Highlighting hidden dangers
A new safety campaign has been launched to highlight hidden workplace hazards and urge employers to take more action to protect workers. Dangers such as excessive noise, poor air quality and fatigue are less visible than some risks but can have devastating consequences for people.
British Safety Council’s Hidden Hazards campaign aims to raise awareness of these issues before they cause harm and provide organisations with knowledge and resources. Mike Robinson, chief executive of British Safety Council, said: “A workplace risk doesn’t have to be visible to be serious. We know many thousands of lives are lost each year due to dangers that remain unseen. Every day workers are exposed to hidden hazards that can have profound consequences for their health and wellbeing, often with effects that only become apparent years later.”
The campaign will feature a different risk every six months, starting with silicosis, a lung disease usually caused by breathing in crystalline silica dust over many years. Other topics will include stress, asbestos and air quality.
Mike added: “Hidden Hazards is about bringing these risks into the open, raising awareness and making lasting policy change to prevent harm before it happens.”
