The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is inviting people across Scotland to have their say on its new strategy 'The Health and Safety System of Great Britain\Be Part of the Solution'.

As part of a three month consultation an event is to be held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel,

Congress Road, Glasgow on Thursday 29 January 2009.

HSE's decision to develop a new strategy has been prompted by a range of factors. These include: the recent slowing of improvement in Great Britain's (GB) health and safety performance; the changing industrial landscape with an increase in small businesses and the self-employed; the different risks posed by new sectors, and theneed to regain the health and safety brand from those who misuse it to proliferate


bureaucracy and as an excuse for other things.

The strategy, which is resetting the direction for health and safety, sets out a number of goals to be achieved, including:

• Encouraging strong leadership and championing a common sense approach to health and safety;
• Building the competence of those charged with delivering health and safety in workplaces;
• Customising the support for small businesses to help them comply with their health and safety obligations.
• Avoiding catastrophes in GB's high hazard industries.

Speaking at the London launch, HSE Chair Judith Hackitt said: "We are calling on all those involved in workplace health and safety - employers, self-employed, employees, trades unions, manufacturers, suppliers - to work with us on delivering these goals.

"We all share the same mission; to prevent death, injury and ill health in our

workplaces, but HSE and its Local Authority partners, as the regulators for health and safety, cannot do this alone. This is why we are seeking support and involvement from all stakeholders to be part of the solution."

The consultation will end on 2 March 2009 after a series of regional workshops hosted by HSE across GB, and the full launch of the finalised strategy will take place in quarter two of 2009.

(GK/JM)