Employers are being urged to review the stress-causing factors in their workplaces and the work that their employees do.

Stress, depression or anxiety account for 51% of all work-related ill health cases and 55% of all working days lost due to work-related ill health. Stress impacts on all sectors and businesses of all sizes and employers have a legal duty to protect employees from stress at work by doing a risk assessment and acting on it.

Evidence shows that there are six key factors which, if not properly managed, are associated with poor health, lower productivity and increased accident and sickness absence rates.

The six key factors are:

• Demands: workload, work patterns and the work environment
• Control: how much say the person has in the way they do their work
• Support: encouragement, sponsorship and resources available to workers
• Relationships: promoting positive working to avoid conflict and dealing with unacceptable behaviour
• Role: whether people understand their role within the organisation and whether the organisation ensures that they do not have conflicting roles
• Change: how change (large or small) is managed and communicated.

Rob Vondy, Head of Stress and Mental Health Policy at HSE, says: “It’s well known that stress can make you ill. We know that work-related stress depression and anxiety has increased in recent years, and the last year has presented new challenges that have never been faced before, and which may affect the workplaces of the UK for some time to come.

“Good communication is vital as stress affects people differently – what stresses one person may not affect another. If you don’t understand the problem or its extent, tackling it will be more difficult. Factors like skills and experience, age or disability may all affect whether an employee can cope. People feel stress when they can’t cope with the pressures or demands put on them, either in work or other outside issues. Start talking to your colleagues about any issues now – the earlier a problem is tackled the less impact it will have.

“Employers should match demands to employees’ skills and knowledge. Recognising the signs of stress will help employers to take steps to prevent, reduce  and manage stress in the workplace. Healthy and safe work and workplaces are good for business and good for workers.”

HSE has a range of practical support and guidance available including risk assessment templates, a talking toolkit to help start conversations, workbooks, posters, a new mobile app and a new automated stress indicator tool (SIT). For more information see the stress section at www.hse.gov.uk

Notes to Editors:

1. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. We prevent work-related death, injury and ill health through regulatory actions that range from influencing behaviours across whole industry sectors through to targeted interventions on individual businesses. These activities are supported by globally recognised scientific expertise. www.hse.gov.uk
2. HSE news releases are available at http://press.hse.gov.uk
3. April marks Stress Awareness Month
4. The Stress indicator tool (SIT) measures the attitudes and perceptions of employees towards work-related stress and is free to use for up to 50 employees.
5. The Mobile app is primarily for small and medium sized businesses to help them better understand the law and what is required to protect employees.

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A school has been fined after a member of public tripped over a retaining wall and sustained a fatal head injury.

Peterborough Magistrates’ Court heard how on 17 February 2017, a family member attended The Leys & St Faith’s Foundation School in Cambridge to watch an evening performance. While walking towards the hall the woman tripped over a small retaining wall and fell to the ground sustaining a serious head injury. She died six days later in hospital.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that The Leys & St Faiths Foundation School had failed to ensure the area was adequately lit. A pedestrian site safety assessment failed to identify the risk of tripping over the wall and did not take into consideration the lighting conditions or potential effect of poor lighting on pedestrian safety at night.

The Leys and St faiths Foundation School of Fenn Causeway, Trumpington Road, Cambridge pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. They were fined of £52,800 and ordered to pay costs of £10,040.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Graham Tompkins said: “This tragic incident was easily preventable, and the risk should have been identified.

“The school should have taken measures to improve lighting and install a handrail on top of the wall to increase the overall height.”

Notes to Editors:

1. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. We prevent work-related death, injury and ill health through regulatory actions that range from influencing behaviours across whole industry sectors through to targeted interventions on individual businesses. These activities are supported by globally recognised scientific expertise. www.hse.gov.uk
2. More about the legislation referred to in this case can be found at: www.legislation.gov.uk/
http://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/areyou/principalcontractor.htm
http://www.hse.gov.uk/work-at-height/index.htm

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An environmental management services company has been fined after a worker was fatally injured by a reversing vehicle.

Northampton Crown Court heard how on 8 April 2016, an employee of Enterprise Managed Services Limited was fatally crushed when he tripped and fell under the wheels of the refuse lorry in Ashby Road, Daventry whilst on a routine collection of recyclable refuse.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) into the incident found that a suitable and sufficient risk assessment had not been carried out for the collection route and there was a failure to adequately supervise the Daventry waste and recycling round.

