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New national strategy for health and safety
05 June 2009
The HSE launched the new national strategy for health and safety - Be Part of the Solution - this week at a meeting in London.
Speaking at the launch, Judith Hacket, chair of the HSE said: 'We believe this strategy represents a clear statement of core principles and a sensible approach to health and safety in Great Britain. Whilst the economic climate is difficult and the temptation for some may be to cut corners, HSE, its partners and businesses must resolve to continue to strive to improve health and safety performance. Good health and safety is good business. '
Brendan Barber, General Secretary of the Trades Union Congress, said:'At a time when employers are trying to cut costs, getting the message across on the importance of health and safety is more important than ever. Today’s strategy is short on rhetoric, but big in vision. Unions and health and safety representatives are committed to supporting this strategy as well as the day to day work of the HSE.'
HSE ran a three month consultation on the new strategy, and invited a wide range of stakeholders to take part. A key message of the new strategy is the need for duty-holders under health and safety law to take responsibility for the prevention of work-related injuries, deaths and illnesses. The HSE is calling on senior managers of all orgnisations to sign up to a pledge committing their company to keeping workplaces safe.
Campaign groups Families Against Corporate Killing (FACK) and the Hazards Campaign have criticised the HSE strategy for not going far enough. While welcoming the stronger language on the effects of bad health and safety on workers, the need for more justice and accountability, health and safety as a right not a privilege, and the role of the HSE as an enforcer, health and safety, the Hazards Campaign said:'Without a massive injection of resources and real political will to tackle the many noncompliant and criminally negligent employers, it is hard to see how more voluntarism can have any real impact.'
'Lack of enforcement of safety reps rights and of employers' duties towards them undermines the massive and well accepted union safety effect in the workplace and is mere lip service to worker involvement.Failure to implement positive legal duties on directors for health and safety, rather than the voluntary guidance currently in place, prevents employers being held properly accountable.’
To see the new HSE strategy go to http://www.hse.gov.uk/strategy/index.htm
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