IOSH Magazine- July/August 2022

JULY/AUGUST 2022

SAFETY Y, H HE EA AL LTH AND WE E L LB ELLB EL B E I NG IN THE WO WORL OR RL L D OF O WORK SAFETY, HEALTH WELLBEING WORLD

C O L L A B O R AT E / I N F L U E N C E / E N H A N C E

UNDER SCRUTINY Maintaining workers’ health and wellbeing is rising up the business agenda

COLLABORATE

INFLUENCE

ENHANCE

People power in risk management strategies

EHS software: the holy grail of health and safety?

When ‘horror movie’ tactics fail to frighten

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99 £8

H&S Summer School Reflect and reset: achieving resilience in uncertain times

n AT atio +V od nner m i m d co ce ac en g er in nf ud co cl d in an

Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford | 21-22 September 2022

Building on the previous decade of Health and Safety Summer Schools, we are excited to gather together in person once more to present a line-up of insightful and unique speakers who will deal with current and emerging trends in the field of health and safety management, as well as the lessons learned from those at the ‘sharp end’.

We will provide ample opportunities to share experiences with peers over the two days over coffee, lunch and formal dinner on the first night. Resilience has, post pandemic, become a buzz word, with many clients seeking ‘assurance’ of their activities. We will explore how other organisations have sought to achieve this quality in their structures.

As we all reflect on the past two years and reset our expectations and goals, we want to provide something new; an immersive experience in which we get to follow a health and safety incident from start to finish; seeking your input and insight throughout the two days to direct strategy and understand how minor decisions can have significant implications.

Many clients use Summer School to claim their yearly CPD as safety or HR professionals.

Who should attend Health and safety professionals, and organisation leaders including HR and OH, who think strategically about how the SHE function contributes to their organisation’s effectiveness.

Speakers Phil Crosbie Chair, Eversheds Sutherland

John Bonney CBE Chief Fire Officer (Retired), Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service

Ed Corbett Head of Human Factors and Organisational Performance, HSE Science Division

Lt Col A J Martin-Bates RAMC Senior Medical Officer

Simon Antrobus QC Crown Office Chambers

Sarah Valentine Assistant Coroner and Principal Associate, Eversheds Sutherland

© Eversheds Sutherland 2022. All rights reserved.

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WELCOME SAFETY Y, HEALTH HE H EA AL LTH AND WELLBEING WE E L LB ELLB EL B E I NG IN THE WORLD WORL WO OR RL L D OF O WORK SAFETY,

JULY/AUGUST 2022

C O L L A B O R AT E / I N F L U E N C E / E N H A N C E

UNDER SCRUTINY Maintaining workers’ health and wellbeing is rising up the business agenda

COLLABORATE

INFLUENCE

ENHANCE

People power in risk management strategies

EHS software: the holy grail of health and safety?

When ‘horror movie’ tactics fail to frighten

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OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF

The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) is the world’s leading professional body for people responsible for safety and health in the workplace.

Published by Redactive Publishing Ltd 9 Dallington Street, London, EC1V 0LN

EDITOR Emma Godfrey emma.godfrey@ioshmagazine.com

DEPUTY EDITOR Sally Hales

CONTENT SUB-EDITOR James Hundleby

D I G I TA L E D I TO R Kellie Mundell kellie.mundell@ioshmagazine.com

DESIGNERS Craig Bowyer, Gary Hill

PICTURE RESEARCHER Claire Echavarry

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PUBLISHING DIRECTOR Aaron Nicholls Redactive aims to provide authoritative and accurate information at all times. Its publications are, however, for guidance only and are not an official information source.

The inclusion of advertisements and inserts within IOSH magazine and ioshmagazine.com does not constitute an endorsement of the organisation or its products/services

by IOSH or Redactive. All advertisements must adhere to the British Code of Advertising Practice.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical or otherwise, without the prior written consent of the publisher and editor.

For changes to your address, please contact IOSH membership team on membership@iosh.com or 0116 257 3198.

ISSN 2396-7447

© IOSH 2022

IOSH magazine is printed by ISO 14001 certified printers.

Printed by Warners Midlands plc, The Maltings, Manor Lane, Bourne, PE10 9PH

Hats off to a new start joined IOSH last summer but have worked with professional bodies for more than 20 years. It’s where I’ve chosen to spend my career – delivering a remit that’s charitable and that supports people on their professional journeys. I hope I’ve brought a breadth and depth of experience with me – insights you only get from being part of this very specific world.

I joined the professional services team first, working on how we set standards and deliver for our members and the profession. This helped me appreciate the dual ‘hats’ I now wear as director of strategy and business development (SBD) and managing director of IOSH Services Ltd (ISL).

Every day, both areas deliver benefits and impact for IOSH, our members and the wider OSH profession. First of all, we generate commercial income to support our charitable aims. At the same time, we’re helping people and businesses gain skills and improve their capabilities. My focus is on increasing our impact and creating further opportunities.

SBD encompasses all our training, strategic and corporate engagement, and marketing communications activity. It enables and underpins IOSH’s success.

Wearing my ISL hat is about managing a commercial entity to generate surpluses

I

WE’RE DIVERSIFYING OUR PORTFOLIO TO GIVE US THE RIGHT PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

that help pay for IOSH’s charitable activities. ISL is continuing to deliver strong revenues and is recovering faster than expected from the effects of Covid-19.

Our training provider network has had a tough time during the pandemic, so to support them we’re making our services as easy to use as possible. Meanwhile we’re diversifying our portfolio to give us the right products and services to meet the needs of professionals worldwide.

Through the corporate engagement team, we have been delivering OSH leadership solutions, generating revenues and meeting our charitable objectives.

And not just in Europe, but around the globe: in South America, for example, and – most significantly – in South-east Asia for Nike. Exciting times!

In parallel, our strategic engagement team’s work with top-tier partners such as the World Health Organization and International Social Security Association is progressing. We’re beginning to see tangible differences in the world of OSH, reaching parts of the world where OSH capacity and capability is in high demand.

Our marketing communications team is building our brand, sharing what IOSH is working on and the differences it makes to the rest of the profession.

I couldn’t have asked for a more positive start to my time here. Our offerings are sought after, and we have real opportunity to grow – driving progress in establishing IOSH as the partner of choice on a global stage.

Ruth Lake DIRECTOR OF ST RAT EGY A ND BUS I N E S S DE VE LO PM E N T, I O S H

IOSH MAGAZINE

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JU LY/A U GUST 2 0 2 2

Contents S A F ET Y, H EA LT H A N D W EL L BEI N G I N T H E W O R L D OF W O R K

UPDATE 7

NEWS

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IOSH NEWS

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NEWS ANALYSIS Is the pandemic behind a rise in reports of drug and alcohol use in the workplace?

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DID YOU KNOW...?

Facts about the work-related burden of disease and injury

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LEGAL

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PROSECUTIONS

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WHY SCARE TACTICS FALL FLAT

Does the effect of ‘horror movie’ safety messaging lead to people becoming desensitised?

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CONTENTS

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C O LLA B O R ATE 32

RISK MANAGEMENT Power to the people

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How OSH professionals can break with the ‘enforcer’ tradition and put people at the heart of safety models

36

IOSH members share their thoughts about important talking points

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REFLECTIONS Hot topics

OPINION The wider view

C OVER OV E R FEAT FEATUR E 57

Discover the best content available on the website, including podcasts and webinars featuring industry experts

How innovations are enhancing compliance and delivering performance improvements

ISO 45003 Psychosocial risk goes mainstream

BEHAVIOURAL SAFETY Think, feel, act What OSH can learn from the Ultimate Fighting Championship – and vice versa

I NFLU EN CE EHS SOFTWARE Program for change

How have definitions of the ‘health’ aspect of OSH changed, and what do developments mean for OSH professionals?

Organisations offer their advice on how to bring the new standard into workplaces

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44

Health in focus

E N HAN C E

68

MEMBER INTERVIEW The future is nuclear

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FUTURE LEADER Rebbakah Wilson IOSH Future Leaders Steering Group member on being a leader while pregnant

Lindsay Sedwards on her experiences as a woman in the nuclear industry

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32

BACK TO BASICS Managing MSDs All you need to know to reduce the impact of musculoskeletal disorders in the workplace

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TALKING SHOP Left behind Our experts explain why it’s important to consider the impact of work on lefthanded people

IOSH MAGAZINE

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17/06/2022 09:27

How ready are you for the next global challenge?

Our extended portfolio of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) courses make sure you’ve got the skills and knowledge to stay at the top of your game.

Covering a variety of areas including modern slavery, change management and domestic abuse, they will give you the tools and resources to ensure you learn, develop and exceed in your career.

Visit iosh.com/cpdcourses to view all our courses and book your place.

iosh.com/cpdcourses

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Update WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW THIS ISSUE

IN THIS S E CT I O N

Study finds pandemic caused 25% global increase in depression and anxiety P9 | IOSH course to support people-centred working P10 | Is the use of drugs and alcohol at work on the rise? P12 | Key findings of WHO and ILO’s work-related burden of disease and injury report P18 | Firm loses hearing loss appeal P20 | £400k fine for Jewson over forklift failings P22

Employers failing to deliver hybrid work benefits, finds Women at Work survey

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HSE publishes new 10-year strategy

Protecting people and places is the theme of the GB Health and Safety Executive’s (HSE’s) strategic plan for the next decade.

It is intended to create the space for the regulator to adapt and respond to a changing landscape, ensuring it remains relevant in a time of growth and innovation, said Chloe Smith, minister for disabled people, health and work. ‘It also allows it to continue to support the delivery of wider government priorities, including the move towards net zero and improving the health of the nation.

‘The HSE will continue to help businesses take often simple steps to design out the risks to prevent work-related ill health, with a particular focus on supporting good mental health at work.’

Employers are not doing enough to support the transition to a hybrid work model, according to Deloitte’s second Women at Work survey, which found that respondents experience a lack of flexibility and feel excluded.

For more about the research, go to ioshmagazine.com/ deloitte-women

Read more at ioshmagazine.com/hse-strategy

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Call for more support for ‘long COVID’ sufferers after disability warning

PHOTOGRAPHY: ISTOCK / G ETT Y

What? Employment groups have called on employers to work proactively with workers who are suffering from the longterm effects of coronavirus and make reasonable adjustments so that people can be better supported to stay in or return to work.

Why? The move comes after the Equality and Human Rights Commission warned that ‘long COVID’ might not always be protected as a disability under the UK’s Equality Act 2010.

To find out more, go to ioshmagazine.com/ long-covid-work

IOSH MAGAZINE

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Thousands of organisations have trusted us over the years to help them seize opportunities through challenging times.

Find out more: T. +44 (0)20 3510 3510 www.britsafe.org

Registered Charity No. 1097271 and OSHCR No. SC037998.

MC221

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NEWS

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HOW LI ABLE AR E EMP LOYERS FOR HOME-WORKER ACCIDENTS?

After a German man who fell down the stairs on the ‘commute’ to his home office was allowed to claim on insurance, Louise Bland, partner in the corporate claims team at Eversheds Sutherland, asks what this means for UK employers’ duty of care to their workforce. ioshmagazine.com/home-worker-accidents

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PANDEMIC RESPONSIBLE FOR 25% INCREASE IN ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION WORLDWIDE, WHO STUDY FINDS

BUILDING SAFETY BILL RECEIVES ROYAL ASSENT

The English Building Safety Bill has received royal assent – but many of its provisions will only come into force over the next 18 months to allow industry sufficient time to prepare.

The Building Safety Act 2022 makes the biggest overhaul of the regulatory framework in 40 years and aims to improve compliance, along with tougher penalties for those who break the rules.

The act enshrines in law the role of the new Building Safety Regulator in England in the wake of the 2017 Grenfell Tower disaster, following the recommendations in Dame Judith Hackitt’s Building a safer future report.

Young people and women have been worst hit by anxiety and depression since the pandemic, according to a study by the World Health Organization (WHO). The report also found that global prevalence of mental health disorders increased by 25% across the board.

ioshmagazine.com/building-safety-act

Care worker who joked about reporting employer’s PPE breach wins case

Who? A care home worker who joked about reporting his employer to the Care Quality Commission (CQC) for not enforcing the wearing of face masks at the height of the pandemic has won his claim for constructive unfair dismissal.

Why? The employee was issued with a formal warning after being off sick with COVID-19 for two weeks. On the day of his return, he asked why kitchen staff weren’t wearing face masks.

His colleague replied that it had been like that for a while. He said he would raise the matter with the matron and added that if this wasn’t resolved by the matron, he would make a complaint to the CQC. The judge concluded that the claimant resigned in response to the repudiatory breach of his contract of employment.

What next? We asked a leading lawyer for his take on the verdict – and the implications it could have for employers. ioshmagazine.com/covid-ppe-tribunal

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HOUSE OF COMMONS WORKER WITH MSK CONDITION VICTIMISED, TRIBUNAL RULES

An employment tribunal has ruled that a House of Commons employee in England with a longstanding musculoskeletal condition was victimised and subjected to discrimination after her employer allowed colleagues to use her customised desk when she was not in work.

PHOTOG RAPHY: ISTOCK

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More stats here: ioshmagazine.com/ who-covid/mental-health

Get the full story at ioshmagazine.com/msk-commons

IOSH MAGAZINE

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UPDATE

CATC H T H E WAVE

Are you managing sustainably? new IOSH training course will help organisations ensure they put their people at the heart of what they do.

Unveiled last month, ‘Managing sustainably – beyond compliance, understanding a socially sustainable world of work’ is the latest addition to the IOSH suite of training courses and complements the Institution’s Catch the Wave initiative.

The course has been developed in response to a shift in the demands on employers, with more focus than ever before on how they treat their workforce.

Aimed at non-OSH professionals such as managers and supervisors, the two-

A

day course will help them understand the meaning of social sustainability, how their role is crucial in this area and how they can track performance. What’s more, it will also help them grasp

how OSH relates to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.

Victoria Hunt, IOSH product manager, said: ‘We are very excited to bring this new course to the market.

It will be held from 1 pm to 2 pm B ST and hosted by IOSH head of strategic engagement A lan Stevens. Speaker details were yet to be confirmed at the time of going to print.

M ore details on how to register can be found on the E N SH P O website at enshpo.eu/events P revious webinars have focused on topics including emerging

trends in OSH training as well as the psychosocial risks of smarter working.

IOSH is also continuing to collaborate and infl uence around the world with a number of key bodies and at leading events.

In J une, the Institution attended the C ommonwealth H eads of G overnment meeting in

There have been significant developments in the demands on businesses to protect their staff, accelerated by the COVID-19 pandemic.

‘Investors and customers are increasingly interested in how a business treats its people and how sustainable it is, and employees themselves want to work for an organisation where they are treated well. So it is crucial that businesses get this right if they are to retain their people and attract consumers and investors.

‘Our course will provide line managers and supervisors with the skills and knowledge to be able to ensure their business is leading the way in this respect.’

Find out more at iosh.com/catchthewave

WE BI N A R

Influencing around the world IOSH is hosting the latest E uropean N etwork of Safety and H ealth P rofessional Organiz ations ( E N SH P O) webinar on W ednesday 6 J uly, focusing on the V ision Z ero initiative.

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R wanda and IOSH president L ouise H osking presented at a B ritish Occupational H ygiene Society conference in B elfast.

In A ugust, IOSH representatives, including A lan Stevens, will be present at the Occupational R isk P revention C ongress in C artagena, C olombia.

JULY/AUGUST 2022 | IOSHMAGAZINE.COM

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IOSH NEWS

IN SIGHT

IOSH to feature at IGPP event

TRAINING

I LO

Need some help with your CPD?

OSH becomes a fundamental right at work

WHAT? IOSH is running a series of one-hour sessions to support members undertaking CPD.

The International Labour Organization (ILO) adopted a safe and healthy working environment as a fundamental principle and right at work at its International Labour Conference in June.

It joins four existing fundamental rights – the freedom of association and collective bargaining, the elimination of forced or compulsory labour, the abolition of child labour, and ending discrimination.

IOSH has long called for OSH to be added to this list and welcomes the move.

PHOTOGRAP HY: ISTOCK / G ETTY / S HUT TERSTOCK

WHEN? The free workshops will be hosted by a member of IOSH’s CPD support team and will run throughout July. They are being held between 10am and 11am on 5 and 11 July, between 11am and 12pm on 21 July and between 2pm and 3pm on 25 July.

All times are BST. HOW? The sessions will take members through the CPD system and answer any questions that members have.

For more information or to book a place, email cpd.enquiries@iosh.com

IOSH president-elect Lawrence Webb will make a presentation at the Institute of Government and Public Policy’s (IGPP’s) Health and Safety in the Workplace virtual event on 28 July.

The event will feature a range of speakers across the government, healthcare and wider public sectors. It will address urgent health and safety challenges and the continuing and emerging threats posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. It will also examine the mechanisms for strengthening health and safety practices to ensure workplace compliance and protection for all, using case studies and examples of best practice.

Lawrence’s session will focus on the crucial role of OSH professionals, including how they have supported recovery from the pandemic and what can be learned from the profession to improve competencies and behaviours.

The IGPP is an independent think tank that aims to make governance and policy-making more inclusive and open to a broad coalition of stakeholders across a range of public policy verticals.

To find out more, visit igpp.org.uk/event/ health-and-safetyin-the-workplace-2022

For more, visit iosh.com/ news/osh-human-rights

IOSH MAGAZINE

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UPDATE

ddiction, according to Michael Rawlinson, is ‘an illness of isolation. It wants you to be on your own.’ When Michael, a treatment consultant at the Forward Trust’s Clouds House – a centre that helps people overcome drug and alcohol issues – heard the news that there had been a 54% leap in positive drug test results in the workplace since 2019 (AlphaBiolabs, 2022a), he wasn’t surprised.

‘One of the harms of lockdown was that, by law, members of the addicted population had to isolate. So it was a breeding ground for people to use drugs and develop dependencies,’ Michael says.

Compared with pre-pandemic figures, the presence of opiates more than doubled, while positive cocaine readings climbed by 37% and cannabis by 30% (AlphaBiolabs, 2022a).

