Staggering health and safety stats

The statistics around workplace accidents on construction sites are terrifying. According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), there were 39 fatal injuries to workers in the UK in 2020/21. In addition, 61,000 people sustained a non-fatal injury over a three-year period between 2018/19-2020/21. However, what is possibly worse, is that many of these accidents could have been avoided. While training and experience are important, having the right culture in place is potentially even more essential. Even if your surveyor is only working on site for a short time, they need to be assured that reporting hazards or unsafe working practices will be acknowledged favourably. The whole approach to Health and Safety – from the top, down – should be a positive one, not an attitude that positions it as an inconvenience.

Promoting a positive safety culture

TSA has a strong ethos for raising standards within the surveying profession and promoting the importance of Health and Safety. Its annual Health, Safety and Wellbeing Day takes place next month (15 March). The key focus of the Health and Safety seminar, in the morning, is all about promoting a positive safety culture.

This free to attend, members-only event is aimed at survey company directors, managers, supervisors and others in a Health and Safety management role.  Martin Mulholland from MD Safety Management will be running the morning seminar. As well as covering off legislation and HSE updates, he will be focusing on the importance of attitudes, beliefs and habits and how behaviours impact Health and Safety. He will also be looking at the level of influence leadership teams have in this. In recent years, there has been a marked shift in people’s approach, which is a positive start, but there is always more to do. This session next month is a great opportunity to refocus on what is important. To find out more about TSA’s Health, Safety and Wellbeing Day, along with the other networking events it holds throughout the year, visit www.tsa-uk.org.uk/events

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The topic for the day was ‘The importance of ‘Wellbeing’ in shaping Health & Safety Management Systems’ – perhaps not the most attention-grabbing subject for busy surveyors, but it proved to be an absorbing and challenging topic that got the attention of everyone present.  While safety seems to be improving somewhat, the ‘Health’ side of H&S is seeing an increase in adverse performance.  Some shocking statistics were presented throughout the day, such as men working in the construction industry being SIX times more likely to die from suicide than fall from a height.

Members were taken through steps to help identify what a ‘Wellbeing Programme’ might look like – with benefits for both employees and employers, with  a reminder that good health – both physical and mental – equals good business.

After networking over lunch (with fruit and cake in equal measure!), members worked in groups to tackle a Wellbeing Workshop with Martin and Geoff in full role-play mode.  Everyone gathered together for a final Wellbeing Audit, with some thorough and tough questions, before a final summary and answering any questions.

Feedback from attendees:

“Another helpful H&S seminar……very informative!”

“We always come out of it with something that we then implement into our business, no matter how small or trivial it may seem.”

“A good informative day.”

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The topic for the day was Vehicle Safety and all that it means for surveying companies.  The day began with a welcome from Leica and then straight into the latest Legislation Updates.  Attendees were able to then focus on why a Vehicle Management system is an essential part of any business, with the opportunity to work in small groups.

Networking over lunch is always an essential part of any TSA event and this was no exception.  Work then resumed in the afternoon, with a Risk Assessment focusing on Working in the Highways and all the H&S elements to consider.

Due to the heavy rain and awful driving conditions on the day, the seminar ended slightly earlier to practice what it preached by helping members to have a safer drive home!

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Martin Mulholland and Geoff Davies from MD Safety Management ran the seminar, with nearly 30 delegates in attendance.  Mike Skicko, Field Sales Manager for Leica, welcomed everyone and also provided tours of the building at lunchtime.

The morning session kicked off with a sobering video, impressing upon everyone the fact that health and safety is all about people – quite simply preserving life and keeping people safe from harm.

Martin and Geoff brought everyone up to date with the latest updates to Health and Safety Legislation, including RIDDOR and CDM2015.

The subject for the day was Working at Height and the background in legislation and requirements was covered.  Members were then divided up into small groups, where they carried out a Risk Assessment exercise.

After a tasty lunch and some valuable networking time, the afternoon session was wholly taken up by a Work at Height Safe System of Work workshop.  Members were able to spread out across three rooms and proceeded to work very hard.

The day finished just after 3.30pm, with a lot of ground having been covered.

MD Safety run TSA’s Health & Safety Scheme and will be contacting members in April to renew.

Members got a great deal out of the day – 100% of them found the day worthwhile, which is exactly what we hope for, and why we lay on such events.

“A worthwhile seminar which definitely increased my awareness of working at height”

“Very informative presentation and I liked the break out sessions which helped put some real context to the information contained in the slides.”

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We were officially welcomed by Tim Badley, UK Country Manager for Leica Geosystems.

Martin Mulholland and Geoff Davies from MD Safety Management presented on a variety of topics in the morning, covering Health & Safety Legislation Updates, HSE Fees for Intervention (FFI), 40 years of the Health & Safety Act at work and a new approach to Management Systems called ‘Plan, Do, Check, Act’.

Everyone loves to criticise paperwork, red tape and ‘Health & Safety gone mad’.  But the fact remains that a safe working environment is a basic human right and many lives have been saved over the years – and that is never a waste of time.  The title of this Blog comes courtesy of a slide that Martin used to sum up the importance of maintaining up to date Health & Safety systems:

Tim Badley then kindly took attendees on a tour of the building, which was enjoyed by all.  A buffet lunch provided the opportunity for yet more precious networking!

The afternoon session involved attendees in two separate workshops on Lone Working and then a focus on Asbestos Containing Materials.  Breaking into small groups provided the opportunity for lots of discussion, debate and – as usual – plenty of laughter.

Martin and Geoff then wrapped things up on time and members departed home.  The feedback has been excellent:

“A thoroughly worthwhile event!”

“A good day and very informative.”

“I really enjoyed the day.”

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