Scottish Higher Performers
Influencing health and safety in Scotland
Delivering higher standards of workplace health and safety in Scotland - a role for Scottish Higher Performers
Scotlands Performance
In 2010/11, there were 15 fatal injuries to workers in Scotland, 2,571 reported major injuries to employees and 7,554 over 3 day injuries to employees. In addition, over 77 000 people suffered from work-related illness and 2.1 million work days are lost. 1
In March 2007 the Scottish Government published the 'Scottish Action Plan on Health and Safety' this action plan sought to compliment the work of PHASS and other collaborative work in Scotland, such as that of the workers' Safety Advisers project undertaken by the STUC. The plan identified future collaborative actions in pursuit of Scotland's common goal: to help reduce preventable fatalities, injuries and work-related ill health to employees and members of the public arising from work activity.
The RoSPA Scottish Higher Performers Forum was recognised within the Action Plan as a partner in delivering progress; element 7.4 'For business, by business' challenged higher performers to work alongside CBI Scotland, Federation of Small Business and the Scottish Centre for Healthy Working Lives (SCHWL) to develop a model and programme for business to business mentoring, funded by the Scottish Government.
Element 10 Occupational Road Risk involved RoSPA and the SCHWL working in partnership to better support employers in addressing the management of occupational road risk, and raised its profile as a major occupational health issue. It is estimated that approximately 100 people die each year on Scotland's roads whilst going about their work, a figure that is roughly three times greater that quoted figures for accidental deaths occurring in the workplace.
This activity resulted in creating a MORR community within Scotland of approximately 600 organisations and through consultation with key stakeholders the Scottish Occupational Road safety Alliance was formed. ScORSA provides free information and support to assist Small and Medium Sized businesses to raise awareness of managing occupational road risk and provides an opportunity for employers to influence the toll of fatalities on Scotlands Roads.
References:
1. Health and safety in Scotland - Work related ill health and injury statistics (2010/11p), HSE (www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/regions/scotland.pdf)
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