A

Pandemic pressure Michael says these statistics reflect what he has seen on the ground: ‘It represents how people have been behaving and matches some of the research we’ve done.’

As many as 27% of people surveyed last year by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), said they had increased their alcohol consumption due to the pandemic (CIPD, 2020a).

Meanwhile, almost two-thirds of employees working in hospitality saw their mental health at work deteriorate over the past year (Wildgoose, 2022).

While drug and alcohol misuse in the workplace is far from new, the knock-on effect of the lockdowns meant that more employees were ‘seemingly turning to illicit substances to cope’, AlphaBiolabs says.

‘Additionally, with more people working from home and employers unable to carry out routine drug and alcohol testing – even with a robust policy in place – many people who were already struggling with dependency were left to their own devices,’ says Barbara Wainwright, AlphaBiolabs’ workplace company trainer.

12

25 MINS

The drugs don’t work The pandemic has increased the number of employees misusing drugs and alcohol. We explore what this means for safety at work, and what IOSH members can do to keep on top of the problem.

WORDS HELEN GILBERT

JULY/AUGUST 2022 | IOSHMAGAZINE.COM

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NEWS ANALYSIS

Pain medication Barbara acknowledges that the spike in opiate use could be attributed to an increase in prescribed painkillers, but could not rule out the possibility of a rise in painkiller misuse since the pandemic began.

As opioids can impair employees, this could be dangerous for those in safety-critical roles such as machine operators or those working with patients, she warns.

Codeine is the most common prescription drug to show up in workplace drug tests, yet many employers have a ‘lack of knowledge concerning the use of prescription medications, and the potential harm abuse of such drugs can cause’, she adds.

It’s a serious issue.

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recently updated its guidelines on treating chronic primary pain, advising GPs against prescribing opioids to these patients because they could be ‘harmful’ and lead to addiction (NICE, 2021).

PHOTOG RAPHY: ISTOCK

Opiate misuse Environments with numerous slip or trip hazards or where heavy-duty work is carried out are at greater risk of recording opiate misuse among employees, as are workplaces that do not offer enhanced sick leave or where job security is low, Barbara says.

‘Many people are not aware of the risks when taking opioids. After all, they are often coming from a trusted source such as a GP or pharmacist and can be obtained legally over the counter. People rarely read the side

effects leaflet and pay little attention to the warnings displayed on the packets such as “Don’t drive and don’t operate machinery.”’

Under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974, employers have a duty of care to the health, safety and welfare of their employees as well as other people who might be affected by their business.

‘This means making sure that workers and others are protected from anything that may cause harm, and this would include ensuring workers are not endangering themselves or others while under the influence of alcohol or drugs,’ GB Health and Safety Executive inspector Tracy McTaggart says.

‘Understanding the signs of alcohol and drug misuse will help an employer manage health and safety risk in their workplace, and talking to workers will not only provide an opportunity to give information, but also allow them to listen and take account of what they say. Employers may find it beneficial to develop a policy to deal with alcohol/drug misuse that can be included in their overall health and safety policy.’

Drug misuse alone currently costs society almost £20bn a year – approximately £350 for every man, woman and child in England (HM Government, 2021).

IN FIGURES

Worrying trends

54% The increase in positive drug test results in the workplace since 2019

27% of people said they increased their alcohol consumption due to the pandemic Drug misuse costs society almost

£20BN a year

Helping hand Worryingly, a fifth of businesses do not offer proactive support to employees who are struggling with drug and alcohol issues, a survey found (CIPD, 2020b). The Managing drug and alcohol misuse at work report also revealed that only 27% of organisations provide information for employees on how to disclose a problem they may have with alcohol or drugs.

Furthermore, only 26% of organisations trained managers to recognise the symptoms of drug and alcohol problems, yet 35% of employers had disciplined someone in the past two years for alcohol misuse and just over a quarter (26%) for drug misuse (CIPD, 2020b).

A similar picture was found by AlphaBiolabs when it surveyed 500

25% of employees admit that drugs or alcohol have affected them at work

35% of people say they’ve noticed colleagues under the influence of drugs and alcohol at work

A l pha B i o l a bs, 20 22a ; A l c oh ol C h ang e U K , 2 0 2 2 ; HM Government, 2021; CIPD, 2020a; 2020b

IOSH MAGAZINE

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UPDATE

CA S E ST U DY

Drug tests in the workplace Joe Guilfoyle, safety health and environmental director for the Robertson Group, a UK-based construction, infrastructure and support service business, discusses the company’s approach to drug and alcohol testing.

How long have you performed employee drug and alcohol tests?

For several years, but in 2021, to ensure that our workplace was as safe as we could make it, we introduced mandatory drugs and alcohol testing at induction for all employees and subcontractors, no matter the role.

What other tests do you carry out?

Random testing is regularly carried out and is applicable to both employees and contractors. An agreed percentage of the workforce across the group will be tested on an annual basis for both drugs and alcohol. Our KPI is set at 20% of our workforce; however, last year, we randomly tested 30%.

A drug and alcohol test will be carried out if a person displays difficulty walking or incoherent speech. Behaviour such as aggression, euphoria, hyperactivity or lethargy gives good reason to question whether a employee/contractor is being affected by unauthorised drugs or excessive alcohol use.

Additionally, testing may occur where evidence of unauthorised drugs is found in an employee/contractor’s possession but is being disputed.

For example, if drugs are found in an employee’s work area, it may be necessary for that person to take a test. Employees/contractors will be monitored on-site until a collection technician can administer a test. Also,

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in the event of a serious accident or incident, the individuals involved will be tested for drugs and alcohol.

Drug and alcohol testing will be carried out for all employees and subcontractors in safety-critical roles such as plant operators or from the outcome of a task-specific risk assessment.

What’s the procedure regarding a positive or non-negative result?

The person is removed immediately from the workplace with suitable arrangements to travel home. For alcohol tests, an employee testing positive is suspended, pending investigation. Contractors’ employers are informed, and they are then subject to their own company’s processes and procedures.

In the event of a non-negative drugs test result, the employee is suspended pending laboratory analysis and further investigation. If the lab result is negative, the individual will be asked to sign a record of the test and the result and is free to return to work.

If the lab result is positive, the individual will remain suspended, awaiting disciplinary investigation.

They receive a copy of the results from the sample test. The results of all internal testing are referred to HR, and disciplinary action taken if necessary.

What support mechanisms are in place for employees?

Any employee who says they have a drug and/or alcohol problem is tested immediately in line with our policy. After the results, a followup programme is run alongside an agreed course of counselling and rehabilitation with support from our partners Axa and the employee’s GP. Employees in the follow-up programme are tested regularly to ensure they follow it. Contractors are subject to their company processes and procedures.

What are the benefits of workplace testing?

Since introducing mandatory testing at induction, the number of positive results has dropped. We have also noticed a shift in attitudes and behaviours. Many say they feel much safer at work knowing that everyone on site was tested at induction and that there is a committed ‘random’ and ‘for cause’ regime in place. The health, safety and wellbeing of our employees, and all others affected by our operations, is our number one priority. Our policies are in place to ensure that every person goes home safe from the workplace every day.

The message is clear: if you are working with us, you will be tested.

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NEWS ANALYSIS

and employers should signpost to external expert services.’

Sector spotlight

senior managers in the construction, manufacturing, engineering and logistics industries about their companies’ substance misuse policies.

‘Shockingly, 20% of respondents admitted that their business has no such policy in place,’ Barbara notes. ‘Worse still, 10% didn’t even know if their company had a drugs and alcohol policy… Out of 500 respondents, one in five senior managers said they were not confident they’d be able to spot the signs of someone struggling with substance misuse, highlighting an urgent need for awareness training [AlphaBiolabs, 2022b].’

While employers must have employees’ consent to test for drugs, workers can be disciplined if they refuse. Businesses should also limit testing to those who need it, ensure tests are random and should not single out employees, unless their specific role requires testing.

PHOTOG RAPHY: ISTOCK

Fighting fear So why is there such a gap in knowledge and how should organisations respond?

‘It’s a very important issue in an area that, truthfully, people are still scared

about because they don’t understand it,’ Michael explains.

‘Alcohol dependency is not a choice.

Addiction is not a choice. People do not set out to become dependent. It can be a mental health illness that can be treated.’

Rachel Suff, the CIPD’s senior policy adviser for employment relations, encourages organisations to have a clear policy that focuses on health and wellbeing support, including employee rehabilitation, and strike an appropriate balance between the need for disciplinary procedures and providing support for individuals.

‘There will be instances where disciplinary action is required, but it shouldn’t be the default position just because substance use is identified,’ she says.

The CIPD’s findings also showed that around half of all employers do not provide even unpaid time off for treatment for alcohol or drug misuse.

‘We advocate that support and a general concern for the individual’s wellbeing are provided,’ Rachel says. ‘Employee rehabilitation and providing time off for someone to get treatment or support relating to substance misuse is important,

So are there any sectors that are more prone to drug and alcohol misuse?

According to AlphaBiolabs sales data, the highest demand for drug and/or alcohol testing between March 2020 and March 2021 came from the construction, manufacturing, engineering, chemical, transportation, environment, and food and beverage industries. ‘This does not necessarily point to drug and alcohol misuse being a problem specific to those industries.

However, it does seem to indicate that these sectors view drug and alcohol testing as a priority,’ Barbara explains.

Ian Bloxsome, director at Safepoint Professional Services, agrees. In his experience, many construction firms (see Case study, opposite) are ahead of the game with drug and alcohol testing, operating ‘clear and concise’ policies.

However, he cautions that employees working in certain sectors, such as hospitality, may struggle due to the long hours and nature of the industry.

‘How often have you seen the barman being the DJ and drinking or making a cocktail and tasting it so that it’s just right?’

Ian says. ‘They might have a hard day, drugs and alcohol might be easily accessible, and there’s that temptation.’

Spotting the signs Rachel says HR departments should help to ensure the work environment is not part of the problem, ‘including the extent to which alcohol features, for example as part of frequent client entertaining or as part of work social events’.

What are the clues that may indicate a colleague is struggling?

‘People might not hit targets, the quality of their work may drop, and they might be short-tempered,’ Ian says.

Michael identifies a change in personality as one of the clearest signs, along with

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UPDATE

KICKIN G T HE HABIT

How can employers stay on top of substance misuse?

Worker impairment is particularly dangerous in safety-critical roles

periodic attempts to go ‘on the wagon’.

Alcoholic blackout can also affect those who drink to the extent they have no recollection of what they’ve done.

‘People can go to work in alcoholic blackout and don’t remember their work conversations the next day,’ Michael explains. ‘That’s very scary.

An alcoholic will feel shame and might try and cover it up. They might be embarrassed and feel like they can’t face you and become absent from work, or they might not want a colleague to tell anybody else and take on a more aggressive tone to try and control the colleague.’

Line managers and HR play a critical role in preventing and identifying

R E S O URCES M anaging drugs and alcohol at work: iosh.com/drugsalcohol-misuse D rugs and alcohol awareness at home and at work: iosh.com/drugs-work

16

issues and providing support when someone needs it, Rachel says.

She urges HR staff to create an environment where people can ask for help. ‘They should feel confident and capable of responding appropriately if someone discloses they have a problem,’ Rachel adds.

Encouragingly, over two-thirds (69%) of the organisations surveyed by the CIPD said the most recent employee they had referred for treatment or rehabilitation support had remained working for them (CIPD, 2022b).

This suggests that employer support can have positive longterm effects on people’s careers, the retention of staff and, of course, promote safer workplaces.

‘For businesses, it’s worth the investment because if they’ve got an emotionally well workforce that feels cared for and looked after, the people are more productive,’ Michael says. ‘Caring and looking after staff is not a fad or a fashion but a commercially wise thing to do. It’s full engagement.’

2

3

4

5

Implement effective drug and alcohol awareness training Occupational health and senior managers can ensure that individuals at every level are aware of the risks associated with drug or alcohol misuse, including opioids. T his can help safeguard employers from potential incidents or accidents, reduce the cost of sickness absence and boost productivity.

Spot the signs of drug or alcohol misuse T hese can include freq uent or unexplained absences, poor concentration and decisionmaking, and more confl ict with colleagues.

Introduce a substance misuse policy Or review your existing policy. E mployers in safety- critical industries are more likely to be able to j ustify mandatory testing and have an appropriate policy. Some employers include terms in contracts to make clear the expectations and processes involved.

Support employees R isk assessments should be carried out on a case- by- case basis. A vital part of rehabilitation is support when employees return to work following substance misuse treatment. It’ s an opportunity to check in, see if further support or adj ustments to the j ob role or ways of working are req uired, and enable the individual to make a successful, sustainable return to work.

Consider all options when choosing drug and alcohol testing solutions C ompanies recruiting for safety- critical roles may consider a pre- employment screening using hair or nail testing, which provides a picture of an individual’ s drinking or drug use for a period of up to 1 2 months prior to the samples being collected.

PH OTOGRAPHY: ALAMY

1

To view the references, go to ioshmagazine.com/ drugs-alcohol

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Is your business at risk from drug & alcohol misuse?

No business is immune to the impact of workplace drug and alcohol abuse.

A robust substance misuse policy – along with effective awareness training – can help you: Demonstrate commitment to OSH

Reduce absenteeism

Improve employee health & wellbeing

Protect reputation

Increase productivity

Mitigate financial loss

AlphaBiolabs is offering a 20% discount on: • Drug & Alcohol policy creation or review • Management & employee awareness training until 29th July 2022 Simply cite AWPT20 when requesting your quote ³'UXJ DQG DOFRKRO DEXVH LV QR UHVSHFWHU RI UDQN RU VDODU\ (ႇHFWLYH DZDUHQHVV WUDLQLQJ IRU HQHVV WUDLQLQJ IRU HPSOR\HHV DW DOO OHYHOV LV IXQGDPHQWDO IRU EXVLQHVVHV ORRNLQJ WR LPSOHPHQW D VXFFHVVIXO HQW D VXFFHVVIXO substance misuse policy – especially those operating within safety critical al industries. Not only does it reinforce the company’s stance towards drugs and alcohol, itt also ensures risk management remains front of mind at all times.”

Dr Lucy Wright, Occupational Safety & Health expert and AlphaBiolabs partner

Contact our workplace team today to discuss your drug & alcohol testing needs, including policy creation/review and awareness training workplace@alphabiolabs.com

p17.IOSH_JulAug22.indd 17

17/06/2022 12:00

UPDAT E

Work, deaths and diseases

The World Health Organization and International Labour Organization recently released a report on the work-related burden of disease and injury. Here are some of its key findings.

1.88m 89.72m 2016

people died from exposure to risk factors in the workplace

Strokes were the leading health outcome cause of DALYs, and the secondhighest health outcome cause of death in 2016

The highest health outcome cause of death was chronic obstructive pulmonary disease 18

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disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) were estimated to be attributable to occupational risks in 2016

177,914

The absolute increase in annual global work-related deaths between 2000 and 2016 The global rates of deaths attributable to exposure to occupational risk factors decreased from 39.9 to 34.3 deaths per 100,000 working-age population, or by 14.2%

All statistics come from the WHO/ILO joint estimates of the work-related burden of disease and injury, 2000-2016: global monitoring report. To read the full report, visit: bit.ly/WHO-ILO-work-related-disease

17/06/2022 17:14

DID YOU KNOW..?

NON-FATAL HAZARDS Occupational noise-attributable DALYs (hearing loss) increased by 38% (2000-2016)

OCCUPATIONAL ERGONOMIC FACTORATTRIBUTABLE DALYs (NECK AND BACK PAIN) INCREASED BY

ASBESTOS: AN UPWARD TREND Deaths attributable to occupational exposure to asbestos in 2016, and the rise since 2000-2016:

UP 28.9% UP 20.9% UP 12.5% UP 81.9% trachea, bronchus and lung cancer

ovarian cancer

larynx cancer

mesothelioma

80.7% 7 0.5% 70.5%

DOWN

4.9%

20.1% (between 2000 and 2016)

80.7% of deaths and 70.5% of DALYs were due to non-communicable disease in 2016

Deaths attributable to occupational particular matter, gases and fumes; DALYs dropped 1.8% between 2000 and 2016

The number of deaths and of DALYs due to injuries in 2016 19.3% DEATHS 29.5% DALYs

FIVE OCCUPATIONAL DEATHS TOP RISK FACTORS IN 2016

3/4

OF DEATHS RECORDED (75.8%) AND DALYs (76.5%) OCCURRED AMONG MALES

Long working hours (55 hours or more per week)

Occupational particulate matter, gases and fumes

Occupational injuries

Occupational exposure to asbestos

Occupational exposure to silica

FIVE OCCUPATIONAL RISK FACTORS IN 2016 DALYS TOP

Occupational injuries

Long working hours (55 hours or more per week)

Occupational ergonomic factors

Occupational particulate matter, gases and fumes

Occupational exposure to asbestos

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17/06/2022 17:14

UPDATE MCD V INONALD SUN DIGO LTD RETAIL [202 2] CA S E LAW

Appeal dismissed over fire alarm hearing loss he employee, Haesel McDonald, 19, had made a claim after suffering prolonged exposure to a fire alarm. On 12 December 2015, she was working at the Indigo Sun salon in Dundee, Scotland. Just after 9am, the alarm sounded, and rang until 12.55pm. This single noise exposure gave Ms McDonald a headache and ringing in her ears for the day. Management were aware the alarm had sounded unnecessarily on several previous occasions. Although fire alarms in nearby premises also sounded, staff could turn them off or were sent home.

Ms McDonald endured the noise until a manager arrived at 11am, when the alarm was taped over in an attempt to muffle it.

Ms McDonald suffered subsequent hearing problems and in 2016 was diagnosed with bilateral sensorineural hearing loss and advised to obtain hearing aids. Her doctor’s diagnosis was that her condition had mainly been caused by exposure to noise, particularly the fire alarm.

The All-Scotland Sheriff Personal Injury Court applied the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 and found that Ms McDonald’s employer was liable at common law. It was ordered to pay her £241,277 in damages.

