Earlier this month, the British Safety Council hosted a conference titled Changing the Health and Safety Landscape, where health and safety professionals came together to discuss the current state of safety laws and the challenges that lie ahead. Conferences like these allow British Safety Council award winners to network with other experts and share their thoughts on best practice. They also provide the opportunity to hear panel discussions and address expert speakers concerning fundamental health and safety issues.

British Safety Council

It takes more than the best safety footwear to protect staff; employers need to keep abreast of the latest health and safety developments. British Safety Council chief executive-designate Alex Botha said the conference was an opportunity to debate major reforms in the UK workplace and the effects of these reforms on businesses. According to Mr Botha, a growing number of business owners are realising that a strong health and safety policy leads to a more productive and efficient workplace. However many of them are finding the ongoing Government health and safety review to be a challenge. The British Safety Council chief urged business leaders to make health and safety compliance their top priority; while some might see it as nothing more than red tape and an unnecessary strain, it does in fact have long-term positive effects on business and profit.

One of the crucial topics at the British Safety Council conference was the fee for intervention proposed by the HSE. This would mean that the Health and Safety Executive to recover costs incurred by workplace safety inspections, such as time spent on a site and for follow-up work carried out. This is good news as it means that non-compliant businesses rather than tax payers will be paying for breaches of health and safety laws. The HSE has also initiated a Red Tape Challenge, allowing businesses to respond to the latest health and safety laws, giving feedback on what works and what doesn’t.

Speaking to press about the British Safety Council conference, Alex Botha said “We all agree that no one should be killed, injured or made ill by their work, but how we achieve and sustain this principle is key”. Let’s hope the number of business owners adhering to the correct workwear and work safety requirements continues to grow as a result of the British Safety Council’s efforts.