Policy & procedures design or review, management & strategy, specialist project support, onsite & offsite HR
Policy design, reviews & audits, site inspection, accident investigation, mitigating risk, IOSH training
Enhancing capabilities, cultivating high-performing teams, transforming team effectiveness
Strategy development, culture & change, employee engagement, succession planning, DEI
Management development, coaching, workshops & online learning academy
Confidential calls & reporting, secure case management, policy best practice & compliance
Expert tax, audit & advisory services
Financial planning, cash flow modelling, retirement planning
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Clients in Cyber Security, Hospitality and Beauty.
HR Administration. Payroll Processing
Sam Bounds is a HR & Payroll Administrator based in our London Office. She supports clients across a variety of sectors at all stages of the employee lifecycle. This means that one day she might be supporting with the onboarding of new members to the team and another she might be dealing with offboarding. The fact that her role varies depending on the client is something that Sam enjoys as every day brings new challenges and opportunities.
Alongside supporting with the employee lifecycle Sam assists with payroll related tasks. For one client she might be collating the payroll information to hand over to an external team and for another she might be completing the payroll or answering payroll enquiries or questions. No matter which client Sam is working for, she ensures that she works to the agreed deadlines and delivers each and every time.
I believe it’s really important for any relationship to be built on a basis of transparency and honesty. I like to build good rapport with clients and show them from the start that I am very approachable and there to support them with their HR and Payroll related tasks. If my clients don’t feel like they can come to me with queries or don’t feel that I’ll support them with tasks, then our relationship won’t be successful. So, making sure that I work to deadlines we’ve clearly outlined and keeping them appraised of the progress of projects is really important to me. This is something I feel clients appreciate because it provides them with peace of mind and also means that they can plan everything they need to on their end and are aware of how things are progressing. This means there should not be any surprises when we get to the end of a project and keeps everyone informed.
When it comes to collating and running payroll it’s really important that I am both efficient and also honest. Money can be a sensitive subject for people, so I always aim to quickly answer any and all payroll enquiries and questions. I ensure that the payroll is processed on the correct dates, so no one is ever waiting on me. Ensuring payroll is a seamless and smooth process is of utmost importance and something I pride myself on. This often means being proactive and ensuring I have the relevant information before I actually require it.
I work with clients across a variety of sectors, and I love that. My job has so much variety because of the difference in every client I work across. This range provides me with the ability to learn from different areas of different businesses which helps and supports my development and knowledge. There’s nothing better than being useful- when a client comes to me and they’re thankful about the support I’ve been able to give them or when I’ve answered a query, and the person understands that’s something I love about my job.
I love being able to switch between virtual and hands on. It gives our clients more that we’re able to work within their offices and integrate ourselves seamlessly within their teams but also that we can work remotely, and it doesn’t feel any different than if we were onsite with the team. Technology has come so far, and it is truly amazing the way in which it’s able to enable us to work better from further away.
It’s about getting the balance right and also meeting the needs of the client. If there’s a specific project we’re working on, and it would be better for me to be face to face I can accommodate for this. Being able delight our clients and meet their needs is great.
It’s important for me to know when to say no. One of my greatest challenges is the deadlines for payroll. It can be difficult to manage those at the same time as other projects that clients might want completed urgently. To avoid as much disruption as possible I am really organised with my payroll deadlines.
If I need to, I’m not afraid to push back and ask for more time on other projects. Ensuring that employees are paid on time and paid correctly is a real priority for me and for the businesses I work with so if something else needs to flex for that I’ll make sure it does. I always have a good relationship with my clients so they know that if I am pushing back and asking if something can be done another time it’s because its in their best interest so I can give the task my all and get it completed on time.
Proud to support a diverse range of clients
It’s that time of the year again- the time of the year to start calculating holiday pay for your employees. In theory that sounds like the most simple thing, however it can come with complications. Earlier this year we provided an overview for employers on the Updates to Calculating Holiday Pay that centred around the Harpur Trust v Brazel (2019) court ruling. Since then, there’s been further updates that all employers should not only be aware of but should be taking notice of before they make any calculations.
