Since 1974 at least 503 peoples’ lives have been saved because of health and safety
The UK’s first Health and Safety Week was launched at Safety & Health Expo by Lawrence Waterman OBE, partner at the Park Health and Safety Partnership, director of Health and Safety at the Battersea Power Station Development Company and former head of health and safety for the Olympic Delivery Authority.
“Since the introduction of the Health and Safety at Work Act in 1974, workplace fatalities have decreased by 85%. In actual lives it means 503 more people made it home safely from work in 2013 than in 1974,” said Lawrence Waterman at the launch. “This is largely due to the amazing work carried out by health and safety professionals as well as businesses that embrace and value the importance of good health and safety practices.
“Workplaces are now safer but they are not necessarily healthier as around 13,000 people continue to die every year from illnesses that have developed as a result of their work — conditions such as cancer and lung diseases. This is clearly not acceptable, and Health and Safety Week is going to both help refresh practical accident prevention and also help raise awareness of the health issues. It will encourage employers to ensure that no worker’s life is put in unnecessary danger.”
Leading health and safety bodies have united to support the week including the British Occupational Hygiene Society (BOHS), the British Safety Council (BSC), the British Safety Industry Federation (BSIF), the Institution of Occupational Safety & Health (IOSH), the International Institute of Risk and Safety Management (IIRSM), the National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health (NEBOSH), the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) and Safety Groups UK (SGUK).
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