At the appeal hearing, Indigo Sun argued that because the noise exposure was a single

T

incident, it did not justify application of the daily personal exposure level (LEPd) measurement that the sheriff used at trial.

It said the weekly personal noise exposure level (LEPw) should have been used instead.

Evidence showed that Ms McDonald had been exposed to an average noise level of 82.3dB(A), exceeding the lower exposure action value of 80dB(A) in the regulations.

If the exposure in this case was adjusted to calculate it over the course of a week, the result would be 75.8dB(LEPw) – below the action value. On appeal it was ruled that, as Ms McDonald was employed part-time and not normally exposed to significant noise, the sheriff was right to apply the daily measure as the default, as using the LEPw would distort any evaluation of the noise to which she was exposed.

Steps taken by the manager to reduce the noise did not eliminate the risk. It was ruled that Indigo Sun had breached its duty.

Indigo Sun also argued that the evidence could not be used to establish

Steps taken by the manager to reduce the fire alarm’s noise did not eliminate the risk

a connection between the noise from that single exposure event and any subsequent hearing loss. However, Ms McDonald showed a connection between the incident and her symptoms, as she immediately had symptoms of tinnitus and associated hearing problems, having had no previous problems.

At the original trial, William McKerrow, a retired consultant otolaryngologist of 36 years’ experience, said that Ms McDonald’s hearing loss and tinnitus was caused by the incident in question. Indigo Sun argued that his evidence should not be admissible, but this was rejected by the appeal sheriff.

On its final ground of appeal, Indigo Sun said the sheriff had based his assessment of damages on the provision of privately purchased hearing aids for Ms McDonald without showing evidence of a comparison of privately bought hearing aids to those available on the NHS. The company also argued that damages for solatium should be nominal, as Ms McDonald had only suffered from headache and tinnitus for a short time after the incident. The court rejected both arguments and the original decision was upheld.

PHOTOG RAPHY: SHUTTE RSTOCK / GE TTY

Indigo Sun Retail’s appeal against a court finding it liable for damages over a former employee’s hearing loss and tinnitus has been dismissed.

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LEGAL This sponsored content has been provided by Cedrec Information Systems, available at cedrec.com

NEW LEGISLATION, GUIDANCE AND CONSULTATION

WORK AT HEIGHT

Safety alert for MCWPs The GB Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has issued a safety alert on mast climbing work platforms (MCWPs).

MCWPs are commonly used where high-level access is required, particularly for maintenance, and as an alternative to scaffolding.

Some MCWPS have a serious technical fault: mechanical faults in drive units that if undetected could cause platforms to fall from height, causing serious injury or death. Those using MCWPs must check that the platforms comply with the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 to ensure that undetected failures cannot lead to uncontrolled falls.

injuries were down, the number of complaints received increased by 64% from 2019-20, with 1815 complaints relating to alleged unsatisfactory working conditions and work-related activities. cedr.ec/8bj

cedr.ec/8bl

PPE

RPE safety alert The HSE and HSE NI have issued a safety alert for respirators and masks that rely on ear loops and that are being used as respiratory protective equipment (RPE).

New research has shown that RPE relying on ear loops to hold a respirator or mask in place does not provide adequate protection when being used as tightfitting RPE. cedr.ec/8bk

cedr.ec/8bi

C O N STRU CTIO N W EL FA R E

Northern Ireland accident statistics The Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSE NI) has published its 2020-21 annual report.

There were 11 fatalities in the period, the same as the previous year. Reported major injuries fell by 46%, with 158 reported. Over three day injuries were at a five-year low, with 1525 reported.

Although reportable

in order to introduce new requirements. The new measures seek to improve fire safety in buildings by addressing provisions applicable to external wall cladding. They also aim to improve the energy and emission performance of buildings and address the risk of overheating in new residential buildings.

Building amendments for Scotland The Building (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2022 took effect on 1 June, amending the Building (Scotland) Regulations 2004

CH E M ICALS

New EU REACH amendments Regulation (EU) 2022/477 has been published, amending Annexes 6 to 10 of REACH: • Annex 6 provides more clarity on the obligations of registrants regarding the submission of information.

• Annex 7 amends specific rules for adaptation from the standard information on mutagenicity and aquatic toxicity, for reasons of clarity and to ensure that useful information is provided.

• Annex 8 clarifies the obligations of registrants, particularly information requirements on testing for mutagenicity and for reproductive toxicity, and on ecotoxicological information.

• Annex 9 provides specific details on information requirements on testing for mutagenicity, prenatal developmental toxicity and long-term toxicity testing.

• Annex 10 clarifies certain information requirements on mutagenicity, developmental

and reproductive toxicity and ecotoxicological information. cedr.ec/8cu

M IN IN G

Dust levels redefined The Mines (Amendments) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2022 amends the Mines Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2016. These amendments add a new definition for an ‘action level’ in order to remove the reference to respirable crystalline silica dust (RCS).

Provisions are also removed so that the workplace exposure limit for RCS already set out in the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2003 will now apply below ground in coalmines. cedr.ec/8bw

M E N TAL HEALTH

New wellbeing plan The Department of Health and Social Care has opened a public consultation on improving mental health and wellbeing in England. As part of the UK government’s ‘levelling-up’ campaign, it has committed to improving mental health and wellbeing, particularly for those with worse than average outcomes.

It plans to develop a crossgovernment 10-year plan. The consultation closes on 7 July. cedr.ec/8br

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UPDATE

LI F T I N G O P E RATI ONS

£400k fine for Jewson over forklift failings

CON ST RUCT ION S A F ET Y

COMPETENT ADVICE COULD HAVE AVOIDED WALL COLLAPSE THE LESSON A dvice from a competent person would likely have stopped a wall collapsing onto an eight- year- old child, which led to her having her big toe amputated, the G B H ealth and Safety E xecutive ( H SE ) has told IOSH magazine.

Legs crushed Three workers were using a forklift truck to unload 20 steel mesh sheets. As the truck lifted them and pulled back, two workers walked behind the sheets to help free some tangled material. But the forks dropped and the load, which weighed about a tonne, fell on top of them. A worker was trapped underneath the metal sheeting, which crushed his legs and caused multiple fractures, including one foot and ankle that was almost completely shattered. He nearly lost one of his legs and has had five operations since. Still in a wheelchair, he has limited chances of ever working again.

Cutting corners ‘During our investigation it became clear that a forklift should not have been used to unload the mesh sheeting.

The sheets have to be taken off one at a time; it even says that in the risk assessments and method statements Jewson has,’ said Simon Hogben, public protection officer at Thanet District Council, which undertook the accident investigation.

‘They were using the wrong method – a dangerous method – and they’re not allowed to do that for that reason: if you’re carrying a lot of mesh sheets, you’ve got metal on metal and they can slide off. But they had a big order, so they cut corners.’

Advice Read more from Thanet District Council on the lessons to be learned from this case at ioshmagazine.com/jewson-thanet

THE INCIDENT On 7 F ebruary 2 01 8 , the child was walking with her mother next to the wall of a G urmit P roperties L td ( G P L ) construction site in P ontefract, W est Y orkshire when it collapsed ( pictured) .

THE CAUSE G P L had received a large delivery of aggregate to the construction site. H owever, local council officials ordered this to be removed. G P L brought the materials back on- site, and stored them by the wall. T his played a role in the wall’ s collapse.

THE OUTCOME U nder the C onstruction ( D esign and M anagement) R egulations 2 01 5, G P L failed to ensure the wall was safe for use as a secure site boundary or as a retaining wall for storing materials. G P L pleaded guilty at L eeds M agistrates’ C ourt to breaching section 3( 1 ) of the H ealth and Safety at W ork A ct. It was fined £ 2 2 ,500 and ordered to pay £ 1 1 ,9 9 8 in costs.

PHOTOG RAPHY: THANET D IST RICT COUNCIL / HS E

UK-based builders’ merchant Jewson has been convicted of safety failings following an incident in which a tonne of iron mesh sheets (pictured above) fell on two of its workers, leaving one of them with life-changing injuries.

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R I S K ASSESSM ENT

Lack of lifting plan led to fatal crushing of engineer WHO?

WHY?

The death of an engineer who was fatally crushed when a 20-tonne piston fell on him would not have happened had an adequate risk assessment been carried out beforehand, the GB Health and Safety Executive (HSE) inspector who investigated the case told IOSH magazine.

The failings that occurred were twofold. The 20-tonne press section – one-third of the machine – was lifted in an unsafe way using two forklift trucks that were overloaded. Fortunately, during the lift nothing went calamitously wrong, but there was a clear exposure to serious risk. A proper lifting plan should have been undertaken, but it wasn’t.

WHEN?

On 21 May 2018, engineer Colin Willoughby was working on a 1000-tonne Hugh Smith hydraulic press (pictured) for his employer, Graham Engineering Ltd. The company was planning to use the press to potentially fulfil a contract to make MRI scanners, but the machinery needed some remedial work.

Colin was removing some h welding beneath the press, which had been lifted by two forklift trucks, when the piston worked loose and killed him instantly.

A ROUN D T HE G LOBE

PROSECUTIONS

PRODUCERS FINED OVER FATAL FILM SET SHOOTING WHO? T he producers of a film whose cinematographer was accidentally shot dead on set have been fined nearly $ 1 37 ,000 for firearms safety failures.

WHY? H alyna H utchins was killed and director J oel Souz a inj ured during filming last October as actor and producer A lec B aldwin rehearsed with what he believed to be a safe gun.

HOW? R ust M ovie P roductions knew firearm safety procedures were not being followed on set and demonstrated ‘ plain indifference’ to employee safety, the N ew M exico environment department said. T he company said it disagreed with the findings and would appeal.

WHAT?

At Preston Crown Court, Graham Engineering was fined £500,000 and ordered to pay £145,487 costs after being found guilty of breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act. The investigating inspector says this tragic case brings up a key point that health and safety professionals can learn from.

Find out more at ioshmagazine. com/graham-engineering-crush

NEW SAFETY VIDEO ON FATAL FIRE AT PACKAGING PLANT WHAT? T he U S C hemical Safety B oard has released a new safety video about a fatal incident at a paper mill.

WHY? On 2 1 September 2 02 0 at E vergreen P ackaging’ s paper mill in C anton, N orth C arolina, a worker was using a heat gun to warm an epoxy resin inside an upfl ow tower. T he heat gun fell into a bucket of fl ammable resin and a fire erupted, killing two contractors. T he N orth C arolina D epartment of L abor found that E vergreen and the workers’ employer, B lastco, violated numerous safety regulations and protocols and issued fines totalling $ 1 1 2 ,000.

HOW? T he safety video includes an animation of the events leading up to the incident, and identifies four safety issues that led to the incident: hot work safety, pre- j ob planning, confined space safety and combustible materials of vessel construction.

To watch the safety video, go to ioshmagazine.com/evergreen-fire-video

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C OVER STORY STO RY

H IS FOR HEALTH

For anyone concerned with safe and healthy working environments, the initials speak for themselves. But how have definitions of the ‘health’ part of OSH changed, and what does this mean for workplaces and OSH professionals?

WORDS BECKY ALLEN

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OSH NOW

F

or millennia, occupational safety and health has been shaped by the forces that shape work itself. The ancient Greek physician Hippocrates told his followers that to understand their patients’ illnesses, they should look to their environment. And in the 16th century, German humanist scholar and metallurgist Georgius Agricola observed that ore miners suffered shortness of breath and died prematurely.

DR KAREN MICHELL

PHOTOG RAPHY: SH UTT ERSTOCK

H is for history The H in OSH has a long and venerable history, says Dr Karen Michell, IOSH’s research programme lead on occupational health (OH).

‘If you go back to the 1700s, you’ll find writings

by Bernardino Ramazzini – who is considered the father of OH – describing conditions that we’re still seeing today.’

But while concern for OH is nothing new, it has long been the poor cousin of safety, according to Dr Mike Esbester of the University of Portsmouth, a historian of safety and accident prevention in transport and leisure settings as well as in homes and workplaces, and co-author of the IOSH report The changing legitimacy of health and safety at work, 1960-2015 (Almond and Esbester, 2016).

‘There are all sorts of reasons why health has been problematic to approach and address,’ says Mike. ‘In most cases, you can tell very straightforwardly when someone’s had an accident: there’s a physical injury, or worse a fatality. But health is obviously much more long-term; it’s much more difficult to detect.

There may be multiple employers involved, and you may not know where the exposure happened.’

Karen has seen this personally and professionally.

‘When I started out in OH in the 1990s, there was a heavy focus on injury prevention. In the entire time I worked in industry, I don’t think I ever saw an incident investigation for an occupational disease.

They were all accident-related,’ she explains.

‘Compared with physical injuries, occupational ill health is far more insidious. I saw it in my own father, who went from being an active soccer player

DR MIKE ESBESTER

to struggling to walk from his car to his workplace.

He thought he was becoming unfit. Only after he left employment was he diagnosed with asbestosis.’

The same is true between occupational health and occupational hygiene professionals, says Kevin Bampton, chief executive of the British Occupational Hygiene Society (BOHS) – most of whose members work as occupational hygiene scientists in the GB Health and Safety Executive (HSE), safety-critical industries and private-sector consulting. In the 1950s and 1960s, functions were separated into occupational hygiene (preventing exposures that lead to work-related ill health), OH (monitoring and supporting people who suffered ill health in the workplace) and occupational safety (protection from injury in the workplace), before becoming telescoped into ‘health and safety’.

‘The safety focus has been great in saving lives and preventing injury, but it has not had the impact on health,’ says Kevin. ‘For every 100 people who die because of workplace health and safety failures, 99 die from health exposures and only one from accidents. You see a person falling off a ladder, but don’t see them dying from cancer in a hospital.’

H includes mental health The past 25 years have seen mental as well as physical health being seen as a workplace issue.

KEVIN BAMPTON

PROVIDIN G SUPPORT

Managing mental health A survey by IOSH and Management Today found that 62% of line managers don’t get enough help from their organisation to support the mental wellbeing of staff.

More than half (57%) say their organisation offers

no mental health and wellbeing training and/or support for managerial staff.

‘Line managers have a fundamental role to play in the promotion of positive mental health in the workplace,’ the report says. ‘Much more work

needs to be done from the top. Organisations need to take a more proactive approach to building and maintaining a positive, supportive workplace culture – early action can make a vast difference’ (IOSH, 2018a).

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C OVER STO RY Employers are waking up to the importance of mental health and wellbeing in the workplace

Many factors are responsible, including greater understanding of the prevalence and cost to business of mental ill health.

There are 1.5 million people in the UK with a diagnosed long-term mental health condition in work, and some 300,000 people lose their jobs each year due to mental ill health, costing employers £33bn to £42bn a year in sick pay and lost productivity (Stevenson and Farmer, 2017).

Although much has been done to destigmatise mental health in the workplace, the pace of change remains sluggish (see Managing mental health, previous page). ‘As the nature of work has changed, we’ve realised that work has more and more impact on people’s mental health,’ says Karen. ‘We’re moving away from physical labour, especially in high-income countries, and towards jobs that require cognitive skills. That’s bringing many of these mental health issues to the fore.’

Organisations and initiatives – from Business in the Community’s (BITC’s) mental health for employers toolkit and Mind’s dedicated mental health at work website to Mates in Mind, which is altering attitudes to mental health in the construction industry – are all helping create cultures that champion good mental health and support workers who need it.

Last year saw publication of the world’s first international standard on mental health at work: ISO 45003, Occupational health and safety management – psychological health and safety at work.

W is for wellbeing ‘Twenty years ago, an employer would say that mental health in the workplace is an individual issue and not their concern,’ says Aditya Jain of Nottingham University Business School, a member of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) committee on OSH. ‘Times have changed since then, but that doesn’t mean the solutions are simple and the problem has gone away. With a change in mindset and much-awaited tangible tools

‘TWENTY YEARS AGO, EMPLOYERS SAID MENTAL ‘TWENTY YEA YEARS ARS HEALTH IS AN EMPLOYERS AGO, EMPLOYE ERS SAID MENTAL INDIVIDUAL ISSUE’ HEALTH IS AN INDIVIDUAL ISSUE’ such as ISO 45003, there is a lot of hope that real change is on the horizon.’

Change is already under way at Bath and North East Somerset Council, says Tracy Curtis CMIOSH, its health, safety and wellbeing manager. The council recognised the issues of wellbeing early, rolling out a programme of mental health first aiders and health champions. She’s also impressed by what the construction industry has achieved. ‘They’ve been incredible with initiatives like Mates in Mind. I keep a close eye on that because I’m the

proud owner of a son who works in construction.’

Having started out in HR at the council in the 1990s before moving into health and safety, Tracy’s role was redefined four years ago to include wellbeing. ‘I had a new director who restructured health and safety. I often tell her that she must have had a crystal ball, because focusing on wellbeing was absolutely the right thing to do.

I’m still a member of the CIPD [Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development] as well as IOSH and both professions are now

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OSH NOW

talking about wellbeing.’ The rise of wellbeing up the OSH agenda is something IOSH welcomes. Its guidance states that the issue is particularly important in an ageing workforce because good work is good for workers’ health and wellbeing and because employers must work harder to attract, retrain and retain staff (IOSH, 2018b).

Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity, the World Health Organization Constitution states (2020).

Building on this definition, the guidance encourages OSH practitioners to be more effective and proactive in preventing work-related ill health as well as promoting health and good rehabilitation practices.

‘OSH practitioners should already be implementing strategies to address workrelated health and safety risks. Wellbeing offers an opportunity for a different approach to getting health and safety on the business agenda,’ the guidance says.

P HOTOGRAPHY: ISTOCK / S HUTTERSTOCK

C is for COVID Since 2020, all these changes have been dwarfed by the effects of COVID-19, which upended notions of work and workplaces and challenged everyone to think and do things differently. Throughout the pandemic, the OSH community has been on the frontline, learning how best to respond to an existential threat, supporting businesses as well as an increasingly remote workforce.