To recap, the Harpur Trust v Brazel case involved a music teacher on a zero hour contract who disputed her employer’s calculation of her holiday pay. Initially, the school calculated her pay based on a fixed percentage of her earnings at the end of each term, which resulted in less holiday pay for her. The employee argued that her pay should be based on an average of her earnings over the previous 12 weeks (from 6 April 2020 this reference period was increased to 52 weeks), which would have resulted in a higher amount of holiday pay.
The case was initially dismissed by the Employment Tribunal but was later reviewed by higher courts, including the Supreme Court, which ruled in favour of the employee. The courts concluded that part-time workers and those on zero-hour or casual contracts should receive a full 5.6 weeks of annual leave, calculated based on a 52-week average of earnings.
This ruling caused concerns among employers, as it increased costs and impacted flexible working arrangements. The government then added this topic to a review they were completing to assess the ruling and determine if it should be overturned or made permanent legislation, taking into account the impact on employers and ensuring fair annual leave entitlement for all workers.
The long-awaited outcome was issued by Department for Business and Trade on 8th November 2023. The highlights of the outcome in relation to concerns around the Harpur Trust v Brazel case were:
It would be remiss of us to provide an update on calculating holiday play, and to predict any changes which may come, without providing a roundup of the basic details every employer must adhere to when calculating holiday pay.
Further to the update to legislation in April 2020, employers must also ensure that if there employees receive “variable pay”, they complete a 52-week look back to confirm what the employee’s average weekly earnings would be. This pay should include any overtime, commission, bonuses or other regular payments. If an employee has not been with their employer for the full 52 weeks, you should asses from the start of their employment. It is important employers to keep an up-to-date reflection of the average weekly pay to ensure employees are pay correctly when they do take annual leave. If you are unsure of how to calculate an employees pay if their hours fluctuate frequently or are not sure if a payment would be considered as a regular payment, please seek out professional advice.
Calculating holiday pay should be relatively straight forward. However, tribunal cases such as Harpur Trust v Brazel, changes to employment case law and changing work patterns continue to give employers additional factors to consider.
It is unclear at this point when the government will formally make the aforementioned changes to legislation or introduce new legislation following recommendations as appropriate. This will likely take time to be implemented, if the changes are likely to take place prior to the next general election should be confirmed in coming months. Employers should stay up to date with developments in this area and seek legal advice to ensure compliance with any changes to the law.
If you have any queries on calculating holiday pay, please do not hesitate to get in contact with Georgia Wilson, or one of our HR & Employment Law Specialists.
After a year of change and upheaval for organisations across the UK and Ireland we are expecting at least nine employment law changes in 2024. These changes are likely to change the employment landscape for employers and employees alike. Political and economic factors have caused unexpected challenges and have even delayed some legislative changes we originally had expected back in 2023.
It’s so important to make yourself aware of the upcoming changes as early as possible. The year is already shaping up to be eventful. These changes are wide reaching and cover a diverse range of areas across Employment Law. The impact for employees is likely the largest we will have seen for a while. So, what changes are coming?
Significant increases will come into effect from the start of the new financial year, and the highest pay bracket has been expanded to included 21 year olds and over for the first time, pushing more over the threshold of auto-enrolment into a company pension. This will increase wages to support with the cost of living, but cause additional costs for employers who will need to consider this impact moving forward.
Rolled up holiday pay will once again be permitted for those who work irregular hours, but only for those with a holiday year starting after 01 April 2024. The same goes for calculating pay which will be permitted with the introduction of new legislation allowing holiday pay to be calculated at the hourly rate of 12.07%, overruling recent case law.
From April 2024, those seeking to take paternity leave will be permitted to split their two week entitlement into two non-consecutive periods, and the time where this leave can be taken will be extended to within 52 weeks of the birth of their child or placement for adoption.
At present there is no absolute right to take time off as a carer, but this new legislation will provide employees with the ability to take one week of unpaid leave each year to support their caring responsibilities for a reasonable person.
Flexible working rights are to be expanded, evidencing further that flexibility will continue to be the expected norm in the world of work. Firstly length of service eligibility will be removed, with requests being permitted from day one. In addition the amount of time employers have to respond to any request will be reduced from three months to two months. Finally, multiple request will be accepted as the right to refuse more than one request per annum will be removed.
Enabling those with irregular hours to request a more stable and predictable pattern of work, this new statutory right will be open to those with 26 weeks’ service. Although the request may be refused for certain reasons to be outlined in the legislation, the general understanding is that a code of practice will govern what is acceptable and employers should be working with employees to provide better working patterns wherever possible.
