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The Government and HSC (Health and Safety Commission) have for the first time set national targets for improving the work environment over the next ten years.
The aim is to:
The Government and the HSC have selected five priority programmes covering hazards where major improvements are necessary if the targets are to be met. These are areas where the incidence rate of injuries or ill health is high and where it is believed we have the ability to bring about change and success. This has implications for everyone involved in health and safety at work - INCLUDING YOU!
The five priorities are:
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and Local authorities are being encouraged to target their resources by focusing their health and safety inspections on these five priority areas.
You may have already received an inspection by one of our officers.
In Autumn 2002 our Health and Safety Gazette focused on these five areas. The Environmental Health & Licensing Division's |Health and Safety Gazette continues to do the same.
About The Targeted Inspection
Our officers will continue to use a risk-based approach but will use the priority topics as a prime means of judging an employers management of health and safety. We will also cover matters of evident concern and significant issues raised by management, employees or employee representatives.
During the visit they will judge the relevance of each priority topic to your operation and address all the significant risks. At the end of the visit they will summarise:
a) Any general conclusions about the management of risk
b) Any action needed on the priority topics
c) Any action needed on the matters of evident concern
d) Any action needed on issues raised by management, employee's or employee representatives.
You are required by law to carry out risk assessments of the significant risks within your business. We have provided |a number of checklists which may help you with your own risk assessments and may be examined during one of our inspections.
| Related Pages: |
| Health and safety requirements |Health and Safety - Electricity at Work (Pages) |