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HSE Weekly Digest: The Latest Health and Safety News and Guidance

This bulletin has been provided to us by the HSE.

This week's digest contains information on HSE's annual statistics release, as well as other health and safety guidance and advice on COVID-19, including details of the new national restrictions for England.

You can also find news of our 'risk-reduction through design' award and the latest job vacancies here at HSE.

For all the latest updates visit our website.

New national COVID restrictions announced for England

On Saturday 31 October the Prime Minister announced national restrictions coming into force from Thursday 5 November for England.

To help contain the virus, the government guidelines mean everyone who can work effectively from home must do so during this time of greater restrictions.

You can find out more about homeworking and how to protect home workers.

Where people cannot work from home (such as those who work in critical national infrastructure, construction or manufacturing) they should continue to travel to work/attend their workplace.

Further guidance on the restrictions is available on GOV.UK, while information is also available on current restrictions in Scotland and Wales.

Protecting and supporting vulnerable workers during the pandemic

Employers must consider the risk to workers who are particularly vulnerable to coronavirus and put controls in place to reduce that risk.

Our website has advice and guidance on how to protect vulnerable workers during the pandemic

(updated to reflect the new national restrictions in England).

This includes the latest information on:

  • Supporting workers in higher-risk groups
  • Accessing COVID-secure precautions
  • Clinically extremely vulnerable workers
  • Supporting clinically extremely vulnerable workers returning to work
  • Pregnant workers

For all the latest information and advice on health and safety during the pandemic, please visit our coronavirus pages.

HSE releases annual injury and ill-health statistics for Great Britain

Statistics released today show that Great Britain is still one of the safest places in the world to work with the lowest number of deaths on record.

However, more than half of Britain’s working days lost in 2019/20 were due to mental ill health.

The annual report by HSE includes statistics for work-related ill health, workplace injuries, working days lost, enforcement action taken, and the associated costs to Great Britain.

View the full press release, which includes comments from Sarah Newton, HSE Chair.

Published on Thursday 5th November 2020

Tags: Covid-19 HSE
Posted in News