Its aim was to:

• inject new impetus into the health and safety agenda
• identify new approaches to reduce further rates of accidents and ill health caused by work, especially approaches relevant to small firms
• ensure that our approach to health and safety regulation remains relevant for the changing world of work over the next 25 years
• gain maximum benefit from links between occupational health and safety and other Government programmes

Key to the new approach are new targets for the health and safety system to:

• reduce the number of working days lost per 100 000 workers from work-related injury and ill health by 30% by 2010
• reduce the incidence rate of fatal and major injury accidents by 10% by 2010
• reduce the incidence rate of cases of work-related ill health by 20% by 2010
• achieve half the improvement under each target by 2004

The Revitalising Health and Safety Strategy Statement (June 2000) included an action plan, which develops many of the ideas arising from consultation, to support the Health and Safety Commission's plan of work. It includes measures to:

• motivate employers;
• engage small firms;
• put the Government's own house in order;
• focus on occupational health;
• develop risk concepts in education.

This has been further developed recently by the HSC's new strategy: A Strategy for Workplace Health and Safety in Great Britain to 2010 and Beyond. This includes a new Strategic Programme: "LAs and HSE Working Together", the aim of which is to make them collectively more effective in improving health and safety - reducing the incidence of injuries and ill health in the workplaces for which they are responsible.

HSC's "Section 18 Guidance" to LAs

An effective LA inspectorate is essential to the achievement of the Revitalising targets. Revitalising Health and Safety Action Point 27 called for a Performance Indicator for LAs enforcement and promotional activities. This is based on each LAs level of compliance with HSC's mandatory guidance to LAs, issued under Section 18 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. This Section 18 guidance- sets out the broad principles that HSC wishes LAs to adopt in enforcing health and safety legislation and provides the framework within which LAs should operate so that HSC can be assured that LAs are making adequate arrangements for enforcement. The most recent revision was in September 2002 and included the HSC's revised Statement on Enforcement Policy, and new standards to assess competance of enforcement officers

Management of Enforcement Auditing

HELA has recently revised its guidance to LAs on inter-authority auditing. This 'Protocol' enables LAs to review and compare their arrangements for management of their health and safety function.

• Revitalising Health and Safety

• Section 18 Guidance [278kb]