DYING TO GET IT FIXED?
Monday 26th September 2011: HSENI and the District Councils, the workplace health and safety regulators in Northern Ireland, plan to crack down on poorly planned maintenance that has the potential to kill and injure by launching a safe maintenance campaign.
Too often setting out to fix or repair machinery or plant can lead to needless death and injury. Indeed during the past year 30% of all workplace fatalities were related to maintenance activities.
Maintenance can take many forms and involve working at height or using hazardous chemicals. It should never be approached lightly but carefully planned. In the final analysis safe maintenance saves time, saves money and saves lives.
The campaign’s message will be reinforced during inspections by both regulators. Particular emphasis will be given to exposure to asbestos, working at heights and locking out machinery. Supporting this work will be seminars, guidance materials and an interactive on line tool all designed to encourage safe maintenance practices.
Welcoming the new campaign, HSENI Deputy Chief Executive Bryan Monson said, “Safe maintenance requires an organisation to have both good leadership and a competent workforce. This is a fundamental and integral element of a healthy and safe system of work in any and every place of work. Good maintenance really does save an organisation time, money and, most importantly, saves lives”.
Marcus Potts, Principal Environmental Health Officer, North Down District Council added, “This joint initiative relates to an area of work that has been the source of many accidents and injuries in recent years. Safe maintenance; specifically asbestos, work at height and isolation are key risk areas and it is important that in partnership with HSENI, we continue to tackle issues such as these”.
“We wholeheartedly welcome this joint initiative. Good health and safety management makes good business sense and will deliver long term benefits to organisations and the economy of Northern Ireland. In partnership with HSENI we will continue to promote the message that sensible maintenance risk management will help to protect business profits as well as being a fundamental cornerstone of a civilised society”.
For further information on safe maintenance in workplaces please contact the HSENI Helpline on 0800 0320 121 or visit our website at www.hseni.gov.uk/safemaintenance
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