With an effective date yet to be confirmed, it is worth noting that pregnant employees will soon receive further protection to prevent their dismissal in redundancy situations. This means considering them above other employees and is effective from when they tell you about a pregnancy all the way up until 18 months following the birth of their child – so well into their return to work from maternity leave. Please note, this legislative change will also be applicable to employees coming back into the workplace following maternity, adoption or shared parental leave.
New rules will require all employers to take reasonable and proactive steps to prevent sexual harassment from occurring in the workplace. Policies and training will need to be sufficiently maintained, along with firm procedures to deal with issues and robust mechanism available for concerns to be raised. Failures may result in tribunal award uplifts of 25% to any awards if reasonable preventative measures are not taken.
Slightly further ahead than 2024, but worth considering now. The new addition to family friendly entitlements will see those with babies admitted to neonatal care receiving up to 12 weeks of paid leave to provide some level of support in challenging circumstances.
In addition to all the above, it is also worth noting that although the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023 was quashed at a parliamentary stage this year, the government do still have the option to continue reviewing and reforming EU law as needed. We will need to continue to watch this space for further developments and potential implications as and when they arise.
Some timelines are yet to be confirmed, however we will provide you with updates as soon as any become available/ if any timelines are expected to change to ensure you can stay ahead of the curve.
Ensuring your organisation is UK Employment Law compliant is so important. With the changing nature of these legislative changes it can be so difficult to ensure compliance. That’s where we come in- our dedicated HR & Employment Law specialists are on hand to provide you with support to keep you complaint.
If you have any queries about the upcoming changes or any queries about Employment law as a whole, please do not hesitate to get in contact with James Richardson, or one of our HR & Employment Law Specialists.
AAB People are accredited by the Institute of Occupational Health and Safety (IOSH) to deliver their market-leading Managing Safely course. The IOSH Managing safely course enables managers to:
Our next IOSH Managing Safely Training course will commence on Wednesday 8 May 2024 at our Glasgow office on Finnieston Street. This course will run for 3 days over 3 consecutive weeks; 8th, 15th, and 22nd May 2024 (9:30am-4pm). The course costs £350 per delegate.
Upon completion of the course, you will be awarded your IOSH certificate, proving that you are certified to carry out Health & Safety responsibilities and training in the workplace.
Managing Safely is designed for managers and supervisors in any sector, and any organisation worldwide. They won’t suddenly become safety experts – but they’ll get up-to-speed on the practical actions they need to take, and gain the knowledge and tools to tackle the safety and health issues they’re responsible for. Importantly, Managing Safely makes a powerful case for safety and health being an integral part of day-to-day management and business.
Successful delegates are awarded an IOSH Managing Safely certificate.
We offer IOSH training either in our Finnieston office in Glasgow or online. If you choose to partake online, you can participate from anywhere in the UK.
I had a Christmas shopping day on Monday and went to a couple of indoor shopping centres where I noticed that most of the shops were as cold inside as it was outside.
While the cost of energy remains a concern for lots of businesses, turning down the heating, or worse, turning off the heating is not in the best interests of the business or your employees.
The Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations require all employers to provide a reasonable indoor temperature in the workplace, and suggest a minimum temperature for indoors should normally be at least: –
As an employer, you must decide what a reasonable temperature should be in your workplace by assessing the risk and acting on any findings by putting controls in place, including any temporary or seasonal considerations.
In indoor workplaces you should ensure that you are providing that “reasonable” working temperature and where you cannot achieve that think about:
You can also change work systems:
Temperature affects our rate of work. When we’re cold, we’re not just uncomfortable, we’re distracted. When our body temperature drops, we automatically expend more energy to keep ourselves warm, which leaves less brainpower for the tasks at hand. Concentration, inspiration, and insight are resources that colder temperatures immediately deprive us of, leading to a very clear impact on our productivity.
Employee wellbeing can also be affected by working in cold temperatures leading to higher susceptibility to illness, especially in winter when colds and flu are circulating along with the impact on mental health. The CIPD estimates absence costs a company an average of around £554 – £557 per employee, per year depending on whether they are a manual or non-manual worker, and these costs can quickly start to stack up within larger workforces.
