The SMT eventually rexognise that they need to do more to protect the health and safety of their workers. They invite you to a meeting to discuss what PrintUp could do to self$-$regulate health and safety. Prepare a briefing note that you could discuss with the SMT on the benefits to PrintUp of self regulation.

You are a newly appointed health and safety advisor for an organisation called 'PrintUp'. PrintUp has been in operation since $1995$ and has excelled in providing a high$-$quality printing service for organisations. PrintUp produces a wide range of products including advertising posters, leaflets, newsletters, food packaging, and books

PrintUp operate in a two$-$storey building. The printing department is where most of the printing, cutting, binding, and packaging takes place. This is also known as the 'shopfloor'.

There are $120$ workers at PrintUp, with $52$ of them working on the shopfloor in different shift patterns.

On joining PrintUp in $2016,$ the chiefiexecutive officer $($CEO$)$ recruited a new senior management team $($SMT$)$ comprising a senior accounting manager, a senior engineering manager and a senior marketing manager.

PrintUp used to have an excellent safety record More recently, they have seen an increase in incidents, and in the last two years, two workers have suffered serious injuries. In addition to this, over the last $12$ months, there has been a $10\%$ increase in reportable injuries and a $25\%$ increase in lost working days. However, near miss reports have decreased from fifteen to five reported incidents.

The CEO is concerned about how these recent accidents on the shopfloor will be viewed by potential and existing customers $-$ You are also concerned by these trends, and you decide to investigate You start by comparing PrintUp's accident rates with those at similar types of organisations. Your analysis shows that they are similar However, PrintUp's statistics still concern you, so you decide to investigate further.

First, you look at the findings of the internal accident investigations of the two accidents that resulted in serious injuries. Both accidents happened on the shopfloor, although they were unrelated events. The brief investigations concluded that there was a 'lack of care' by the workers

The first accident involved a forklift truck $($FLT$)$ carrying multiple large boxes. The driver failed to slow down even though there was a worker using the pedestrian crossing. As a result, the FLT collided with the worker, crushing their leg. The investigation concluded that the driver was at fault as they were driving too fast.

The most recent accident involved a $17-$year$-$old apprentice. They were instructed by another apprentice and a new worker on how to use a manually$-$operated die cutting and creasing machine These machines cut shapes into paper or card by pressing it between two large plates. Operators manually feed and remove the paper or card, but the operation of the plates is automated. The top

plate is brought down to meet the fixed bottom plate, cutting or creasing the paper in the process; the plates then part and the cycle begins again. The cycle is repeated automatically every four seconds The maximum gap between the two plates is $1\mathrm{.}1$ metres and each plate is $1\mathrm{.}7$ metres $x1$ metre. On this occasion, the $17-$year$-$old apprentice had to reach into the centre of the plates to remove and place the products to be creased.

The $17-$year$-$old apprentice was left on their own to finish the task. The fabric safety glove, worn by the apprentice, fell into the press. They tried to reach the glove during the four seconds that the plates are open, but the plates closed on the worker's arm and shoulder, resulting in a severe crushing injury. The investigation concluded that the apprentice was at fault for trying to retrieve the glove.

While reading this information on the accident report findings, you also find two ill$-$health reports. On these reports both workers describe dry and itchy skin on their hands and wrists. You realise that these are signs of occupational dermatitis.

Finally, you look at the near miss reports. One of the reported near misses particularly worries you While removing broken pallets from racking, workers were regularly lifted to a height of six metres in an unsecured plastic box, balanced on the forks of a FLT$.$ Three months ago, one of the workers nearly fell from the plastic box while being lifted.