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It’s that time of year again where people of all ages are enjoying the sun and possibly attending some of the many festivals happening all over the country.
It’s no secret that these festivals can often pose threats to the attendees, something which many newspapers, websites and police forces try to mitigate by launching campaigns aimed at keeping the attendees aware and safe. But what about the lone workers at these events? What threats are they faced with? And how can we reduce the risks?
Many workers at these festivals are often volunteers or temporary workers hired just for the event. However, it is not uncommon to also see police patrolling these events as an extra precaution to ensure the safety of the attendees. At 2017’s Notting Hill Carnival, The Independent reported that 31 police officers experienced injuries due to acts of violence, such as
Following a series of high profile cases, the so-called ‘gig economy’ has gained notoriety as many of its workers are reported to be paying the price for greater flexibility by sacrificing basic employment rights and their safety.
The ‘gig economy’ refers to the trend for companies hiring individuals and paying them on a job by job basis instead of employing them in a permanent role. According to Analysts at McKinsey Global Institute, it’s estimated that around 5 million people in the UK are employed in this way, which makes up 15.6% of the countries’ total workforce.
Although many workers benefit from the increased flexibility and control over when they work, for others this is not a lifestyle choice but their only employment option in a competitive job market.
The issue of employment status has been raised as some claim a lack of legal clarity has resulted in many workers have been wrongly labelled as self-employed. This means that these individuals don’t have access to the same benefits and protections that a permanent full-time employee
Across Britain people are coming together today to celebrate the 70th birthday of the NHS. And what better way to mark the occasion than by giving thanks and recognition to its extraordinary staff, the everyday heroes that go above and beyond, day in day out to look after us.
The National Health Service was founded in 1948 by Health Secretary, Aneurin Bevan, as part of his vision to make universal healthcare accessible to all regardless of wealth. Today, 70 years later the NHS is renowned and admired throughout the world for the high level of care that it provides to patients.
Buildings around the country, from the Blackpool Tower to the Houses of Parliament and the London Eye will be lighting up blue this evening to celebrate this incredible milestone. Special ceremonies are also due to be held at Westminster Abbey and York Minster to acknowledge the achievements of the much-loved institution.
To get Britain involved, NHS Charities have organised a nationwide tea party, NHS 7Tea which aims
Skyguard have successfully gained accreditation to international information security standard ISO 27001 and government backed IT security scheme, Cyber Essentials.
The awards certify that Skyguard is working to the highest possible standards concerning information security management.
Following a rigorous audit, the company has been approved by QMS International Ltd to the standards of ISO 27001:2013. This shows that the company has successfully implemented a framework of policies, procedures and a series of controls to manage information security risks effectively. Certification also demonstrates that Skyguard follows a strict set of international guidelines in the way data is handled throughout the organisation.
Cyber Essentials further enhances the company’s credentials, as the independently verified scheme requires a company’s IT security measures to adhere to best practice, protecting the company’s service and data from online threats in order to become certified.
On receiving the awards, James Murray, CEO commented,
“With the recent changes to data protection law now that GDPR has come into effect, the way companies manage and use data has never been so important.”
“Being awarded both of
So, you’ve carried out your risk assessment, scoured the market for lone worker protection, splashed out on brand new devices and rolled them out to all employees – but then you find that staff just aren’t using them… What do you do?
First, let’s take a look at some of the reasons that employees may not be using their devices:
They don’t think they’re necessary – Unless the reasons for having them are fully explained some workers may not see the point. Often people assume that accidents won’t happen to them, so it’s important to use real-world examples to demonstrate the risks associated with their roles.
Staff don’t know how to use them – This is why it’s not enough to just issue alarms, employees must be given training on how to operate and look after their device so they know what to do when they need it.
Fear of activating alarm by mistake – False alarms are an inconvenience but employees can take steps to reduce the
