Sick days taken by workers might be at one of the lowest levels however work related injuries still cost around £14 billion to the British economy.
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has set out its strategy for the next year and lessening this financial impact is one of its key plans. After a successful 2016-17 which included the launch of the Helping Great Britain work well strategy the next year should be an exciting one for health and safety in the UK.
We looked at what the HSE actually does in a recent blog post and this week we want to explore what 2017-18 holds for the organisation and what you can expect its main areas of focus to be.
Building On The Helping Great Britain Work Well Strategy
In a previous post we outlined the main aims of the strategy and over the next year the HSE are committed to developing these even further.
This includes establishing and implementing a 3-year Health and Work programme that is designed to reduce levels of work-related stress, occupational lung disease and musculoskeletal disorders which result in a large amount of time being taken off by employee’s in the UK.
The HSE is also going to pursue using new technology to change workplace behaviours and develop new ways in which safety can be enhanced and communicated to provide a safer environment for everyone.
Maintaining The Regulatory Framework In Light of Brexit
Brexit might not have the big impact on health and safety in the UK that many people think it will however it is something that requires close attention.
A particular emphasis for the HSE is being placed on sectoral cross-cutting Red Tape Reviews and also how bureaucracy can be reduced for businesses as well. The HSE is committed to playing an active role in the UK’s withdrawal from the UK and to help implement the deregulatory agenda of the government.
Brexit has a lot of unknowns and uncertainties associated with it however maintaining a solid regulatory framework should help keep these insecurities at bay.
Strengthening Engagement And In Hazardous Sectors
Finally, another main concern and area of focus for the HSE in 2017-18 is on particularly hazardous sectors in the UK.
This includes industries such as offshore oil, gas and renewable energy, the onshore chemical industry, production and storage of explosives as well as mining and the bio-economy. In 2016-17 the HSE was successful in a programme to improve face-to-face interventions and inspections of high risk sites.
Promoting strong safety leadership, developing regulations decommissioning infrastructure and establishing a strategy in the chemicals sector to improve cyber security are all aims for the year forward.
More Information On The HSE’s Plan For 2017-18
The HSE have a lot of work to carry out in the next year and this just gives a flavour of what to expect from the organisation over the next 12 months.
If you want to find out in depth with the Health and Safety Executive have planned for the UK in 2017-18 then read their full business plan.