Posted By Michael Webb
I notice that national radio are running a story about a council in Doncaster (?) that spent X thousands of pounds training staff to change lighbulbs and climb ladders safely. The radio stations reported the news in a way that seemed to suggest this was a waste of time and tax payers money. The councils response was that they take health and safety very seriously - l can imagine what people are thinking !
What do others think? Should IOSH comment on this issue?

Posted By Ian Harper
The laughing public may be laughing at the way the information was portrayed. I work in the same environment you described and would have no heisitation in taking on the radio station with the costs to the taxpayers of lost time and compensation claims. To many saftey managers assume that the outside world is keyed in to health and safety and the real answer is that they are not.

When information is potrayed like this then we must all ensure that it is put into context with such tools as cost benifit studies and the like.

On the other hand if they are spending thousands on areas with little risk and low costs what is being missed elsewhere?

Posted By Ken Urquhart
Michael.

Whether or not IOSH comments on such items routinely ,some of the ways to counter the media's sometimes cynical approach to Health & Safty issues is to create a local liaison.

By this I mean through the local IOSH Branch, or some other lcal Safety Group.

Appoint a Press/Public Relations Officer.(Some of the Branch members may have PR specialists within their companies HQ teams and may be able to offer help and guidance through them - Check your Press releases or review your comments before you issue them - help avoid the pitfalls)

Maybe a topic for a Branch meeting - "The Media and Health & Safety". Why not invite the Editor of the local Newspaper or the Regional newspaper or the Regional TV station News Desk as guest speaker.

Design a Press Release Proforma and target the local press, the local Radio station and the regional TV station.
Make contact with these organisations and develop a relationship with there specialist journalists, eg: The Business Correspondent for Industry safety topics.
You do not necessarly have to be speaking as IOSH when or if you issue a press release and you are approached by the media for follow up, or if you challenge an item or a topic that has been printed or broadcast.You can be speaking as a Safety Practitioner.

Take care to present a non partisan view. Comment generally and in broad terms. Refer the media to the many sources and resources that are available to them and the public to further their awareness of or interest in a particular issue and the related Health and safety understanding.
(Web sites such as IOSH, HSE,BSC,Professional Institutions for the many and varied professions that are involved in industry and commerce, most of whom have web sites and, publish opinions/guidance on Health & Safety for there members, Trade Associations also have web sites and issue H&S comment, as do local Chambers of Commerce and Business Forums. Refer them also to the Trades Union web sites, international H&S web sites of other countries/governments and Safety Bodies of those countries.
All this will help demonstrate that H&S issues are global and economically important in this modern age.

Use special Safety promotion weeks such as European Health & safety Week to promote local awareness.
Or National Child safety Week, (If you are a Construction business you may support that week by highlighting: "Construction Sites are NOT Play Places" - Prevent Child accidents and deaths, tell and involve the community in what you are doing to raise awareness, preventing child trespass and possible accidents on Construction sites).
If your own company/organisation is involved get media coverage for it. A local company developing a good relationship and Safety News record with its local media can mean that you get approached as a reliable and unbiased source of Safety opinion in the future and on H&S issues other than your own.
Through this contact you can speak not only for your own organisation, but for Health & safety in general.

Watch the national and local media for items on Safety. eg: Railtracks "Track Off Campaign" of last year. This was aimed at discouraging trespass and vandalism on the Railways.
Or if you operate in a rural area where say Agricultural industry figures large and there are campaigns about Farm and Children on Farm type accidents, then as a local group issue a Press Release supporting these major initiatives.
Outline that the member companies of your Branch or local Safety group have all been encouraged or have committed (as the case may be) to do whatever thy can within their business's in the period of the campaign or whatever to help spread the mesage. They are as some may be, reviewing there systems of work, retraining there people to take account of new or more defined hazards. Or they are holding briefing's about safety when delivering to Farms if they are Agricultural suppliers etc., etc.,

I suppose what we are really trying to do is to sell H&S as a concept but we need a new name for it. Through our comment and activities I believe we have to turn the issue on its head, enthuse people to see the benefits and eventually get them to take ownerhip and drive the change. (As has happened to some extent with the Railways, albeit in the wake of and motivated by recent disasters) An earlier contributor made this point in as much as the Media want Banner headlines and Blame apportioned when a major incident occurrs;-
But generally the daily efforts and initiatives of the thousands of committed individuals and organisations who seriously manage there Health & safety responsibilities goes generally un-noticed.
Lets help change that.
Regards.
Ken Urquhart

Posted By Mike McDonnell
I also heard this broadcast, and to be fair to the local Authority concerned, in the broadcast I heard, the LA spokesperson gave a balanced response and did not take the bait being offered.