IOSH statement on UK General Election

Ruth Wilkinson, Head of Policy and Public Affairs at the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH), said: “The new Government is missing a trick if it doesn’t focus on protecting people at work.

“While the UK is world-leading in this area, 138 people were killed at work last year. In the previous year, more than half a million were injured in workplace accidents and 1.8 million suffered from work-related ill health. This costs the UK economy tens of billions of pounds every year and leads to more people seeking treatment through the NHS.

“What makes these figures particularly hard to stomach is that deaths, injuries and ill health related to work are preventable. If the Government is serious about stabilising the economy, reducing economically inactive workers and cutting NHS waiting times, strengthening workplace health and safety standards is a good place to start and potentially a quick win.

“We’re also calling on the Government to support businesses to tackle new and emerging workplace hazards and risks as well as existing ones, and promote a diverse, skilled and better motivated workforce.”