Recession wonít lead to safety slipping down business agenda

Health and safety will not be allowed to slip down the business agenda because of the current economic difficulties, health and safety minister, Lord McKenzie of Luton, said today.

Speaking at the IOSH 09 conference and exhibition, taking place at the BT Convention Centre in Liverpool, Lord McKenzie told an audience of 700 health and safety professionals that while the next few months would be testing, that didnít mean the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) would be letting up.

ìThe economic climate over the next few months is going to be testing, but that doesnít mean the duties around health and safety have gone away. The HSE and its inspectors will not weaken their position on health and safety. Skimping on health and safety is wrong – the financial and reputational consequences can be severe,î Lord McKenzie said, in opening the conference.

He also highlighted the threat posed by ill-health: ìWorking age ill-health costs this country in the order of 100 billion per year. Thatís one of the reasons why the government made clear that it must be at the heart of what we do. We must not repeat the mistakes of the past, especially where individuals are left today paying the price for those mistakes.î

Lord McKenzie concluded by pointing out: ìThereís been little change in the injury and deaths rates over the last six years and we cannot allow the difficult economic circumstances to drive things back. Health and safety is not an optional extra.î

Earlier, chief executive of the HSE, Geoffrey Podger, warned delegates that the most dangerous time may be just as the economy starts to improve: ìHistory suggests that at that time you will have people recruiting, but not training them properly. So while recent history suggests weíve not done too badly, we canít be complacent.î

Geoffrey also pointed out that there was a need for HSE to be much more creative in its approaches: ìHSE needs to think out of the box. We have to recognise that there are new challenges and the world of work has changed. Itís extremely important that weíre not just seen as the people who clear up after the event.î

The conference, which continues tomorrow, will also be hearing from Olympic gold medal winning kayaker, Tim Brabants, and Jan Jilek, the director general of employment, social affairs and equal opportunities at the European Commission, as well as a number of leading figures from the legal, academia and business world.