UK Health and Safety Week 2017

The UK Health and Safety Week this year took place between 19 and 23 June 2017.

Shoosmiths has supported the campaign for more than 10 years. This year our activities across our offices included:

Internal articles featured the topics of International Travel, The Launch of the First Aid App on Company Mobile Phones and Tablets, the Launch of Mental Health First Aiders within Shoosmiths, and Current Research into Sedentary Working.

An E-Learning Safety Capsule was created for the week, populated with award winning Short Safety Video Clips on Driver Safety, CPR and Agile Working and other safety awareness articles.

The launch of a National Slogan Competition to increase and drive forward positive Health, Safety, Environment and Wellbeing information was well received and a 9.5% participation rate with the firm. He firm wide health, safety and environment committee reviewed the suggested slogans selecting as the winning entry Neelesh Stanikya’s suggestion ‘Our Greatest Asset is YOU – Stay Safe”. The committee decided to award a runner up prize to Brian Hession for “Stop! Collaborate and listen, we gotta work together for accident prevention, but if there is a problem, we need to solve it, check out the risks and together we’ll resolve it, Shoosmiths baby!’

Local office events included:

A first aid focus centring on the ‘Operations Game’ was well supported at both Thames Valley and Basingstoke offices. The Thames Valley winners were Kristina McMichael and Jo Healy, with Sarah Turton and Catherine White winning a prize for ‘sheer entertainment value’ and a booby prize went to Lizzie Hesp. Brad Farmery from Basingstoke office won with an impressive time of 38 seconds, removing all body parts with no penalties. A special prize was awarded to Lauren Robinson for striking out after just 19 seconds with 9 body parts remaining!

Basingstoke’s HR and Estates officer Tracy Donnelly commented ‘Everyone really enjoyed the Giant Operation Game today which really brought out the competitive streak!!! It was especially interesting to watch the Medical Negligence Team concentrating on getting their techniques just right – luckily our ‘patient’ was quite relaxed throughout!”

Our Northampton Lakes office held a Self Defence Class in the Boardroom and table tennis and other large garden games were made available for use outside on the Sports court. Discounted head, neck and shoulder massages took place in Boardroom 2. Basic First Aid which included practical basic life support and CPR also formed part of the week.

The Solent office organised a presentation by James of Get-Focused a professional fitness trainer on fitness, nutrition and well being. This was well attended and received, lots of questions were asked.

In Thames Valley a masseuse gave neck and shoulder massages. Sessions were organised for colleagues to watch the defibrillator vide and play operation and the jar games. The social committee also organised a wellbeing focused Ascot Lunch including Ascot hat making, pin the tail on the race horse, a picture quiz and all accompanied with afternoon tea. The cakes prepared by receptionist Sue Wild were as delicious as they looked!

Kristina McMichael, Thames Valley Estates Assistant explained ‘It was a very successful week and we have had nothing but praise from the teams saying how much fun they had.’

45 staff in our Edinburgh office participated in the Pass for Scotland Step Count Challenge which was organised by Paths for All. This charity champions everyday walking in Scotland and aims to significantly increase the number of people who choose to walk in Scotland. The Edinburgh team walking challenge ran for eight weeks starting on the 1st of May and finishing during Health and Safety Week and aims to get people walking more in and around the working day. The challenge aimed to get people walking more during the working day and colleagues were encourage to walk to work, hold a walking meeting and lunchtime strolls.

A Defibrillator demonstration to staff and a pedometer competition were the focus in our Leeds office.

A very competitive ping pong competition was held at our London office.

In our Milton Keynes office we sent out e mails with information and advice on first aid for example what to do when someone is having a heart attack etc; step by step ways to manage stress; and foods that can reduce stress and foods that can make stress worse. There was a lucky dip which included prizes of either a mini pocket first aid kit or a stress toy such as stress balls and tangle bendy men. The Operation game proved popular too.

Finally a big thanks goes to Chris Marlow, Firmwide Archivist at our Northampton office for writing the Shoosmiths 2017 Health and Safety Quiz this year.