Live issues
HSE works closely with employers, employees, trade associations, trade unions and other key stakeholders in the Mining industry to progress health and safety initiatives.
Revitalising Health & Safety
The Government and the Health and Safety Commission (HSC) are committed to improving standards and reducing injuries and ill health arising from work activities.
The Revitalising Health and Safety (RHS) strategy launched In June 2000 aims to raise the profile of Health & Safety at work and sets a number of challenging targets to be achieved by 2010:
- 30% Reduction in the number of working days lost due to accidents & ill health
- 20% Reduction in the incidence of ill health
- 10% Reduction in the number of accidents
Priority Topics
As part of RHS the Health and Safety Commission has identified a number of priority topics for action:
- Slips and trips
- Falls from height
- Workplace transport
- Occupational stress
- Muscuskeletal disorders
- Vibration
Muskosketal disorders and Vibration are particularly high profile in mining due to an increased prevalence in recent years of related disorders.
Public Service Agreement Targets
In order to reduce the major accident potential of onshore and offshore major hazard industries Public Service Agreement (PSA) targets have been agreed. Industry targets contribute to both these and the revitalising health and safety initiative.
Industry Targets
- 10% reduction of the annual number of Hand Arm Vibration disease reports between 2001/2 and 2004/5
- Investigation of all dust notifications under the current regulations. Implementation of iminent new inhalable dust regulations. Minimal number of notifications of high dust levels to be received in the run up to implementation of new regulations.
- Better control of risks from manual handling operations - Investigation of selected manual handling operations and injuries caused by manual handling.
