Peter Baker, head of the new Building Safety Regulator, talks to IOSH magazine about his role in delivering a new regime for high-risk buildings, and how he plans to increase the competence of all professionals working on buildings and ensure effective oversight of the entire building safety environment.
A select committee hearing last week on the HSE’s COVID-19 response explored the regulator’s controversial decision to hire debt collectors as COVID-19 ‘spot checkers’, with the HSE arguing that the £7 million deal enabled it to ‘triage’ routine cases from serious ones, while the TUC and trade union Prospect declared it had damaged the HSE’s reputation.
The HSE’s decision to use two private sector firms to carry out workplace ‘COVID security’ assessments is being scrutinised by employers and their legal advisers.
AI will leave its mark on every aspect of our lives, but is this cause for alarm or celebration? The tech may keep workers safe, but is it a danger to privacy and consent?
New research into preventing musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) and the risk factors for women, migrants and lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex (LGBTI) workers has been published by the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA).
As the construction sector continues its work amid the pandemic restrictions, it is also preparing for the impending Building Safety Bill regime. But is the industry heeding Dame Judith Hackitt and the HSE’s call for a proactive culture change, or is work being shelved until a later date?