Features

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India’s startup boom: how are these businesses performing on employee wellbeing?

India's startup businesses are celebrated as wealth and employment generators, but there are reports some are struggling to provide and maintain a healthy workplace culture, putting employee wellbeing at risk. In the first of a two-part article, we examine the efforts made by startups to provide a safe and healthy working environment, and the effectiveness of their approaches to date.

By Orchie Bandyopadhyay on 09 September 2025

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Himalayan flash flooding: how migrant workers are bearing the brunt of climate change impacts

Recent flash flooding in Uttarakhand is thought to have claimed the lives of a number of migrant workers, prompting accusations the Government is failing to minimise the risk of devastating floods caused by a combination of climate change impacts, construction of upstream hydroelectric plants and deforestation for development projects.

By Orchie Bandyopadhyay on 09 September 2025

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For better or reverse

This July, HSE prosecuted two cases in which two workers were killed by reversing HGVs. They shared striking similarities.

By Belinda Liversedge on 04 September 2025

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    How is safety in the construction sector advancing? Trends to watch

    Virtual College by Netex speaks to Liz Longman, health and safety chartered professional and director of Terra Firma 360, to uncover how health and safety in the construction sector is advancing and hear about five key trends safety professionals should have on their radar.

    By Liz Longman, Terra Firma 360 on 20 May 2025

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    Tackling new fire risks as Fire Door Safety Week celebrates 12th year

    The British Woodworking Federation’s annual Fire Door Safety Week this September will encourage duty holders such as those in charge of residential buildings to consider the dangers from lithium-ion batteries and ensure fire doors remain fit for purpose in reducing the risk should a battery-related fire break out.

    By Helen Hewitt, British Woodworking Federation on 11 July 2025

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    The C8 foam ban explained: what it means for you

    From 4 July, the use of fire extinguishers and suppression systems containing the ‘forever chemical’ perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) will be prohibited, meaning duty holders need to move fast to ensure compliance with the law.

    By Laurie Pollard, Firechief® Global on 09 July 2025

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    The hidden risks of lithium-ion batteries

    With UK fire services now tackling at least three Li-ion battery fires a day, it’s clear that stronger regulation and enforcement is urgently required to prevent the sale, use and modification of poor-quality and potentially dangerous batteries used in e-bikes and scooters.

    By Adrian Simmonds, QBE Europe on 01 July 2025

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    A bitter harvest: female sugarcane workers ‘pushed’ into having hysterectomies

    The practice of female sugarcane workers in Maharashtra state undergoing unnecessary hysterectomies, in part driven by a financial need to avoid sick days due to menstrual problems and pregnancy, still persists, allege campaigners, despite a state government-commissioned report in 2019 urging greater action to eradicate it.

    By Orchie Bandyopadhyay on 11 August 2025

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    Toilet trouble: how India’s working women still lack suitable facilities

    Despite government efforts to construct hundreds of millions of toilets across India in recent years, female workers in informal sectors like street vending, construction and agriculture still struggle to find safe and clean sanitary facilities, restricting their earning power and placing their health at risk.

    By Orchie Bandyopadhyay on 11 August 2025

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    Freediver, Helena Bourdillon on how trust is the key to productive and happy workplaces

    Helena Bourdillon has survived and triumphed over chronic depression and now freedives to world-beating depths. A star speaker at SHW Live this year in London, her success she says is built on a philosophy of trust, which she nurtures through her five tools. We take a deep dive to explore how this approach can be applied to reducing stress at work.

    By Belinda Liversedge on 31 July 2025

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    Health and safety auditing: friend or foe?

    A company’s management may be sceptical about the value of an external occupational health and safety audit, but done well, they are a great way to identify gaps and opportunities for improvement in safety policies, systems and performance.

    By Phil Pinnington, British Safety Council on 06 August 2025

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    How being mobile helps prevent slips, trips and falls at work

    Good physical fitness and mobility can help to reduce the risk of workers suffering slips, trips and falls, so it makes sense to encourage staff to improve their coordination, balance and strength, through simple exercises and activities.

    By Chloe Miller, freelance writer on 06 August 2025

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    2025 UK fire safety regulation updates: a quick guide

    The regulatory landscape covering fire safety arrangements and structural features in domestic and commercial buildings has undergone a number of significant changes in recent years, making it essential for responsible persons to review their approach to keeping residents, workers and the nearby public safe from the risk of fire. 

    By Chloe Miller on 11 July 2025