HSE is committed to the health and safety at work of all people in Britain. We embrace the diversity of Britain's workforce and appreciate the roles we can play in eliminating discrimination and promoting equality of opportunity.
All people's health and safety in the workplace must be protected, whatever their race, gender, disability, age, religion or sexual orientation. It must be protected whatever their background and outlook on life.
To be successful, therefore, HSE needs to be an organisation which really understands the diverse society in which it operates, which is clear about the impact of its policies and operations on that diverse society, and which confidently conducts its business with sensitivity and respect for people's different needs, vulnerabilities and perspectives on life.
To do this HSE will promote equality and tackle discrimination by:
HSE will do this best if we ourselves reflect that diverse society - if the make-up of our staff at all levels reflects the society in which it operates. Encouraging and valuing diversity amongst our own staff is therefore key to our success and effectiveness, and one of our core values.
To aid staff in their work, HSE has put in place an equality impact assessment tool to raise awareness of diversity issues and we are seeing the integration of equality considerations in our day-to-day business.
Practical examples of HSE working with diverse groups to raise awareness and draw attention to key health and safety messages:
| Date | Diversity Strand | Brief description of outreach work | Contribution to HSE's service delivery |
|---|---|---|---|
| April 2009 | Faith/belief | The Midlands Division sponsored a 1-hour slot on Radio Vaisakhi, which included an interview with Midlands Principal Inspector on key health and safety messages. The station boasts 70,000 listeners throughout the Midlands during Vaisakhi. | Key HSE messages delivered to the community. |
| May 2009 | Age, Disability, Race, Gender | The Midlands Division delivered a series of workshops to care home owners and managers, providing duty holders (managers) with information and guidance to enable them to reduce the key causes of accidents to their staff and service users. Topics covered included MSDs, slips and trips and falls, accidents to service users from bedrails, hot surfaces and scalding from hot water. | Reduction of accidents in the workplace to workers and service users. |
| July 2009 | Faith/belief | Midlands Diversity Officer held a stand at the Eid Mela event held in Kings Heath Park, Birmingham The Eid Mela is a large 'party in the park' to celebrate the diversity of the Muslim community in the Midlands. Showcasing Islamic culture, food, sport, art and entertainment. The festival is free and open to all regardless of faith or culture. HSE Midlands paid for a 'market stall' presence where free information was given out covering basic essentials of Health and Safety at work, particularly focusing on matters appropriate to migrant workers/vulnerable workers ie slips and trips, PPE, workplace welfare, working time etc |
Reaching out to the community by making HSE accessible to those considered 'hard to reach' |
| July 2009 | Age | HSE Midlands sponsorship and Diversity Officer was involved with a pilot being run by Birmingham City Council. Small 1-hour workshops to deliver key health and safety messages to pupils aged 15 prior to their work experience weeks. | To raise the understanding of health and safety issues and increase awareness of hazard perception for those who may be considered 'vulnerable workers'. |
| July 2009 | Race | North East: Border Green Festival, Berwick upon Tweed - stand and leaflet materials were provided. The festival celebrates all the various things that go together to make a sustainable community, to include waste and recycling plus energy generation. 2000 attended in 2009 and expect an attendance of more than 2500 in 2010. Approx 50 Polish information packs were distributed during the festival to employers, employees and people in the community who had Polish neighbours. |
Reaching out to the community. |
| October 2009 | Race | HSE Midlands Diversity Officer attended the Polish Millennium Centre in Birmingham. A multi-agency event organised by GMB Union to bring together various agencies that the Polish Community would need to come into contact with. | Providing help and advice to 'vulnerable workers'. Raising the profile of HSE within the Polish community. |
| October 2009 | Race | At press conferences at the Polish and Romanian Cultural Institutes in London, addressed by Philip White, Chief Inspector of Construction, FOD Construction Division launched the following campaigns:
All the publicity provides basic information about construction workers' rights on health and safety issues and advertises: a dedicated email address in each language; a dedicated help line in each language and dedicated web pages in each language on HSE's Construction site. |
Providing key health and safety messages to vulnerable groups. |
| October 2009 | Religion or belief | FOD Construction Division: Wallet cards are being distributed and publicised at events at
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Providing key health and safety messages to vulnerable groups. Reaching out to communities hard to reach. |
