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Press releases E060:08 4 December 2008

'Be part of the solution': HSE consults on its new strategy for health and safety

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) yesterday launched a three month consultation on its new strategy "The Health and Safety System of Great Britain: Be Part of the Solution", at events in London, Edinburgh and Cardiff to which a wide range of its key stakeholders were invited.
HSE's decision to develop a new strategy has been prompted by a range of factors. These include: the recent slowing of improvement in Great Britain's (GB) health and safety performance; the changing industrial landscape with an increase in small businesses and the self-employed; the different risks posed by new sectors, and the need to regain the health and safety brand from those who misuse it to proliferate bureaucracy and as an excuse for other things.
The strategy, which is resetting the direction for health and safety, sets out a number of goals to be achieved, including:

Encouraging strong leadership and championing a common sense approach to health and safety;
Building the competence of those charged with delivering health and safety in workplaces;
Customising the support for small businesses to help them comply with their health and safety obligations, and
Avoiding catastrophes in GB's high hazard industries.

Speaking at the London launch, HSE Chair Judith Hackitt said: "We are calling on all those involved in workplace health and safety - employers, self-employed, employees, trades unions, manufacturers, suppliers - to work with us on delivering these goals. We all share the same mission; to prevent death, injury and ill health in our workplaces, but HSE and its Local Authority partners, as the regulators for health and safety, cannot do this alone. This is why we are seeking support and involvement from all stakeholders to be part of the solution."
Judith Hackitt was joined at the London launch event by HSE Chief Executive Geoffrey Podger and the Executive Director of the Local Authorities Coordinators of Regulatory Services (LACORS), Derek Allen. This was matched by launches in Edinburgh, by HSE Board member Danny Carrigan and Rob Murray from the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA), and in Cardiff by HSE Board member Sandy Blair, and Councillor Keith Evans, Vice-Chairman Wales on the LACORS Board of Directors.
Derek Allen of LACORS said: "We have worked closely with HSE in developing this strategy, and are very pleased to have a significant contribution to make, both in delivering it as a regulator and as a major employer. Local councils are committed to building on the successful partnership we have with HSE. We will continue to raise the profile of health and safety and working to minimise those work activities that cause real harm and suffering."
The consultation will end on 2 March 2009 after a series of regional workshops hosted by HSE across GB, and the full launch of the finalised strategy will take place in quarter two of 2009. The strategy and supporting documents are available online at: http://www.hse.gov.uk/strategy/index.htm and hard copies are available on request from Emma Beals on 0207 717 6526.

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