The London Chamber of Commerce has produced a fact sheet in conjunction with Corporation of London. It states that adopting sensible drinking attitudes within companies has a positive effect on health and safety as well as improving work performance.
The fact sheet covers:
- whether employers are happy to let employees drink alcohol
- what the sensible levels are, and a simple guide to calculate units consumed
- what an alcohol policy is and why a business needs one
- other aspects to consider including policy task force, conferences, office parties etc, disciplinary action, safety critical staff and zero tolerance
- bringing in a policy
- treatment options
- alcohol testing issues — legal and ethical
- laws relating to alcohol policies.
- Tel: 020 7203 1863.
The DETR has prepared a set of draft guidelines on environmental reporting — and the document is currently out for general consultation.
The guidelines aim to help companies measure, manage and report their main environmental impacts, putting the emphasis on good practice, rather than best practice.
They outline in detail the main elements which would be included in an environmental report. They set out a step-by-step approach for those new to reporting and suggest ways that organisations can encourage better environmental performance from their suppliers.
Comments on the draft general reporting guidelines should be sent by 25 June 2001 to: Environment and Business Division, Zone 6/E8, DETR, 123 Victoria Street, London SW1 6DE.
Health and safety law
The HSE's booklet, 'Health and Safety Law — what you should know', is now available in the following languages: Bengali, Chinese, Gujurati, Hindi, Punjabi and Urdu. The booklet is available from HSE Books. Tel: 01787 881165.
Corporate Manslaughter Bill 2001 [Ireland]
A Bill on corporate manslaughter has recently been proposed in Ireland.
It has arisen due to increasing public concern over the rate of fatalities arising from industrial accidents and from the frustration at the difficulties involved in holding corporate bodies liable in criminal law.
The purpose of the Bill is to create a new statutory offence, reflecting the characteristics of organisations, which would provide for their criminal liability for involuntary homicide.
It is based on the Report of the Law Commission of England and Wales, 'Legislating the Criminal Code: Involuntary Manslaughter'.
Source
The Facilities Business
