HSE’s five-year health and safety strategy plans

Employers and employees are among those invited to have their say in the development of the HSE’s new five-year strategy, a move that has been welcomed by IOSH.

The new strategy will apply from 2016 to 2020 and cover six themes. HSE is looking to engage with relevant parties, including employers, workers, local and central government, unions, other regulators and key representative groups.

The six themes are: promoting broader ownership of workplace safety and health; 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; and sharing the benefits of Great Britain’s approach.

HSE will announce how people can join in discussions about developing the strategy in the coming weeks. Its plans include events across the country, as well as digital discussion groups and a campaign hashtag – #HelpGBWorkWell.

Richard Jones, IOSH’s head of policy and public affairs, said: “IOSH welcomes the opportunity to contribute to the development of Great Britain’s new five-year health and safety strategy.

“We also welcome the proposed focus on working together, tackling occupational ill health, supporting SMEs, keeping pace with change and sharing success.

“The OSH profession has a leading and influential role to play in working with others and helping more organisations to deliver safe, healthy and sustainable working environments – this is good for individuals, good for employers and good for our economy.”