Helping
Great Britain
work well
Commitments
Helping Great Britain work well Commitments
Foreword
I never cease to be amazed at how quickly
the world of work changes, despite a career
in industries where everything, including
health and safety, is now completely different
from when I became a dutyholder. The pace
of change is not slowing down, so it is vital
that everyone who has a stake in improving
health and safety in the workplace rises to the
challenge of delivering on ‘Helping Great Britain
work well’.
This strategy builds on the existing good work to improve health and
safety over many years and provides added impetus to these initiatives
and the opportunity to think afresh.
When I took up post as Chair of HSE in May I was already familiar with
the strategy and, as with many of you, I took part in its development
as a stakeholder. It has my full backing, and turning its clear vision into
strong commitment and delivery is the vital next step. This should lead to
concrete results in reducing work-related deaths, ill health and injury.
Improving work-related health will not happen overnight but it needs as
much emphasis as safety. Around 1.3 million workers were suffering from
a work-related illness last year and 26 million working days were lost as a
result. The economic costs to society are equally stark – totalling around
£9 billion each year for new cases of work-related illness.
The beauty of ‘Helping Great Britain work well’ is its strong and integrated
emphasis on ensuring health and safety is managed well – effectively,
proportionately and efficiently. The only things it sets out to prevent
are death, ill health and injury. It enables everything else – innovation,
productivity and growth.
This publication is the first crystallisation of some exciting initiatives that
are already underway. I want to thank all those who have contributed,
and more importantly the commitment that goes into making each
example a reality. Contributors ‘get’ that it is more than worthwhile for the
benefits they will gain.
Please read through the examples – there are new ideas or sources of
inspiration for all of us. If you have examples of your own – big or small
– please do share these with HSE and your contemporaries. You have
everything to gain and nothing to lose. I look forward to being able to
report on further successes, including yours, in the future.
Join the conversation at #HelpGBWorkWell or
email [email protected] – share your successes!
Martin Temple
HSE Chair
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Helping Great Britain work well Commitments
Promoting broader ownership of
health and safety in Great Britain
Anticipating and tackling new health
and safety challenges
Simplifying risk management and
helping business to grow
Promoting the benefits of Great Britain’s
world-class health and safety system
Giving SMEs simple advice so they know
what they have to do
Highlighting and tackling the costs of
work-related ill health
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Helping Great Britain work well Commitments
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Helping Great Britain work well Commitments
Acting together
Health and safety should not be a responsibility assigned to a particular
individual or part of an organisation, but an integral part of everyone’s
role. There needs to be much broader ownership of the issues. This means
engaging everyone who shares the responsibility for helping Great Britain work
well, because they have a vital role in managing risk and preventing damage to individuals,
businesses and the economy.
Across each nation, region or sector, we need collective ownership that best reflects local
circumstances. The regulators will retain their key roles, providing targeted advice and
guidance for key audience groups and taking enforcement action when and where necessary.
Encouraging others to take ownership of health and safety will be critical in making this theme
successful. This means everyone collaborating to reach those who may have been less engaged.
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Helping Great Britain work well Commitments
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3M
‘Safetea Break’: to
encourage interactive
discussion across
occupational health
long-latency disease
health topics.
Includes choreographed toolbox talks on
breathing; hearing; skin; hand-arm vibration;
musculoskeletal disorders.
First launched in
2015, Safetea Break
relaunched in early
2016, with the toolkit
covering 3 new topics
including wellbeing,
slips and trips and
‘Think for 30 seconds’,
designed to get
employees thinking
about potential
hazards before
starting a task.
Encouraged worker
involvement to
enable them to better
understand the health
risks, consequences
and control measures.
To reduce the risk of
death or injury to waste
service employees in
both the private and
public sectors and to
members of the public,
resulting from people
driving recklessly on
pavements (DRoPs)
around municipal and
commercial waste
collection activity.
Increase risk awareness and measure the
frequency of DRoPs events. Establish and
implement a national campaign designed to
sustainably change the behaviour of staff and
the public. Set ambitious improvement targets.
Collaborate with industry forums and other
stakeholders such as the National Police Chief
Council. Lead an industry trial.
2018.
Elimination or reduction
of DRoPs events on
some or all collection
routes, resulting
in a safer working
environment for the
industry and members
of the public.
Biffa Group
The toolkit helps health and safety
professionals engage more easily with the
workforce in discussions about occupational
health. The kit provides resources, including
a set of open questions to present to
the workforce in a breakout session that
encourages discussion across health topics.
Themes
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Biffa Group
To reduce or eliminate
the risk of death
resulting from people
sleeping rough in
commercial or large
waste bins across
the UK, where they
are then injured or
crushed in refuse
collection vehicles upon
collection.
Build on the risk awareness initiated in 2014/5
and maintain this as an area of national
concern. Establish an industry working group
bringing together all stakeholders and work
with them to develop a strategy to focus on
the root causes and behaviours linked to this
industry-wide risk.
Ongoing.
Through greater
collaboration of data
between waste sector
companies, charities
and other stakeholders,
focus on tackling
high-risk hot spots and
developing strategies to
tackle this risk at source.
Blinding Light
Ltd
Helping to secure the
safety of independent
freelance technicians
and small businesses
working on temporary
events and protecting
others who their work
affects from harm.
Blinding Light, event lighting specialists,
developed, hosted and delivered a series
of nine seminars that were attended by
production managers, lighting designers and
contractors between April and September,
2016, covering BS 7909 electrical safety and
the Construction (Design and Management)
Regulations 2015. They shared valuable
information about the setting up and
management of temporary electrical systems,
as well as practical solutions for managing
construction risks in an event setting.
Ongoing.
Raised awareness of
legal duties and routes
to compliance with the
law.
Monitoring impact
over the next year.
Themes
Sharing and adopting
safer working practices.
Reduced burden
on associated
administrative tasks.
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Civil
Engineering
Contractors
Association
(CECA)
Construction (Design
and Management)
Regulations 2015 – A
good practice guide
for the civil engineering
sector.
CECA have worked with a number of
organisations to bring about this single
publication, which explains, in very simple and
clear terms, what must, should and could be
done when addressing the various aspects of
the Regulations in relation to carrying out civil
engineering works.
Hard copies have
been produced and
circulated to all CECA
members (and further
afield) and feedback
to date has been
extremely positive.
It is proposed that
this document be
updated periodically
when either additional
or better examples
of good practice are
made available.
CECA have produced
what they believe to
be a highly innovative
approach to help those
in the construction
industry respond to the
Construction (Design
and Management)
Regulations 2015 in a
way that helps improve
site health and safety
compliance.
The risk involved in tall buildings is different
from conventional build as techniques differ,
but more importantly risks can be very different
as height increases, and there is no single
source of guidance.
It is hoped this might
be ready for wider
consultation early in
2017, with publication
later in the year.
Industry-agreed
benchmark for safe
design, construction
and maintenance of tall
buildings that will aid
consistency by industry
and regulator.
The benefit of this
document is in the way
it is laid out, taking the
stakeholder through
the different aspects of
a project in a logical
manner, from concept
to completion – rather
than describing each
regulation in turn.
Construction
Industry
Advisory
Committee
(CONIAC)
Safety Working
Group – tall
buildings taskand-finish subgroup
Write guidance about
tall buildings.
The tall buildings group is writing guidance
identifying good industry practice to establish
a clear benchmark that would aid both the
industry and regulator.
Themes
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Construction
Plant-hire
Association
(CPA)
Form an industry
technical special
interest group and
produce guidance on
the safe operation of
vacuum excavation
equipment.
Following a fatality, an industry specialist
interest group (consisting of manufacturers,
users, clients and hirers) was convened by
CPA to identify and agree suitable operating
standards and write guidance on the safe use
of vacuum excavation equipment.
The aim is for the
guidance to have
been finalised and
published by early
2017.
Industry-agreed
benchmark for safe use
of vacuum excavators,
which will inform and
help users, hirers, clients
and the regulator.
Joint meetings of
Scientific Advisory
Committee on Genetic
Modification (SACGM)
and the Advisory
Committee for Releases
into the Environment
(ACRE).
Cross-working of independent scientific
advisory committees SACGM and ACRE
through joint open meetings to provide advice
and assurance to government and the public
on safety and environmental protection
from new techniques and technologies in
biotechnology.
First joint meeting is
planned for March
2017. Periodic
meetings to be
scheduled thereafter
as cross-cutting issues
arise.
Demonstrates a joinedup approach to advice
on risk assessment/
risk management
and provides
public assurance
that government is
accessing independent,
current and relevant
scientific advice.
Department for
the Environment
Food and Rural
Affairs (Defra)
Themes
This will cover personnel selection and training;
managing safe excavation; exclusion zones;
use of equipment and tools; dealing with
blockages; emergency procedures etc.
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Engineering
Construction
Industry
Association
(ECIA)
Nurturing competence.
The Client Contractor National Safety Group
(CCNSG) passport sets the benchmark for
baseline knowledge and understanding
needed to work on engineering construction
sites. A major nationwide consultation with
stakeholders has prompted significant
developments to meet stakeholders’ evolving
needs.
Full implementation in
2017.
CCNSG remains the
universally recognised
passport of choice
to work in this sector.
Unnecessary card
proliferation is
minimised.
