So far this year we have suffered five major injuries compared with one at the same stage last year. The most common causes of our major injuries remains simple slips, trips and falls and falls from height.

There have recently been three UK Safety Alerts relating to injuries suffered by people working in our operations last month, all resulting from slips, trips and falls.

Please review the Alerts with your Teams and consider the potential for similar incidents on your sites, and whether enough is being done to prevent further injury:

• Does everyone maintain three points of contact on steps and stairways and when using ladders?
• Is all equipment adequately maintained and, where a safety critical defect is identified, is the equipment removed from use until an effective repair is made?
• Are there designated walkways around your site that are kept in good order, free from debris, snow and ice, physically segregated from vehicles and adequately lit? Does everyone always follow the designated safe walkways?
• Do you always STEP IN if you see anything you believe may be unsafe?

In addition to discussing the Alerts with Teams, please also ensure they are posted on relevant notice boards. (See the download section of the UK News website for copies of the three alerts).