What are the HSE’s plans?

The HSE recently launched their business plan for 2019/2020, this sets out what their key areas of work will be for the coming year.  Naturally the HSE has an overall objective to improve workplace health and safety, the business plan provides some extra detail as to how they intend to achieve this.

Putting the “health” into health and safety the HSE intend to continue the focus on ill health with the Go Home Healthy campaign targeting musculoskeletal disorders, occupational lung disease and work related stress. Part of this work will involve building partnerships with Public Health Scotland and Healthy Working Wales.

Musculoskeletal disorder activity will include inspections and campaigns with particular emphasis on manufacturing and preparatory studies looking at behavioural change in parcel couriers.

There will be a focus on woodworking, bakeries and fabricated metals in occupational lung disease activity. There will also be updated guidance on work related stress and bespoke material for public sector organisations.

The HSE plan to carry out inspection at 1 in 10 of woodworking premises focusing on ill health risks, particularly those that can result from poor control of exposure to wood dusts.

Inspections are also planned for 1 in 5 food and drink manufacturing premises focusing on handling heavy loads, repetitive tasks and flour dust.

In the fabricated  metal industry 1 in 15 premises are to be inspected with a focus on welding fumes and metalworking fluids.

The management of maintenance activities and safe isolation practices will be a focus for inspections in the waste and recycling industry.

Inspection initiatives in construction are intended to cover around 2,000 duty holders in particular small and medium sized enterprises carrying out refurbishment work.

Inspection programmes are also planned for fixed and travelling fairgrounds and are continuing in agriculture.

The full business plan for 2019/20 can be downloaded from the HSE’s website at: https://www.hse.gov.uk/aboutus/strategiesandplans/businessplans/index.htm