Workers’ Memorial Day

Simian is proud of the contribution the business makes to ensuring the health, safety and wellbeing of our own staff and also of those by whom we are engaged.

28 April each year is International Workers’ Memorial Day and it’s an event which is recognised around the world. Some estimates state the number of workplace fatalities being as high as a staggering 2.78 million per year, with over 86% of these arising from workplace disease!

By any measure, the numbers are unjustifiably horrific, and the number of fatalities is many more than are caused by wars across the globe. Many of these fatalities can be attributed to the fact that life is simply undervalued, or that employers just haven’t appropriately prioritised workplace health and safety.

Thankfully, the UK remains one of the safest countries in the world in which to work. It enjoys a relatively high level of workplace health and safety regulation, and, although it is sometimes unfairly and incorrectly portrayed as a killjoy industry – the health and safety profession plays a significant part in upholding and maintaining these standards, and ultimately in creating a culture that is envied across the globe. Workers in the UK have a right to leave work in a healthy condition and this is just not replicated in all parts of the world.

Of course, one workplace fatality, injury or case of disease is one too many, and adherence to statutory provisions such as the general requirements of the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974, or the more detailed requirements of the Work at Height Regulations 2005, CDM 2015, or the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations, also play a significant part in reducing cases of death, injury and disease.

At a very detailed level, industry guidance such as SG4:15 and TG20, provide specific detail on how work activity can be completed safely, and the very existence of guidance at this level is envied across the world, and therefore, Simian endorse these publications fully.

For information on how we can assist with improving workplace safety with your team, please get in touch. Call us on 0345 6022 418, or email us via hello@simian-risk.com.