Today marks the 40th anniversary of the Health and Safety at Work Act receiving royal assent.
The British Safety Council joins with many other organisations in placing on record their appreciation of this legislation in helping to improve the regulation and management of workplace health and safety.
The dramatic reduction in workplace injuries and ill health over the last 40 years is due to the regulator, Health and Safety Executive (HSE), the duty placed on all employers to ensure the health, safety and welfare of all of their employees and the active involvement of employers and trade unions.
Alex Botha, chief executive of the British Safety Council, commented: “This approach has been successful – we have seen an 80% plus reduction in fatal injuries in our workplaces.
“At the heart of the 1974 Act is the principle that those who create the risk of injury and ill health in the workplace must manage the risks. The 1974 legislation has attracted admiration and emulation across the globe and provided the model for many other regulators.”
“Going forward we need a legal framework that is flexible and one that can adapt to changing risks. We cannot stand still. There remains so much to do including tackling the thorny issues around health and wellbeing – the sometimes forgotten part of the health and safety equation. The British Safety Council and its members are confident that the 1974 Act can continue to play a role in meeting present and future challenges.”
Lawrence Waterman OBE, trustee of the British Safety Council and director of Health and Safety at Battersea Power Station said: “With employers taking responsibility and later regulations embedding both worker engagement and risk assessment. This approach has been successful, driving down accident rates and encouraging the mind-set of zero harm.”
“About 10 times as many workers are damaged and their lives shortened by exposure to health risks than in accidents. Despite this, for too long we have shouted safety but whispered health. Now health is coming into focus, action is being taken and the necessary changes are starting to happen.
“If health and safety is seen as a mark of civilized values and community benefit, despite the current fashion for deregulation, we can look forward to the next 40 years with confidence.”
