Minister makes health and safety a top priority for Scottish businesses..

Minister makes health and safety a top priority for Scottish businesses at conference today Company bosses throughout Scotland have today been reminded that they are accountable for health and safety within their own businesses, and that the welfare of their workforce should be a top priority at all times in order to address the economic and social cost of workplace accidents. This important message was delivered today (22 April) by George Foulkes MP, Minister of State for Scotland, who addressed an audience of senior representatives from commerce, industry and the public sector at a conference at Glasgow University organised by Royal & SunAlliance and international law firm DLA, in association with the Institute of Directors. In Scotland alone, 36 people died and a further 2,760 received major injuries as a result of accidents at work during 2000/2001, at an annual cost of 2.2 million lost working days and around half a billion pounds to the Scottish economy. In order to address both the economic and social costs of health and safety failures, delegates this morning heard about the Health & Safety Executive's (HSE) Revitalising Health & Safety initiative, which began in 2000. Stewart Campbell, Director of the HSE in Scotland, said the strategy has a number of demanding targets, including a reduction in the number of working days lost through work-related injury and ill-health by 30%. Referring to the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974, Mr Campbell told the conference: "While the backbone of effective health and safety implementation is legislation, we also need to engage everyone involved - including employers, workers and their representative bodies - in order to help achieve these targets. "It is essential that we work in partnership with the business community to raise awareness of the issues, and to emphasise the HSE's role in supporting businesses to help them meet their legal and moral responsibilities". Also addressing the conference, Kevin McLoughlin, a partner at DLA, emphasised the importance of educating and informing businesses - including those who have transgressed the law. "In addition to this legislative approach, we must work closely with these companies to educate, in order to protect staff and the future of the economy. As such, we should consider a system of corporate probation, requiring businesses to implement safety plans in order to remedy problems and improve their health and safety performance". The theme of business support was echoed by Dr Ewan MacDonald, an occupational physician from Glasgow University, who said the UK should place greater emphasis on proactively managing occupational health. "Employers should be encouraged to implement workplace support programmes for staff which address both home and work issues, since much ill-health begins outside the workplace, such as sports-related injuries and stress". Note to Editors: Royal & SunAlliance Royal & SunAlliance is one of the world's largest multi-national insurance groups, writing all major classes of general and life insurance. R&SA transacts in more than 130 countries and has 20 million customers around the world. The main regional centres of Royal & SunAlliance UK Commercial are Liverpool, Manchester, London, Leeds, Glasgow and Birmingham. In addition to the UK, Royal & SunAlliance's professional and financial risks practice (ProFin) operates throughout Europe, North America and Asia Pacific. Full details of the ProFin worldwide network and ProFin offices are available on www.profin.royalsun.com DLA DLA is a progressive, full service UK and international law firm that has achieved spectacular growth over the last few years. It is now one of the top 10 in the UK and has a significant presence around the world. DLA provides international legal service through its offices in Brussels, Hong Kong, Singapore and most major UK cities including London, Leeds and Glasgow. DLA has an exclusive alliance with seven law firms who have offices in Amsterdam, Belgium, Berlin, Bergen, Barcelona, Cologne, Copenhagen, Essen, Frankfurt, Milan, Moscow, Oslo, Paris, Rome, Rotterdam, Singapore and Stockholm, through D&P (DLA and Partners). In addition to this, DLA maintains strong relationships with firms in most major cities around the world, including those in the USA. Further information about the firm and its services are available at www.dla.com Photographs of George Foulkes MP, Minister of State for Scotland, addressing Scottish businesses at today's conference are available on request. For further information, please contact: Mhairi Kerr Ben Read PR Consultant Marketing Consultant Royal & SunAlliance Royal & SunAlliance T: 0151 224 3341 T: 0207 337 5861 M: 07740 845209 M: 07736 723560 e-mail: mhairi.kerr@uk.royalsun.com e-mail: ben.read@uk.royalsun.com Duncan Hart Helen Obi Lansons Communications DLA Press Office T: 0207 490 8828 T: 0207 796 6989 e-mail: duncanh@lansons.com e-mail: elle.hill@dla.com ------------------------------------------------------------ This information was brought to you by Waymaker http://www.waymaker.net The following files are available for download: http://www.waymaker.net/bitonline/2002/04/22/20020422BIT01490/wkr0001.doc http://www.waymaker.net/bitonline/2002/04/22/20020422BIT01490/wkr0002.pdf