| October 2009 | Race | FOD Construction Division worked with communities and organised a number of publicity campaigns to promote key health and safety information to vulnerable workers, such as migrant workers. These campaigns have included:Polish newspapers in LondonPolish ExpressArticles - free of charge (about 20 different articles) Press releases, leaflet and wallets printed into the newspaper Dziennik Polski Articles - free of charge (about 20 different articles) Press releases, leaflet printed into the newspaper HSE press information has been sent to Romania and Poland, and the campaign has been picked up by the Polish and Romanian media Polish websites have included articles, adverts and links to the HSE website. Romanian newspapers in BritainZiarul RomanescWeekly newspaper, circulation 7,000 copies Diaspora Romaneasca Weekly newspaper, circulation 3,000 Romanian Website (Romani Online) has 2,500 visitors per day and over 10,000 newsletter email subscribers. HSE has worked with the website to promote key health and safety messages to those who groups who are hard to reach. Indian newspapersWeekly HSE articles are published in: Pardes Weekly, Garvi Gujarat, Gujarat Samachar, Eastern Eye and Asian Voice.Punjab Radio Programmes in Hindi and Punjabi. (6 x 30 second adverts broadcast on daily basis with key health and safety messages. Also, 15-20 minute pre-planned talk show broadcast fortnightly.) MATV A 'free to air' Indian channel aimed at Gujarati community - one half-hour radio talk show per week, starting next month. |
Key HSE messages delivered to the community and reaching out to those who are 'hard to reach'. |
| November 2009 | Race | HSE Midlands Diversity Officer attended an event organised by Birmingham Fire Service to reach out to the Polish Community within the Handsworth area of Birmingham. Although this was a 'fire safety' event, other service agencies and community groups were invited to raise their profile, provide help and advice. | Reaching out to communities considered 'hard to reach', providing help and advice to 'vulnerable workers'. Raising the profile of HSE within the Polish community. |
| November 2009 | Race | The Midlands Divisional gave support for a Migrant Workers Safety and Health Awareness Day (SHAD), run by Northampton Borough Council. The SHAD was aimed at Employment Agencies, Employers of migrant workers, topics covered included Working Time Regs, Manual Handling, and Gangmaster's Licensing. | Contributes to HSE's aim to ensure the health and safety of migrant workers and to the reduction of accidents in the workplace. |
| December 2009 | Age, Faith/belief | A project run by HSE's Midlands Division Diversity Officer within Washwood Heath Technology College, which serves a 95% majority of pupils from the Muslim community. Full HSE 'Enterprise Days' (supported by a workbook) delivered over two days to 90 students taken from years 9 and 10 prior to their work experience placements. The workshops and presentations consisted of key health and safety messages, worker's responsibilities and hazard perception in the workplace. | To raise the understanding of health and safety issues and increase awareness of hazard perception for those who may be considered 'vulnerable workers'. |
| Dec 09 - Feb 10 | Age | Gas Safety/ Carbon Monoxide Awareness campaign developed in collaboration with Plymouth University focused at raising students awareness. This was regionally led through staff in the Plymouth office. HSE approached Plymouth University with a proposal to work with students to produce a gas safety/ CO Awareness campaign aimed at students. The university agreed and the students helped in producing the posters/ flyers (the 'actors' in the poster/ flyers are Plymouth University students). HSE staff have promoted the campaign at university open days, including giving away Carbon Monoxide alarms, which were donated by British Gas, to students in rented accommodation. University accommodation offices and student union advice centres across Devon and Cornwall are also including the flyer in information packs for students searching for rented accommodation for next year. |
This project helped HSE raise awareness of gas safety with what is often considered to be a 'hard to reach' group. |
| February 2010 | Race | North East Division: Pegaz Polish Community Organisation The organisation has launched its new venue, Trinity Centre, Gateshead, by holding monthly meetings for families to promote Polish and English culture, history and traditions. In their proposed plan of activities for 2010 they intend to hold workshops for minority organisations in the north east. The first meeting was held on 1st February and stakeholders gave an account of what advice they could provide in relation to future events. This was followed up by HSE YNE attending a Polish Family Day on 28 February 2010 with stand and leaflet materials. HSE's translated leaflet material has been placed on to their own website. |
Reaching out to communities who are 'hard to reach'. |
| February 2010 | Religion and Belief | FOD Construction Division have made regular visits to Polish and Romanian churches in London, and also many shops, wholesalers, restaurants etc., raising awareness of key health and safety messages. | Reaching out to communities hard to reach. |
| February 2010 | Race | FOD Construction Division have:
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Key HSE messages delivered to the communities. |
