Going back to Black
April 22nd 2008 The Corporate Manslaughter Act, which came into effect 6th April, has dominated headlines for the past few months. While the increased penalties for gross negligence associated with the new Act bring a welcome focus to health and safety at board level, the Act doesn't really bring anything new to the table.
Overshadowed by the Act, but significant nonetheless, is Dame Carol Black's review into the health of the working age population; Working for a healthier tomorrow.
Released mid-March, it finds that sickness is currently costing the UK economy a staggering £100 billion a year – enough to run the entire NHS. The review calls for radical changes to the administration of work-related health services to make them available to all and demands urgent action. Questions remain over how these changes will be administered but it is suggested politicians, healthcare professionals, employers, unions and individuals must all play their part.
Businesses which took part in trials for the review made substantial progress: By addressing work place health, EDF Energy achieved a drop in working days lost per employee due to psychological ill health from 1.76 in 2004 to 1.35 in 2006, affecting a cost saving in sickness absence alone of approximately £1.3m. British Gas Business reports a 12% reduction in staff absence and a 25% reduction in staff turnover.
An increasing number of resources are now available to employers and managers to address the issue. The TUC provides training on issues such as managing work place stress and is launching a course covering occupational health towards the end of April. Also, for the first time this issue, HSM takes a look at health and wellbeing in the workplace (see p62) I hope you find the material useful.
Georgina Bisby
Editor
gbisby@western-bp.co.uk More articles from HSM Editorial Team: | 
