New Appointment To Chair Health and Safety Commission


The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions today announced the appointment of Judith Hackitt CBE as the next Chair of the Health and Safety Commission in succession to Sir Bill Callaghan who retires from the role on 30 September. Ms Hackitt is returning from an assignment as Director of the Chemistry for Europe project with the European Chemical Industry Council based in Brussels.

Peter Hain, Secretary of State for Work and PensionsIn making the announcement, the Secretary of State, Peter Hain, said:

"I would like to place on record my and the Government's thanks to Sir Bill Callaghan for his inspired leadership of the Health and Safety Commission over the last eight years. There is no doubt that his leadership has contributed hugely to our continued commitment to the improvement of the crucial issue of health and safety at work in this country.
"At the same time I am delighted to announce Judith Hackitt's appointment as Sir Bill's successor. Her extensive industrial experience, particularly in the field of health and safety, will be an enormous asset in her undertaking the complex and demanding role of Chair of the Commission."

Judith Hackitt said:

"I am very pleased to be re-joining the Commission as its Chair. I recognise the enormous challenges of improving still further health and safety in our workplaces, and I look forward to working with all the members of the Commission, the staff of the Health and Safety Executive and with Local Authorities to take this critically important work forward."


Judith Hackitt's appointment will commence on 1st October 2007 and will be for a term of five years. Her appointment will be on a three day per week basis. The appointment has been made in full conformity with the Code of Practice of the Office of the Commissioner for Public Appointments.

Biographical details:

Judith Hackitt is returning from an assignment as Director of the Chemistry for Europe project with the European Chemical Industry Council based in Brussels. This was a project to restructure the network of Chemical Industries Trade Associations across Europe.
Judith Hackitt trained as a Chemical Engineer at Imperial College, London. She was previously employed as Group Risk Manager at Elementis PLC with world-wide responsibility for health and safety insurance and litigation.

In 1998 she joined the Chemical Industries Association as Director of Business and Environment. She became Director General of the Association in April 2002. She was appointed as a member of the Health and Safety Commission on the same date. She held that post until December 2005.

Judith Hackitt was awarded a CBE in June 2006 for her services to health and safety at work.

Health and Safety Commission:

The Health and Safety Commission (HSC) is an independent body set up under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. Its operational arm, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), is a separate statutory body. Commissioners adopt the role of non-executive directors of the HSE.

The overall purpose of the HSC and HSE is to ensure that risks to people's health and safety from work activities are properly controlled. The Commission provides advice and information to Ministers and others on health and safety matters, and proposes new legislation after consultation with interested parties.

Source: GNN


 
 
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