HSE to launch new health and safety strategy
September 15th 2008 HSE Chair Judith Hackitt has announced that the HSE is to launch a new strategy this December.
While the UK's safety performance has improved by more than 70% since the introduction of The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974: "It is hardly a cause for celebration that > 200 people continue to die at work every year," said Judith Hackitt speaking at the recent IOSH Safety Symposium.
"The fact that our performance has plateaued again, albeit at a much lower level than before tells us something - but it certainly doesn't tell us that we have to change a fine piece of legislation which has served us well and delivered such a huge benefit, measured in lives saved and injuries and illnesses avoided, for more than 30 years.
"What we in the HSE Board believe it tells us is that we need to look at what has changed and then make necessary adjustments to our strategy to deal with those changes," explained Judith.
Stressing the need for a distinction between the real health and safety which protects people at work and the less helpful 'elf and safety' myths, Judith said it was time to, "regain the real Health and Safety brand...we have to replace the nonsense with the real story."
Judith also challenged the opinion that more HSE inspectors is the "only way," to improve health and safety, suggesting that:" It seems that with the passage of time we've also become a bit confused about who is responsible for what in relation to health and safety.
"It is incorrect to see ever increasing numbers of inspectors as the solution. The logic is flawed because it is based on the incorrect notion that we in HSE are responsible for managing health and safety in your workplace. We are not - you are," she stressed.
The HSE plans to launch the strategy formally in early December and says at that time it will initiate a consultation process which will enable stakeholders to comment.
Judith summarised what the HSE hopes to achieve through its new strategy:
To regain widespread commitment and recognition of what real health and safety is about
To encourage and motivate all those in the health and safety system to be clear about how they will contribute to delivery
To resume the reduction in the number of accidents and cases of ill health
* To ensure that those who breach or ignore health and safety duties are appropriately held to account
Read Judith's full speech here.
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