WSA challenge fund third round opens for business

HSC press release C030:05 - 18 November 2005

A one million pound fund available to small businesses that show a commitment to improving worker involvement in health and safety has been opened by Bill Callaghan, Chair of the Health and Safety Commission (HSC).

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) operate the Worker Safety Adviser (WSA) Challenge Fund. This is the third round of the WSA and will run between April 2006 and March 2007.

The maximum grant available during the third round is £100,000 per application.

Bill Callaghan said: " We want to build on the success of projects from the first two rounds of the fund. We have already seen seventeen enterprising projects over the first two years having a positive effect on worker involvement in health and safety."

The scheme focuses on small businesses and organisations that lack these vital resources. The aim of the fund is to inspire organisations to working together on projects that encourage and promote employees and their employers to work together to drive improvements in managing health and safety.

Applicants must demonstrate a commitment to improve worker involvement in health and safety, support the work of a WSA to promote worker involvement and demonstrate the strength of the partnerships they have established to achieve this aim.

Partnerships applying for funding can include trade unions, trade associations, local authorities, voluntary organizations, chambers of commerce, professional bodies and other organizations committed to working together.

Mr Callaghan continued, " Increasing worker involvement has been shown to improve health and safety performance and is a key part of HSC's strategy. The WSA Challenge Fund is designed to help build partnerships that drive safety and health improvements by involving workers. This is a great opportunity to get resources to help those who need them most - the employers and employees of small firms. We are again looking for innovative bids that show commitment to working together with partners and using WSAs as a lever for improvement ."

"Last year we had an impressive response to our invitation to bid for grants from the fund. We received 67 bids and made grants to 11 projects. We are sure that there will be a similar level of interest for the third round."

Award winners for the third round of the Fund will be announced in February 2006, with funding commencing in 1 April 2006.

Project North East (PNE) manages the WSA Challenge Fund on HSE's behalf.

The application form and details of how to apply can be found at: www.wsa-cf.org/.

Completed and signed application forms should be sent to:

Les Johnson
Business Support Services,
Project North East,
7-15 Pink Lane,
Newcastle upon Tyne
NE1 5DW

Closing date for applications is Friday 16 December 2005.

Notes to editors

1. The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions announced the creation of the Workers' Safety Adviser Challenge Fund in October 2003. It will make available up to £3 million over three years, from July 2004 to March 2007, for projects to drive improvements in occupational health and safety, in small businesses, by promoting and securing worker involvement through Workers' Safety Advisers.
2. The first round of the WSA Challenge Fund ran from July 2004 to 31 March 2005, and funded 12 projects, which assisted approximately 650 small businesses and organisations.
3. Round two commenced on 1 April 2005, and runs until 31 March 2006
4. Further information on the Challenge Fund can be found at: www.wsa-cf.org.
5. HSC published its strategy for workplace health and safety in Great Britain to 2010 and beyond on 23 February 2004. The strategy aims to promote a vision of health and safety as a cornerstone of a civilized society and to achieve a record of workplace health and safety that leads the world.

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