British Safety Council will work with new government to improve workplace safety

The British Safety Council has promised to work alongside the new Conservative government to improve workers’ rights and regulations that affect mental health and workplace safety.

In the Conservative manifesto, the government promised to support:

“…high standards of workers’ rights, environmental protection and consumer rights.”

The chief executive of the British Safety Council, Mike Robinson, commented on the Conservative party's agenda:

"I am pleased that their programme for government includes an unambiguous promise to ensure high standards in the workplace."

The council will be working with MPs of all parties to work towards a world in which nobody is injured at work or has a work-related illness.

Robinson said that, after Britain leaves the EU, he wants every political party to commit to improving health and safety in the workplace. He added that there is much work to do in the 2020s towards creating workplaces that improve physical and mental wellbeing.

Britain is a leader in health and safety legislation and enforcement, but every year workers are killed and injured through workplace accidents and work-related illnesses. There are several British manufacturers of protective workwear and PPE (personal protective equipment) that contribute to reducing injuries, but more needs to be done.

For over 60 years, the British Safety Council has been campaigning to keep workers safe, including offering training and resources that improve knowledge and safety skills. The BSC consults with the government to improve health and safety legislation and research issues to provide evidence that informs new health and safety policies.