10 January 2008

To mark the European Week, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) has also urged employers not to cut corners on health and safety during the coming economic downturn.
Roger Bibbings, RoSPA Occupational Safety Advisor, says:
"Given the current financial climate, there is a danger that occupational health and safety could be seen as a problem largely solved - a ‘nice-to-have’ rather than a really essential social and economic ingredient. There could be a temptation to cut corners, reduce standards or delay introducing essential protective measures.
"But we must avoid seeing an increase in the number of health and safety casualties as part of the price to be paid by workers and members of the public for the recession.
"In addition to the legal and moral reasons for preventing accidents and ill-health, employers also need to recognise the strong business case, which exists even when times are tough