The HSE final statistics published at the end of October 2014 illustrated the UK’s world leading record in safety and health and we all should collectively be proud of this.  The negative connotations surrounding the health and safety industry are shifting and we have worked to fight against this perception of our industry. 

However, 13,000 deaths are currently being attributed to work-related illness. Much of the focus for improvement in this area is in respiratory protection with the HSE supporting the Construction Dust Partnership Initiative where the threat of work-related silicosis has an extremely high profile. The HSE has also launched an Asbestos Awareness Campaign aimed at micro businesses and self-employed tradespeople who will come into contact with asbestos inadvertently.

We are in full support of both campaigns whilst continuing to communicate the message that the target demographic for these messages are the self-employed. However, the Government (through the draft Deregulation Bill) are seeking to remove the self-employed from inclusion in the Health and Safety At Work Act. 

We are working hard to ensure that Westminster clearly understands that good safety and health is essential for all businesses and we maintain that effort. The BSIF has successfully tabled an Early Day Motion in The House of Commons sponsored by Jim Sheridan MP drawing the attention to the benefits of using the Registered Safety Supplier Scheme and stressing the need for increased HSE inspections. This has been signed and supported by 62 MPs. 

In December we sponsored a parliamentary dinner for MPs at the House of Commons, attended by a range of Parliamentarians including the Rt Hon Stephen Timms MP the Shadow Minister of State for Employment and Lord McKenzie, Shadow Spokesperson on Work and Pensions. This was a great success and involved lively discussions surrounding the value of PPE, the benefits of the Registered Safety Supplier Scheme and the potential safety implications for the self employed in the future.

Progressing into 2015 we are still ever committed to representing a dynamic and well respected health and safety industry to ensure that all workers get home safety at the end of the day and we hope that these messages can be communicated to a wider audience.