IOSH response to Financial Times

Letter to Financial Times re: ‘Small businesses advised to shun health and safety experts’
Wednesday - September 10, 2008

Sir,
The recent headline ‘Small businesses advised to shun health and safety experts’ is completely wrong – the Better Regulation Executive (BRE) fully recognise the importance of health and safety assistance to small firms! What they have suggested is that ‘low risk’ small firms could consider doing more for themselves in-house, with more help from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and Local Authorities. And the government will obviously need to ensure there are adequate resources to provide this level of support.

The real imperative is for businesses, large or small, to get the best advice. Unfortunately, the government do not set minimum qualification levels and it’s difficult for employers to always recognise competent health and safety practitioners. So, we’re delighted to see BRE now support our call for better government guidance on ‘competence’ and indeed, have produced our own free guide for employers to help with this.

As the Chartered body for health and safety professionals, the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) believes the current lack of clarity about competent advice could be damaging. Not only to individuals whose lives and long-term health may be put at risk; but also to businesses acting with no or inadequate advice, leading to decisions that are either dangerous or over the top. Interestingly, recent HSE research found the top two solutions suggested for preventing any ‘over-cautious’ decisions were ‘definitive guidance’ and ‘access to professional health and safety advice’.

So, engaging properly qualified health and safety professionals is essential for employee wellbeing and for UK enterprise to flourish. Any death at work is a personal tragedy for everyone concerned and has huge economic impact too. It’s been estimated that work-related injury and illness can cost society up to a staggering £31 billion per year. We all need to do more to prevent this and find better ways of working. Business leaders, decision-makers and the workforce are entitled to be guided on when and where to get the best advice.

Ray HurstPresidentIOSH (Institution of Occupational Safety and Health)The GrangeHighfield