The direct costs of absence include:
The indirect costs of absence include:
Before you turn the thermostat down, or off – think about the impact on your employees, the working environment, and your customers. Failing to do so may cost you more than keeping the heating on.
At this time of year, it’s easy to be concerned about the cold, take steps to ensure you’re compliant and then forget all about workplace temperatures again. However, ensuring that you’re abiding by The Workplace (Health and Safety and Welfare) Regulations all year round is important. That includes when temperatures start heating up. While we can all enjoy the warmer weather ensuring that the minimum temperature in hotter weather is equally just as important.
If you have any queries about your workplace’s health and safety, meeting health and safety regulations or any other H&S related issues please do not hesitate to get in contact with Lee Craig, or your usual AAB People contact.
Large international organisation. SMEs.
Employee Relations Management. Coaching & Supporting Managers. Investigation and Disciplinary procedures. Review of HR Documentation and Policies/Procedures. Day-to-day HR queries.
Tech. Food & Drink. Leisure, Retail & Hospitality. Education. Business Services.
Helen Lee is a HR Manager, she manages and influences human resources strategy and provides guidance to organisations. She collaborates with clients to streamline their HR process and ensure they adhere to UK employment legislation.
Functioning as the HR expert for her clients, Helen provides guidance on employee relations, policy, recruitment, reward and benefits, absence management, wellbeing, training and development.
“For me, relationships with clients are all about open communication and mutual trust. It’s great when you build a rapport with a client and get to a point where they know they can tell me exactly what’s happened, however bad it is, and they know I won’t prematurely form an opinion or be judgemental. Clients can always trust that I’ll provide professionalism and confidentiality.”
“Clients also expect me to have a good understanding of their business, a be a reliable and consistent support. They also expect me to have excellent HR knowledge, of course, and be able to adapt to their business, providing a range of solutions and the ability to problem solve.
Ultimately, they want me to take the headache away, in whichever way I can, and they want to feel reassured that I can deal with whatever problems crop up – there are always solutions!”
“I find the variety of my work very interesting. It’s great getting to know clients, really getting under the skin of the business and understanding how it operates. Being ‘neutral’ rather than an official employee of the business allows me to sit outside of a lot of the company politics that may arise, which is often reassuring for the client.”
“The great thing about being part of such a fantastic team is that we all work together and support each other With our range of knowledge– we share ideas, suggest improvements, or just do a sense check, and that kind of teamwork is invaluable.
Even when you’re dealing with a tough situation, or having a difficult day, there’s always somebody you can phone for advice.”
“Before 2020, it was thought to be crucial to physically be in front of clients to form a strong relationship, but there have been a lot of changes since then, and now I think people realise a bit more that virtual and remote communication can play a significant role.
I strongly believe that there’s a place for both in person and tech-enabled communication, and it’s about judging what each situation requires.”
“The biggest challenge in my field is skill shortage within the tech world and the knock-on effects of this, such as salary inflation. I overcome this challenge by being a creative in how to fill skills gaps for clients. Creativity is certainly an attribute that comes in handy when it comes to recruitment.”
“The AAB Group Value that jumps out at me the most is the ‘ethos of positivity, enthusiasm and fun.’ I’m a hard worker, but it’s also important to me to stay positive and enthusiastic about the work and demonstrate this to clients and colleagues.
As keen to listen and support clients and colleagues as we are, inevitably in HR, there are difficult situations. But I think if you can try to stay on the positive side of things, it really helps. With the tougher decisions, you have to remember that they’re being made for the sake of the business. in difficult situations, as long as you’re being open, fair, and supportive, you can help to make it easier and mitigate potential negative consequences… As long as you you’ve treated people as you would want to be treated yourself, then there isn’t much more you can do. You know that you’ve done your job.”
“I believe that the greatest strength I bring to AAB People is my calmness in the face of potentially stressful situations. I think it’s something I’ve developed with experience over the years of solving problems and having difficult conversations. I don’t panic, the chances are I’ve already seen this problem before, and I know how to handle it and what the ideal solution is.
Another strength is my flexible approach. I understand the legislation, and will always let the client know the risk associated if they don’t follow best practise and all the available options, but I never dictate to my clients what they have to do. I’m also approachable and easy to talk to, and I genuinely care about my clients.”
Medium sized and large organisations. Large international organisations.
Outsourced HR Function. HR Strategy development. Organisational design. Change management.