Infectious diseases have but also of cooperation and risen up the OSH agenda. leadership. All agree that In December 2021, the COVID was – and remains HSE said that during – a massive challenge, but 2020-21, 93,000 people also a rare opportunity. The reported they believed they virus has significantly affected may have caught COVID people’s mental health. from exposure to the virus OSH professionals have TRACY CURTIS at work (HSE, 2021). The been stretched and stressed, HSE introduced two new but they will be central to measures to understand the the recovery of workers pandemic’s contribution and businesses. to work-related ill health ‘There will be a tsunami to estimate COVID-19 of mental health issues that infections from exposure derive from the pandemic,’ says to the virus at work as Kevin. ‘Mass, extreme loss, reported by workers and without the scope for grieving; other work-related illness disruptions in the labour MICHAEL BYRNE caused or made worse by market; children’s mental the pandemic. health anguish – all these The pandemic showed things amount to a crisis that that British employers we will either manage together could implement dramatic or it will overwhelm us. Mental and effective control illness is the second pandemic. of even the trickiest of I hope companies, as they pick diseases, says Kevin. themselves up, look to ISO ‘January 2021 – when all 45003 to address what will be ADITYA JAIN social opportunities for the major HR issue of the next transmitting the disease had few years.’ been curtailed – was a unique experiment But the pandemic has brought benefits in what businesses and employers could that the OSH profession needs to reflect on do to prevent disease. If employers were and learn from. Michael Byrne is regional not effective in controlling COVID-19, manager for the Building Safety Group cases would continue to spiral. Instead, (BSG), a major UK construction safety they plummeted.’ group for health, safety and environmental And OSH professionals are providing advice. A BSG member company provided vital support and advice on long COVID. safety advice to construction firms building The CIPD’s latest survey on health, the Nightingale hospitals, causing a seawellbeing and absence in UK workplaces change in the way leaders, boardrooms and found that long COVID is now a major workers respond to OSH. cause of long-term absence and 46% of ‘The pandemic changed working life, organisations have employees who have family life, social life – perhaps forever,’ he – or have had – long COVID (CIPD, 2022). says. ‘People became aware of their own The OSH professionals we spoke to all mortality. Suddenly it wasn’t just their have COVID stories – of fear and burnout, own health and safety at stake – they could

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C OVER STO RY

spread a virus that could also kill family and colleagues. People really started to listen.’

As boardrooms sought their advice, OSH professionals gained a seat at the top table, says Tracy. ‘Bizarrely, COVID has done us a huge favour; it’s absolutely raised the profile of health, safety and wellbeing. It feels different now. When we’re invited to meetings, it’s because [senior leaders know that] our opinion matters.’

The pandemic has also broken down barriers between OSH, HR, line managers and other professionals says Nick Pahl, chief executive of the Society of Occupational Medicine. ‘We are working well with CIPD, IOSH, ACAS, BITC and Mind, and with occupational therapists, psychologists and OH technicians.’

Interprofessional and multiprofessional working is key to solving problems. Kevin hopes another positive impact of the pandemic is that business becomes more broad-minded and outward-looking in its problem-solving. ‘Often we want to go to one place as an employer to get all the expertise that we need,’ he says. ‘We need to work closely as expert groups, both in the evolution of practice and ultimately in the delivery of solutions in the marketplace.’

The pandemic has taught us to expect the unexpected and that revolutionary change is not a thing of the past. What’s next for

the H in OSH will be more chancellor of the University of the same, as well as the of Westminster and chair increasing importance of of the IOSH Board of data, technology and artificial Trustees, OSH will be key to intelligence, Nick believes: achieving this. ‘Sustainable ‘From AI to hybrid working, development has started to the workplace is changing, come through. The SDGs and that’s a challenge.’ embrace a host of issues NICK PAHL Access to OH services to do with social justice, remains a key issue, says from equality and inclusion Karen. ‘Eighty per cent of the to poverty and education. population don’t have access Around one-third of the UN to OH services, so we’re targets, from safety at work going to have to find creative and good working practices ways of delivering them.’ to health and wellbeing, And health economics will relate to OSH.’ rise up the agenda, Kevin PETER BONFIELD P is for pride says. ‘Healthy workplaces If it all seems a little are the cornerstone of our overwhelming, there are three key national health. I hope the economics of messages to take heart from. First, health protection – incentives to prevent, keep collaborating. ‘People have rather than taxes to treat illnesses – will often been protective of their domains come to the fore. It is the only sustainable and expertise. But if OSH professionals way to keep our country healthy.’ don’t collaborate, we are not going to get OSH will increasingly embrace the holistic health management we need,’ sustainable development – in the shape of says Karen. Second, maintain – and build human capital as well as the Sustainable on – the current interest in, visibility Development Goals (SDGs) adopted by the of and reliance on OSH, says Nick.

UN in 2015 as a call to end poverty, protect ‘OSH professionals helped us through the planet, and ensure that by 2030 all the pandemic. They’ve helped provide people enjoy peace and prosperity. organisations with answers about how According to Dr Peter Bonfield, viceto manage new risks. They still need to be that relevant voice for leadership – and potentially be leaders themselves.’

Third – and maybe most importantly – take time to reflect on all OSH has achieved, says Kevin. ‘Be proud of your T H E LO N G VI EW profession, but learn about and value other professional expertise that can make it more impactful. Read, learn and inwardly digest ISO 45003. Reward yourself for the amazing contribution you The CIPD’s 2021 Health and wellbeing at work survey showed that COVID had make to giving others quality of life – and accelerated many organisations’ activity on employee wellbeing. However, there are when they are giving you a hard time, signs this focus has waned slightly among senior leaders in 2022’s report. Although just remember that you are giving them 70% of HR respondents agree that employee wellbeing is on management agendas, a future, even if they can’t see it.’ this is down from 75% last year. Working when ill (presenteeism) remains prevalent

Eye off the ball?

– and is even higher for those working from home (81% against 65% among those in a workplace). In response, 52% of HR respondents are taking steps to address this trend and investigate potential causes (CIPD, 2022).

To view the article’s references, go to ioshmagazine.com/OSH-now

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Managing Sustainably

Invest in them and they’ll invest in you A positive and sustainable culture puts people at its heart and ensures that health, happiness and wellbeing are the drivers for positive business success.

This brand new course is suitable for all managers who want to understand why social capital is the focus for so many of today’s most successful businesses and how they can tap into it to transform their organisation.

Discover: • the meaning of sustainability and human capital • the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs) • the impact organisational culture has on your business • the core OSH principles • the importance of tracking performance to social sustainability.

To find out more about this course or to book your place visit iosh.com/managingsustainably

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20/06/2022 10:59

IOSH Approved Coaching for safety Be the best you can be Live by Zoom Wednesday 19th and Thursday 20th October 2022

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17/06/2022 12:03

Collaborate SUPPORTING A SHARED VISION OF A SAFE AND HEALTHY WORLD OF WORK

IN THIS S E CT I O N

We explore how OSH professionals can move beyond the ‘enforcer’ tradition of risk management towards new, people-centred models that can create more buy-in P32 | Hot topics: your thoughts and opinions on key issues of the day P36 | Wider view: a look at value-added content for IOSH members in the form of webinars, podcasts, videos and much more P41

RISK MAN AGEMEN T

FIRST PERSON

PHOTOGRAPHY: G ETTY

P32

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C O LLA B O RATE 15 MINS

POWER TO THE PEOPLE Geoff Trickey on how OSH professionals can break with an ‘enforcer’ tradition to make new people-centred models of risk management a success.

I

n 2014, Erik Hollnagel published Safety-I and Safety-II; Sidney Dekker’s second edition of Safety Differently followed in 2015. The progressive ideas in these books have contributed greatly to the debate on ‘positive risk management’ and found attentive audiences in OSH journals and at conferences. The narrative around risk management is increasingly being infiltrated by a new terminology: ‘people-centric’, ‘inclusive’, ‘plus one’, ‘beyond compliance’, ‘culture of mutual trust’, ‘person-centred thinking’ and ‘risk-aware decision-making’. Reflecting this, accountancy firm EY has said: ‘It is necessary to step forward to a new, more relevant, effective way of managing safety.’

All this adds up to a well-researched and well-articulated package, and one that has considerable appeal to risk practitioners.

So, while there are many very positive initiatives to promote good safety practices, why is it taking so long to turn the tide on one-size-fits-all approaches? Those approaches see people as the problem rather than as a potential solution; they quantify safety solely in terms of failures rather than focusing on positives and possibilities; they attempt to script tasks in fine detail rather than encouraging workspace expertise and judgement; and see operatives as accountable to bureaucratic processes rather than encouraging personal responsibility.

Apprehensive of change The first answer lies in an industry heritage that has often been rigidly prescriptive.

Whatever the intention, where an ‘enforcer’ style of practice has developed, rigid task specifications have been viewed as a means of shifting responsibility from management onto those in the frontline. These traditional approaches will inevitably have firm advocates – not least because not everyone embraces change, and some firmly resist it. Whether or not they are on

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RISK MANAGEMENT

side with the new ‘positive safety’ vision, they will naturally be apprehensive about any transition into the unfamiliar.

‘The overwhelming tendency is still to view risk as something objective that can be calculated and precisely mitigated. Yet, if the resulting efforts ignore the human factors involved, they will accomplish nothing’ Michael Mazarr, senior political scientist, RAND Corporation (Mazarr, 2016).

The human factor

PHOTOG RAPHY: GE TTY

The second explanation is that understanding safety incidents, events and procedures is very different from understanding people as individuals.

People face very different personal challenges in terms of their risk awareness and vigilance. Professional training and employee safety induction has adopted an approach that relies on regulations, safety principles, protocols, procedures, company policy and detailed task specifications – with little consideration of the complexities of human nature embraced by the positive safety vision.

Traditional strategies may not have achieved the holy grail of zero incidents, but they have achieved some notable successes. To the more traditionally minded risk professionals, positive risk management may seem an obscure long-shot and the proposed emphasis on considering individuality and its implications may be troubling to some.

‘It calls for a kind of thinking that is quicker to trust people and mistrust bureaucracy. We need to trade our vocabularies of control, constraint, and human deficit for new vocabularies of empowerment, diversity, and human opportunity’ (Dekker, 2015).

A new way of thinking Third, any significant cultural development

requires deep change. Entire professions are not likely to be easily influenced by persuasion, or by proposing a new set of values. To achieve a change of direction of the magnitude suggested by positive safety, practitioners themselves must be enabled to believe in a new approach and to see the same safety objectives differently.

It requires an ‘X factor’ that influences the way a person thinks about themselves and their role – in short, a change in their sense of professional identity. For example, the professional identity of HR, and its ascent into boardroom influence, was achieved in part by the wholesale adoption of psychometric personality profiling techniques during the 1970s.

‘Operational innovation is truly deep change, affecting the very essence of a company: how its work is done. It has been central to some of the greatest success stories in recent business history’ (Hammer, 2004).

Arguably, we have overinvested in speculating about risk and what to do about it, and underinvested in the people required to implement those conclusions.

Regardless of the current methods of risk identification, probabilistic quantification of risk and the detail of task specification, many people – perhaps even most people – will still see things differently. That is a challenge for any approach that seeks an ideal of blind obedience. Most people will want to follow the rules and will be disappointed with themselves if they let others down or lose their job. But people are complex, different and variable; things can go wrong in so many ways. A person’s urgency, vigilance, distractibility, forgetfulness, boredom, enthusiasm, disorganisation, prioritisation, or concentration levels will – from time to time, or just on the day that it mattered most – just not cut it.

POSIT IV E R I S K

How the Risk Type Compass tool resolves resistance

1

As an addition to induction programmes, using risk types signals a company’s interest in, and focus on, people and their unique qualities.

It provides a safe and interesting introduction to the mechanics of risk behaviour.

2

It promotes personal self-awareness and requires individuals to identify their strengths and limitations in relation to the specific situations and tasks they will be dealing with – promoting a personal acquaintance with human risk factors.

3

It is the basis for a deep change in perspective and the capacity to see the same world through a more people-centric lens. Positive risk management puts everyone on the same side, addressing a common goal.

Relationships are mutually supportive, with openness and trust providing the necessary context.

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C O LLA B O RATE

Figure 1

Diversity at every level has been nature’s number-one strategy for the propagation of life. No two living things, of any kind, are exactly alike. Humanity is the ultimate in diversification. And this is especially true regarding the dispositions that define an individual’s relationship with risk and decision-making.

Risk is subjective. People perceive it differently and react to it differently.

This influences behaviour in the social, recreational and financial domains as well as in the OSH domain. Crossing roads, spending money, planning holidays, being on time, remembering anniversaries, avoiding speed awareness courses or following fitness regimes – some people do, and some don’t. All that diversity suits nature’s cause very well. If we all reacted to all events in the same way, our species would be very vulnerable. But there is little danger of that.

People cannot be herded. The policy of even-handedly scaring people into compliance during the pandemic wrought devastation among the already petrified and simply alienated those with an equally rational but different point of view. The former may never recover.

Humanity’s wide range of dispositions towards risk and uncertainty have combined to ensure our evolutionary success. The recent ability to differentiate these differences in risk disposition has been a potential game changer – not to the requirement for safe behaviour, but in the way those objectives might be achieved.

People with different ‘risk types’ face different compliance challenges, and these must be recognised and addressed.

‘We cannot command Nature except by obeying her’ Francis Bacon (1561-1626).

Against blind obedience The important cornerstone in building a people-centric OSH culture is to recognise and address head on the individual differences that, within a one-size-fitsall approach, are regarded as a threat to blind obedience – differences are considered as something to be disciplined and suppressed. Suppression of human nature is inherently fragile and the wrong approach. Rather, attention must be paid nality to the identification of personality traits that facilitate success alongside those that don’t.

Everybody has some of each..

This diversity is a defining ure characteristic of human nature – and of life.

The relationship between risk and decision-making is self-evident: risks call for decisions to be made, and decisionmaking involves risk. Neuroscience tells us that two independent systems – emotion and cognition – are involved in decision-making, and these highly reliable scales became the basis of the Risk Type Compass (RTC): see Figures 1 above This psychometric tool was and 2 above. originally designed to allow financial advisers to meet a regulatory requirement to as assess the risk ‘comfort zone’ of prospective clients, but ap applications quickly extended into the coaching of traders,

Figure 2

development of investment advisory boards, work with hedge funds and team and board development programmes.

As a personal development tool, the focus on decision-making gets to the heart of organisational success and failure.

Whether with boards, risk managers or on the frontline, the prospects are exciting.

All are in the same boat and subject to the same formative influences of human nature. Everyone has something to learn.

These commonalities are indifferent to profession or status. In the context of an organisational change programme, this is a shared experience – a journey that unites boards, executives, managers and operatives in a common purpose. The RTC also provides a framework, a taxonomy and a vocabulary that contributes to a resolution of the three resistance points (see panel, page 33).

Maybe this is the time for the OSH profession to grasp the opportunity? Risk management is everyone’s responsibility.

Geoff Trickey is CEO and chartered psychologist at Psychological Consultancy Ltd, and creator of the Risk Type Compass psychometric tool.

For references to this article, go to ioshmagazine.com/people-risk

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C O LLA B O RATE 10 MINS

H T TOPICS

they have an adequate set-up in the

What do you think of the topics covered in IOSH magazine? Here’s a collection of member views, taken from ioshmagazine.com over the last few months.

extent that they are needed, persons

first place?

Rob Andrews ioshmagazine.com/accident-liability

Re: IOSH urges caution over MPs’ call to remove asbestos from all nondomestic buildings CF: Technical – Risk management Until those in charge of premises undertake management surveys to the using structures and maintaining them will continue to be exposed.

Trades going into them, particularly the self-employed, still haven’t got a clue about the risks or choose to ignore them to earn the money, and some property owners seem content

Where would the employer stand on musculoskeletal injuries?

I OSH ’S COMPETENCY FRAMEWORK iosh.com/my-iosh/ competency-framework

Or does this make DSE assessments a pure farce?

To me, this case in Germany has more questions than answers (whether I agree with the outcome or not) and if we are

to let them.

Furthermore, it is just as alarming to know that many demolition surveys do not go as far as they need to with regard to identifying asbestos prior to any works taking place.

How many occasions do we have

asking or expecting employees to work

to read ‘area was not surveyed as

from home, surely we have to know that

the client did not provide access or the area was too difficult to reach’.

Re: How liable are employers for homeworker accidents?

CF: Technical – Health and safety law

And yet the very same areas will require asbestos to be removed.

Absolute farce.

Where do the government think

This is an interesting article; however,

all this removed asbestos is going

wouldn’t it be reasonably practicable to

to go? Landfill, the very places

expect some form of rules or procedure to

we don’t want? And who do you

be put into place by an employer for the

think will remove all this asbestos?

employees working from home?

Cowboy contractors are bound to

It is an expectation that DSE [display

spring up and we can look forward

screen equipment] assessment is carried

to seeing another spike in deaths in

out in the employer’s office/premises,

25 years’ time. This really needs to be

but from what this article is saying, an

thought through.

employer would have no control over

Dazzler

the employee’s premises, therefore working at the kitchen table or sofa

ioshmagazine.com/

would be okay?

asbestos-non-domestic

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REFLECTIONS

R e: P otato fac tory fined £ 3 0 0 , 0 0 0 following a c atalogue of errors CF: Technical – Health and safety law & culture

R e: S ed entary work p ost- C O V I D CF: Technical – Health and safety law & culture When in the office people

This is a fantastically detailed

typically move greater

article. I hope we get more

distances to make a cup of

like this!

tea/coffee, use the toilet or

Darren Glendinning

go to a colleague's desk. I advocate doing a stint at your

Digital ed: Glad to hear

DSE then hang the washing

you found it useful – where

out, another stint then

possible we will speak to the

hoover, etc. Finding what

investigating inspector to try to

will motivate an individual to

give members as much detail

move more is the real trick.

and insight as we can.

James Wright

ioshmagaz ine. com/

We encourage colleagues

factory- fined

to stand during calls from home. Some have sit/stand desk modifications, others use an ironing board to get the camera, etc, at the right height. This gets them moving, and helps some meetings become a little less formal.

