Introduction
During the run up to Christmas 1995, Jacky Steemson, RoSPA’s managing editor, approached me and suggested that I undertake to write a regular column for the Society’s monthly journal ‘OS&H’. Because it was to be situated at the end of each issue, Jacky suggested ‘Parting Shots..’ as a working title – which has stuck but not without causing some confusion. On occasions, not realising that the article they had just read was part of a series, worried readers have contacted me and expressed concern that I was leaving RoSPA and was using the pages of ‘OS&H’ to express some long pent up grievance!
The discipline of having to supply copy on time is something which all editors regard as not particularly onerous and all except the most organised of columnists find unusually irksome. This is more than offset however by the fact that to be able to communicate one’s views regularly to an audience (especially of one’s peers) is a great privilege and is actually extremely stimulating. ‘Parting Shots’ has enabled me to develop commentary, ‘fly kites’ and give vent to my iconoclastic tendencies in relation to a wide range of current issues and developments in the health and safety at work field.
Inevitably what I have chosen to write about has, to a large extent, been influenced by RoSPA’s preoccupation with a number of ‘key issues’ where it seeks to bring about safety change. There include: managing occupational road risk, director action on safety and health, accident investigation and corporate target setting.
Yet at the same time, because a major part of my role at RoSPA has been to keep a ‘weather eye’ on health and safety strategy and major planks in the work of the Health and Safety Commission and Executive, the column has also been extremely valuable as a way of encouraging readers to look at some of the ‘big picture’ issues as well. On occasions I have even allowed myself the doubtful privilege of wandering off down philosophical paths which, while not directly relevant to questions of the day, are nevertheless important in ensuring a sound grounding for health and safety policy making and practice.
I have grouped the various articles chronologically under certain generic chapter headings, although there is a good deal of overlap between certain chapters. Readers may wish to refer to the documents quoted to familiarise themselves with the background in each case and refer back to journals of the time. In total there are nearly 100 articles. There were no ‘Parting Shots’ in March and April 1996 (for reasons which I cannot recall) and in September 1998 and July 2002 I invited other contributors to use the column for topics they wished to write about.
Cynics might say that, like yesterday’s newspapers, yesterday’s policies are quickly out of date. Commentary on policy even more so! Things move on. Nevertheless, in any field, but particularly in health and safety, I do believe there is value in looking back over the way thinking has developed, certainly in the medium term. I hope that by collecting together my ‘Parting Shots’ over the last nine years, I can not only add something to the record but also provide a resource to help take colleagues’ thoughts forward in the future.
My thanks in writing the column and for collating material for this book go to numerous colleagues but especially to Jacky Steemson, until recently Managing Editor of 'OS&H' and to Charlotte Henderson who has spent many hours stitching the whole collection of articles into accessible electronic format.
I dedicate this book to the memory of the late John Howard OBE, Chief Executive of RoSPA, a valued friend and mentor who did so much for safety and in whose debt I will always be for his encouragement and personal support.
Roger Bibbings MBE
Occupational Safety Adviser RoSPA August 2005
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