STRESS BIGGEST WORKPLACE PROBLEM

Asurvey of safety reps identifies stress as the most common health and safety problem at work. Nearly two thirds of those who responded to a TUC survey (62 per cent) said that stress is in the top five problems faced by the workforces they represent. Stress is most often found in the public than in the private sector, with 68 per cent of public sector union reps saying it is a problem compared to 54 per cent in the private sector.

Bullying and harassment is the second most common health and safety concern, with more than a third of reps (37 per cent) listing it as a top five concern in the workplace. I It is more prevalent in the public sector than the private sector, and the larger the workplace, the more likely it is to be a concern.

Back strains constitute the third most frequently mentioned hazard, with 33 per cent of reps saying this was a top five concern for their workplaces.

Slips, trips and falls is the fourth most common hazard identified, with 32 per cent of reps regarding it as one of the top five causes for concern.

Overwork is listed as a separate issue to stress for the first time in the survey, and it is the fifth most likely hazard to be identified as a major concern with more than one in four (29 per cent) listing it as one their top five issues.

The findings are based on a questionnaire responded to by 1,819 union safety representatives in the period May-June 2010. The survey is available from www.tuc.org.uk/extras/safetyrepssurvey2010.pdf

TRIGGER LITIGATION APPEAL
The Unite union has confirmed it will go to the Supreme Court to challenge the recent Court of Appeal trigger litigation ruling. The court, see ‘Monitor' November 2010 page 11, decided that in some asbestos cases the employer's liability insurance is triggered not by the exposure to asbestos in the workplace, but by the development of mesothelioma.

The union is concerned that if the ruling is not challenged many sufferers of the disease will not be compensated. The ruling could mean that an insurer is not liable, meaning the individual can only claim compensation from his previous employer. I If the employer is no longer trading then the victim will not receive any compensation. G Given the long latency period of asbestos-related disease, companies have often ceased trading some time before the development of the disease.

DOCTORS SCEPTICAL ABOUT FIT NOTES
A survey by insurer Aviva suggests that a majority of GPs (68 per cent) do not think that fit notes will cut absence levels in the workplace.

The notes were introduced in April 2010 to replace traditional sick notes. A Fit Note, or Statement of Fitness for Work, provides for two outcomes: a patient could be declared ‘unfit for work', or ‘may be fit for work'. GPs can then advise employers on ways in which employees could be helped - by a reduction in hours for example, changes to duties, or an adaptation to the working environment. There is no obligation on the employer to follow any recommendations.

Of those questioned, 65 per cent said they feel ill-equipped to provide Fit Notes. Of employers questioned 95 per cent thought that Fit Notes will not be effective.

More information: www.aviva.co.uk/health/health-of-the-workplace/fit-notes.html

BRAIN DAMAGE DURATION

Research led by the University of Melbourne suggests that brain damage continues to develop and evolve for months after a traumatic brain injury.

The study revealed widespread decreases in brain functioning in specific regions of the brain, many of which are remote from the site of the direct trauma and showed no signs of initial injury on the MRI . The hippocampus, a brain structure critical to memory and emotion, is the key area of these changes.

Professor Terry O'Brien, Head of the University of Melbourne's Department of Medicine at the Royal Melbourne Hospital said the results provided new insights into the progressive nature of how the brain changes following injury. He said: "This opens up a window of opportunity to give treatments to halt this damage, and therefore reduce the long term neurological and psychiatric complications that many patients experience".

The study funded by the Victorian Neurotrauma Initiative was published in ‘The Journal of Nuclear Medicine'.

Further information: www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/206596.php

ROAD SAFETY RESEARCH
The European Commission has a dedicated web page containing information extracted from research projects on road safety.

Available are reports, manuals and best practice guides which were published as part of these projects and which could be useful for road safety specialists. They cover a large range of issues, from (the neologistic) accidentology and infrastructure to policy assessments. All documents can be downloaded free of charge.

Sample documents include:

• best practice guidelines on cargo securing and abnormal transport;
• campaigns and awareness-raising strategies in traffic safety; and
• summary and publication of best practices in road safety in the EU Member States.
  

The information, part of the EC EC's revised transport web pages, is available at: http://ec.europa.eu/transport/road_safety/specialist/toolbox/index_en.htm

MOBILE PHONES AND DRIVING
A US advice sheet offers some tips that employers could use when considering mobile phone usage and driving:

• Consider turning off your mobile when you drive, or place it in an inaccessible location where you will not be tempted to reach for it.
• If you intend to use a hands-free phone, place it in a holder in front of you before driving (it is probably best practice to not allow mobile phone usage at all while driving - Ed.).
• Avoid using the phone in hazardous conditions or on unfamiliar roads.
• Tell the person on the phone that you are driving, be prepared to end a conversation abruptly if necessary. 
• Do not text while driving. Reading, writing, or dialling a phone can be extremely hazardous, because it is easy to lose track of time.
  

The sheet is available from: www.ohsu.edu/xd/research/centers-institutes/croet/outreach/or-face/

The US safety body NIOSH, offers advice for employers on driving, including:

• Assign a key member of the management team responsibility and authority to set and enforce comprehensive driver safety policy.
• Do not require workers to drive irregular hours or far beyond their normal working hours.
• Develop work schedules that allow employees to obey speed limits and to follow applicable hours-of-service regulations.
• Teach workers strategies for recognising and managing driver fatigue and in-vehicle distractions.
• Provide training to workers operating specialised motor vehicles or equipment.
• Ensure that workers assigned to drive on the job have a valid driver's license and one that is appropriate for the type of vehicle to be driven.
• Check driving records of prospective employees, and perform periodic rechecks after hiring.
  

More resources are available at: www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/2004-136/default.html

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