Ian Turvey

LET US KN OW Do you have an observation or comment on an article you’ve read in the magazine or online? Or perhaps you’ve had to deal with an incident at work? Contact the editorial team with your thoughts and you might see your reflections on these pages. Email us at editorial @ ioshmagaz ine. com

ioshmagaz ine. com/ sedentary- work

R e: K nowled ge is p ower, but also a p riv ilege CF: Behavioural – Communication (Communicating effectively) As I have said many times before to many people who believe knowledge is power and do not share knowledge… my own take on this is that knowledge is powerful when shared; if knowledge is not shared then PHOTOG RAPHY: ISTOCK

it becomes worthless.

Timothy Briggs ioshmagaz ine. com/ k nowl edge- priv il ege

IOSH MAGAZINE

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A DVERT I S E M E N T F E ATU R E

How strategic EHSQ is transforming ESG solutions Helen Jones, chief operating officer, enterprise, at Alcumus, explains the reasons for taking an integrated approach to EHSQ.

put employee wellbeing at the heart of their practices are more successful, more profitable, see less attrition, higher engagement scores and are more productive. It’ s also about reputation. T hat’ s why E H SQ

matters.

F orward- thinking organisations recognise this principle and how their actions link to social responsibility and the negative conseq uences they face if they don’ t.

Why do EHSQ platforms have a leading role to play in environmental, social and governance (ESG)?

T here’ s a clear common ground and overlap between the two areas. E H SQ

is

an established field based on data visibility and driving change and improvements to infl uence stakeholders and get things done.

J ust as we’ ve seen the significant shift in how businesses approach and manage health and safety in the last 30 years, there’ s

What is strategic EHSQ [environment, health, safety and quality] and why does it matter?

T he way organisations manage operations to take care of people, customers, communities and the environment has become as important as products and services themselves. B eyond traditional risk mitigation and compliance, there is now an increasingly strong focus on E H SQ

to benefit not only the organisation,

but employees and the wider public.

A n effective E H SQ

strategy allows senior

management and teams across the business to see and understand the fundamental link between E H SQ

performance and business

performance. W hether it’ s to reduce emissions, embed ethical behaviours or safeguard workers’ wellbeing, excellent companies that generate the best outcomes for stakeholders operate on more than financial values.

B usinesses need to prove they’ re managing operations without compromising safety, sustainability or ethics. A nd it’ s clear people are voting with buying habits – which brands they choose – and for stakeholders, which companies they work with. C ompanies that

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SOFTWARE

now an important leading role for E H SQ

AUT HOR BIO:

professionals to play to do the same in the E SG space. A successful E SG programme will

organisations and understanding E H SQ across the supply chain. T hat’ s where, as an

Helen Jones

extension of their business, there is a greater

Hel en j oined A l cumus in J ul y

the rise and prominence of E SG , which will

2 0 1 8 as managing director

become more important as time progresses.

the V erdantix G lobal C orporate Survey 2 02 1

of certification. I n 2 0 1 9 she

F or example, from a carbon perspective we

to demonstrate this. A lmost all respondents

was appointed as managing

know 8 0%

( 9 7 % ) believe E H SQ

director certification and

be in their supply chain and it’ s the same with

need the same critical elements to drive change and infl uence internal alignment and visibility of data. W ith the expertise of E H SQ platforms and professionals, it’ s about doing it again for E SG .

It’ s interesting to draw on the results of

will be driving E SG in

the next two years. 9 6 %

said they would also

level of risk.

E H SQ

professionals are thinking much more

widely and more holistically, which is a trend that’ s going to continue. P artner that with

of an organisation’ s carbon will

software div isions. I n her

accidents and incidents. So, we’ re going to

provide additional data for E SG . T his area

current rol e of chief operating

see more issues and challenges within the

is a high priority for organisations as 8 7 %

officer, she is responsibl e

supply chain, not j ust tier one, but how the

said they would increase their funding, and

for managing sol utions that

risks increase through tier two, three and four

this will trickle through the E H SQ

best meet the needs of l arge

suppliers. T here will also be more connected

organisational cl ients.

datasets driving insights – for example,

function

( A lcumus, 2 02 2 ) .

A s a chartered civ il

As the EHSQ technology sector continues to grow at pace, how would you encourage more women to consider a career in STEM?

how purchasing decisions are made and

engineer, she has ov er 1 5

collaboration across departments. T his could

years’ ex perience in a v ariety

be health and safety working with purchasing

of senior l eadership rol es

for things like P P E , using data insights that

across the construction and

can identify trends such as falls from heights

serv ices sectors.

and the need to opt for alternative P P E

M ore and more organisations are looking to

depending on location, sector or even role

remove barriers to entry and embrace talent

type. Organisations are increasingly wanting

pools, but businesses have a responsibility

to connect those datasets in a different way.

to make roles more accessible. T hat starts

A I and predictive analytics can also then play a

during the recruitment process, so it’ s clear

to whistleblowing using targeted access and

to women that roles are inclusive and they

Q R codes. H aving ‘ data on the go’ means

can grow through their careers. M ore role

clients have all the facts on hand when they’ re

models talking about accessing education

on site and can ask targeted q uestions to

and opportunities will also help to make sure

drive outcomes and change. A recent client

women are not switched off from applying for

example is T esco, which wanted to streamline

roles, particularly if they’ re based on certain

its risk management processes across E H SQ .

req uirements. T here’ s also a need to positively

Our digital technology platform brings

encourage candidates and educate them that

together operational and risk management

roles are not j ust about tech or inputting data.

information, processes and workfl ows,

It’ s about problem solving, relationships and

allowing the multinational to take an

how those bring about outcomes – that is

increasingly proactive approach to analysing

what drives ST E M - based roles and should be

risk trends globally. Our software will also help

promoted in schools.

strengthen T esco’ s operational efficiency and

role once those connections have been made.

About Alcumus

the accuracy of data collection across all its

Alcumus is the UK marketleading provider of technologyled compliance and risk management solutions, our purpose is to help organisations be safer, healthier, and stronger.

How has EHSQ tech helped transform Alcumus’ customers?

departments worldwide.

alcumus.com

E H SQ

to improve accessibility so clients with workers

What changes can we expect to see in the next three to five years?

on the frontline can use technology to

W e’ ll see a greater focus on suppliers

engage with them, from health and safety

as businesses look beyond their own

technology has transformed how

C - suites run their businesses. It’ s also helping

IOSH MAGAZINE 39

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Your voice matters

needs you!

We’re looking for story ideas and member voices to feature in future issues of this magazine.

We particularly want to hear from members about their careers and how their experiences can shine a light on the subject for other OSH professionals.

Get in touch if you’d like to be interviewed.

You can also tell us about colleagues doing great work, and share insight, projects and events that we should know about. Email the editor, Emma Godfrey, at emma.godfrey@ioshmagazine.com

Story ideas Do you want to share wisdom from your practice? We are always open to original pieces of writing. Send a summary to emma.godfrey@ioshmagazine.com explaining what you’d like to write and why it would benefit IOSH members, and our team will help you shape your article. Or do you have an idea for a topic we should cover? Let us know what you’d love to read.

Advert

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OPINION

The wider view J O BS

What to expect when you’re back in the office Did you know IOSH Jobs is a dedicated recruitment hub for health and safety roles? We’ve just started a new series of articles, and the first looks at what to expect when you go back to the office, if you haven’t already returned. Some workers feel nervous about going back – read our tips to make your transition as frictionless as possible. ioshjobs.com/article/what-to-expect-when-you-re-back-in-the-office

CA S E ST U D I E S IOSH magazine is always keen to share successful stories, initiatives or programmes with our members. Our latest digital case studies come from Fujitsu and G4S. The Japanese digital giant Fujitsu tells us how the COVID-19 pandemic forced it to adapt its operating model overnight – it now invites its homeworkers to spend an hour a week on a non-work activity to support their safety, health and wellbeing.

Read the case study at ioshmagazine.com/the-fujitsu-way Meanwhile, G4S, the London-based global security company, has been working with the UK operations of a major European car manufacturer to protect workers from the risks posed by the lithium batteries that power electric cars. ioshmagazine.com/g4s-lithium

BO O K C LU B Our book club has really y taken off recently. For a lesson in safeguarding, be sure to read How to unchain your brain: in a hyper-connected multi-tasking world by Theo Compernolle. Or if you’re looking for a book on how to handle conversations sensitively, check out Kathryn Mannix’s book Listen: how to find words for tender conversations. Our team has also reviewed a book looking at the way people think and act in the context of OSH. Ian Long’s Essentials of safety: Maintaining the balance is a must-read.

WEBIN ARS Listen to the latest topical OSH debates OSH industry experts come together to discuss the topics of the day in our webinars, and you’re invited to register live or listen on demand to the hour-long events. We’ve run three webinars in recent months, and have lots more planned the rest of the year. Check out ioshmagazine.com/webinars to ensure you don’t miss out on this member benefit.

• Building a winning safety culture: Greener Ealing’s story, sponsored by Alcumus • Silica exposure: protecting your workers from construction dust, in collaboration with 3M • Rethinking workforce OSH training and learning, in partnership with EcoOnline

PODCAST Episode 13 with Professor Dame Carol Black is now live In this exclusive interview, IOSH magazine’s former editor Nick Warburton sits down with Professor Dame Carol Black to talk about the value of occupational health services and the issues that will require our attention as we return to the new normal. ioshmagazine.com/podcast/carol-black

OPIN ION An irreverent g view of handling ents face-to-face events OSH vice-president Angela ngela Abbs CMIOSH takes a tongued tto go in-cheek look at the skills you need back to meeting up in the real world. ioshmagazine.com/opinion/in-person-meetings

ISSUE ARCHIVE Don’t forget you can read this issue and previous editions at ioshmagazine.com/issues

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Influence EMPOWERING HEALTH AND SAFETY PROFESSIONALS AROUND THE WORLD

IN THIS S E CT I O N

Environment, health and safety (EHS) software has been revolutionised since the first limited systems appeared in the 1990s.

Innovations are continuing to improve compliance and deliver performance improvements, with benefits to employers and employees; however, EHS professionals will continue to have a critical role overseeing safety in the workplace P44

EHS SOFT WARE

Upwardly mobile

ILLUSTRATION: IKON IMAGES

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I NFLU ENC E 25 MINS

A PROGRAM FOR CHANGE Environment, health and safety (EHS) software is unrecognisable from the limited systems launched in the 1990s. New innovations will further enhance compliance and performance improvements, but EHS professionals will maintain a critical role overseeing safety.

WORDS NICK WARBURTON

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W

hen Brian Welch CMIOSH, founder of On Safe Lines QHSE Software, began his career in OSH in the 1990s, there were very few environment, health and safety (EHS) software systems that could collect, manipulate, process and retrieve data efficiently. ‘It was still a paper-based approach, and the software systems available were expensive,’ he recalls.

They also took up time and were cumbersome to operate, as Bridget Leathley CFIOSH notes. Back in the mid-1990s, Bridget – who is now a health and safety consultant, writer and trainer at The Safer Choice – reviewed software sent to her on floppy disk for Health and Safety at Work magazine, starting with Croner’s electronic Health and Safety at Work for Windows.

Looking back, Bridget remembers the painstaking process of loading the disks and the amount of memory needed on her PC to run them. ‘When these systems started, they were all on a desktop computer and there was no ability to do anything mobile,’ she says.

ILLUSTRATION: IKON IMAG ES

Driving diversification EHS software has changed beyond recognition since then, and Bridget credits customers for driving the industry’s growth and diversification.

Technological advances have driven customer demand further.

‘Nobody is going to buy a system now that they can’t access on their phone, using wi-fi,’ she says. ‘Quite often, people want to be able to do it when there isn’t wi-fi, so they can download the data on their phone and use it.

More distributed working means you need a cloud-based system.’

Another step forward is the focus on data capture and analysis, whereas at

the outset it was more about recordkeeping, says Billy O’Brien, director of customer success at software provider EcoOnline Global.

‘Information should be readily available,’ he says.

‘The software will develop risk assessments and do audits, checklists and incident reporting. It’s capturing all that fundamental information, but powerfully.’

Trevor Bronson, strategic development manager at Torontobased software provider Intelex Technologies, says EHS software has evolved into a tool that primarily provides customers with compliance and performance. The four most common uses, he adds, are incident management, document control, training management, and audits and inspections.

Many companies use client case studies to show how EHS software has enhanced performance across a range of metrics, such as carbon emissions and waste reduction, near misses and injury tracking, employee health monitoring, or sustainability and governance reporting. A big win is how EHS software has helped companies structure programmes around international standard requirements such as ISO 45001 and ISO 14001.

The ‘E’ in EHS The environmental factor in EHS has grown in significance, as Amanda Smith, vice-president of solutions marketing at Toronto-based software provider Cority, explains.

‘A big part of the environmental component is tracking compliance, collecting information and timely reporting,’ she says. ‘Increasingly, organisations are working to improve performance and reduce

CASE ST UDY

Joy Dean Training and resource manager, Energi Cable Services When did you start using new E HS software?

Not long after I joined the company in 2020. We have started using the training software in the last six months.

Why did you introduce the new software?

It is vital that we monitor all of our operatives’ training and certification for health and safety reasons. We also use it for productivity because without required certification in place our operatives are not allowed to enter many of the client sites.

What are you using it for?

To record and book all required certification, to monitor when refreshers are due, and ensure that we have the courses booked in plenty of time.

What benefits has it created for the business?

It has streamlined the training process and has improved the tracking of expiring certificates. It ensures that all our operatives have everything in place that they need to work for our clients on their sites and offshore.

What impact has it had on OSH? It has improved the keeping of records.

What impact has it had on the wider business?

The software has improved the whole training process. It has sped up the recording of training. It has created more productivity, as utilising online training rather than having to send operatives away for courses saves us losing them from the workforce for several days at a time.

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CA S E ST U DY

Nathanael Challacombe CMIOSH Group health, safety, quality and environment (HSQE) manager at Barnwood Limited, and vice-chair of the IOSH Construction Group and IOSH Bristol and West Branch Chair When did you start using new E HS software? Why did you introduce it?

W e have been with our latest supplier since J anuary 2 02 0. W e are digitising our processes to add additional controls to the business and to drive efficiency.

E nsuring we have consistent processes across all our divisions and sites with q uality and safety controls will help keep proj ect costs down. Improving visibility for teams running proj ects will give better oversights.

What are you using it for?

P rimarily site- based tasks: digital site inductions, site support tours and audits, and inspections. A lso, making paper- based processes digital.

What benefits has it created?

W e were already using digital site inductions before the pandemic, but C OV ID - 1 9 pushed us to roll it out across our business. Our site teams have welcomed it as it saves time, makes information q uickly available, and helps communication between site teams.

Our contractors like the system as it gives more information about the site.

D igitising inspections, forms and processes means data is live instantly.

T he right people can be notified straight away, and actions can be delivered q uickly and efficiently.

What impact has it had on OSH? F or my H SQ E team, knowing that a consistent safety message is being communicated to our teams is important, and digitisation ensures clear visibility that safety standards are being met. It’ s easy to check, and this can be done remotely if needed. A s a bonus, our ISO auditors love our digital systems because it shows compliance.

A paper- based system often results in spending time finding and checking things that have already taken place.

D igitisation frees up time by having data q uickly available on dashboards – we now have time to support site teams on the ground by being proactive, looking at planning future tasks and problem- solving.

Integrated management systems make it far easier for users to manage, track and report EHS data across a project.

‘Let’s say you are creating a method statement that says: “We’ve done this risk assessment and for this task, this person has to do this job in this way,”’ explains Bridget. ‘An integrated system can flag the person’s name, their training record and, if qualified, put their name on the permit. Unless you have that integration, it’s just words in the database rather than information.’

The holy grail of safety

waste and emissions, and in doing so cut business costs and reduce their environmental footprint.’

One way software can help is by supporting the response to unplanned events when they happen, including reports to the relevant authorities and advising employees on the next steps.

‘If there is a spill, employees need information about the material that’s been spilled, how they should manage

and report on it, and what protective equipment they need to handle it,’ Amanda says.

‘Previously, only a few people on-site or an expert would interact with the environmental management system, but now we are seeing that expand in two ways: digital integration with other systems, and mobile front-line access.

Together these create higher-quality data that employees can use in the field.’

Although providers highlight the benefits of EHS software, isolating a program’s contribution to safety improvements from other factors – notably the human element – is problematic.

‘It is hard to measure a negative because customers don’t want to tell you: “We had six fatal accidents last year, and four this year thanks to the software,”’ says Trevor.

‘What people are comfortable talking about is engagement. Every safety manager will tell you engagement in a safety programme is the holy grail. If everyone is engaged, things will get better – and that

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CASE ST UDY

is one of the big value propositions of EHS software.’

David Orton CMIOSH, EHS regional manager at Pepsico, spent around 20 years working for a company where he implemented three different versions of the same software before briefly working for the software provider as a product manager.

He says that, with the right input, programs and basic software, there are no limits to the services EHS software can provide. However, David warns that if the correct information isn’t being gathered, then ‘it’s very hard for the software to deliver the needs of users’.

‘If the system is unusable, people will find ways around it – and the biggest “watch out” for what systems shouldn’t force users to do is to create back-up systems to make those systems usable,’ he argues.

This raises an important question: will the use of EHS software need to be tempered to avoid a kind of ‘computer says no’ frustration?

Aisling Miller, head of product for training and learning at EcoOnline Global, says flexibility is critical.

‘Software should be designed to cope with many combinations,’ she says.

‘Not all work is suitable to be done on a smartphone or be exclusively desktop-based. Software providers need to really understand their users and the environment they work in.’

Artificial intelligence (AI) is one of the most talked-about innovations and opens up new possibilities for enhancing EHS compliance and performance.

Reflecting on his background, Trevor remembers spending about 100 hours deconstructing an air permit, extracting raw data and putting it into a spreadsheet. A major benefit of AI, he notes, is that it will free up EHS professionals to be more strategic.

‘It’s all about analysing and finding prescriptive outputs, and making it quicker and easier for EHS professionals or teams to do their job and spend more time thinking about the strategy behind improving their safety performance,’ he argues.

‘The risk is that people will rely on AI too much too soon, because while the technology is very promising, we are asking it to do a lot of technical contextualisation and manipulation.’

