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Time to Talk Day: Promoting Mental Health Conversations

Time to Talk Day was launched in 2014 by the campaign Time to Change, which is dedicated to ending mental health stigma and discrimination.

The campaign emphasises the importance of discussing mental health with family, friends, and colleagues.  The aim is to create a more comfortable and understanding environment regarding mental health issues.

Time to Talk Day raises awareness of need to start conversations about mental health. This includes talking about mental health in the workplace.

 

Employers have a duty to take steps to prevent work related stress and support good mental health

There are a number of resources available to workers and employers to help improve mental health at work.

The Health and Safety Executive’s (HSE) Working Minds campaign offers various resources to help employers to manage work-related stress and promote mental well-being.

The HSE offers Free Working Minds online learning and a comprehensive training course NEBOSH HSE Certificate in Managing Stress at Work

 

Time to Talk Day – let’s start the conversation today!

Wayne Hatton’s story is a powerful example of the long-lasting impact of workplace accidents. In January 2021, Mr Hatton’s legs were crushed by an 800kg steel pallet at work, leading to the amputation of his lower right leg and two toes on his left foot. Mr Hatton, from Doncaster, was working as a supervisor for concrete manufacturer Amber Precast Ltd, when the 800kg pallet fell on him as it was being moved from a reinforced concrete cast by a crane. It had not been secured onto the lifting chains properly. 

An investigation carried out by the Health & Safety Executive. It was found that the company had not implemented a safe system of work to ensure the pallet could be removed safely. The HSE brought proceedings against Mr Hatton’s employer, concrete manufacturer Amber Precast Ltd. The company admitted breaching the Health and Safety at Work Act and received a £60,000 fine. 

The accident left Mr Hatton bedridden for nine months and he now wears a prosthetic leg. While the physical and mental impacts were severe, Mr Hatton says the hardest part was not being able to say goodbye to his father, who died during his recovery. The incident also strained his relationship with his teenage son, who had to care for him.

As reported by the BBC on 16.01.27, Mr Hatton spoke about the accident after the company’s fine: “Everyone always says ‘you have handled it really well’, but they don’t see you on a day-to-day basis, just getting out of bed, putting your leg on and off and getting in and out of the shower and toilet”

A Health and Safety Executive spokesperson said: “This incident could so easily have been avoided with the correct instruction and implementation of an agreed safe working procedure.”

The case highlights how an accident at work can lead to a life-changing and life-long impact for the injured employee.

 

Further reading:  Have you been injured at work?

Free Download: Workplace Injury Claims; A Guide for Injured Workers

How can you check if a solicitor website is genuine, or a copycat site set up by scammers?

In recent years, a number of genuine solicitor websites have been cloned by scam companies pretending to be solicitors. The scam websites can look genuine and they often use logos and other information stolen from genuine solicitor websites.

In an effort to combat these copycat websites, the Solicitors Regulation Authority has launched a new digital badge for use on genuine solicitor websites.

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