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18 May 2005 - HSE Debate on Sensible Risk
Management as Key to Safety
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The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) highlighted the need for
sensible risk management as being the key to health and safety compliance at the
Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) Safety and Health at Work
congress, which took place at the NEC Birmingham Hilton Metropole.
Far from being a perceived burden within the workplace, sensible
risk management of health and safety in the workplace not only complies with
legislation, but has many benefits to companies such as the following:
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Lessening of insurance costs.
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Healthier workforce - Less absenteeism.
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Higher output - better profits.
The notion that health and safety is becoming a platform for
trivialities was highlighted by Mr. Vic Coleman, HSE's Head of Planning,
Efficiency and Finance. He pointed out that there must be a
"tolerable level of residual risk".
Mr. Coleman commented:
"HSC wishes to champion and promote its position, i.e. the
middle ground, making the case for sensible risk control measures that are
sensibly applied. Risk Assessment should not be viewed as a burden, they enable
a company to identify where the risk is highest and can identify control
measures that are in proportion to the risk."
He also pointed out the comparison between Hazard,
being "anything which can cause harm" and Risk which is the "likelihood harm
will occur and the severity of it".
The HSE would like to debate how risks can be sensibly managed
and have provided a webpage for this purpose.
Mr. Coleman's interesting presentation to the RoSPA Congress can
also be viewed from the HSE webpage, accessible by clicking the following:
Sensible health and safety
Article by Alexandra Johnston
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