Engineering
Construction
Industry
Association
(ECIA)
Aligning ‘competence’
systems.
Engineering construction’s CCNSG passport
was not recognised on civils sites. ECIA worked
with the civils contractors trade body and
secured agreement that it was. This reduced
unnecessary duplication of cards.
Ongoing.
An important element
of basic workforce risk
awareness continued
to be a solution, rather
than an expensive
problem.
Themes
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Environment
Agency (EA)
Safety, Health and
Environment Code of
Practice.
In collaboration with framework contractors
who deliver flood risk management and
other major construction projects, we have
developed a code of practice that establishes
clear and mutually agreed expectations
about safety, health and environment (SHE) risk
management standards that they will achieve
on-site. Standards are often set well above
legal minimum standards.
Ongoing. The
document continues
to evolve and improve
as we learn lessons,
share experiences
and identify new best
practice.
Newly introduced
construction frameworks
incorporate the code
of practice, give the
framework contractors
ownership and a voice
in the development
of health and safety
standards they are
expected to achieve.
Environmental
Services
Association
(ESA)
Raise health and safety
standards across the
waste and recycling
industry.
Our revised strategy includes a number
of objectives including developing a tool
to assist in setting up occupational health
programmes; guidance on steps towards
improved behavioural safety and a resource
to stimulate communication between
workers and managers on health and safety
improvements.
Our strategy guides
our work plan until
2018.
Impact is measured
through ESA’s Accident
Reduction Charter,
which commits ESA
to 10% year-on-year
reduction targets in
RIDDOR injuries.
Galliford Try
Advantage through
Alignment (AtA).
An industry-leading approach to supply chain
engagement. We are taking ‘Challenging
Beliefs, Affecting Behaviour’ – our own,
award-winning, in-house behavioural safety
programme – to our supply chain.
Ongoing.
Educate the supply
chain on Galliford Try’s
approach to health and
safety on-site. Allow
businesses to adapt
and implement the
programme themselves
on-site and within their
organisations.
The initial scheme pilot saw directors of the
supply chain attend and empowered them
to launch the programme in their respective
businesses.
Since the initial
course, managers
and supervisors from
the same businesses
have now attended
our two-day coaching
course; the tier of
training designed for
implementing the
programme at site
level.
Themes
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Gas Safe
Register (GSR)
and training
and assessment
providers
Suggest and monitor
the implementation
of improvements by
key figures within
industry responsible for
engineer training and
assessment.
There have been questions raised as to
whether the current routes to gas engineers
attaining competence are fit for purpose and
are delivering competent gas engineers to GSR
and the industry. Recent research findings by
GSR indicate that improvements are necessary
by the training and assessment sector to stem
these issues.
Early stages. Initial
findings of research
now known and
presented to industry.
GSR monthly update
report.
Potentially a widereaching impact on UK
consumer safety and
confidence in the GSR
brand.
Gas Industry
Safety Group
(GISG)
To provide research
on competence of
newly-qualified Gas
Safe engineers and to
see if competence is
declining.
To determine whether newly-qualified
engineers really are less competent now than
they used to be and if there are any particular
patterns to this. Industry is taking its own steps
to further clarify the cause of the problem and
GISG has agreed to fund research.
Research report is due
shortly.
Research report will
be used with other
evidence to determine
future approaches to
competence to ensure
consumers are safe and
engineers comply with
the law.
Gas Safe
Register (GSR)
Increase the visibility
and profile of gas safety
through ‘Gas Safety
Week’.
19-25 September 2016 saw the sixth annual Gas
Safety Week when organisations from across
the UK work together to raise awareness of the
dangers of poorly maintained gas appliances,
which can cause gas leaks, fires, explosions
and carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning.
Annual event in
September each year.
GSR signed up 6859
companies and
organisations signed
up to take part this
year. Last year 5123
companies and
organisations supported
Gas Safety Week.
GSR’s role is to act as catalyst – setting the
overall theme and producing messaging and
collateral for supporters to use.
Themes
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Gas Safe
Register (GSR)
and appliance
manufacturers
Encourage gas
consumers to have
appliances regularly
serviced to reduce risks
from gas.
Manufacturers are considering offering a 10year warranty for appliances that are annually
serviced by GSR-registered engineers. They are
currently in discussions with GSR to discuss the
proposal and the mechanism for recording the
servicing of appliances to validate warranty.
Early stages.
Monitoring via GSR
monthly update
report.
Potentially wide impact
depending how this is
positioned. This supports
GSR core messaging
around the annual
safety check of gas
appliances and will
feed into the future
consumer awareness/
messaging strategy.
Guidance has been
completed and was
published on the IADC
website in April 2016.
IADC members are
committed to using
this guidance routinely
in the preparation of
safety sases. No nonacceptance issues in
relation to this have
been raised in recent
cases from members.
Ongoing – events
being held every 6–12
months.
Improve risk control by
SMEs in Pembrokeshire
and West Wales.
Mandating this is beyond the GSR remit
but there is a role as an ‘honest broker’ in
discussions and there are seen to be industrywide benefits.
International
Association
of Drilling
Contractors
(IADC)
Provide guidance to
members on the diving
topic in safety cases.
With support and input from HSE, IADC
produced guidance for its members to ensure
that their safety cases properly address
the safety management system for diving
operations within the installation’s safety
exclusion zone.
This guidance provides a framework to ensure
the relevant aspects are considered within
each safety case.
IOSH West
Wales
Provide free health and
safety information and
assistance to businesses
in Pembrokeshire and
West Wales.
IOSH West Wales is collaborating with key
stakeholders to deliver the Pembrokeshire
Employers’ Engagement Project. The project
provides free health and safety advice,
information and guidance. It will signpost
SMEs to training, sources of health and safety
and business support, as well as engage local
safety and health professionals.
Themes
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Land Securities
Six Pillars.
Working with both our internal and external
customers and promoting best practice
through our ‘One Best Way’ documents and
Customer Improvement Groups.
Ongoing.
Keeping up to date on
all health, safety and
security legislation and
amending policies
and procedures
accordingly. Start
meetings on the positive
and share our successes
with both internal and
external customers.
Ongoing and
monitoring for the last
4 years.
Continuing to work well
with all our employees,
supply chain, clients
and members of
the public to raise
awareness in line with
the HSE strategy and our
own.
Tackling ill health: treat health like safety
through Wellbeing, Occupational Health and
Occupation Hygiene, develop a document
defining each health pillar.
Keeping it simple – reducing paperwork by
enhancing competencies.
McLaughlin
and Harvey
Group and Barr
Environmental
Ltd
NHS Scotland Healthy
Working Lives (HWL)
Gold Award attainment.
NHS Scotland HWL Silver
Award.
Scotland’s Best
Employers for Health
and Wellbeing 2016.
Driving forward HWL with colleagues,
relaunching our website ‘You Matter’ where
we provide advice for our supply chain and
colleagues and ‘Be Fair’ CITB at Bronze Award
status, countersigned by senior directors.
Barr Environmental Ltd are developing a
competency assessment tool, tailored to
launch and engage with our employees.
Themes
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Offshore
Renewable
Energy
Emergency
Forum (OREEF)
To act as a forum
to improve industry
knowledge and
emerging good
practice on the
prevention and
response to offshore
emergencies, taking
account of the
unique challenges
encountered with the
current and proposed
development of
Offshore Renewable
Energy Installations
(OREI).
Published guidelines on emergency planning.
Regulators and the industry are keen to
ensure that these are adopted to support the
emergency services to deal effectively with
offshore emergency situations. The level of
adoption and its success will be reviewed and
revised regularly, as necessary.
June 2016 and regular
review and revision.
Improved readiness
by individual offshore
wind farms to respond
to emergency incidents,
leading to increase in
joint exercises and the
actual participation of
wind farm assets in nonwind-related incidents.
Partnership
on Health
and Safety
in Scotland
(PHASS)
Establish a Scottish
Social Care Partners
Forum.
Creating a collaborative partnership between
Scottish care commissioners, providers,
workers and service-user representatives to
increase understanding of risk in the sector
and integrate good health, safety and care
practice.
12 months.
Reduced injury and ill
health among workers
and service users.
Powering
Improvement
strategy group
Increase the profile of
occupational health
and wellbeing in
electricity companies
and share knowledge
and visibility of best
practice. Raised the profile of occupational health
through communication events and activities,
meetings, training and workshops, leaflets, and
website publications.
Ongoing throughout
2016.
Sharing of best practice
across the electricity
sector.
Themes
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Sector Skills
Strategy Group
(SSSG)
Contribute to the
development and
maintenance of a
competent workforce
for the explosives sector.
Through cross-organisational collaboration
the SSSG are addressing the challenge of
developing and maintaining a competent
workforce to meet present and future business
needs, by establishing mechanisms for
developing and sharing training and expertise,
ensuring major hazard control and promoting
the reputation of the UK explosives sector.
Ongoing monitoring
against strategic
priorities, supported
by quarterly meetings.
The explosives sector is
strategically important
and makes critical
contributions to other
sectors. The SSSG
provides a forum for
sustaining UK capability
in this key sector.