Technology. Leisure, retail & hospitality. Food & drink. The internal People & Culture team.
Katie Aldred is an HR Director within AAB People. Katie’s main specialism is HR strategy for organisations: the designing, developing, and implementing of it. To be able to do this most effectively, Katie works in a remarkably integrated way with the organisations she helps, working alongside the leadership teams of the businesses.
This integrated approach allows her to really get under the skin of an organisation, understand the challenges and find the best solutions for them. These solutions could mean working directly with people or helping to develop broader HR strategy – for example, tackling engagement issues or organisational design challenges. She designs and delivers these solutions as well as overseeing the management of them on a day-to-day basis.
“For me, the ideal relationship with a client is where you’re both looking at the bigger picture. Anyone on the team can go in and identify a particular problem in isolation, but for me, the ideal is when organisations are looking for me to be part of something longer term. Looking at an organisation from a strategic perspective and then being able to break things down into smaller pieces, whether that’s dealing with a problematic person, or redesigning a team to better fit the way the organisation wants to operate in the future.”
“Personally, the most satisfying aspect of what I do is when clients trust us and allow us to get that all-important exposure of the bigger picture of the organisation: its main focus, its challenges, its aims for the future. Getting the bigger picture allows us to be the most effective at what we do. We might be asked to come in and fix one seemingly isolated problem, but it’s often the case that the problem was just a symptom of a wider, more embedded or structural issue.
What interests and fulfils me most is working with organisations long term. It allows me to find the root causes of seemingly isolated problems, truly understanding them, and then being able to provide the most effective solutions. I like to solve the real problem – not just the surface level ones, and help organisations evolve into what they want to be. Being a key part of that process is what I enjoy the most.”
“Clients expect us to have a pragmatic approach, with commercially focused thinking. They expect me to draw on my considerable experience and utilise it to help them. They can trust that I know what works and what doesn’t work.
I think they also expect us to be pleasant to work with – most people want a relationship that is professional and respectful, but also one in which they can be themselves, and are able to have a laugh. This is particularly important when you’re working with people on a long-term basis. You have to know how to have a bit of fun!”
“We have an incredible sense of camaraderie amongst the team. Some of us work in a very integrated way with clients where it would be easy to stay in that ‘bubble’, but we don’t – we are always working to listen to and leverage each other’s experience and knowledge in a way that is incredibly helpful, particularly for more junior members of the team.
It’s always fantastic to see those more junior members grow in confidence and capability, and take on things that perhaps a year ago they would have said that they weren’t ready for.”
“Obviously, over the last few years, a lot of what we’ve done has become even more virtual. Demonstrating that we can deliver HR services to an excellent standard and not have to be onsite and present every day has actually been quite an enjoyable journey. Being able to work remotely is one of the ways we’ve navigated delivering the size of the services that we offer. A lot of our clients are in the tech sector, and quite often have a hybrid or remote approach themselves, so they understand that it’s not necessarily a barrier or a limit to providing top quality work – it can often be the facilitator.
Our clients always know that we’re here, even if we’re not physically present. We’re always on hand to help – if they have an issue or a query, they know they can pick up the phone or message us on Teams or send us an e-mail, and we’ll deal with that problem or question quickly.”
“The greatest challenge in my specialist area is being able to ‘switch hats’ quickly. It’s crucial to have the ability to take yourself out of one situation with a client and then focus your attention completely on another, very different one. Dealing with entirely different situations requires using entirely different approaches and methods – and we have to be able to swiftly move from one to another. The deeper and more complex the issues, the more difficult it can be to have that agile mindset.
Additionally, when it comes to being fully integrated with clients, you become very mentally and emotionally absorbed in that business. So, you have to learn how to extract yourself and put yourself in a totally different culture. It almost feels like teleportation sometimes between one business and the next business! Agility is absolutely the name of the game.”
“I’m thrilled to be a part of a bigger group, and get to see how it continues to evolve! It’s always a great feeling to be a part of the growth journey of a business, and help drive its ongoing. It’s also very exciting to see the team develop and become part of something bigger. Gaining more exposure to the depth and breadth of expertise and experience at AAB People and the wider AAB Group across different sectors and types of organisation is fantastic. It provides opportunities for everyone to really expand their body of knowledge, and evolve and streamline their own processes.”
