New guidelines aim to put health and safety on management agenda

The Employers Organisation for Local Government (EO) has launched new
guidelines to encourage local authorities to incorporate health and safety
issues into day-to-day management and decision-making processes.

Advice on health and safety has been included in the national handbook of
current agreements for Local Government Services – known as the Green Book –
for the first time.

The handbook covers the pay and conditions for 1.3 million local authority
workers and will now place emphasis on emerging issues such as change
management, diversity in service delivery and the role of occupational health
professionals.

The new guidance will also help authorities to fall into line with the
Government’s health and safety agenda, which includes making public sector organisations
‘exemplars of health and safety management practice’.

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EO research shows that ill health absence costs local authorities
significantly more than accidents.

Mary Maguire from general union Unison, which has long campaigned for more
health and safety awareness, said: "There is still a lot to be done when
it comes to health and safety.".