'Learning from peers' safety initiative announced

The initiative will use a new approach, according to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) - with "higher performing" businesses assisting small to medium sized companies. The HSE said recent research had shown that SMEs were more likely to listen to other businesses than to officials and regulatory bodies.

The month-long initiative was announced today in Inverness by Judith Hackitt, chair of the HSE. It will be led by the Scottish Centre for Healthy Working Lives (SCHWL) and the Partnership on Health and Safety in Scotland (PHASS).

Steve Bell, strategic director for the SCHWL, said: "Often businesses can be put off by the thought of dealing with health and safety regulations, yet this process doesn't need to be as daunting as they think and there is support out there to make the process simple.

"By using established, higher-performing businesses and encouraging smaller companies to learn from their experience, we can show SMEs that health and safety doesn't have to be the minefield they often think it is."

'Practical advice'

The scheme is part of a programme of activities and events that will take place across Scotland to let smaller companies know the kind of support available to them.

It will include a series of free 'business to business' seminars, featuring companies such as ScottishPower and packaging company Danapak - giving "straightforward information and practical advice".

According to the HSE, last year almost 200,000 people in Scotland suffered from an illness they believed was caused or made worse by their job. Over the same period in Scotland, 31 workers were killed at work and over 12,000 other employees were injured.

Ms Hackitt said: "Health and safety is a major issue both for the people working in Scotland and for the companies which employ them.

"We want employers to recognise that their most valuable resource is their workers and that protecting their health and safety is fundamental to improving business performance, as well as being a legal requirement."

Five business to business seminars will take place across Scotland over the next few weeks - the first in Inverness on Friday (April 25), followed by Aberdeen on April 29, Dundee on May 6, Edinburgh on May 8 and Glasgow on May 16. Further information is available here.