Servomex Group
Limited
To remind employees
worldwide that they
are part of a single
organisation with
shared health and
safety values. Produced drinks coasters for everyone in
the organisation, which are also seen by
customers and the supply chain, with simple
graphics depicting different health and safety
topics and important reminders of key action
points. These provide a tangible reminder that
everyone is part of one company with shared
values.
Planned last autumn
and launched the
coasters this year in
January.
In the 3 years since
introducing these
measures, they have
halved both the number
of lost-time injuries and
incidence of illness.
Step Change in
Safety
Common toolbox talk
format and related
materials for use across
UKCS operations.
Develop and implement a single toolbox
talk and dynamic risk assessment tool and
common observation card, for use across all
UKCS operations. This will allow all operators
and contractors across all installations to work
to a common format, reducing unnecessary
duplication, confusion and risk.
Roll-out during 2017.
Better understanding
and more effective
toolbox talks and
universally recognised
observation card (stopcard) system by using
common process and
language.
Themes
Safer and more efficient
operations.
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Step Change
in Safety –
Workforce
Engagement
Support Team
(WEST)
Improved training
and understanding
of the offshore safety
representative role and
functions.
New 4-staged approach to safety rep training.
Working with safety representatives, OPITO,
industry and training providers:
Ongoing, completed
by Q1 2017.
Information for
prospective safety reps
and their constituents,
supervisors and
employers. Updating
the OPITO training
standard to deliver
active and supported
safety reps with ongoing
and on-site involvement
and development.
April 2017.
The conference will
increase safety advisors
understanding of the
need to tackle ill health,
manage risk well and
effectively support small
employers.
Swansea and
West Wales
Occupational
Safety Group
(SWWOSG)
Focus the work of health
and safety advisors in
South Wales towards the
themes of Helping Great
Britain work well.
•
introduction to the safety representative
role ‘what good looks like for safety
representatives’ information to workers,
supervisors, OIMs and dutyholders/
employers;
•
OPITO training;
•
delivering functions and logbook;
•
further development and sharing
experiences with new representatives.
Raise awareness of the Helping Great
Britain work well strategy with health and
safety advisors in South Wales by holding a
conference themed around the strategy and
how they can contribute to its delivery.
Themes
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Swansea and
West Wales
Occupational
Safety Group
(SWWOSG) and
3M
Provide free health and
safety information and
assistance to businesses
in the Swansea area.
SWWOSG and 3M are collaborating with key
stakeholders to deliver the Swansea Estates
Engagement Project. The project will provide
free health and safety advice, information
and guidance. It will signpost SMEs to training
and sources of health and safety and business
support as well as engage local safety and
health professionals.
October 2017.
Improve risk control by
SMEs in the Swansea
area.
UKLPG
Develop clarity of
approach for its
members in dealing
with domestic
customers’ LPG
underground service
pipework.
UKLPG and HSE provided a tool for domestic
customers so they can assess the risks of
pipework and engage with their supplier.
UKLPG is producing an industry information
sheet to clarify the approaches and principles
in inspection and replacement of domestic
LPG pipework.
Industry information
sheet to be published
autumn 2016.
To ensure LPG suppliers
have an approach with
common principles for
ensuring risks from LPG
pipework are controlled.
Themes
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Union of
Construction,
Allied Trades
and Technicians
(UCATT)
To enable more UCATT
members to undertake
the safety representative
role through an
easily accessible,
comprehensive training
scheme.
The ‘Ten Directives’ initiative is a series of 10
presentations designed to provide a basic
understanding of the role of the safety
representative for UCATT members, completed
over a 3-day period. Training will be focused
initially on UCATT safety representatives
but there is potential to expand to other
audiences.
Initial scheme
commenced on
28 September 2016.
Ongoing evaluation
to determine length of
initiative.
Recognising areas
where communication
has been poor in
the past, taking
proactive steps to
ensure involvement
and engagement with
workers to counteract
this. The upskilling of
union members, positive
changes in site safety
culture and improved
standards of health and
safety through UCATT
members.
University of
Hertfordshire
Promoting wider
engagement on
health, safety and
workplace wellbeing
across the University of
Hertfordshire in keeping
with our values: Friendly,
Ambitious, Collegiate,
Enterprising and
Student/staff focused
(FACES).
A high level of cooperation between many
departments delivered the third annual
conference in 2016 ‘Bringing Health Back into
Safety’.
June 2016.
Full attendance and
participation at the
conference. Feedback
from colleagues was
excellent and included
actions they would take
as a result for their own
wellbeing and others.
Build on this for 2017.
Wellbeing was a key theme with 2 keynote
speakers.
Key messages on wellbeing and values were
included in delegate packs, reminding staff
of values and key messages following the
conference.
Themes
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Wales and
West Utilities
Ltd (WWU)
together with
the Institution of
Gas Engineers
and Managers
(IGEM)
To work with IGEM to
engage with the gas
industry supply chain
to ensure competence
and its effective
assessment throughout
the supply chain.
The UK gas distribution operators face the
challenge of using a large number of small,
specialised, supply chain partners. Following
the York HGBWW event, WWU committed to
working with IGEM to hold a free event for
the UK supply chain partners to address the
issue of achieving consistent high levels of
competence and its effective assessment via
procurement process.
July 2016.
Very well-attended
event, procurement
best practice was
shared to enable
more streamlined
procurement
procedures to be
adopted, for example
recognition of different
contractor assessment
schemes to avoid
duplication.
Water UK –
Occupational
Health and
Safety Group
Promote good health
and safety practice
within the water industry.
The Occupational Health and Safety Group,
comprised of senior health and safety
practitioners from UK water companies, meet
to discuss industry trends and issues relating
to health and safety, share best practice and
develop industry-specific guidance to drive
continuous improvement for the water industry.
Four meetings per
year.
Improved health and
safety management
and reduction in
associated outcomes
within the industry over
time.
Themes
page 22 of 60
Helping Great Britain work well Commitments
Organisation
Commitment
Activity
Timing
Impact
Wates Group
As part of the Helping
Great Britain work well
strategy, Wates Group
set out a campaign
called ‘We’re Safer
Together’.
The ‘We’re Safer Together’ campaign is
focused around simple but effective forms of
communication and the emphasis is around
‘only together can we improve’. A simple focus
on the worker, workplace and wellbeing.
Ongoing.
The campaign, and as
part of the roadmap,
Wates Group have
set out a strategy to
significantly improve
health and wellbeing
across their offices and
site environments.
Welsh Local
Authorities
Regulatory
Expert Panel
for health and
safety
Improve the
management of health
and safety risks in
early years’ childcare
settings.
Early years’ childcare is a growing sector
which supports return to work. Community
confidence in the quality of provision is
important. The initiative, delivered by a
partnership between local authorities, child
care professional bodies, fire and rescue
services and the Welsh Government, provides
carers with bespoke health and safety advice.
Ongoing – next
evaluation March
2017.
Reduce the risk of injury
and ill health from falls
from height, manual
handling controls, slips
and trips, dermatitis and
infection.
Themes
page 23 of 60
Helping Great Britain work well Commitments
Organisation
Commitment
Activity
Timing
Impact
WISH and
SWITCH
To work collaboratively
to improve standards
and practices in the
Waste and Recycling
Industry.
Established working groups covering
leadership/employee engagement, building
competence, healthier workplaces, safer
workplaces and supporting SMEs through
engagement with all aspects of industry,
employers, trade unions and regulators.
Producing practical guidance and tools to
improve health and safety in the industry.
Ongoing.
Development,
publication and
promotion of a
Competence
Framework and
Assessment Tool – to
improve competence
within the industry. Now
to be supplemented
with a guidance
document on
behaviours and
attitudes.
Themes
page 24 of 60
Helping Great Britain work well Commitments
Keeping pace with change
Great Britain leads the world in anticipating and tackling the new
health and safety challenges that come with social, economic and
technological change.
This ability to horizon scan, when combined with the deep knowledge and unrivalled expertise
of the system, means that anticipating new health and safety challenges is an area where Great
Britain can play a leading role, for example through HSE’s world-leading research capabilities.
They are already being put to use helping Great Britain, as well as countries around the world, to
improve health and safety, as well as better business outcomes.
To remain a world leader in risk management, Great Britain needs to develop high-quality
capability, anticipating the workplace challenges of tomorrow and using the flexibility of
our goal-setting approach to solve them in ways that enable innovation and the use of new
technologies.
Tackling the problems of tomorrow today is a responsible investment that protects workers,
enables new and different approaches and provides the new knowledge, skills and expertise
Great Britain can share internationally.
page 25 of 60
Helping Great Britain work well Commitments
Organisation
Commitment
Activity
Timing
Impact
Crossrail
Crossrail recognised
early in the project that
innovation and the use
and development of
new technology has
the potential to reduce
exposure to hazards
and reduce harm.
New technology initiatives introduced, such
as the drilling rig that can reduce manual
handling, monitoring vibration risks and
fatigue studies to demonstrate impact of
new shift patterns and importance of sleep
quality. Further research will address high-risk
activities/workers and the effectiveness for a
number of interventions.
Ongoing.
New initiatives will
lead to a reduction in
manual handling and
dust risks, including
new targets to eliminate
the risk of hand-arm
vibration, carpal tunnel
syndrome and fatigue.
Energy Networks
Association
(ENA) and
Institution of
Gas Engineers
and Managers
(IGEM)
Provide evidence which
allows for regulatory
change reflecting
current and future GB
natural gas sources.