“At AAB Group you are really able to see how the Group Values are woven into every aspect of the organisation. There are the things that most organisations list – trusting people, having integrity, etc., but for me what differentiates AAB Group is our value that ‘nothing is more important that people’ and our ethos of ‘positivity, enthusiasm, and fun.’
The nature of HR work means that we are often involved in handling difficult situations, so it’s especially important that our own organisational culture genuinely values fun and coming together in a positive environment to strengthen our team relationships.”
“My greatest strength is probably my ability to build relationships. I’m able to do this with almost anyone, even if they’re not necessarily ‘my kind of person.’ Whenever necessary, I’m able to put certain things aside and find common ground, common understanding, and mutual respect, which can then develop into a good relationship. There’s always something I can find to build on with someone, and with people who perhaps need to be drawn out slightly more, I’m good at doing that too.”
“The biggest compliment I’ve had is probably that one of our clients always say that if they were employing me directly, they’d have to pay me a lot more money than they pay for the entire service.”
“My biggest pet hate in terms of how people see HR, is when they reduce it to ‘tea and tissues.’ HR is not simply a case of giving someone tissues when they’re upset! The implication is that what we do is simple, or is simply a sticking plaster, and that we don’t understand the business.
HR is not peripheral, or a box-ticking exercise – it’s absolutely integral, and businesses that value their people and know that the success of the organisation relies on its people, already know that.”
What goes up, must come down, as the adage goes. Working at height remains one of the biggest causes of occupational fatalities and major injuries. Cases commonly involve over-reaching, over-balancing or the failure of a fragile surface. It’s not just about what people fall off, but also what they can fall into, be it unguarded holes in floors such as hatchways, inspection holes and pits, and falls into process tanks and machinery. Additionally, falling objects and contact with other hazards, such as overhead electrical services, can be included in work at height.
Generally, work at height can be taken to mean any work where, if there are no precautions in place, a person could fall a distance liable to cause personal injury. It should be remembered that access and egress could also constitute working at height, e.g. via a fixed ladder.
Workers in maintenance and construction are particularly at risk, but many other people in a variety of jobs could also be at risk of falling from height. Any job from retail to painters & decorators, window cleaners
Whatever the task, any work at height needs to be planned in advance, with careful consideration given to the selection and use of work equipment and means of escape in an emergency. The majority of falls from height happen to those who carry out ad hoc work without proper training, planning or equipment.
When planning any activities which may involve working at height, the following hierarchy of control measures should be considered:
Where work at height cannot be avoided, an existing safe place of work should be used. Existing safe places of work should:
Where there is no suitable existing safe place to work from, work equipment or other measures to prevent falls should be provided, such as access equipment fitted with guard rails. Independent scaffolds, tower scaffolds and mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs) for example.
When selecting work equipment to prevent falls, employers should give priority to collective measures over personal protection. Equipment should be strong enough for the work and any loads placed on it, considering:
Consideration must be given to the safety of people who work or pass beneath the work at height activity. Measures should be in place to protect them from falling objects. Firstly, steps should be taken to prevent the fall of objects or materials, e.g. toe boards and sheeting on scaffolding. Where this isn’t reasonable, measures should be implemented to ensure that persons are not struck by falling objects. E.g., barrier-off danger areas below and prevent unauthorised access. Chutes may be used to control the transport of materials and waste from a height to a safe location. Materials should not be thrown from height, e.g., into a skip.
If a fall from height does occur, the consequences will depend on many factors. Such as the distance fallen, the nature of the surface landed on, how the person lands and the age and health of the individual. The severity of the injury is increased for example, when the fall is into the path of a moving vehicle (or machinery) or into a tank which contains a hazardous substance.
When carrying out roof work, fragile surfaces present a significant risk – no person should pass or work on or near to a fragile surface unless it is not reasonable to carry out the work elsewhere. Where it isn’t reasonable, suitable protection, such as platforms, coverings, crawling boards or guardrails, must be provided. Where this is not practicable, measures should be taken to minimise the distance and consequence of any fall, e.g., fall arrest systems, safety nets and air bags. Prominent warning signs should be posted at any location where persons may pass near to or work on a fragile surface.
Where the risk of falls cannot be prevented, work equipment or other measures to minimise the distance and consequences of a fall (should one occur) need to be provided, e.g., fall arrest systems, safety netting or air mats.
