Scotland's Environmental and Rural Services (SEARS) partnership and who we work with in agriculture
HSE in Scotland is officially committed to working together with the SEARS group of organisations.
Scotland's Environmental and Rural Services (SEARS) is a partnership of public bodies involving key stakeholders for Scottish agriculture. It aims to provide 'one-stop shops' for agricultural advice for farmers. The SEARS website is at Scotland's Environmental and Rural Services.
That fits well with HSE's commitment to reduce bureaucracy and red tape associated with the management of health and safety in all industry sectors, including land management. Joint working is also likely to increase the reach and take up of HSE's advice and guidance amongst rural communities.
HSE and SEARS partners have identified specific areas for potential joint working, including:
- participating in the development of 'rural hubs' by providing a focused range of key guidance on health and safety in agriculture
- providing opportunities for SEARS partners to participate in HSE's programme of Safety and Health Awareness Days (SHADs) for farmers in Scotland. The SHAD programme is a key element of HSE's Agriculture Revisited initiative developed with the Agriculture Industry Advisory Committee to reduce farming deaths and injuries.
- developing closer working relationships between HSE, our SEARS partners and the Scottish Centre for Healthy Working Lives.
- providing guidance on key health and safety issues for promulgation by SEARS partners during farm inspections.
- contributing to the national rural network and rural gathering initiatives - using them as routes to promote health and safety good practice in agriculture.
HSE works with a number of other non-regulatory organisations in Scotland to deliver and communicate key messages in agriculture including the:
- National Farmers Union (NFU)
- Scottish Crofters Foundation
- Scottish School of Forestry
- Safe Highlanders /Highland Council initiative
- Highland and Islands Agricultural network (HIAN)
- Ring Link (Scotland) - UK's largest machinery and labour ring.
- Quality Meat Scotland
- Scotland Aquaculture Industry Forum ( see link to other web article)
- Lantra Sector Skills Council