Develop robust evidence to support changes,
which maintain safety standards, to the
Gas Safety (Management) Regulations
1996 (GSMR) safety parameters and the
development of an IGEM Standard.
Spring 2019.
Remove the need for
nitrogen ballasting
of imported liquefied
natural gas, with a
suggested potential
saving of £325 million
pa. The changes
will also allow for
biomethane to be
introduced.
Themes
page 26 of 60
Helping Great Britain work well Commitments
Organisation
Commitment
Activity
Timing
Impact
Gas Industry
Safety Group
(GISG) and Gas
Safe Register
(GSR)
To ensure continued
safety of consumers with
minimal burdens and
disruption properties
with flues in voids.
The research will:
Laboratory testing
has been completed
and work is ongoing
on real-life flues
to determine if
alternative methods
can replace or
augment visual
inspections.
Research will identify
if alternative methods
will ensure safety
of consumers while
minimising disruption
and expense when
checking safe operation
of flues in voids.
Ongoing monitoring
over next 3-5 years.
Delivery of an adaptive
regulatory approach
not only instils public
confidence in the
safety of synthetic
biology applications
but enhances the UK’s
international reputation
as a leader in synthetic
biology.
Synthetic
Biology
Leadership
Council
(SLBC) and
Governance
Subgroup
Develop a supportive
business environment
for synthetic biology.
•
establish the feasibility of detecting defects
in concealed flues by measuring carbon
dioxide in the void;
•
test a variety of instruments designed
for this purpose (measuring either CO or
oxygen);
•
propose a feasible methodology for site
testing and the interpretation of results.
To deliver the UK synthetic biology strategic
plan, the SBLC (and Governance Subgroup)
will establish a pool of sector-specific
regulators and practitioners to share
experience of developing adaptive regulatory
systems; and work with the British Standards
Institution to produce standards that support
safe development of this rapidly evolving area.
Themes
This will inform industry
standard procedures.
page 27 of 60
Helping Great Britain work well Commitments
Organisation
Commitment
Activity
Timing
Impact
University of the
West of England
To produce Masters
graduates who are
ready to deliver the
most up-to-date
proportionate health
and safety approaches
in their future practice.
Students are provided with learning materials
that include the latest information linking to
HSE strategy topics. These include case studies,
topical news stories and direct connections
with practice. Learning takes place on campus
and online using innovative technologies
that replicate real-life situations to enhance
student experience. Summative assessment
incorporates these principles.
Academic year
2016-17.
Short-term impact:
incorporate strategy
concepts within 2017
assessments and
evaluate the results;
these represent internal
‘smart’ goals. Longterm impact: focused
on employability,
feedback from external
examiners and student
experience.
Themes
page 28 of 60
Helping Great Britain work well Commitments
Managing risk well
Successful organisations understand that sensible and proportionate risk
management is integral to delivering their business. This approach supports
growth, enables innovation and protects an organisation’s most vital asset,
its people. Positive outcomes can include reduced sickness absence, lower
costs and a good reputation. Promoting this compelling business case should help even more
businesses to make the most of the many benefits a good health and safety culture can bring.
Sharing examples of practice, supported by targeted, relevant advice and information will allow
the system to set a common understanding of what proportionate health and safety looks like.
Health and safety professionals have an important role to play. Helping businesses of all sizes get
it right in an efficient and effective way will build trust and improve standards.
page 29 of 60
Helping Great Britain work well Commitments
Organisation
Commitment
Activity
Timing
Impact
Agricultural
Industries
Confederation
(AIC)
Provide consolidated
advice and guidance
on ammonium nitratebased fertiliser to the
agrisupply industry.
The new AIC guide is a one-stop shop
providing advice and guidance on safety
and security for the storage, handling and
transportation of ammonium nitrate-based
fertiliser. AIC are now engaging across the
ammonium nitrate fertiliser supply chain to
promote the guidance and embed its use.
The AIC guide was
published in May
2016. Adoption and
use of the guidance
will be monitored
for its uptake and
application across the
sector.
The guide describes
proportionate, industryled standards and
promotes consistency in
regulatory interactions.
This enables
improvements in levels
of compliance across
the sector.
AMEY
To improve health and
safety performance
and reduce accidents
by better managing
risk and transforming
organisational
behaviour. Amey’s target zero campaign drives continual
improvement towards a goal of sustained zero
harm throughout the business. To improve their
health and safety culture, the Consulting, Rail
and Strategic Highways Division chose the Risk
Management Maturity Model (RM3) to drive an
outcomes-based improvement strategy. Amey
worked with the Health and Safety Laboratory
(HSL) to ensure the expert application of RM3
and gain assurance that the campaign’s
objectives were realistic and evidence-based.
Launch of refreshed
Target Zero Campaign
– 2014.
Since the target zero
launch in 2014, survey
responses show 86%
of customers, 92% of
employees and 97%
of suppliers recognise
Amey’s health and
safety commitment.
All incident injury rates
show a 20% reduction
and RIDDOR injuries are
nearly halved.
‘Don’t Walk By’ (DWB)
initiative to increase
reporting of near-misses
and hazards.
An office-based initiative rolled out to 25
sites and 20 000 people. Online reporting
via a user-friendly portal or to a dedicated
phone number. The online content is concise
following a logical, simple format. Created
posters and a digital induction slideshow,
which identifies the part individuals contribute
to safety on site.
Late 2013 –
programme
developed and
delivered.
British Gas
Appointment of HSL –
2015.
Further branding
developed.
Ongoing initiative.
Themes
50% increase in
proactive reporting.
54% decrease in
recordable injuries.
Trends allow focused
initiatives, campaigns
and resources on
these identified areas
to provide maximum
impact and return.
page 30 of 60
Helping Great Britain work well Commitments
Organisation
Commitment
Activity
Timing
Impact
British Gas
ASSIST approach to
change behaviours and
drive a proactive focus
on customer safety.
Dynamic risk assessment is combined with
proactive communication to deliver ASSIST,
a behavioural safety programme to ensure
engineers have a simple process to follow:
January 2011 –
monitoring customer
events.
ASSIST approach
ongoing.
Continual improvement
since the initial launch
which has helped
British Gas realise
a 60% reduction in
customer events and
an increase in customer
engagement leading to
other positive impacts.
2014 – started to
analyse vehicle
claims.
RTIs in young drivers
have reduced from 45%
in 2013 to 4% in 2016.
By the end of July
2015 a total of 600
young drivers will be
progressing through
the programme.
During 2014 crash,
severity reduced by
30%, equating to a
£1 million saving in own
damage and thirdparty costs.
• Assess customer, then job.
• Settle customer; consider their needs.
• Set up safely.
Themes
• Inform; regularly check with customer.
• Share concerns with colleagues or
manager.
• Think about work and impacts.
British Gas
Young Driver Academy
(YDA) to reduce risk
of driving at work for
high-risk/inexperienced
drivers.
Focusing on our new apprentices the 12-month
YDA includes 6 ‘on-the-job’ visits, focusing
on road/personal safety while carrying out
their normal routine and promoting ‘good
habits’ that become skills for life and assessing
attitude, knowledge, understanding and
performance to prove competence in 9 units
contributing to safe operation of a commercial
vehicle.
page 31 of 60
Helping Great Britain work well Commitments
Organisation
Commitment
Activity
Timing
Impact
Cardiff
University
We will build and
promote our safety,
health and environment
(SHE) management
system.
We will embed the Universities Safety and
Health Association (USHA) document
Leadership and management of health and
safety in higher education institutions.
By end 2017.
Increased assurance
at all levels within the
organisation.
We will act as ambassadors for our SHE
management system, hosting events. We
are guest speakers at the South Wales Safety
Groups Alliance.
February 2017.
We will support and
guide our peers.
We will lead an intervention on near-miss
reporting.
June 2017.
To increase near-miss
reporting as a measure
of safety culture and
learn lessons.
We have developed ‘baseline university
expectations’ which set out, for a given
statutory duty, essential requirements that
achieve compliance. This tool provides
managers or supervisors with a clear
indication of ‘what compliance looks like’.
To be rolled out
through 2017.
This makes achieving
and demonstrating
compliance easier for
busy managers.
Communicate our approach to ‘sensible and
proportionate’ management of health and
safety to all new starters in the organisation
at induction; the head of safety and staff
wellbeing will continue to be a member of the
HSE Myth Buster Challenge Panel.
November 2016.
We are an organisation
that embraces
proportionate risk
management.
Cardiff
University
Simplify risk
management.
Promote sensible risk
management.
Themes
page 32 of 60
Helping Great Britain work well Commitments
Organisation
Commitment
Activity
Timing
Impact
Chemical,
Downstream Oil
Industry Forum
(CDOIF)
Production of
guidance for industry
on maintenance and
operation of control
and implementation
(C&I) safety systems
for improved and
proportionate
management of risk
in the major hazards
sector.
CDOIF has agreed to produce the industry
guidance with a working group including:
Engineering Equipment and Materials Users
Association (EEMUA), Energy Institute (EI), UK
Petroleum Industry Association (UKPIA), Institute
of Measurement and Control (IntM&C), and
HSE.
Draft publication by
end of 2016 followed
by consultation
with industry before
publication by
mid- 2017.
