Thousands of people who provided assistance in the aftermath of the September 11 attack in New York are suffering significant ill-health effects, the US government has revealed in the run-up to the 10th anniversary of the atrocity.

The leader of a London council who refused to wear a hard hat while visiting a redevelopment site in his borough defended his decision, saying “people should have a choice whether to wear them or not”.

Construction workers’ union UCATT believes some employment agencies are deliberately flouting safety regulations by failing to provide PPE for those workers they place in jobs.

New research published by 3M has revealed that over a third of companies in UK have employees who don’t wear safety eyewear when required.

There is a “worrying lack of understanding” among employers regarding safety eyewear that could put employees at risk and incur unnecessary costs. 


A Midlands aluminium casting company has appeared in court to answer charges relating to a molten-metal splash that seriously burned one of its employees.

A maintenance fitter at a steel plant in Cumbria could have been killed when part of a 300kg roller-shutter door fell on him – but his safety helmet took the brunt of the blow.

In a chance sighting, an HSE inspector spotted three roofers working on top of a Nottingham cash and carry store without any safety equipment, or precautions.

Two separate incidents at its Burton-on-Trent site have cost brewer Molson Coors more than £121,000 in total fines and costs.

A global chemical firm has admitted that it failed to identify that its glove-wearing policy created entanglement risks for workers at its factory in Runcorn.

David Lummis discusses the problem of counterfeit personal protective equipment in the construction industry and suggests how organisations can address this ongoing problem.

Andrew Sansom visits the picturesque archipelago of Scilly to discover how health and safety is being managed as part of the construction of a new school.

Alan McArthur provides an overview of the main hazards faced by welders in their work and suggests the best measures to deal with them.

Fire service and emergency personnel have to wear protective clothing for their work but as well as the physical properties of such garments, physiological comfort is also a crucial consideration, argues Dr Wolfgang Nocker.

Gloves are arguably one of the most crucial elements of PPE, helping to protect workers who have to handle hazardous substances, among other things. However, they are also one of the items of PPE most likely not to be worn, or not worn properly, as Chris Gordon discovered, when his company researched the problem.

Prime Minister David Cameron has nominated PPE manufacturer JSP for the ‘Made by Britain’ project – a joint initiative between the Associate Parliamentary Manufacturing Group (APMG) and the 1851 Royal Commission aimed at boosting the profile of British manufacturing.

An accreditation scheme set up by the HSE and the British Safety Industry Federation (BSIF) to check the competency of face-piece fitters has returned a pass rate of less than 50 per cent.

Safety products distributor Arco has joined forces with the Bloodhound Ambassador Programme, which aims to create and encourage a surge in the popularity of science technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM subjects) by working closely with schools and colleges throughout the UK.

Hand-protection solutions company Polyco has redesigned its website to make it easier to use and navigate.

Marigold® Industrial is raising awareness of hand and arm protection via an online competition, in which participants can win a trip for two to Portugal.

The latest glove from hand-and-arm-protection company Marigold Industrial Ltd is said to combine technology, dexterity and innovation, making it suitable for people working on assembly lines, with electronic components, and in quality-control environments.

Developed specifically for the food and beverage manufacturing industry comes a specialist range of Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) from 3M.

Workplace skincare company GOJO has refreshed its skin-health programme for manufacturing workers.

Labstract has added a new dispenser to its range of PPE containers. The Mini dispenser has been developed in response to customers’ requirements for a small wall- or bench-mounted container, which can be used for various types of PPE, including safety spectacles, ear plugs, disposable gloves, face masks, hair nets and shoe covers.

The Würth Group in Germany is the latest partner to sign up to DSM Dyneema’s glove-licensing programme.