A new Era

50 years ago, President Richard Nixon resigned from office, MacDonalds was born (love the Sausage?&?Egg?McMuffin), streaking took off as a fad (which I have no experience ??), Rumble in the Jungle with the legendary Ali and Foreman, Evel Knievel attempted to jump across a canyon in a rocket motorcycle, Rubik's Cube?puzzle was invented, Philippe Petit walked across the gap between the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center, Abba won Waterloo in the Euros, Terracotta Army?of?Qin Shi Huang was discovered.? I am sure dear reader you are far too young to remember these events, but will probably be familiar with the stories and context.? And having been born in 1974 myself (I quietly whisper my 50th year), clearly predestined to become a OHS practitioner, as the Health & Safety at Work etc Act 1974 was given Royal Assent on the 31st July 1974.? A landmark piece of legislation that any UK practitioner will be familiar with.? At the time there were 651 annual fatalities and 336,701 total injuries. The Flixborough disaster had only happened two months before (1st June), where 28 people lost their lives and 36 people were seriously injured. ?

The HASAW Act was ground breaking in it’s time.? Previous legislation had focused on key industries.? The HASAW brought together ‘general duties’ that applied to both employers, directors / managers and employees, and even to persons concerned with premises and manufacturers across a broad range of industries. These general duties represent the ‘goal-oriented’ approach of HSWA, which required employers to be proactive and take accountability for identifying risks and ensuring measures were in place to guard against harm. The 1974 Act introduced a new modern health and safety system, which paved the way for the creation of the Health and Safety Commission and the establishment of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) as we know it today, which enforces health and safety law and brings irresponsible employers to justice.? It serves as an enabling act that allows for further specific health and safety regulations to be passed and enforced under it, allowing for adaptions and agility to how our workplace, attitudes, knowledge and ways of working that have changed over the past 50 years.

We have much to rejoice regarding the impact of this world leading Act.? But as we look ahead we still have considerable challenges with 1.8 million people suffering from work-related illness, 2,257 mesothelioma deaths, 138?workers killed in work-related accidents, 35.2 million?working days lost due to work-related illness and workplace injury and ￡20.7 billion?estimated cost of injuries and ill health from current working conditions.?

A time to celebrate, but also to reset and consider the next 50 years.? Our world is transforming rapidly, It is said that the world has changed more in the last decade, than it has in the previous century.? Many of the skills workers we need today will be completely different in the future.? 85% of jobs that will be available in 2030 haven’t even been invented yet.? The nature of work in this dynamic future is poised for significant change, driven by technological trends, artificial intelligence and globalization/supply chains.? We look to the health and safety community to navigate these new emerging risks, build knowledge and influence change in our evolving world.?

A new era of OHS continues to evolve. Read more from the British Safety Council : https://www.britsafe.org/safety-management/2024/a-golden-era-of-safety-50-years-of-the-health-and-safety-at-work-act

I am off to celebrate with a McFlurry shake.