HSE Business Plan 201920

HSE Business Plan2019/20

2 HSE Business Plan 2019/20

IntroductionOur purpose to prevent work-related death,injury and ill health is as valid today as ithas always been.As the infographic opposite indicates, we applya range of regulatory tools to improve health andsafety, bringing together different interventionsto achieve impact. We influence and engagestakeholders, create knowledge and awareness ofhealth and safety risks, and encourage behaviourchange through assessments and direct interventionsincluding inspections and investigations.Our science, engineering and analytical capabilitycomplements our policy and operational activities.It is internationally recognised for developing andsupporting practical solutions to workplace healthand safety problems.This plan outlines our key areas of work for 2019/20;reinforcing our existing commitment to: lead and engage with others to improveworkplace health and safety;The year ahead will be significant in supportinggovernment-wide activities on EU matters andcontributing to the government’s fundamentalreform of the building safety system following theGrenfell Tower disaster.We are pleased that the recent independent TailoredReview1 concluded that HSE is ‘a well-respected andwell-structured organisation that fulfils its statutoryobjectives effectively’, but we must continue toevolve our regulatory approach to face freshchallenges or to address existing problems innew ways. We will therefore publish a new strategysetting out our ambitions.The world and our approach may change but onething remains the same – the commitment of thosewho work for HSE to reduce risk, protect people andthe environment and to save lives.We are privileged to lead them to deliver on thecommitments outlined in this plan. provide an effective regulatory framework; secure effective management and control of risk; reduce the likelihood of low-frequency, highimpact catastrophic incidents; enable improvement through efficient andeffective delivery.Our work builds on the sound regulatory frameworkHSE has helped develop and on our focus onreducing workplace harm. We will: continue to tackle long-standing problemssuch as work-related ill health and help smallerbusinesses to manage risks proportionately; deal with emerging risks such as thedecommissioning and dismantling of offshoreoil and gas infrastructure;Martin TempleChairDavid SnowballActing Chief Executive continue to work collaboratively with otherregulators where our interests align; hold people to account and take enforcementaction when they fail to manage work-related dsafety-executive-tailored-reviewHSE Business Plan 2019/20 3

Contents5Our plan on a page7Lead and engage with others to improve workplace health and safety11Provide an effective regulatory framework13Secure effective management and control of risk19Reduce the likelihood of low-frequency, high-impact catastrophic incidents23Enable improvement through efficient and effective delivery28Financial outlook for 2019/2029Monitoring our delivery4 HSE Business Plan 2019/20

Our plan on a pageOur missionThe prevention of death, injury and ill healthto those at work and those affected by work activitiesOur objectivesLead and engagewith others toimprove workplacehealth and safetyProvide aneffectiveregulatoryframeworkSecure effectivemanagement andcontrol of riskReduce the likelihood oflow-frequency, high-impactcatastrophic incidentsOur priorities for 2019/20 Continue to focus ouractivity on tackling illhealth as part of the Heathand Work programme Promote proportionalityin health and safetymanagement Share the learningfrom our expert scienceand research with thosewho can influenceworkplace health andsafety performance Support thegovernment’sfundamentalreform of thebuilding safetysystem followingthe GrenfellTower disaster Contribute togovernment-wideactivities on theUK’s departurefrom the EU Target our inspectionson specific issues andactivities, includinga sustained focus onwork-related ill health Provide assurance thatdutyholders are identifyingand managing the majorhazard risks they create Strengthen major hazardleadership and worker engagement Investigate toswiftly tackle andreduce risks, securingaccountability forvictims and their families Deliver robust and consistentregulation of decommissioningand dismantlement of offshoreoil and gas infrastructure Operate effectivestatutory schemes,ensuring the safeuse of potentiallyharmful substances Secure improvements inthe effective management ofnetwork assets including gasrisers in high-rise homes Drive dutyholders to reduce therisk of offshore hydrocarbon releases Raise operators’ focus on cybersecurity to ensure appropriateprotection against major incidentsEnable improvement through efficient and effective deliveryOur enablers Develop our strategy and put in place thebuilding blocks to ensure we are fit for the future Support our people to bethe best they can Secure a sustainablefinancial future for HSEHSE Business Plan 2019/20 5

