Never mind the credit crunch — just one workplace accident could put your company out of business, employers have been warned by IOSH’s new president.
Speaking at the Institution’s annual dinner this week, Nattasha Freeman said that, in challenging economic times, health and safety is “critical” in ensuring firms stay afloat. She added: “Companies need professional, competent health and safety advice because one accident could put them out of business. Accidents and ill health place a huge strain on budgets, so it makes sense for firms to do all they can to not have them.”
Reminding delegates that 229 people died at work last year, Nattasha underlined the huge impact work-related deaths can have on family, friends and colleagues, and warned of the need to “review and refocus to keep ahead of the game” as the nature of work and workforce demographics change.
She concluded: “Sensible safety and practical solutions are what is needed. To support this we need to make sure that competent health and safety professionals are there to give advice in a climate where the penalties for failing on health and safety are greater than ever.”
Nattasha’s comments were backed up by president-elect John Holden, who said it was time to stop knocking health and safety and start promoting the fact that it is a “solution-provider” and not a “banning tool”.
Challenging those who continue to spread health and safety myths, John said: “Come and talk to a health and safety professional instead of hearing the hearsay. We’ll give you a sensible, reasoned view, and we can point out where health and safety is being used as a lazy excuse because it’s easier to blame it on health and safety rather than explain the real reason.”
