Minister recognises large organisations' public commitment to health and safety

HSE press release C013:06 28 June 2006

Lord Hunt of Kings Heath, minister for health and safety today presented awards to the first 25 organisations to complete the Health and Safety Executive's (HSE) Corporate Health and Safety Performance Index (CHaSPI).

CHaSPI is a web-based tool that allows large organisations to track their health and safety performance year on year and to compare their performance against others.

Lord Hunt commented, "Growing support and use of CHaSPI will help drive health and safety improvements in large organisations."

Speaking at the event, Health and Safety Commission Chair Bill Callaghan said, "We see good health and safety management as part of good management in general. CHaSPI can help this and it promotes the Commission's strategy of working with and through others."

"We see CHaSPI as a long term measure, so it is gratifying to see the steady increase in organisations whose results already appear on the website."

CHaSPI is designed for completion by organisation with over 250 employees. Results are publicly available, thereby allowing key stakeholders, like current and potential investors, to view the results. Good health and safety management is often a sign of a well managed organisation as it shows that the organisation takes the welfare of its staff seriously.

Health and safety failings cost companies in terms of lost productivity, staff time, reputation and also the possibility of formal enforcement being taken against them.

Notes to editors

1. The organisations represented were:
   • Amec NNC
   • Anglian Water Services Ltd
   • Arvin Meritor HVBS
   • The Corps of Commissionaires
   • Geologistics Management Ltd
   • Health and Safety Executive
   • Historic Scotland
   • Hortech Ltd
   • London Borough of Havering
   • McCarthy and Stone plc
   • North Staffordshire Combined Healthcare NHS Trust
   • Oxoid Ltd
   • RWE npower
   • SDC Builders Ltd
   • SMG plc
   • Tameside Metropolitan Borough Council
2. Details of CHaSPI, including how to complete it and the results of those companies which have already completed can be found on the website www.chaspi.info-exchange.com/ which can also be accessed from the HSE website.
3. CHaSPI was developed and evaluated by Greenstreet Berman Ltd under contract for HSE (see HSE research reports RR217 www.hse.gov.uk/research/rrhtm/rr217.htm and RR 335 www.hse.gov.uk/research/rrhtm/rr335.htm . It was launched in July 2005 by Lord Hunt at a conference at the London Chamber of Commerce. www.hse.gov.uk/press/2005/e05097.htm

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