On December 16, 2015 the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) of Great Britain released six key themes that will be an integral part of their new five year strategy. This strategy is designed to keep the people of the UK fit and healthy on the job at their workplaces, and will guide the policies and discourse moving forward through to 2021.
The six agreed upon themes are:
- Promoting broader ownership of workplace health and safety
- Highlighting and tackling the burden of work-related ill-health
- Supporting small firms
- Enabling productivity through proportionate risk management
- Anticipating and tackling the challenges of new technology and ways of working
- Sharing the benefits or Great Britain’s approach
While these six themes have been meticulously researched and designed by the HSE to encompass all major aspects of health and safety across the UK, there is still plenty of room for change and improvement.
Industry Influencers
Those in the industry and key influencers in UK health and safety are being urged to reach out to the HSE in order to make recommendations and suggestions for improvements. After all, as practitioners in the field on a day to day basis, no one knows better about health and safety strategies than those currently working in the field.
In a statement accompanying the six key themes, HSE Chair Judith Hackitt stated, “We’re starting a conversation with a wide range of influencers – including employers, workers, local and central government, unions, other regulators and key representative groups – because it’s important that this is a strategy for all, shaped by all.”
Hopefully, this collaborative approach will ultimately mean that any new strategy is dynamic, all- encompassing and effective; if you can think of anything you would like to see included or amended, your will soon have your chance.
Multi Platform Approach
A multi platform approach is being implemented, and details about how you can have your say will be released in the coming weeks at www.hse.gov.uk/strategy. Suggested plans for community engagement are said to include events across the entire country, online discussion groups and even a campaign hashtag that can be used on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook – #HelpGBWorkWell
If you have ideas or suggestions, you will soon have your chance to make them known to the organisation that effects real change in the UK’s health and safety policy. Want to join the conversation early? Leave your ideas in the comment section below.
