The Environment Agency have published their annual report “Regulating for people, the environment and growth, 2021”. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/regulating-for-people-the-environment-and-growth-2021/regulating-for-people-the-environment-and-growth-2021. Highlights are:
Most of the regulated industrial sites continue to be well run. 97% of sites with permits are in the top three compliance bands. Water abstraction potential has been reduced by 1.7 trillion litres. Climate change emissions trading and energy efficiency schemes collectively delivered a 9 million tonne reduction of CO2 compared to 2020HSE has published health and safety statistics for the UK for the year 2021/22. https://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/?utm_source=hse.gov.uk&utm_medium=refferal&utm_campaign=annual-stats-22&utm_term=annual-stats&utm_content=news-page Key points are:
8 million working people suffering from a work-related illness, of which 914,000 workers suffering work-related stress, depression or anxiety 477,000 workers suffering from a work-related musculoskeletal disorder 123,000 workers suffering from COVID-19 which they believe may have been from exposure to coronavirus at work 2,544 mesothelioma deaths due to past asbestos exposures (2020) 123 workers killed in work-related accidents 565,000 working people sustained an injury at work according to the Labour Force Survey 61,713 injuries to employees reported under RIDDOR 8 million working days lost due to work-related illness and workplace injury £18.8 billion estimated cost of injuries and ill health from current working conditions (2019/20)DEFRA have announced that the deadline for submission of transitional registrations, under UK REACH has been extended by three years. https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/uk-reach-extending-submission-deadlines-for-transitional-registrations?utm_source=govdelivery&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=chemicals-guidance-hse&utm_term=response&utm_content=reach-2-dec-22 Secondary legislation will be brought forward to bring this into UK law.
The current deadlines for completing this transitional registration process, depending on tonnage and hazard profile of the substance, are:
October 2023 for substances included on the EU REACH candidate list before UK REACH came into effect; substances that are carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic for reproduction and manufactured or imported in quantities of 1 tonne a year or more; substances that are very toxic to aquatic life and manufactured or imported in quantities of 100 tonnes or more a year; and all substances manufactured or imported in quantities of 1,000 tonnes or more a year. October 2025 for substances added to the UK REACH candidate list before the above submission deadline; and all substances manufactured or imported in quantities of 100 tonnes or more a year. October 2027 for all substances manufactured or imported in quantities of 1 tonne or more a year.The United States NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board) has reminded operators in the maritime industry of the importance of crew wearing PLBs (personal locator beacons) whilst at sea. In a recent incident off Alaska when a crabber capsized and sank, because of the weight of the topside ice and the force of the winds and waves, five out of a crew of seven drowned. An investigation by the NTSB found that while the crabbers emergency position indicating radio beacon (EPIRB) continued to operate after the vessel had been abandoned, rescue teams, using the EPIRB position, searched in the wrong area. Eventually, a Coast Guard helicopter rescued two crew members, who had swum to a life raft, but the remaining five were never found. https://safetycompass.wordpress.com/2022/12/27/personal-locator-beacons-improve-the-chance-of-rescue-at-sea/