Risk
management is the key to reducing the number of deaths and injuries in the
workplace, according to Minister for Work, Jane Kennedy.
She
told the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents’ (RoSPA) occupational
health and safety conference that although Britain had a health and safety
record of which it could be proud, the workplace and its hazards were changing.
"The
rate of fatal injuries has fallen by more than two-thirds in the past 30 years,
but we are now seeing a plateau in performance," Kennedy said. "We
have to respond to this change and look towards more innovative ways of working
to tackle these new issues if we are to make further inroads into health and
safety improvements.
"The
public sector also has to lead the way. It is not enough for Government just to
exhort to others – it must lead by example and set standards," Kennedy
continued. "The Health and Safety Commission and I are determined that
this should change, and therefore the public sector has been made an area for
priority action."
She
concluded by saying that the Government’s goal was not a risk-free society, but
one where risk was properly managed and understood.
"Risk
management is the key that unlocks progress while bearing down on resultant
suffering and loss of life," she said. "We must champion the case for
sensible controls, sensibly applied."
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