New scheme will provide firms free advice ? no excuse for health and safety failures
07/02/05
A ground-breaking ?20 million pilot scheme will give free health and safety advice to smaller businesses, the government has announced reinforcing the message that no employer can excuse health and safety failures on grounds that it can?t keep up with workplace health and safety improvements.
Workplace Help Direct will give small and medium size enterprises (SMEs) free expert advice for the first time as well as offering support on preventing work-related ill health and getting people back to work. The help includes a free problem-solving service, which will signpost employers to specialist help, and a national free advice line. The scheme, to be run by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), was announced by secretary of state Alan Johnson in the Department for Work and Pensions new five year strategy.
Alan Johnson said: 'Work-related illness and injury accounts for around 39 million working days lost every year and more than 2 million people attribute their health problems to their work. Given the right support many conditions, such as back pain, can be managed before becoming a barrier to work.' The minister added: 'Workplace Help Direct will play a vital role in helping people return to work quickly, reducing the burden on the NHS and lowering the chance of people ending up on incapacity benefit.'
The new service will provide free telephone advice on safety and return to work, free workplace visits and advice on specialist support.
DWP says it will go live in the pilot regions in early 2006.
DWP news release.
Workplace Health Direct.
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