Lord Young at SHP IOSH Awards 2010

21 October 2010

Lord Young of Graffham – the man charged by David Cameron with reviewing health and safety – stood before a room of the industry’s great and good and told them: “My review was not an attack on you.”

The former industry minister was speaking at the SHP IOSH Awards 2010, at the Hilton, in Park Lane, London, on October 20, and his message to around 700 people from the world of safety and health was a conciliatory one. He was not there to attack the industry, he said, but to work with health and safety professionals.

Not everyone in the industry agrees and opinion among health and safety professionals is split on the review.
But after his brief address, Lord Young told IOSH:

“I am very pleased with the reaction (to his report, Common Sense, Common Safety, launched on October 15).
“Many people have told me that the time has come for that report and I hope very much that we can work together with IOSH to make the report a reality. I want to work with the whole of health and safety and IOSH is the leading body.”

So what did guests at the ceremony think of Lord Young's review? A quick vox pop on the evening brought these views.

Leslie Scorgie, group safety advisor at SAFE (Safety Association of Federated Employers)

“I was very encouraged to see him tonight and in some ways his comments eased my minor concerns reading the report.
“I think the report meets its terms of reference. I don’t disagree with the general findings in relation to the ‘compensation culture’ and registration for consultants, but I feel there should be a wider review of health sand safety.”

Grahame Barn, FMB director for Scotland

“I am delighted that he’s here, addressing the industry face-to-face. It’s very easy for these guys never to have contact with the people whose actions will impact on the most.
“We represent the SME sector in the construction industry, and that is the area that this area has the most impact on. There’s a balance to be struck between red tape and ensuring that the appropriate standards are met and improved upon.”

Dave Joyce, ‘Achiever of the Year’ award winner and national health and safety officer for the Communication Workers’ Union

“I am not too pleased about the review at all. We are very concerned about the outcome of that particular report in a number of areas.
“We don’t think that the proposed changes to RIDDOR are good at all. We think that is a retrograde step.
“We don’t like the idea of capping personal injury compensation awards for people who are injured in road traffic accidents to £25,000.
“The report speaks all about dealing with people who abuse health and safety legislation but it doesn’t deal with people who breach health and safety legislation.”

Alan Watt, Chief Executive of CECA (Civil Engineering Contractors Association)

“What we would be looking for is further resourcing of the Health and Safety Executive.
“They (HSE) have had temporary inspectors in the construction sector and they have been hugely successful in targeting known areas, such as working at height. We would be looking for an extension to that, and more inspectors on the ground because the legitimate industry welcomes that presence and it isolates rogue traders in the industry.”

British Safety Council incoming chair Linda Armstrong

“I think he’s showing real commitment to the organisations who actually have to practice what he’s saying. I really believe he’s committed to working with organisations on the ground.”