This equipment does not stop people falling but minimises the potential injuries if they do.
Work at height should preferably be carried out from the safety of a platform with suitable edge protection in place, but sometimes this may not be possible. In such situations, a ladder may have to be used; however, ladders are best used only as a means of gaining access to and from a workplace. They should only be used at a workplace for low risk and light work of short duration or where the site features will not accommodate a working platform (provided that a safe system of work can be devised). Work that requires the use of both hands or is in itself inherently dangerous. E.g. hot work, should not be conducted from a ladder
Every year many people are killed using ladders. Many of the accidents occur because the ladder is not properly secured, usually because the work was of very short duration. Other typical accidents include falls because of over-reaching, overbalancing or losing hold of the ladder when carrying loads on it.
The length of the ladder has a significant bearing on its suitability, it must be long enough to allow an inspection or task to take place without over-reaching, and also to provide a safe means of egress if necessary, at the top landing. The longer the ladder, the more difficult it is to carry around site and manoeuvre into position.
The material of construction may also be significant. As timber is nonconductive it will prove to be a more suitable material than aluminium where electrical equipment is being used. Aluminium ladders may be damaged in corrosive atmospheres, whereas timber ladders are prone to warp if left exposed to the elements.
Ladders and stepladders should be inspected before each use to ensure that they are suitable for the job, and in good condition. Damaged stiles, damaged or missing rungs or missing feet should exclude the ladder from use. Painted ladders should not be used as the paint coating may conceal faults. Systems are necessary to ensure all ladders can be individually identified, are properly stored, and are issued for use to identified personnel.
Although stepladders provide a freestanding means of access, they require careful use. Usually, stepladders aren’t designed for any side loading and therefore, can be easily overturned. Stepladders should be industrial grade, be used on a level surface and with the hinge fully extended and locked (or retaining cord fully extended). The workers’ knees should be below the top of the ladder when in the working position.
Fatal accidents have occurred when workers have stepped on to the top step of a stepladder, which has subsequently toppled over. Therefore, the top step of a stepladder should never be used at a workplace unless guidance from the manufacturer states that the equipment has been designed for this purpose.
In addition to the controls set out above, other measures to reduce the risk of a fall should be used. e.g., information and training, use of competent persons, demarcated areas to provide a warning, adequate lighting, good housekeeping measures, use of suitable footwear and checking weather conditions.
No doubt you will have already heard the announcement to increase the National Living Wage (NLW) to £11.44 per hour, amounting to an uplift of almost 10%. This comes after the Government confirmed their acceptance of the recommendations made by the Low Pay Commission to increase National Minimum Wage (NMW) and National Living Wage (NLW) rates from early April 2024. The agreed increases are substantial, so it’s important to reflect fully on the impact this may have for employers and businesses across the UK.
Along with the rate increase, eligibility for the National Living Wage (NLW) has been extended, applying to all workers aged 21 and over for the first time from April 2024. This change means a larger proportion of the UK workforce will soon be entitled to receive the highest rate of legislated pay.
For clarity, the new rates of pay will be as follows.
With the current cost of living crisis there is no doubt the increase will be a welcome change for many employees, helping to bridge the gap considerably in favour of the voluntary ‘Living Wage’.
However, it’s important employers start planning ahead now and consider the implications for their individual businesses. With circa three million people in the UK expected to be affected, there is a significant likelihood that payroll costs for many employers will be elevated in the near future. In addition, the inclusion of a wider number of people in the highest category of pay will naturally increase those earning above the pension threshold, meaning employers will need to consider carefully how this impacts their current auto-enrolment and pension provisions.
We understand navigating these changes may be challenging for your business, so please don’t hesitate to contact James Richardson, Frances Wood, or your designated consultant at AAB People if you require any additional clarification, information, or support.
We know that employers are facing more challenges than ever before when running their business. From the risk of losing staff, the worry of how best to be a supportive employer to the uncertainty of using AI in your business when it is such an unknown but powerful tool.
In this webinar our team covered some of the most topical HR matters facing employers right now, based on our conversations with clients and from what we see in businesses we deal with day to day. We included a varied range of topics detailed further below and provide pragmatic advice to business owners, manager and HR professionals on how to effectively deal with the issues we believe they are facing.
