Health and Safety 'To Assist Economic Growth'

The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) published a survey on 26th May 2011 which they claim shows that employers are losing money as a result of failing to properly deal with health and safety at work.

They suggest that employers are not giving adequate priority to protecting their employees, and as a result UK businesses lost nearly £8 billion last year due to work-related accidents and ill health.

When benefits and health costs are added to the total, the IOSH believe that health and safety failings cost the UK economy £22 billion each year.

They say the findings prove that health and safety laws and regulations are far from an unneccesary burden, but are in fact essential to assist economic growth. The IOSH aim to tackle the issue in their new campaign, Life Savings. They are calling on the Government to re-iterate how good health and safety practice can dramatically cut costs.

We recently wrote of how the Government are targeting health and safety red tape in their austerity measures. The IOSH intend to use the campaign to ensure that such measures do not endanger the lives or health of employees.

In a press release they said;

“Businesses are missing a trick with health and safety. When you operate in a global marketplace, and you’re trying to claw your way out of recession, a happy, healthy workforce is a driver for growth.

“It’s frankly wrong for Ministers and business leaders to talk about health and safety as ‘red tape’ and a burden on business. When done properly and proportionately, health and safety is essential to a business’s long-term prospects for survival in what are difficult times for our economy.”

The IOSH continue their capaign to protect lives and livelihoods with good occupational health and safety practices. You can read more at http://www.iosh.co.uk/