Hello and welcome to

Connect

Hello and welcome to Connect.

For the second time in recent months, workplace health and safety seems to be the football of choice for those wishing to score a hatful of political points.

Hot on the heels of Cameron’s speech now comes allegations that civil servants working in Number 10 telephoned an anti-bullying charity about their perceived treatment at the hands of a ‘hot-tempered’ Prime Minster.

Whatever the political motives of the ‘leaks’ and conspiracy theories that have emerged over recent days, the inescapable truth is that bullying in today’s workplace is prevalent and, in cultures such as Whitehall, perceived as ‘part and parcel’ of the job.

Whatever your opinions and experiences of bullying are, and whether you think it indeed encompasses health and safety, everyone has the right not to feel intimidated or threatened at work – whether that’s emotionally or physically.

Connect publishes its second article on workplace violence, this time from the perspective of aggression from members of the public. It examines what laws are there to protect workers and why people resort to violence in the first place.

We also publish the first in a series of articles on workplace transport and look at what the most common types of accidents are and what measures can be introduced to reduce the likelihood of accidents.

As well as news from around the industry, we also have our Professional Development course details, IOSH 10 updates and the latest jobs in your area.

If you have any comments to make about Connect, or about something we’ve featured, please drop me a line.

Thanks for reading.

Shaun Gibbons
e-Editor, IOSH