PROGRESS AGAINST TARGETS
42. Following the setting of the Revitalising
targets, a detailed analysis was conducted within the HSE
as to how performance against the three main targets could be
assessed.[66] In general,
this analysis revealed that major difficulties existed with regard
to assessing trends in respect of each of the three areas of 'outcome'
encompassed by them: incidence of fatal and major injury accidents;
working days lost as a result of work-related injuries and ill
health; and the incidence of work-related ill health. Pending
the acquisition of more adequate sources of data, data from various
sources is being looked at in combination.
43. In their written evidence the HSC/E
stated that 'there is no conclusive evidence as yet of the extent
of progress towards the target relating to the incidence of fatal
and major injury accidents' and that, as regards the overall incidence
of work-related ill health, 'the balance of evidence suggests
that it is likely to have risen since 1999/2000, although this
may be due to an increasing awareness of work-related ill health
problems such as stress that previously may not have been attributed
to work'.[67] As regards
the working days lost target, the HSC/E observed that 'it is not
yet possible to make a judgement on progress as figures are available
for one year only'. More generally, the HSC/E observed that the
'conclusion at present must be of limited progress towards targets,
based on currently available hard evidence'.
44. In order to support the achievement
of the Revitalising targets, the HSE has identified nine
areas for priority action.[68]
One of these concerns the theme of 'Government setting an example',
while the other eight encompass a focus on particular sectors
of employment and types of hazard. The sectors concerned are agriculture,
construction, and health services and the hazards are slipping,
tripping, falls from height, workplace transport, musculoskeletal
disorders, and stress, depression and anxiety.
45. Because
of the likely time lag that might occur between actions taken
and response in terms of progress towards targets, the HSE has
identified some proxy indicators built around the above nine areas
of priority action for the purposes of quarterly reporting to
Ministers on progress towards the Revitalising targets.[69]
These proxy indicators provide a range of interesting information
on HSE activity and provide some 'upstream' measures of changes
in employer activity in relation to a small number of issues,
such as the number of construction workers holding Construction
Skills Certification Scheme cards; the number of lift truck drivers
undergoing training and trends on risk control; indicators relating
to musculoskeletal disorders; falls from height, and 'hits' on
HSE web pages concerned with stress, manual handling and workplace
transport.[70] In their
evidence the HSC/E observed that trends in some of these indicators
are 'starting to show signs of some early gains'.[71]
This observation was found by the Committee to be supported by
the contents of the last quarterly report provided to Ministers.[72]
46. The
Committee questions how much reliance can be placed on the 'early
gains' measured against HSC/E's proxy indicators. It questions
whether the range of issues covered by these indicators is sufficiently
broad and whether there is evidence showing a direct link between
them and workplace health and safety performance. One option would
be to use the new workplace survey to gather information to address
this.
47. The HSC/E's rather downbeat assessment
of progress was broadly echoed in the DWP's evidence, where it
was observed that current 'available evidence indicates that while
the interim safety targets for 2004 may be met, it is unlikely
that the health targets will be met'.[73]
It was also echoed in the evidence provided by several other organisations.
The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health noted that '
according to Health and Safety Statistics 2002-03…evidence
suggests that the overall incidence of work-related ill health
is likely to have risen since 1999/2000, the base year of Revitalising….information
suggests work-related stress is rising, while musculoskeletal
disorders - the other major cause of ill health - shows no change…'.[74]
Mr Roger Bibbings, Occupational Safety Adviser for the Royal Society
for the Prevention of Accidents, stated that 'We think progress
has been achieved in some sectors particularly, but overall progress
towards the targets has not been as fast as we would have liked'[75],
and the Scottish Trades Union Congress noted with concern that
'HSE statistics for Scotland show that for the last four reporting
years the amount of fatal injuries to employed and self-employed
workers has actually increased'.[76]
48. In its report on health and safety in
the construction industry, the NAO notes that the industry had
set its own targets for improving its health and safety which
were more challenging than those detailed in the Revitalising
strategy statement.[77]
These targets and the corresponding national ones, along with
an assessment of industry's progress towards achieving them, are
detailed in the following table taken from the NAO's report.
|
| Construction industry targets - percentage reduction
| Percentage reduction for construction industry
| National targets - percentage reduction
|
| Target |
By 2004-05
| By
2009-10
| As at 2002-03
| By 2004-05
| By 2009-10
|
| Reduce the incidence rate of fatal and major injury accidents
| 40% |
66% | 5% against baseline figures for 1999-2000
| 5% |
10% |
| Reduce the number of working days lost per 100,000 workers from work-related injury and ill-health
| 20% |
50% | Baseline figures were established in 2001-02
| 15% |
30% |
| Reduce the incidence rate of cases of work-related ill health
| 20% |
50% | Baseline figures were established in 2001-02
| 10% |
20% |
49. Overall, on the basis of the above data,
the NAO concludes that it is unclear whether the construction
industry will meet the targets it has set itself. Its report does,
however, point out that, in January 2003, the HSE reported that
the rate of fatal and major injury in the industry was 12% below
the baseline figure established for 1999-2000.[78]
50. While recognising the statistical problems
that exist in assessing progress against the 2000 Revitalising
targets and the evidence on proxy indicators provided by the HSC/E,
the Committee views with concern the limited progress that
appears to have been made and does not believe that there is any
realistic prospect of achieving the 2004 targets. In its view
this lack of progress must, inevitably, raise questions about
the present system's capacity to secure significant future improvements
in standards of workplace health and safety.
51. The Committee
is also concerned that the Public Service Agreement target to
'improve health and safety outcomes' by 2008 appears to be vague
and unmeasurable. We recommend that the Government produces and
publishes specific details of what this target is and how it is
to be measured.
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