Feature Articles

The UK Government is pushing ahead with plans to introduce a new legal duty for those who own or manage public venues that will require them to protect occupiers from terrorist attacks. Mike Sopp looks at why this duty is needed and what it may entail.

New PPE Regulations extend employers’ duties to “workers”. Barrister Robert Spicer reports on a number of recent cases that demonstrate the difficulty of determining who is a worker.

Caroline Raine discusses the future of diisocyanates and the need for training before the use of diisocyanates in the workplace.

As cases of monkeypox begin to rise in the UK, there has been speculation that this will become the new coronavirus. However, this is far from the truth. Monkeypox is a rare viral infection, which is generally mild and self-limiting, and poses a very low threat to the wider public. It is not easily transmissible, full recovery is expected and treatment is available through the smallpox vaccine. This being said, it is still natural for employers to be prepared for what steps they need to take to manage this outbreak.

It was made illegal to smoke in the workplace in England in July 2007. Martin Hodgson looks at what the law requires and how it benefits staff health, safety and welfare.

Understanding who the client is and the outputs expected from an agreement are not necessarily straightforward in any built environment contract. Alan Field helps to understand the complexities.

In this feature article, Caroline Raine provides an introduction to the transport regulations, explaining the different modes and some of the relaxations available.

Following the Covid-19 outbreak, Roland Finch explores what improvements can be made in the construction industry after the virus.

It is unfortunate that the chances of new employees having an accident in their first six months at a workplace are equal to those during the rest of their working lives. Jon Herbert highlights why it is crucial that young workers receive the right training and supervision needed as they come face-to-face with unfamiliar risks.

The Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2002 (DSEAR) require employers to control the risks to safety from fire, explosions and substances corrosive to metals. Caroline Raine provides an overview of the DSEAR Regulations in this feature article.