Make UK Podcasts

How to turn your relationship with the health and safety regulator into a business advantage? David Butter is HM Principal Inspector of Health and Safety, Head of Manufacturing Sector, for Health and Safety Executive, and the first guest on the debut episode of Root Cause Analysis.

In this conversation, David and Chris discuss topics such as, the damaging effects of negativity regarding the HSE, control of risk, PUWER guarding, and the need to be kind to your future self.

Chris also talks to Mark Stubbs, CMIOSH, about the importance of demonstrating and sharing best practice. Leila John shares her EHS journey and how she’s making progress towards Chartered membership of IOSH.

Timings

00:00 Intro

00:00:18 David Butter is HM Principal Inspector of Health and Safety, Head of Manufacturing Sector, for Health and Safety Executive

01:01:00 Mark Stubbs, Consultant, at Make UK

01:22:29 Leila’s Diary – A journey to CMIOSH

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The manufacturing industry’s views vary significantly on place-based economic incentives with many believing that these policies lead to winners and losers, with growth in one area coming at a cost to another.

There is a lot to be considered about place-based initiatives and whether the policies can ultimately offer long-term economic growth to the whole of the UK. These possibilities and challenges are discussed by RSM and Make UK in their new report called Manufacturing Growth: Building a Competitive Business Environment.

Listen to this podcast, presented by Jonty Bloom, and with Fhaheen Khan, Senior Economist for Make UK and Mike Thornton, Partner and Head of Manufacturing at RSM, for the third and final theme arising from their research, on place-based incentives.

The manufacturing industry thinks that regional and national infrastructure has got worse in the last decade and say a lack of good infrastructure is a barrier to accessing labour and skills – holding back key investment and growth for manufacturers.

The views come from a major report into the industry by RSM and Make UK called Manufacturing Growth: Building a Competitive Business Environment.

Listen to this podcast, presented by Jonty Bloom, and with Fhaheen Khan, Senior Economist for Make UK and Mike Thornton, Partner and Head of Manufacturing at RSM, for more about business’s views on infrastructure.

The manufacturing industry is calling for a major MOT of the business tax and regulatory system in the UK, which will boost investment in the UK. They want the Chancellor to overhaul the system in his forthcoming Autumn statement.

The call comes on the back of a major report into the industry by RSM and Make UK called Manufacturing Growth: Building a Competitive Business Environment.

Listen to this podcast, presented by Jonty Bloom, and with Fhaheen Khan, Senior Economist for Make UK and Rachel Milloy, Associate Director for RSM, for more about business’s views on the tax and regulatory system.

Andrew Ward, Make UK revealed £14bn annually is lost a year in industry from mental health issues affecting the workforce. Now 80% of HR directors say that wellbeing has shot up their importance ladder in terms of business priorities.

Alison Corner, HR Director, Enginuity – Mental health awareness and support has long been a growing priority for Enginuity but the pandemic has accelerated that. We have tailored our support and increased the offer as a direct result of the pandemic.  Presenteeism may once have been seen as a non-issue but is now being treated as a real problem that need to be addressed to make sure a workforce stays healthy, productive and well.

Rachel Newman, Head of People, Policy & Support RNLI – Mental health has long been a priority for the RNLI. Physical and mental health are very much seen as equal players within the organisation, with a dedicated occupational health team offering guidance and support. They have embedded greater support specifically focussing on the mental health aspect which has been accelerated since the pandemic. RNLI have reactive but also preventative support including the mental health first aid programme, recruiting, training and have a focus on developing their own mental health first aiders to be accessible to everyone throughout the organisation. The stigma is slowly being removed from mental health and talking about issues which is welcomed.   Your plan for wellbeing and mental health should be taken as seriously as any other part of your business.

Laura McBrown, MD, G&B Electronics – During the pandemic, G&B Electronics recognised the importance of engaging with all their workforce - both those still working on site but equally those working from home. Managers appreciated quickly the different challenges facing both groups of workers, and that each way of working presented its own unique stresses. Laura speaks of the importance of regular engagement with the workforce and how seemingly small things can make a big impact. G&B Electronics are now seeing a a real return on their investment in this space.

Dr Shaun Lundy, Director for Strategy & Innovation, Tetra Consultancy – Shaun, who works closely as an adviser to Make UK, speaks on best practice and what businesses can be doing to improve their support. He looks at best practice including wellbeing programmes put in place by  BT and GlaxoSmithKline who have made great inroads into work in care for their employees in the wellbeing space. Culture change is key to making an impact in, its not just a matter of offering support, senior staff within a business need to buy into it to make any initiative a success.

Minister for Disabled people, Health and Work, Chloe Smith MP - Recognises there has been a shift in perception over attitudes to mental health and an increased willingness from both individuals to speak about issues and from employers keen to have conversations with their workforces. She explains in this podcast why it is a hugely positive shift in thinking that mental health is now getting the attention in the workplace it rightfully deserves. Absenteeism and presenteeism costs around £50billion a year to UK business and research has shown that addressing mental health and wellbeing issues can help businesses unlock productivity, keep staff for longer and reduce absenteeism. Government continues to work closely with HSE on this issue.