Going for Gold at Westminster
22 February 2012
Employment Minister Chris Grayling MP and
his opposite number on the Labour benches were among MPs who
attended IOSH’s Going for Gold reception at the Palace of
Westminster last night.
IOSH held the event to showcase how businesses can save money
through effective risk management and it used one of the health and
safety profession’s greatest recent achievements to make the
case.
Former president of the Institution, Lawrence Waterman, now head of
health and safety at the Olympic Delivery Authority, told guests
how the Olympic build was completed on time, within budget and with
no fatalities.
IOSH and its members are tired of health and safety being viewed
as impeding business, so if we can show people what the ODA has
done, we can start to change opinions.
IOSH head of policy and public affairs
Richard Jones said: “This was a fantastic opportunity to engage
with MPs and to promote our Life Savings campaign. It’s vital to
get across the message that health and safety saves lives and saves
money.
“It was really important that we had both the
Employment Minister and the Shadow Employment Minister speaking at
this event and both were so supportive of what IOSH is doing.”
Mr Grayling told the audience that health and safety was
“paramount” and ensured “nothing that we do will undermine
that”.
Afterwards, he told IOSH: “I think the key
thing is to get across that good health and safety is about
protecting people against death, serious injury and ill health in
the workplace. What the ODA has achieved is a good example and you
can’t help to be impressed by what they have achieved.”
Employment Minister Chris Grayling MP talks to IOSH chief executive
Rob Strange
Shadow Employment Minister Stephen Timms MP
said: “It’s right for us to celebrate that remarkable record of the
ODA and to celebrate the contribution health and safety
professionals made in securing that record. And to recognise the
success of the Institution and the UK’s role in taking the lead on
how this job can be done.”
Shadow Employment Minister Stephen Timms MP addresses IOSH's Going
for Gold reception