Enterprise Managed Services Limited of the Chancery Exchange, Furnival Street, London pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3(1) of the Health & Safety at Work etc Act 1974. They have been fined £1,020,000 and ordered to pay costs of £60,476.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Michelle Morrison said: “This tragic incident led to the death of a young man, which could so easily have been avoided by simply carrying out a suitable and sufficient route risk assessment and identifying where reversing could be avoided.

“Those in control of workplaces are responsible for identifying and implementing suitable methods of working to reduce the need for vehicle reversing.

“Companies should be aware that HSE will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action against those that fall below the required standards”.

Notes to Editors:
1. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. We prevent work-related death, injury and ill health through regulatory actions that range from influencing behaviours across whole industry sectors through to targeted interventions on individual businesses. These activities are supported by globally recognised scientific expertise. www.hse.gov.uk
2. More about the legislation referred to in this case can be found at: www.legislation.gov.uk/ www.hse.gov.uk/waste/municipal.htm
3. HSE news releases are available at http://press.hse.gov.uk

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A construction company has been fined after HSE inspectors found unsafe working at height practises and unsafe crane operations during a routine inspection.

Kidderminster Magistrates’ Court heard how on 15 October 2019, a routine inspection in Malvern, Worcestershire, observed a crane in an unsafe position on the roadside.

The mobile crane was being operated in an unsuitable position, on a slope. There was not any plan for the lifting operation or a competent lift supervisor, putting workers and members of the public at risk.

Workers had also installed a temporary platform on scaffolding without any additional edge protection, as required by the regulations, to prevent a fall from height.

A Prohibition Notice (PN) was served immediately in response to the work at height breach and a Notification of Contravention and Improvement Notices (IN) were served in relation to planning for work at height and planning for lifting operations.

J F Wright Ltd of Brecon Close, Droitwich, Worcestershire pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 4(1) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005 and Regulation 8(1) of the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations 1998. They were fined £64,000 and ordered to pay costs of £4,926.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Chris Gregory said: “Although no incidents took place during the inspection, there was the potential for serious injuries or fatalities in two different areas of work.

“Those in control of work have a responsibility to ensure that workers are adequately trained, properly supervised, and work activities are appropriately planned, managed and monitored.

“HSE will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action against those that fall below the required standards.”

Notes to Editors:
1. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. We prevent work-related death, injury and ill health through regulatory actions that range from influencing behaviours across whole industry sectors through to targeted interventions on individual businesses. These activities are supported by globally recognised scientific expertise. www.hse.gov.uk
2. More about the legislation referred to in this case can be found at: www.legislation.gov.uk/
3. HSE news releases are available at http://press.hse.gov.uk
4. Further information for planning for construction work at height is available here: Construction – Assessing all work at height – HSE

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Cutler Bros. Ltd and its Director, Roger Martin Cutler have been sentenced today after a worker fell through a skylight during the construction of a new farm building in Wimborne.

Poole Magistrates’ Court heard that on 22nd February 2019, a self-employed labourer was working with another colleague to fit roof sheets to the newly constructed steel framed barn. While working from the roof of an existing, adjacent barn, the worker fell through a fragile skylight in the barn roof almost 4 meters to the floor below. He suffered head and facial injuries and was knocked unconscious. He spent nearly two weeks in hospital.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that the work had not been properly planned. The method of work meant that workers had to work near to a fragile roof without having sufficient platforms and guard rails in place. The company Director was on site directing the work.

Cutler Bros. Ltd of Horton Road, Wimborne, Dorset pleaded guilty to breaching Section 9(2) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005. They have been fined £5,000 and ordered to pay costs of £3,600.

As a director of the company, Roger Martin Cutler pleaded guilty to breaching Section 37(1) of Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, and has been fined £1,000 and ordered to pay costs of £1,200.

Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Georgina Symons, said “This incident could so easily have been avoided by simply using correct control measures and following safe working practices.

“Falls from height remain one of the most common causes of work-related fatalities/injuries in this country and the risks associated with working at height are well known.”

Notes to Editors:

1. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. We prevent work-related death, injury and ill health through regulatory actions that range from influencing behaviours across whole industry sectors through to targeted interventions on individual businesses. These activities are supported by globally recognised scientific expertise. www.hse.gov.uk
2. More about the legislation referred to in this case can be found at: www.legislation.gov.uk/
3. HSE news releases are available at http://press.hse.gov.uk
4. For more on working at height, see https://www.hse.gov.uk/toolbox/height.htm

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