As 2024 comes to a close, we’ve gathered the most-read articles over the year from our readers. This year articles centred on legal analysis of prosecutions and 50 years of the Health and Safety at Work Act, but one overarching theme was clear – the emerging risk of lithium-ion batteries.
In April, a survey found that staff have increasing expectations of employers to meet health and safety needs – but employers are not equipped enough to meet the needs.
Credit: HSE
In May, as part of SHP’s editorial partnership with Fieldfisher’s Health & Safety team, Beth Thompson (Associate) and Kirstie Imber (Associate) considered the successful conviction of Ward Recycling Limited, including any lessons to be learnt for businesses to take note of.
In December, Hannah Eales and Darcy Moffat at Kingsley Napley highlighted some of the developments that occurred throughout 2024, and turn to what 2025 might have in store.
In February, new guidance from the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) was released on how menopausal women should be treated in the workplace, which could see legal action taken against employers if they
do not take appropriate steps of workplace support.
In May, research revealed UK fire services attended 46% more fires linked to lithium-ion batteries in 2023 compared to the previous year.
In July, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) published its annual statistics on work-related fatalities, with 138 workers killed in work-related accidents, up from 136 last year.
In August’s partnership article, Andrew Sanderson and Annabel Twose of Fieldfisher’s Health & Safety practice group reflected on the death of supermarket worker, Matthew Gunn, and the importance of making reasonable workplace adjustments for the wellbeing of workers.
In January, fire safety experts from SOCOTEC discussed how to safely use and store lithium-ion batteries to protect the safety of people and the workplace.
In October, a fire broke out in a 15-storey apartment block in Plaistow caused by a lithium-ion battery.
In January, research found that only 15% of organisations said they have conducted a workplace fire risk assessment to cover the risks posed by devices containing lithium-ion batteries.
In July, SHP’s publication reflecting on fifty years of the legislation was released, and applauded the Act’s influence but asked questions around wellbeing and technology.
The most-read article was in April, where George Gilbey, a self-employed electrician who appeared on Channel 4’s Gogglebox TV show, sadly died after falling from height at work.
Credit: Doug Peters / Alamy Stock Photo
In this episode of the Safety & Health Podcast, ‘Burnout, stress and being human’, Heather Beach is joined by Stacy Thomson to discuss burnout, perfectionism and how to deal with burnout as an individual, as management and as an organisation.
We provide an insight on how to tackle burnout and why mental health is such a taboo subject, particularly in the workplace.