HSE will be using the
guidance during
inspections and
will accept it as
demonstration of good
practice in operations
and maintenance of
C&I safety systems
leading to improved risk
management.
To improve risk
awareness and reduce
accidental injury
by advocating a
collaborative approach
to risk management
and reporting.
Used the Safety Climate Tool to benchmark
their own safety observation and near-miss
reporting performance with other companies
across industry. Influenced a collaborative
and innovative approach to improving risk
awareness and reporting incident near-misses
throughout the organisation.
Continuous
monitoring over the
past 4 years.
Encouraging safety
observations, nearmiss reporting and the
integration of health
and safety awareness
into routine work
activities has fostered
an ‘acting together’
culture and has
minimised incidentrelated injuries.
Tank Storage
Association
(TSA)
Cobham
Antenna
Systems
Themes
page 33 of 60
Helping Great Britain work well Commitments
Organisation
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Activity
Timing
Impact
Costain Group
plc
Our ambition is to halve
the rate of harm in our
business by 2018.
Costain achieved its best ever safety
performance in 2015 resulting in an accident
frequency rate of 0.08 – less than half that
achieved by the Olympic build.
Delivering benefits in
2018.
Improved risk
management across
all 3 areas leading to
the desired reduction in
harm.
To improve on this we have a focused strategy
with plans covering health, safety and the
environment.
Themes
Each plan has a small number of priorities
based on four enablers – Leadership,
Behaviour, Learning and Communication.
Crossrail
Crossrail recognised
that though awareness
of mental health issues
is increasing in the UK,
it is still considered a
difficult and sensitive
topic to discuss and
manage.
Despite increasing awareness of mental health
issues, it can still prove a difficult topic to
manage. A survey has been created to gather
information from the workforce with an aim to
develop a range of tools, services and support
to effect a positive culture change.
Ongoing.
Encouragement of
open communication
and available support
services seeks to affect
the male-dominated
sector and reduce the
negative consequences
of unsupported mental
health issues.
EDF Energy UK
To achieve worldclass performance
in health and safety
management.
Researched the market to find a suitable
partner to help them establish whether their
safety culture could be considered ‘world
class’ and, if not, where they are falling short.
Chose HSL to run Safety Climate Tool surveys,
workshops and interviews, using the resultant
data to create an improvement action plan.
Initiative begun in
May 2015 (ongoing).
The success of the initial
pilot has led to two
further EDF businesses
signing up (July 2016) for
working on improving
Safety Culture.
page 34 of 60
Helping Great Britain work well Commitments
Organisation
Commitment
Activity
Timing
Impact
Energy Institute
(EI)
Draft guidance to
ensure that health
and safety risks posed
by refuelling vehicles
with hydrogen are
adequately controlled
in a proportionate
manner.
Work in conjunction with the British
Compressed Gases Association, other industry
partners and HSE to develop and publish
guidance on the standards expected for the
safe retail of hydrogen for refuelling vehicles.
Aspire to publish by
end of 16/17 financial
year.
Industry retailing
hydrogen for refilling
vehicles will be clear of
the health and safety
standards expected at
refuelling stations.
Engineering
Construction
Industry
Association
(ECIA)
Exploiting productivity
and risk management
synergies.
A major initiative identified best practice
productivity drivers. The underlying principles
are clearly the same for managing risks. A
genuinely ‘user-friendly’ tool was developed
showing where requirements of the
Construction (Design and Management)
Regulations 2015 (CDM) fit into productivity
frameworks.
Ongoing.
It has convincingly
shown large
organisations’ senior
managers the wider
benefits of integrating
risk management into
operational planning.
Engineering
Construction
Industry
Association
(ECIA)
Setting management
priorities.
ECIA has developed an agenda for senior
managers in engineering construction firms to
develop already high standards even further.
This agenda reflected HSE’s regulatory priorities
for construction.
Ongoing.
Senior managers can
decide confidently, in
the knowledge that their
decisions will reflect
HSE’s thinking for the
way forward.
Themes
page 35 of 60
Helping Great Britain work well Commitments
Organisation
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Activity
Timing
Impact
Galliford Try
‘Challenging Beliefs,
Affecting Behaviour’
programme.
Group directors are encouraged to undertake
regular site leadership tours. As well as
displaying visible health and safety leadership,
it provides an opportunity to explore key risks.
Ongoing.
Highlights key issues to
directors. The initiative
has accelerated the
number of directors’
leadership tours,
helping to create
an environment
where individuals are
confident to discuss
these matters.
November 2015 – April
2018.
A separate and
other influential
trade association,
RenewableUK, have
commented that there
has been a very clear
and positive shift in
engagement resulting
in improved outcomes.
A Directors’ Leadership Tour guidance
document has been produced focusing on
these key site issues, encouraging directors to
review the core areas.
Global Offshore
Wind Health
and Safety
Organisation
(G+, formerly
G9)
In response to HSE, G+
provided an outline of
5 key commitments to
demonstrate health
and safety leadership
for the offshore wind
industry. In April 2016,
they developed these
commitments into
detailed, challenging
and achievable action
and communication
plans inclusive of
the whole industry,
providing significant
resources to deliver
them.
Consider how to improve engagement through
the supply chain to ensure it is fully involved.
Recognise need to create a common, riskbased agenda for the sector.
Actively engage with all relevant stakeholders
including trade associations and others.
Drive the development and proper and
consistent implementation of good practice.
Themes
Identify quick wins to provide momentum for
further change.
page 36 of 60
Helping Great Britain work well Commitments
Organisation
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Activity
Timing
Impact
HS2 Ltd
To design, build and
operate the railway to
the highest health and
safety standards.
HS2 Ltd has developed its health and safety
strategy, defining 21 strategic commitments to
be delivered by the programme by 2026. These
commitments cover all elements of health and
safety, from design-based decisions through
construction to operating practices and
impact on future passengers and neighbours
along the route.
Ongoing until 2026.
The scale and reliance
on supply chain delivery
makes HS2 a key driver
to improve health and
safety performance
and develop the
skills, capability and
competence of the
wider construction
sector.
Ineos Chemicals
(Grangemouth)
Ltd
Reduce risks of operator
error and deviations
from procedures.
Identification and recording of safetycritical tasks carried out on major accident
hazard plant to review and clarify operating
procedures. Consultation with staff and
improved procedures will support personnel
and reduce risks of human error. Subsequent
human failure analysis of these tasks will further
improve their risk assessment.
Task identification and
consultation will last 6
months.
The risks of human
failure should be
reduced by supporting
personnel through
clear, unambiguous
procedures.
Verification or
modification of
procedures will take
2 years after the
identification stage.
Themes
The human failure
analysis should
largely be completed
as the procedures are
updated.
page 37 of 60
Helping Great Britain work well Commitments
Organisation
Commitment
Activity
Timing
Impact
Institute for
Safety in
Technology and
Research (ISTR)
Provision of guidelines
to address the gap
created by a rapidly
expanding field of
research with infected
or genetically modified
insects.
Work with stakeholders to develop guidelines
for safe working with insects known to be
vectors of human and animal disease
(eg Zika virus, malaria, dengue fever virus);
and guidelines on containment of genetically
engineered insects (with potential for
environmental impact).
To be published in
mid-2017.
This guidance will
meet the needs of
users and ensure
the type of work is
managed safely, while
facilitating the delivery
of research of national
and international
importance.
Marine Safety
Forum (MSF)
To actively promote
safety within the marine
sector of the offshore oil
and gas industry.
Working with ‘Step Change’ we plan
to produce a Joined up thinking video
highlighting the risks of ship collision with
offshore installations. A case study involving
a ship collision will be used with challenge
questions to stimulate discussion on how
personnel on installations and vessels can
work together to improve safety.
Q1 2017 for completion
of video and launch
to industry for use in
the workplace.
To improve the
awareness of the risks of
ship collision to offshore
installations. Improve
the management of
marine operations
offshore and
consequently reduce
the frequency of
occurrence.
Rolls-Royce
To raise awareness
of the potential
consequences of
pressure system failures
and the importance
of implementing and
sustaining robust control
measures.
Collaborated with HSL to provide bespoke
pressure systems safety training for key staff.
The resultant courses were run on several
separate occasions to ensure that all relevant
Rolls-Royce staff received appropriate training
in the safe management and risk mitigation of
pressure systems.
2014 through to 2015.
This project provided
the opportunity to
check that RollsRoyce’s procedures
and methods were
appropriate, and
ensured that staff were
suitably equipped to
carry out their jobs
safely.
Themes
page 38 of 60
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Impact
Scott Safety
To provide effective
systems for
decontamination and
clean-up following
chemical or biological
incidents, to protect the
workers involved and
subsequent occupiers.
Commissioned HSL to validate a lightweight
decontamination system (LDS); a fully
protective suit, military-grade respiratory
protection and a backpack spray system
worn by the operator and used for targeted
biological and/or chemical decontamination,
eg by fire and rescue services.
Scott Safety required
urgent and timely
microbiological
validation data and
visual (marketing)
information from HSL’s
AIS team, to meet an
international product
launch target in spring
2016. These needs
were fully met. The work at HSL
demonstrated that the
LDS equipment could
be used effectively
to eliminate a range
of microbiological
challenges, including
potentially harmful
pathogens.
