With the World Day for Safety and Health at Work approaching the British Safety Council has re-affirmed its position as an organisation working alongside its corporate members and other stakeholders to promote awareness and greater understanding that good health and safety management is good for business.
The British Safety Council has now released a series of short videos on the benefits of good health and safety filmed with experts from the European Agency on Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA). This provides a supplement to a literature report that compiled research and evidence on the business benefits of good health and safety released in 2013. This sits alongside our other campaign materials on health and safety risk awareness in young people – Speak Up, Stay Safe.
“The evidence is clear. It shows that investing in health and safety produces a financial return for employers and helps to improve working conditions for workers,” said Dr Dietmar Elsler, Project Manager at the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA). “The Agency demonstrates that it has continued to successfully promote the economic benefits of investing in workplace safety and health by stressing the importance of working together.”
Joscelyne Shaw, acting Policy and Communications Director at the British Safety Council, said: “The International Labour Organisation estimates that every year over 2.3 million people globally are senselessly killed due to workplace injury and work-related ill health and an estimated 4% of global GDP is lost due to health and safety failure. And as we move out of the recession, it is important that business reflects on what is appropriate and sensible health and safety management. Good health and safety management is addressed relative to a number of factors, whether in relation to risk management, demands from clients or as part of a sustainable business ethos.
“We know there are many businesses committed to ensuring that their staff are not injured or made ill by their work. There is a growing recognition of the value of a preventative strategy which is beneficial offers to business as well as to government and society over all more widely. As a corporate membership body, we remain committed to capturing and sharing this insight and enabling others to benefit from the learning and innovation that this can create within businesses and business processes.”
She added: “As businesses seek to take advantage of growth opportunities, we can provide support. For example, our ‘Health and Safety – what’s next?’ conference in September in London will once again be an opportunity to hear from senior business leaders, thought leaders and others willing to share their experiences and learning from across a range of sectors.”
Notes to editors
Photographic requests
A ‘business benefits’ graphic is available to illustrate this press release – please contact the British Safety Council’s media team below.
Business benefits videos
The videos on the business benefits of good health and safety and economic incentives for investing in health and safety can be viewed.
The British Safety Council has also made its ‘Health and Safety Training’ poster available for free in support of International World Awareness Day for Safety and Health at Work.
About World Day for Safety and Health at Work
World Day for Safety and Health at Work takes place every year on 28 April, and seeks to encourage the development of safe and healthy work environments for all. More details are available from the ILO is HERE
Also known as Workers’ Memorial Day, the day also seeks to commemorate those globally who have lost their lives due to work-related injury and ill health. The bereaved, employees, employers, trade unions and campaigners conduct events, demonstrations, vigils and other activities to mark the day. In 2015 the theme is “removing exposure to hazardous substances in the workplace”, and in the UK, the TUC coordinates the various activities visit HERE
The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA)
The Agency contributes to making Europe a safer, healthier and more productive place to work. The Agency researches, develops, and distributes reliable, balanced, and impartial safety and health information and organises pan-European awareness raising campaigns. Set up by the European Union in 1994 and based in Bilbao, Spain, the Agency brings together representatives from the European Commission, Member State governments, employers’ and workers’ organisations, as well as leading experts in each of the EU-28 Member States and beyond.
More information can be found here
About the British Safety Council
For more than half a century we’ve been a trusted guide to excellent health, safety and environmental management. We have educated millions of workers and made hundreds of thousands of workplaces safer for everyone. We do this by sharing information, supporting, advising, educating and campaigning. We are a not-for-profit.
We have set out the five steps and the supporting actions we believe are essential to ensure healthy and safe work activities in our manifesto, Working Well – visit HERE
We would be grateful if you could use British Safety Council in full rather than abbreviating to BSC when quoting our organisation.
Business benefits of health and safety campaign
Good health and safety is good business. The British Safety Council has published a report on the business benefits of health and safety that brings together major evidence published in the UK and Europe showing the positive economic impact of reducing risks to the health and safety of workers. More information can be obtained HERE
A series of short videos on the business benefits of good health and safety can be viewed here:
For further information about the British Safety Council go to: www.britsafe.org, or contact the British Safety Council customer service team on (Tel) +44 (0)20 8741 1231 or (email) customer.service@britsafe.org
About the British Safety Council’s annual conference: Health and Safety – what’s next
We are delighted that Steve Hails, Health and Safety Director from Crossrail, Professor Stephen Bevan from the Health at Work Policy Unit and Mike Clancy, General Secretary from Prospect, will be presenting, amongst others.
The conference will explore some of the latest and emerging developments around the effective management of health and safety risks and provide tried-and-tested solutions from organisations across all sectors. There will be presentations and panel discussions on health and safety issues and challenges such as: young workers, safe supply chains, competence and training, compliance and enforcement, sharing good practice and horizon scanning.
The conference will take place on Wednesday 23 September 2015 at Dexter House, 2 Royal Mint Court, London EC3N 4QN.
For full details visit HERE
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