The Health and Safety Commission (HSC) has published a report detailing the progress made during the first year of its revamped strategy for workplace health and safety in the UK.
The HSC launched its strategy in February last year which recognised that setting targets for improved national health and safety performance would not itself deliver results, and that different delivery methods were also necessary.
According to the report, the HSC’s strategy is beginning to make an impact.
When first launched, there was trade union concern that the strategy heralded a softening in the commission’s approach to enforcement.
However, the HSC has reassured unions that this is not the case.
“There is no policy… to shift the balance away from inspection and enforcement towards advice and support,” the report said.
“The Health and Safety Executive’s recent commitment to substantial external recruitment, including trainee inspectors, also sends an unequivocal signal.”
The commission also said it was developing a programme designed to provide for the “effective, efficient and targeted use of enforcement”.