Step Change
in Safety (part
of the Scottish
Plan of Action
on Safety and
Health – SPlASH)
Improve worker
engagement in health
and safety in the
offshore oil and gas
sector.
Build on the work of HSE Energy Division’s Lead
on Workforce engagement and the tripartite
industry group Step Change in Safety to
promote and measure worker engagement on
health and safety.
2 years.
Establishing a range
of indicators for worker
engagement in offshore
health and safety to
monitor and account for
improvement.
Step Change in
Safety
To improve human
factors knowledge and
understanding within
the offshore oil and gas
industry significantly.
Using the Step Change in Safety online selfassessment human factors tool to assess
strengths and weaknesses in the human
factors arena. This develops the industry’s
knowledge and understanding of human
factors to influence engagement and provide
sustainability.
Ongoing and
reviewed annually.
The need to improve
the knowledge and
understanding of
human factors by all
sectors in oil and gas
and to ensure human
factor-related risk is
properly managed and
controlled.
Themes
page 39 of 60
Helping Great Britain work well Commitments
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Timing
Impact
Structural
Timber
Association
(STA)
To control the risk of
large fires during the
construction phase
of timber-framed
buildings.
Created and tested practical measures to
control fire risk and produced guidance, in
collaboration with HSE, on when and how
these should be used. Made guidance freely
available to all interested parties, whether or
not they are members of the Structural Timber
Association.
The new guidance is
already in use and an
expanded version is
being drafted.
• Increased awareness
of fire safety
Themes
• A reduction in the
number of serious fires
• Clear indication
of ‘reasonably
practicable’ risk
reduction, giving
a standard for
dutyholders and for HSE
enforcement decisions.
Mast and Tower
Safety Group
Promoting work at
height and radio
frequency safety in the
telecommunications
industry.
Senior safety representatives of those
businesses that own or manage masts and
towers to meet regularly to share good
practice, and publish industry guidance and
safety alerts as appropriate.
Meet 4 times per year.
To improve
management of risks
associated with masts
and towers.
The British
Association of
Leisure Parks,
Piers and
Attractions
(BALPPA)
To monitor and
improve national safety
standards on large,
high-speed fairground
equipment in theme
parks.
Develop and encourage use at UK theme
parks, of a cross-industry, KPI-based
benchmarking system addressing key causes
of accidents to employees and members of
the public. This will allow different park owners
to compare their technical and operational
safety performance, and share good practice
to reduce the chance of a catastrophic
incident.
Ongoing, first report
end Q4 2017/18.
Evidence-based best
practice methods
for technical and
operational safety
management will
be shared across
the industry to
reduce routine and
catastrophic accident
events.
page 40 of 60
Helping Great Britain work well Commitments
Organisation
Commitment
Activity
Timing
Impact
Vattenfall
Improve the safety and
reliability of wind turbine
service lifts. In collaboration with HSE, Vattenfall proactively
commissioned independent engineers to
undertake a failure modes and effects analysis
(FMEA) study of lifts. This identified actions
that could be taken to improve the safety and
reliability of wind turbine service lifts.
March 2016 – August
2016.
Business continuity has
been maintained, and
confidence provided
that the lifts now provide
safe and reliable
service, ensuring the
safety of staff and
contractors.
Welsh Local
Authorities
Regulatory
Expert Panel
for Health and
Safety
Improve the
compliance with gas
safety requirements in
catering premises in
South East Wales.
Incoming intelligence indicated poor
compliance with gas safety requirements in
catering premises in South East Wales. A pilot
inspection initiative revealed 80% of premises
visited required formal enforcement. Initiative
now expanded to cover all of South East Wales.
Learning from the initiative being shared with
other local authorities in Wales.
Ongoing – next
evaluation March
2017.
Reduce the risk of fire,
explosion and carbon
monoxide poisoning
from inadequate
maintenance,
unsafe practices and
poor ventilation of
installations.
Themes
page 41 of 60
Helping Great Britain work well Commitments
Organisation
Commitment
Activity
Timing
Impact
Welsh Local
Authorities
Regulatory
Expert Panel
for Health and
Safety
To undertake visits
to licensed premises
specifically focused on
reducing the number
of violent incidents at
those premises.
All-Wales trial to reduce violent incidents at
licensed premises. Premises receiving visits
from environmental health practitioners
specifically on this topic experienced a
significant reduction in violent incidents
reported to the police. Each violent incident in
licensed premises costs on average
£33 657 while the intervention cost was £125 per
individual premises.
Ongoing – next
evaluation March
2017.
Reduce risk of injury and
financial impact arising
from violent incidences
at licensed premises.
Themes
page 42 of 60
Helping Great Britain work well Commitments
Sharing our success
Everyone can take pride in Great Britain’s world-class reputation for health
and safety and promote its success at home and abroad. Creating a worldclass system is a goal we can all unite around and benefit from as a source of
inspiration and achievement, and can also be pleased to support.
This strategy has largely concerned itself with improving standards in Great Britain. But we should
also look to share best practice and the latest thinking and innovation around the world. This
can help influence health and safety systems overseas and make it easier for British businesses
to expand into new markets and territories. The work can also bring commercial opportunities for
selling British health and safety ‘products’ or consultancy.
page 43 of 60
Helping Great Britain work well Commitments
Organisation
Commitment
Activity
Timing
Impact
Construction
Industry
Advisory
Committee
(CONIAC) Case
Studies Working
Group
CONIAC have set up a
Case Studies Working
Group to canvas
industry sectors to
provide examples
of dutyholders
demonstrating
pragmatic good
practice in construction
projects.
Submitted nominations will be vetted by
the working group and those selected will
be subjects for 90-second films comprising
interviews, explanations of how compliance
was approached and what that has meant for
effective and safe project delivery. Ten films are
proposed: 5 for large projects, 5 for SMEs.
Ongoing.
Sharing good practice
aims to encourage
improved behaviour
and practices in the
construction industry,
but also adoption of a
more positive approach
to health and safety in
industry.
Crossrail
Crossrail continues to
share good practice
and have created
a ‘Learning Legacy’
website for the
construction and wider
industry to take our work
forward.
Sharing of good practice including creating
the Learning Legacy website for the
construction and wider industry with a wide
range of resources available for the purpose of
continuous learning.
Ongoing.
Sharing good practice
and resources such as
a series of health and
safety Impact videos
to raise awareness and
reduce risk of basic
health and safety
failures.
Powering
Improvement
strategy group
Increase the profile of
occupational health
and wellbeing in
electricity companies
and share knowledge
and visibility of best
practice. Developing an ‘Occupational Health and
Wellbeing - Road Map’ to share good practice
and experience.
Publication for Road
Map Q4 2016.
Ongoing resource
for use by staff and
stakeholders in the
industry.
Themes
page 44 of 60
Helping Great Britain work well Commitments
Supporting small employers
Reaching micro and small businesses can be difficult, but not impossible.
Working together, much has already been done to help small businesses,
but there are opportunities to work smarter. Already many large businesses
and intermediaries have developed efficient supply chains and productive
relationships by working with and supporting small businesses.
Many organisations also provide free help and support to SMEs outside their supply chains
through cross-sector initiatives.
For SMEs, managing workplace risks shouldn’t be complicated or costly. Making support
available which is quick and easy for small businesses to understand, so that they can fulfil their
obligations, remains a challenge for all sectors.
It will also be important to identify who the key influencers are for SMEs, working with them to raise
awareness levels about the peer and expert support that is out there.
page 45 of 60
Helping Great Britain work well Commitments
Organisation
Commitment
Activity
Timing
Impact
Cardiff
University
We will positively
influence safety culture.
By working towards the Welsh Government’s
Corporate Health Standard platinum award,
we will shape the health and safety culture
of contractors working for us as part of the
associated corporate social responsibility
agenda.
End 2018.
Providing support to our
supply chain.
Specifically, we will demonstrate collaborative
working that supports or helps develop
innovative or best practice within other
organisations.
June 2018.
Increased participation
of our contractors in
accreditation schemes,
corporate health
standards and a small
business award.
By expanding its website to include detailed
company information and links to key
health and safety organisations, Chalcroft
Ltd provided easy access to the information
needed by the ‘small employer’ section of its
supply chain to better manage health and
safety on-site.
The expanded website
went live on 30 August
2016.
The anticipated impact
of this project is raised
awareness among
small employers of
the health and safety
policies, guidance and
regulations relevant
to them, resulting in
improved health and
safety performance.
Chalcroft Ltd
To help small employers
understand and comply
with on-site standards
and legal requirements. Themes
page 46 of 60
Helping Great Britain work well Commitments
Organisation
Commitment
Activity
Timing
Impact
Construction
Industry
Advisory
Committee
(CONIAC) SME
Working Group
CONIAC have set up
an SME working group
with HSE to develop new
messages and delivery
techniques to reach
the smallest part of the
construction sector
(those undertaking
domestic and small
commercial projects)
to encourage
improved standards
in both design risk
management and
construction practices
on-site. This working group will include the
commissioning of a communication-focused
major research project to deliver bespoke
messaging and interventions to effectively
engage the ‘hardest to reach’ construction
SMEs. A priority of the group is to also stimulate
action from dutyholders to support their SME
colleagues independently of the regulator.
