Europe’s largest body for health and safety professionals has said that the announcement that the HSE is to recruit 40 new inspectors is “a step in the right direction”, but is not enough for Britain’s health and safety needs.
The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) said that there was still a long way to go before the HSE is adequately resourced to deal with the challenges it faces in the coming years.
Ray Hurst, the president of IOSH, said: “An additional 40 inspectors is obviously welcome and does give the HSE increased resource at its disposal. But there is still a considerable shortfall in what’s needed to fulfil its inspection and enforcement function and its advisory role as well as a number of random inspections.
“IOSH has called previously for an eventual doubling of the number of inspectors to help address current and future, bringing the number of inspectors closer to the 1,400 mark. We have to face the fact that the workforce is growing, there are many more ‘at risk’ groups, like older workers, migrant workers and people with disabilities. We need inspectors to ensure these people remain safe and healthy.
“There’s also going to be a major increase in construction work, with proposals to build three million new homes by 2020, the building of the Olympic Games venue by 2012 and completion of the ‘cross-rail’ project by 2017. There are problems too with some of the ageing infrastructure in this country, and emerging new issues, like nanotechnology.
“HSE will also find their resources being further stretched by new responsibilities they’ve been asked to take on. For example, taking on gangmaster licensing, adventure activity licensing and the ‘competent authority’ for REACH all means HSE resources are being stretched to the limit. Longer term, 40 additional inspectors is not nearly enough.”
