New health and safety strategy following 23 workplace deaths

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is launching a new strategy to cut the number of deaths and injuries in the workplace after 23 people died at work in the North West during 2007/08.

The message comes as a survey reveals that the recession could make some workplaces more dangerous, with more than 25% of businesses saying they face pressure to cut spending on health and safety.

In the North West, there were 23 workplace deaths, 3,357 major injuries and 13,742 injuries requiring at least three days off work in 2007/8.

HSE's new five year strategy sets out how employees and employers should work together to minimise risks while maintaining business competitiveness.

The strategy was launched by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, James Purnell, and the Chair of HSE, Judith Hackitt, alongside representatives from the Trade Union Congress and the Local Government Association.

HSE Regional Director for the North West David Sowerby said: "For businesses in the North West to consider cutting spending on health and safety this year is not only potentially dangerous, but could also be bad for business.

"Nearly eight out of ten business leaders acknowledged that good health and safety standards are beneficial, with the cost of preventing an incident almost always less than the overall costs of such an incident when it happens. And our inspectors are constantly finding that basic, simple precautions, such as securing a ladder, would have prevented some of the tragedies that they investigate.

"The survey clearly shows that both employers and workers alike overwhelmingly recognise that providing a safe workplace makes sound commercial sense, and 65% of employees said that good health and safety practices made them feel valued."