Ongoing.
Research will inform
future messaging
to improve SME
engagement with
CDM and encourage
improved behaviours,
which will impact on
a reduction in the
fatalities, accidents and
instances of ill health.
Gas Safe
Register (GSR)
Carry out mandatory
and other inspection
events to interact with
a wider number of
engineers, including
poor performers.
GSR are carrying out mandatory attendance
training events for 250 poor-performing
engineers to increase performance rather
than immediately removing them from the
register. Other inspection events are open to all
engineers.
3-year programme
initially.
250 places for poorperforming engineers
and over 2000 places
for other engineers.
These events support small businesses to
achieve compliance with the law by learning
from GSR and peers.
Themes
Positive feedback –
engineers value the
face-to-face interaction
with GSR and peers.
page 47 of 60
Helping Great Britain work well Commitments
Organisation
Commitment
Activity
Timing
Impact
National
Hairdressers’
Federation
(NHF)
Improve health and
safety in hair salons and
barbershops.
Provide employers with a simple, user-friendly
toolkit written to make it as easy as possible
for them to improve health and safety in
hair salons and barbershops. We have also
provided emergency first-aid courses to help
salons deal with client or staff illness or injury.
Regular promotion.
Helping small and
microbusiness
employers in
hairdressing and
barbering understand
their obligations and
the benefits of good
practice in health,
safety and wellbeing.
NHS Health
Scotland
(Healthy
Working Lives),
SCOS, RoSPA
Scotland, HSE
Increase the use of the
‘Health Risks at Work’
toolkit.
Continuing development of the Health Risks
at Work toolkit for SMEs that raises awareness
of occupational diseases and how to prevent
them, using simple language. Development of
a free online tool hosted by Healthy Working
Lives to increase reach beyond the take-up
of the original DVD version, first produced in
Scotland.
12 months.
Increased awareness
among SMEs of the
cause of work-related ill
health and disease and
the need to control risks.
Themes
page 48 of 60
Helping Great Britain work well Commitments
Organisation
Commitment
Activity
Timing
Impact
North Wales
Working Well
Together Group
– North Wales
Contractor
Group
Raise health and
safety standards of
subcontractors working
on construction sites in
North Wales.
Increase consistency of, and compliance with,
the standards expected by the safety officers
of principal contractors through training
events on subjects where risk control by
subcontractors is poor. Those attending pledge
to abide by the standards they have been
shown and work collaboratively with safety
officers when they visit sites.
Ongoing – with
annual evaluation.
Over time, safety officers
expect to see consistent
improvement in risk
control throughout
the life of construction
projects.
Partnership
on Health
and Safety
in Scotland
(PHASS)
Develop a national
occupational health
and safety advisor
network for SMEs in
Scotland.
Developing a model of occupational
health support advice to SMEs that is free
at the point of delivery utilising voluntary
resources within Scotland’s health and
safety community. The advice offered will be
competent, proportionate and based on an
initial workplace visit delivered to a consistent
standard, quality-assured by Healthy Working
Lives and IOSH.
2-year pilot.
Improved access
to proportionate
occupational health
support for SMEs who
lack resources or
know-how to fulfil their
statutory duty to obtain
competent advice.
Themes
page 49 of 60
Helping Great Britain work well Commitments
Organisation
Commitment
Activity
Timing
Impact
The Stone
Federation
Great Britain
Engage with SME
stone work businesses
to increase their
awareness and
understanding of key
health and safety issues,
in particular control of
exposure to respiratory
crystalline silica.
In April 2016, The Stone Federation Great Britain
organised a safety and health awareness day
which was hosted by one of their members.
HSE provided the session speakers. The event
had an emphasis on control of exposure to
silica containing stone dust.
Completed.
Attendees provided
very positive feedback
comments and stated
they had a better
understanding of the
key health issues facing
their workers.
Themes
page 50 of 60
Helping Great Britain work well Commitments
Tackling ill health
Work-related ill health is a problem for every section of society, with
conditions ranging from cancer and other long-latency diseases, to
stress and musculoskeletal disorders. Greater awareness of the harm,
costs and preventability of work-related ill health should drive collective
action to improve health outcomes.
This will require long-term and coordinated action across all sectors, bringing in additional
partners such as the NHS and others to support the substantial behaviour change and awareness
programmes that will be required.
A key element of this theme will be in earlier prevention, which is more cost-effective than trying
to intervene when a person is suffering from more serious ill health. This will involve a greater focus
on health issues at work, while continuing to ensure that maintaining standards around safety
remains a priority.
page 51 of 60
Helping Great Britain work well Commitments
Organisation
Commitment
Activity
Timing
Impact
British
Occupational
Hygiene Society
(BOHS)
Breathe Freely – a
collaborative initiative
led by BOHS to tackle
occupational lung
disease (initially in the
construction industry).
Worked with key organisations within the
construction industry to develop guidance,
tools and resources that facilitate the
recognition, evaluation and control of
workplace exposures leading to the
implementation of a recognised management
standard. Organised a series of events and
roadshows that continue throughout 2016.
Ongoing initiative
launched on 28 April
2015.
In its first year it has
attracted support from
over 160 partners and
sponsors, including
employers, trade unions
and other influential
people within the
construction sector and
elsewhere.
British Safety
Industry
Federation
(BSIF)
Clean Air Take Care
(CATC): aimed at
reducing occupational
respiratory disease by
promoting the correct
selection and use of
respiratory protective
equipment (RPE).
Highlights the problem of occupational
respiratory disease, promotes sensible
solutions to RPE in the workplace.
CATC campaign
material has recently
been refreshed and
the initiative was
relaunched early 2016.
Increased awareness of
the importance of RPE.
Cardiff
University
We will improve staff
wellbeing.
Promotion of positive mental health within the
workplace through health fairs and workshops.
June 2017.
Providing guidance and support services for
managers, focusing on supporting employees
facing difficult personal issues.
Jan 2017.
Complete pro-active risk assessments for stress,
which focus on organisational issues.
Jun 2017.
Aim to achieve the platinum award of the
Welsh Government Corporate Health Standard.
By end 2018.
We will shape
organisational health
and safety culture
promoting a proactive
approach to mental
health, developing
our use of metrics to
measure progress
such as through staff
surveys, turnover and
participation levels.
Centred on a range of national activities
and educational seminars designed to raise
awareness among RPE users, employers, fit
testers and advisors on the correct selection,
deployment, use, maintenance and storage of
RPE.
Breathe Freely 2 for the
manufacturing sector
planned for launch in
April 2017.
Themes
page 52 of 60
Helping Great Britain work well Commitments
Organisation
Commitment
Activity
Timing
Impact
Crossrail
Crossrail and its
contractors have put
in place a number of
strategies to minimise
exposure to silica dust
and diesel engine
exhaust emission.
Implementing strategies to minimise exposure
to silica dust and diesel engine exhaust
emission and, additional engineering controls
have been applied to plant equipment and
dust control measures.
Ongoing.
These strategies,
combined with
restricting access to
potentially high-risk
work areas and the
stringent application of
appropriate personal/
respiratory protective
equipment, have
resulted in significantly
improved air quality
and minimised
exposure.
Design for
Health Task
Group
Raise awareness of
how clients, principal
designers and
designers can reduce
harmful substance and
process exposure in
construction.
Engagement with a wide variety of design
professionals and hygienists to develop simple,
clear, practical guidance on how to reduce
exposure to harmful substances and processes
by design and by early collaboration and
cooperation of project team leaders.
By March 2018 with
ongoing messaging
beyond that.
Raising profile of
health as an important
issue for decision
makers. Reduction in
work-related ill health
on a wide range of
construction projects.
Health in
Construction
Leadership
Group
Provide clear leadership
and drive within the
construction industry
to ensure commitment
is made in recognising
and reducing ill health.
Programme of events and task-and-finish
groups to raise awareness of ill health in
construction, and put into practice steps to
prevent or control risks.
Follow-up on previous
summits in January
2017 to examine
progress and establish
what more needs to
be done.
Task groups provide
evidential base for the
work; clear healthy
design information;
and share case studies
on successful ill-health
reduction.
Commitment gained at CEO level in major
players, with a follow-up practitioner event to
take forward the practicalities via appropriate
task-and-finish partnership groups.
Themes
page 53 of 60
Helping Great Britain work well Commitments
Organisation
Commitment
Activity
Timing
Impact
Institution of
Occupational
Safety and
Health (IOSH)
‘No Time to Lose’
(silica phase) – to get
occupational cancer
issues more widely
understood and help
businesses take action.
A key element of this phase is IOSH, BOHS
and HSE collaborating at a series of events
across GB during 2016–17 to deliver a tripartite,
silica-focused presentation entitled ‘Working
together to beat occupational cancer –
spotlight on silica’.
Ongoing initiative
– this phase was
launched in March
2016.
Provision of free
practical advice and
guidance about the
health risks and good
control practices.
Laing O’Rourke
Working on wellbeing.
We have partnered with the charity MIND
to raise awareness of mental health in the
workplace. To date we have:
Ongoing.
We are seeing better
understanding across
the business, with the
initial ‘push’ already
turning into a ‘pull’ from
within the company
as workplaces get
engaged.
Ongoing.
In-depth focus on
key risk areas has
facilitated better
health risk control.
