New advice for employers on involving workers in health and safety management

E022:06 28 February 2006

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) today launches new resources for employers to help them involve workers in health and safety management. Published as part of a new "worker involvement" website the tools provide a wealth of sound help and advice to businesses.

"The active involvement of workers is fundamental to good health and safety management," says Zoe Woodrow, Policy Adviser in HSE's Worker Involvement Programme. "However, we know that many employers find it a difficult area to address. These resources provide a range of examples and suggestions that we hope will help employers and managers to encourage joint problem solving in their workplaces."

Industry has welcomed HSE's focus on involving workers and the new tools. "We have long recognised the need for better engagement with workers in managing health and safety risks in the rubber industry," says Steve Hinks, Environmental, Health and Safety Manager at Pirelli UK Tyres Ltd and member of the Health and Safety Commission's Rubber Industry Advisory Committee. "Many companies, particularly smaller ones, are unsure of the best ways to go about engaging with their workers in an area like health and safety. We are pleased that HSE has produced these helpful materials and will be promoting them to our members."

Included in the package are case studies, which clearly show the range of organisations that have successfully involved workers in managing health and safety. Examples include:

• The Sky Forum at BSkyB.
• SELEX Sensors and Airborne Systems, a leader in defence electronics.
• Geocel, a leading sealant and adhesive supplier.
• The National Probation Service.

"The diversity of organisations that are benefiting from worker involvement and the variety of systems they have put in place show that there is no 'one size fits all' solution but that all organisations - whether in the private or public sector, whether large multi-site operations or smaller manufacturing firms - can involve workers in successful health and safety management," says Zoe Woodrow.

The Health and Safety Commission (HSC) and HSE are committed to improving levels of worker involvement in health and safety management. HSE is confident that these new resources will contribute to this aim by giving employers practical suggestions for how they can give staff the opportunity to contribute. HSE's Worker Involvement Programme will continue to develop its new webpages to encourage employers and workers to co-operate in managing health and safety risks.

Notes for editors

1. HSE's new worker involvement website can be viewed at: www.hse.gov.uk/involvement

2. Involving workers is a key point of the HSC's strategy for workplace health and safety. Further information can be found in the document ' A strategy for workplace health and safety in Great Britain to 2010 and beyond' at: www.hse.gov.uk/aboutus/strategiesandplans/strategy.htm and in the Collective Declaration on Worker Involvement at: www.hse.gov.uk/involvement/index.htm

3. The Health and Safety Commission (HSC)'s Rubber Industry Advisory Committee advises the Commission on the protection of people at work and others from hazards to health and safety arising within the rubber industry. For more information on HSC's advisory committees, boards and councils see: http://www.hse.gov.uk/aboutus/meetings/index.htm

4. The case studies include:

• The Sky Forum at BSkyB, a company-wide mechanism for managers and worker representatives elected by their colleagues to meet and discuss issues including health and safety. The Forum is supported by a range of systems for Sky's 11,000 workers to raise concerns through their representatives. See the full case study: www.hse.gov.uk/involvement/bskyb.pdf
• SELEX Sensors and Airborne Systems, whose 4500 staff are actively involved in health and safety in a variety of ways, such as near-miss reporting and safety investigation forms, underpinned by training and awareness raising. The company's Basildon headquarters won the East and South East region HSE Health and safety Award at the 2005 Orange National Business Awards. See the full case study: www.hse.gov.uk/involvement/selex.pdf
• Geocel, a leading sealant and adhesive supplier with 85 staff based in Plymouth, is another regional HSE Health and Safety Award winner at the 2005 Orange National Business Awards. The company's successful health and safety management is based on involving workers, a policy that has seen Geocel's business performance transformed and a four-year record of production without a lost-time injury. See the full case study: www.hse.gov.uk/involvement/geocel.pdf
• The National Probation Service has made significant achievements in health and safety since 2002, when it introduced a worker involvement scheme to improve partnership working. Workers are involved through a National Health and Safety Forum, with the active participation of trade union safety representatives, and working groups set up to deliver the Directorate's health and safety strategy.

See the full case study: http://www.hse.gov.uk/involvement/probserv.pdf [64kb]

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