News release
NR03/10
29 January 2010
Create healthier work call gets political backing
An Early Day Motion (EDM) backing the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health’s
(IOSH) manifesto has been tabled by an MP.
Bob Russell, Liberal Democrat MP for Colchester, tabled the
motion in support of IOSH’s ‘Creating a healthier UK plc’ and 25
MPs have been keen to sign up already.
The
EDM (602) says: “That this House welcomes the Institution of
Occupational Safety and Health's new manifesto, titled Creating a
Healthier UK plc, promoting a sensible and forward-thinking
approach to improving the nation's health and wellbeing; and calls
on the Government and all political parties to co-operate with the
Institution of Occupational Safety and Health and others to effect
appropriate changes and to help the UK create a risk-intelligent
society.”
Commenting, Bob Russell MP said:
“The IOSH manifesto aims to bring about a
well-thought out approach to improving the nation’s health and
wellbeing, and I don’t think anyone can deny that’s an area which
does need improving. Businesses in the UK, in partnership with
government and others, have a critical role to play in helping
improve the health of the nation.
“But I also find the IOSH vision of creating
a ‘risk-intelligent society’ to be particularly praiseworthy.
There’s too much alleged ‘health and safety madness’ in our society
– raising people’s knowledge of risk, and helping them to better
manage it, will, I hope, help people get on with what they want to
do in a safe way.”
The manifesto calls for action in four areas – health,
education, small businesses and good advice – which IOSH believes
are vital to improving people’s health and safety, quality of life
and future performance. It sets out what IOSH is already doing, and
challenges others to help make the vision a reality.
Among the areas IOSH has asked MPs to commit to are:
• Promoting and continuing to fund the IOSH/DWP course on
occupational health support and rehabilitation
• Giving tax relief to employers providing certain therapies
for injuries and illnesses that happen outside work
• Providing England and Northern Ireland with equivalents of
Healthy Working Lives Scotland and Workboost Wales
• Promoting our Workplace Hazard Awareness Course (WHAC) to
schools and colleges
• Getting the Health and Safety (Education and Training) Bill
on the statute book
• Providing more resources to HSE for advisory visits
• Backing the introduction of government-recognised
accreditation
Richard Jones, IOSH’s policy and technical director, said:
“I’m pleased that MPs support IOSH’s vision
to help create a healthier UK and I hope that, in time, we can turn
many of the challenges into positive action. It’s certainly
something we need to do if we’re to reduce the estimated 1.2
million workers who had ill health they put down to work last
year.
“Our manifesto sets out a sensible,
achievable plan of action to help create not only a healthier UK,
but also a more risk intelligent UK. I hope more MPs will give it
their backing in the near future.”
For more information on IOSH campaigns, please contact Anne Smart on +44 (0)116 257
3139.
- Ends -
Notes for editors:
IOSH is the Chartered body for health and safety professionals.
We’re the world’s biggest professional health and safety
organisation.
We set standards, and support, develop and connect our members
with resources, guidance, events and training. We’re the voice of
the profession, and campaign on issues that affect millions of
working people.
IOSH was founded in 1945 and is a registered charity with
international NGO status.
IOSH provides free guides 'A healthy
return’ (PDF 239 KB) and ‘Working
well’ (PDF 363 KB), providing information on
rehabilitation and health and wellbeing at work issues. It also has
a free on-line occupational health
toolkit covering topics such as stress, musculoskeletal
disorders and skin and inhalation disorders.
Media enquiries
For more information please contact:
- Paul
Marston, IOSH Media officer, on +44 (0)116 257 3141 or
+44 (0)798 000 4494
- Jeremy
Waterfield, IOSH Media manager, on +44 (0)116 257 3252 or +44
(0)797 660 4715.