The European Health and Safety Week will look at reducing the toll of
workplace accidents
This year’s European Health and Safety Week will focus on the prevention of
accidents in the workplace, the Health and Safety Executive has announced.
The week, – running from October 15 – will have the theme "Success is
no accident" and will look at ways of reducing the toll of deaths and
injuries that occur unnecessarily every year in the workplace.
Latest figures show an average of 400 people are killed annually in the UK
by work activities and more than a million are injured, revealed the HSE.
As well as the huge cost in terms of misery and suffering, these accidents
result in a loss of £18bn to the British economy, it added.
Peter Rimmer, HSE director of information, said: "Reducing workplace
accidents will obviously save lives and injuries but, from a business
viewpoint, it also makes economic sense.
"The most successful companies usually have the best accident
prevention records. The European Health and Safety Week has fast become a
British success story and I would urge all businesses to take part and share in
its success."
The event, part of a wider European initiative organised by the European
Agency for Safety and Health, has been run since 1996, and has grown
dramatically in importance and influence, particularly in the UK.
Last year’s safety week, held last autumn, involved 7,000 UK organisations
with its message reaching more than 4 million employees. More than 5,000
activities, major advertising initiatives and other actions were carried out,
with more than 60,000 action packs sent out by the HSE.
This year free action packs will be available once again, containing a
newsletter, posters, stickers, and general information.
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