Improved management
information is allowing
key risk areas to be
identified, and delivers
better assessment,
measurement and
action planning.
Laing O’Rourke
Managing key on-site
occupational health
issues.
•
trained 200 managers in mental health
awareness;
•
engaged 20 mental health champions;
•
signed the ‘Time to Change’ pledge;
•
signed up to the MIND Workplace
Wellbeing Index.
We work with occupational hygienists to
monitor noise, vibration and COSHH across our
workplaces. We have developed:
•
a database so we can monitor our
trends and develop action plans with our
workplace teams;
•
an approach to proactively manage our
key occupational health fatal and severe
risks.
Themes
page 54 of 60
Helping Great Britain work well Commitments
Organisation
Commitment
Activity
Timing
Impact
Laing O’Rourke
Establishing an
effective ‘fit for task’
and health surveillance
programme.
Distinguishing between health surveillance
and fit for task medicals and who needs
these; health surveillance is carried out for
employees exposed to specific risks while
fit for task medicals are for people in safetycritical roles, designed to check whether an
individual’s health could compromise their
ability to carry out such roles.
This programme
commenced in
January 2015, our
target is to ensure all
operations people
will have had their
initial screening by
June 2016. The recall
programme is then
ongoing.
Approximately 7000
people have been
through screening.
To improve
communication, build
relationships and trust,
improve knowledge
and understanding, and
encourage feedback.
Engagement discussions – short interactive
sessions delivered by site managers to a
small group of individuals using electronic
presentations and ‘grab cards’ with a poster
featuring visuals, key messages and discussion
points. A specific engagement discussion was
developed around ‘Safe Lives’, promoting and
raising awareness on managing occupational
health risks.
The engagement
discussions were
launched across
Morgan Sindall at the
beginning of 2016.
The workforce and
supply chain find
them interactive and
quick to deliver, with
valuable opportunities
to ask questions, give
feedback, feel involved
and improve knowledge
and understanding.
Morgan Sindall
Each business unit has
developed a specific
implementation
plan for a rolling
programme. The
suite of discussions
continues to develop
as further topics are
added.
Themes
Higher-quality
management
information is allowing
key risk areas to
be identified more
readily, and delivers
better assessment,
measurement and
action planning.
page 55 of 60
Helping Great Britain work well Commitments
Organisation
Commitment
Activity
Timing
Impact
NHS Liverpool
Clinical
Commissioning
Group
Healthy Liverpool (HL) is
a major plan to improve
the health of people
in the city, and make
sure that Liverpool’s
health and care system
is focused on the needs
of patients; supporting
people to stay well for
longer, and providing
the very best treatment
and care when needed.
Traditionally patients have not always been
asked about their working environment or
assessed for how work may impact on their
lung health. Work is under way to change
this. GP practices will begin to record patient
occupation as standard, prompting GPs to
ask questions, such as whether breathing
symptoms vary on days off work compared to
a holiday period.
From 2017 GP
practices will record
patient occupation as
standard.
This early intervention
means advice/
guidance can be
given at an earlier
stage to prevent the
development of severe
respiratory conditions,
such as occupational
asthma and chronic
obstructive pulmonary
disorder.
Partnership
on health
and Safety
in Scotland
(PHASS)
Improve organisational
management of workrelated stress prevention
in NHS Scotland.
Reviewing the current management approach
to preventing work-related stress and
improving mental health in the context of
Scotland’s ‘Health Promoting Health Service’
and NHS Scotland’s workforce policies.
Working with one NHS Board in Scotland to
pilot improvements and inform adjustments to
the HSE Stress Management Standards for the
healthcare sector.
2–3 years.
Reduction in absence
due to stress and
improved staff attitudes
measured by NHS
Scotland performance
indicators – promoting
wider take-up of a
systematic approach to
stress prevention across
the sector.
Powering
Improvement
strategy group
Increase the profile of
occupational health
and wellbeing in
electricity companies
and share knowledge
and visibility of best
practice. Ensured leadership commitment through
the appointment of an electricity industry
champion for occupational health and
wellbeing.
Champion appointed
in January 2016.
Demonstrated
leadership and
commitment to improve
occupational health
and wellbeing in the
electricity sector.
Themes
page 56 of 60
Helping Great Britain work well Commitments
Organisation
Commitment
Activity
Timing
Impact
Safety Groups
UK – LOcHER
project
(Learning
Occupational
Health by
Experiencing
Risks)
Improving young
people’s awareness of
the damaging effects
of exposure to harmful
substances in the
workplace to prevent
exposure at an early
stage in their careers
is an important step
in helping to reduce
long-term harm to their
health.
LOcHER is an innovative interactive learning
approach on managing health risks
and protecting the health of vocational
students who are about to enter the world
of work. It involves a variety of different
learning experiences including the students
developing simple exposure control messages
that included creating their own short
documentary-style film, designing posters
and using their mobile phones during their
exploration of occupational health risks.
Launched in June 2016
across three colleges,
there are plans to
engage with other
vocational colleges
across UK to promote
the use of LOcHER.
LOcHER is seen ‘as an
innovative approach
to teaching health and
safety which engaged
and excited students
making it relevant to
them and their future
practice’.
Sefton
Metropolitan
Borough Council
Improve organisational
management of
work-related stress
prevention in primary
and secondary schools
in Sefton.
Reviewing current approaches to preventing
work-related stress. 23 schools have
volunteered for a pilot project to develop
appropriate, robust and consistent processes
(potentially based on HSE’s Management
Standards approach), with practical actions
to prevent and reduce work-related stress,
aiming to roll out the approach to the wider GB
education sector.
2–3 years.
Reduction in absence
due to stress and
improved wider takeup of a systematic
approach to stress
prevention across the
sector locally.
South Wales
Fire and Rescue
Service (SWFRS)
Improve uptake of
health and wellbeing
services provided to
employees.
Survey staff to gauge their perceptions and
understanding of the employee support
services provided by SWFRS. Results to inform:
Survey analysis and
action plan to be
completed by end
2016. Actions to be
completed by the end
of 2017.
Reduce the incidence
and duration of
ill-health absence from
work.
•
where our Occupational Health Unit is
succeeding;
•
future engagement to improve uptake of
existing services;
•
expansion into areas where staff would
value assistance from SWFRS in keeping
healthy and well.
Themes
page 57 of 60
Helping Great Britain work well Commitments
Organisation
Commitment
Activity
Timing
Impact
Tameside
Metropolitan
Borough Council
Tameside Metropolitan
Borough Council is
totally committed to
the health, safety and
welfare of employees
and constantly looks at
ways to improve their
working methods.
Has proactively engaged both HSE and HSL
to share experiences and best practice in
achieving good health risk management
for construction workers. Engages staff to
demonstrate commitment to preventing ill
health at work and openly encourages staff
participation in identifying and suggesting
solutions to health-related issues.
Ongoing.
Have compiled a
formal health and
safety policy, and
implemented a range
of health initiatives, one
of which has reduced
manual handling tasks
for highway operatives
by 85%.
University of
Exeter
At the University of
Exeter, our goal is to
support employees
with mental health
illness and to have fully
trained managers who
can spot early signs of
stress in order to support
timely and appropriate
interventions.
Use employee engagement survey and other
intervention data to support improvements to
target culture change.
November 2016 –
February 2017.
80% response target.
Identify how many managers use stress RA
(while maintaining confidentiality.
September 2017.
Regular random
sampling to identify use.
Communicate internally to publicise individual
and management successes – regular best
practice articles.
January, April,
September 2017.
Monitor data to
measure impact of
communications.
Development of Wellbeing Awards.
July 2017.
Target of 15 teams
Year 1.
Increase uptake of training in management
and academic development programmes.
July 2017.
Target: Total of 400
employees to be trained
in managing wellbeing.
Our ambition is to be
a ‘Positive Working
Environment’ – signing
the national ‘Time to
Change Pledge’ in
2015 and becoming
a ‘Mindful Employer’
signatory has publically
demonstrated our
commitment.
Themes
page 58 of 60
Helping Great Britain work well Commitments
Organisation
Commitment
Activity
Timing
Impact
University of
Exeter
We developed a new
health surveillance
programme for all
ill-health risks including
new occupational
health systems in 2016.
Health surveillance webpages being created.
April 2017.
Target: 1000 visits in first
year.
Increased local publication of key actions
from risk assessment for employees to
understand link between standard operating
procedures, personal protective equipment
and their health.
March 2017.
Toolbox talks held in top
10 risk areas.
All manager briefing on health and safety
principles and purpose.
December 2016.
Programme of reassessment prioritising high/
medium risk areas.
June 2017.
Risk assessment of
high/medium risk
areas completed with
progress made in at
least top 10 areas.
Broaden the support to employees to recover
and maintain their health at work by:
Ongoing from its start
in 2016, with annual
review.
To reduce both the
incidence and length
of ill-health absence
irrespective of its
relation to work.
Welsh Water/
Dwr Cyrmu
Increase personcentred support to be
safe, healthy and happy
at work.
•
piloting funding of physiotherapy
and other medical treatments to aid
employees back to health;
•
introducing support to increase fitness and
reduce smoking;
•
developing wellbeing champions to help
address issues before they result in ill
health.
Themes
page 59 of 60
November 2016