News release

21 March 2011 - NR 13/10

New online directory to increase confidence in health and safety advice

A new online directory to help businesses find a health and safety consultant that they can trust to give sensible, expert advice launches today (21 March).

More than 1,600 highly qualified consultants in the UK have signed up to the online Occupational Safety and Health Consultants Register (OSHCR). It has been created to increase employers’ confidence that they are receiving good quality, proportionate health and safety advice should they need external help.

Before consultants can join the register they must prove they can meet strict eligibility criteria. Each must belong to a professional body, have a degree-level qualification, at least two years’ experience and have demonstrated a commitment to continuing their professional development.

Many employers do not need external consultants to help them comply with their legal obligations. The register is aimed at those businesses that want extra support from a trusted source – and will make it easy to find a local consultant with relevant industry and topic expertise.

Chris Grayling, the Employment Minister, said: “We have launched an official Occupational Safety and Health Consultants Register for those health and safety practitioners who are properly accredited to one of the professional bodies in the industry. Those who do not have the requisite expertise and experience will be excluded from the register, making it easier for employers to access reliable, reputable advice.”

OSHCR has been established by a number of professional bodies representing general safety and occupational health consultants, with support from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) in response to the Government-commissioned Common Sense Common Safety report into Britain’s health and safety system, which called for improved competence in health and safety advice.

The register is now freely accessible and searchable at http://www.oshcr.org/.

For more information, read the Frequently asked questions (PDF 31 KB).

Notes for editors:

1.   The register covers England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.  Health and Safety is devolved in Northern Ireland but the Northern Ireland regulators HSENI have joined the UK-wide scheme.
 
2.   HSE supported a number of participating professional bodies and other stakeholders as they established OSHCR Ltd as a not-for-profit company. The members of OSHCR Ltd are:

• British Occupational Hygiene Society (BOHS)
• British Safety Council
• British Safety Industry Federation (BSIF)
• Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH)
• Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors (IEHF)
• International Institute of Risk and Safety Management (IIRSM)
• Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH)
• National Exam Board in Occupational Safety and Health (NEBOSH)
• Royal Environmental Health Institute of Scotland (REHIS)
• Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA)

HSE is currently administering the register; the intention is that once it is up and running, the professional bodies will take this over.

3.    The register, which is voluntary, is open to individuals who provide commercial advice on general health and safety management issues and who have achieved at least one of the following:

• Chartered status with IOSH (Institution of Occupational Safety and Health); CIEH (Chartered Institute of Environmental Health); or REHIS (Royal Environmental Health Institute of Scotland) with health and safety qualifications
• Fellow status with IIRSM (International Institute of Risk and Safety Management) with degree level qualifications
• Member or Fellow status with BOHS (British Occupational Hygiene Society) Faculty of Occupational Hygiene
• Registered Member or Fellow status with IEHF (Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors). 
   
  In addition, all consultants wishing to join the register will be asked to declare that they will:
• Demonstrate adequate continuing professional development;
• abide by their professional body's code of conduct;
• provide sensible and proportionate advice;
• and have professional indemnity insurance or equivalent.

4.      The Government-commissioned report on the UK health and safety system, Common Sense Common Safety, was published on 15 October 2010. OSHCR meets several of the report's aspirations for improved competence in external health and safety advice.

 5.    Contacts:

• British Occupational Hygiene Society (BOHS) 
  Contact: Anthea Page, Tel: 01332 250701
• British Safety Council 
  Contact: Philip Powell, Tel: 020 8741 1231
• British Safety Industry Federation (BSIF) 
  Contact: Helen Ellis, The McOnie Agency, Tel: 01483 237230
• Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) 
  Contact: Andrew Hamadanian, Tel: 020 7827 5922
• Health and Safety Executive (HSE)
  Contact: Liz Carridge, Tel: 0151 951 4684
• Health and Safety Executive Northern Ireland (HSENI) 
  Contact: David Beck, Tel: 028 9024 3249
• Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors (IEHF) 
  Contact: Amanda Bellamy, Tel: 01509 234904
• International Institute of Risk and Safety Management (IIRSM) 
  Contact: Brian Nimick, Tel: 020 8741 9100
• Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) 
  Contact: Tim Walsh, Tel: 0116 257 3252
• National Exam Board in Occupational Safety and Health (NEBOSH) 
  Contact: Julia Whiting, Tel: 0116 263 4724
• Royal Environmental Health Institute of Scotland (REHIS) 
  Contact: Tom Bell, Tel: 0131 229 2968
• Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) 
  Contact: Jo Bullock, Tel: 0121 248 2134

For media enquiries please contact Liz Carridge, HSE Press Office, tel 0151 951 4684.