HSE UTILITIES NATIONAL INTEREST GROUP AND WATER UK HEALTH AND SAFETY HORIZONTAL GROUP
"Water Ahead" The Strategic
Plan for Joint Liaison
1. INTRODUCTION
HSE's Utilities National Interest Group (UNIG)
and the Water UK Health and Safety Horizontal Group (H/SHG) recognise
the benefits of working together on health and safety matters
in the water sector. This Strategic Plan identifies priorities
for joint discussion and action.
This Plan also recognises that the key interface
between HSE and the water industry is the H/SHG. However both
industry and HSE may have other topics they wish to address independently
and recognise that other people will be involved in health and
safety discussions.
2. AIMS
UNIG and H/SHG have common health and safety
aims. These are:
— To work jointly with health and safety
stakeholders in the water industry to increase mutual understanding,
health and safety awareness, and continue to improve standards.
— To provide a centre of health and
safety expertise and to give mutual support.
3. OBJECTIVES
UNIG and H/SHG have agreed that the following
are key objectives:
3.1 Improving Communications and Working with
Industry
To improve communications, UNIG and H/SHG will:
— Act as points of contact for respective
HSE and water industry organisations on health and safety matters.
— Be the focal point for discussion
about existing and proposed legislation.
— Meet on a regular basis to discuss
progress on health and safety subjects.
— Work in an open way to identify priority
items for action and development of solutions.
— Participate in Focus Groups to agree
and report on actions required to protect employees and promote
health and safety.
3.2 Raising the Profile of Health and Safety
Management
UNIG and H/SHG will work together to:
— Encourage awareness of the benefits
of effective health and safety management and increase understanding
of the application of legislation to water industry working practices.
— Enhance understanding of the commercial
benefits of safe and healthy working.
3.3 Occupational Health Strategy for Great
Britain
UNIG and H/SHG will work together to ensure
that occupational health issues are highlighted, prioritised and
addressed.
— We will set and strive to achieve
occupational health targets.
— We will support the UK Strategy for
the improvement of our nation's health and economic strength.
3.4 Dealing with Change
Utilities is a changing sector and opportunities
will be sought to consider and deal with the health and safety
implications of:
3.5 Improving Consistency
Opportunities will be sought to develop suitable
means to improve consistency of approach by industry and Inspectors
and to have open local dialogue based on priorities in the Strategic
Plan.
3.6 Gaining Intelligence
UNIG and H/SHG will continue to seek and utilise
comprehensive information, including accident and ill health information,
in order to identify potential areas for investigation within
the water industry and target resources to priorities.
3.7 Monitoring New Developments
UNIG and H/SHG will look at the use of new technology
in the sector to assist in the development of appropriate health
and safety guidance.
HSE National Interest Group
Water UK Health and Safety Horizontal Group
April 1999
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