Health and Safety
Executive / Commission
Press releases
2 Derry Street
London
Dear Sir
Having started my working life as a graduate engineer in the
chemicals manufacturing industry in 1975, a year after the Health
and Safety at Work Act came into being, please allow me to set the
record straight on why I became a Health and Safety
Commissioner.
I have now worked for almost 30 years in an industry where there is
no question that the health and safety of our workforce and the
communities around us are of paramount importance. We have good
working relationships with our regulators and our combined efforts
have delivered an excellent record as health and safety.
I passionately believe that a healthy and safe workplace should be
nothing more nor less than a basic given for everyone employed in
the UK. That's why I chose on my own initiative to apply to
become a Commissioner (no-one invited me). I will continue to offer
my experience to the Commission because I believe that best
practice sharing can help us all get even better.
Responsible industries and work organisations want strong,
effective, workable regulation - the Commission have done a pretty
good job in delivering that for 30 years and I am proud to be a
part of it.
Yours faithfully
Judith Hackitt
Health and Safety Commissioner
Director General
Chemical Industries Association