New government urged to make workers’ health a priority

The Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) has asked the new Conservative-led government to place workers’ health at the top of its new agenda.

Many European health and safety laws cover UK workers, but the head of IOSH policy, Richard Jones, says that when Britain leaves the European Union, standards of health and safety could decrease. He said:

“IOSH calls on the Prime Minister to strengthen and future-proof the UK’s world-leading health and safety system and commit to getting health and safety done.”

Jones wants health and safety systems to be an integral part of what Prime Minister Boris Johnson has called a new “infrastructure revolution.”

He wants the 2020s to be a time where occupational safety and mental health or workers is improved and prioritised. Vulnerable workers need extra protection including specialised PPE (personal protection equipment). Building regulations and fire safety need improving and lessons learnt from the Grenfell fire tragedy implemented. Workers should have the rights to request health and safety-based modifications that protect them when working.

The reforms that the IOSH wants are contained in their proposals issued early in 2019 titled ”Health is everyone’s business.”

As well as improving health and safety for British workers, the IOSH wants to stop modern slavery in all supply chains based in and outside of Britain.

Jones tells the new government that health and safety are:

“...about ensuring long-term commitment and real action on health and safety that delivers a successful and sustainable future for all.”