40 years and counting

Forty years ago the recorded number of fatalities to employees in the UK each year was at a staggering 651, however in 2012/13 the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) has recorded a drop in the number of fatalities to 148. The actual reduction is likely to be greater though than has been recorded due to the lack of data collection pre-1974. To concentrate attention that means that last year more than 500 lives were saved or preserved by comparison to 1974. Everyone involved in this market place, from users to manufacturers of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) should be very proud of their contribution to this.

The 1972 Robens Report concluded there were too many regulations and this led to the introduction of the 1974 Health & Safety at Work Act, which created a flexible system where regulations describe goals and principles supported by codes of practice. Forty years on this approach still applies, with the key principles having been applied time and again in order to meet the needs of new and emerging sectors, resulting in a health and safety record that is the envy of the world.

There is of course always room for improvements as the level of workplace fatalities can continue to be reduced through greater focus on particular sectors such as, waste & recycling, construction and agriculture which today have the highest level of fatal injuries to employees. The BSIF would like to see the HSE continue its success and continue working to ensure the message gets across clearly in these sectors to ensure workers are protected and understand the potential dangers they face in the workplace. Unfortunately, even though the rate of fatalities has fallen over the past 40 years, occupational disease responsible for creating long latency illnesses is still prevalent with approximately 13,000 deaths each year and, therefore more is still being done by the HSE to reduce this number.

2014 will also be marking 20 years since the BSIF was established as the UK’s trade body for the occupational health & safety industry collectively representing manufacturers and distributors of health and safety and PPE through to test houses, certification bodies and safety professionals who are all working together to achieve a safer and healthier working environment. In addition to supporting key initiatives focussed on the eradication of long latency illness caused by the working environment, an example of the BSIF’s focus has been to raise awareness of the steady influx of unsafe counterfeit and illegal safety products. 

Over the past 20 years the BSIF has seen these incidents continue to increase and become more of a problem to companies when purchasing PPE, such as hi-viz clothing and head protecting hard hats. This problem led the BSIF to launch its Registered Safety Supplier Scheme (RSSS) that guarantees that the manufacturer or distributor is supplying PPE that complies with the requirements stipulated by CE standards and that the purchaser is buying from a recognised and reputable source.

The Federation advises and encourages companies to look for the RSSS shield to be assured that their safety products meet all relevant EU standards and that it is fit for its stated purpose.

Alan Murray, CEO of the BSIF explains: "As a sector we need to keep investing in what we do best and not shy away from promoting our work at a local, national and international level.

"We should all be proud of what the industry has achieved over the past 40 years and with the result of the recent review of the HSE highlighting that it should retain its current functions, we very much look forward to continuing to work with the HSE and support its plans for 2014. It is fair to say that the Health and Safety at Work Act set the standard and created a safer workplace which is now admired and replicated by many around the world and all the members of the BSIF continue to support this cause.”