Metalworkers voice concern over industry’s lack of health and safety priority

More than a third of metalworking professionals have expressed concern that health and safety is not a top priority in their workplace.

Research by power tool and accessory manufacturer FEIN also suggests that over a quarter of metalworkers are worried about their safety at work.

The survey revealed a wide range of concerns in the sector. Although 38% agreed they can do their job safely, 45% agreed that tools with safety features would make them feel more comfortable at work.

Andy Mills, Managing Director of FEIN UK, said: “Health and safety remain critical to the metalworking sector due to the daily use of machinery and equipment that can result in injury when operated improperly and without sufficient training.

“It’s positive to see that on the whole, the industry does not worry about their safety at work; however, there is clearly still more to do in order to make everyone feel comfortable in the workplace.”

FEIN’s survey results come as the latest Health and Safety Executive (HSE) statistics estimate that workplace injury and ill-health currently cost the UK economy £18.8 billion a year.

Only 40% of metalworkers are offered health and safety training by their company, but this falls to 13% for smaller companies of 1-9 employees.

Andy added: “Our latest research confirms that there is an opportunity to increase contact between tool specialists and users in metalworking, to understand individual needs and discuss the safety features now available on the market.

“Across the industry, we see metalworkers navigating higher costs and deterred from exploring new safety solutions due to the price tag, however, these decisions should not be made without assessing the overall value.

“We are pleased to lead these conversations and demonstrate with real life examples how investing in safety-led tools can dramatically improve safety standards – increasing confidence, reducing accidents and preventing expenses and downtime accrued in the event of injury.

“We’ve found that the safety features we’ve introduced, including non-removable safeguards, abnormal movement protection and versatile hand-grip, have been received really well by users and recognised by industry bodies such as the BSIF too. We look forward to getting out and meeting more metalworkers throughout the year to discuss how their safety challenges can be overcome.”

For information on keeping safe when working with metals, visit BrAInbox today where you can find answers to questions like What are the hazards of metalworking fluids?

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