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Lead and engage with others toimprove workplace health and safetyOur Helping Great Britain work well strategy2recognises a need for broad ownership ofhealth and safety. Anyone who carries out orinfluences workplace activities or behaviours hasa key role. We are committed to playing our part inenabling others create healthier, safer workplaces.Using our expertise, we are helping to reducethe cost of workplace injury and ill health to theeconomy while helping improve productivity.We have a key role in advising the GB anddevolved governments’ wider health andwork priorities. As the governments’ chiefoccupational health adviser,3 we have expertisein the causes of work-related ill health, and themeasures which can prevent or minimise it.However, the health of the working population isnot solely related to workplace conditions.Our aim is to reduce work-related ill healththrough the application and enforcementof health and safety legislation, and bysupporting and seeking to influence widerhealth interventions where they are linkedwith work and employment. For example, weprovide advice to the joint Work and Health Unitat the Department for Work and Pensions andDepartment of Health and Social Care.We see opportunities in bringing our expertise rk-strategy/health-and-work-strategy.pdfwork with others across government departmentalboundaries to address national issues, for exampleimproving health outcomes as described in theNHS long-term plan for England.As well as tailoring direct interventions withindividual businesses to achieve behaviouralchange, we provide: focused engagement and collaborationacross networks with a strong interest inimproving work-related health and safety. Thisincludes employees and employers, tradeunions, industry associations, professionalinstitutions and third-sector bodies, alongsideother government agencies and regulators; guidance and advice which is accessible,understandable, meets the needs of users, andencourages proportionate risk management; world-class science and evidence tosupport our regulatory activities, and provideaccess to our know-how, specialist facilitiesand research to improve workplace healthand safety performance.We continue to work closely with localauthorities (LAs) as co-regulators. Our joint LA/HSE Statement of Commitment sets out theshared vision for the ongoing co-regulatorypartnership. This describes how working togetheras effective, modern and professional regulatorswill secure the positive benefits of world-leadingworkplace health and safety.Our priorities for 2019/20 Continue to focus our activity on tackling ill health as part of the Heath and Work programme Promote proportionality in health and safety management Share learning from our expert science and research with those who can influence workplacehealth and safety performanceHSE Business Plan 2019/20 7

Lead and engage with others toimprove workplace health and safetyContinue to focus on tackling ill health as part of the Health and Work programmeOverall approach to ill healthMusculoskeletal disorders2019/20 marks the third year of our focus on tacklingthree major causes of work-related ill health –musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), occupational lungdisease (OLD) and work-related stress (WRS).MSDs are the second most common reported causeof work-related ill health in Great Britain, accountingfor 35% of all cases and 25% of all working days lostdue to ill health.Each of the areas of ill health has its own priorityplan.4 Our success will be measured through overallchanges in attitudes, behaviour and use of controlmeasures.2019/20 continues to build on our work from previousyears and will inform future years’ activity.Alongside our primary regulatory role, we willcontinue to foster collaborative relationships withother parts of government in England, Scotlandand Wales. Joining up approaches will buildbetter outcomes on common health problems,occupational health advice services and the widerwellbeing agenda.Establish a Partnership Agreement withthe new Public Health Scotland body(and occupational health services)Q4Establish a Partnership Agreement withHealthy Working ealthand-work-strategy/8 HSE Business Plan 2019/20Complete a programme of MSDinspections and related communicationsactivity with particular emphasis onthe manufacturing sector. See ‘Secureeffective management and control of risk’(pages 13–18)In partnership with the transport andlogistics sectors, complete preparatorystudies on behaviour change in parcelcarriersOur deliverables4Our deliverables–Q2

Lead and engage with others toimprove workplace health and safetyOccupational lung diseaseWork-related stressOccupational respiratory disease is estimated toresult in approximately 12 000 deaths each year.Stress, depression or anxiety is the most commonlyreported cause of work-related ill health in GreatBritain, accounting for 44% of all cases, and 57% of allworking days lost due to ill health.Our work in 2019/20 focuses on reducing exposureto carcinogens and asthmagens, through the use ofintegrated intervention campaigns, with a particularemphasis on reducing the cancer risk from exposureto welding fumes.Our deliverablesComplete a programme of OLD inspectionsand related communications activityfocusing on woodworking, bakeries andfabricated metals. See ‘Secure effectivemanagement control of risk’ (pages 13-18)Our focus is on supporting the provision ofappropriate tools to support the managementof stress.Our deliverables–Publish bespoke work-related stressmaterial for public sector organisations,including ‘Talking Toolkits’ informed byHSE’s public stress pilots and work onviolence in the NHS and Prison ServiceQ3Publish updated advice for SMEs onassessing work-related stress risks usingthe Management StandardsQ4HSE Business Plan 2019/20 9