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Gas safety - when did you last have yours checked? Gas safety is paramount and therefore should be checked at least annually. However, not everyone adheres to this and consequently the last five years has seen an increase in house fires. This is occurring in houses with gas appliances and happens…
Read moreDrivers causing death by dangerous driving could be sentenced to life The Ministry of Justice have this week published a consultation document relating to penalties caused by dangerous driving. It states that those who speed, street race or drive whilst using a mobile phone, should face the same se…
Read moreDoes your corporate gift fall within the Bribery Act? The Bribery Act 2010 received its Royal Assent on 8 April 2010 but this is the time of year when it comes to the fore. December, generally sees the giving and receiving of corporate gifts as a regular occurrence in many businesses. Historically…
Read moreVulnerable groups and safer recruitment considerations for employers Cases of unsuitable people working with vulnerable groups, including children are coming to light more and more. For instance, the recent revelations in the world of football concerning historical child abuse allegations have bee…
Read moreIncreases announced for the National Living Wage and the National Minimum Wage A decision has been taken to introduce changes to the National Minimum Wage (NMW) rates from 1 April 2017 to coincide with the National Living Wage (NLW) rate which was introduced earlier this year. Thereafter, rate cha…
Read moreHR gets real and moves to the fore Being involved with HR for many years has certain advantages, like, a level of confidence that comes with growing competence. This comes from exposure to multiple situations. But the real advantage of advancing years in human resource is understanding what a busin…
Read moreWhat is Gig economy? Gig economy is a phrase that has been alien to the UK until recently. Our American cousins have sent this over to us leaving many of us confused to its interpretation. Essentially since the recession, the UK has been leaning towards a more flexible workforce model. That is, mo…
Read moreTime off work – What are the statutory rights? Your employees may need time off work if or when they deal with an emergency. The Employment Rights Act 1996 (ERA) implemented a law for this. It affords employees certain statutory rights when they require time off work. However, this is in the cas…
Read moreUber drivers are not self-employed Uber drivers are not self-employed, it was decided at the London Central Employment Tribunal where higher levels of publicity than usual were received. This was due to the high profile nature of the companies involved. The taxi firm, Uber, has been defending its…
Read more5 Step Fire Door Check that anyone can do: A fire door is the difference between life and death. A suitably fitted fire door with the correct applications can separate a room and withstand a fire for a sufficient amount of time. Thus allow people to escape from a building. However, where there ar…
Read moreTUPE transfer definition explained The question of whether or not there has been a TUPE transfer is the subject of a large number of the employment advice calls at Quest. The legal framework that forms the basis of advice on this issue incorporates the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employ…
Read moreSafety management systems - lessons learnt from Alton Towers Safety management systems in place at work are not going to work if they are not regularly reviewed and effectively managed. Their success depends on the attitudes of those people in the organisation. This is sometimes known as the ‘saf…
Read moreIs it time to change your health and safety culture? Striving for a good health and safety culture in the workplace shouldn’t stop. With Halloween fast approaching this is a good time of year to clear out those skeletons in the workplace! In other words, think about changing habits. Does your wo…
Read moreDevelopment of workplace health and safety started fairly recently Minimum legal workplace health and safety standards and expectations have been around pretty much since 1833. This is when HM Factory Inspectorate was formed under the Factories Act 1833. Its main duty was to ensure the enforcement…
Read moreEmployment practices generate criticism The employment practices of the retailer and leisure business, Sports Direct, have been the subject of ever increasing scrutiny over recent years. The rules and policies that operate within the business, in particular at the company’s headquarters in Derbyshi…
Read moreEmployment Tribunals – summary of activity Every three months, the Government publishes a summary of the activity within the Employment Tribunals system and, as always, the figures make interesting reading for employers. The data published for the period from January to March 2016 indicates that th…
Read moreCycle to work – encourage your employees A cycle to work scheme can encourage employees to make healthier and greener journeys to work. Under the scheme, your employees could be loaned a bike and/or additional cycling safety equipment plus other accessories by your organisation. Thus enabling them…
Read moreHSE construction inspectors to carry out unannounced visits HSE construction inspectors will be carrying out unannounced visits to sites where refurbishment projects or repair works are underway. The initiative is being undertaken as a series of two week inspections across the country - the inspec…
Read moreLatest legislation updates - keep safe at work Below is a list of latest legislation updates to keep you safe at work. If you are new to health and safety, see our guide on Getting Started - as health and safety legislation does not have to be complicated. Hazardous waste - April 2016 From 1 Ap…
Read moreWhat is the law on whistleblowing? The law on whistleblowing stipulates that, if employees believe that there is some wrong doing or malpractice happening in their workplace, they can ‘blow the whistle’ on the behaviour. If employees do 'blow the whistle', they can be potentially protected from l…
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