The Building Safety Act 2022 (BSA 2022) introduces various amendments to the previous guidance of the Building Act 1984. The new legislation was sparked by the 2017 Grenfell Tower tragedy and aims to extend the government’s power to regulate and enforce works in order to remedy and improve safety aspects of high-risk buildings. 

What is a high-risk building?

Part 1, Section 31, of the Act defines buildings as “high-risk”, when under construction, if they:

What is RIDDOR?

RIDDOR stands for Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations. This legislation governs which workplace incidents require reporting, and how to report them.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has recently updated its guidance on RIDDOR to clarify who should report injuries, which injuries require reporting, and when reports must be filed with the HSE. We cover some of the main changes below. 

Making Minds Matter: The HSE’s proactive approach to workplace stress

As April, Stress Awareness Month, draws to a close, we are reflecting on the importance of mental health when considering Health and Safety in the workplace  and how the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) will likely approach the issue in the future.

In the picturesque setting of Loch Lomond, Scotland, the International Football Association Board (IFAB) held its annual general meeting on 2 March 2024. 

A significant decision was taken: the permanent incorporation of concussion substitutes into the Laws of the Game. This change, allowing additional substitutes to manage suspected concussions, marks a crucial development in sports concussion management and reflects the growing body of medical research advocating for player safety. 

2023 saw a wealth of new health and safety prosecutions. Below we highlight some key takeaways from recent cases that businesses can learn from.

Topics include tunnel systems, wall collapses, and protecting vulnerable employees.

Fines of £14 million in Croydon Tram Disaster

Transport for London (TfL) and Tram Operations Limited (TOL) received the largest fines of 2023: £10 million and £14 million, respectively, for health and safety failures resulting in the Croydon tram disaster. 

Background and Summary

On 21 March 2024, Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs) voted to pass the Wildlife Management and Muirburn (Scotland) Bill into law. It will change the rules surrounding how people can capture and kill certain wild birds and animals, and practice muirburn (the controlled burning of heather and other plants), by: