Good for business: health and safety management of the employees

British Safety Council has re-affirmed its position to promote awareness and greater understanding that good health and safety management is good for business, with the World Day for Safety and Health at Work approaching, on April 28.

The British Safety Council has now released a series of short videos on the benefits of good health and safety filmed with experts from the European Agency on Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA). This provides a supplement to a literature report that compiled research and evidence on the business benefits of good health and safety released in 2013. This sits alongside our other campaign materials on health and safety risk awareness in young people – Speak Up, Stay Safe.

“The evidence is clear. It shows that investing in health and safety produces a financial return for employers and helps to improve working conditions for workers,” said Dr Dietmar Elsler, Project Manager at the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA).

“The Agency demonstrates that it has continued to successfully promote the economic benefits of investing in workplace safety and health by stressing the importance of working together.”

Joscelyne Shaw, acting Policy and Communications Director at the British Safety Council, explained that the International Labour Organisation estimates that every year over 2.3 million people globally are senselessly killed due to workplace injury and work-related ill health and an estimated 4 per cent of global GDP is lost due to health and safety failure. She added that as we move out of the recession, it is important that business reflects on what is appropriate and sensible health and safety management. Good health and safety management is addressed relative to a number of factors, whether in relation to risk management, demands from clients or as part of a sustainable business ethos.

“We know there are many businesses committed to ensuring that their staff are not injured or made ill by their work. There is a growing recognition of the value of a preventative strategy which is beneficial offers to business as well as to government and society overall more widely. As a corporate membership body, we remain committed to capturing and sharing this insight and enabling others to benefit from the learning and innovation that this can create within businesses and business processes.”

She added that as businesses seek to take advantage of growth opportunities, their organization can provide support.

“For example, our ‘Health and Safety – what’s next?’ conference in September in London will once again be an opportunity to hear from senior business leaders, thought leaders and others willing to share their experiences and learning from across a range of sectors”, Joscelyne Shaw mentioned.