Representatives from Energy & Utility Skills and the Scottish Waste Industry Training Competence & Health & Safety (SWITCH) Forum recently met with Clare Adamson MSP to discuss her support of the newly launched Safety, Health and Environmental Awareness (SHEA) SWITCH Waste and Resource Management scheme.
Responding to employer consultations over increasing fatality and injury rates, Energy & Utility Skills and SWITCH collaborated to deliver the scheme for Scotland’s resource management industry. The scheme will help drive a change of culture around health and safety by embedding a standard level of awareness, empowering workers to recognise and take action against bad practice.
The UK waste and resource management industry is currently ranked as the second poorest industry for managing health and safety risks, according to statistics published by the HSE.
Rick Brunt, Head of Waste and Recycling at HSE, said:
“The industry has a bad record for managing risk and as such is a priority sector for our attention as a regulator. 12 people were killed in this industry last year, against an annual average of eight deaths a year. Add to that the 5,000 non-fatal injuries and the 5000 cases of ill health each year, this should be a stark warning to the industry that it needs to improve.”
At the meeting Adamson confirmed her commitment to support Energy & Utility Skills and SWITCH’s efforts in raising awareness and highlighting challenges in the leadership of local authorities. She urged all to play their part in reducing fatality and injury rates in Scotland’s resource management industry.
Stephen Barrett, Director of Strategic Accounts at Energy & Utility Skills, said:
“Creating a paradigm shift that enables a safety culture to evolve is not something that happens overnight. It requires leadership, commitment to invest in the long term and belief from all involved. Clare’s commitment to supporting our work with local authorities is most welcome – we look forward to working together to reverse the trend across the Scottish resource management industry.”
Charlie Devine, Chair of SWITCH Forum, said:
“The ambition of having a resource management industry with a competent, healthy and safe workforce is only achievable if we work together. The SHEA SWITCH Passport scheme provides the opportunity for the industry to do just that and to promote best practice in health & safety and education & training.”
More information about Safety, Health and Environmental Awareness schemes and SHEA SWITCH is available on the Energy & Utility Skills Register website.
Join the SWITCH Network by emailing switch@zerowastescotland.org.uk.
More information on the SWITCH Forum can be read at CIWM.
Pictured from left to right: Lynsey Benson, Client Engagement Manager at Energy & Utility Skills; Clare Adamson MSP, Convener, Education and Skills Committee; Stephen Barrett, Head of Strategic Accounts at Energy & Utility Skills; Alasdair Meldrum, SWITCH Ambassador and Director at Albion International Ltd.