2024 marks the 50th anniversary of the introduction of the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974 (HSWA 1974), which remains the umbrella legislation that underpins all legal health & safety requirements for both employers and employees in the UK.
A lasting impact
Whilst we still hear negativity from some corners regarding health & safety - with many quoting that ‘health & safety has gone mad’ and that we are living in a ‘nanny state’ - there is no doubting the impact that the introduction of the HSWA has had on improving the health, safety and welfare of UK workers.
Changing landscapes
The last 50 years has seen drastic changes to industry in the UK, with the dominance of manufacturing and other ‘heavy’ industries waning in the face of the technological boom. Construction remains buoyant in the UK with around 2.79 million workers1, but despite the significant developments in the industry, it still accounted for the most workplace fatalities last year2.
New developments in technology are also creating exciting new industries, however the likelihood is that the hazards that present themselves in these new work environments have never been seen before, meaning that those within the health & safety industry must be agile and ready to adapt to these unprecedented threats. Of course, health & safety professionals and business leaders also had to navigate the significant challenges presented by a global pandemic - an event that will stay in the forefront of our minds for many years to come - and the drastic changes in working practices and protocols that needed to be made as a result.
Predictions for 2024
One key realisation from the pandemic was the importance of preparing for the unexpected – being proactive rather than reactive when it comes to safeguarding the future of your business. The hazards that we can see are rarely the ones that cause the most damage, it’s the unexpected ones that come completely out of the blue.
Whilst it is of course very difficult to predict with absolute certainty what the future holds for health & safety, below I have compiled my 5 predictions for key health & safety trends to look out for in 2024 and beyond:
1. Increase in enforcement action for occupational health breaches
Stats from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) support the notion that employee health has historically taken a backseat role when compared to safety – accidents are on the decline while instances of workplace ill health are becoming more common.
To flatten this curve, we could see more of a conscious effort from governing bodies to protect employee health at work – both mental and physical, long-term and short-term.
2. More focus on managing mental health in the workplace
Mental health is such a large part of employee health as a whole. Unlike hazards such as fumes and dust inhalation, it affects workplaces of all shapes, sizes and types, so the role that all business owners have in creating an open, supportive work environment has never been so important. I wouldn’t be surprised if we saw the focus on mental health further increase in 2024, as the health and safety industry tries to further accommodate for this often silent and widespread threat to your people.
3. Adapting to hybrid working
While hybrid working has been a part of life since 2020, what was seen as a more temporary fix has now made its way into the mainstream of working life. People appreciate the more favourable work-life balance that homeworking affords3, and employers will likely need to extend their health and safety considerations to include a more long-term focus on hazards that arise when people are working outside of the four walls of the office.
4. Adapting to new fire regulations for high-rise residential buildings
Since the Grenfell Tower disaster in 2017, regulations have been introduced to prevent such a tragedy from happening again. The main aims of these measures, that business owners in buildings protected by this new legislation may need to adapt to, include:
- Improved cooperation between Responsible Persons (RPs) and building owners
- More stringent management of fire safety information and record-keeping
- Greater ease in the enforcement of fire safety regulations by authorities
- Comprehensive access to fire safety information, so residents can feel safer
5. Manual handling and musculoskeletal disorders
More relevant to the construction industry, this is a current health & safety ‘hot topic’ that I expect to develop as we move into 2024. As an employer, it is vital to protect your workers from the dangers of improper manual handling, not only to prevent short-term injuries but more serious, longer-term musculoskeletal issues. Business owners could therefore expect the focus on this area to maintain or even increase into next year, as the HSE looks to reduce the risks of hazardous manual handling.
Author
Jon Williams, Managing Director
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