Business First Issue2 Vol5 CH10:Layout 1 23/10/2009 14:54 Page 65
Healthy workplace
Healthy Workplaces: good for you. good for business.
a european campaign on risk assessment
E
very year 5,720 people die in the European Union as a consequence of Council’s Environmental Health Service will be hosting a Free Business
work related accidents with an estimated further 159,500 deaths from Breakfast on 10th November 2009for businesses to celebrate the European
occupational diseases. Most of these accidents and diseases are campaign and let them know what help and support is available to them.
preventable, and the first step in preventing them is risk assessment. That is There will be short presentations and a number of exhibition stands on
the message of “Healthy Workplaces: Good for you. Good for business” the Health and Safety, Safety and Environmental Advisory Service (a free
Europe-wide information campaign on risk assessment, recently launched by confidential health and safety advice service for businesses), Economic
the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work. Development, Food Safety, Cleansing, Waste, Recycling, Consumer Advice,
The campaign has been running for two-years (2008/2009) and is Leisure service, Smoking cessation service, Food Safety and Nutrition,
designed to raise awareness of the importance of Risk Assessment to make Workwell (a healthy workplace guide) , Health and Safety Executive for
European workplaces safer, healthier and more productive. It focuses Northern Ireland Working for Health Strategy, Heath and Safety Works NI.
especially on high risk sectors and on the needs of small and medium-sized According to Gillian , “With the Healthy Workplaces campaign we want to
enterprises. encourage enterprises to carry out risk assessment properly, involving
Under health and safety law, all employers in the EU are required to carry everyone in the workplace. Risk assessment is not necessarily complicated,
out risk assessments. Risk assessment is the start of the risk management bureaucratic or a task only for experts. There are plenty of tools available
process and helps employers understand the action they need to take to (such as checklists) that can help in the process. Proper risk assessment also
improve workplace health and safety, as well as productivity. brings a number of business benefits, because making workplaces safer and
“Every occupational accident and disease is one too many,” says Gillian healthier helps to reduce absenteeism and insurance costs, and increases
McEvoy Senior Environmental Health Officer of Belfast City Council. “Even if worker motivation and productivity.”
they don’t result in fatalities, the consequences are unacceptable, both for It is hoped that this campaign will help demystify risk assessment and, in
the people concerned and for the economy. Every year, millions of workers particular, to reduce the risk of accidents and ill health in relation to
in the EU are involved in accidents which force them to stay at home for at vulnerable workers.
least 3 working days at an enormous cost to the economy. Risk assessment is
the key to reducing these figures. But it can only be the first step –
implementation must follow”
If you need more information or want to book for the business breakfast
please contact
envhealth@belfastcity.gov.uk or telephone 9027 0428 or visit
Following the European Week for Safety and Health at Work Belfast City
www.belfastcity.gov.uk/healthyworkplaces.
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