Supplementary evidence submitted by the
Health and Safety Executive
How targets for accident reduction are formed;
how they are applied; and, who (at the HSE) is made aware of them?
(relates to Q155-156 of original oral evidence)
The current conventional health and safety PSA
targets (to reduce the incidence rates of work-related fatal and
major injuries, work-related ill health and the number of days
lost as a result) stem from the Revitalising Health and Safety
(RHS) strategy (published in 2000).[10]
RHS was the result of an extensive public consultation
exercise, the work of an inter-departmental steering group and
considerable discussion between the Chair of the Commission, the
then Director-General and the Deputy Prime Minister. The fatal
and major injury target was informed by:
— HSE's statistical analysis of numbers
of injuries;
— A projection of trends in some workforce
characteristics over the 10-year period from 1996 to 2006 (based
on research commissioned by HSE from the Institute of Employment
Research at Warwick University); and
— HSE's experience in developing outcome
targets for particular industry sectors (such as paper and rubber).
The RHS targets cover a 10-year period (1999-2000—2009-10).
For Spending Review 2000 we adopted the RHS mid-point targets
(to 2004-05) as the workplace health and safety PSA. For Spending
Review 2004 (to 2007-08), we retained the RHS indicators and set
targets (from a new 2004-05 baseline) to deliver reductions consistent
with the 10-year RHS targets. The SR2004 PSA also includes targets
for key major hazard industries (nuclear, chemical offshore) where
workplace accidents can lead to multiple fatalities.
The detail and supporting data for the RHS and
PSA targets is freely available on HSE's website.[11]
We make extensive reference to the targets internally and externally,
particularly in each of our business plans and annual reports.
HSC publishes annual health and safety statistics, which include
data on progress towards the targets. The 2004/05 statistics[12]
were published last November.
HSE has organised itself around Strategic Programmes,
aimed specifically at delivering the targets and there is a continuing
drive to redirect resources into work that directly contributes
to delivery. At the same time, we are continually working to develop
the evidence base for our interventions and try new approaches
to improving health and safety outcomes. The HSE Board, managers
and all staff are aware of the targets and how their particular
areas of work contribute to delivery. There is a regular stream
of communication on the targets to managers and staff, via the
Intranet, e-mail, briefings and other published documents.
The targets are well known throughout health
and safety world (nationally and internationally) and are recognised
as helping drive improvements in specific sectors (eg in Construction
where injury incidence has reduced by 25% over the last five years).
HSC/E believes that outcome targets encourage focus on priorities
and what is achievable, and does not encourage risk aversion.
It has promoted more effective ways of working, and better evidence
of what works and what does not. It is precisely this process
that led HSC to advise Ministers that a new strategic approach
was required to continue improving work-related health and safety
outcomes in Great Britain. The Government accepted that advice,
and supported HSC in developing its Strategy to 2010 and beyond.
Health and Safety Executive
February 2006
10 http://www.hse.gov.uk/revitalising/strategy.htm Back
11
http://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/targets.htm Back
12
http://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/overall/hssh0405.pdf Back
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