Naomi Anderson Whittaker

I am now learning to hold space for my quietness.

The Colour of Madness features creative prose, essays, fiction, poems, and artwork about mental health by almost 100 contributors. It is a second edition and is rightly referred to as ‘groundbreaking.’

We start with the ‘Red’ chapter, representing rage and defiance, and move across the colour spectrum, ending with ‘Violet.’ ...

Plastic is a big issue. But it’s not easy to reduce the amount of plastic you buy when nearly everything is wrapped in the stuff – walk around your local supermarket and you’ll see what we mean.

If you want to reduce your plastic waste to make a difference to the environment, there are a few small changes you can make, and a good first step is switching where you shop.

A study by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) found that factory workers have urinary BPA levels that are far greater than those found in the general population.
For many years, manufacturers have used the industrial chemical Bisphenol A (BPA) when making polycarbonate plastic, epoxy and phenolic resins, and certain casting waxes. Traces of it can be found in plastic packaging, the lining of food cans, and even on till receipts. BPA weakly mimics the hormone...

A new report has highlighted the need for the UK to tighten its safety controls around asbestos in offices and schools.
The last industry-wide UK asbestos survey was carried out in 2003, and at the time, 83% of companies did not have asbestos plans in place. Unfortunately, the situation has not improved by much since then.
According to the report, the UK has some of the worst asbestos-related health issues in the world and must adopt the stricter regulations already followed by other countries...

Brexit is currently a hot topic in the UK, and after Theresa May declared her plans for the UK to leave the single market, many people are rightly concerned about the wider impact it will have on businesses. And while the decision will have a huge impact on the entire nation, questions are beginning to be asked as to how this divorce will specifically affect the UK’s health and safety regulations.
David Davis, speaking to an audience in Vienna, insisted that Brexit would not lead to...

Covid-19 is still a new and misunderstood illness, so for those who have had it, getting treatment and advice can feel like stumbling around in the dark, alone. If you or someone you know has had the virus and is suffering with mental and physical effects long afterwards, then here are some websites, groups, and information that could help you to feel less alone, and manage the symptoms.

I have gathered some relevant resources for UK-based people, hopefully to ease our sense of helplessness, pain and frustration. You can use these links to teach yourself and others about Colonialism, the history of Anti-Black Racism in Britain, White European Supremacy, Anti-Racism, and Black Feminism. There are also links to places to donate, and resources/orgs for support, self-care, and organising/activism. Please read, learn, donate, share, and heal...

Robots are entering the 21st century workplace in greater numbers than ever before.
Technology has become dramatically more sophisticated over the last few decades, and conventional industrial robots working in isolation have evolved into smarter, collaborative robots that are working alongside or being worn by workers.
However, the benefits and risks of these new, and often complex, interactions have not been fully investigated. To address potential problems, The National Institute...

A US study has found flight attendants are more likely to develop a range of cancers, including melanoma, breast cancer, and uterine cancer. Published in Environmental Health, the study examined the frequency of cancer diagnoses among cabin crew in comparison to the general population.
The study’s authors discovered that the length of time an employee spent working as a cabin crew member positively related to non-melanoma skin cancer among females, and job tenure was also linked to melanoma...

A new report by the American Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found occupational exposures may have contributed to anywhere from 11 percent to 21 percent of all asthma-related deaths among people aged 15-64 between 1999 and 2016.
Researchers discovered that 14,296 men and 19,011 women died from asthma over this period. The occupations associated with the most deaths were construction for men, and health care for women. Further to this, researchers found that the industries...

European Union – Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Regulation (EU) 2016/425 has officially replaced the old PPE Directive 89/686 EEC. While the old Directive was enforced by national statutory instruments, the new regulation is a legally binding legislative act that must be observed across the EU. This change will affect health and safety professionals, as well as suppliers, distributors, and importers of PPE.
Over the past few years, the old PPE Directive has become insufficient...

Doin' it: Sex, Disability and Videotape (Film Review)