Only human David also warns that if the software goes too far in self-populating forms and these aren’t checked by anybody, then you are going to ‘start reporting incorrect information’.

Most of the experts interviewed agreed that AI could make low-impact and low-risk decisions – for example, assigning employees to undertake audits – but were sceptical it would be applied to safety-critical decisions.

But what if EHS data management and interpretation AI start making automated decisions? Could this reduce the need for OSH professionals?

Aisling doesn’t see this happening.

‘AI should be seen to help rather than replace trained safety professionals,’ she says.

‘There are great opportunities with AI for trend-spotting within leading and lagging indicators of risk. If AI can be trained well, it can form the basis of an early warning system to alert businesses to risk trends at a lower threshold than a human might notice.’

Frank Williamson CMIOSH Quality, health, safety and environment systems manager, Nicol of Skene Why did you introduce the new software? What are you using it for?

W e introduced it in 2 01 8 following a strategic business review, with the aim of streamlining our processes and improving the q uality and consistency of information captured.

W e currently use two separate cloud- based E H S software solutions, one for auditing and inspection that also includes accident, incident and near- miss reporting and analysis, and one for producing and managing our risk assessments, method statements and construction phase plans, as well as managing our training and personnel development, with the latest addition being an integrated e- learning function.

What benefits has it created?

T he adoption of E H S software has significantly reduced the time spent on producing risk assessment statements and improved the q uality of the content. T he incident reporting system allows people to scan Q R codes to report issues, which enables an instant response. A nother maj or benefit is the ability to add photos to initial reports and any follow- up or close- out actions.

What impact has it had on OSH? What about the wider business?

It has noticeably improved compliance on- site and increased reporting of issues across the company. T he instant notifications allow any issues to be reviewed and resolved far more q uickly than with a paper- based system. W e have had many positive comments from clients on the q uality of documents produced and, although introduced as a purely E H S resource, the software is now used for a wide range of activities.

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ENHA NC E

And what about the role of research, and the data captured by these systems over time to improve safety?

As Aisling notes, some companies end up building datasets that are ‘a treasure trove of leading indicators and proof of the effectiveness of different control measures and interventions’.

She says cloud software providers are well placed to collaborate with participating customers to combine anonymised datasets and provide opportunities for learning that can be shared more widely.

Future sharing trends Regarding further integration and functionality, David says that when he worked for a software company, an approach that went down well with customers was user groups.

‘We gave customers who wanted it a voice in the development of future functionality and modules within the software,’ he says.

Chris van den Belt, team leader for product management at Dutch software provider Ultimo, sees safety as increasingly connected to other management solutions – for example, enterprise asset management systems used by departments such as production and maintenance.

‘This will help organisations break down the silos between different departments and improve the way knowledge is shared, stored and accessed,’ he says.

‘When a platform can be used across an organisation to manage a host of critical processes, with safety being just one of them, recording and supervising all EHS activities becomes easier.’

Amanda also favours a more holistic approach, adding that this would include linking data across the entire value chain.

‘It’s about being able to track that full lifecycle so you can really understand where you are having an impact,’ she says.

‘That way you can intervene at key points

IN N OVAT ION S

Advances in EHS software M any E H S software providers are starting to explore the use of Q R codes to improve operational efficiencies. ‘ L et’ s say I am going to do some maintenance on a piece of eq uipment,’ explains B ridget L eathley at T he Safer C hoice. ‘ R ather than scrolling through a menu to try and find the correct checklist, I can scan the Q R code on the eq uipment and up comes what needs to be done. ‘ T he very clever systems may also use global positioning systems and say, “ W hile you are in this area, could you have a look at this eq uipment as well?” ’ A nother innovation that she feels has huge potential is the Internet of T hings: the digitalisation and datafication of products we live with, work with and wear.

B illy O’ B rien from E coOnline G lobal concurs: ‘ W e still have a long way to go with this technology, but we are getting there q uickly.

F or example, if you j umped into a forklift, it could recognise who is not authorised to drive and refuse to start the engine.’

in the system to reduce that impact. If you don’t have that granular data, it’s very difficult to know where to take that action.’

Starting points For OSH professionals looking to get started with an EHS software system, David’s advice is to first decide at a strategic level what their company wants to use it for and start small.

It is easier to add than take away.

‘Always consider at least three providers, and make sure they can deliver the software in a format and in a way that is user-friendly for you.

Wherever practicable, have inputs that are mandatory and on drop-down menus so there is no ambiguity on what is being entered,’ he says.

David also advises OSH professionals to get employees used to the basics, and add modules over time as users become more confident in operating the software and how it can help solve their problems.

‘Don’t buy multiple modules initially – they will cost a lot of money and it will take a lot of training and after-launch support,’ he warns. ‘Before you sign on the dotted line, check out the aftersales support, help and guidance. This can make all the difference in making the launch a success.’

For those already using EHS software, Helene Melby Brodersen, head of PR, brand and communication at EcoOnline Global, has this takeaway: ‘Megatrends in the future of work – such as digital transformation, hybrid working, the increased focus on sustainability, worker wellbeing and mental health – will require additional attention from businesses of all sizes, across all industries.

‘In the past few years, several initiatives have been introduced to anticipate and manage change, causing a shift in the EHS landscape towards people and social issue management.’

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Don’t let your professional status slip this summer Call on our team to keep your CPD on track Attend a free one-hour workshop Maintaining your continuing professional development (CPD) is the best way to show your employer, colleagues or potential clients that you are committed to keeping your skills, knowledge and expertise up to date.

At IOSH, we’re always looking for new ways to support you to boost your professional credentials; that’s why we’ve launched free CPD workshops, delivered by experts, each month.

Our online workshops will cover everything you need to know from a full demonstration of the CPD system, to how to add activities to your personal CPD record.

We’ll be keeping the groups small so that everyone has the opportunity to ask questions and get the support they need.

Did you know...

All Technical, Graduate, and Chartered Members, as well as Chartered Fellows, have to complete their CPD every year – as your professional status is dependent on an up-to-date CPD record.

Dates for your diary Tuesday 5 July Monday 11 July Thursday 21 July Monday 25 July

10:00–11:00am 10:00–11:00am 11:00–12:00pm 14:00–15:00pm

To book, please email CPD.Enquiries@iosh.com or call us on +44 (0)116 257 3239 To find out more visit iosh.com/my-cpd

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Enhance DEVELOPING THE SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES OF ALL OSH PROFESSIONALS

IN THIS S E CT I O N

W hy scare tactic safety messaging can sometimes lose its impact P52 | H ow to implement ISO 45003 P57 | B ehavioural safety meets cage fighting P63 | L indsay Sedwards on women in the nuclear industry P68 | F uture L eader R ebbekah W ilson on royal visits and leading while pregnant P70 | B ack to basics: managing M SD s P72 | T alking shop: left- handedness P74

SAF ETY MESSAGI NG

HORROR STORIES

ILLUSTRATION: IKON IMAG ES

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WHY TACTICS FALL FLAT

Does the effect of ‘horror movie’ safety messaging eventually wear off, to the point where the viewer becomes desensitised?

Paul Verrico and Catherine Henney look at the evidence.

15 MINS

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F

or years, safety professionals have often used the ‘scary movie’ approach to deliver hard-hitting messages about safety, trying to frighten leaders and employees alike into adopting an almost submissive approach to safety compliance: ‘Obey, or face these horrific consequences’ or ‘This company wasn’t paying attention and look what happened to them.’

Sometimes hard-hitting messages are necessary. Health warnings on cigarette packets led to graphic pictures of lung cancer and heart disease. Many would undoubtedly have been put off smoking. Yet many others would argue this has had no impact on long-addicted smokers (Pasquerear et al, 2022; Guignard et al, 2018) or young smokers (Moan and Rise, 2006) – those whose habit has become so ingrained that a nasty photo and scary words aren’t enough to help them stop (Clayton et al, 2017; Leshner et al, 2010; 2009).

As safety professionals, many of us will have seen the powerful impact safety incidents can have on organisations and employees after the event, particularly where serious injury or a fatality has occurred. The hardest lessons are often learned having paid witness to injury and loss of life. Often those incidents are used in training – a scary movie to learn lessons.

PHOTOG RAPHY: GETT Y

The science of safety messaging Health and safety practitioners are often asked to help deliver messages to boards of directors, executives and senior stakeholders who may not have daily awareness of the reality of health and safety within their organisation. A meeting might include suggesting they ‘really want to scare the board/the managing director/the chief operational officer’ or ‘weave in that they can go to prison if they have an incident’.

In many respects this is an easy brief. But the reality is that it rarely achieves the desired aim – particularly if this is the only tactic used. It can be quite difficult to explain to prospective clients that it is highly unlikely anyone would, in fact, go to prison if things went wrong. GB Health and Safety Executive (HSE) enforcement statistics show that just 2% of the 185 convictions secured for health and safety offences resulted in immediate custody (HSE, 2021). In addition, a scaremongering

SCIENTIFIC STUDIES ON THREAT MESSAGING TEND TO SUGGEST THEIR EFFECTIVENESS HAS BEEN INCONSISTENT approach usually fails to lead to the right sort of engagement and leadership that an organisation really needs.

We all agree that encouraging individuals to adopt safe behaviours is one of the most important goals of health and safety messaging. However, scientific studies on threat messaging tend to suggest ‘their effectiveness has been inconsistent’ (Nestler and Egloff, 2012).

Cognitive avoidance The extended parallel process model (EPPM) explains when and why threat appeals designed to scare people into healthy behaviour are effective. Integral to the EPPM is that the success of a threat appeal depends upon the level of threat and the perceived efficacy of the proposed solution. The EPPM predicts that an individual will change their behaviour when a threat is relevant, meaning it is severe and applicable to the individual, and the solution is perceived to be effective.

When the threat is irrelevant or the solution is ineffective, an individual is not motivated to change their behaviour. Importantly, the EPPM recognises that there will be variations in individuals’ perceptions of threats and solutions, which will affect whether or not they choose to adopt a proposed behaviour change.

Therefore, two people shown a threatening health and safety message and solution may respond completely differently. We can relate this back to those health warnings on cigarette packages: social smokers in their early 20s may today perceive the threat of lung cancer and the pictures on the packet to be a sufficient risk to encourage them to change

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ENHA NC E

their behaviour, and that change may seem relatively easy to achieve. But heavy smokers who have smoked for decades may believe ‘the damage is already done’ and, given their lifelong habit, may not be so encouraged to give up.

This latter response is known as ‘cognitive avoidance’, where the receiver of the threat shields themselves from the emotion and uncertainty triggered by that threat. Those demonstrating high cognitive avoidance will respond to threats with tactics such as denial, disengagement, suppression, beliefs of self-invincibility or distraction. In other words, they preserve and disassociate themselves from the threat altogether – ‘It won’t happen to me.’

Those who have low cognitive avoidance are more likely to respond positively to threat appeals.

Enter Nestler and Egloff Nestler and Egloff undertook two studies that considered the interaction between the threat level of safety messaging and the effect of those threats on individuals.

In their first study, carried out in 2010, they explored the effectiveness of threat appeals in health and safety messages when delivered to those who are cognitively avoidant.

The study first tested participants to measure their cognitive traits and rated them as having high or low cognitive avoidance. Participants were then provided with two safety messages from fake news reports that linked caffeine consumption to a fictitious gastrointestinal disease called ‘xyelinenteritis’ and recommended that

people should reduce their caffeine intake in response to this threat. The first version of the news report was a high-threat message as it linked xyelinenteritis to cancer and stated that the participant’s age group was particularly at risk. The second version of the news report was a low-threat message and did not include links to cancer or age group vulnerability.

Once the participants had read the articles they were asked to rate their attitudes on reducing their caffeine consumption.

The results showed that when participants were presented with a high-threat message, those who had low cognitive avoidance were more likely to reduce caffeine intake than those who had high cognitive avoidance. Individuals who had high cognitive avoidance had judged the high-threat appeal to be less severe than the low-threat appeal and were less likely to reduce caffeine consumption.

Importantly, the highly cognitive avoidant participants were also more responsive to the low-threat appeals than participants with low cognitive avoidance.

This result can be explained by the fact that people who are highly cognitive avoidant minimise threats as a coping mechanism and consequently will not be persuaded by a threat appeal’s recommendation.

Therefore, for people who are cognitively avoidant, frightening health messages are, according to this 2010 study, counterproductive. Constantly repeating the same message (‘Be safe or die’) loses impact very quickly.

New threat levels In a subsequent study (2012), Nestler and Egloff varied not only the threat level, but also the efficacy level of the recommended action (how able the participant felt to effect a change in behaviour). This study

demonstrated the effect of efficacy in health and safety messages when delivered to those who are cognitively avoidant.

Four versions of the fictitious news reports that linked caffeine consumption and an invented gastrointestinal disease were produced. Two high-threat versions linked xyelinenteritis to cancer and stated that the participant’s age group was particularly at risk, while the two low-threat messages omitted this information. The two high-efficacy versions recommended that a reduction in caffeine would result in a reduction of risk in contracting xyelinenteritis to a 15% likelihood, while the low-efficacy version recommended that even if caffeine consumption was reduced, the participant still had a 75% risk of contracting xyelinenteritis.

Results showed cognitive avoidance did not affect intention to

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SCAREMONGERING

results showed that all participants were more likely to adopt a recommended action if presented with a high-efficacy solution. However, results also showed that highly cognitive avoidant individuals will not change their behaviour, regardless of a solution’s efficacy.

ILLUSTRATION: IKON IMAGES

Beyond scaremongering

change behaviour when the proposed action was ineffective. In lowefficacy conditions, all participants presented with a low-threat appeal were not motivated to adopt the recommended actions. When presented with a high-threat appeal, low cognitive avoidant participants engaged with the proposed solution, albeit to a lesser degree, whereas highly cognitive avoidant participants curtailed the processing of the threat and did not engage in the solution.

However, when the proposed action was effective, in high-efficacy conditions, low cognitive avoidant participants engaged with the proposed solution and were likely to change their behaviour, whereas highly cognitive avoidant participants curtailed the processing of the threat and judged the threat to be less severe. As expected, the

Those who champion scare tactics as a form of safety message often believe that such appeals will be successful if they contain a serious threat but also provide an effective means of avoiding it. Nestler and Egloff ’s studies demonstrate that this is incorrect as not all people will respond to such a message in the same way.

Instead of giving all individuals the same threat communications, messages should be individualised.

Business leaders like to see tangible data, positive outcomes and solutionsdriven approaches. The furore of negative press coverage, threat to share price and impact upon employees are all far more realistic consequences of a safety incident than prison time. An educated director is likely to know already that the HSE prosecutes few individuals but may not have thought about the wider context of a serious incident. Indeed, research on the effects of message repetition suggested an inverted U-shaped relationship between the number of message repetitions and the attitude towards the message content (Reinhard et at, 2014).

Such ramifications can be explained without scaremongering, and in our experience the rise in corporate accountability lends itself to a more sensible, logical approach of setting out such messages within the realities of the current economic and regulatory climate.

Safety messaging is essential for

IOSH RESOU R C ES

How to achieve OSH cultural maturity IOSH can work with organisations to develop a bespoke programme of activity to enhance OSH maturity, with a focus on leadership capabilities and governance using the IOSH Models of Safety.

It can support leadership teams in developing a corporate OSH culture, underpinned by risk-appropriate organisational capabilities and competencies, where leaders set the tone for a safer and healthier world of work.

frontline workers too. It is common to find that long-standing employees who have done the same job for many years are more resistant to change – even where this is essential to protect their own health and safety. Complacency often sets in and, alongside it, high cognitive avoidance. Again, measured conversations about potential impact, examples of positive outcomes or seeking to positively engage individuals through awards and recognition for good safety behaviour will, in our experience, have far greater impact.

Paul Verrico is global head of Eversheds Sutherland’s EHS practice; Catherine Henney heads the Manchester H&S team To view the references, go to ioshmagazine.com/ scaremongering-messaging

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Protect the psychological health and wellbeing of your workers with

ISO 45003 Did you know poor mental health costs UK businesses up to £45 billion a year?* This is a cost you can do something about.

With growing awareness of how psychological illness can affect workers and the wider organisation, it has never been more important to support your employees’ mental health.

Time to get ahead with ISO 45003 What is ISO 45003?

ISO 45003 is the first global standard giving employers practical guidance on managing psychological health in the workplace. It was developed to help organisations of all sizes and from all sectors, identify and manage psychosocial risks to their workers, focusing on the mental health and wellbeing aspects of health & safety. By implementing ISO 45003 you can demonstrate your priority to the psychological health of your workers, cut absenteeism, boost productivity, and enhance the reputation of your company.

How can QMS help?

For everyy £1 spent byy employers on mental p p y health interventions, they get £5 back in reduced absence, presenteeism and staff turnover.*

helping businesses for At QMS we’ve been helping almost 30 years with a fast, simple, and o ISO certification. ce cost-effective route to We are leadin ng certi one of the UK’s leading certification bodies th and we’re by yourr side throughout your ISO journey. Our keep it simple approach means we support you yo ou at ev means every step. Take the to ouch today. tod first one and get in touch

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0333 03 344 3646 for fo a FREE QUOTE *Deloitte

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ISO 45003

25 MINS

Psychosocial risk goes mainstream If your pond is toxic, you treat the water, not the fish.

So how easy is it for organisations to implement serious changes to work environments with ISO 45003, and what advice would they give to others bringing the new standard into their business?

ILLUSTRATIONS : SHUTTE RSTOCK

WORDS PETER CRUSH

W

ork just isn’t working.

Although the link between workplace absence and poor mental wellbeing is widely known – 12.7% of UK sickness absence days are attributed to mental health conditions (Mental Health Foundation, 2022) – surging levels of poor at-work wellbeing suggests too little is being done about it. In 2021 it wasn’t coronavirus

that caused the most lost work in the UK, but deteriorating mental health, which accounted for 19% of all lost working time (GoodShape, 2022).

