20 April 2004 - Ship Building and Ship Repairing Accident Incidence Rates Almost Double That of Manufacturing
The ship building and ship repairing industries have accident incidence rates almost twice that of all manufacturing.
The Ship building and Ship repairing Health and Safety Consultative Committee (SSHSCC) members include most of the main ship builders and ship repairers in the UK as well as others with an interest in these industries. SSHSCC establishes working groups occasionally to produce guidance, which is published by the Ship builders and Ship Repairers Association (SSA).
The Shipbuilding and Ship repairing industries health and safety committee will, this week, be addressed by Justin McCracken, Deputy Director of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), on the benefits of working together to reduce accidents.
The meeting will take place this Wednesday 21 April 2004, hosted by Fleet Support Ltd (FSL) and will discuss how the industry might work together to tackle five causes of accidents and ill health:
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Work in confined spaces
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Slips, trips and falls
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Workplace transport
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Contractors
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Occupational health
James Barrett, Chairman of the SSHSCC and Head of HSE's Manufacturing Sector commented:
"HSE has engaged with the ship building and ship repairing industries over a number of years through the SSHSCC as a way of raising awareness of the issues facing them. We now wish to see the industry agree collectively to set targets and implement practical measures to reduce the rate of accidents and ill health. Partnership is the key - not just with HSE, but through a sharing of best practice with each other and a collective resolve to realise the benefits, including financial, of improved health and safety performance."
Brad Hicks, FSL health, safety and environment manager, also commented:
"A lot of work still needs to be done on safety issues within the ship building and ship repair industry and this meeting will launch a new approach. FSL and VT Ship building will lead a nationwide initiative to look more closely at two specific areas; work in confined spaces and slips, trips and falls. Our role will be to take the lead in investigating the causes of such incidents to seek a common industry approach into reducing accidents in these areas."
