HSE PUBLISHES NEW SAFETY PASSPORT SCHEME LEAFLET

HSE press release: E197:03 - 9 October 2003

"Passport schemes for health safety and the environment", a free leaflet about good practice, is published by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) today.

Safety passports - developed and used in various industries, notably construction - help workers gain minimum levels of health and safety knowledge and ensuring that they are aware of their environmental responsibilities before being allowed access to a workplace.

Workers receive passports by attending training courses designed to raise awareness of the risks associated within the trainee's working environment.

Timothy Walker, HSE Director General welcomed the publication, saying: "Passports are an industry initiative that help trainees develop a positive health and safety culture - where safe and healthy can become second nature. They are not required by HSE or by law but are very welcome as a simple but important way of improving health and safety. They really can make a difference."

An earlier HSE study of a single passport scheme concluded that the health and safety benefits outweighed the costs. Since then industry contacts with an interest in different passport schemes have formed a Passport Forum, hosted by HSE, sharing ideas about good practice.

The new leaflet, which includes a suggested core syllabus, is intended for those who run or who are considering setting up a passport scheme. Information contained in the leaflet would also be of interest to those looking to obtain a passport.

The health and safety content is a result of consultation and discussion with the Passport Forum. HSE also received valuable input from colleagues in the Environment Agency (EA) and Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) to ensure that the environmental aspects of Passport schemes were also addressed.

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