Alliance formed to promote better safety, health and wellbeing for all

Prominent safety and health organisations have united to form the Occupational Safety & Health Stakeholder Alliance, which will offer a 360-degree perspective on critical safety and health issues for the first time.

Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH), The British Occupational Hygiene Society (BOHS), British Safety Council (BSC), British Safety Industry Federation (BSIF), Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH), International Institute of Risk and Safety Management (IIRSM), and the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) signed a memorandum of understanding on 12 May 2023 to create the alliance.

Collectively, the member’s competencies span the full spectrum of occupational safety and health (OSH) considerations, including education and regulation to policy creation, professional standards and thought leadership. It will provide a unified voice for the OSH industry, drawing on members’ collective expertise to inform and support OSH decision-making at a government policymaker and corporate level.

The alliance members are delighted to be announcing its formation. This is a truly historic alliance with the potential to have a far-reaching positive impact on OSH management in the UK. It is a non-exclusive group that welcomes wider involvement in the delivery of its aims.

It is committed to supporting the good practice that already prevails in the OSH space and to developing and implementing programmes, initiatives and activities that enhance it. The group will leverage members’ influence to deliver joint messaging and facilitate continuous progress on crucial OSH issues. They will also work to increase the visibility and value of the OSH profession and its wider set of disciplines and practices as well as highlighting its role in delivering OSH goals.

Many members of the alliance have already been engaged in lobbying with Government departments to safeguard key UK safety and health legislation that is EU derived and covered by the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill. This will continue to be a focus area.

While the UK has an enviable record in safety there still remains much to be done. But beyond safety, the subject of health, and specifically mental health, will be an immediate area of focus for the alliance. Mental health issues associated with the workplace account for more than 50 per cent of all workplace “incidents” according to latest statistics from the Health and Safety Executive.

The UK is less well-advanced regarding the mitigation of mental health issues than many of our EU counterparts. The consequences of this go far beyond the direct impact on individuals and their employers, including an already-stretched NHS. An early priority for the alliance will be to prioritise, identify, develop and implement measures to equip the OSH profession to more effectively mitigate the risk factors giving rise to mental health issues in the workplace.

Dr Phil James, Chief Executive, at the Chartered Insitute of Environmental Health, said:

"We are thrilled to be part of this historic alliance, representing a significant step forward in promoting better safety, health, and wellbeing for all. By harnessing our collective expertise, we have the potential to make a far-reaching positive impact on occupational safety and health in the UK.

"Having already campaigned successfully on the Retained EU Law Bill, our immediate focus will be on addressing mental health issues in the workplace, an area that demands urgent attention. Together, we will prioritise, develop, and implement measures to effectively mitigate the risk factors associated with mental health, ultimately creating healthier and more supportive work environments."