RoSPA Press Office : Press Release

September 15, 2005
NEW BOOK LOOKS AT A DECADE OF WORKPLACE SAFETY

Ideas and thinking that have helped to shape the world of health and safety during the past decade have been brought together in a new book ”Parting Shots” by Roger Bibbings, Occupational Safety Adviser for the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents.

One of the most respected names in his field, Roger Bibbings has published a collection of his monthly comments on the health and safety scene on the internet as a reference tool for professionals and those studying the subject at degree level.

The articles were originally printed in the “Parting Shot” column of RoSPA’s “OS&H” journal and began at Christmas 1995. It is hoped the E-book format will make them easily accessible to those interested in how health and safety thinking developed and how it can move forward in the future. The book can be found at www.rospa.com/occupationalsafety/partingshots

Part of Roger Bibbings’ role has been to keep a “weather eye” on the work of the Health and Safety Commission and Health and Safety Executive, but the influences that led to the development of RoSPA’s key issues on managing occupational road risk, director action on safety and health, accident investigation and corporate target setting are also revealed.

The articles are grouped together under broad subject headings including political strategy, Europe, small firms, motivation, consultation and employee involvement, health, risk assessment and safety philosophy.

In the foreword, Richard Booth, Professor of Occupational Safety and Health at Aston University, says that many of the articles are of historical interest and a reminder of the debates that were going on only a few years ago.

But he says others are more forward looking and raise questions which have still not even begun to be satisfactorily answered. These include: What is it that really prevents accidents and injury to health? The effective management of health and safety goes right to right to the heart of operations, so why is it persistently marginalised? Where does the enhancement of health and safety risk management and regulation sit alongside other important developments in society and the economy?

Before joining RoSPA in 1994, Roger Bibbings was health and safety adviser at the Trades Union Congress for 17 years. In 1990 he received the MBE for his services to occupational safety and health.

He said: “My monthly column has given me the freedom to comment on the unfolding health and safety scene. It is interesting to see how some ideas have come to fruition and others still challenge the health and safety community.”