Although women cope differently with menopause, severe menopause symptoms can greatly affect their wellbeing.
The average age of natural menopause is 51 years but can occur much earlier or later. Menopause occurring before the age of 45 is called early menopause and before the age of 40 is premature menopause. Late menopause may also occur but by the age of 54, 80% of women will have stopped having periods.
Generally, women having early or premature menopause are advised to take HRT until approximately the average age of the menopause, for both symptom control and bone protective effect.
Some women are not prepared for the onset of menopause and its symptoms. It would be great to provide further information to employers and employees. Get in touch if you need support.
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Menopause in the workplace
The Women and Equalities committee set up an inquiry into menopause in the workplace and the extent to which women with menopausal symptoms suffer discrimination in the workplace. The recommendations are expected in 2022 and this could lead to changes to the Equality Act 2022.
It may be beneficial, if you haven’t already done so, to subscribe to the HSE news and updates link – HSE: Latest news on health and safety at work
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October marks a critical shift in the year. With darker evenings, cooler temperatures, and seasonal moisture, risks increase—but there’s also a strong opportunity to reinforce company culture and sustainability initiatives.
Key Focus Areas and Relevant UK Campaigns:
– Slips, Trips & Falls: Wet leaves and rain heighten outdoor hazard risks. Prioritise cleaning schedules, consider gritting walkways when needed, and reinforce appropriate footwear policies.
– Lighting Assessments: With days getting shorter, audits of external and emergency lighting help prevent accidents and bolster productivity.
– Equipment & Vehicle Checks: Drier and colder conditions can stress machinery and vehicles—proactive servicing reduces downtime and improves safety.
2. Mental Health Awareness
– World Mental Health Day – 10 October: This international observance offers a timely prompt to emphasise that mental wellbeing is integral to workplace safety. Encourage open dialogue, provide stress-related training for managers, and remind staff of available support services.
3. Environmental Responsibility
– Recycle Week 2025 – 14–20 October: Organised by WRAP, the theme “Rescue Me! Recycle” encourages better recycling habits across the UK (https://www.wearedisrupt.co.uk/event/recycle-week-2025). This makes it a perfect opportunity to launch or reinvigorate internal recycling campaigns, educate your team on proper segregation, and share WRAP toolkits and resources.
Why This Matters
October sets the stage for effective year-end HSE performance. Tying seasonal risks to mental health awareness and environmental action creates a compelling, multi-faceted blog that positions you as both proactive and socially responsible.
Contact us to discuss your health and safety requirements.
As summer draws to a close and workplaces settle back into routine, September is the ideal time to reset and refocus on health, safety, and environmental priorities. The changing season brings new challenges, from darker mornings to increased workloads, and it’s important to ensure that teams, systems, and sites are prepared.
Back to Routine, Back to Basics
With many employees returning from holidays, September offers an opportunity to reinforce a strong safety culture. Refreshing toolbox talks, reviewing risk assessments, and ensuring staff are fully briefed helps to prevent complacency and sets the tone for the final quarter of the year.
Seasonal Safety Considerations
Supporting Wellbeing
September is also recognised for World Suicide Prevention Day (10th September), which highlights the importance of workplace wellbeing. Employers can take this as an opportunity to review mental health support, signpost resources, and promote open conversations. A healthy, supported workforce is also a safer one.
Environmental Focus for Autumn
A Time to Reset
September is more than just the start of autumn — it’s a natural checkpoint for businesses to ensure they are on track with health, safety, and environmental goals. By refreshing policies, preparing for seasonal risks, and supporting employee wellbeing, organisations can step into the final months of the year with confidence.
Contact us if you wish to discuss your health and safety requirements.
Fire exit door and fire extinguish equipment
Focus on fire door inspections and maintenance regimes has intensified recently following updates to fire safety regulations, especially in multi-occupied residential buildings. Fire doors are an essential passive fire protection measure that must perform as intended in the event of a fire so as to prevent the spread of fire and smoke.
However, they are often the most used and abused passive fire protection measure in a fire compartment. As such, it is essential that the organisation responsible for fire safety legislation has in place an appropriate inspection and maintenance regime.
Article 17 of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 requires (where necessary) that the responsible person must ensure that “any facilities, equipment and devices provided in respect of the premises under this Order […] are subject to a suitable system of maintenance and are maintained in an efficient state, in efficient working order and in good repair.”
