RoSPA Press Office : Press Release

February 15, 2007
DIRECTORS MUST MEET NEW HEALTH AND SAFETY CHALLENGES

Directors have to take the lead in managing health and safety in their companies, a national conference organised by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents will be told.

The Directors’ Health and Safety Responsibilities Conference, sponsored by Royal Mail, will be held at the Gallery Suites, NEC, Birmingham, on May 22. It runs alongside Safety & Health Expo – Europe’s leading annual health and safety exhibition.

The keynote speech will be made by Lord McKenzie of Luton, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Work and Pensions.

Roger Bibbings, RoSPA Occupational Safety Adviser, said: “We are organising this event to help directors deal with the increasing health and safety challenges facing Britain’s businesses.

“Experience gleaned from disasters and from work on risk management and good governance in high performing companies, shows board-level directors have a key role to play in ensuring their organisations have effective health and safety management systems and culture.

“In the wake of serious accidents, there has often been anger and resentment that companies cannot be found guilty of manslaughter and their directors cannot be called to account.

“RoSPA has called for much clearer guidance on the health and safety responsibilities of directors and the practical steps they should be taking to demonstrate clear leadership in this area. The Society also wants to see companies reporting publicly on their health and safety performance, for example, through our website www.gopop.org.uk .

“The conference will be explaining what directors need to feel, think, know, understand and do to ensure high levels of safety performance at a time when a new corporate manslaughter law is imminent and the Health and Safety Executive is revising its guidelines for board members.”

He said directors had to lead by personal example to foster a positive health and safety culture throughout their organisations.

National experts will guide conference delegates through issues including the threat of prosecutions, the corporate manslaughter law, HSE guidelines and duties to report on health and safety performance. See www.rospa.com/directorsduties