14th November is World Diabetes Day. Most of us understand the health impact of diabetes, but did you know that diabetes has a significant impact on workplace safety?

We frequently hear about snowballing growth in diabetes but we rarely consider what that means for our workplace.

We would like to thank ROSPA and L’Oréal for helping increase awareness about diabetes at work with this briefing paper under their Safe@Work Safe@Home messaging.

With Diabetes on the rise globally, it has become very apparent that workplace incidents related to diabetes are occurring more frequently on a global scale, the UK is experiencing some particularly serious events which are well documented internally.

For many of us these last few weeks of sunshine and heat has been very welcomed. However, for those living with diabetes it can make managing blood glucose levels a challenge. Are workplaces ensuring staff have the correct time they need to take care of their health and stay hydrated?

Diabetes is a hidden epidemic and the fastest-growing health threat facing our nation. 4.6 million people have the condition in the UK with an additional 700 people diagnosed a day (one every two minutes). Diabetes is an invisible epidemic posing often unrecognised health and safety risks to individuals and companies. Civil and criminal liability could follow if appropriate steps have not been taken to identify and eliminate the risk.

Diabetes affects 4.6 million people in the UK and poses health and safety risks that many individuals and companies do not recognise. As an organisation we have set up the Tackling Diabetes Safety Charter to ensure the safety of staff, the correct personal testing under DVLA regulations are adhered to and also to help companies comply with the Health and Safety at Work etc Act.

The Diabetes Safety Organisation is delighted to announce that the Road Safety Markings Association (RSMA) has signed up to support the Tackling Diabetes Safety Charter.

Life has been dramatically changed by COVID-19. We are acutely aware of death rates from this horrific pandemic and we have time to reflect and recognise how delicate our lives are. We are told on a daily basis about the infection rates, death rates and recovery rates.

As the current Coronavirus pandemic sweeps across the world, countries are doing all they can to ensure people’s health and safety. People living with diabetes are at increased risk if they get the virus and are asked to take extra care.