A new health and safety strategy

The HSE has launched Helping Great Britain Work Well, a new health and safety strategy reinforcing the fact that,

• Great Britain has a health and safety record to be proud of
• Six new priority themes will help Great Britain to work well
• Everyone in the health and safety system should play their part

The principles are sound and have stood the test of time identifying that

• Those who create risks have a responsibility to manage those risks – placing the ownership of risk in the right place
• Action should be proportionate to the risks needing to be managed – meaning well-thought-out measures applied, tailored to each business, to the nature of the work undertaken and the people working there

Too much complexity and bureaucracy has built up around health and safety. The message of the strategy is about being smarter and not simply doing more, by keeping things as simple and straightforward as possible allows businesses to be successful and productive.
HSE will continue to take its responsibility as the strategy prime mover to ensure regulations stays simple and effective, and that guidance is accessible to all.
The six strategic themes bring a renewed emphasis on improving health in the workplace, as well as building on the highly successful track record on safety are,

• Acting together
• Tackling ill health
• Managing risk well
• Supporting small employers
• Keeping pace with change
• Sharing our success

In order to make this happen all businesses must acknowledge the key points,

• Maintain the gains made in safety, while giving health the same priority
• Broader ownership of health and safety issues can lead to improved productivity and business benefits, while protecting workers
• Collective and concerted action is required by everyone in the system to help Great Britain work well