Health and Safety Accreditation for Consultants
Safety issues are considered a priority in today’s work environment. Most employers rely on consultants for advice on safety measures implementation. It has been observed that few consultants are offering genuine suggestions and beneficial safety measures.
Usually the safety measures are implemented on an ad hoc basis and the consultants offering the advice are neither professional nor qualified. This has resulted in a demand for health and safety consultants who are recognized by professional authorities.
In other words, this calls for an accreditation that assures professional advice and instills confidence in the employers. A new
The scheme is the brain child of a group of health and safety organizations headed by Geoffrey Podger, Chief Executive of the HSE. Initially the scheme is aimed to be voluntary to encourage safety consultants to initiate a self development process. Also, the scheme is looking at implementation of safety measures in traditional safety issues. Occupational hygiene and chemical hazards are not yet included in the safety schemes and may make a presence at a later date.
The positive approach is to encourage safety consultants to voluntarily enrol for a small fee that covers administrative charges. Once the accreditation is complete, the list of accredited safety consultants are put up online for businesses to access and find the most suitable safety consultant as per the requirement.
According to IOSH Chief Executive Rob Strange, this will bring in a uniform code of safety implementation with advice that is sound and practical. It will also end the regime of OTT advice that is sometimes absolutely impractical.
The scheme is being seen as the starting point of bringing in a new generation of safety professionals who are both qualified and experienced. Accreditation ensures that there is minimal risk and no loss of life. The move is being welcomed by both consultants and businesses as they see a complete value addition.