In December 2024, the Scottish Government published a consultation document in relation to a proposed review of Scotland’s building and fire safety regulatory frameworks. The consultation covers fire safety risks in traditional buildings used as hotels as well as other topics.

The consultation is presented following the recommendations made by an expert working group after the fatal accident inquiry (“FAI") into the fire at Cameron House Hotel in December 2017. 

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has published its annual statistics on work-related ill health and workplace injuries for Great Britain for the period 2023/24.

The statistics show that the number of workers reported to be suffering from work-related ill health during 2023/24 was 1.7 million (showing a slight decrease compared to the previous year – 1.8 million workers).

According to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), serious injuries relating to tree work are 60 times the national average. Forestry work is a high-risk activity. 

On Thursday 10 October 2024 the highly anticipated Employment Rights Bill was published. Shepherd and Wedderburn held a webinar the following day, which was hosted by Partners Morag Hutchison and Andrew Knight, to discuss the changes set out in the Bill. 

Described as the biggest change to worker’s rights for a generation, Morag and Andrew took listeners through many of the key proposals contained in the Bill, which relate to: 

Since the implementation of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in 2018, technology has advanced and practices have evolved. Artificial Intelligence (AI), cloud computing, and remote working have all completely reshaped the data landscape. As a result, data protection accountability tools, processes, and historical audits may no longer be up to date. 

With the summer months upon us, employers should be mindful of their obligations towards seasonal workers under health and safety law.

Seasonal workers present an acute health and safety risk for businesses, as these types of workers are as likely to suffer accidents in their first six months of a job as during the rest of their career.

This Farm Safety Week (22 – 26 July 2024), our health and safety team cast light on the year-round risks presented by the agricultural and rural sector, highlighting where responsibility lies and what steps can be taken to reduce risks. 

This year’s Health and Safety Executive (HSE) statistics once again highlight the serious risks present within agricultural and rural settings, with the sector experiencing the highest rate of non-fatal injury of any measured industry. These are significant dangers, which employers and landowners must seek to mitigate. 

With the next general election fast approaching on 4 July, this article reviews Labour’s plans for changes to employment law, if elected. Labour’s 2024 election manifesto was published on 13 June 2024, and pledges to implement Labour’s paper headed ‘A New Deal for Working People’, which was published on 24 May 2024. 

Labour has pledged to introduce legislation in parliament within 100 days of forming a government to bring in the proposed changes.

The table below outlines Labour’s key proposed changes to employment law.

We see the adverts, the updated bar menus, and the celebrities promoting their non-alcoholic drinks companies – but are non-alcoholic alternatives really taking off? 

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.