Not only were mental health troubles the most common cause of lost working time in almost every industry measured, with absences being three times longer than for COVID-related reasons, but the data also found one very arresting statistic: 54% of employees that have

two or more mental health-related absences will go on to quit their jobs entirely (GoodShape, 2022).

What staff are clearly suffering from is the impact of rising ‘psychosocial risks’ – that is, the very way work is organised, defined as everything from social factors at work to aspects of the work environment, and the risk this presents. Rising levels of working from home, for example, has caused a 42% decline in people’s overall

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R E G U LAT I O N S

What is ISO 45003?

ISO 45001 relates to an organisation’s responsibility to protect its employees’ ‘physical and psychological health’ and ‘to prevent work-related injury and ill health to workers’. However, more specific risks from psychosocial hazards are increasingly becoming

The good news is that such a framework now exists – ISO 45003. It builds on ISO 45001 on managing health and safety risks in the workplace. Already in development before the pandemic, ISO 45003 was finally released last summer. Because of the pandemic and the growing emphasis on mental wellbeing at work, its guidelines for managing psychological health and safety at work are free to read on the ISO website. So now that it’s available, how are companies implementing it, and how are they finding the process? Also, what advice can they give others?

apparent. ISO 45003 therefore enables organisations to prevent

Devil in the detail

work-related injury and ill health

‘The elephant in the room is definitely the detail,’ says Dr Ivan Williams, IOSH policy development manager. ‘Central to ISO 45003 is how psychological wellbeing is measured in organisations. We feel awareness still needs to be raised about the term “psychosocial risk” and the guidance needs to be more accessible for SMEs,’ he says. ‘As part of the international working group that created the guidance, we are conscious about the need to effectively reach out to SMEs on this subject. We expect future plans to come together and produce further guidance on this soon, and hence close the existing gap.’

Kate Field, global head of health, safety and wellbeing for BSI, says: ‘Organisations think that activities focused on wellbeing are the same as managing psychosocial risk, but they’re not.

‘What the guidance wants people to identify is not what makes people feel better, or more robust, but the way doing work does harm to people. In other words, an organisational-level approach to risk is needed.’

for its workers – and other interested parties – and to promote wellbeing at work.

mental health as well as rising levels of burnout due to the blurring of home and work life (Qualtrics, 2022).

Peter Kelly, a GB Health and Safety Executive (HSE) senior psychologist and IOSH Council member, says it’s the environment staff are having to work in that’s to blame: ‘If staff are a fish in a pond and they’re all getting ill, getting them to be more resilient isn’t the answer, because it’s the water that’s toxic,’ he says. ‘The answer that’s needed is an approach that looks at the environment – for example, the processes, procedures and policies people are working under, and what systems need to be in place to support them and change their toxic working environments.’

However, while some argue the guidance might appear daunting to the uninitiated, the consensus seems to be that ISO 45003 walks organisations through it in a very systematic way. ‘It bridges the gap between HR and OH [occupational health], and elements traditionally the preserve of OH are couched in a more structural manner,’ says Andrew Packer CMIOSH, director of EHS excellence at GlaxoSmithKline firm Haleon.

‘What it provides is structure,’ he adds.

‘It forces OH officers to review and put in place an architecture for identifying, reviewing and improving on factors that could create poor mental health. Having ISO 45001 is not a prerequisite, but the beauty of ISO 45003 is that it leverages this by emphasising how mental health relates to policies companies might already have in place. Done in isolation, you’d probably have to construct all your guidelines from scratch.’

Bridging the gaps Because ISO 45003 takes an occupational management system-based approach to managing psychosocial risk, many organisations appear to be adopting a gap-analysis workflow – assessing where there might be elements of existing policy and procedure that omit psychological risk, and then bolstering them accordingly.

Hayley Farrell is wellbeing manager at EMCOR UK, which last October became the world’s first organisation to be certified

by BSI for implementing ISO 45003. She says: ‘ISO 45001 was already in place, therefore we integrated ISO 45003 into our existing health and safety management system, ensuring we encapsulated psychological health and safety.’

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ISO 45003

TO P T I P S

‘Organisations think that activities focused on wellbeing are the same as managing psychosocial risk, but they’re not’

Introducing ISO 45003 in your business Ruth Pott says: ‘I’d do the process with the safety team, and make sure HR is involved. As

‘ISO 45003 is an important pillar of our wellbeing strategy. This psychosocial risk-based approach required us to identify workplace hazards such as how work is organised, social factors at work and the working environment, equipment and hazardous tasks.

‘This preventative approach enables us to implement wellbeing interventions to control and mitigate these hazards.

This process involved the consultation with and participation of employees to identify needs and expectations.

As a result, agile processes and policies have been created to ensure hazards are regularly reviewed.’

Taboo topics Hayley says EMCOR UK consulted internally with staff on ‘previously taboo subjects – such as how employees can approach managers if they think their workloads are too much.’ The business also created a new wellbeing conversation framework for mental health risks in the workplace.

She says: ‘This framework provides a platform for employees to raise concerns without fear of retribution. A new mental health risks in the workplace policy was developed and existing policies and procedures revised ensuring they included psychological health, safety

and wellbeing aspects. Working collaboratively across departments was paramount to the adoption of ISO 45003.’

EMCOR UK chose BSI to independently audit its OH management system to make sure the business would ‘do what we say we’re going to do’. Hayley says ISO 45003 demonstrates leadership commitment to employee health, safety and wellbeing. ‘Every company’s wellbeing strategy will differ, the key considerations in the adoption process is creating structure around how the organisation discharges psychological health and safety and that this structure is adhered to.’

According to Andrew, one element that requires emphasis is what he calls the ‘emergency management piece’. He says: ‘This is different, because it focuses on how companies do measurement, and so this puts emphasis on things such as taking regular pulse surveys to provide monitoring data to plan for emergency management.

‘These can be things like how happy people are feeling right now, to whether they have a good work/ life balance. This is how OH can

and when ISO 45003 becomes a standard, get third-party sign-off.’

Nicci Kingdon says: ‘Use what you already have. If you already have a management system for ISO 45001, you only need to add a few more questions to make it compliant with ISO 45003. But build in measurement – BAM Nuttall wants me to go back in six months to test if things they said would happen have been applied.’

Hayley Farrell says: ‘Work through each clause, identifying gaps in policies, procedures and/or existing management system, and then develop an action plan to close these gaps by integrating the ISO 45003 requirement in your organisation’s working practices. Include a timeline, identify accountable persons and state measurement of success to keep track of progress. Most importantly, organisational policy and procedure needs to be felt at the front and translated into actual action.’

Kate Field says: ‘Remember, ISO 45003 is about the water, not the fish. Adding a few plants around the edges, a water feature and some eco-friendly fish food (ie, wellbeing initiatives) is not sorting out the toxic water.’

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IN N UMBERS start to see whether people thrive or not to different stresses, and how certain approaches – and people – can be targeted.’ (See panel, right.)

Nicci Kingdon, a consultant at Shirley Parsons, is an expert in interpreting ISO 45003 for clients implementing the guidelines, and says ‘most systems allow for ISO 45003 to fit into it,’ adding: ‘It might simply be that a policy area needs an extra clause added.’ Beyond this though, she says there is an educational process needed. ‘The wording around this area might be new to people, but it shouldn’t be a massive undertaking unless a company isn’t doing a scrap of anything around mental health.’

Structure is key Nicci has recently worked with civil engineering firm BAM Nuttall.

Although its final roll-out is on hold while the company also completes a big transformation programme, BAM has now done most of the preparation work for ISO 45003 as Ruth Pott, its head of workplace wellbeing, explains.

‘ISO 45003 puts a structure in place that we can audit against,’ she says.

‘In all honestly, there wasn’t much that needed doing as we are already ISO 45001 and Investors in People accredited. Additions included HR

policies now taking into account a broader spectrum of wellbeing issues, setting wellbeing objectives, creating new reporting templates and formalising how we share wellbeing with the business.’

She adds: ‘We’ve also looked at areas for improvement – such as covering incidents and what corrective actions are taken. We’ve woven in empathic leadership training too and implementing reflective practices.

Benefits are also being tied in.’

The business case for good mental health

£56bn The annual cost of poor mental health for UK employers.

This is a rise of 25% since 2019 – an extra £11bn a year

Cultural change Critics may argue that new audit trails alone don’t create real, cultural change – and it’s this that is really needed to make psychological health and safety a success. This is a valid point as a key part of ISO 45003 is board-level ownership. But those who are implementing the guidelines reject this view, saying the focus on policy does put the sorts of wellbeing wheels in motion that will percolate through an organisation.

‘For us it’s not all about checking paperwork,’ says BSI’s Kate. ‘Our auditors interview top management and others to see if policies and process are actually being brought to live in the organisation. That is what drives

‘The wording around ISO 45003 might be new to people, but implementing it shouldn’t be a massive undertaking’

( D el o i tte, 20 22)

70MILLION The number of work days lost each year due to mental health problems in the UK ( M e nt al H e al t h .org .uk, 2013)

Gen Zs Some 41% of millennials and 46% of Gen Zs say they feel stressed or anxious ‘most’ or ‘all of the time’ with 48% reporting feeling more stressed since the start of the pandemic ( D el o i tte, 20 21)

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ISO 45003

PRACT ICAL MEASURES cultural change – just having a policy signed by the CEO simply won’t cut it.

We also want to see clear evidence that top management and everyone in the organisation understands that ISO 45003 is about psychosocial risk management, not just wellbeing in general.’

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Once implemented, the benefits of ISO 45003 should be plain for all to see – that organisations have a codified approach to how work is designed, social factors at work and the work environment, equipment and hazardous tasks; one that prioritises psychological health, safety and wellbeing, and puts it in the same category as physical health and safety.

‘Our organisation is now just so much more aware,’ says Hayley. ‘We have a mental health charter that aligns with Business In The Community’s mental health commitments; and we’re doing risk assessments to identify any systemic psychosocial risk that drives control measures. This is not just within our wellbeing strategy, but from an enterprise level as well. Psychosocial risks are also included in our enterprise risk register owned by our executive leadership team.’

To ensure that implementing ISO 45003 is successful, most seem to agree on the need for early top-level buy-in.

‘While ISO 45003 will bring about cultural change, leadership buy-in from the outset – around understanding the case for wellbeing, about presenteeism, and how mental health and wellbeing impacts health and safety – is what needs recognising first,’ says Ruth. ‘Wellbeing massively impacts safety, and wellbeing isn’t fluffy. People bring problems to

of organisation-wide

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work, so if work itself is also a problem, that’s when things can start to unravel.

Buy-in has to be tackled first before even attempting to implement ISO 45003.’

Business has undoubtedly been slow in tackling mental wellbeing at work.

But, with other organisations beginning the process of implementing ISO 45003, conversations about what constitutes good (and safe) work design should start to spread. ‘The principles around protecting good wellbeing are all there; it’s formulaic, and it’s step-by-step,’ says Ruth. ‘When done, it’s massively powerful.’

RESOUR C E IOSH’s ‘Catch the Wave’ campaign, which sets high standards in business for the treatment of the workforce: iosh.com/ businesses/iosh-forbusiness/catch-the-wave

IOSH MAGAZINE

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Protect your business, Protect and youryour business, people reputation people and your reputation.

Prioritize your people and take health and safety to the next level with Empower organization to BSI can support your ISO 45003your – the new international standard for psychological wellbeing safeguard its information organization’s information in the workplace.

Talk to –BSI today. physical, digital and intellectual resilience by addressing these The benefits of implementing ISO 45003 include: property – throughout its key areas: lifecycle from source to destrucCybersecurity compliance • Improved recruitment, retention • • Legal tion by adopting information • Information management and and diversity • Reduced security-minded practices so you privacy absence from workplace burnout, anxiety • Enhanced worker engagement can protect your business and • stress, Security awareness and and depression • Increased your people.innovation training • Compliance to requirements ISO 45003 Psychological Health and Safety Management

Talk to us Contact ourtoday! experts to

findcertification.sales@bsigroup.com out how.

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Inspiring trust for a Inspiring trust for a more resilient world more resilient world

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BEHAVIOURAL SAFETY

20 MINS

THINK, FEEL, ACT Performance psychology coach Bruce Durham CMIOSH on how behavioural safety can learn from the Ultimate Fighting Championship – and vice versa.

C

ontestants in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) compete using mixed martial arts inside a locked octagonal cage. The fight ends when one person is knocked out or submits or when the referee steps in. If the fight goes the distance, it will come down to the three judges who will have been scoring the fight, round by round.

You may be asking: What have brutal combat sports got to do with keeping people safe at work?

What can we in the corporate sector learn from UFC fighters to improve not only our safety performance but also our overall operational performance? And what can UFC fighters and coaches learn from us in the corporate sector to help them to perform better at critical moments?

In this article, I will be sharing three simple yet powerful steps that could help you, and your organisation, to enhance your safety performance rapidly and, in some cases, instantly.

Reacting to threat

PHOTOG RAPHY: GETT Y

I began studying psychology when I was around 10 years old. At the local boxing club, I was terrified of fighting and was beaten up during sparring, so I started to read about fear and how to overcome it. I had a ferocious appetite for learning about performance psychology in and around fighting.

When I was 15, I began to deliver some of the sessions at the

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boxing club. Those hard-nosed pugilists recognised my limitations as a boxer but would listen to me for hours talking about the psychology of fighting and life in general.

After school, I started working for the Royal Air Force and served in conflict zones including Iraq, Afghanistan and Sierra Leone. I became even more aware of my passion to understand how people react to a threat. How do people respond when they are mentally uncomfortable?

Why does one person react like X and another person react like Y in exactly the same situation? And what tools, techniques, tricks and tips could I offer to my team in order to get them to perform as best they could in life or death situations? Just as in the UFC, how could I get performance at its best when the bell rings?

One of the first areas of learning that quickly became apparent was that we cannot be the best version of us by relying solely on ourselves. We increase our safety performance when we support each other. I applied this concept when I was lead safety and performance coach and behavioural programme manager for Siemens and Siemens Gamesa.

While I appreciate that in the OSH world there may be some strong supporters of the Bradley curve, my point is this – the performance of individuals and teams is far more varied and more of a grey area than aligning with four straightforward stages. You simply do not move from the dependent stage to the interdependent stage; it is more human than this.

Bruce (above) and (left) with martial arts coach John Kavanagh

At any one time, depending on how we are thinking, feeling and acting, we could be flitting from one stage to the other, or we could be straddling those lines, with one foot in either area. In a split second, with a change of thought, our ability to perform and ‘be safer’ could greatly increase, or drastically decrease. We need the support of others in these moments.

R efl ec tion Think about yourself here: do you think you are emotionally in control of yourself at all times? Most people we speak to answer ‘yes’.

But then consider this series of more specific questions: When was the last time you became annoyed with someone?

When was the last time you reacted in a way that you later wished you could change and approach differently?

Have you ever read an email, text or message and found yourself having an argument in your head with the sender?

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BEHAVIOURAL SAFETY

Every single person that we pose these questions to gives an example of when they have become emotional. This shows us all, including fighters, that it is human to be far more emotional than we think we are.

Like fighters, we can all change how we think, feel and act depending on our inner thoughts at the time, our perception of what is going on around us, the influence of others, and many more variables that ultimately stimulate and provoke us in helpful and unhelpful ways.

Acceptance

WITH A CHANGE OF THOUGHT, OUR ABILITY TO PERFORM AND ‘BE SAFER’ COULD GREATLY INCREASE, OR DRASTICALLY DECREASE

Now, whether you’re a fighter, an office worker or laying tarmac, if you have a head and a heart, you can be triggered just as easily as the next person. And if we are triggered in a negative way, this can lower our performance in all areas and can also negatively affect our mental health and wellbeing. If you can empower people to be more in control of their mental state, this leads to a decreased level of physical harm, so it’s a win-win all around.

This knowledge – that we can all be emotionally caught up in the moment – helped create our company name and logo. At Huddle Culture, we truly believe that by being you – by leaning into the strengths and vulnerabilities of being human and being open to the support of others – you can be the best you can be for more of the time. We need the support of the people around us, just like fighters do.

You may be stressed today, but that could be me tomorrow; it’s how the team comes together that’s important. Sharing what you are thinking and feeling and being supported by others often helps in reframing the situation and enabling the best version of you to be present.

If fighters cannot share their thoughts and feelings with their team, and members of the team are not listening and sharing either, they will not be effective when it’s time to perform in the ring.

Application ‘Think, feel, act’ is the approach we share with UFC fighters and other elite athletes and sportspeople based on our common humanity. Using positive psychology, appreciative inquiry and cognitive behavioural therapy, this approach works on the truest sense of human performance – what we do as humans.

We take it back to basics. And nothing is more basic than this: how we think dictates how we feel, and how we think and feel dictates how we perform. This is the crux of all human behaviour.

Whether you work in construction, the nuclear sector or manufacturing – or if you are a combat sport athlete – the more aware and in control of your thoughts and feelings you are, the better you can control your inner voice.

The better you can control that inner voice, the better you feel. If you are generating more positive thoughts and feelings, you are a better version of yourself. You are a happier and higher-performing version of you.

Self-assessment Think about you when you are at your best – what are you doing? Chances are you are more calm, more logical, more present, less stressed – but you already know this! The difficult part is, how do we achieve this state? The textbook name of this high-performing state is the individual zone of optimised function, which we also call the ‘sweet spot’. By getting into your sweet spot more often, everything gets better in all aspects of your life.

And this is where the link is between improving behavioural-based safety and the performance of a UFC fighter. What we measure is muscular output – what did they do or not do? Did they follow the rules? Did they press the buttons in the correct sequence? Did they follow the risk assessment? Did they deliver the blow that they had been drilling to defeat their opponent? These questions all measure and assess what the body did. The aim of

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ENHA NC E Bruce uses a three-step process to help people effect change

any project is ultimately, from a peoplecentred angle, to improve the muscular output of the person or team.

But this is the end result, and many organisations focus on this too much.

To get safer and higher-performing behaviours, more positive muscular output and even happier employees, we need to focus on what creates the output we desire and are measuring.

So, here is the simple yet highly effective three-step process we use for UFC athletes and all our clients.

Every single person on the planet follows the basic process of think, feel and then act. This means that we can all get better at noticing, handling and improving our journey through these steps.

Think – How we view the world, a person or an event creates a narrative in our head. From this moment, the ball is rolling. If we do not have control of this narrative, it takes us over rather than leaving us in control of it. Whether you accept it or not, this initial step is the foundation of all behaviour. Have you ever felt annoyed at someone, only for you to then notice or be presented with a piece of previously hidden information that changes your interpretation of that person or event instantly? That’s how easy it is for our perspective to be changed. ‘Don’t

Safety performance enhancement

Do you want to reduce incidents within your organisation?

Do you want to decrease stress and absenteeism?

Do you want to help people get more things right first time?

Do you want to create collaborative and higher-performing teams?

Do you want people to stop and make safer decisions at critical moments?

All these are helped greatly when you empower people to be more in control of their thoughts and feelings, which leads to greater control of what they choose to do and how they choose to do it.

The larger benefit for you as a safety professional is that this approach doesn’t just improve safety – it encourages these behaviours everywhere. That’s why, in our experience, the operational sides of businesses become avid supporters of the think, feel and act approach.

If people are more calm, more logical, less stressed, more connected and more often in their sweet spot, this shows up in everything that we do, in every task across the business.

Whether working in an office, on-site or a locked octagonal cage – if you can master how you think, feel and act, a better version of you shows up more often. Happier people get more right first time.

So, when we realise that we are all human, with thoughts and feelings, and we embrace that fully, this gives us a huge advantage to optimise our human performance potential in all that we do.

Many other factors need to be optimised for a higher-performing output, but don’t be tempted to try anything else unless you are also helping people with the basics of human performance.

Bruce Durham CMIOSH helps people and teams to be the best they can be by raising awareness of how thoughts and feelings affect everything they do. For more details, visit huddleculture.com

believe everything you think’ is the takeaway message here.

Feel – The inner narrative that you let play out will generate certain feelings. The story you tell yourself affects your brain, hormones and the feelings that then present themselves. Feelings are so powerful in what we do and don’t do. Combined with these feelings, certain areas of the brain will become hyperaroused and some will be dulled down. This changes your baseline norm. For example: ever felt stressed, then done something you were not meant to, then become even more stressed at making the mistake?

Act – The muscular output that you show, that your employees display – what you decide to do or not do, and how you do it – these ‘measurable’ parts are all a simple output of the first two steps. The first two steps of thinking and feeling will dictate what you do, what you don’t do, when you do it and how you do it.

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Please contact Mrs Tammy Fage, Director of Health and Safety, in the first instance for further information about the post and details of how to apply. Telephone +44 1534 447297 or t.fage@gov.je Closing Date: 22nd July 2022

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W hat d oes a ty p ic al week at N U V I A look like?

No two weeks are really the same.

However, there will probably be site visits, risk assessment workshops and providing guidance to projects. I am also an engagement champion and an equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI) champion.

Talking to staff and contractors can take up a lot of the week too.

W hat are y ou most p roud of in terms of y our c areer?

Gaining a master’s degree in nuclear science and technology while working full-time with two children under the age of six. I had such a great sense of achievement when my kids saw me collect my certificate at the university ceremony. There’s also achieving Chartered Fellow status in December 2021 and the mentoring of safety professionals both in the UK and overseas. I love to see mentees grow in confidence and get the job, promotion or qualification they’ve been working towards.

W hat are the maj or O S H c hallenges in y our ind ustry ?

Finding innovative, safe and cost-effective solutions to complex decommissioning challenges. Many nuclear facilities were built in the 1950s with little thought for how they were going to be decommissioned in the future.

There’s also an ambitious newbuild programme to meet the future energy needs of the UK, in line with the government’s recent announcement to get to 24GW by 2050 via nuclear energy. Alongside this there’s a skills shortage and an ageing workforce. Women make up 50% of the population, so as a profession we need to tap into this resource and train and develop female safety professionals.

H ow else d o y ou see the nuc lear sec tor c hanging ov er the nex t fiv e y ears?

There will be decommissioning challenges

IS THE FUTURE NUCLEAR? Lindsay Sedwards CFIOSH is head of safety, health and environment at nuclear firm NUVIA, and predicts more rewarding careers in the industry – particularly for women.

INTERVIEW STEVE SMETHURST

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MEMBER INTERVIEW LINDSAY SEDWARDS

S U P P ORT NETW ORK

Women in Nuclear UK Lindsay is health and safety lead of Women in Nuclear UK, a support network and part of Women in Nuclear Global. Formed in 2014, its mission is to address the industry’s gender balance, improve the representation of women in leadership, engage with the industry, government and public on nuclear issues, and support the industry with tools and information.

Regional teams across the UK work within schools, colleges and universities to promote STEM and the industry to people of all ages.

as the majority of the UK’s operational nuclear plants are due to go offline by 2030. The clean-up will continue for more than 100 years. I’m also expecting to see a greater focus on carrying out activities in a more environmentally responsible and sustainable way.

PHOTOG RAPHY: ALAMY

You’re on the EDI working group at NUVIA. How important is diversity in OSH, specifically nuclear?

To stay competitive, safe and sustainable as a business we must constantly selfexamine, improve, grow and evolve. We need to challenge the status quo. We need to explore every angle to uncover new approaches and discover new opportunities and safer ways of doing things. Complex solutions require diverse minds and people who think differently and can work collaboratively to come up with the best solution.

What are some of the struggles that women face working in the nuclear industry?

It’s still very much a male-dominated industry and women have to work harder for the same recognition. There are different forms of discrimination – it can be difficult to get your voice heard and you can feel like an outsider to some extent. Women think and feel in different ways.

The nuclear sector has set a target of 40% females in nuclear by 2030, 30% executives by 2030 and 50% female apprentices starting in 2021. It’s an ambitious target, but we are working hard to support female peers, set up support networks and mentor safety professionals.

What’s your message to anyone considering the nuclear industry?

There can be a job for life in the industry.

There are many different roles and locations, offering varied and exciting work. There are also great training and development programmes. It just requires the ability to switch between them. Also, many of our challenges need expertise from outside of the industry. It’s an industry full of opportunities that includes science, research, fusion and defence.

How can IOSH promote Chartership among female OSH professionals?

It’s important to promote role models. This could be by providing break-out rooms at conferences to hold workshops run by role models. Mentoring and secondment programmes are also worthwhile. It’s also worth considering some kind of membership status ceremony or event.

What motivates you to get involved with volunteering opportunities?

Volunteering is really important to me, and I try to give back to the community, industry and profession when I can. I also

TO P T I P S

Lindsay’s advice to women in nuclear OSH 1

Step outside your comfort zone once in a while.

2

Find a support network of like-minded individuals.

3

Find male allies who can call out poor behaviour in the workplace.

4

Self-promote, even if this doesn’t come naturally.

5

6

Share experiences and setbacks. Show others worried about taking a leap that it is not always a smooth path, but we can learn and grow from these experiences.

Seek out opportunities. Don’t wait for them to come to you.

love engaging with children on all things STEM [science, technology, engineering, maths]. Watching them explore new concepts and getting stuck into activities and experiments.

I really enjoy dispelling myths, too. I am often asked if people in nuclear energy glow, like in the films! I am always happy if someone goes away understanding a little bit more about the industry and a better appreciation of the facts, not the fiction.

Describe yourself in five words.

Tenacious, organised, hardworking, emotional and protective.

IOSH MAGAZINE 69

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ENHA NC E

How did you get into the health and safety profession?

You could say I fell into OSH. I started at my current company, Goodwin Development Trust, as an administrator within the estates team looking after maintenance work orders. This grew into scheduling servicing and maintaining building compliance, which then grew into legal compliance for the estates team.

After a few years, I naturally started to look at compliance for the organisation as a whole and was offered the role as compliance officer and then became risk and compliance officer. Goodwin had never had these roles before, so it was a big deal for me that my skills were noticed and put to good use.

What have been the greatest challenges in your career?

I like to be the person in the room who has done the research and knows the answers.

In some cases that’s been a blessing and people are confident that I know what I’m talking about. Other times, getting people to listen is the biggest challenge. People always have their own opinion of safety and how it should be done. I guess that’s because we all have our own perception of risk, but the biggest challenge in my career so far has been actually getting people to take on board the regulations and the ‘must dos’ that sometimes come with OSH.

Q&A

REBBEKAH WILSON We speak to IOSH Future Leaders Steering Group member Rebbekah Wilson about royal visits and being an OSH leader while pregnant.

INTERVIEW MATT LAMY

What has been your greatest achievement?

Sometimes being female in this profession is challenging, so my personal progression is one of my biggest achievements to date.

I can’t quite believe how much I have learnt and grown as a person in such a short period of time. I’d love to take all the credit and say it’s been my own journey, but, in all honesty, I have had some incredible female support.

I also never expected to be accepted by the Future Leaders Steering Group when I applied. I thought it was a long shot even

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FUTURE LEADER REBBEKAH WILSON

Fast facts about Rebbekah

SOMETHING SO OBVIOUS AND ‘COMMON SENSE’ TO ONE PERSON DOESN’T MEAN THAT IT IS TO SOMEONE ELSE 1 submitting an application. I was incredibly honoured to be asked to join.

more logical, flowing way. And to always expect the unexpected!

What is it about being an OSH professional in the charity sector that gives you the most satisfaction?

As you’re pregnant, has being an OSH professional affected how you’ve approached pregnancy? And has pregnancy affected how you think about being an OSH professional?

I work for a development trust that has a passion for helping the community in any way possible. There’s a real sense of satisfaction knowing that the work my team and I do allows the organisation to deliver on that commitment.

It challenges me to think of another way to communicate and engage with people.

It also challenges other people to do the same and really think about how they are assessing risks and managing risks.

I have come to realise that just because I know something it doesn’t mean everyone else does. Something so obvious and ‘common sense’ to one person doesn’t mean that it is to someone else.

My husband does tell me that I don’t switch off my OSH brain as I have strange habits like always looking for the nearest exit wherever we are. Or, if we stay in a hotel, I’ll make sure I know the fire escape route and tell him where the stairs are. I’m sure my OSH brain has also impacted my pregnancy so probably, on a subconscious level, yes.

I think I have an inquisitive nature to understand things on a much more analytical level, which has definitely played a part in my pregnancy journey. Being pregnant and understanding first-hand the changes an expecting parent’s body goes through physically and mentally has also allowed me to review and improve how I approach risk assessments and policies within Goodwin.

You were involved in organising a visit by the Prince of Wales.

What did that teach you?

What value do you get from IOSH membership and how important is it to progress?

It really was an amazing opportunity to be part of something so high-level; it was such an eye-opener into security risks and controls. Obviously, the security for the royal family is phenomenal, but I honestly never dreamed of some of the checks that were needed before the prince could visit the site.

Goodwin’s events are not as high-profile but I did learn to organise things in a far

My IOSH membership has allowed me the opportunity to be part of the Future Leaders Steering Group and learn from other OSH practitioners at a similar stage in their career to me.

The support from others in the OSH community has been great and without my IOSH membership I’m not sure I would be as confident in the field as I am now.

PHOTOG RAPHY: GET TY

Your favourite saying is, ‘What if common sense didn’t exist?’

Can you explain why you find this meaningful?

2

3

I q ualified as an F A referee when I was younger. C learly, I always had a passion for following the rules.

I studied dance to degree level.

I’ m now trying to find a way to bring the creativity needed for that to OSH .

I am a huge dog lover, and my husband and I love to go on scenic dog walks with our little cocker spaniel.

Top tips for driving change C hallenge people to think of a situation in another way.

B e totally transparent – don’ t hide things.

U nderstand that change isn’ t easy for people, especially those who are neurodiverse. B eing honest and completely upfront with people about the good and the bad will always win points.

What lies ahead for Future Leaders in OSH? That is hard to predict. We are expected to work across all kinds of sectors and areas so I would say that the OSH practitioner role will grow and develop into other areas of business.

IOSH MAGAZINE

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ENHA NC E

WORKPLACE SICKNESS

MANAGING MSDs In the latest of our series on core OSH topics, we explore the basics of musculoskeletal disorders and how to reduce their impact in the workplace.

1

MSDs and why they matter at work

What are MSDs? Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) affect the joints, bones and muscles of the human body. They can arise suddenly and range from short-lived conditions such as fractures, sprains and strains to chronic lifelong health issues, all of which are associated with ongoing pain. Inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis are also examples of MSDs. Conditions such as osteoarthritis, back and neck pain are the most common MSDs. Employers must protect workers from MSD risks in the workplace and act if chronic MSDs or those caused outside of employment are made worse by work.

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BACK TO BASICS

How is the body affected? MSDs can affect the upper and lower back, neck, shoulders, arms, legs, feet and hands.

They can limit mobility and functional ability, reducing workers’ ability to work and also affecting their social and personal lives, which can then harm their mental wellbeing.

What is the prevalence of MSDs? MSDs account for the most widely reported work-related health conditions among workers globally. In Great Britain, 470,000 people suffer from work-related MSDs and a total of 8.9 million working days were lost as a result of work-related MSDs in 2019-20 (GB Health and Safety Executive 2021a; 2021b). Because the effect of MSDs on individuals and productivity is well known, workplaces should try to do as much as possible to prevent such conditions occurring.

PHOTOGRAP HY: G ETT Y / T HE CONTE NT IN THIS ARTICLE IS FROM IOS H FOR IOS H MEMBERS. PHOTOG RAPHY: ISTOCK / THE CONTE NT IN THIS ARTICLE IS FROM IOS H FOR IOSH MEMBERS.

2

What causes MSDs?

In the workplace, MSDs are often caused by occupational activities such as: Lifting heavy loads Working with high-force exertion Working in unfavourable body postures Monotonous repetitive tasks Application of vibration Physical environmental conditions Heavy work demands and pressures.

3

Identifying potential MSD hazards

It can be difficult to identify hazards that can cause MSDs or aggravate conditions.

IN GREAT BRITAIN, 8.9 MILLION WORKING DAYS WERE LOST AS A RESULT OF MSDs IN 2019-20 But following the same thought process that applies to manual handling hazards can be useful, such as considering: Task – manual handling tasks (for example, lifting heavy loads) and ergonomics (for example, sustaining awkward postures) Individual health – a worker’s preexisting health condition, awareness of good health habits, and adequacy of rest or recovery from tasks Load – if a load is too heavy for a worker to hold and is carried out repeatedly, it will eventually have a substantial effect on the body Work environment – this should be suitable for the worker to carry out their job without risk, and should consider factors such as space constraints or variations in work surfaces or floors and environmental factors (such as excessive noise and temperature) Other factors – psychosocial factors such as heavy job demands, for example, can lead to stress, which is also linked to MSDs.

4

Controlling MSD risks

Organisations can take steps to assess and control risks in the workplace to help prevent the workforce

from developing MSDs. Controlling MSDs isn’t an expensive task, but it can have a huge effect on the lives of workers.

Organisations could think about interventions such as: Modifying equipment Making changes in work practices Purchasing new tools or devices.

These steps can assist in: Reducing physical demands Eliminating unnecessary movements Lowering injury rates Reducing worker turnover.

5

Five tips for managing MSDs in the workplace

1 Risk assessments: review current risk assessments and ensure they cover prevention of MSDs in the workplace, including the opportunity for breaks to give the body a chance to rest and recover.

2 Ergonomics: understand the requirements and capacity of your employees, adapt work to each person through the design of the task and make any adjustments that are required.

3 Performance: alter the working methods and train employees to perform any tasks that are specific to their work.

4 Good practices: look for good practices from similar organisations that can be adapted to eliminate or reduce MSD-related hazards and risks in your workplace.

5 Engage with workers: provide awareness information, ensure they are aware of the process for reporting issues and listen to feedback on concerns.

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HAND DOMINANCE

TA LK I NG S H O P

ALICE GUNDAVDA CMIOSH

ANDY HOOKE CMIOSH

Health, safety and wellbeing manager,

Health and safety consultant, WorkNest

Cumbria County Council

Although left-handed people make up only around 10% of the world’s population, we must still consider hand dominance when designing workplace ergonomics. Engagement with workers who are left-handed is the most obvious and effective way of achieving this – just ask!

Although many pieces of office equipment are now available in a left-hand format, it becomes more difficult when we look at large pieces of machinery and specialist equipment. Organisations need to look at how workstations can be set up ergonomically to accommodate this, ideally at the design stage.

Colour-coded controls, to avoid confusion while in use, may also help.

Hand dominance can have serious implications in performing tasks safely as well as maintaining psychological wellbeing. Organisations must involve employees directly in risk assessments, consider work tasks from an individual’s perspective, and make suitable ergonomic modifications. At the council, we conduct individual-level display screen equipment and remote working assessments; we also work closely with our occupational health team if specialist referrals are required.

Employers must identify discrimination affecting left-handed employees and deal with this appropriately through manager training.

LEFT BEHIND?

FRASER MORRISON CMIOSH Director and health

How should organisations consider left-handedness in their safety management systems? Four industry leaders offer their thoughts.

and safety consultant, M2 Safety Consultants Ltd

Organisations are duty bound to provide the necessary training and information regarding the use of tools and equipment. During training, whether that be formal, in-house or on-the-job training, any issues identified by a person who is predominantly left-handed should be raised and the organisation make suitable changes or adaptations to ensure that safe use of equipment can be achieved. Work with the employee, not against them.

Organisations should allow feedback and suggestions for improvement so changes can be made not only to make the workplace safer and more adaptable for the individual but also to improve an open and transparent business culture.

HAVE YOUR SAY… 74

How can businesses improve the workplace for left-handed employees? Let us know.

BRETT S EDKINS CMIOSH Head of health and safety, London Projects

Hand dominance will need to be considered whenever a required process, material or mechanical engagement is not inherently ambidextrous.

I don’t believe widespread incorporation of an ambidextrous approach has become fundamental, partly because left-handedness is attributable only to approximately 10% of the population.

Manufacturers continue to strive for ambidextrous interfaces, controls and so on – but provided companies continue to stay cognisant of the fact and assess where this may have impact, everyone within a workforce can be catered for and cared for.

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