A Private Member's Bill, the Health and Safety (Education and Training) Bill, has been supported by the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH), for its aim to plug gaps in health and safety awareness that may be putting employees’ lives at risk.

The Bill, presented in Parliament by George Howarth MP (Knowsley North and Sefton East) under the Ten Minute Rule, will call for health and safety elements to be embedded throughout Britain’s education system.

The new Bill focuses on every level of the workforce, from work experience, apprenticeships and diplomas, through to professional courses, such as teacher training and MBAs.

It aims to drive up young people’s health and safety skills to prevent accidents happening in the first place, protecting their well-being and supporting productivity.

According to a source at IOSH, last year alone, 247 people were killed at work, around 274,000 were seriously injured and a further 2.2 million people suffered an illness they attributed to their employment.

It has been estimated that the financial cost of workplace accidents and ill health to society — including social security payments, NHS treatments and lost taxes — totals up to £31 billion each year.

George Howarth MP explained why he is introducing the Bill.

He said, “It focuses on what I believe is the most effective tool in improving safety and health skills: education and training … We know that inexperience leads to an increased risk of workplace injury and sadly over the last decade, 64 of those killed at work were under 19 years old, 15,000 in this age group suffered major injuries and a further 50,000 were hurt. Consequently, it’s vital that we look to incorporate health and safety awareness into education before our young people begin work-based learning or start work, and that we provide adequate supervision and induction training so that fewer lives are avoidably damaged.”

Source: Croner's