Involve workers in health and safety, says survey

Health and safety are considered important matters in the workplace, and workers should be involved in health and safety, according to a survey carried out for the HSE by market research firm MORI.

The survey of workers, employers and members of the public was carried out earlier this year. Over 90% of respondents agreed that workers should be involved in decisions about health and safety at work.

More than nine out of ten workers (92%) said they felt fairly or very safe at work. Workers ranked stress, chemicals and machinery and electrical equipment as the highest workplace risks to health, while machinery and electrical equipment, falling and tripping and moving objects were seen as the main safety risks.

The survey also found that most employers do not seem to regard health and safety as a burden on business. Only one in six employers (17%) said that health and safety requirements "seriously hamper" their business, while two-thirds said they wanted HSE to present itself as a "firm but fair policeman".

However, over two-thirds of employers (68%) thought compensation claims had "gone too far" - despite government evidence that the "compensation culture" is a myth.