Opinion

Ben Pepper

Work-related road risk – steering clear of danger

Each day across the UK, millions of employees take to the roads as part of their working lives. Whether delivering parcels, attending client meetings or riding bicycles between jobs, road use plays a vital role in keeping businesses going. While the general health and safety landscape has evolved significantly over recent decades, work-related road risk (‘WRRR’) remains an area that is too often overlooked by employers.

By Ben Pepper, CL Medilaw on 30 October 2025

Daniel Easton

It is time to end the lottery of asbestos compensation

A legal anomaly that makes it more difficult for sufferers of asbestos-related lung cancer to obtain compensation than people who have developed mesothelioma means large numbers of people are dying before receiving full compensation that could prove vital in the final months of their lives.

By Daniel Easton, Association of Personal Injury Lawyers on 30 October 2025

Susan Laurie

Act in autumn to fix work-related alcohol issues year-round

With employers likely turning their attention to Christmas and end-of-year parties for their teams, autumn is an ideal time to launch prevention, support and education programmes around alcohol at work, providing a real opportunity to protect health, productivity and performance.

By Susan Laurie, Alcohol Change UK on 01 October 2025

    Engineered Stone Cutting iStock Cagkansayin

    Engineered stone worktops and silicosis: a challenging problem

    The sudden and alarming appearance of silicosis cases among engineered stone workers in the UK, against the backdrop of a ban in Australia and in some US States, has suddenly brought the question of how to regulate for health protection in the workplace to the fore.

    By Kevin Bampton, BOHS on 01 September 2024

    Asbestos Roof Tiles iStock LianeM

    Asbestos: why ‘management in-situ’ is the wrong approach

    The UK has the worst record on mesothelioma deaths (a cancer solely attributed to past asbestos exposure) in the world, primarily because the UK imported more asbestos per capita than any other country.

    By Charles Pickles, Airtight on Asbestos on 01 September 2024

    Asbestos Warning iStock Paul D Wade (1)

    Control of Asbestos Regulations: why it’s now time for a review

    Although the UK has a framework for managing asbestos in buildings, a proposed new Asbestos Information Certificate rating dutyholder compliance with the relevant legal duties would place greater emphasis on ensuring building owners are adequately reducing the risk to occupants and tradespeople.

    By Mick Dawson, ATaC on 01 September 2024

    Asbestos Protection Suit iStock D Keine

    The duty to manage asbestos, the rise in prosecutions and other emerging trends

    In this article, I will explore the impact of the Health and Safety Executive’s (HSE’s) public awareness campaigns regarding the duty to manage asbestos and consider the resulting rise in prosecutions.

    By Francesca Ledwith, Pinsent Masons on 01 September 2024

    Health and Safety Book iStock Tatiana Sviridova

    Hazards Campaign – our 2024 manifesto for a health and safety system fit for ALL workers

    With a new Labour Government there is an opportunity for a new direction for occupational health and safety.

    By Janet Newsham, Hazards Campaign on 01 August 2024

    Building with Cladding iStock richardwatson

    It’s time to protect all leaseholders from ruinous building safety remediation costs

    In my previous piece for Safety Management last summer (‘A new Building Safety Remediation Scheme would hold developers and builders to account for all fire and building safety defects in homes’) I set the scene on the unfolding world of building safety remediation and described how I was attempting to change things in the interests of consumer safety. Now with a general election called, there is an opportunity to influence the policies of a new, incoming administration.

    By The Earl of Lytton on 23 July 2024

    Building with Yellow Cladding iStock Asergieiev

    The building safety crisis: still no end in sight

    The Grenfell tragedy uncovered serious fire and building safety defects in hundreds of thousands of flats across the UK, but in the seven years since, politicians, developers and the construction industry have failed to ensure that safety-critical remediation works are carried out quickly and at no cost to innocent leaseholders.

    By Campaign team, End Our Cladding Scandal on 23 July 2024

    Block of Flats iStock

    All homes should be safe: a personal journey from accountancy to advocacy

    My name is Deepa Mistry and, by day, I am a chartered certified accountant in the not-for-profit sector. By night, I am a resident campaigner for building safety. My journey into this dual life started from a simple but profoundly impactful question: was the end user ever asked what they wanted?

    By Deepa Mistry, Building Safety Crisis on 23 July 2024

    Scared Woman on Phone iStock SensorSpot

    Lone worker monitoring technology: is it for safety or surveillance?

    As businesses make increasing use of safety monitoring to minimise the risks associated with lone working, consideration must be given to the impact on workers. Concerns that safety monitoring measures will be used for performance management purposes may well increase rather than alleviate health and safety risks.

    By Hayden Singh, Pinsent Masons on 03 May 2024

    Man WFH iStock triloks

    Working from home – is it a good or bad thing?

    A review of academic papers suggests the impact of homeworking on employees’ wellbeing, productivity and working relationships often depends on a variety of personal contextual factors, making it essential for managers to consult workers individually to identify how best to support them.

    By Charlotte Hall and Professor Neil Greenberg, King's College London on 09 April 2024