| February 2010 | Race | HSE's London Construction Division has employed an outreach worker to work particularly with the Asian community. Rhaynukaa Soni Mehta has had a personal role in driving the messages through to the community. As a result, Rhaynukaa Soni was presented with a prestigious award by Britain's main Asian newspaper, Asian Voice. The Political and Public Life Awards Ceremony took place at the House of Commons. Rhaynukaa was awarded as Female Professional of the Year, 2010 for her work with the Construction Division's London outreach project. | Key HSE messages delivered to the communities. |
| March 2010 | Faith/belief | HSE Midlands Division organised an event in partnership with a 'faith-based' centre in Handsworth, Birmingham. The aim of this event is to get to the 'hard to reach' communities, their relevant members and its associated contacts to take on board key health and safety messages. The event will be followed up with small health and safety 'clinics' run by HSE and Local Authority (LA) inspectors. | Reduction of accidents in the workplace within communities that are 'hard to reach'. |
| March 2010 | Race | The Midlands Division Diversity Officer organised an evening event for the Afro-Caribbean businesses in the West Bromwich area of Birmingham. The event seeks to deliver key health and safety messages for businesses new to health and safety, also working in partnership with LA. | To increase engagement with BME businesses, delivering key health and safety messages. |
| March 2010 | Race | North East Division: Cultural Diversity Awareness Workshop, London Organised by COI held on 1 March 2010 for HSE staff involved in delivering the HSE MIF. Workshop Objectives included: Increase awareness and knowledge of migrant communities in the UK; to share good practice and effective ways of engaging migrant communities including things to avoid; to share top tips of how effective communications can be achieved with small budgets and to share good practice on evaluation techniques. |
Reaching out to vulnerable groups in the community. |
| April 09 - Mar 10 | Age/ Race | The Gas Safe Register team have had numerous consumer focused campaigns throughout the year focused on raising awareness of gas safety. The 'Cowboys and Gas don't mix' TV advert used footage from the film Blazing Saddles and was launched through a viral internet campaign as well as traditional TV advertising with the aim of reaching a younger audience. The stakeholder engagement team have given over 150 presentations throughout the country including through the Council of Voluntary Services where presentations have been made to community groups (e.g. Somalian & Polish communities in Coventry). A series of events in shopping centres around the country enabled Gas Safe Register to provide information and advice face to face with a diverse range of consumers. | This project helped HSE raise awareness of gas safety with a diverse range of consumers. |
| 2009/10 | Race | North East Division North Northumberland Migrant Workers Task Group HSE YNE are represented on the Task Group. The Task Group is looking into various topics including: ESOL and English Language Development Programme; Cultural Diversity in Schools Programme; Enterprise and Employment Project (which will include an employer engagement event); ESOL Action Research Project; Healthy Migrants Initiative; International Migrants Advisory Service; Peer Mentoring Project and Migrant Workers Welcome Pack Volunteering Project. South East Northumberland All Communities Together Group HSE have organised an outreach worker on a short term basis to gather intelligence and will take part in events aimed at delivering key messages to the community. |
Key HSE messages delivered. |
| 2009/10 | Race/Age | North East Division HSE delivered RA workshop with North Yorks Fire Brigade to 22 local businesses. M&N Rotary club did all the work on a largely voluntary basis for the local community - HSE funded accommodation and refreshments. North East Division organised two events in Harrogate and Bradford giving talks on reputation management, myth dispelling and other key health and safety messages. 78 people attended. |
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| 2009/2011 | Race | Examples of projects selected that have commenced and continue to run for the Migrants Impact Fund: Work in conjunction with the Engineering Employers Federation and Local Authorities in the SE Region to develop and promote/distribute benchmarked free training guidance materials for employers of migrant workers on industrial estates with high numbers of migrant workers, as identified by NINO data. Pilot project with Merseyside and Lancashire Fire and Rescue Services and Merseyside/Lancashire Local Authorities to help actively monitor conditions in migrant worker (HMO and caravan) accommodation, with particular reference to gas safety; and to develop and disseminate publicity material for landlords and tenants (regionally, and potentially nationally). | Reaching out to the community by making HSE accessible to those considered 'hard to reach'. |
As a Public Authority and service provider, HSE has a duty to prepare and publish equality objectives showing how it intends to fulfil the general and specific duties of the Equality Act.
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