There was a time when we typically suffered two or three fatal injuries every year, causing devastation for families, friends and colleagues, and lost time injuries every week. Thanks to your effort and commitment, it is over five years since our last fatal workplace accident and serious injuries have become far less common.

We have made good progress reducing contractor injuries through robust local management procedures, Contractor Health and Safety Forums, Haulier Leadership Days, Partnership Awards and the roll out of MP Connect.

However, the same cannot be said for employee injuries in recent months, where we are seeing a worrying sustained increase in the number of serious injuries.

In addition to these injuries, which have sadly included bone fractures and one employee suffering burns requiring skin grafts, a number of other incidents, including some with High Potential (HiPo), also cause significant concern:

• Work at height without adequate planning and protection.
• Failure to follow isolation procedures.
• Operating mobile equipment while affected by prescription medication.
• On site vehicle collisions.
• Faking an incident to cover up for an earlier injury resulting from failure to exit a vehicle cab backwards with three points of contact (Get a Grip).

We have learnt that to keep everyone safe we need a health and safety culture built on trust and care, with effective health and safety leadership and teamwork, where people:

• Are engaged with our safety and wellbeing efforts.
• Feel compelled to speak up where improvements can be made.
• Admit mistakes and are keen to share ideas.
• Take 5 and STOP & THINK before starting a new task.
• STEP IN if they see anyone who may be at risk of injury, using the Take 5 Together approach to agree safer ways of working.
• Always follow the Safety Essentials.

 Stand Down

Please take some time out with your team to make them aware of the worrying increase in employee injuries and high potential incidents and reflect on your local health and safety culture. Are there any thoughts on why serious injuries are increasing and on the number and nature of ongoing High Potential incidents? Is there anything more we should be doing urgently to ensure we keep everyone safe?

Is everyone comfortable with the Take 5 and Take 5 Together processes? Is there anything we can do to help people feel more comfortable speaking up / stepping in?

Take the opportunity to remind everyone of the Safety Essentials and stress there is nothing more important than their safety and wellbeing. No one should feel compelled to put their health and safety at risk, or take short cuts, in fact we expect the exact opposite, with everyone looking after themselves and each other and putting their safety and wellbeing first.

You can find the Stand Down document on the UK News download page: here

Please share on all workplace notice boards.