to who is at risk, what those risks are and what can be done to minimise those risks. Whilst particularly suitable for those who work in obvious excessive noise industries such as construction or manufacturing, it could also be relevant to those working in other industries like hospitality and leisure.
If you would like to find out more then take a look at our eLearning brochure or contact us today.