With reference to Article 17, guidance from the National Fire Chiefs Council notes that this Article will apply to fire doors and as such should be “subject to a suitable system of maintenance: they must be regularly checked and properly maintained (including inspection and testing by a competent person, as necessary) at suitable intervals and any faults found rectified as quickly as possible.”
Best practice in the form of BS8214: Timber-based Fire Door Assemblies. Code of Practice, notes that fire doors do deteriorate since they are used in locations along pedestrian transit routes where they might be subject to significant damage or normal wear and tear due to repeated operation and abuse.
BS8214 states that “it is important, therefore, for inspection, maintenance and repair of any damage to be undertaken on a regular basis if the required fire resistance is to be maintained.”
Determining needs
Having set out the legal and best practice requirements, the responsible person will need to determine how best to achieve compliance. Factors to consider will include:
When considering the above, there can be various influences on the decision-making process. These will include:
Clearly, to develop an inspection and maintenance regime, it is important to have an understanding of the fire doors within scope. Development of an inventory or asset register would be beneficial and can include:
The organisation should develop an appropriate document that clearly sets out the requirements of any inspection and maintenance regime. This could form part of an overall fire safety policy in smaller organisations or be a separate (ratified) “protocol” in larger organisations.
Perhaps the most problematic requirement is to determine the type and frequency of inspections. The organisation may decide to follow guidance such as that contained in BS9999: Fire Safety in the Design, Management and Use of Buildings. Code of Practice. This publication recommends the following.
If outsourcing, due diligence should be undertaken to seek assurance that prospective contractors have the necessary competency, for example through membership of appropriate professional bodies and validation to inspect to relevant standards (such as BM Trada Q mark or LPCB LPS 1197).
If undertaking in-house, there are a number of courses available that an organisation may wish to consider, depending on the inspection regime to be implemented (eg FDIS).
It is recognised that some minor works can be undertaken in-house without compromising the fire doors’ performance but other more intrusive works should be undertaken by appropriate competent persons/organisations who are validated to certify that the fire door will still meet its designed and tested performance specification.
Finally, it is important that all testing, inspection and maintenance activities are recorded and made available to relevant stakeholders.
In smaller organisations this could be as simple as having a spreadsheet but in larger organisations there are various off-the-shelf software packages that can be utilised.
To retain their operational integrity, fire door sets or assemblies must be tested, inspected and maintained to a standard and level that is commensurate with the premises’ fire risk profile and fire evacuation strategy.
Developing an appropriate regime will require consideration of various factors and will be subject to a number of influences.
The organisation may be asked to provide proof of its regime to enforcing authorities and other stakeholders.
As part of this, the organisation will need to provide proof of the regime that is in place, including the necessary competency of those given responsibility to implement the inspection and maintenance regime.
Contact us if you have any queries.
If your business handles electrical and electronic equipment (EEE) — whether you’re a manufacturer, distributor, importer, or recycler — then it’s time to prepare for a significant regulatory shift.
From November 2025, the long-standing Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations 2013 (WEEE 2013) will be replaced by a modernised framework: the Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulations (EEE Regulations).
Here’s what you need to know, and how your business can stay ahead of the curve.
🔄 Why the Change?
The current WEEE 2013 regulations have been in place for over a decade, and while they’ve served a purpose in reducing electronic waste, the landscape has changed dramatically. We now face:
The new EEE Regulations aim to better reflect today’s market and environmental priorities — shifting from just managing waste to designing out waste altogether.
🧾 What’s Changing?
✅ 1. Clearer Definitions of EEE
The new regulations will provide updated and expanded definitions of what counts as EEE — including smart devices, disposable e-cigarettes, batteries-included items, and solar-powered tech.
✅ 2. Wider Producer Responsibility
Producers and importers will face:
✅ 3. Focus on Repair, Reuse & Design
EEE producers will be expected to:
✅ 4. Online Marketplaces Included
The new EEE rules will hold online platforms accountable for ensuring sellers on their sites are compliant — closing a major loophole from the WEEE regime.
📅 What Should You Be Doing Now?
Even though the EEE regulations don’t formally begin until November 2025, you should start preparing now:
🔍 Audit Your Products
📊 Review Your Supply Chain
📝Update Internal Processes
🧠 Final Thoughts
The move from WEEE 2013 to the new EEE Regulations isn’t just a change in name — it’s a shift in mindset.
The emphasis is now on sustainability, circularity, and accountability. Businesses that adapt early will not only stay compliant but also build trust with customers and demonstrate genuine environmental responsibility.
Contact us for further information.
