Council help business get safe and healthy in Medway

Date:

25 November 2009

Release No:

E:102:09

Medway Council have joined forces with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and partners to help business benefit from a new and innovative support programme.

Demand from small business in the South East prompted the creation of a new scheme, Estates Excellence, which addresses the health and safety needs of organisations on industrial estates in the Medway area.

Advisers will visit business and offer free training for firms in chosen priority areas, including for managers and workers on how to 'Get it Right' and 'Get Efficient'. The free workshops cover topics like reducing red tape, and are followed by activity on the theme of 'fit for work'. How the local council fit into the workplace health and safety culture features prominently and Medway Council have been firmly welcomed on board.

The Project Director of Estates Excellence is HSE's Heather Bryant. Heather said: "We welcome the involvement of Medway Council in this wide-reaching project. There has been a great response from business to this work, and we aim to help all eligible Medway businesses as well as many others in the coming weeks."

Medway Council's Portfolio Holder for Strategic Development and Economic Growth, Cllr Jane Chitty said: "Initiatives such as this that provide free support and guidance to businesses in these testing times are of vital importance. We are committed to helping local companies maintain a high standard of health and safety requirements and doing all we can to boost businesses that have been affected by the recession."

Chair of the LG Regulation (formerly LACORS) health and safety portfolio, Paul Unsworth also added his support for Estates Excellence and organisations working together. Mr Unsworth said: "This initiative is a real demonstration of local councils and HSE working together as enforcing agencies to help support local business tackle real risks in simple and straightforward ways. It recognises that healthy workforces lead to healthy profits and has drawn together a great partnership to try to achieve it."

Notes to editors

1. Interviews with Project Director Heather Bryant and Cllr Jane Chitty, plus photographs to illustrate this story, are available on request.
2. Estates Excellence is a fresh, innovative way to fulfil the health and safety needs of predominantly small and medium sized businesses on industrial estates. As well as improving the health and safety of workers, Estates Excellence may also improve the business bottom line.
3. The project starts with a four-week programme of advice, training, workshops and lifestyle assistance that is set to tour the South East. Following the initial phase of the programme, Estates Excellence will continue in the same location for a minimum of a year, giving further support and guidance.
4. Benefits of taking part in the scheme are that everything is free to the business, the advice addresses any risks within the workplace and participating often has the side effect of boosting the bottom line.
5. Businesses that can demonstrate their commitment and meet the Estates Excellence criteria will receive a Participation Award and will be entered to an open register of Estates Excellence businesses.
6. Please visit www.hse.gov.uk/estatesexcellence for more information.

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